Mission trip - Cleveland, GA

So the college group at KFBC ventured out on a mystery mission trip (as in i had no idea where we were going until we got there...and believe me i really tried to find out). We stay at Truett-McConnell college and the first day we washed shop windows for Jesus! That night we read the passage in John about Jesus washing His' disciples' feet and then Eric/Erin/and John washed our hands - not only showing that they were humbling themselves, but the process also humbled me. The next morning we picked up trash by and in a river (i was one of the lucky ones to get to jump in the river!) and then after a quick lunch, we went to a mobile home park and hosted a back to school party for the kids living there. We made snow cones, had a puppet show, and played games with the kids all afternoon.
That night we were blessed to have one of the new professors from the college speak to us about missions and that night God really convicted me that i hadn't completely given myself to Him, that my ideal life wasn't God's plan and instead was my own. Needless to say, God brought me to my knees in prayer and I adjusted my point of view. This night was the most profound i experienced all week.
The final day, we helped paint and clean up some apartments on campus. I love painting, so i had the best time serenading the others with my wide range of songs and artists. When we got home, i was so exhausted. But it was a good kind of exhausted, like i had accomplished something important.
Now my next journey is working through the book of Esther. I have a Beth Moore book to guide me, and i'm excited as i look for God's calling on my life. Soon i'll be back in Charleston and classes and Ministry Team. I know this coming semester will be a good one for sharing Christ with others.

Psalms of Ascent - into the mountains

The college girls here at KFBC have been working through Beth Moore's Psalms of Ascent study. The Psalms of Ascent are a group of 15 Pslams, starting at 120, and are attributed to the 15 stairs in the temple. At each step, the priests would sing one of the separate 15 psalms until the steps had been fully ascended (or descended symbolizing God coming down to us).

This past weekend we had a "retreat" where while we were learning about the context and treasures in pslams we also journeyed , or as the old testament would say, 'pilgrimaged', to different locations - such as a garden where we went to pray (just as Jesus did in the Garden of Gethsemane) and a very steep mountain which we hiked up that portrayed not only our memory chapter (Psalm 121-"I raise my eyes to the mountains, where does my help come from?...") but also symbolized us stepping up in our faith. The climb was hard, but the view from the top was glorious. Being able to have time with the Lord on a mountain top was pretty amazing, especially as we sought to "quiet ourselves like a child" (Pslam 131).

I never knew how amazing the book of Psalms was until i started this study. It's filled with songs of praise, suffering, and of hope. The Three Great Feasts of the Israelites were also key in the context of the Psalms of Ascent (for this is where the pslams were sung), and even in the new testament when Jesus was quoted saying "I am the Light of the world" and "I will give you living water", was said in the context of one of the Great Feasts. Knowing the context of Jesus' words opened my eyes to the depth that He spoke them with....it's so cool!

This weekend really did grow me as a Christ Follower, and i'm excited to be able to praise the Lord with more joy than i had before! I'd like to send a special thank you out to Erin who leads the study and got this group of amazing women together. Also, another thank you to the other Aaren who encouraged me up the mountain and to Jen who rode the shuttle with me back down =).

"I'm with Cobb County Police...MOVE!"

This summer i've been interning with Cobb County Police Department. Between precincts, domestic violence, and tons of case reports, i'm having so much fun. I love the fact that my "work clothes" consist of a bullet-proof vest, flashlight, and a really cute outfit. The only downside is the 40 hour work week that shifts from day shift, to evening shift, to morning shift (aka night watch). I don't mind it that much though, it's when it gets dark that we get the most action. I've decided to compile a Top 5 List of my Favorite Moments so far working with CCPD, Enjoy

Ashleigh's Top 5 Moments

5) Running a search on a man's vehicle tag and driver's license only to discover that he was an illegal immagrant with a couple of warrants (including sexual predator) and then sticking him in our car to take him to jail while listening to his cell phone ring a very obnoxious latino song, trumpets included.

4) Helping plan, and participating in a stakeout in a few parking lots monitoring cars and waiting for our perps to do something stupid so we could hawl them off to jail - while listening to Aerosmith and Green Day.

3) Running around like mad and hiding from airsoft pellets that were being fired between a detective and seargent during a slow night in the office at Domestic Violence. The shell casing hit the other intern, but i ducked just in time. Evening shift does have it's perks (soundtrack this time was the newest hit from Black Eyed Peas)

2) Participating in Officer Training and being used as a Bonnie in a Bonnie and Clyde armed robbery scenario where i was told that if i was given the chance, to use the gun i had stuck in my pants and shoot the officer cadets. Obviously, the cadets did not pay enough attention to Bonnie, and were soon welcomed with a few shots to the head and chest. (They had armor on...but i was shooting one handed!)

