Swing

This game called life throws many curve balls. The important thing is your response. Swing or not swing. I've learned that no matter what type of ball is thrown at me, i will always go out swinging. Some may say it is sheer stupidity to swing at every ball, others may say it's sheer bravery to come across the plate and swing with determination. What some may say means nothing to me. If i swing one hundred percent of the time and only fifty percent of the balls thrown are curved, i still have at least a fifty percent chance I'll hit one out of the park. So hit or miss, i will go out swinging.

Cold chains against my hands, a sense of relief with every undying, ever powerful push. Feeling as though my life is a never ending music video with the climax on repeat. All my worries fade away. The wind on my face, my eyes lifted towards the sky. I'll go out swinging.

It seems as though i best write when im going through something tough. That would explain why Edgar Allen Poe was so good, and John Steinbeck, and just about every other great writer. It sometimes takes an emotional break down to produce a great piece of work. I find this similar with how God works. He takes us through an emotional breaking process to refine us, so that we may be the best we were created to be. God is, after all, the greatest of all authors. I can only learn from the best.

Bleh.....

Its been a while since my last post, so i figured i'd share what has happened the past couple weeks.

On Saturday March 15th, John Paul was here speaking. We had an awesome night of worship with Kelly, Hannah, and the band. Tom and Nadine were also here and that was just a treat. I love them ever so much.

On Sunday March 16th, The whole Streams tribe went to the Tsawwassen Long House to protocol the first nations of Canada. It was incredible. To be in the actual long house itself is a miracle. The Queen was denied entry, but we got to go, and on top of that, we were invited back anytime. They fed us some really tasty food and it was just fun to sit inside this amazing structure with wood burning stoves and great company. I'll remember that all my life.

The following week was spent restoring ourselves. All the while i was continuing to build friendships with people from church.

On Monday March 24th, also known as yesterday. 7 of the girl interns went to Dairy Queen and then ransacked the boys house twenty minutes before curfew. We tip toed in quietly and then once all inside ran through their house screaming and moving things around. Five minutes later, we all left. It was hysterical, none of them expected it.

Tomorrow is the last day of the internship, come Thursday i am no longer a Streams Intern. It a bit sad knowing that it will be a while before i see some people again, but it will be okay. It will be interesting to see if any romances blossom after Wednesday. I doubt there will be, but God only knows, a couple or two might come from left field. I guess we'll see. Bye for now. :)

Duck Saliva On My Shoe

Today was a great way to end a week, or start of one if you'd like to think of it that way. I woke up early and had a fabulous breakfast with a great friend named Tara, before church. Church was ever so lovely, as always. After Church i was running on maybe 5 hours of sleep and incredibly hyper. Just in case you would like to know hyper; i was sliding down hand rails, sitting in the middle of the street/parking lot, running, jumping, and skipping around everywhere. I'll tell ya, i scared myself....

Tara and Hannah(my roomie) we went out to lunch, but before we actually found a place, i bought flowers for a guy. I then realized that guys + flowers...not so much. I don't understand why, but men dont like receiving flowers, i think it a role reversal thing they're not quite ready for.

Anyhoo, after we gave these flowers to this guy(which started as a crazy joke from me), we drove around trying to find a place to eat and everywhere we went, something was wrong. We finally ate at the ABC Country and it was there where we put our revelators to work. I felt as though i needed to say something to our waitress who's name happened to be Ashley. I simply encouraged her, because she was indeed doing a great job handling all those tables. I then proceeded to tell her how beautiful she was and it made her day to the point of tears. It was magnificent. Hannah then interpreted a dream she had. We left with full bellies and happy hearts....after turning down free ice cream, silly us.

After reading the title and everything previously mentioned, you're probably wondering what any of that has to do with duck saliva on my shoe. We ended up going to the bird sanctuary in Ladner. It was there where Tara and Hannah put bird seed at my feet and watched the ducks swarm, like a hungry swarm of ducks, towards my feet. That is how i received duck saliva on my shoe. Its quite gross.

It's What You Do That Defines You

Hello My Dear Friends,

The past five months have been extraordinary. I have been in the Streams Ministries Canada Internship School of Ministry based in Vancouver, Canada. It has been amazing to see the truly miraculous happen within such a short time. I have learned many things about myself and about God; this is an experience worth writing about.

I arrived in Vancouver on September 12^th, 2007 – three days before the other fearless interns arrived. I flew with my two best friends, Hannah and Jenn. When we arrived at the blue house, also known as the girl’s house, we saw all the familiar faces from the internship before. It was a great reunion. On September 15^th, 2007, the rest of the other interns arrived. There was Josh from California, Lane and Ronny from Edmonton, Rachel from Michigan, Cameron from Victoria, Justin from Calgary, Erin from Langley, Christine from Ontario, and David from Abbotsford. Days later, Danielle from Sweden arrived. These people mentioned have become life long friends whom have helped shape me into the woman I am today. In every little way He could, God used these friends, to push my buttons, or in other words, “smooth down my rough edges”. I never knew how annoying it was to be unhappy about something and then have a happy person come into the room and sit right next to me. Sometimes I just wanted to throw a pity party for myself but I honestly couldn't with these happy people around. Also, never really being a morning person, being held captive in a bedroom full of morning people was absolute torture sometimes. To wake up and hear anyone talk was not what I wanted to do. Regardless of what I wanted, God saught Ashley to be a morning person. It is amazing how God will use people to get His message across. God is good, eh?

On the first day of the internship, Orientation, Eric Cooper, Director of Streams Canada, spoke on rebellion. At the time I had black hair, my lip pierced and was very hardcore looking. That day I had to call my mother and step father to ask for their forgiveness. I had got my lip pierced out of rebellion, and, until that day, I had been living in denial. The internship was full of these moments where I had to repent of my wrong doings.

