About Me

I’m so glad you stopped by!

Writing these “about me” things has never been my forte. I always have this conundrum with saying too much yet feeling like I left something out.

I am a small town girl, born and raised. In fact, I grew up on a small farm outside of a small town…I had the mudboots and Carhartts to prove it!

I love the Jesus, and His Word is water to my soul. It is my life goal to know Him more, serve Him, and spread His love to others. I want to shout of His grace from the rooftops, and encourage other wayward hearts in the journey as we all grow together. We need each other, it’s not a journey meant to be traveled alone!

I am imperfect, make lots of mistakes, and stumble daily. That is why I compelled to tell of His amazing grace and never-ending love that covers my messy heart and life. Any good that may come from me is only because of Him!

I married my high school sweetheart, Mr. Small Town, in 2005. You can read our love journey that I wrote a while back for Valentine’s Day. He is my best friend and better half. And he’s a hottie! If that’s mushy, I can’t apologize….I speak the truth. I don’t know how I got so lucky! We are opposites, which present lots of opportunities for fun, learning, and……discussions.

I am a mommy to two beautiful little girls. Addelyn Kate “Addie Kate”, born in December 2009, and Ava Joelle, born in February 2011. They bring us so much joy!

I love finding new ways to make my house into a home. I want it to be a place where my family feels peace, and friends feel welcome.

I am a wannabe DIY’er and love to dream up decorating ideas, though my Pinterest boards sport much more flavor than the walls of my home.

While you may not be able to tell by the piles in my laundry room and dust on my ceiling fans, I am a recovering perfectionist… God’s grace is my sanity.

One of my biggest struggles in life has been people-pleasing. God’s still working on me with that!

I LOVE being a mommy. I never knew I could love two little people so much!

I am a country girl at heart, but I enjoy getting a pedicure and throwing on pair of heels once in a while.

Sunny skies, winding gravel roads, rearranging furniture to make a room look “new”, and walks with my family make me smile.

Love to read…hardly ever have time to do it! My nightstand generally has three or four books that I haven’t had time to finish.

Coffee makes my world go ’round! And I drink way too much of it!

I don’t have things figured out. I sometimes get impatient with life’s hangups. There are days when I wonder why the heck I do the things I do, and why the heck I am blessed despite it all. But I’m learning. Thank God for His mercy!

So, why write?

Not gonna lie, the sound of my fingers flying across my laptop keys and seeing my words on paper or on a computer screen gives me a thrill. My husband works out or plays sports to decompress…and I write! One might call it my own therapy session with myself.

What began as a hobby born out of a love for writing has sprouted into my own proverbial comfy chair from which to share my heart. Mr. Small Town and I have been involved in the young adult’s ministry at our local church since 2006, and in the midst of that, the Lord has continued shape inside my heart a burning desire to see others experience Him. To truly know His heart, dance in His grace, be freed by His love, and to bask in His peace. This whispered dream inside my heart to encourage others began to surface more and more, along with a call to write.

So, here I am.

I never know what the next day will look like, and I have no idea where this journey of His will lead me. And honestly, sometimes it’s downright scary to put my thoughts and heart ramblings out there for other people to see. So, this is little ‘ole me, stepping out of the boat and into the sea of faith into whatever God has planned for me. I’m just along for the ride…that’s half the fun, right?

What can you expect?

Dear friend, it is my hope that as you visit, you will find encouragement for your heart, refreshment for your soul, and a break from your day. I know I need it, too!

The truth of the matter is, I can’t tell you exactly what to expect because I’m still trying to figure it out myself. I’ve been seeking the Lord about what direction He wants me to take with this blog, and for now it’s usually just one day at a time!

My heart behind my writing is that you would be encouraged with truth while finding grace in the mess of your own journey. I pray that as you read, your spirit is challenged, lifted, and that you are able to find a place to let your hair down when the world presses in thick. We all fail, and life itself is humbling. I want this to be a place where I’m real, you’re real, and where you and I are filled up with Jesus together.

You’ll find me writing about what God is teaching me, nuggets I’m gleaning through His Word, marriage, the ups and downs of being a mommy, heart songs, along with the whimsical, the random, the crazy, and the serious. Perhaps a few home improvement or thrift projects. I’m a busy momma, but I try to post 2-3 times a week, unless something exciting strikes my fancy.

I don’t believe that I have anything to say that hasn’t already been said by someone, somewhere. There are times when I will say things that are wrong, but I have faith in a God who makes up for my many mistakes. I pray that He is the One who shines through this blog, not me. It is my sincere prayer that these words reach out to fellow struggling hearts in order to point them to Jesus, that He alone will be glorified, despite my messy, sinning self.

Which reminds me…take the time to read the comments on the posts. Much of the time, connecting with fellow dear sojourners is the best part. I get so much encouragement from them!

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So, if you’ll join me, I’d love to have you…grab a cup of coffee (or your “get my perky back” guilty pleasure of choice ), sit, and stay awhile. Tell me you were here, I love meeting my readers!

Thank you so much for being here.

xoxo,

Ashlie