TOP MOMENTS SO FAR) Saving Atlanta $18,000 by stopping a burglary in progress of a loaded 18-wheeler trailer and stolen truck. We arrived just as the call went out and a full-on man hunt transpired. I was able to assist by man-ing the radio, montioring a meth-addict, assisting to process the crime scene (fingerprint powder included!), and then gloating at Marietta Diner at 3am to find out we have the perps information already and that it is only a matter of time until he gets caught.

So there you go...now keep in mind these are only my top 5...and i'm only 3 weeks into this blissful job =)

Drayton Hall Photoshoot

Charleston is home to many southern plantations. Drayton Hall is one of these. Dating back the the 1800s, Drayton Hall has the history, and beauty, that a photographer desires to capture. My hall-mate Stephanie is an excellent photographer, and asked if Michael and I would be willing to take a few pictures for her - for the sake of practice. Of course i couldn't resist. The weather today was hot, humid, and bugs were everywhere. Michael started of miserable, but i'm pretty sure after the 50th picture, he started having fun with it. I was really excited when i saw the pictures because Steph was able to capture the real "us". Yes, there are a few that we look serious in, but I would rather our personalities come through just a "little".
The majority of the pictures are on my facebook account, but for those who just want a taste of some fun pics of me and my now battalion staff officer...here ya go =)

A Simple Act of Kindness

I had a very bust morning. Test, Class, grab something quick to eat, check mailbox...I was running around absorbed in my own world when someone past me and said hello. I looked up to find one of the most amazing Christian guys on campus and when i replied to his greeting, he asked about how the ministry team was going. After i informed him that we only got one more weekend to go, he said something that struck me and has kept with me all day, "Your doing an amazing job Ashleigh". I do alot for CSU and I don't see myself as doing my job as something that i volunteer for, but rather it is something i must do because i am called to do it. For some reason i don't expected to be thanked for doing my job, and when i am, it leaves me speechless. I appreciate the moments when people have come up to me and thanked me, it encourages me to keep pressing on. It's also a reminder that a simple act of kindness can mean to world to someone - such as this instance.

It's almost the end!

So as usual, Lifetime is on the tv. I just got back from a DNOW with the CSU Ministry Team to Memorial Baptist in St. George. Although it was really crazy getting ready for it, i was really thankful for the team who did so much. Nichole and Emily especially (thank you for doing so much!). The Driggers were an amazing host home, as well as CSU alumni...yay for the Buc connection! As soon as we got back i headed back to my room to try and finish up this major project, after this week it will unofficially be the begining of the end! After so much stress, i've actually begun to relax a little more and have even made it back to the gym, i've got to get my stamina back up for a summer for chasing bad guys! I know this post is short and sweet, so perhaps i'll end with a few words of wisdom, The Lord gives, and the Lord takes away - Blessed be the name of the Lord!

Life

It's crazy. So many things going on at once it's a wonder they don't all collide. I'm back from spring break and just finished a week back at CSU (6 more until summer vacay!). I'm working on two projects due in the next couple of weeks, as well as trying to prepare for some upcoming tests. I've been given an amazing opportunity to interview for an internship with the Internal Affairs section of the Marietta police depart...hopefully i'll get it...and i've got 4 ministry team weekends in the next 3 weeks. And my sunglasses broke....and i really liked them too...My gawwww what have i gotten myself into?
I'm escaping campus tonight, bound for the Town of Dorchester. Heard of it? I haven't either. So much has been going on that i've decided to take a break. Michael is currently venturing to south Georgia for his spring break - so i should have plenty of time to just chill by myself, and then come back to campus and tackle all of this work.
Every morning i wake up and ask God to give me the strength to make it through the day, and so far...He's been faithful =)

By the time you read this

I will be more than halfway through my 4th semester at CSU. I have just come back from taking my last midterm before spring break, and am feeling pretty good about myself right about now. It's crazy how quickly time passes when you get caught up in doing so much. I've recently taken on another mission - which is helping another local church start a youth worship band. We have auditions for the band tonight where me and a panel of judges (the youth minister and michael) will asked questions concerning spiritual growth, maturity, and leadership qualities. The auditioner then will play/ sing a song selection. Think of it as American Idol meets Johnny Caruso (for those of you who know Johnny). I'm very excited about this and hope enough students step up to where this can work. The Ministry Team is also getting alot of requests recently. I'm going to have 2 weekends back to back, as well as a double weekend. Yay for the oppurtunity to serve! Boo for the work =).

