Women Who Rise

Mid December 2024 I was laying in my bed journaling. Many times my journal entries include recaps of the day, self reflection, questions I have for myself or God, gratitudes, or prayer. This particular day I was a month post divorce and a month into my healing era and I was writing about a vision I had had in 2016 prior to opening my business. At that time I was looking for direction from God about where he was leading me to open shop. I had closed my eyes and prayed in my car, “Lord tell me where you want me to go.” Then I saw a picture of me, leading a church service in front of a building in downtown Sidney that I now know is called the Murphy building, and I heard the Holy Spirit whisper, “this is where I’m planting you.” That’s all it took. I uprooted from my family, security, familiarity, and support system and followed the call to Sidney, Ohio.

Fast forward, ten years, two businesses, two more kids (so four altogether), a rough marriage and a divorce later I am sitting in my bed recapping that story in my journal and asking God, “DID I MISS THE CALL?” Ugh…

The truth is that during that time (ten years!), even though I was building my career and family, even though I was making an impact, serving my community, building my team, mentoring, mothering, wifing, doing good work, and giving to churches and anyone who asked. And even though I felt that the last ten years had been fruitful… I had forgotten about the vision that had brought me here to begin with. I had forgotten about the One who had gave me that vision. I let busyness and business become the focus and had let my relationship with God go lukewarm… That night I went to bed wrestling with that question and feeling like a failure in God’s eyes.

A week later, its Dec 31 and I am laying in bed journaling again. I always pick a word every year to define my year. A theme if you will that I will run my decisions by and work towards with focus. The past years word was “Intentional” and I very intentionally spent my hours, days, and year. I made intentional decisions for my health, I made intentional decisions for my future, And I made intentional choices for my life that brought me to where I am today. I liked that word.

Other words I have chosen in the past were “fruitful,” (that was the year I opened my business) or “present,” the year I had my fourth child while trying to run that business.

This year was different though, I decided that since my sole focus was going to be God, I would let Him pick my word. I journaled “Lord I would like to let you pick my word this year. Please speak to me clearly and give me your word.”

I waited…

Now trust me I know that sounds crazy but the bible says in Matthew 7:7 “Ask and you shall receive, seek and you will find, and knock and the door will be open.” I believe the Bible is the truth so therefore I believe Jesus’s words are true. So I asked!

A few minutes go by and I hear the word “called.”

Me: “Called Lord?” Shoot what the heck does called mean?

Me: “Lord I don’t like that word, it’s not specific, called to what?”

Him: “Called.”

Me: “Called to What Lord?”

Him:

Me: Googles Called.

Google: In the bible, being “called” refers to God’s divine summons or invitation to salvation, fellowship with Jesus, and a life of purpose or ministry.

Me: “Called to what Lord?”

Him:

Oh what fun! I thought about it for a little while and wrote in my journal, “Okay I accept your word. And whatever it is I am being called to, or for, or whatever, my answer is yes.”

Welcome to the beginning of my story and call to ministry. So the journey begins!

-Ashley