Sound Mind > Fear.

God has not given us a spirit of fear, but of power and of love and a sound mind. 

This has been something God has been speaking to me these past few weeks. It has been playing over and over in my head. Why? Sometimes in life we imagine in our heads what we THINK we are going to go through. We talk ourselves into being scared, we talk ourselves into having a fear mentality, and we talk ourselves into being anxious. With this playing in our heads... it keeps us from being filled with God's rest and it keeps us from finding peace in our situations. We stress out about what COULD happen instead of resting in what God has planned for us. 

God has given us POWER, God has given us LOVE, and God has given us a SOUND MIND.

In you situations, in your finances, in your sicknesses, in your family, in your relationships... receive that sound mind. Whatever it is that you are going through... draw on the strength of God to get you through. Fall into His rest and drown yourself in His grace.

Casting Crowns.

That one day I was asked to open for Casting Crowns...

I freaked out a little bit inside.

Asked if they were serious (was someone playing a joke on me)?

Had a minor panic attack (okay not really but it felt like it).

Went into fierce mode (I like things planned out).

Started planning, texting, calling, scheduling.

Thanked God for His awesome blessings!
Perfect timing to perform Incessant Love for the 1st time!

Thought about what I could wear (yes, I can sometimes be girly).

Here are some photos from the day of the Concert. ENJOY!

Sound Check.

Cupcake to Start my Day / Dad
Friends from NYC / Merch Girls.

My Husband. My Biggest Supporter
for over a DECADE!

The Band. I get the pleasure of playing
with these guys every week at church.

Megan & Melodee // Casting Crowns.

Candid Camera.

The Band Opening Casting Crowns.

Red Beaded Cami $19 / Forever 21

Black Beaded Jacket $60 / H&M

Black Slacks $25 / H&M

Black Banded Heels $37 / Jennifer Lopez

Freedom vs. Control.

In lieu of the 4th of July I wanted to talk about FREEDOM! This is a short post. Many people think that long lengthy posts are the absolute best. They just have so much great information!..... Well as much as I like to talk, I like to keep some things short and sweet. Straight to the point.

Most people like to be in control. We don't normally like to just hand our lives over to someone else. It's not a natural feeling to feel OUT of control. We like to decide what we are going to do, when we are going to do it, and HOW we will do it. "BE IN CONTROL" is what our inner man screams at us. 

Now the Bible says... where the Spirit of the Lord is there is FREEDOM. How can we experience full freedom if we cannot let go of control? 

free·dom:

the quality or state of being exempt or released usually from something onerous 

By experiencing God's freedom we actually have the ability to be released from something burdensome, difficult, hard, etc... THAT IS AWESOME! So many times we are in control of our lives but it's actually causing our life to be OUT of control. Let his Spirit give you FREEDOM! Don't do life alone. 

Headband $7 ThePetiteHarper

Church Girls.

What is a Church Girl? Some would say... a girl who goes to church. Ya, I guess that could constitute as a Church Girl. But it goes further than that.

My whole life I grew up in church. I grew up being at the church pretty much most every day of the week. When I would watch TV shows or movies that would have "churchy" people in them I could never relate. I didn't wear long skirts, I didn't have long hair, I dyed my hair, I wore makeup, I LOVED fashion, short shorts & tanks, and I was NEVER considered the quiet conservative one. That always had me wondering... why are churchy people portrayed different in the media?

A few years back I was able to host a TV show called "Church Girls." The show was about youthful, driven, successful, and motivated women who have an active relationship with God and are deeply committed to the local church. The premise of the show was to demonstrate that you can live in the world and not be swayed by the things of the world. We were normal girls living normal lives, and are passionately in love with the Lord.

That is a Church Girl. I want girls to know there is more to life than seeking the attention of boys. There is more to life than dressing sexy and trying to get people to look places well... that they shouldn't be looking. There is more to life than drinking so you can have a good time. There is a life out there that is SO MUCH FUN and includes having an active relationship with The Lord! 

I always hear young adult girls say "but how do I have fun when hanging around a bunch of church people? Well... maybe you have only seen the church girls portrayed in the media. Give God a chance! Give church a chance. Give Christian living a chance! I promise... you can have fun, dress fashionable, be outspoken, loud, chaotic, crazy, successful, popular, & have the time of your life while still serving God and pursuing His plans for you.