Yesterday i was sitting in my Policing Admin. class taking my midterm. The class meets right after an English/Philosophy class and whats cool is that the professor always writes a quote on the chalk board and then my professor never bothers to erase it. Past quotes have included "If it's stupid, and it works, then it's not stupid" and “By failing to prepare, you are preparing to fail.” Yesterdays quote was this, "He who knows nothing, doubts nothing." All i can say is - how ironic.

It's the Day-After Valentines, i had too

My amazing friend since 5th grade was able to come down to visit me this weekend for Valentine's Day. Her boyfriend is a Citadel cadet (as is mine) so we were able to double date pretty much all weekend. I'm not one for mushy love stuff, so i prefer group fun stuff the majority of the time....
And this is the part of the blog where i brag on my cadet. I told Michael that i didn't want him to buy me anything this year, that to dance to a song that meant something to him under the stars would be enough (ok, i like mushy love stuff once a year). He said,"ok!". What did he do? Well... =)
My Valentine's Day Date with Michael consisted of 3 parts. Part 1 consisted of a stuff dog, the meaning behind this gift was that i tell Michael and everyone i meet i want a puppy at least 3 times a day - but i don't want the responsibility of one. I thought the puppy was really cute, it sings "Hot Stuff" in cute lil dog boxers! Aw! Plus the furry hamster card was ridiculously cute.
Part 2 was dinner at Applebee's (i had steak!) where i was presented with diamond earrings. Yes, diamonds. He did goooooood. At this point i was really happy. But wait, the best is yet to come.
Part 3 was a quick drive to battery park downtown where there is a huge white gazebo overlooking the harbor. Michael had me stand on the pathway to the gazebo, then ran back to his car. He rolled down his car windows and blasted Billy Joel's "She's always a Woman" and then ran back to me and asked me if i would dance with him. It's at this part where all my girlfriends skriek and go ,"aaaaawwww!!!!". So yes, i got to dance under the stars afterall, even if it was a little bit cloudy...i didn't notice.
And this was my V-day weekend. I am really blessed with a great boyfriend...he rocks. Enough said.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=D4nQB3V10i8

Another Ashleigh Moment - you think i'd get used to it

I like to think of myself as an intelligent and witty person, but i guess i can never really pull it off due to my extremely obvious blonde moments. Such an event happened this past friday...*cue flashback music*
Stephanie, Erica, and I were headed to the Citadel for the weekly parade. Me - being the Citadel expert and all - was the designated driver. The only thing was, my car was missing. I could NOT find my car. Not only did Stephanie and i WALK up and down the rows of where my car should've been parked, Erica drove us around and searched for where it might have been - multiple times. After not having any luck of the sort, I did what every mature woman would do...i called Daddy.
Dad's advice was to report the car missing (which i throughly believed at the time that is was). All three of is then hiked to Campus Security to report the missing Scotty (my car) where i turned in a written report and filed all this paper work alongside my new C.P. buddy. I was then given instructions to call North Charleston Police and report it there as well. After spending 20 minutes on the phone with a strongly Spanish accented women, i was able to report my car missing and was told that anyone seen in the vehicle would be arrested on contact. Sweet.

After being told there was nothing else to do but wait, we decided to still go to the Citadel, because gosh darn it if i'm all stressed out, a mob of cadets always makes me feel better, and Stephanie was going to drive us. Steph can not drive without her ipod though, so we had to pick that up first. As Steph pulled infront of our building, i spotted something familar.

Yes, it was my car. Parked in an upper woman's parking spot. How did it get there? I have no idea. I do not remember parking it there. The fact alone that i did not have a parking ticket was a shere miracle. After my shock was over (Dad was on the phone during this part too...i kinda went hysterical, laughing and such) i had to call back North Charleston police and cancel my report...i did not want to get arrested in my own car after all, and then i flagged down Campus Police...and on his approach he yelled , "I Found it!!!"....yeah...sure...

Needless to say, i made it to the Citadel, in my own car...and am investing in a car panick button.

Power Source and Humbletip

So i was right when i said that this weekend was going to be amazing! I was blessed with the 9th grade girls and with a great host family. Everyone got along with no drama and when we had our Bible studies, everyone got into it. I loved being a leader in a Dnow where i didn't have to plan, organize, or make sure everything was going to run smoothly

We had Christian rappers come in to lead part of our worship time, i'll admit i was really skeptical, but the kids really got into it and after the first "service" i was right up front with my girls starting sweet new dance moves. We also had a Christan body builders team called Power Source who did ridiculous things like tear 5 inch phone books in half and curl frying pans into a burrito =).

