Are you in need of a change?

I am not a writer, and have never really claimed to be...not even of songs really. Almost all of the songs that have come from my CD's were written from the heart and soul of a prolific lyricist, Beverly Nutt.  (If you don't follow her, please go do so right now!)
Change has been on my mind lately. With everything going on in our world in the midst of the Covid-19 pandemic storm, we have had to learn a new normal...a "NOW" normal. Masks, restaurants at 50%, social distancing, and the list of course goes on and on....we could all come up with 15 things that make us uncomfortable during this time.
Change is inevitable, right? We know that in time, things will change and either we can go with the flow, or we can die trying to STAY THE SAME!  For example, all of my adult life - 2001 to  2015, I had been in ministry. Youth ministry, small groups, young adults, worship leadership, women's ministry and anything else you could imagine within the church.  For three of the last five years I have worked for a wonderful company based in Winston Salem, Flow Automotive Companies. No, I don't sell cars, but I work very hard to ensure those who are buying cars have a good experience. I also work to ensure that our team in the internet department work very closely with the teams at the physical dealership. You never know how many moving pieces there are at one time in a large corporation until you are a part of it.  Confession: not one part of me was necessarily comfortable in this position until very recently. When I say recently, I mean like within the last 6 weeks.  Why? Because I was FORCED to learn more by being still in the office. I couldn't travel to any of our stores. I gathered data, I called managers, I checked in with agents, I ran reports and I can tell you WAY more about sources of marketing leads than any person should be able to! No, I do not love reading reports and sharing data. Does that sound like something a creative person would love? NO! Change in circumstances forced me to learn my job better so that when I went to a store last week, I felt confident and able to say what I needed to...very clearly and without stumbling over my words.
I typically like change - I move my furniture around often! I don't like for habits to be changed though. I don't love when routines change, unless I feel I'm in a rut. But guess what...it's going to happen. People change, situations change, life changes...what are you going to do about it? Change with it or again, die trying to stay the same? Curling up in a hole and sinking isn't a viable option in my opinion.
Consider this...when was the last time you grew from a situation without something changing? I don't really look much like that picture above anymore - I was younger, there were a few less pounds, fewer wrinkes and I had jsut gotten a sweet little doggy. (NOTE, my hair has stayed the same & that's kind of sad.) I am not the same person I was when that photo was taken. What needs to change in you? What are you seeking? Anything? What part of your heart do you need our loving God to come touch and change? Do you need to be less angry? Disapointed?  Do you need a friend during this hard time? What needs to change to make your situation better right now?
Just some things to consider and think about - how can we help each other as a community and Body of Christ. When we cannot all meet TOGETHER physically, can we be together in spirit and try to get through this changing time arm in arm.
Friends, I love you and am thankful for each of you. Please let us know how we can be here for each other and make the changing times a little less difficult. You are loved! Please don't forget it!

AW

Time for a Change!

It is always surprising to me how things can change in the blink of an eye! Two years ago I left a wonderful vibrant congregation to pursue other things within my career. It is with great joy and excitement I tell you that next Monday, I begin a brand-new journey. It is brand-new in some ways an old hat in others.

Fifteen years ago I worked for a Lutheran Church as their Christian education and youth director here in Winston-Salem. It is this church that brought me to this wonderful city that I have come to call home. 

After a chain of events that only our great God can orchestrate, I will be returning to that same church as their Youth and Family Life Ministries Director along with Contemporary Worship Director! There are no words to describe how excited I am about this transition. God has worked mightily in order for this to happen and I cannot wait to get started.

I have continued to lead worship in town and throughout the state but look very forward to putting all of my energy into developing a brand-new contemporary style worship service for this church. Also, you can pray for me as I transition back into youth ministry and education. I have been out of that world for a while but know that there are resources at my fingertips and I will be utilizing them.  

The name of the church I will be working for is Lutheran Church of the Epiphany and it is located on Silas Creek Parkway. I have one more week of working at a furniture store here in Winston and look forward to beginning on April 13 at the church. 

As time allows, I will continue to sing out in other churches and will definitely be continuing my patient advocate work at the hospital. 

Thank you all for your support and encouragement as you have pushed me to think beyond the box. I would have never told you that I would return back to the congregation I worked for 15 years ago – under new leadership at this point – to begin a contemporary worship program, but again, God can only orchestrate such a thing.  

I would be glad to share more of this story with you if you would like.

Love to you all!

He IS Risen Indeed! 

Ashley 

Time Away

I have been away for virtually two weeks now at two different worship leading/songwriting conferences with some of the biggest names in worship and contemporary music. Feeling everything from inadequate to beyond wonderful all in the same time frame. It's been a time of up and down and side to side. Interesting how God can put people in front of you who can encourage and affirm you so much that you don't even realize your insides are changing until it's time to do something (leading worship for me) that is so second nature and you just "feel" differently! Yes, it's an amazing feeling.

I had been in Nashville for three days last week and spent time sitting under leaders like Carl Cartee, Laura Story, Clayton King, and others. I can truly tell you that I knew God was present, but I didn't feel much different. Nothing seemed overwhelmingly revolutionary or incredibly spiritual. For those of you who know me well, I'm fairly picky when it comes to music I listen to and I long for music (sound) that makes it easy for me to worship and enter into God's presence. The music was phenomenal and I had no trouble worshiping! BUT...I didn't notice that God was particularly speaking to me if you will. Interestingly, I got back to my home congregation in Winston-Salem on Sunday morning and we all just had an amazing time! I suddenly felt renewed and refreshed again! I felt like a good work had been done in me without me even being aware! The band was right on top of their game and I had a good week of resting my voice so...all of these things came together and made for a WONDERFUL morning of praise and worship to the only One who is worthy of our praise! GOOD STUFF!

As I left on Sunday morning from church knowing that I needed to pack for going to Asheville I was a very excited little worship leader! :) I had so enjoyed worshiping with my friends and team and knew that God had done a good work of refreshing my soul in Nashville. Completely unaware of what He had done, I stepped up on the platform and allowed Him to do whatever He wanted to do in that meeting of His people! I put aside the fact that we hadn't rehearsed that week. I put aside my fears of inadequacy. I laid to rest my pride as much as I could and I gave God permission to do whatever He wanted to do in our worship time. NOW...rest assured...I do this fairly regularly on Sunday mornings, but this one was different somehow. The team was very tight and the people were engaged and surrendered also.

What I'm trying to convey to you is this simple thing...God can do a mighty work in you in just one second and you don't even know it has happened! How cool is that? There was not one thing that I did in Nashville other than make a choice to focus on Him. I was pretty low when I left--pretty dry and weary. So I encourage you my friends to take a good long look at your insides. How are you really doing? Tell God how you are really doing! Spend some time just reflecting on how you REALLY are and then just tell Him about it and expect Him to refresh you! You don't have to strive...you don't have to try...you just have to be honest about how you are with Him and that you want to be different!

As a body of believers, we really need to stop trying to hide how we really are with people who care for us and want to help. AND...we need to be willing to close our mouths sometimes and let others tell us how they are and allow God to use US as a vessel to bring restoration to someone else!

Don't be afraid to tell God how you are. He knows already--yes--but it's sometimes nice to just get it out of your system and then allow Him in His timing to make a change and refresh you. You may just wake up one morning and say "WOW!...I'm feeling different!"

Love you all!
ashley