It’s amazing how God can use ordinary things to get our attention and speak to us. This morning I woke up, and it was like any other morning. I did the same things I do every morning: turn on my plant lights, care for my animals, make a cup of coffee, set out breakfast to be made by my aide, and then I started my quiet time with the Lord. But the first thing that caught my attention was this old dry-erase board that has a list of things I had wanted to accomplish between the years of 2020-2021. It’s now 2026, and I have yet to erase the board, not for any particular reason other than I forget it’s there, and it’s sometimes nice to look at where I was back then.
Anyways, what caught my attention were the words “make writing a priority”, written about halfway down the list. Even back then, God was calling me to write, and I just hadn’t known truly how called I was yet. But this morning as I saw this reminder to make writing a priority, I felt compelled to start doing the same now. God has always placed writing on my heart, and it’s something I’ve come back to time and time again. Writing is truly where I belong.
It’s been a few months since I’ve written a newsletter, and it’s been a while since I’ve written anything consistently. I briefly lost the knack and joy of writing. And I’m not sure why, because as I’m sitting here writing this for you guys, I feel that spark and joy coming back. I genuinely enjoy writing. But also, I want to make sure that when I do write, it’s something of substance. I sometimes have a hard time just writing to write, but maybe I need to do that more often.
I can’t make any promises I’ll be super active on here with writing, but I can continue to promise you that I will post articles/posts when I feel called/led by the Holy Spirit. I feel so strongly about moving in step with the Holy Spirit, always.
Do you feel called to write? I encourage you to sit down and start. I know it can be intimidating. Even now I’m getting in my head thinking that no one wants to read what I have to write, but I promise if God has put something on your heart to share, it’s our responsibility to share it, and he will make sure it gets to the right person.
Here are some encouraging verses from the Bible that I hope bring you the encouragement to start whatever God has placed on your heart.
Romans 8:28 – “In all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose.”
Ephesians 4:1 – “Live a life worthy of the calling you have received.”
Isaiah 6:8 – “Then I heard the voice of the Lord saying, ‘Whom shall I send? And who will go for us?’ And I said, ‘Here am I. Send me!’”
1 Thessalonians 5:24 – “The one who calls you is faithful, and he will do it.”
A prayer for the one who feels called by the Lord
Dear Heavenly Father,
Thank you for the soul on the other side of this screen. Thank you for their precious life and for your glorious love for them. Thank you for making them fearfully and wonderfully made. Lord, I thank you for the wonderful call that you have placed on their life. They know what you have called them to. I pray that you lead them and guide them in it now as they follow you and your will. If they feel uncertain and don’t know what you’ve called them to do, please make that clear to them.
Amen.
Faith Favorites
Here are some of my favorites this month! These may change month to month, or they may stay the same, depending on how my preferences change each month, but I’ll change them for you from time to time.
Here’s what I’m currently listening to!
I Never Said That (Read Words) by JoshM
Here’s what I’m reading for fun
Victory in Christ by Charles Trumbull
The Abiding Life: A Book About John 15 by Josh Houston (FREE on kindle Unlimited!)
Here’s what I’m studying in the Bible!
Official Spiral Bible in a Year, 52 Week Bible Study Guide
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But before you go… Have you heard the good news?
At the end of every newsletter from now on, I want to share just a paragraph or two on what the Gospel is in easy terms so that if you haven’t heard the Good News, you can, and if you haven’t been given the opportunity to give your life to Jesus, you’re able to.
Essentially, in the beginning, God created a perfect world and made humans to live in it according to His good design. But when Satan deceived the first humans, sin entered the world and has affected every person ever since. Because of this, we all fall short of God’s perfect will for our lives. That’s why God sent Jesus—fully God and fully man—who lived a perfect, sinless life. Out of His great love for us, God gave His Son to take the punishment we could never pay ourselves. Now, anyone who turns from sin and trusts in Jesus is forgiven, made right with God, and promised eternal life with Him. This isn’t something we can earn by being “good enough”—it’s a gift of grace that God freely offers to everyone.
If you’d like to receive the good news today and receive Jesus into your heart, repent of your sins (this means to turn away from your sins), believe that Jesus is the Son of God and that He died for your sins and rose again, and then invite Him into your life as your Lord and Savior, often through a personal prayer, to become a new creation in Christ. This act of faith and surrender is a personal decision and commitment between you and God.
An example of a prayer you could pray to invite Jesus into your life is as follows, but I invite you to make it personal:
“Dear Lord Jesus,
I know that I am a sinner, and I ask for Your forgiveness. I believe You died for my sins and rose from the dead. I turn from my sins and invite You to come into my heart and life. I want to trust and follow You as my Lord and Savior.
Amen”
Ashley, I’ve enjoyed your writings. Continue please. You are great and mighty in God’s eyes.
Ashley, so happy to hear of your renewed interest in writing and sharing what God has on your heart, and how you yeild to his calling. You are an inspiration to "listen more closely" to what we are called to do.