Tuesday Testimony...

Today marks 20 days until Ashley is home from her outreach portion with YWAM, and each week our family looks forward with great anticipation to emails we receive from her as she shares the amazing things God is doing in and through her life.

The email we received from her yesterday...was truly..*the icing on the cake*!!! Each email brings with it trials, triumphs, praises, prayer requests, homesickness, happiness, sorrow, and joy. Yesterday's email....was an amazing answer to prayer...from an AMAZING God.

Throughout Ashley's YWAM experience we've spent MUCH time encouraging her with 1Corinthians 3 that says:
....some plant...some water, BUT God...he gives the increase

Often Ashley's zeal and excitement to be used by God has been blurring her vision...her spirtual vision that is. Yet day by day, step by step, God has been revealing to Ashley' s heart that he IS using her.....and her life IS making an impact to the woman entrapped in the sex slave industry in Thailand.

Ashley's recent email is a true testimony to God working and moving in and through her life, and she's asked me to share her testimony...here..on my blog. Her email said:

"Wow, I can't even describe the time I am having; it simply brings me to tears!

All week I've been praying that the Lord would lead my steps and that when the evening comes when we are able to go out and *buy* the girls (8 of them), and take them to dinner that it would be totally God lead.

As I approached a bar, I met this really cute young girl who I struck up a conversation with. She was very interested in going to dinner with myself, and my team; however, her PIMP/boss would NOT allow her to go. My heart felt sad as I prayed and asked God...now what?

I sensed God speaking to me, directing me to go back to this bar that I had first seen, so I did. As I entered the bar I met this SWEET WOMAN. She is 31 years old, has three kids, and didn't speak much English. However, I asked her to dinner and she was SO excited, and accepted my offer.

We went to this Thai buffet and as she ate, I shared my testimony, and my Jesus with her. The more I shared, the more she clung onto EVERY word. I shared with her how much Jesus LOVES her, and how he is always there for her. I shared with her how Jesus came to save us/her and that through him, we can be with him forever.

After I finished sharing...she asked me to share MORE..about my Jesus and how much he LOVED her! I was totally blown away at how God was using me, I about fell off of my bench.

This young woman opened up and share how she wanted out of the bar scene, and this was the perfect opportunity for me to share about the Tamar Center and everything they offer.

I also gave this young woman a Bible, Testimony books, along with a rose...so that she knew she was beautiful to Jesus!

I then felt lead to give her some of clothes because she had SO little.

I then invited her to return the next day to participate in an English class, and praise God, she showed up...bringing a friend. I then spent lunch time with my new friend sharing more about Jesus with her.

At the end of our session, I shared with my new friend again, just how much Jesus LOVES her, and that I'm so THANKFUL that God brought her into my life. This gal became so excited and began speaking in Thai, and I couldn't understand her so I ran and got a translator.

PRAISE THE LORD........this gal has decided to QUIT the bar, and come and work at the Tamar Center!!!!!!!!!

You cannot even BELIEVE all of my JOY!!!!!!

I never imagined...that God would use me. I never imagined that I would meet a woman who was captive to the bar, having NO hope and all I did was share Jesus, and gave her my testimony...and look....she now has HOPE...and is QUITTING the bar!!!!

God is SO Good!!

This has truly been a turning point for me. Lately, I've been feeling like everything is pulling me down, yet realizing what happened today, and how God has used me....is making everything I've gone through...SO worth it!!!!

I don't have much time...so I've gotta run!!
I LOVE YOU GUYS.
Achie"

To learn more about the Tamar Center, go here!