The Wild, Wild West

It’s been a while... over a month in fact. A month filled with long road trips (619 miles, one way, according to MapQuest), annual allergy battles, sun-up to well-past-sun-down days, SNOW!, basketball games, hamburgers, etc. On the surface, it had the makings of a very run-of-the-mill March, but it seems I am ever learning that in a life with God, no moment, day, month or year is ever run-of-the-mill.

By now, I’m well trained in the notion of having “no expectations,” so I left for Oklahoma with very few. I did expect to have a great time. Expectation exceeded! I did expect God to teach me something new. Expectation ALWAYS surpassed. And, I did (tentatively) expect God to give me some direction about where/how I’m supposed to be serving Him in this new season. He did, but more on that later! Within my first 48 hours “on the job” I’d attended a high school Area Championship basketball game and helped “herd” sheep in preparation for lambing. Combine sports and farming with ministry and I’m a happy girl.

What's better than a newborn lamb? Four newborn lambs!

In an interesting “From the Field to the Fork” twist, (don’t worry, we weren’t eating baby lambs) I also got to try my hand as a short-order cook. A big chunk of my days were spent helping out at The Rock Community Center, where lots of Red Rock locals come everyday to grab a burger and fries, or a grilled chicken sandwich, or -most everyone's favorite- cheese tots! My dad and I have not-so-jokingly dreamed for years about one day opening a 50's Diner, so I was extraordinarily excited for my first delve into the world of food service! 

"The Rock" is so much more than a restaurant, though. It's a place where customers, or even folks who just come by to hang out, know that they are guaranteed just a little bit of love. Whether a man stops by needing a couple of canned goods to get him through the next few days, a lady drops in to sift through the clothes racks, or a kid comes in after school to spend some time in the game room, everyone is assured that they matter. They are important. They are worthy of love. 

For me, this aspect of ministry became an ultimate lesson in servitude. I'm human. So even in the short span of a month, there were days when my excitement over taking orders, cleaning dirty tables, stocking shelves, refereeing in the game room or, worst-of-all, washing dishes was definitely less than Christian. But every seemingly tedious or menial task should be done with a much greater goal in mind - displaying the love of Christ. 

That lesson definitely carried over into time spent at Otoe Baptist Church, and particularly in the Wednesday night youth program! I love children, and God has given me a passion for leadership development in teens that He's been honing for several years, so the opportunity to work with this crew was one I could easily get pumped up for! Still, 90 kids with less than 10 adults around to guide them can sometimes seem a little daunting. So why do it?

• For the bear hug and giant smile from a shy little girl who gets individual attention!
• For the middle school boy who learns to trust the power of prayer over his life-threatening illness!
• For the high schooler who begins to understands that worship doesn't have to be rigid or ritualistic, but that using her talents for sports, writing, or art are all ways of worshipping God.
• For the parent who likes the change they see in their child, and curiously seeks to know more!   

Imagine this tiny sanctuary filled to the brim with kids of all ages, singing, dancing and worshiping The King! 

It was after one of these Wednesday night services that I felt God nudging me. Three van loads had headed out to take kids home, and I was hauling off the night's trash (you'd be blown away by how much garbage accumulates in just one night!) when out of nowhere my eyes pooled with tears. Overcome with a sense of belonging and a desire unlike any I've ever experienced, I knew God was confirming what I had suspected for a while.

Because I'm somewhat afraid of commitment, I kept praying for a few more weeks (even after I'd returned to Kentucky,) imploring God to double, triple and quadruple confirm His calling on my life. Despite my ridiculousness, He obliged. Through songs, sermons, conversations and a million other mediums, He made it clear:

Oklahoma is exactly where I'm supposed to be.

If God hadn't drawn me to Oklahoma, the sunsets might have.

That said, I'm in full on preparation mode, once again. On May 27, I'll be making a permanent move to Oklahoma, where I'll take part in the ongoing ministries of Camp Crossway, The Rock Community Center and Otoe Baptist Church. I can't wait! And, I'm also a teensy bit nervous. There are a million questions still unanswered. Exactly what will I be doing? How long will this last? What car am I going to drive? How does this fit into a retirement plan? Etc. Fortunately, I know that I don't have to have everything figured out, because I know The God who does! To this point, His plans have been pretty spectacular!

Stay tuned for updates, and by all means, keep those prayers coming! I sincerely appreciate every one!  

