Hi! As most, if not all of you know, Dave asked me to marry him!! I wanted to share the story with those of you who haven't had the chance to hear it yet. I have play phone tag with lots of people!! Everyone, including me, knew he would ask me any day, it was just a matter of timing. It was getting hard for me to be patient, because I knew he was going to ask me, and I was just so ready to be engaged to the man I am so in love with!
A few weeks before, he asked me what I was doing Memorial Day. I didn't have plans yet--especially without him, so he told me to save the day, that he had something he wanted to do with me. A few days before, he told me he was really excited about that Monday because he was taking me to a place he had always wanted to go since he was a little boy.
Dave had gone camping Sunday night about an hour and a half away from where we live. Around 11am Monday, it started storming, and we weren't sure we would be able to go out to this place he wanted to take me. We decided to chance it around 2:30p and head out. I still wasn't sure where we were going, but knew it would be outside and that I needed tennis shoes. After being in the car for about 15 minutes, he asked me if I wanted to know where we were headed, to which I said, "This is your thing Dave, if you want to tell me, you can." So he told me we were headed to Starved Rock state park. I had never been. When I realized we were going to be hiking, I noticed Dave had on jeans and a long sleeved shirt. So we stopped at a Walmart so he could get a pair of athletic shorts.
After finding the State Park, we decided we wanted to eat before we headed on a hike. We found this hole in the wall restaurant that was in the smallest time I have ever been to...Utica, IL. When you walked in though, it had a beautiful dinning room where we had some amazing burgers! After that we bought some bug spray at the corner store and headed out.
After we were walking about 5 minutes, I realized my camera battery had died on me. Bummer man! Soooo, we took it back to the car and realized we had forgot the bug spray. Oops! We walked around for a while looking at the sites. Dave kept affectionately telling me how much he loved me--which is not an uncommon thing. At one point it started to rain a little on us, so we danced around in it as other people headed to their cars. We finally reached a lookout spot over the Illinois River called Lover's Leap (how appropriate). There was no one else around. Dave had brought speakers and his ipod in his backpack, which I knew he had. He told me we should dance and asked what music we should dance to. I said, "I don't know, Michael Buble is always a good choice." He started fumbling around in his bag, and I got up from the bench we were sitting at and headed over to the look out. Once I got to the railing, I got real anxious all of a sudden. I starting praying the Lord would calm me down...the last thing I wanted was to be acting weird, or to get my hopes up. I was certain he wasn't going to ask me that night! When I calmed myself down enough, I turned around to find Dave on his knee!! My eyes went immediately to the ring he had in his hand and I gasped in shock at the site of it! He was saying something I didn't hear and I said something I don't remember as I turned my head a bit is pure shock! By the time I turned my head back around, he was standing in front of me. I kissed him, and he asked me if I would marry him, to which I said YES YES YES! Then kissed him again :) We were both trembling as he put the ring on my finger. We danced and talked about the close calls of me almost finding the ring in the last week he had had it. We headed out and got some ice cream along the way, then stopped to see the sun set. I was able to charge my camera in Dave's car, so we got a few pictures before the night was over.
When we got back to my house, we celebrated with the family I am living with! What a good and memorable night! Priceless....and something I will never forget. I am so excited to be planning to marry my best friend and the love of my life. Not to mention someone I respect more than anyone I have ever met, and someone I never thought would even consider me as more than a sister. God is good to me. I am so thankful! Enjoy the pictures!!
As you all know, I made it all the way to New York in my venture to head to Spain, and never got on the plane! Now I am back in Bloomington, IL working as Director of the Pregnancy Resource Center and although I am a bit overwhelmed (which is to be expected) I am loving it. But I wanted to share my little adventure for the past month.
My last day of work we had a pie baking contest. 3 people entered: Lindsay, our intern; Laurie, one of our nurses; and Paul, our Assistant Director's husband. Paul's pie ended up winning! It was a great "last day" at the PRC--and so yummy!
My next stop was back to Michigan to see my mom and sister's. I had a really great few days with them, and Dave surprised me that weekend too, so I got to spend time with him.
I then headed to Colorado to visit some very special people: Jen Den and Blair-bear from my WR trip. I also got to see the lovely Jami Dewey :)
Next I headed to New York to spend a few days with Dave before heading out to Spain. (Easter Sunday)
Came back to Michigan for a few days filled with little children...
...and ended up back in Bloomington on Wednesday, April 14th.
This weekend was good for my heart. Some of the women I played soccer with in College came and saw me. We had a good time catching up, talking, and just being together. It was a good way to end my last weekend in Bloomington/Normal as I head off to Michigan this Thursday before I leave for Spain. Here are a few pictures to capture the weekend.
