What a wonderful place to be!

I don't think I'll ever been in this position again.  I love where I am AND I love where God is leading...  It's Ashley writing tonight to say what an absolute joy it is be where we are now - not easy - but joyful.

WHERE I AM - Each day, I wake up and put on my "teacher hat".  I love teaching my 1st graders.  I laugh and smile every day at work.  I know this is a treasure.  This is my mission field.  I come home every evening to a smiling husband and more-than-adequate house.  We have so many comforts!  Mike and I spend most evenings together - sometimes Mike leads a small group and goes to deacon meetings every few weeks - I go to Bible study or worship practice on occassion.  Our two dogs greet me with licks and lots of energy each evening and I always enjoy my time at home.

WHERE GOD IS LEADING - For just over a year now, I have felt as though I was on the edge of a cliff - not yet encouraged to jump, but knowing there was so much up ahead - Anticipation.  When Mike said he'd like to start taking seminary classes in 2008, I was excited that this must be our "jump"... but there was a bit of hesitation.  Soon after beginning classes, Mike lost his job, we brought 5 children into our home to live with us, and I became the working mom and Mike, the stay at home dad.  Not the "jump" I'd expected.  Still, we felt God leading, preparing, guiding, prodding...

In June of 2009, Mike and I went to Honduras for 1 week.  Neither of us had any idea how God had prepared us to go - but He had fully equipped us to serve cross-culturally that week.  No, we barely knew the language, had never experienced the culture, and were WAY out of our comfy little American bubble... but God poured into us His love for His people - a love that we cannot explain or express.  Walking into our house when we returned from Honduras felt as though we were walking into a never-ending vacation.  We are so excited to return to La Ceiba, Honduras - where we so quickly found home in the hearts and lives of others so different from ourselves, and yet so lovely.

I love where we are NOW - Arizona, teaching, 2 dogs, nice house, 2 cars, my parents within a 5 minute drive, great church family...  Yeah...


I love where God is LEADING - La Ceiba, Honduras, loving, sharing, teaching, growing, maybe a dog or 2, a place to live, and the cutting edge of God's Word entering the lives of others...  Wow.


-Ash