From the Desk of a Substitute Teacher

Once upon a time, I thought I’d love to be a teacher. For years, I debated between pursuing degrees in English or Agriculture – my two favorite subjects throughout high school – and I knew that no matter which option I chose, I’d without-a-doubt become that ONE teacher that everyone always loved and remembered, not for simply teaching my subject matter, but for teaching great life lessons, as well.

My high school graduation, with Mrs. Kadi Ralston, one of those kinds of teachers I always hoped I would be!

Fast forward almost five years since I decided that education was NOT the career path for me, and where do I find myself today? In a high school classroom…

Since returning from the World Race, I’ve been blessed to spend numerous days as a substitute teacher in my alma mater school district, and boy have I gotten quite the education! Everyday, no matter if I’m teaching agriculture, humanities, algebra, world civilization or band, I’m learning things like:

1. Things are vastly different!

It’s been barely seven years since I walked these high school halls, but sometimes I hardly recognize the place. There are only six teachers still in the building that were teaching when I graduated, and only one that I actually had in class. Emphasis is placed on entirely new curricula, discipline is carried out in whole new facets, and the stereotypes that once dominated – band kid, ag kid, cheerleader, athlete, etc. – have all somehow blended into one unidentifiable blob known as “teenager.” In short, I’ve gotten old.

2. I was an insanely sheltered student!

From 6th-12th grade, I stayed on the Honors/AP track, which essentially means that I was with the same group of people for almost every class. We were relentlessly competitive, but we were definitely bonded in a unique way. We pushed one another to be above average, and over the years we developed our own semblance of societal norms – be a jerk to one, and hear about it from all of us; fail to take care of business, and get very little sympathy from those that put in their effort. If there was ever a case of someone refusing to do an assignment, I never heard about it. That is not so much the case these days. The only unified front I regularly see is unified defiance – I’m routinely told by students that they have no intention of completing assignments, and generally it makes no difference whether the person next to them diligently does theirs, either. Until now, I hardly realized how big of a blessing it was to have this kind of camaraderie with my classmates and friends, as well as how much it meant to have supportive parents who cared enough to make sure I cared, too!

Collectively, this group of people spent more time together than we did with our own families.

3. Every day holds pleasant surprises.

In their defense, high school students catch a very bad wrap, and often times it isn’t entirely accurate. They are people. Undeveloped, hungry, attention-seeking, awkward, undecided people. So often I believe that they have adult expectations placed on them without the benefit of having much (if any) adult experience. Most of them want the exact same thing you and I want – someone to care about them. Maybe that explains the rampant dating cycles or the incessant codependent tendencies (trust me – guys go to the bathroom in hoards just as often as the girls.) Given the chance, though, they will impress you. There are kids who pray longer than the allotted moment of silence, and their peers respect that time. There are students who get excited when given the chance to use lab equipment they otherwise rarely see. There are students who go all out on simple assignments, students who respectfully comply when they would clearly rather not, students who stand up for underdogs and students who take pride in everything they do.

For those students, sometimes I feel sorry. Truthfully, they fight a daily battle of crowded, chaotic hallways filled with peers who assure them that disrespect for authority is cool, that someone else will pay consequences for their actions, that they already know everything necessary to survive life and that from realities of a world full of hurt, they are immune. And who is fighting for all these kids?

Seniors ℅ 2007 in New York City! 

Sometimes it’s like I never left the mission field…

Don’t we all live in a world that seems more chaotic by the day, where truth or honor have almost no weight, where those around us advocate for “easy” and where the ultimate goal is to answer to no one but ourselves? Maybe Bowling for Soup said it best… “High School Never Ends.”

So how do we fix this? Unfortunately, I’m not sure my six-month tenure as a substitute qualifies me to give that answer… but I do have a few suggestions.

1. Prove that you care!

One morning on my way to work, I saw one of my students standing in the cold, waiting for his running-late-ride. I knew he had to be miserable, so I pulled into the driveway and offered him a lift. Granted, it’s probably an inadvisable move in the professional realm, but it seems more imperative to me that we exhibit human decency. People matter – even high school people – and they should know that.

2. Challenge them!

As people, we are wired to meet the level of expectation set for us. Expect nothing and that is what you will get. Give kids the chance to impress you, and then watch them do it!

3. Stop bailing them out!

My parents are great people, and I love them both, but no college professor or job supervisor has ever been interested in what my mom or dad thought. The best lessons I learned in high school were how to accept responsibility for my own actions, live with my results, and generally figure out how to manage by myself. There is no sense complaining about a failing society dependent on government aid if we’re teaching its citizens to be dependent from an early age. Push for some critical thinking and problem solving skills!