Don't think the mistakes of the past will hold you back. Don't think that in order to be a Church Girl you had to grow up perfect and you never make mistakes. A Church Girl understands that we will have struggles, we won't be perfect, & we will have temptations BUT... we have a family, at church, waiting to help us through. We will have a family, at church, who will continue to speak life in our lives and remind us of the awesome plans God has for us. We have a family to be a part of that is so in love with God.

Be in love with God. Live in the world but make a difference in the world. Be a Church Girl! 

Summer Lovin

So I am trying a little something different. I love clothes and getting great deals so I thought I would share a few of my favorites with you! I love summer. The sun, the warm summer nights, ice cream, volleyball, jumping in the lake, 412 summer events, and of course… summer clothes. With the love of clothes, I find myself having a battle in my mind of “to buy or not to buy.” I love clothes but I don’t love pricey clothes. I love to shop but I don’t love spending all of my money of clothes. So here are a couple of my summer must haves. All under $40. 

Headband $8 Tilly

Sandals $30 Target

Bells $40 Tilly's

Sunnies $10 Tilly's

Happy Happy // Joy Joy

Happy \ˈha-pē\:  feeling pleasure and enjoyment because of your life, situation, etc.

Joy \ˈjȯi\:  a source or cause of great happiness

As you can see by the definitions... there is a distinct difference between happiness and joy. HAPPINESS is temporary and is caused by temporary things or temporary situations and JOY is the source of happiness. The Lord wants to fill us with JOY! He doesn't want to just give us a temporary happiness that is able to dwindle away with every bad or hard situation we go through. He wants to fill us with SUCH JOY that when we go through difficult, hard, or uncomfortable situations we can search deep inside of us and find and unending JOY that He has filled us with that helps us get through those situations. 

It says in Nehemiah that THE JOY OF THE LORD IS YOUR STRENGTH! His joy is literally our strength. Strength to withstand life, strength to overcome, strength to be diligent, strength to stand firm in your beliefs, and strength to live a life fully committed to the ways of the Lord. His JOY is our strength.

Today... choose JOY! We shouldn't let ourselves get caught up in the things of life that cause temporary happiness or a high that only lasts weeks, days, or even hours. Choose The Lord and when you choose Him... sorrow may last for the night but JOY comes in the morning. 

Peace.

Lima, Peru.

Lima Peru // May 2010

A trip that changed my life.

Colossians 3:15 Let the peace of God rule in your hearts. This is the verse that spoke to me on this trip that forever changed my life.

Have you ever had that one thing you did in life when looking back on it you think… WHAT WAS I THINKING? I think we all do. And when looking back on it, we most likely were not thinking much. We most likely made a choice based on emotions and “got caught up in the moment.” I found myself in Lima, Peru thinking that exact thing. What was I thinking and what do I do now?

I always love to travel because I love getting myself away from constant internet, friends, my phone & iPad, Netflix, etc… even if just for several days. It is a way to just get reconnected with God and His presence and find time to just dig into His word. I end up having more time on my hands without other distractions. Usually the times I travel are where I have most of my life defining moments with God. It is a time when He speaks to me direction for my life and ministries I am involved in. Then I come back to Michigan feeling refreshed and on fire again.

I remember someone giving me a tiny journal to keep my thoughts and it was perfect for traveling. So I would, each day, spend time with the Lord and write down the thoughts and things going through my head in that time I spent with Him. This particular trip I left Michigan feeling confused and heavy. Not only was I just starting my Masters Degree the same day I landed in Peru, but also I had several other important decisions that had to be made when I returned from Peru. I was feeling down, to say the least. Every day I was praying and writing in this journal trying to figure out what to do. I am usually a pretty upbeat and happy person but this trip was different. Even one of the Pastors traveling with us could tell something was wrong. I opened up a little bit to him about the situation but still felt conflicted in my heart. After 5 days of praying about what I should do I still didn’t know. The last day I was talking to another person who went on the trip about what was going on and I wanted his advice. He told me it was a choice that I myself had to make but he said… “Let the peace of God rule in your heart.” That was the verse that changed my life. I made the choice I knew inside I was supposed to make. And the only way I could have made that choice was by letting God’s peace rule in my heart.

