Category: Encouragement

Are You Walking In The Wilderness?

Isaiah 43:

18  l“Remember not the former things,

nor consider the things of old.

19  mBehold, I am doing a new thing;

now it springs forth, do you not perceive it?

nI will make a way in the wilderness

oand rivers in the desert.

I asked the Lord for a promise I could share on my blog for this upcoming week, and I heard very softly and assertively, ” I will make a way in the wilderness.” When we hear wilderness we think of a (Wild) place. For me I think of a scary dark place no one goes to. It is actually an uninhabited land, a desert place; lonely. Maybe you are experiencing PEOPLE problems, poor health, job changes, damaged or broken relationships, new diagnosis’s, loss of a loved one/friend, divorce, the abrupt ending of a once lively and habituated place now gone and out of sight. Now all you can see is the Desert in front of you, and you are scared. Suffocated by the loneliness of the new. You have never been here before so in your circumstance you can’t even fathom how “Behold, I am doing a new thing” could even be a possibility. But Jesus promises that he will never leave you nor forsake you. Even in the Wilderness when you feel alone: alone in your thoughts, alone with no friends, alone in your insecurities, your fears, your doubts. He is making a way. He is bringing rivers in the desert. He always, always has a rescue mission plan specially designed for you, because……..The enemy Will Always Lose no mater how much he tries to steal! I want to encourage you to change your perspective, look around. What does this wilderness look like? How can you bring life to it? How can you inhabit the land? Turn your focus off of fear and begin to expect. Expect the Lord to work this wilderness out for your good. Expect New to appear. Expect something new that will allow you to find life. It is always easier to minister and relate to each other when we have walked in their shoes, or in this case been in their wilderness. We can testify to how God made a NEW Way, how he sent help, how he flooded the desert land when we were almost completely out of hope, and brought rivers of his living life to quench our desolated soul.

Friend, I am not sure where you are in this story today: If you have just walked into a wilderness, trailing somewhere in the middle, or coming out, but I do want to encourage you that you are not alone. You have never been alone. God has been there all along providing even if you haven’t been able to see his work. Ask him today to show you the New in this Wilderness. Ask him how you can partner with him to start bringing life to this deserted place. Co-labor with him to bring out the New and then watch the beautiful new life that will spring forth. Once there is life…..there is no more wilderness!

One revelation I caught is this-God promised he would make a way (in) the Wilderness. He never said (through it). I would love to hear your thoughts.

Be encouraged and Happy Monday!

Don’t Worry

I know what your thinking. Eye roll 🙄 this girl is over here telling me not to worry, but hello I feel like my life is crumbling right before my eyes. I know, I get it.

To say I don’t ever worry would be a lie, but the Lord is working on my heart with that. I have learned that when I am more open to trust him the worry fades.

Jesus says seek first the kingdom and it’s righteousness and all these things will be added on to you. I use to think material things but now I believe he is speaking of the fruits of the Holy Spirit. Where there is peace and joy and patience there is no place for fear, doubt, or worry!

I want to encourage you to lay your worry at his feet because he cares. He loves you, he doesn’t want you upset. You were created for the impossible and that is living a life of freedom even if your bound in the flesh to a disease. We don’t have to live a worried defeated life because of what the enemy has thrown at us to kill, steal, and destroy.

Rise up beautiful one and find your strength in Jesus. He won’t let you down! 🙌🏻🙌🏻💜

Matthew 6:33 But seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well. 34 Therefore do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about itself. Each day has enough trouble of its own.

It’s Your Choice, Life or Death

It amazes me that no matter what our circumstances are in our lives we actually get to choose how we are going to navigate through them. Like seriously, that seems almost imposible to comprehend to me. With so many decisions that have to be made on the daily, we are in control of our actions. Notice I said our actions!

Depression is a black misty fog monster. It swallows you up in the depths of it’s belly and it wants to keep you there hidden from the outside world. Depression doesn’t care if it’s your loved one’s Birthday, or vacation time. He usually comes with out warning, and over stays the uninvited welcome.

I know Depression, and because of my autoimmune disease and childhood trauma, I am extra sensitive to being snatched up by it.

If you are not familiar with it yourself, it can make you feel lifeless like a zombie, uninterested with life, emotionless, sad, afraid, hopeless, empty, angry, the list goes one, and it can manifest itself differently each time.

For me I have noticed a Cycle. It will start with extreme anxiety and panic attacks which make me feel helpless and out of control and them BAM…the Black Mist, and my emotions are high jacked, I can’t process words to describe what is going on in the inside, and then….. hope defered.

Last night I had hit that bottom of the rope. I was getting aggravated with myself. “Ash, you have already been healed of so much trauma in your life, why are you taking us into the deep end? We wont be able to keep our chins above water, and I don’t see any life savors floating out here.” I kept trying to remember how did I get to be mentally sound minded like I was just 12 months ago before this ms diagnosis?

