#1

Today I write for Mason.

What is there to say about Mase? Well, he's 3. Today my nephew turns 3 years old. What's the big deal? There are millions of three-year-olds in the world. Plenty of little boys who love Cars 2, wrestling with their daddies, and whipped cream. Plenty of mini-extroverts with good memories and a love of snuggling. What's the big deal about Mason?

For one thing, he's mine. My nephew. My firstborn nephew.

Never before and never again will I love someone quite the same as I love him.

On May 28, 2009 (after he sufficiently scared us to death and required an emergency C-section to get his little self out) when I first laid eyes on him, I said, "Oh, Mason Jeremiah, Jesus loves you so much." ... followed very quickly by ... "Oh my word, he looks like ME." And he did does. Since that day, my very first, very special nephew has owned a very large chunk of "A's" heart.

Mase is also special. He is an individual. There is no one else in history quite like him nor will there ever be. That's worth celebrating. I want to pause a moment and list the top 5 qualities that my little nephew embodies that I would like to celebrate today.

1. He loves his cousin. I have dreamed of the day that Calley and I would have children who would be COUSINS. There is nothing in the world quite like the bond that Cal and I have among our party of five (POF). We ADORE Joseph (Bubba Joe), Christen (Kissy-Fur), and Taylor (Mink). What a joy it is to see Mason ADORE his Baby John! It is even more fulfilling to see them interact and play together. And, oh how Boo Boo loves you, Mase!

2. He is so sensory. Change something up in a room, Mason will notice it. Lose something, Mason will find it. Leave something Mason wanted you to bring, he will not let you forget it. Keep sensing, Mase. My intuiting sister needs you!!

3. He gives the best squeezes. I can ask for any level of hug and he will deliver ... little squeeze, big squeeze, tight squeeze; oh, and he gives good kisses too!

4. He is a friend. Since Mase was a little guy wandering around Target with a babysitting aunt who lacked creativity/energy to pass the time (so we'd wave to everyone/anyone in the store:), Mase has been a people person. I can take him over to anybody's house and by the end of the night, he's captured their hearts, and they are forever in his. I pray that God will continue to develop Mason's heart for people that he might love them in the same way that Jesus loves.

5. He has imagination. I love to see him play with his cars while talking in character as each of them (Finn, Mater, Queen ... cars talk now, ya know? Don't believe me? Watch the movies.) I love to see him reenacting scenes from said movies: "I AM the bomb!" I love to watch him pretend to be kung-fu panda or a ninja turtle (though it is sometime hazardous to my health). Mase is so creative and smart!

He is also growing way too fast. Thus, I just wanted to take a few minutes out of my day to express what it feels like to watch him grow from afar.

It is painful.

I view Mason Jeremiah as #1. The first. The baby who opened up my mother's heart. (John opened up my womb; the capacity to love as a mother was first tapped into by my sweet nephew. Thanks, Mase.)

I want to be in his life more than I can be. It stinks to be so far away. I want to invest in Mason. I want to love him in tangible ways everyday.

How can I do this? What can I do to be invested?

For Mason's first birthday I made him a video documenting pictures from his first year. It was a fun little project. BUT as I was working on it I knew that I wanted Mason to be able to look back on the video and not just think of me as a doting aunt (which I was/am). I wanted him to know that I was an aunt deeply concerned/invested in his spiritual well-being.

The final words of this video read ...


Moreover, as for me, far be it from me that I should sin against the LORD by ceasing to pray for you, and I will instruct you in the good and the right way. Only fear the LORD and serve him faithfully with all your heart. For consider what great things he has done for you. 1 Samuel 12:23-24

So, what can I do for Mason? To actively and daily be a part of his life. To invest in him and love him in tangible ways for afar.

What can I do? I can pray for him.

Mase, I end this post in your honor with a prayer for you. Happy Birthday, my wonderful nephew. I love you.

Father,

I love my nephew. Thank you for him. Thank you so much for him. I praise you because he is fearfully and wonderfully made. He displays your glory and your goodness to my family daily. You are so good to give him to us. Thank you.