See, many of us go through tough situations in life, things that we don’t understand, and hard choices that we have to make. But we have to decide one thing… will we let God’s peace guide us? Will we get caught up in the emotions of things and feel down and heavy? Or will we seek His face and search for an unspeakable peace and rest for our situation?

God has a peace He wants to give you. Search for it and let it rule in your heart. 

Be-YOU-tiful.

You are beautiful. YOU are beautiful. You ARE beautiful. You are BEAUTIFUL.

So many girls LONG to hear this phrase.  So many girls actually DO hear this phrase. But what’s really important is believing this phrase. Song of Solomon says… you are all together beautiful, my darling, there is no flaw in you. Take that verse. Believe that verse. And own that verse. YOU reading this… are beautiful. YOU reading this have been chosen specifically by God Himself. YOU reading this have potential; a call, talent, beauty, and you are amazing.

Pop culture these days have created an image that many girls strive to be. Tall, skinny, collarbones protruding, a gap between your thighs, long luscious hair, sun-kissed skin, a new outfit everyday, and the list goes on and on. How do we achieve this? Wear high heels everyday until we get bunions and back problems, never eat because, well that’s the only way to be that skinny, exercise until we cannot even breathe or walk anymore, go tanning until we get a precancerous spot on our skin, and spend our entire pay checks on clothes! We don’t need to pay the important bills right? So I ask again… how do we achieve this? It’s impossible! I could also suggest walking around with a “photoshopped” photo of yourself in your hand and convincing people you really do look perfect. Because… anyone can look perfect when “photoshoppped.” Or I could suggest spending 30 minutes everyday trying to get the perfect selfie to post on your Facebook and Instagram. Or I could suggest something that is actually possible for you to do.

It is possible to see us the way God sees us. It is possible to not look to other people for compliments and approval, but look to God for HIS approval. Know this… He approves of you, He thinks you’re beautiful, He loves you much more than anyone could ever love you! And that is what really matters. Be-YOU-tiful. Because that's who God created you to be. 

BE YOU! It's Who God Created You To Be.

I am weird. I know.

Have you ever had the sense that someone was judging you? Have you ever felt like someone was always comparing himself or herself to you? They probably were. It’s life. What do we do about it? Nothing. Why? Because God’s perspective on our lives is way more important than other people’s thoughts on our lives. Each and every one of us was created for a specific purpose, plan, and calling and no one else can fulfill it. And with that being said... you're different from everybody else. And that's a good thing.

I grew up a PK. If you do not know what a PK is, it is a Pastor’s Kid. Who really knows what that means? No one. People always try and put other people into categories. They think, well you’re a pastor’s kid so you go in this box or... you’re from this income family so I will put you in this box. Our life, for sure, has an impact on how we grow up but it does not have to shape us into what we become. I am a firm believer that God uses those things so we can learn from them but, by no means, plans to put us in a box and keep us there the rest of our lives. 

Back to being a PK, which has absolutely no meaning at all. My father is a Pastor of a mega church close to Detroit, Michigan. I remember him telling me something really important one time when I was concerned about my role and responsibility in the church. I was concerned about what people thought of me, and also what they thought of my role in the church. 

He said, “Do you know what God has called you to do?” 

I responded “yes.” 

He said, “Are you doing it?” 

I said “yes.” 

He said back to me “as long as you know you are doing what God has called you to do that is all that matters.” 

That stuck with me. That was so important to me and so moving inside my spirit that I will never forget it. So many times we are worried what others think about what we are doing and how they view us, that we forget the call that God has on our life. 

Who are you? Where are you from? What do you look like? Well honestly... I don't care and neither should you. All that matters is you are a child of God. That is who you are. That is where your identity should be found. 

Jeremiah 1:5 Before I formed you in the womb I knew you, before you were born I set you apart.

Psalms 139:13 For You created my inmost being; You knit me together in my mother's womb. 

Never let those verses leave your heart and never get caught up in what others think or say about you. You are you and that is exactly who God created you to be. So be it. Know you are a child of God and ask God to give you eyes to see from HIS perspective. It's the best perspective.. ever. 

