Thursday, November 19, 2009

(Grey + wet+ cold)days + hot tea = liveable.

God is rockin' my socks. Around the clock.
I know I've said it before, but being here has been such a blessing already.
Despite my homesickness and the feeling of loneliness creeping in at the edges of my days (which I 85% attribute to the depressing weather that just won't quit!!!) I have been experiencing a lot of what I shall call "awakenings" in my life! Awakenings in my own character, passions, career, relationships, faith journey!

The most exciting I think is regarding a potential career path...
So I was wondering how the heck the skills I am gaining here would benefit me in the future, outside of this position here in Illinois. I am basically picking up mothering skills (which... note to self: must no longer take umma for granted and be more thankful for her decades of packing lunches and preparing meals!!!!!) and learning how to care for people.

Which brings me to my second point! I am quite interested in at some point volunteering or interning in an aftercare facility for Cambodian girls rescued from sex-trafficking. It's something that's been on my heart and hopefully somehow I'll be able to go in the near future to see if maybe that's a more specific area that God is calling me to... who knows..

So! Combining those two previous points... I remembered that Will had recently suggested spiritual counseling as a career possibility. It was pretty random, and I hadn't given it much thought before that fateful car-ride to Michigan (Lisa you were there, too! I forget if you were awake when me and Will were having this particular convo-) but since he mentioned it, it's kinda been on the back burner of my mind. Until a couple weeks ago, when I realized that girls in aftercare facilities don't just need to be fed and "taken care of"... they need so much counseling to help them work through the HUGE step over into society from the pain/humiliation/suffocation of being trafficked.

Mmm... a couple weeks back, I attended a "Party with the Pastors" - a meet and greet thing with the leaders here at Harvest Bible Chapel Peoria, and during a conversation with the pastor of adult ministries I was explaining that I was kind of in a transition period, figuring out what direction God wants me to go... and I casually mentioned that I may possibly be interested in spiritual counseling. It turns out that he was starting a Foundations of Biblical Counseling course for people interested in counseling or just to learn about it in 2 weeks! So I asked him to let me know more about it and... this past Sunday I started the 4-week, 16 session course.

Anyway, to make a long story.... well, a little bit longer, I've just felt a bunch of puzzle pieces kinda fitting together in my heart and I can't describe how EXCITED I was when I first heard the *click*. I'm not sure if God will lead me to minister to those girls in Cambodia, but for now this feels so perfect.

Please pray with me!!! I've just been bombarded with attacks in my heart and mind in the past week... and God has been SOO good to me, I don't want to take my eyes off of Him and make it about me.

Er, I was going to touch on some of the other stuff that's been happening but I am literally falling asleep, so peace out! Thanks for letting me share this with you!

God is so GOOD!

"Even to your old age and grey hairs I am he; I am he who will sustain you. I have made you and I will carry you. I will sustain you and I will rescue you." [Isaiah 46:4]

3 comments:

Lisa said...

How come this didn't come up in my updates as soon as it should have!...

Anyways I'm so so so happy and joyful for all this direction and passion God has and is placing on your heart ashley. it really makes me feel so much joy to know that God is actively working in your life and I'm excited for your learning process in the coming 4 weeks!! please update with what you learn please please~~

I think i shared with you but I'm also thinking of going abroad next year before Korea, I'm thinking of going to South Africa with my church and yes God has been pressing on my heart things I need to change and do and become but I felt that click when I realized that I could use this design career for things that break God's heart. May my heart never stray~~ I miss you and love you!! keep being strong and please pray for me too!

Anonymous said...

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