Ashley Roberts - The World Race 2008

Look Where I'm Going!

Sun, 22 Jun 2008 00:00:00 GMT

So they told us what our "Race Route" was and I am so stoked! I will be heading out of LA on September 28th.

So here it is:

October: Philippines

November: China

December:Kenya

January: Uganda

February: Ethiopia

March: India

April: Romania

May: Bosnia/Serbia (Celebrating My B-day here!)

June: Mexico

July: Guatemala

August: Nicaragua

* These could change, but I will let you guys know!

No Approval Needed

Thu, 1 May 2008 00:00:00 GMT

So my Mom brought home this letter that she is sending out to some friends of hers along with my letter. So I thought I would share it a little bit of it.

Dear Family and Friends,
        Our daughter, Ashley, has had a calling to do missionary work placed upon her heart. After meeting much resistance from us, from us first saying absolutely not, you have a great career started, you're safe, we know you are okay to her telling us that she "had promised God she would go wherever He called her to go" because she felt it was God's calling and she was willing to give up her life to serve Him, what can you say as a parent but we support you, love you, and will help you make it happen because we know without a doubt the only other person who loves and cares for Ashley as much as we do is our Lord and we know He is directing her path.
    A dear sweet person sent us the following and it is exactly what we needed to read and I attach it to share with you.

                                                                No Approval Needed

    John(the Baptist's) clothes were made of camel's hair, and he had a leather belt around his waist. His food was locusts and wild honey. Matthew 3:4

    Many a parent has been delighted to see his child make progress in spiritual matters, showing unusual sensitivity to discerning God's will. Until, that is, the young adult child decides to go to Bible college instead of a prestigious university. Until, that is, the child announces her plans to go to a dangerous mission field to work among an unreached people who suffer from disease, strife, and poverty.
    Zacharias and Elizabeth, the parents of John the Baptist, might have felt that way. The angel Gabriel seemed to indicate a respectable career path for their son, John: "To make ready a people prepared for the Lord." They never imagined that John would leave them as a young man and live in the desert, dressing oddly, eating locusts and wild honey, and preaching radically. He was likely a source of embarrassment for his parents. If you have a child, a parent, or a friend who is obeying God and pursuing a path you don't understand, pray Acts 21:14: "The will of the Lord be done."
God is not obligated to receive the approval of the family and friends of those He calls into His service.

So I thought that was pretty cool to see what my Mom thought of me going onto the mission field. I know it was hard for her to accept that this is what I was supposed to do, and it means a lot to me that she supports my decision to do the World Race. Mom if you read this I love you and Thank You for supporting me in everything I have ever done...even when you think it's a crazy idea. You taught me how to give to others and expect nothing back...and to do the right thing even when I'm too stubborn to do it. (Me stubborn? No way!) I will always be proud to be your daughter.

Love is Change.
    Ash

My God is AMAZING!

Thu, 27 Mar 2008 00:00:00 GMT

    So today was an amazing day. God totally provided for me once again and here I stand in awe. A few weeks ago I went to Alabama Outdoors to check out some packs, sleeping bags, and all that fun stuff for the Race. The guy fitted me for a pack and gave me a list of a few packs that he would recommend for me. Then he told me the price...I mean I knew it was going to cost a bit, but wow they were a lot. So off I went worrying about how I was going to pay for all that stuff and how much money I needed to save each week in order to afford it.
    I tend to worry about things, to the point where I can't sleep at night. I always feel like I have to have a plan A. all the way to plan Z. Crazy but true. Last night I was laying in bed making a "To-Do" list of things I needed to complete today when I realized I couldn't do it all. I can't plan everything and I can't control everything. I cried because for the first time in a long time I actually felt relieved....and it felt good.
       Well this afternoon I was running errands for work and my Mom sent me a picture on my phone. It was a picture of a beautiful purple pack. So after a quick call the my Moms she said had been talking to her boss' wife about me doing The World Race. My Mom was telling her about all the things I needed and what I was going to do and thats when she told my Mom she had backpacked across Europe and was going to let me use her pack! I was totally stoked.
        When she got home it was the exact same brand and size that I needed for the trip! And then inside of it was a sleeping bag! Once again it was the exact one that I needed. My eyes started to burn because I was trying not to cry...I mean there I was the week before wondering how I was going to afford all the stuff I needed. And again my heavenly Dad provided for his doubtful daughter, showing me once again that he has it all under control and that I can trust him. As I am writing this all I can do is cry. I am amazed at how faithful He is.

