In 8 Days!!!

Hello again! I am so excited to tell you that I will be leaving for Mexico in 8 DAYS!!! My flight leaves out at 7:30 am on Saturday the 11th, which I found out means that I will have to be at the airport at 5:15am that morning...but I'm up for it! I can't wait to tell you about this trip, so look forward to reading about it within that next week I get back, (I get back on the 19th). I want to thank those who have financially and prayerfully supported me for this journey. Please continue to pray for me, the team that I am going with, and all the people there. So far I do not have enough funds to pay for the entire trip but I know that God has me covered. It's crazy how anxious I can get, when on the way to doing something the Lord wants me to do, because I haven't received everything for the task yet. Everything that the Lord has for me to do, He will supply my needs, that has to be a constant reminder, and not just for me, for you too, no matter what it is. If we fail to trust in the Lord we fail to love the Lord.


I have been doing lots of different things to get ready for this trip. I learned how to ask for a bottle of water. If you didn't know, you can't drink the tap water there, it will make you sick. One night, almost a month ago I approached a man that I see often, that I thought spoke English, and began a conversation with him about Mexico, which is where he was from. It turns out he doesn't speak English! I wasn't too disappointed though because we were still able to communicate with one another, without having to use many hand motions. It was a fun experience, hopefully for both of us. To get more comfortable with my talk I have been sharing it with others whenever possible. I was grateful to be able to share it with three co-workers after work one day and this next Wednesday I will share it with my discipleship group.


It's hard to only write about this upcoming trip when so much has been going on in my life, but I will leave you with this for now. I hope that you are doing well.

Ashley In Mexico???

Hey there family and friends!!! I have this exciting opportunity before me. February 11-21 a small group from Downline (the discipleship program I am in) is heading out to Mexico. And I have been accepted to go with them. However, with that comes the cost of the trip, which is $1700. An amazing donation of $500 has already been generously given to my behalf, but I am still in need of raising more support. Due tomorrow is a total of $900, I am short $400, then the rest must be paid by the middle of January (not sure of the date). I am of course working and will be giving as much as possible out of my own but am very aware of the need I have for financial support. If you are thinking about joining with me for this trip let me just share a few words on what will be taking place in Mexico.


We will be teaching at a 2 day conference in Cancun and then head over to Merida to teach pastors and their wives as well. Now, don't let the city impress you, though we may be able to enjoy some free time in Cancun, we are there to teach what we have been learning from downline, this isn't a paid vacation by any means.
The lesson that I will be teaching is the 10 Qualifications of a Discipler:
1. Love God and Love Others (Matt 22:37-40)
2. Have an Eternal Perspective (Eph 1:15-18)
3. Know Sound Doctrine (2 Tim 2:15)
4. Communicate Sound Doctrine
5. Incarnate "Live-Out" Sound Doctrine (1 Thess 2)
6. Be Relational and Transparent
7. Have the Ability to Inspire
8. Have the Ability to Reprove (2 Tim 4:15)
9. Have a Virile "Vibrant" Devotional Life
10. Persevere


I am so excited to be accepted to go on this trip and teach other women how to disciple. Our purpose is to train the leaders in the cities so that they may reach their people. So often people think that if they just go for a week and spend time with someone, leading them to Christ then all is great. But, what happens to that person after you leave? They need to be placed under someone of Truth that will hold them accountable, just like I need that. So, though I am not discouraging evangelism, I support it, I want to be clear our missions is not to just share the gospel and leave, but to share and also entrust the Word to faithful men and women.


I hope that you would pray for me, even if you are not able to join with me financially.