And wouldn’t you know it, it all started with a surrender heart and a yielded spirit to the Lord. Joyce Meyer’s Battle Field of the Mind was the second book I read, Beauty from Ashes was the first.

Then it hit me. If I want to get well, if I want to be healed, if I want to be back to joyful me I WOULD HAVE TO MAKE A CHOICE.

Dueteronomy 30:19

19 This day I call the heavens and the earth as witnesses against youthat I have set before you life and death, blessings and curses. Now choose life, so that you and your children may live 20 and that you may love the Lord your God, listen to his voice, and hold fast to him. For the Lord is your life, and he will give you many years in the land he swore to give to your fathers, Abraham, Isaac and Jacob.

Seeking the Lord for his grace and strength is part of choosing LIFE. Jesus is LIFE. His Word is Life. His Spirit is Life. Apart from him we are spiritually dead. Did you know you have a Spirit, Soul, and a Body? Did you know you are to align your Spirit to lead your Soul (mind, will, emotions)?

When we make the choice to be lead by our emotions, we are actually out of alignment and we are being lead by the flesh; our souls.

Depression is a Lying Spirit. Depression thrives on our emotions, our will. That is why it feels so real, because it was a weapon designed to smite us at our weakest part -the soul.

When you are saved, you get a new heart and your spirit is reborn with Christ. But, unfortunately you don’t get a new soul. However God didn’t leave us without help, and he tells us to renew the spirit of our minds. This is where discipline and self control come into play. Also where receiving salvation in Christ through grace and working it out through fear and trembling becomes priority. The Bible tells us that we are being transformed from Glory to Glory in Christ. So being human, and having this human experience has it’s cost. Sure we can bow down to the flesh and give it what it wants, but its a choice, and apart from God it is clear it leads to death.

What I realized was this was my formula I used in the past. 👇🏻

My surrendered heart, my faith and trust in God + God’s love and mercy over me, God’s sufficient Strength = Freedom to Heal

You make a choice then you let go of the fear and trust God to walk with you every day with this choice you have made. This choice means every day you get to walk with a Savior who is relational- a person- not just a statue on a shelf. Every day you get to walk in the Spirit, be lead by the Holy Spirit, and fellowship with the Holy Spirit through prayer and worship.

To not choose to Trust God to be your Sufficient Grace for the Hard things in life means you are Choosing yourself, trusting yourself, and your own strengths. I don’t know about you but I am glad I am not a God because I would be letting myself down all the time. Don’t even get me started on trusting my own flesh to make the right choices for all of us! No way Jose!

What negative circumstances have you been dealing with in your current season of life?

Father I pray that the person reading this would have faith the size of a mustard seed because that is all you require to trust you with their life and release their burdens to you. Renew their minds and strengthen them. Release them from the temptations to navigate life on their own! In Jesus name I pray, amen.

What is too powerful for God?

He holds the whole world in his hands. The Bible tells us he spoke the World into existence! That’s right, spoke! His breath oh man, it’s mighty and powerful! His breath filled the lungs of the created first man, Adam!

We wrestle with so much opposition in this world, but wow to think of the profoundness that it is He, God, who holds the whole world in his hands!

Your world…. In his hands!

Be encouraged today there is nothing God can’t do! He can fix that mess going on over there if you let him!

Grow in Grace

The darkness will come. Fear will creep in. It’s all apart of living right? But, it doesn’t have to be our permanent outcome, or our new identity. We can’t control what happens to us, but we can control how we will respond. In every moment God has always offered his grace to enable you to get through, to keep you strong, and to make you a fighter! You must fight! You must grow! Then, you must use your growth to empower, support, encourage others. What are we doing if we are not growing?

When You Can’t Find What You Are Searching For

Living a counterfeit life of what’s trending and relevant to present times.

Do you ever feel a little lost in this world like me? I wish I could tell you that I have mastered the arts of all things pertaining to life in my short 35 years of existence on this planet, but sadly I can not. Don’t lose me, don’t click the back button yet.  I promise this is not a pessimistic blog post. I would like to think of it more as thought provoking, and a call to action! You see as much time as I spend searching the inter webs for insight, ideas, help, and entertainment, I ended up being stumped today as I could for the first time not find what it was I was searching for.

Of course, this got me thinking!

What if… sometimes we can’t emulate from someone else’s story line because we were not designed to? I mean yes we all know we are individuals created so intricately that we have our own finger prints, but if you stop and watch the patterns of this world, everything pertaining to life and life style’s are based on trends and relevance to the times by people we call influencers.

WHAAT!?

If you stop and think about how absolutely lame and boring that is to conform to the patterns of the present time are you actually becoming the person you were created to be, or a counterfeit of another someone in society? But, not only lame but also exhuasting and not really obtainable in our natural raw authientic state.