One of the best parts of the weekend was being able to see my friends from highschool who got to lead alongside me. It's crazy how no matter how long you've been apart, it's like you've never left each other when you get reuinted again. Johnny (my old youth pastor) even took us leaders out to lunch and it was just like old times again with being on the highschool leadership team with only a few key people not present. I look forward to the next time i'm able to head back to Fort Mill, i really miss those really good friends who have known me for years and years...plus its great to see my grandma lift logs that my grandfather can't...

Forget the Uprising, give me DNW

The one thing that has been helping me get through this week was the vision of me being back in Fort Mill leading students from my home church in a Disciple Now Weekend that i didn't have to plan for once. I didn't have to make one phone call , copy, or send an email making sure everyone was prepared - it was amazing. The only thing was that starting Tuesday i began to feel a little weary...and now...i guess it must be allergies because i have a Chinese rice box that is filled with tissues (yes, i turned what once held rice into a disposable used tissue container).
Then, as i wallowed in my sickness but prevailed to do some school work and prepare for leading this weekend - my professors ( i know they must hate me because...) decided that it is exam time. So yes, all next week i have an exam in every single class except one. Talk about early midterms.
I have decided that this is the devil's work against me in trying to keep me here in Charleston instead of leaving in a few hours. I know this weekend will be amazing...and nothing is going to keep me from it! Even if i am loopy from all the meds the entire time....and even if i don't think i have enough time to study...
So if in the news you hear about a group of teenage girls and a college student being arrested for vandalism on the youth minister's house and if the plea was "i was under the influence of sinus relief"...it wasn't me ;)

A little ray of sunshine...everything is meaningless

So last night me and a big group from school headed to Crossroads Community Church over in Ladson. My amazing friend Rhett was speaking to the youth on the book of Ecclesiastes. Rhett wanted a bunch of college kids to show up to help show the youth that being a sold-out Christian AND a college student can happen. We only got a few verses into the first chapter - but wow, God showed up. The thing that stuck out the most to be was the phrase "everything is meaningless under the sun" and how we get to set on this life, that we forget that it the end, it really means nothing. Solomon had everything - he started off right, asking for wisdom...and yet at the end of his life, he was miserable because he pursued earthly things. Rhett brought up a song by Shane and Shane called "Over the Sun" which i thought was perfect. It calls for us to pursue that which is over the sun...not under...hence the song title =)
I'm heading back to good ol' Fort Mill to help lead a DNW at my home church...i'm really excited about this oppurtunity and will be sure to share what happened when i get back

Rick Warren, Aretha Franklin,YoYo Ma...and Obama?

There is no doubt that today is a historically significant, and there is no doubt that the views of Americans, especially on this campus, differ greatly. I've heard statements that vary from "I'm 100% proud to be an American" to "So when does the White Horse come in?" , which was replied with a "as soon as Aretha and YoYo Ma leave the stage." (a jab at Armageddon) I've also learned of those who have chosen to have nothing to do with our new president.
I watched the inauguration in my dorm room and was very proud of our Rick Warren who prayed for our nation's future. Although his presence in D.C. was controversial, I'm glad he was present.
I think it's important that those who are followers of Christ maintain a maturity about this new era and not get carried away with the idea that everything goes down hill from here. If you've taken a look into the book of Revelation, you know that it doesn't get better. Did we all seriously think that the President of the United States was going to stay a stereotypical white, religious, male? We all saw how close Hillary came to taking Obama's place, it's simply wishful thinking that our U.S. would stay the same.
We must be supportive of who God put in charge of our country and we must pray for our new President. It may be hard for some, but not everyone agreed with Bush either. We are called to submit to the authority of our God and those who he puts in charge...tough love, huh?
With the reform of our presidential cabinet, there is a call for spiritual reform also. We must know the Word, stand firm in it, and life our lives as our testimony.
In the words of our new President,"The world has changed, and we must change with it"
...but at least wait until Rev. Lowry finishes the benediction =)

Here We Go!

I was asked if i would be interested in starting a blog and write my life as the ministry team coordinator at Charleston Southern University. Of course not everything will be centered around good ole' CSU...but the majority probably will since it takes up so much of my time. The semester is just now getting under way...and with all the phone calls and emails and fun new twists, i'm sure someone will one day publish this blog...i knew i should have been a mystery novelist...