Old Posts From The Others (Davin's Story)

Sunday, June 6, 2010


God you are more powerful than I could ever imagine

Ever been in the moment when you feel like something must just be done? A moment when God leads you to do something a little bit unusual and out of routine is what I'm speaking of. Have you ever acted upon this call? I have. My name is Kelly Ashlyn, and I am sixteen years old. I was driving down the road one night, and I felt as if God put a need in my heart and wanted me to pray about it, believing that he could go above and beyond what I was asking for. I started praying for my peers and for God to open up the heavens that night. I asked that he would "move powerfully throughout his house" and just do something amazing--so amazing that no one could deny that it was anybody or anything but God. I got to church. I went in and began just helping out, like I always do until service starts. Then I take a seat and wait for the band to start off our worship service. So, anyways, I was worshiping and we were about on the second song when our youth pastor comes up and says that he feels led to make the altar open for those who want to get closer to God. He begins explaining what it means to be baptized in the Holy Spirit and have the evidence of speaking in tongues. Usually, Everyone steppes back to clear the altar, but this time, only about three or four moved that had already received this gift. I, being one of them, begin praying with my friends for they to receive it as well. It was a powerful moment. There was a point where I had just stepped back and looked around. My mouth flung wide open because I could not believe my own eyes. I told the Lord, "God you are more powerful than I could ever imagine." When it comes to prayer and faith now, I believe that we can only do the possible, but we have a heavenly father that can do the impossible if we just ask. I also believe that we are never too young to be used by God. My name is Kelly Ashlyn, and this is how God used me to minister to my peers.

Posted by Kelly Ashlyn. at 4:53 AM 0 comments Friday, September 11, 2009

Serving=Leading. Too good to be true? nah.

I would have never seen myself as a leader until recently. When I think of leaders, I think about the popular, the outgoing, the political canidates, the student council, the honor clubs, competition, drive, determination....I see firefighters, doctors, pastors, teachers. What I don't see is the young, the average, the volunteer, the servant. I always have heard that serving is leading, but I never took into account how much the resembnlence and connection between the two. This is because I was looking at the world's leaders. We all know the world's view is messed up anyways. So to see what a leader looks like, look at the example in Matthew 20:



25But Jesus called them to him and said, "You know that the rulers of the Gentiles lord it over them, and their great ones exercise authority over them. 26 It shall not be so among you. But whoever would be great among you must be your servant, 27and whoever would be first among you must be your slave, 28even as the Son of Man came not to be served but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many."



Jesus obviously sees a leader as a servant. Serving is part of leading-think about it for a moment...God in the flesh, a servant? Oh yeah! Serving being part of leading can be confusing, I know, but the more you think about it the more it makes since. When you're at an event, and you see someone wiping down the tables, it makes you want to grab a rag and help out. Before you know it, you have a team washing dishes and moping floors. It is contagious, and I love it! I started reading serveal weeks ago Help! I'm a student leader. by Doug fields. I realized the same thing as Alyissa did as I read the first chapter over and over again.

Posted by Kelly Ashlyn. at 9:16 AM 0 comments Tuesday, March 24, 2009

Davin's Great Faith

Davin is now seventeen. He has been really blessed with the life that he has. He's done a lot for this world of his since we heard about him from the year before. Now he is considering going to a third world country with his youth group and his dad. He wants to do this so bad, that he never really thought seriously about his safety. All that he knew was that God loved him , and he wanted to show other people how much he loved them. His mother was very hesitant about it, but she let him put in an application and eventually gave him her yes in time to meet the deadline for the deposit. One night, he had just finished eating dinner. His mother was on the couch, looking over some bills. She said, "Come here and sit down. Tell me what you think." Davin moved from his bar stool at the island, and went and sat on the autumun. He said, "Think about what?" His mother looked at him and said, "What do you think about his trip?" He thought about it for a minute and told her how he thought it would be great and any other ideas that came to his mind. She continued, " You know Davin, that it is going to be hard on us right now. Money's tight. Not only do you have to pay for the trip, but also will be a lot of vaccinations, which you never liked shots. On top of all that, people are getting laid off their jobs...this is not the greatest time for a trip like this. Will you be disappointed if you, for some reason, did not get to go?" Davin really never considered any of this, and was just about to say no, but instead he said this. "I will not be disappointed! If this is what God wants, for me to go to this place, then nothing can stop it. No money, no illness, not anything can keep me from going. He will provide mother. Just like he has done for us always. If I don't go, that's not my choice or your choice to make." He got up and went on his way as usual. He started to study some Spanish, then switched to playing the computer until bedtime. At night, he prayed before he slept as he always did. This night, it was a little longer than normal. He said, "God, I don't know how I am going to do this, but I'm trusting you." Davin trusted God, and a few months later it came time for the support letters. He sent them out, continuing his prayer and trusting in God. The next week, checks poured in. There was not a single day that someone didn't send their financial support. Upon hearing this, Davin was shocked. He realized that his small act of faith made the results happen even better than his own timing. God wants to hear from you. He wants you to trust him, for he is the light in our chaos and confusion. What else could be more reliable than him? 'Cause I sure cannot think of anything myself....