4. Be real!

Most of the students I’ve had can tell you a lot about me – mistakes included. I was a high school kid once, and I made a lot of dumb decisions, some of them at a price. I still mess up. It doesn’t hurt them to know that. If you want students to be open and honest with you, then practice what you preach.

Realistically, the world won’t change overnight. Neither will high school. But my prayer each morning I am here is that for at least one student I’ll make the day better, because for many of them the fact that they are even here at all is already a victory!

How are you promoting positive change for the youth in your life?

I Can't Sit Still

The older I get, the shorter my attention span becomes. Not so much with watching a television show, reading a book or sticking with something designated – for the most part, I’ve always been able to stay the course with a specific task. I’m learning, though, that with my life, in general, this isn’t quite the case.

The World Race was an extremely good fit for me in that the setup allowed me to focus on a particular ministry, or way of life, for approximately one month, and then I would get to move on to something new. Something exciting. Something equally as worthwhile. Don’t get me wrong. Prying sticky hands from their bear-hug lock around my legs or giving one, indefinite, last kiss to a dirt-caked cheek was NEVER easy – I’m not all that good at “goodbye.” But I’m really good at anticipation! After a few months of The Lord routinely delivering one incredible adventure after another, I grew quite accustomed to, and fond of, a lifestyle of such.

Saying "Goodbye" to this Cambodian cutie, Pauleon, was one of the toughest separations I experienced all along! (Photo courtesy of Karen Thyer)

I knew before I ever arrived back at home that such an inclination could cause some difficulty for me. As excited as I’ve been about seeing long-lost family and friends, catching up on how diverse, but similar, our lives have been over the past year or so, spending some “down-time” and enjoying the blessings of the wonderful community I grew up in, old habits die hard. Every few weeks or so, I start to get “the itch.” My eyes wander to the ever-growing pile of clothes in my bedroom floor and I mentally assess the most efficient way to pack them all in my suitcase. I experience overwhelming longings to peruse transportation schedules – websites for airlines, buses and trains are some of my top visited. I keep a consistent count of exactly how much money I might need to get from point A to point B, accounting for travel, food and lodging expenses, and I skimp on every penny necessary.

More than anything, though, I feel an immense draw to simply, “Go!”

Someone recently told me that at least for this time in my life, they could sense that it would be difficult for me to be satisfied staying in any place for very long. “It’s like you have Missionary ADD,” they joked, and maybe they weren’t far off. In the six months that I’ve been “off the mission field,” I’ve been presented multiple opportunities to head right back out, giving me tastes of desire and desperation unlike anything I’ve ever experienced.

“God, I want to go!” I’ve often whined. “Send me anywhere! I’m bored, and I feel useless.” Alas, He has repeatedly soothed my groaning, sometimes gently and sometimes not so much, with reminders that He has had me exactly where I was supposed to be, all along.

This season at home has certainly had purpose. It’s easily been the loneliest I have ever felt in my life, but in that, I’ve begun to lean on Him to fill the voids that people, no matter how hard they try or how desperately I may want them to, can simply never fill. There have been days when He’s been frustratingly quiet, but in that, I’m learning to be patient and to wait upon Him. I’ve been forced to trust that He has a plan and that it’s for my benefit. These are daily lessons, for sure, and I’ve by no means mastered any of them, but I’m thankful to be learning.

And I am admittedly thankful to FINALLY be headed into a new season of adventure with The Lord!

Exciting news! I am thrilled to say that I will be spending the month of March in Pawnee, Oklahoma, working with Pastor Jimmy and Penny Kenner, at Camp Crossway. I’ve prayed for this chance for several years, and at last the Lord has opened the door for me to go. In truth, I’m not sure what my time there will look like, but I have high hopes of building lasting relationships with some of the local youth, doing as much manual labor as they will let me get my hands on, maybe even herding the recently added flocks of sheep and goats, and most of all, seeking more of The Father’s heart for what He has in store for me!

My best friends, Jess, Becky and me standing atop The Hill of Hope at Camp Crossway, January 2014. This was moments after the Lord began to confirm that He was calling me back there!

