Miss Ash Z and her Ministry

I know what you’re thinking because I thought the same thing.  The girl is gorgeous.  And you sorta can’t take your eyes off her because she’s so pretty and close to flawless.  I’ll tell you something else, she’s as sweet and genuine as can be, and she loves God with all her heart and soul.

Meet Ashley, a girl who has a passion for God’s Truth, promises, purity in relationships, and the Lord has put it on her heart to share all of these things with young ladies everywhere, starting with her blog, Verse 14.  She has set an incredible example in her own life and taken the trials and triumphs she’s endured at a young age to quickly learn and share it with others in hopes that they too know that their hope and worth is in the God and his Truth.

Ashley and I used to got to the same church together which is how we met, and through a sweet email she reached out to me and we met for coffee.  We talked.  I shared how I overcame brokenness, heartache, and what I had to do to move on.  I shared how quickly God can heal a heart when you cling to His truth and when you really know that you understand God’s character and His love.  We talked about her dreams, her goals, her passions and how to take what you are passionate about, and turn it into something you do every single day.  And so, I’m very proud to introduce all of you to Ashley.  A girl who has been blessed with a beautiful face but also an incredible heart and kindness that can only be from above.  I hope you will follow her blog, read her stories, and pass along the link to others who can be uplifted by her messages.

A little Q&A session with Ashley of Verse 14.

Why was Verse 14 created?
Verse 14 was inspired from personal life experiences.  Psalm 139:14 was not just a spoken truth, but a revolutionizing statement from my Creator. Over the course of my life it has transformed my mind, heart, and ways of  surviving through a pop derived culture!  I would be selfish not to share!

What event in your life do you think changed you?
Event(s)might be a better way of asking that question. It might be cliche to say “A devastating break-up changed me.” Or cliche that I had no job and prospect of employment.
My bank account read $0. After traveling around the world, I came back home to live with my parents and was forced to start from ground zero. But is it cliche, if all of those events happened within the same month? Cliche or not, I lived it, and it forced me to seek outside myself!

What do you hope to accomplish with verse 14?
Verse 14 is a life goal for me. It is a message given to me by the Lord and I will spend the rest of my life sharing it with others.  Lord willing, I desire to teach this message in school settings, conferences, retreats, camps, anyplace willing to let me speak!  Over time, I would love to publish a book and produce a study guide based on all the research I have accumulated over the years.  As for now, I am enjoying the hands on experience, as I share life with many incredible young ladies!

What is your message?
Established Truth can only be found in the One whom created you.  To seek answers from anything other than your Creator is to reap self destruction.  What lies have you believed?

What advice would you give to those younger than you?
Never limit yourself.  Limitations are the lies that hold you back from discovering your magnificence.

Who is your inspiration?
“God has to absolutely mark our lives with His glory. He’s come to take us this far. So far it has to be God.”  -Beth Moore
Outside of Jesus, and Bible Characters, Beth Moore!  I aspire to live wholly devoted to my Maker, as she demonstrates through her studies and teachings.  Her love for God is captivating and contagious.  She is a woman who will look back on her life and say “by God’s grace. I have come ‘THIS FAR.'” If I can one day look back on my life and say “All on account of God, I have come SO far!”…and the ruckus I construed proves my statement to be true, I will have successfully lived out my purpose and Verse 14!

Equipment used: Canon 5D Mark II / 50mm f/1.2L / 85 f/1.8EF / 35mm f/1.4 L

Diana Elizabeth says, of course these images were shot in her lovely backyard.  In just a few months, backyard reception time (1 of 2 this spring).  Yay!