Left to right: Alysha, Abby, Wiles, Cait (CT), and me
Before a day of shopping, starbucks, Mexican food, and "Baby Mama"
Met up with Ande for some Mexican food...you just can't go wrong with Mexican!
If you would rather pay by check, make checks payable to G42 and mail to:
G42, Inc.
P.O. Box 17419
Fountain Hills, AZ 85269
Please don't hesitate to ask any questions! Also I want to say a
huge THANK YOU to those of you who have already begun sponsoring me!
God is providing through many of you and it is such a huge blessing to
me! Thank you so much!
I am leaving Bloomington on March 25 and heading to Michigan for a
few days. Then I will go from there to Colorado for a few days, then to
Syracuse to see Dave :) and will arrive in Spain on April 5th. Hope to
see as many of you as I can before I leave!
Most of you
have heard me talk about going to Spain this spring. Some of you have read what
about the opportunity I have in there. In case you haven't, here is a short
summary:
G42
(Generation 42) is a leadership academy located in Mijas, Spain. "The 42nd
generation is a network of Christ-followers with the mission to plant churches
& ministries and to spread the Kingdom of God around the world-to inspire
& develop leaders & radicals who are passionate about the poor,
orphans, & laying their lives down for Christ."
"Our goal at the G42 Leadership Academy is to equip (interns) in
three major areas-fulfilling your purpose & destiny, expanding your
leadership abilities, and learning how to live out each of those in the real
world-and then empower you to establish the Kingdom where God has called you.
That's it. We work for the Glory of God and His Kingdom." (g42leadershipacademy.org)
For some reason, God isn't letting me settle
anywhere-which I am enjoying. My heart has always been in love with change,
missions, ministry, and travel. The World Race was just a first step of faith
in giving my life fully to God and telling him HE could do what he wants to
with it. Some day, maybe I will settle into one spot. But for now, my life
keeps moving quickly from place to place. I know I am called to full time
ministry and with that comes sacrifices. That is exactly what God wants. He
wants all of me which means giving up all I want for my life.
Full time ministry also means getting support
financially for a long time. Hopefully, you can see my heart in this. I'm not asking for you to donate to
something I want to do, I'm asking for you to donate so that I can be a part of
what the Lord is doing. Ultimately, I know that God will provide abundantly
more than I could ask or imagine, in ways I can't even comprehend. In fact, it
has taken me this long just to write this out because I have been waiting for
the Lord to tell me how to go about pursuing my time at the leadership academy
in Spain.
The cost of schooling, ministry, and room & board is $1,000 per month.There is also the cost of my flight to
and from Spain.Currently I am
working to save money so I can continue to pay my loans throughout the time I
am in Spain. I want to be responsible with what God has given me and with my
personal financial state.
What can you do?
1) Always,
always pray please!Pray for God's
provision. Pray that I would continually seek God's heart and always walk hand
in hand with him. Pray for the finances of the trip, for safety and protection.
2) Ask any
questions you would like. Ask me the hard things; I am more than willing to
share with you all that God has been doing.
3) Keep me
in the loop with your life too. I love relationships and want to hear about
things happening in your life. Tell me ways I can be praying for you.
4) If you
feel led you can support me in this, go to http://www.g42leadershipacademy.org/donateand click on the button for donating to an intern. I am in need of buying my plane ticket as soon as possible.
It would be helpful if a few people would be willing to give directly to me in
order to purchase that ticket. This would mean it would not be tax deductible
however.
I can't
thank you enough for your dedication to the Lord's work and your support of me.
The Lord uses us each in specific ways, each for the glory of His kingdom.
Thank you for your obedience to him!
Well, it officially happened. I turned 24. And in the midst of loss, heartache, and hurt in life, the Lord provided me with some very enjoyable moments on my birthday this year.
The following is something I wrote shortly after my birthday.
God challenges me in many ways.
Death has been the most recent
challenge. It really makes you think, doesn't it? I mean, here I have
lost my 44 year old uncle to cancer. He has been fighting for 3 years
and one day it just slips out of control and then he is gone.
Then,
in the midst of all of the chaos that is happening, all my heart can
do is worship my Lord and savior and thank him for his complete and
utter Faithfulness! Sometimes God asks you to share things you don't want to with people who may not understand.
Because of God's
faithfulness, we can't deny what He is asking us to do. So we do the absolute last thing we want and allow
God to use the vessel he has created us to be in order to speak his truth. And
it isn't always pretty. But, God's love is shown
through it.
Now all that is left to do is keep praying for heart change. He is so faithful.
