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arb6405
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Name: Ashley and Gabe
Metro:
Birthday: 4/6/1984
Interests: Gabe and I like spending lots of time together! I mean were newlyweds what do you expect;) Growing together in our relationships with the Lord. We play lots of super nintendo together...like being outside...Gabe gets great enjoyment from tormenting our cats...using facebook as a means of procrastination...and we will think of something else later...
Expertise: That's why we are in college right now. Check back in a couple of years. :)
Occupation: Student
Industry: Entertainment
Message: message meEmail: email me
Member Since:
12/9/2004
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| Wow...its been a long time again! I am so bad at this blogging thing. Time just goes by so fast. Anyway I was just wanting to update those who actually read this.
Shelby Renee was born Monday August 20, 2007 at 7:58am. She weighed 7lbs 8oz and was 17.5 inches long. I can't believe it but she is 5 weeks old. Motherhood is everything I hoped and dreamed that it would be and more. The moment she was born and I first layed eyes on here was the most important, memorable, happy, incredable, and spiritual moment of my life up to this point. It's like the second she arrived everything made sence, everything was gonna be ok, and God spoke to me and said " Do you doubt me now? I made this gift for you...you dont deseerve her but I love you and I want to give you this gift. Now you really understand the love I have for you...now you can understand what it feels like to enjoy the love of your child. Love me."
That's a pretty darn life changing. At that moment all my fears went away and all that was left was joy...pure joy.
Figuring out how to be a mom to a little infant does have a few stressful moments and there are feelings of inadequacy but it's really not that scary. Its so much fun to hold her and make eye contact. She knows me as momma and its fabulous. She is growing fast and doing well. Every day is something new and something fun. I have never in my life been happier. Gabe is a wonderful father...I love to watch them interact. I feel like the love we have for our daughter has brought us even closer...its just one more way we can relate to eachother and I love it.
I was really scared about having to work and leaving Shelby with someone else. Well I prayed and prayed and the Lord made it possible for the church to pay me to work in the office. I net a little more than I was at starbucks and I can do ministry like I want to and have Shelby with me until I am comfortable leaving her. There is a girl at my church who volunteers in the childrens ministry who just started a in home child care program. She is a trusted friend of mine and is only charging $80 a week! What a blessing because one its affordable and two I know her and trust her so it will not be as hard to leave her there.
Gabe is still working at Enforcer. He has moved up several times since he started in March. I am so proud of him for working this job. He doesnt like it and infact dreads having to go more than not but while he is there he works hard. Thats just who he is...a hard worker...I love his integrity in that, but I also know he does it for me and Shelby. Because of him and the raises he has I can afford to work for the little money the church has to give and and not be forced into a situation I am uncomfortable with as far as employment and child care go. He has support us thorugh pregnancy, bed rest and now parenthood while doing ministry and teaching others. I admire him a lot for doing what he does because he is working hard now so that we both wont always have to and can have more time with eachother and our kids. Anyway...I am jsut thankful for how we have been blessed. The church wants to be able to pay Gabe full time but cannot yet. We as a staff are all praying the money comes soon from somewhere because Gabe is meant to teach and minister. I know God has him at Enforcer for a reason but it does get old. Please be praying with us for financial support to come through the church. Thanks a lot. I will try to write again sooner than later:) | | |
| Shelby Renee Bratcher is scheduled to grace us all with her presence August 20, 2007. Yay!! | | |
| Well...this blog should probably be a lot more positive than my last few. This has been a crazy three months for me and Gabe. God keeps teaching that I can make plans but that I need to be ok with it and learn to let go if He has something else in mind. When I type it out like that it sounds like it should be so simple...well not if your like me and love planning and knowing whats gonna happen and being prepared for it. About a year before Gabe and I were graduating it came time for us to start praying about whats next. From day one of mine and Gabe'd friendship we both talked about how important youth ministry is and shared our passion for it with one another. We love it...not just because its fun and we get to hang out with youth all the time but because its hard. We want to be able to invest in youth, leading them to Christ and in turn disciple them through their life. I remember the people that invested in my at that age and it changed my life. Anyway, Gabe and I really felt like God was leading us towards working with a church plant. Honestly at the time I dont think either of us had a clue about church planting...other than the very basics. We would be reaching out to the non churched and to the people in a a community that didnt have a place to go. That's all we needed to know really...that there is a place we can do ministry with people that are passionate about what we are as well. We have been on board with Cross View for 3 months now. We are learning a lot about church planting an its been awesome. Danny is our pastor and hearing about his calling