Father, I ask for him tonight that he would experience every spiritual blessing found in Christ. I pray that he trust your Son for everything (salvation/forgiveness/peace/righteousness/provision/hardship/a wife/fruit/etc.) at a very young age. I pray that he and I will be partners in ministry from the day that he trusts Christ. I ask that he and John will be future running-mates in the faith. I ask this in Jesus' mighty name.

Father, I pray that you will send laborers into his little life to invest in him at every turn. I pray for MEN. REAL. MEN. Men who boldly proclaim the Gospel of the Kingdom. Men who love their wives as Christ loves the Church. Men who sacrifice. Men who understand what it means to teach obedience to Jesus. I pray that these men will find my nephew. I pray that these men will initiate time with him. I ask you to use these men I am trusting you to send to Mason to labor with you to help him follow your Son. I ask this in Jesus' name.

Father, I pray that JESUS will be the obsession of Mason's life. NOT baseball. NOT girls. NOT four-wheelers. NOT beer. I pray against these distractions in the mighty name of Jesus Christ. I ask you, Jesus, to set yourself up as Lord in Mason's heart/mind/will. I ask this in your name, Jesus.

Father, I pray that you will give Mason a heart for people. I ask that you will teach him to love those who are hard to love. I ask that you will send him to hard places. (You know the specifics of that request.) I ask you to equip him and gift him by your Spirit as is necessary to build up the church in those places. I ask this in Jesus' name.

Father, I ask you to do it big in Mason's life. Make him tenacious for your Kingdom's sake. Bind the enemy from his midst (in Jesus' name, and by the power of Jesus' blood). Give him your Spirit, and the fruit that comes with Him (both character and people fruit). I pray that he will be able to look back at the end of his life and see disciples making disciples on every continent of planet Earth because of the influence that you give him on Earth. I also pray that UR peoples will assemble around your throne as a direct result of Mason's pursuit of you and your Kingdom.

We will praise you as you answer these requests.

I trust you with my nephew.

I love you, Father.

I pray all of this in the power of Jesus' name.

Amen.

Happy Mother's Day!

Just wanted to say Happy Mother's Day to all of the mamas out there.

It is my first Mother's Day, and I just wanted to write a little bit about how it feels. Here goes. 

As the hubby and I were walking strolling our little one today, I said to him, "I love Mother's Day. I just feel so honored." Every store that we walked by had some sort of promotion or sale for moms/women, and I felt so recognized. 

Recognition. It's something that I highly value (though I hate to admit it), but it's something that I (or any other mother) rarely get. I stay home with my son all day every day. I live very, very far away from my family (the ready and willing type of babysitters), so my Boo Boo literally goes everywhere with me. (This is not a post to complain about my lot in life. I desire with every fiber of my being to be a stay-at-home mama.) John is my 9 to 9 to 9 again job. Very seldom do I hear words like this: "Ashley, you're a great mom. You're doing a great job with John." And that's okay. His smiles/laughter/accomplishments are affirmation enough. BUT it is really nice to see signs everywhere wishing me (and every other mother) a happy Mother's Day. 

I was thinking that since I appreciated some company that doesn't even know me bid me a happy mom's day so much that many of my friends and family would appreciate some words of affirmation and encouragement in your mom journeys. So, friends (near and far, young and not-so-young) who have experienced what it means to be someone's Mama, Happy Mother's Day from me to you. I salute you because I now know that mothering is no easy task (from the positive pregnancy test til death do you part) and I know that you are giving your all on a daily basis in a pretty thankless job. 

I also want to honor some specific people in this post. People who have been a mother to me or have made me a better mother. Let's start with ... who else? ... my mom. 

Mama, I want to say thank you for faithfully carrying me in your tummy for 9 months (+ 1 week, but who's counting?). Thank you for spending 18 hours in agonizing back labor for me. Thank you for breastfeeding me (and giving me the very best) for nearly two years. I view you as super-mom. Watching you with Mason and John Ashley is such a sight to see. You never lose your patience with them, and you are so devoted to giving them the very best. This mirrors the way that you took care of me and Cal at that age, I am sure (though I don't remember it). I know that the security that I have always felt with you can only be rooted in the way that you loved me when I was young. Thank you. 