My point is, why do we search and think that what we are searching for exist when maybe we are suppose to create a life style no one else is currently living? What is our Why for our every day purpose of getting up and moving forward? I think if we can slow down and actually think for ourselves what out why is then we can create in our own dynamical way a lifestyle that is tailored for the way we were designed to be. What drives us, and what will be the rich ingredients to this self made original recipe that will sustain us and bring us happiness and purpose for our every day life? I think we tend to gravitate towards common interests because it makes us feel like we belong to something bigger then ourselves. Also, we don’t like to be alone. But how many times have we personally not been true to ourselves because deep down inside we aren’t truly what we become by default. I am not suggesting that we can’t have commonalities and simularities, but to not completely become all of what someone else has become for themselves. We can have commonalities but don’t be a complete copy of another, which creates sterotypes of people.

Don’t be a sterotype.

I don’t know about you but when I want to change, I dive into whatever this change is going to bring about. For example, diet. Say I want to become a vegetarian, so I do all the research, watch all the films, read all the books and blogs, and now I have laid a foundation for this new eating life style with knowledge and a game plan to roll it out. Every time I have searched for some one else’s way of doing life, every time, un doubtfully it has brought me to this place I am sitting her today. I am still in square one, reaching, searching, looking for a mold I can fit into. BUT WHY? Why can’t I create my own mold?

What if God created you and me to have our own molds, our own way of designing a life that ultimately glorifies Him? And, what if he did this because he knew this one mold we get to create with him for ourselves would bring about the most sincere self-confidence, self-value, and happiness? Our love for him of course being the anchored fondation to this formation.

I feel like before I can move on with this new way of thinking for myself, I need to get on my knees and I need to seek the Lord in prayer. I need to ask him to reveal to me what changes I can make that will sustain consistency and bring him glory. I need to look into every aspect of my every day routine. I need to consider where all my time and energy is going and what the return is on my investment.  I need to stop comparing my life to others, I need to stop focusing on the flaws when I don’t measure up to what I perceive as their success and my failures.

COVID Season has been a season to let go of idols, pause, and reset.

I have to go back to work in two weeks. Maybe this truth is the motivating factor of the new rush I am feeling to master manipulate a grand plan to create a routine that will help my family and myself slowly transition back into a normal life. After all, don’t we all want to live a life that maters? Don’t we all want to make every day count for something? Our time here is short, but eternity is forever. I would rather spend my energy and focus expanding the Kingdom down here on Earth, and leaving love behind, then waisting it all away on what is trending, and relevant to the times. Letting go of what society and this world gleams as awesome, wonderful, healthy, sexy, acceptable, and laying seeds into some deep God breathing soil that will grow a happy, and healthy family, Woman, Wife, Mom, Friend, and Co-Worker. Now, that sounds so much more realistic and EXCITING!

That’s God’s grace… to love us enough not to leave us lost! 😉 Grace to change, and grace to grow. I love this thing we call life!  I love my life absorbing grace!

I would love to hear your thoughts on this topic? Do you truly live a life that reflects who you are–who God created you to be, who you want to become, or are you happy living life pertaining to what everyone says is the right and favorable way to live? Do you emulate the life of others, or would you say you have created your own personal mold to fill? Drop your thoughts below!

 

Be Blessed-Ash’Leigh Harris

By Your Side

Cloud Heart

I was walking this morning trying to get some light exercise in because I’m soooo sore from starting back at the gym, listening to a teaching on the gift of exhortation, and this beauty caught my eye! When your beliefs in God, Jesus, and Holy Spirit are “relational” and not “religious “ in every detail of your ordinary day His presence is always by your side! ❤️😘🙌🏻

John 14:21
He who has My commandments and keeps them, it is he who loves Me. And he who loves Me will be loved by My Father, and I will love him and manifest Myself to him.”

📸 Filtered by color only!

🤍 Ash’Leigh Harris

It Will Get Better

Promise

Photo credit Natural Life

I stumbled across this cute saying from my feed and it instantly reminded me of some hope and truth I recently read in my bible.


Check it out: “You see, every child of God overcomes the world, for our faith is the victorious power that triumphs over the world. So who are the world conquerors, defeating its power? Those who believe that Jesus is the Son of God.”
‭‭1 John‬ ‭5:4-5‬ ‭TPT‬‬

No one gets a carefree everything goes my way every day all the time life. If you think you know one of these people you are being deceived, or they are not being completely transparent and honest with you. We all experience disappointment and we all know how it feels when we feel defeated, but let this be a reminder that we are only going to be down for as long as we allow ourselves because We have access to the God who is love! Let him love you through life’s difficulties!


You are a WOrLd CONQUER! This truth is a GAME changer to whatever you might be facing today! 📸 credit @naturallife 👑

Follow me on Instagram @absorbing_grace

❤️ Ash’Leigh