For now,
Ashley  Jo

Camden Jordan Henderson

A month ago the Lord blessed my family with an amazing baby boy. My brother and his wife, Chris and Amber Henderson, welcomed in Camden Jordan Henderson at 9lbs. 5oz. 21 1/2in. long! Amber had a C-Section which left her in pain for a while but she is doing much better!!! They are all doing very well! Praise God! I was able to visit them for an entire weekend the same week he was born, they are such a beautiful family! I am so proud to be an aunt! Please keep them in your prayers for the rest of your life! :)

4 Months In

Oh my! Oh my! It is already the first week in DECEMBER!! I seriously cannot grasp how quick these past 4 months have gone. Before I left OKC I planned on updating my blog once a week...here's 4 months later. Although I have been super busy I've been having a pretty good time here in Memphis. Classes have been amazingly overwhelming.
During orientation week the leaders began telling us that we were going to gain a lot of knowledge on the Bible but that if that was the reason we were here this program would fail us. They have been constantly reminding us of that every week, and it is a great reminder of why I am here, not just here in Memphis, but here on earth. As a Christian, where ever I am studying the Bible, if it is merely that I may know more about it, then I have lost sight of the Gospel. Christ did not die just so that I may become knowledgeable of His Word. Christ died on the cross taking my sins and defeating death so that I may be redeemed, have a loving relationship with my Creator, and live a life that glorifies Him, and that includes knowing His Word. With all of the classes I have, 3 (sometimes 4) times a week, I see how easy it is to place my focus on learning, "getting", what the teacher taught. The Spirit graciously reminds me that I am to not keep the information for myself so that I can be "that girl that knows a lot about the Bible", but so that I may impart it to others as well as have the realization of what it actually means. 
I challenge you to sit down and meditate on what God's Word means to you. Why do you call yourself a Christian?

Trip to Memphis

Hey Guys!!!! My goodness, it has been a great few days here in Elvis country. :) So, I haven't seen anyone dressed up like him yet, but just wait until the anniversary of his birth and death. Pictures will be uploaded. :)

Before I begin about my first days here in the city I want to fill you in on my trip here. Kenny Long, the most amazing guy ever, packed his car with my things, things that wouldn't fit into my car, and drove the 8 hours here with me!!! However, the 8 hour trip turned a little long because we were stopped by a sad event. A mobile home park had caught on fire in Arkansas and the fire, as we could see as we drove by, spread far and quick. It took quite a bit of time to drive by it, it was so close I could feel the heat in my car. When I first drove up on it I was taking pictures of the smoke and fire in the trees because it looked really cool. Five to seven mintues later as I'm praying for the many firefighters working hard I drive up next to three very visible mobile homes engulfed in flames. I've seen this type of thing on television but here I am 100 feet from the devestation. I can't take any more pictures because my heart sank so much thinking about the people, I hoped were watching only their belongings burn and not their families. Can you imagine the pain that you would feel if someone had died in the fire? To be watching that knowing you can't do a thing? I couldn't help but pray for the families and the people helping put out the fire, for their strength and comfort.

Thinking back on what I saw brings such a strong feeling of purpose to me. God wants His chosen to share His love so that we don't have to live a never ending hopeless life. It may sound crazy for me to say this, but God wants His children to have joy in the midst of devestation like I described. It's not that He wants us to be joyful that something was just destroyed, but that He wants us to have the security knowing that this fallen world was not what He wanted for us and at the end of this world He has an amazing place for us.

Memphis Bound!!!

Hey everyone! And welcome to my blog. If you haven't heard yet, I am moving to Memphis!

I leave the first week of August and I am so excited!!

This is where you will be able to see what is going on in my world miles and miles away!

There is so much I still have to do, like figure out what I can and cannot take to fit in my room there.

What will I be doing in Memphis?

I am enrolled in a 9 month discipleship program that will teach me about God's Word, discipline, and I'm sure a whole lot more.

I get to attend classes 3 days a week (one being VERY early in the am), volunteer with a ministry, fellowship with the others in the program, meet with a mentor weekly, and have fun, as well as maintain a job. I'm positive that I will be busy.

There is so much more I would like to say right now, but will wait until next time. To learn more about the program I am in go to:

www.downlineministries.com

Bye!