Thank you also for your patience with me as my homework increased. I know that it was difficult for you sometimes to get me to sit down and "just do it." :) Your encouragement during those elementary years is the reason why I am a good student. 

Thank you for giving so much of yourself when Daddy left. Thank you for going back to work and working so diligently for me and Cal that we could have our needs (and wants) taken care of. Thank you for taking such good care of me when I was sick. Those were not easy times for either of us. You endured hardship like a champ, and with much prayer, and a quiet trust in God that I respect so much about you. 

Thank you for believing (always believing) that the pieces of me could be put back together when I was falling apart. And THANK GOD that I am no longer a teenager. :)

Thank you for your advice and example now that Cal and I have transitioned into motherhood. It has been an easier transition because of you. We adore you, Momby. So much of who you are is ingrained in us, and I am proud of the pieces of you that I have in me. I love you.

Secondly, Cal. 

Little Liz, you rock as a mom! I was unsure about how Mase would fare given some of the things you told me about your future children when you were a child. :) BUT you have delivered. There are so many young moms who grow up for a season and then decide, "No, I think I'd like to be a kid again." Not you. You have given Mason your best since day one. I think that one reason you're such a great mom is because you are such a kid at heart and so much fun to be around. You play with Mason and really spend time with him doing the things that he thinks are fun. I cannot wait to meet Hudson and see his little personality. But mostly, I cannot wait to see you with Hudson and admire you mothering another very blessed little boy. 

Oh yeah, you're a pretty good sister too. I adore you.

Aunt Lisa, thanks for being like a mom to me. You have always been such a safe place for me, and you have always made me feel like I am enough for you. Just being me. You are the best aunt in the world, and I love you with all of my heart. 

Gram, I know that you might not ever read this, but the World Wide Web should know how great you are. 

No words. 

She's only the best grandma ever. 

She lost a child. Her firstborn. A baby girl by the name of Connie. She was only four years old. Can you imagine? She says that Stevie (second-born, four-month-old, my wonderful uncle) kept her going. (I think she would have made it regardless. She's the strongest woman I know.) I really think that her loss made her more, something insane. Like beast mode mom. I don't know anyone like her. She is our mama bear. She fights/struggles/gives so sacrificially for her own. Count yourself lucky if you are hers. 

Katherine Peer, thank you for inviting all of us young girls into your life and being a spiritual mother to us. Deb, Isaac, and Sam are so blessed to have a mother like you (so committed to training them up in the truth). I love you and miss you dearly.

Alexis Burke, I am proud of you. Happy first Mother's Day!

Grandma Wendy Turner, where would I be without your influence in me life? I am afraid to answer that question. You are such a great example of a mad woman unashamedly following Jesus. You are investing your mother's heart in so many. On their behalf and my own, thank you.

Paige Smith, thanks for your example of including your children in what you're doing for the King. Your girls have such a great mom.

Hannah Nowill, someday, you are going to be the bomb mom. :) I love you!

Mrs. Debby, thanks for my husband. You did the best job imaginable raising him. :)

Katie Springer, I love reading your facebook posts about your girls. I love watching them grow. I love how carefully you consider your decisions with disciplining them. You're doing a great job.

Rose Chao, thank you so much for your example. And for telling me that it's okay to attachment parent. I love me co-sleeping, breastfeeding, worn-around boy. :) Seriously, I think you are a fantabulous mom. Your days are all about laying down your life for those kiddos. The gospel lived out before their very eyes. Rock on!

Tiffany Taylor, God chose you to parent an awesome little boy. I can only imagine the challenges you face daily. You are a wonderful mama; I am sure of it. Happy Mother's Day!

MalPal! Keep rocking the sleeplessness. I love you, and I think you're a great mama. 

Jenn Menn, Jenn Menn, Jenn Menn, I aspire to be the kind of mother you are to your kids to my own flesh and blood. You are so giving. You are so diligent. You are so awesome to do what you're doing. Thank you for having a heart for orphans. Thank you for being such a great example to the Church in this area. I see Christ through you.

