August 7, 2007

August Newsletter

Hey Everyone,

          I am so excited to tell you about all of the amazing things the Lord has been doing over the past month. The Lord is so good! He has kept me in perfect peace about everything that I have had to get together for the trip. Not one time have I been stressed. Everything is in His hands. So many people have been so encouraging and obedient to the Lord in their giving.

          This past Sunday morning the Lord rocked my boat and everything finally hit me. I am so overwhelmed with joy about everything! I have seen the Lord piece together every part of my life. So the reality of it all hit me at once. All of the support has been provided in one month, and it's a huge confirmation that I am smack in the center of His will. Jesus has healed me emotionally, physically I am healthy, the Lord has blessed me with a great family, and ALL I feel is perfect peace and joy like never before in my life! My God is mighty and faithful! His will is perfect and pleasing!

          The Lord brought me across a good book last week called "Always Enough" by Rolland & Heidi Baker. They are missionaries in Mozambique, South Africa. This is probably the best book I have ever read. These are a few of my favorite passages:

P.13-

"The Gospel of Jesus Christ is enough for them all. He is good and faithful, the Master lover. They just want Him. They have been poor and wretched, but now they possess all things in Him. We dare approach them, we dare preach to them, we dare pick up the helpless, abandoned and dying, because He died for us and rose again on our behalf. We eat and drink from His body and blood, and as a result, there will always be enough."

P.15- "We want to see your gospel tested and proven where nothing else can work!"

P.42- "Another girl, Constancia, was abandoned on our bakery stairs. She might have been five or six. She was so traumatized that she couldn't speak. The Lord told me to chase her. I would, and she'd let me catch her. She wouldn't scream or cry out, but tears would silently flow down her sunken cheeks. I would hold her until she fell asleep. I understood the Lord's heart. He wanted to chase her with His love and hold her in His arms. She was filled with inexpressible grief, a most broken child. One day I was amazed to see her standing in line to be baptized. I simply picked up this frail, broken, beaten little girl and placed her in the water. In the name of the Father, Son, and the Holy Spirit, I baptized her. When she came up from the water, she smiled for the first time among us. Her face radiated the glory of God. That day she suddenly began speaking again and told me she wanted to lead children's choir."

p.137 "They wanted bibles more than rice and blankets, more than anything. We'd arrive, and they'd cry, ‘let's have church!'".

P. 169 " We take in children one by one, abandoned broken children. Some are blind and deaf. Jesus heals some of them instantly. They see, and others don't see. Others stay with us blind but full of Jesus' love. I think some of them may see better than those whose eyes are opened, because they know about Jesus' love and they know about his presence."

The Yard Sale and BBQ was a success. The Lord provided about $2,600.00.
  $ 4,425.00 total has been raised in money leaving only $975.00 to meet the goal of $5,400.00 by August 27. In pledges I have $1,950.00 leaving only $1,650 to meet the goal of $3,600.00.

         
 I want to thank everyone for supporting me. I pray that the Lord will bless each one of you for your obedience. Please continue to pray for my team and I. Pray that the Lord will protect, prepare, equip, and that I may completely die to this world and self so that I may be a vessel he can flow through to bring him glory. I can't wait to write the next newsletter, because I will be in South Africa and full of praise reports! I hope all is well with you and your families.

                                                                                      Praising Him,

                                                                                                Ashley Astin