Ash...oh today...

I am so tired but I just need to remember how awesome this day turned out. I would journal it in my actual journal but at this moment I can type way faster than I can write and speed is of the essence. I had a really crappy day today. It started out basically from the moment I got out of the shower and LifeForce had a crisis that I had to deal with, then I had to organize a bunch of stuff for the Feast of Praise and everybody was just being really confrontational and argumentative with me about the decisions I had to make that did not please them. Then my day got better when I got stuck taking Arielle to get her passport. I was dissapointed because today was the one day I could have gone to the Operation Christmas Child building but instead, due to Nathan's forgetfulness, it was off the the passport office for me. It actually was fun--after getting the passport, Arielle just shared with me all the cool stuff God is doing in her life and I remembered why I love LifeForce and why I wanted to follow God here. I love spending time with these people and hearing their hearts, sharing in their struggles, and being a witness to all the amazingness that God is doing in their lives. I bought milkshakes for the two of us, then we sat in the Devonion Gardens and played Phase 10. Soon after this life got drastically more difficult as I went to the Feast of Praise and was running all over the place trying to help get done what had to get done. The Feast was good and worship was nice and it was so great seeing some old friends. Afterwards though I was sharing with my friend James about how crappy this day had kind of been. He said that he hoped my day would get better. I was like, "ok freak it's like 9 pm, my day is kind of late for getting better." But possibly most days that end really wonderful are the ones that start a bit worse. He told me that there was still a good chance this day could turn around. And it did. Right after that I got stuck washing dishes; I had a "water-type-fight" with Larry Moore; I played with a hoola-hoop with Dan and Sonja...and I actually found myself laughing and smiling. Now I'm tired. But God reminded me of some dreams He gave me for my life a long time ago and it feels so good to know that He hasn't forgotten and in fact is preparing the road ahead of me. It would make me overwhelmed with joy to be more tired than this everyday if I can spend the rest of my life delighting in God and in the people He puts in my life. Thank you Holy Spirit. Pour your Holy fire and hope into these dreams. Prepare me to do all that God made me for and has called me to be. Overwhelm me in the morning with joy and the hope of a new day surrendered to You, and satisfy my heart as I lay myself in thankfulness and peace of a day well spent. Time is drawing near so I pray You Holy Spirit would make tomorrow full of opportunities, full of awareness and courage so I'll take those opportunities, and full of love and power so I may be like my Jesus in each one. Thank you. Amen.

Still loving imperfectly with the hope and expectation of Fearless Love,
Ashley

The best potential your life has to turn around is when it's late in the day and night is falling--the darkness makes it easier to see the light.