Rebecca Smith, I love you and your kids. They are so close in age, which makes your life a little crazy, I know. (I've lived it with ya!:) But I just want to say to you that you are doing a GREAT JOB with them. They absolutely adore you (and so do I). AND I steal so many great ideas from you (with Clara being just a step ahead). Thanks for investing in me as a new mama. 

Pattey Bayllis, I respect you so much as a mom of boys. I may be calling you someday soon (as more of the boy comes out). :) Thanks for caring so much about what your sons' eyes see, and for going above and beyond to do something about it!

Sidni Mikulecky, you may not remember me, but I remember you from mission trips Armstrong took with GSU in college. I just want you to know that I'm praying for sweet Harper, and that you are already an amazing mom for choosing to give her life. Thank you for your example. Happy Mother's Day!

Mandy & Linds, Happy First Mother's Day to the best new mamas I know! Y'all are doing a great job!

Emily Guerard, Three boys in three years. WOW! You rock! I just want to encourage you to love them well through the chaos, which I know that you are doing every day. Triple Happy Mother's Day to you, long-lost homie.

Nikkie Reagan, I cannot imagine going through what you went through to get your sweet girl here and home. I admire you and the faith that you exhibited during that time. I also love to watch her grow via facebook. :) Happy Mother's Day, friend. 

Taylor Hickox, Welcome to the club. You have a precious little one. Happy Mother's Day!

Corbster, my spiritual mama. I know that Micaiah is a lucky little guy to have you. I miss you dearly!

Keri-Dee, Happy Mother's Day, my homie. Give Barrett a kiss from me, and keep giving him what he needs. Love you!

Jayla, you became a mom at an age that I couldn't imagine being responsible for myself (much less a little one). I remember how precious both of those boys were as newborns, and how you slid right into your role as their mom. You make me proud, and I love you very much.

The Amanda's (Eason/Long), I love that our boys are the same age, and that we can encourage one another and spur one another on as they grow. I think that both of you are great moms. Keep up the good work, friends! And, uh-oh, Easons, the Longs are ahead of us on number two! ;)

So, there ya go. I am certain that I am going to think in the coming days, "Oh man, I wish I would've included her," so I might be posting some encouragement on facebook pages to those that I left out. But, in general, I just want everyone to know that I celebrate you, mom (if that refers to you), as I celebrate my own first mother's day. 

Signing off, 

Ash 

Intercession Week

Friends,

It's Intercession Week in my world. God spoke to me today about praying on behalf of others (definition of intercession) for their specific needs and even praying with others more frequently as the opportunity arises. That being said, I am inviting people who read this blog to send me their requests because I am making a special, extra time commitment to prayer this week.

I also just want to boast about my God a little bit. Shortly after Josh and I found out that we were pregnant in September of 2010, I listened to a message by Tom Yeakley called "Walking by Faith" (the message can be found and listened to here: http://savannahnavs.com/audio_classic.html). In the message, he encourages his listeners to make something called an impossible prayer list (a list of things that we, in our flesh, think are too big/hard/crazy/impossible for God to handle), which I did. The very first request on the list (selfishly) was for God to provide our family with a family vehicle. Specifically, we wanted a (free) mini-van. Yeakley encouraged me to pray for the requests on the list every day, which I did not do. I prayed diligently for a while; my faith waned, then I'd pick it back up again. Anyway, time passed, and still, no mini-van.

Until a couple of weeks ago, that is. I got a series of text messages from one of the biggest supporters of our ministry with several pictures of a mini-van that said supporter wanted us to have at no expense to us. I was in disbelief! My request (even with a small amount of faith) was nothing to my BIG God.

I want you to know that prayer is not something that we do as believers just to pass the time and look spiritual. Prayer is a powerful tool in our hands as we war on the face of Earth for the Kingdom of God (Ephesians 6:18).

My mini-van is just a small bit of proof that God listens to and answers the requests of His people, and our van will be here tomorrow! (See Matthew 7:7-11.)