412 Exposed

I remember someone once asking me... "Do you think you will ever preach?" I laughed and answered "unless God strikes me down from heaven... NO." That was at the beginning of 2010. Within a month in my prayer time I kept feeling like God had filled me with something to say and I was supposed to say it. As I was reading the bible I came across a verse 1 Timothy 4:12 Let no one despise your youth but be an example to the believers in word, conduct, love, spirit, faith, and purity. I loved that scripture and posted it to my Facebook. A week later my Pastor, Boss, & Dad walked into my office and said he had received a new vision for our young adult ministry and wanted me to head it up. I freaked out a little bit inside. My eyes got wide and I asked... why me? He said, well I really like the verse that you put on your Facebook and think you would be a great face to the ministry. Although I didn't know what it would fully entail, as always, I said yes. I am a fan of starting new things, changing things up, and basically doing whatever needs to be done (especially in the things of The Lord). So with that being said we started along on working out a plan to kickstart this new ministry. At first I just kind of MC'ed Sunday nights. Although inside I felt the desire to speak, I never mentioned that to anyone. As I said before... God would have to strike me from heaven to make that happen. Along with the desire welling up inside of me, Pastor Loren asked me to speak the following month. With shaky and sweaty hands and my heart beating super fast... I did it! It was a crazy experience and I loved every minute of it! I knew this is what I was supposed to do.

Almost 4 years later, we as a young adult group, have been striving to be exactly who God has called us to be. With 1 Timothy 4:12 in mind... we are pressing forward in the plans and purposes of God. My burden is to see a generation, my generation, rise up and take their place in the plans and purposes of God. No matter how hard, how uncomfortable, or how unprepared we may feel... for this generation to say YES to His call!

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412 Connect //  Bible Study Break Out Groups with
Worship & Free Coffee

412 Band

Home is Where the Heart Is

2 Little Girls I Get VERY Excited to see When I am in El Salvador

El Volcan in San Salvador

El Salvador. A beautiful place. A broken place. A place crying out for Jesus. A place I call home. Back in 2008 I traveled to El Salvador and received a heavy burden from the Lord for this country and the people in it. Since 2008 I have been to this country over 20 times ministering in word, song, camps, and one on one deep conversations. There were times when I could not even imagine coming back to the United States the burden was so deep. But as always, I came back and kept this country in my prayers. This country will always be on my heart and I will continue to travel there until I am told otherwise (by the "big man" upstairs.)

I wanted to share one story from my travels to El Salvador. In 2005 my parents changed our annual family trip from Florida to El Salvador convincing us we would love it since the weather was in the 90's. I remember landing there and thinking "what in the world am I going to do in the country?" The only American restaurant close to our hotel was pizza and if you know me at all I HATE PIZZA. Our hotel was right across the street from a mall but of course... "it wasn't safe for me to go there by myself." With that being said... I stayed at the pool in the sun until I was told I had to leave to eat or go to service. Needless to say, I told my parents I would never return to that country... EVER.

In 2008 for some odd reason I decided I wanted to go to El Salvador with my dad. He brought Mike and I along with him and my whole attitude was changed. I looked at the country with open eyes, I met and made long lasting relationships with people there, I ate all sorts of food (including pupusas), I opened my heart during church services, and long story short, fell in love with the country.

As I said before, The Lord put the burden on my heart for El Salvador. You never know what situation God is going to use to change you. Most of the time we want the situations around us to change but what is most important is letting the situations change us to be more like Him.

Mr. & Mrs. Garza

February 8th 2013 marks the best day of my life. Rewind to 2004 when I laid eyes on this tall handsome young man, Michael Garza. I knew right then that I was going to marry him. Forget the fact that I had never had a boyfriend before... he was the one. Flash forward through the next 9 years, through the ups & downs, the good times & the bad, the craziness of young adult life, traveling the globe with and without Mike... we finally said YES to forever. This is one of the best decisions I have ever made. After years of writing "Ashley Garza" on notebook after notebook... it was finally official! I was Ashley Garza, wife of Michael Garza.

Beautiful Flower Girls

Five Girls that Mean THE WORLD to Me

The Most Handsome Groomsmen