Posted by Kelly Ashlyn. at 5:21 PM 0 comments Home Subscribe to: Posts (Atom)

Where do you belong?

Love works in subtle ways, and never goes completely unnoticed. Love is usually taken lightly. Love is amazingly unchanging. It is powerful beyond measure. It is the one thing that's worth both living and dying for. Everyone wants to be loved, but no one wants to humble themselves and give love. If no one gives love, no one recieves love. If no one recieves love, then they forget who love is. When no one remembers who love is, then they are lost. For the many no ones out there, love gives hope. Love gave everything up for you. You may not know love but, love knows you. Love sees you right where you are at. You may not see love, but it doesn't mean love doesn't exist. Love has faith. Love has a timing and purpose for everything. Love is not evil. Love is compassionate. No ones are selfish, but love is not proud; it does not boast. Everyone, including the no ones, claims they want to live like love, but only a handful of the everyones will change themselves to act like love. Where do you belong? Are you a no one or are you in the handful of everyones? Are you like love, or do you just claim your like love? Again, I ask you, where do you belong?

Looking Back on Summer 2009 and forward to Summer 2011

Now that the adults are starting up the Honduras trip again, I can't help but to think back to my own experience. I could never really sum it up in a nutshell until now. Lots of things happened while we were gone, but I found this poster in my spanish class, and it just sums it all up.

Some prayed, but it wasn't my religion.

They spoke, but it wasn't my language.

They ate, but it wasn't what I ate.

They dressed, but it wasn't always what I wore.

They shook my hand, but it wasn't the color of mine.

But when they laughed, it was the way I laughed,

And when they smiled, It was the same way I smiled.

And when they cried, it was the way we cried.

When they played, it was they way we played.

This is because no matter how we look, inside we're all the same.

And I just have to sit back and agree. Could anything sum it up any better? We all have things in common, no matter where you go. So this thought gets me all excited about 2011 when I get to go back, and for next summer, when my mom may be going with them. In the meantime, I studing all the spanish I can to break the "Language Barrier" that really aggravates you the whole time. Those who go will get a good understanding of this. The thing I just wish I could have done was spoke and been well understood. Telling people the real reasons why we were there and how much God loves them--that he's not hateful and slow to anger, quick to forgive, and has love that is unfailing. Yeah, that's just about it.

Today is a glorious day that he has made. I look around to see what majesty surronds me. The oceans declare greatness, the rocks praise, the grass sways with worship...the sun shines the brightest that it can, the birds sing songs of joy, and my soul rejoices at the sight. To think that my daddy loved me so much that he made this so I could adore it in these few moments as I rode to school. Is that amazing or what!??? I wish I could have stayed outside most of the day. In this he reminded me of how great he is and that I am his child, that there is nothing worth worring over. Today's challenge: slow down...take a moment to seek his face and see everything he has made.

A Vision Defined

I had a dream one night, one that got me thinking. There was a girl stumbling along a dark road. She was tired and couldn't walk much further. Falling to her knees, she cries out, "God, help me." She was so lost in the choas that she didn't notice the man who appeared behind her. He wore a white robe, and the rain didn't touch him as he walked over to the child. As she continued sobbing, he picked her up off the ground and says, "My child, let's get you inside and dried off." I started thinking about this as I listened to the song He Carried Me. I couldn't help but to see myself in the girl. I mess up, I stumble, and I eventually fall knowing I can't make it on my own. I remembered at the moment how God is always there waiting on me to ask for his help. When I call on him, he picks me up and he carries me through it all. He's always there to brush me (in this case, dry me) off. And I can feel his fatherly love as he takes care of me just like he did the little girl. It just really got me thinking that maybe I need to let him carry me when life gets tough and I can't walk that extra step, so I fall into the mud. And then when its over, I'll say He carrried me throught it all.

No reason why

Wednesday night, a friend of mine came up behind me and said, "I love you girl." I turned toward her and said, "Why do you love me?" I was thinking at the time, "What did I do to have you say that?". She said, " I dunno, I just do." Then in service I started thinking about it. God's saying the same thing to me. He tells me often I love you, and as humans we ask the question "Why?". And God's reponse is nothing more than because I just love you. How great is that? To think that Almighty God, loves you, and you did nothing to deserve it. If that isn't the best reason I ever heard, "because I love you", I don't know what could be much greater. I say that I know that he loves me, but how often do I really think about it? Not that much honestly. And yet, he never forgets to remind me of it. It's like telling your loved one how much you love them--the more you say it, the more it sticks. You can't take credit for something you didn't deserve so I find that it is absoultely amazing that he loves me because he just loves me. It just doesn't get any better than that.

Night 3- Junquillo

I have experienced something tonight that is more powerful than myself. It is something beyond what I can explain. It causes my body to tremble, my heart to pound. It is something more than human understanding. It is what we call the mercy of God. it is truly overwhelming. It knocks my breath away as the love consumes me. It overflows its container and everyone can see that something's different about me. It completely redefines my purpose in life. It makes me want to do just one thing for the rest of life into eternity-- praise the God who created the love by the ultimate sacrifice, himself.