86 days

“Much of your character is displayed by how gracefully you are able to let go of the things that are not meant for you.” 

There are exactly 86 days 11 hours and a little over 5 minutes until I turn 25. Over 100 days ago I set out on a quest of SELF renewal and guess what I got caught up in SELF. I thought that I would be able to transform myself, transform my being and be the person that I wanted to be in exactly 240 days. But how can I become the person I want to be when our lives and characters are shaped in my opinion by experience, does it mean that my character will stop evolving on February 25, 2014? I hope not. So with that said on day 86 I've learned that I have to let go of the control that I would like to have over my future and trust where God is leading me. In the next 86 days I hope to be at a place  of stronger faith, deeper convictions and the willingness to continue to serve others and love others. I can say that I am realizing the call over my life and my purpose but I am still not where I need to be. I can say that I am growing and Owning who I am. I am becoming more physically fit and capable. 

So we are still completing 25 projects . 

Project 1: Love Letter 
I will be sending out thank letters to a long list of people who have helped me to grow, thanking them for teaching me a lesson that has aided on my development, whether it was a great lesson or a hard lesson, all notes are sent in love. Just think you may receive a "Love Letter" soon.

Stay tuned for Project #2 

xoxo 

Trusting the Process

The hardest feats of my are happening right now. Internally and externally! Journey to 25. I am trusting the process. The video below helped me to get over the hump!
Enjoy Sarah Kay: If I should have a daughter.....

http://youtu.be/0snNB1yS3IE

Love you all. In depth Update coming soon xoxo...

Faith over Fear

                                "Decide that you want it more than you are afraid of it" -Bill Cosby 

That is my life motto as I submerge myself into different endeavors.  These words come from comedian Bill Cosby, and serve to remind us that we're not willing to truly take important risks until our desire for what we want surpasses the fear of potential failure. 

I have these constant thoughts of what I could accomplish but then I start to compare myself to other people. I doubt myself, encourage others and forget what God has called me to do. This past week I had to attend a week long Residency/Immersion with my cohort. My first class stuck with me the entire time. It challenged my Faith and my fears. It showed me that I was depending on man to validate my calling when my actual calling comes from God and God alone.  For some odd reason I started to equate the validation of a human being with the favor of God. So I took a step back and I told myself that it was time to face facts and fears and press forward to what God has called me to do. 

So with 140 days to go. I am still on this journey to 25. Looking for renewal. Focusing on the future and building this amazing space for children, youth, and adults a like. Stayed tuned. A 5K is on the horizon. 

What fears are eating you alive? How can you overcome them? Lets love each other family. 

Follow me on Twitter @Rethink_ing

Exposed

Romans 2:28-29

28 A person is not a Jew who is one only outwardly, nor is circumcision merely outward and physical. 29 No, a person is a Jew who is one inwardly; and circumcision is circumcision of the heart, by the Spirit, not by the written code. Such a person’s praise is not from other people, but from God.
New International Version (NIV)



 .....God is more interested in our internal, spiritual condition.  The apostle Paul talks about a “circumcision of the heart”, one that isn't merely “outward and physical” (Romans 2:28-29).  this circumcision involves God cutting away everything in our lives that doesn't bring glory to him.  He will strip away our pride and self reliance.  He is teaching us to trust in him alone. Before we can claim the territory for God that He has promised us, our hearts will have to be circumcised. We have to go under the knife.  We have to choose to take some costly steps of obedience to really follow Christ in audacious faith. the lesson from the circumcision of Joshuas'  generation is equally important but a little more subtle: until you humble yourself and submit your heart to God’s process of renewal, you cant go forward into the next victory He has planned for your life. Before God can bring His promises to pass in your life, He has to strip away all the stuff that keeps you from trusting Him wholeheartedly.  And that stuff is on the inside.  God’s invisible work in you prepares you for His visible works through you. When God comes toward you with the flint knife remember that he’s not out to hurt you.  He’s aligning your desires with his desires so that he can accomplish the impossible in your life.

Steve Furick, Sun Stand Still 

....to be continued

The day I got over myself

This journey is happening. And while I set out trying to be super secretive and all hello self renewal, God had a different plan. Over the past couple of weeks I have struggled with I guess in my head-  rejection. I felt like so called friends had distanced themselves and that people who I had helped along the way had climbed up on the highest horse and forgot about who helped them when they were nobodies (excuse the emotion, I am just telling you how I felt.) So I tried to act like it did not bother me but I now know that it did. I was going through things and I wanted people to fix it for me. And I just couldn't understand why people were not jumping to help Ashley. So I decided to write a letter to God, different yes, but that is how him and I communicate along with prayer and it got me thinking, like man Ashley.  You are so hung up on everything around you and how people are treating or not treating you that you are forgetting who you live for. 

Well then I started listening to some pod-cast about God fixing the Hard things in Me. I eventually listened to a Pod Cast that talked about Set Yourself free from Yourself.. and that mixed with a hard look at my life and how I interacted with other people and how highly I thought about myself I realized that I NEEDED TO GET OVER MYSELF. A phrase that I use all the time is Girl Bye. And I had to say that to myself. I realized that nobody owed me anything and that although I felt like I had given people the world and my time that they wouldn't do the same and that they were not obligated to. I had prayed that I felt that there was a block in my heart and I realized that Bitterness and Resentment are what was blocking my heart and my passion. 

So here I am picking up the pieces and focusing on the call that God has over my life. I am realizing that although I felt like I lived this fantastic life and that although I had the audacity to think that things should be handed to me I realized that I needed only God. And that I needed to humble myself to the cross and serve God holistically and focus on the friendships that I do have and the direction that I am going in. 

What are you struggling with? In what area of your life do you need to be brutally honest with yourself and and how can you do it? Lets talk. 

Peace and Love Family.. 

xoxoxo -Ashley 

Challenge Accepted

Dear Ashley,

Dig Deep. Challenge yourself and make yourself uncomfortable for your art. Do the hard parts on purpose. Have dedication to your craft.

Remember a what Steve Furick said in Sun Stand Still:

"If you're gpoing to ask God to make the sun stand stil, you'd better be ready to march all night. Push while you pray"


The journey has just begun, and I am finding out more about myself than I expected. Not quite ready to put words to it. But they will come. The projects are coming along as well...

Stay Tuned and Join me.

xoxox

It's Happening

So about a month ago I told you all that I would be completing a series of projects leading up to my 25 birthday which is on February 25, 2013. So out of that came many conversations with my sister friends and has resulted in 25 projects for my 25th. This project is still known as Destination 25. Each week I will update the list of projects as I add more on and find people or projects in need. The goal is to grow and expand and to reach new heights of service. The end result will be the Launch of my non-profit Unlimited: "The Power 2 BE" , and my business partners venters with P.U.R.E Concepts and Xpressions. So join me on my journey and look out for a list of projects entailing their details . The first 5 are below. 

1. Complete 25 projects by my 25th birthday

2. Act in Gratitude 

3. It takes a village 

4. Run 500 miles by 2.25.14

5. X'press ya'self 

If you know of anybody who has need or a project that I can possibly assist them with let me know. be sure to follow and spread the word. 

Rethink the impossible. 

Love you all xoxo