Ande at my house for pie and ice cream the night of my birthday (after a 5 hour drive back from Ohio)
The giant fortune cookie that was sent to me by my loves Jen and Blair :)
And to continue with the theme of "You are Loved" Dave gave me this blanket. (remember the video we made him?)
As many of you know, I am planning to head to Spain in April to go to the G42 leadership academy. I have been so thankful for the opportunity to tell so many of you about it in the weeks I have been home. Here is more specific information regarding what G42 is and what they are all about. Included are the classes I will be taking. There is a "course catalog" on the website that further describes each class and what I will be learning in it.
(The information provided about Spain is mostly a direct text from their website.)
Spain: Generation 42 Leadership Academy (G42)
www.g42leadershipacademy.org
The 42nd generation is a network of Christ-followers with the mission to plant churches & ministries and to spread the Kingdom of God around the world-to inspire & develop leaders & radicals who are passionate about the poor, orphans, & laying their lives down for Christ.
We aren't about titles or fancy organizational structures. We want to be an ethos that inspires Christ-followers to awaken from their slumber and arise to their destiny. The 42nd generation, including those ministries and churches who wish to affiliate with us, is about gaining our inheritance as Sons and Daughters of God – joint heirs with Christ to create a glorious church on Earth.
Your Kingdom Come ... On Earth As It Is In Heaven
The Vision of the 42nd Generation
Here at G42 we have a dream to raise an army of 100,000 to plant the Kingdom of God across the globe. We want to see a glorious church arise and bring dominion to the empty and desperate places on earth. That is why the leadership academy is not simply a leadership school or ministerial training center, it is also a jumping off point for people who have committed to giving their lives for Christ.
Our objective at the Leadership Academy is to become the life of God and to learn how to give the life of God. Our mandate, lost in Adam, but magnificently regained in Christ, is to bring dead things alive and turn barren places into the Paradise of God's Eden.
We are committed to see a generation come alive, to rise up to receive their full inheritance in Christ. This means to be like Christ in character, servant hood, self-sacrifice, & commitment. It also means to live passionately & full of joy, with a deep attitude of thankfulness, worship, & grace-with great hope for the future! To live fully alive & die happy!
The Goal of The Leadership Academy
Our goal at the G42 Leadership Academy is to equip you in three major areas-fulfilling your purpose & destiny, expanding your leadership abilities, and learning how to live out each of those in the real world-and then empower you to establish the Kingdom where God has called you. That's it. We work for the Glory of God and His Kingdom.
Partners of G42
The World Race; Orphan Villages, Swaziland; Adventures in Missions; Wrecked for Ordinary Life
Courses Head-honcho, Andew Sherman
Servant hood; Character& Discipline; Intimacy in Worship, Prayers, and Meditation;
Prophetic Activation; Discerning Life's Calling; New Covenant Realities;
Kingdom Eschatology;Covenant & Community; Tabernacle of David; Grace; Media;
Elements of Leadership; Team Building & Adventure; Oral & Written Communication;
Church Planting; Pastoral Care & Equipping; Release & Relationship;
Practicum's-local and field
For those of you who are interested in what "The 42nd Generation" means...here is the long version:
Numbers in the Bible do have some significance. And the number 42 has generally been considered to represent the coming of Christ. Take a look at Matthew, chapter one. It tells the genealogy of Jesus. Verse 17 says "Thus there were 14 generations from Abraham to David, 14 from David to the exile to Babylon, and 14 from the exile to Christ."
The problem is if you count up all the generations, they only add up to 41. We know that the Bible does not lie, so what's up? Either the Holy Spirit made a mistake, or there's a mystery we need to try to understand. There are only 13 generations from the exile to Jesus. But the text says "to the Christ." Matthew 1:16 says, "Mary of whom was born Jesus, who is called Christ." The 42nd generation is between Jesus and Christ.
Jesus came to earth, undressing all the way to enter his humanity. Jesus was the man part of God and Christ is the God-part. Yes, they are one and the same, but they are also different. The 42nd generation that this text is talking about not only was Christ himself, but also is us, the body of Christ. And to that extent, the 42nd generation will come about when Christ is formed in us as the body of Christ.
Mathew 16:13 says, "When Jesus came to the region of Caesarea Philippi; he asked his disciples, "Who do people say the Son of Man is?"
They replied, "Some say John the Baptist; others say Elijah; and still others Jeremiah or one of the prophets."
"But what about you?" He asked. "Who do you say I am?"
Simon Answered, "You are the Christ, the son of the Living God."
"Who is the Son of Man?" Jesus asks, narrowing it down. Jesus always narrows it down, "What about you, Peter, rock (church)?"