So, back to YOUR requests. Send them to me. Comment here, on my facebook wall, send me a facebook message, email me. Whatever you prefer. I don't care how well I know you. I want to pray for you - maybe even seek God for impossible things on your behalf. Oh, and I hope this post encourages you to carve out some extra time to seek the Lord through prayer.

Thanks for reading!

Ash

Mama's Time with God

I was just sitting at my house reflecting on my life (and how crazy it is that I have an 11-month-old son; where on Earth did this year go?!?!?), and I just wanted to jot down some of my thoughts about my life at this point.

I was raised up (spiritually) in a very intense Navigators military ministry in Savannah, GA. I am indebted for life to the United States Army (not only for protecting my freedoms that I daily enjoy, but also) for drawing a pretty magnificent couple by the name of Joseph & Katherine Peer to my city and my university. When I first met the Navs (and the Peers), I thought they were ca-razy. Way. Too. Intense. Oh, and they read their Bibles way too much. Little did I know that these people and my Bible was about to change my life (with a little a whole lotta help from God Himself - praise Him for being so personally interested/invested in my life). 

Shortly after submitting to the fact that the weirdo Navigators group was the most truth-oriented and attractive ministry that I'd ever met in my life, a girl by the name of Corby Wilhite (now Hoyle) moved to Savannah for the purpose of getting involved with this strange ministry. I owe this woman one (or both) of my legs. That's how much difference her investment has made. Corby introduced me to a daily discipline called a quiet time (fancy name for spending time with God by reading the Bible [hearing from Him] and prayer [talking to Him]). My quiet time has made all the difference. You see, now God speaks directly to me because I seek Him where He is (in the Bible).  Awesome, huh? Before I developed the habit of reading my Bible and surrounding myself with people in the same habit of relating to God, I was a very insecure, depressed, and simply not living out my purpose in life kinda girl. Now I am very secure in who I am in Christ, full of joy, and confidently living out my purpose (even becoming aware of the spiritual gifts God has blessed me with). This is not a post to toot my own horn, but to say, "Glory to God who has been so good and faithful to me! Praise His Name!"

Because I was involved in such an intense ministry, I developed a very rigorous routine of relating to God. I read 3 chapters of my Bible most every day, and I thoroughly enjoyed it. I thought that I would be reading in that manner until the day that I died. 

And then, I had a baby. 

I had heard a lot of people talk about the difficulties of caring for an infant, but I just always thought that I would be a natural. I mean, all I really ever wanted to do with my life was have children. How hard could it be to cuddle a baby and maybe get a few hours less of sleep? 

Boy, was I naive. 

My screaming, crying, never content baby came into the world last June, and my devotional life has not been the same since. [He is no longer never content. He didn't latch onto the breast until he was six months. That means that the first six months of his life were super tough. He is excellent now, very well-behaved, but still A LOT of work.] 

It will probably be many years before I have the one-hour-long quiet times that I used to (only a short time ago) enjoy daily with God. Josh wants a few more kiddos, so I will have to do this kicking, screaming newborn thing again (and again, Lord willing) (joyfully, might I add). :)

I have found, however, a real richness in the time that I do get with my Father. A chapter here, a prayer there, quoting a memorized verse in the midst of a meltdown. The important thing is that I still have a very active, loving, GRACE-FILLED relationship with God. It is not all academic, but He can still be the King of my life in the midst of it all. 

I am so thankful that God is still interested and involved in the life of a pretty average stay-at-home mama. In fact, He spoke to me today. 

And, anyone reading this who does not have a habit of reading the Bible, it will be the best thing you will ever do to get started. Questions? Message me on facebook (Ashley Beam) or send me an email (basicallyasian@gmail.com). I love to help other girls start reading their Bibles as Corby did for me. 

Finally, here are a couple of verses that I meditate on often as a new mother:

Luke 11:27-28

As he said these things, a woman in the crowd raised her voice and said to him, "Blessed is the womb that bore you, and the breasts at which you nursed!" But he said, "Blessed rather are those who hear the word of God and keep it!" {emphasis mine}

Thanks for reading, and God bless you!

Ashley