Your prayers for this endeavor are invaluable to me. Pray that God will use this time to speak clearly to me about my future as a missionary. Pray that I will hear His voice. Pray that He will enable me to reach the communities there, to make an impact, and to trust His hand at work. Pray that He will provide adequate budgeting for a car, gas, food, the ability to help others, etc. I’m sure Jimmy and Penny would appreciate prayers, as well. They may not yet know what they’re getting themselves into! Most of all, pray that during a time that I trust will be filled with plenty of work to do, that I will discipline myself and make time to simply “sit still” before the Lord, to be reminded of the lessons He has been teaching me at home, and to continually apply those in my walk with Him.

If you would like to hear more about Camp Crossway and what I will be doing, if you feel led to help The Lord provide for my time there, or if you would like to partner with me on some specific prayer needs, please email me at ashleebcastle@gmail.com or leave a note in the comments section at the bottom of this post.

I would also love to hear about the season you are currently in with The Lord. Where’s He taking you? What’s He teaching you? Is it easy or difficult? How can I be praying for you?

Fueled By the Word

Anyone who knows me is likely well aware of my love of structure. Even though I try to throw spontaneous adventures into my routine, I’m a much more content and happy camper when I can make and follow a plan. Give me a Table of Contents, an Itinerary, or a To-Do List, and I will happily occupy myself for hours, prioritizing, scheduling, organizing… You get the idea.

Disclaimer: That whole “organized, planner” mindset is essentially only that – a mindset. My mom will assure you that it rarely carries over into the maintenance of my room. Or my car. Or my storage bins currently cluttering up her garage.

In any case, I like a plan on paper. So you can probably assess my level of excitement when just before the New Year, I was issued a reading challenge, complete with daily guide to help keep me on track! The challenge?

Read the entire New Testament in 90 Days!

Lifeway Research recently released study findings that only 19% of Protestant churchgoers personally read their Bible everyday. PONCE Foundation research adds that out of over 2 billion Christians worldwide, only about 30% will read the entire Bible over the course of a lifetime.

Missionary? Yes. Super saint? Nope! Statistics like these hit me hard. It’s like Paul says in Romans 7:15. “I don’t really understand myself, for I want to do what is right, but I don’t do it. Instead, I do what I hate.” (New Living Translation) Don’t get me wrong. I don’t believe that if I fail to read my Bible daily that God will love me any less or that it will keep me out of Heaven. A commitment like this, for any Christian, is more about demonstrating our love for Him. Our most basic and direct links to God are through prayer and reading His Word. So wouldn’t it make sense that we should be actively pursuing both activities on, at least, a daily basis?

Challenge accepted! In true New Year’s Resolution fashion, I started off fired up – I even gave myself a “head start” and began the reading schedule on Dec. 28 instead of waiting until the issued start date of Jan. 1. All too soon, though, my zeal tapered off. Travel, birthdays, life-in-general, and most notably, laziness were prioritized over my daily readings, and before I knew what had happened, I found myself almost an entire book behind where my once beloved schedule said I should have been!

Bible reading wasn’t the only commitment I’d been slacking in. Since being home from The World Race, I’ve longed to drop several extra pounds earned from excess rice, milk tea, Chapati, etc., and carry only fond memories instead. Despite good intentions, I’ve made lackluster efforts. I’ll be the first to admit, I don’t have the greatest attention span. Hitting the treadmill is the proven best way for me to workout, but I all-too-often quit early, not because my legs give out or my lungs won’t last, but because I am sincerely bored with the task.

I’m not entirely sure when or where the thought of combining the two activities struck me, but just over a week ago, I decided to try reading while walking. Admittedly it took a little getting used to, but once I got into a rhythm I found that reading my Bible while I walked made the time pass considerably quicker. The longer I walked, the deeper into the Gospels I went, and soon after that I realized that I was making mental notes about things to check into or things to pray about. And I even began feeling like the Lord was using the verses I read to highlight aspects of my own life and relationship with Him.

As the week progressed, I tried mixing up my walk/run/read routine, pushing myself physically to go farther, faster, but recognizing the higher priority of reading and understanding. True story – the one day that I attempted to run/walk without my Bible in front of me, my body literally began to shut down after 1.5 miles, when every other day I’d been averaging close to 4 miles, no problem! If that’s not “a God thing,” I’m not sure what is.

As of today, I’m back on track with the reading schedule, and while I watch the muscles in my body begin to tone and strengthen, I realize that God is paralleling this with the growth of my Spiritual muscles! He is truly fueling me with His Word.

How are you challenging yourself to pour more into your relationship with God this year?

(Click here for your own personal reading guide.)