Deuteronomy 7:9

"Know therefore that the LORD your God is God; he is the faithful God, keeping his covenant of love to a thousand generations of those who love him and keep his commands."

My Support Letter.

Fri, 21 Mar 2008 00:00:00 GMT

Dear Friends and Family,

I am excited to tell you that I have been accepted by Adventures in Missions in their World Race Mission Program. I will be leaving in October '08 and will be gone for 11 months. Going on the mission field has been a vision of mine and God has affirmed this direction in many ways during my time of preparation. Finally this dream of "go and make disciples" is becoming a reality.

The World Race will allow me to travel to 11 countries in 11 months ministering to the people in each region with people my own age. The people we will be reaching are searching for something, and I am excited to be a part of telling them about a Savior who can redeem them. I want to feed the hungry, in both a tangible sense and a spiritual sense.

I cannot do the work overseas without the support of my community. I need partnerships in prayer, encouragement, and finances. I am specifically asking for 15 to people who will pray for me and my team. Pray that we will be effective in our ministry and safe while we travel. I must raise $1,255 per month for 11 months, which will make my trip a total of $13,800. This will cover my travel and living expenses for The World Race for 11 months.

A number of you may be in a position to financially contribute to my support. I calculated that if ten people gave $125 per month each OR if twenty people gave $63 per month OR if thirty people gave $42 per month then I would meet my goal! Will you please pray about supporting me for one of these amounts?

I have enclosed a response card and pre-addressed envelope, which invites you to share in this ministry. Please make checks payable to Adventures In Missions. You may write "appealed by" and my name in the memo section of the check if you wish. All donations should be mailed to Adventures in Missions, P.O. Box 534470, Atlanta, GA 30353-4470. Including the enclosed card will provide AIM with all necessary information. Adventures in Missions is registered with the Internal Revenue Service as a 501 (c) (3) non-profit organization. Donors will receive receipts for their gifts with the understanding that the disbursement of those gifts lies completely at the discretion of Adventures in Missions and that the gifts are non-refundable and non-transferable, per IRS regulations. Gifts may be tax deductible; please consult your tax advisor. You can also donate online through my blog.

I am very excited to see how God is going to use me and how he is going to change me for the better. I hope you will prayerfully consider being a part of my ministry.

Blessings,

Ashley Roberts

http://ashleyroberts.theworldrace.org

Theres a first time for everything.

Sun, 9 Mar 2008 00:00:00 GMT

Well this is my first blog, so bear with me as I try to put my random thoughts onto paper. (well actually I am putting them on to the computer...but you get what I'm saying)

So I was talking to this man a few days ago about miracles. I was sharing with him about my friend who just had identical twin girls. The doctor and everyone else expected the babies to be around 3 lbs. and probably be sick...but they were born weighing 4.4 and 4.5 lbs! They are beautiful and healthy! I told him how I was so grateful that God hears our prayers. He began to tell me that he really didn't consider himself a Christian because he didn't attend church every Sunday.
For some reason that really bothered me all night. It bothered me that somebody somewhere told him that he couldn't consider himself a Christian because he didn't go to church every Sunday. Now I know the importance of the church- the accountability, the fellowship, the worship, and getting fed.... but that doesn't make someone a Christian. And because he thought he couldn't "measure up" he chose to turn away. My pastor said something tonight that really stuck with me. He said that it was sad that people considered a building the church. When really we are the church.
For a long time I felt like I had to fit into this mold. I had to be perfect, look perfect, and dress perfect. If I did all those things then it would make me a better Christian. It took me a long time, 3 years to be exact, to really understand who I was in Christ. I knew I was a new creation, but what I didn't understand was that I didn't have to look like everyone else. God made me how I am for a reason. I am strong willed, but that got me where I am today- without it I would have given up a long time ago. I really struggled with being "perfect". Telling myself that if I learned all this scripture then I would be considered good to God...like I had to win His love. I think we sometimes get so caught up in the piety of it all that we forget what it's really all about. We aren't perfect- never have been and never will be.
Theres a song by Flame that is an apology to people who have been hurt by religion. An apology to the people who have been told they aren't good enough for God, and in turn they walked away from the only thing that can make them truly whole -> God. I want to love the unloved and those who have been hurt. I want to tell them of a Savior who doesn't judge us by our past, but He washes us clean and picks us up right where we are. You don't have to clean yourself up to gain God's love- he loves us dirty. Just like a Mom who's kid has been playing in the mud all day. When he runs to her she scoops him up in her arms, not caring if her clothes get a little messed up, and carries him inside.

Love is Change.
Ash