Throughout the course of these 5 months, I had received many life changing prophecies on my life. We had a number of guests come impart to us what was on their hearts. Everything they shared was exactly what we needed to hear. At one point – when many of us interns felt like giving up and going home – a wonderful man named Tom came and told us specifically, “Don't Quit!”. Coming away from the internship, I noticed that I have gained a new found confidence, a reliance on Jesus Christ, maturity, wisdom and understanding in countless areas. It seems as though I have grown ten years in a period of five months. I am looking forward to what else God has planned for me.

After reading this, I had hoped to give those of you the confidence that what you have done for me is truly God-inspired. I want thank everyone who contributed to my tuition. Without you, I would not have been able to experience God in such a marvelous way. Please know that I am continually praying for you. Blessings to you all!

As April approaches and the next chapter of my life starts, I am in need of more support in both finances and prayer. On April 11^th, 2008, Streams Ministries Canada School of Ministry will be starting their leadership training semester. This semester will equip young people, like myself, with the foundations and fundamentals for leadership. This term goes from April 11^th to June 26^th, 2008. I say all this to tell you that I feel this is where God is taking me. I will be in Vancouver again, learning these great principles of being a great leader. The fee for this semester is a bit different. Tuition, which includes books and materials, is $2000; room and board is $1500. The total fee is $3500; plus an additional $125 for a student visa – and whatever the cost is for a last minute plane ticket to Vancouver. All I ask is that you pray about giving. Please know that no gift is too small and all gifts are greatly appreciated. Thanks again!

Lots of Love,
Ashley Raeanne

Daddy's Not So Little Girl

I knew that having a father say "i love you" or "i call you out to be the person God created you to be" was a good thing, but tonight i realized the importance of it.
All throughout my teenage years i had been known as being rather compassionate, and recently my heart has been breaking for what breaks God's heart. I have loved my father through his brokenness and his sin. Since i was 15 i held in all the pain my father put me through. I heard him say "i love you" but i dont really think he meant it. And i've never heard him ever bless me for the woman i've become. Many times my father chose something else over me. It hurts.
Tonight Recie Saunders stepped out on a feeling from God and ministered to every intern that had been fatherless or "wrongly fathered". He had all the interns who had been raised with good dads on one side of the room and the others who had been less fortunate on the opposite side. I was on the less fortunate side. Recie called each person on the less fortunate side one by one to come forth. The other interns joined. Recie then began to break as God's heart did for each person, as he gave them the fathers blessing and wrote off all shame and rejection.
This act brought healing to not only me but many other interns. i feel so much lighter and important. God is so great, and everyday i am finding it impossible to not believe He exists. I love the Lord Jesus Christ and i want all of blogworld to know it. Praise be to the King!

My Bucket List

I have decided it is a good idea to put together a list of things i want to do before Jesus takes me home. The list i have put together is not complete, i think as life goes on, the list will grow longer. The list is also, in no way what so ever, in order of importance, i simply thought of what i would like to do and typed it in. I do believe that by reading this
you may discover some things about me. Enjoy. :)

Go to New York City

See the statue of Liberty

Go to Times Square, see Ryan Seacrest

Go to a play on Broadway

Visit Madison Square garden

Walk past the “naked” cowboy

Go to the 2010 Winter Olympics in Vancouver Canada

Minister to many people

Go to Uganda and Visit Auntie Rita and Kristin

Go to Paris

Go to Italy

spend some time in Guatemala touring the Mayan Ruins

See the Aurora Borealis up close and personal

See my father come to know Jesus

Learn French

Learn Swedish

Go to the UK

Get Married

Have Babies :)

Cure Aids

Be on the Today Show or make my own show

Fit into a size 10

Write a book

backpack through Europe

visit the Amazon

Watch Coffee be produced

Go to China

Spread the love of Jesus EVERYWHERE

build a house

Design the house I build

take up Photography

Go to every Zoo

Visit Every State

go to the circus

have artwork display at museums

Start an affordable clothing line for the less fortunate in body size

record a song

write a song

make a difference

read the whole bible more than once

Learn to play guitar

Study Astronomy

Learn to play the drums

learn to play the piano

speak fluent spanish

own a farm with horses and a field of sunflowers

grow Calli lilies

Go to a John Mayer Concert

Be known as a follower of Jesus who loved with her whole heart and cared deeply for everyone she came in contact with.

A Bit About Ashley

Well first of all, I'm a girl. I thought that should be the first thing i mentioned. Although my name is most commonly known as a female name, some cool guy's parent's thought it was a good idea to name their son Ashley. So indeed, i am female.

Anyway, down to the important things. I am 19 and i am totally in love with Jesus Christ. I am currently attending the Academy of Streams Ministries aka: the internship. I am based in Vancouver, Canada and i absolutely love it. I have been attending the internship for 5 months and we are coming up on the last stretch. The last month of the internship is going to be difficult. I have formed many life long friendships with many special people. I'll tell ya, living in a community of 30 people, who mind you, are COMPLETELY different, is sure to do something to a person. It is so amazing to see what God does with a bunch of spit fire youth in one area. It's so great to just simply smile at someone and see their face light up. Sharing God's love with people is so much fun. We have had the liberty of attending a magnificent church called The Way Community Church. I myself, have grown pretty attached. The people who attend this The Way share the same hunger for God that i do, so it is great to connect with them. Making friends isn't too hard either, they are so loving and so darn fun.

Right now, The Internship and The Way are my life. Both which circle around the main component, God. Sadly, the internship ends on March 26th, 2008 and after that i have no clue what the next chapter of my life will entail. My life is not my own, and God is being rather stingy with the details.

That is a bit about Ashley. If you have any questions please ask away.