and vision for this church has been awesome. He has truly sacraficed these past few years in order to obey God...even though it probably scared the crap out of him! That has been a really big encouragment to me because right now I have been feeling like nothing is working out. I dont have a job...Gabe hates his job and is trying so hard to have a good outlook about it... we live with my parents and I am prgnant! Some people do not understand why we have the church as such a high priority in our life. It's not just a passion but its our calling from God to reach lost and hurting people...to give them the same opportunity that has changed my life in the best possible way. Who would I be to deny what God asks of me??? It's about obeidance. God never promises that being a Christ follower is easy...infact He gives us example after example of how hard it is...how it takes a tremendous faith to step out on a limb and sacrafice in a way that most do not understand... how loving people the way we are meant to is more painful than pleasent...and that if we trust Him to keep us afloat while we obey He will remain faithful. It's hard to see this clearly when you live in fear...and it's scary to sacrafice...it's scarty and uncomfortable to rely on others for shelter an finances but if thats how He is keeping me afloat and providing my needs then humbling myself to take the help the only option and I need to be on my knees thanking Him. I have had to stop and remind myself of this every day. Even though most people in the world think me and Gabe are crazy and that my situation isnt sucess in their eyes...I need to stay focused on what I am called to do. Anyway that's my heart...and I just felt like sharing. Me and Gabe are so blessed to have the opportunity we have with Cross View and being there makes everything worth it. On a kinda diffrent note I am filling in for a secretary who works for my good friend's dad. It has been a blessing to get some work even though it is temporary. The woman I am filling in for is Lesa...please be praying for her and her son. Her son was in a motorcycle accident and got banged up pretty good. He is going to have a long recovery ahead of him and I know how hard it will be. So please keep them in your prayers. I also applied at Starbucks...I figure its not so much what I had in mind but I love starbucks and they pay pretty well and I would get benifits and free coffee and for those of you who know me free coffee from Starbucks makes me excited!! Anyway I am gonna call them tomorrow or Sunday to follow up because the manager told me they usually do inteviews on Monday or Tuesday. So I am hoping for an interview b/c as soon as I get hired somewhere permantly Gabe and I can move out. So yay I hope it works out. | | |
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So tonight I got a phone call form a friend that I worked with for almost a year at the restaurant. Her name is Bridgitte. Last night her husband Micha was killed in a motorcycle accident. They have a baby girl named Emma who is almost two. After the restaurant closed this past August Bridgette decided to stay home with Emma. So she has been dependant on Micha for all of that. She has a supportive family that I know will take care of her and her daughter for as long as necessary. Tomorrow is the viewing and Monday is the funeral. Bridgette is understandably in total shock right now and needs prayer and lots of it. I know all of you reading this are people that are compassionate. I know that to even put yourself in her shoes for a minute is heart breaking but I am asking you to do that. So that you may pray for her and her little baby girl. Bridgette is an amazing mother and her and that baby need everyone that can and will pray to pray.
Also...I ask you to pray for me over the next few days. Gabe and I are leaving for Toccoa around 7am. I am staying with her through all this and I really need to be strong and rational for her. I am four months pregnant and very hormonal. Wth this little baby in my belly my heart just breaks for Bridgett and Emma because I couldnt imagine being left alone to raise this little one. Pray that my hormones stay balanced so that I can be the best support to her. Thank you all for reading this and for always praying. | | |
| Gabe has a job!!!!!! It's a good job too. He will be working with a company called Enforcer. They do like every kind of cleaing product you could think of..lawn care stuff and bug spray...and yes I get all of that for free now:). He will be working with chemicals and stuff. Anyway he had to take a test after applying and he scored higher on it than the lady had seen in a long time. She was really impressed with him and because he has a degree he has opportunity to work his way up to managment if he wants. Right now he will be working second shift Monday through Friday from 5pm to 2am...that is kinda rough but the lady said it would change soon to 3pm to 12 am so thats not as bad. We are praying that eventually he can get a first shift there b/c he and I will never see eachother with these hours except on weekends...but that would even work out b/c with him home during the day and me at night we will not need child care. Oh and the lady told him if he took a class or two in chemistry this summer he could probably get the quality control position that pays pretty well. The pay is already what we need and he will get a raise in August and then again in September...perfect timing for the baby. Anyway we are so excited and now we can start looking at appartments. Thank you all so much for praying for us. This has been a frustrating time but this is all such a relief. Pray that he really likes this job and the people he works with because that can make any job fun...and if ya dont mind pray I get a job soon too. Thank you all so much! We love you! | | |
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