And the Church has locked itself down very often in a sinful simplistic acceptance of the wonderful Jesus as savior. It has refused to grow up into Christ. That's why Paul said, "I labor until Christ is found in you." The whole point of the Church is to get Christ formed in us. We must get past elementary things. We must move beyond the need for more inner healing and deliverance. If you have that need, get it and let's go. Get healed. Get over it. Let's get out of the bed. We need the bed. We have got plenty of beds, but churches are more than hospitals. You can stay in the hospital while you get healed, but you need to walk in health.
And we are going to labor, and we are going to preach it and we are going to try to live it until Christ is found in it and then we get the prize. We might just be the 42nd generation.
Although I may randomly post things on this world race blog...I have started a new blog. This new blog will allow you a view into my journey to Spain and my experience while I am there. Hopefully you will enjoy it!
Here is the web address: http://ashlihanna.blogspot.com/
Posted in Just for Fun by Ashli Hanna on 1/10/2010
2009 has been a masterpiece of events. A crazy, beautiful, meltdown and rebuilding of events, and of a life changed. As many of you have read, heard and saw sense I have been home, my life has changed. Anyone you talk to who has gone to do overseas missions will say the same thing; you can't even begin to describe all that you have experienced or what you have seen. However, I have appreciated in so many ways everyone who has allowed me to share my heart with them regarding this year. God has worked in mighty ways in many areas. One thing that sicks out profoundly is the Lord's vision all across the globe. He has given his servants his eyes and allowed them to reign his truth over parts of his kingdom in every single place I stepped foot this year. It is amazing to come beside people who love the Lord and are doing his work and get your hands dirty with them.
One thing I learned this year is that short term missions work really is important and impactful to a community. Honestly, WE as American's can't reach people in other countries nearly as well as the locals can. So they need people in their towns and communities who will cry out to the Lord and allow Him to work through them. But they need help too. They need discipleship. They need encouragement. They need truth. They need us to pray with them. They need extra hands and minds to help. And nothing speaks more to them than a group of American's leaving their country and coming to be with them, even for 2 weeks.
Dominican Repulic (above)...Youth Boys we discipled for the month. Haiti (above)...construction at YWAM base.
Anna, Jenn, and me on the plane to catch up with the group after our Miami incident.
The media team working hard in Cambodia Walking the bar area in Thailand praying
We had a lot of fun entertaining each other, watching
"Friends" and working on these videos for the church in
Phenom Phen, Cambodia. If you haven't watch them
yet, you can find them on my blog, or you can go to my
Vimeo page (vimeo.com) and go to Ashli Hanna's page
(This should help http://vimeo.com/4147752 copy and paste
into browser)
David and I in Laos
Mozambique was a hard month full of sickness and false teachings. However, the children will capture your heart any place you go. This girl looks so sad. And I know she doesn't have much at all. But hopefully through our help in teaching the truth about salvation to her village, she will find the love and joy of Jesus in her life too.
The girls out by the water waiting for the beautiful sunset!
Malawi outreach day!
Swaziland (left) was my favorite month over all and I pray God allows me to go back some day.
Romania was a short month, but I loved the countryside and the people. Stella (right) was a women I fell in love with. This women is the only Christian in her family, and she is dying from cancer. As she walks to streets to meet needs and minister, you would think this 50 something year old women was pregnant. However, her belly is full of fluid due to her cancer. She is the biggest influence and disciple to her family who desperately need Jesus.
Working with college students in the Ukraine was a lot of fun. These are two of my favorite girls!!!
Italy is one of the most beautiful places I have even been and would certainly go back to again! We enjoyed our time there getting to know some backpackers and building relationships with people. It was a good end to our crazy year!
The year wouldn't have been complete without the men praying over the women before we headed back to the states. We had been so faithful to each other in prayer before and during our trip, that it would have been silly to leave without praying with one another. Thankfully, our men really stepped up as leaders and took the iniciative to pray over us. This is Benny praying with me our last night together.
Even though I have traveled the work, I still am not sure what my calling is. I have experienced so many cultures, and so many ministries; some that I loved, some that I just liked. But I still don't know what I want to do. I know I am called to full time ministry, but I don't know where that is or what that is. So, as most of you know, I am heading to Spain in April. There, I will attend a Leadership Academy and pray the Lord will guide my path in the passions and specific minstry he has placed in my heart. I plan to write another blog about Spain to give you more of a detailed explaination about what I will be doing there.
Thank you, thank you, thank you for all you have done for me this year! From following my blog, to praying for me and the people I was with, to helping m financially. Thank you for allowing God to use his servants to bring His encouragement and truth to people all over the world. Thank you for allowing me to experience so many things, and for letting my life be changed forever. You all mean so much to me! Love.
David and I in Laos
