Positive Reinforcements

Positive Reinforcements.  Have you noticed all the negative reinforcements there are in the world? Negativity is easily passed along from one person to the next. Sadly, it is even prevalent among many Christians and found in families. But we all need someone who believes in us. You know how many people have gone on to accomplish spectacular things just because someone believed in them? A simple sentence such as “I think you would be good at that!” can literally change the direction of someone’s life. It can cause them to continue in their endeavor. The opposite is also true. A lack of positive words can harm and/or discourage someone. 

This month, I’ve been spending a great amount of time reading in Proverbs and noticing what it says about the mouth and the words we speak. Pertaining to encouraging and speaking positively, here are a few that stuck out: 

• Proverbs 18:21 “Death and life are in the power of the tongue: and they that love it shall eat the fruit thereof.” 
• Proverbs 18:24 “Pleasant words are as an honeycomb, sweet to the soul, and health to the bones.” 
• Proverbs 25:11 “A word fitly spoken is like apples of gold in pictures of silver.” 
• Proverbs 27:9 “Ointment and perfume rejoice the heart: so doth the sweetness of a man’s friend by hearty counsel.” 

May each of us learn to speak positive, gracious words of life to one another in order to edify and build up. It makes a world of difference to the hearer, and who knows? God may even use you and me and our  influence to change someone’s life. 

love, 
Ashley

Ephesians 4:29 “Let no corrupt communication proceed out of your mouth, but that which is good to the use of edifying, that it may minister grace unto the hearers.” 

Jude: 22 "And of some have compassion, making a difference:"

May 2021 - August 2021

 Hello! 
This post is just a tad bit late, but it is chronicling the summer months, which were full of work and fun. It was definitely a unique and special experience, one which I am very thankful to the Lord for orchestrating. 

After school ended in May, Lauren and I came back to college to work here during the summer. At the end of May, my aunt stopped by to see us and to show us her new Camaro. 😁

During lunch one afternoon, this adventurous squirrel climbed up on my table and enjoyed part of my lunch. :) 

Lauren, our friend Zara and I did some baking on the weekend when the kitchens were open. 

Lauren worked at a snack shop called the Hut and learned how to make yummy desserts, such as this ice cream sundae. 😋 

Throughout the summer, Lauren, Zara and I played countless games of Sushi Go. If you haven’t played this game, you definitely need to. It’s competitive and so much fun. 😁

Zara made Indian curry for lunch one Sunday...it was oh so good! 

There were so many beautifully unique cloud patterns painted in the sky on various occasions. 

Book club!

Black light bowling and a party characterized our celebration of the Fourth of July! 

Wednesday evening puppet crew

Sunday morning puppet crew. 

I was able to be a part of two different puppet groups during the summer. Wednesday night was vacation Bible school, and we followed a 10 week puppet story script with one performance each Wednesday. The theme was time travel, and the characters were a professor, professor’s helper Avery, a robot, and a queen (who got transported through time to the present accidentally). They were a lot of fun to act out, and the children definitely enjoyed it as well. :) The script was from Answers in Genesis, and I appreciate how it clearly presented the gospel throughout the story.

Until next time, keep looking up. 

As ye have therefore received Christ Jesus the Lord, so walk ye in him: Rooted and built up in him, and stablished in the faith, as ye have been taught, abounding therein with thanksgiving. Beware lest any man spoil you through philosophy and vain deceit, after the tradition of men, after the rudiments of the world, and not after Christ. For in him dwelleth all the fulness of the Godhead bodily. 

~Colossians 2:6-9