Meet Our Fearless Organizer
Meet Ashlee
Who is Ashlee in a nutshell?
I am a nut, that’s about the shell of it all. Just kidding. Coming from our family, we each have our special traits and characteristics and mine would be volunteering, arts and crafts, and organization. These have all played a special role in my life, as I worked to obtain my first master’s degree in Rehabilitation and Mental Health Counseling, followed by my second one and Ph.D. in Clinical Psychology. School has played a major role in my life and made a lot of decision for me. Now, I am learning to make my own decisions, through my connection with God. For me, my life has also taken a major turn as I learn to live differently, taking care of my body, mind, and spirit in new ways and I am constantly growing in these areas.
Describe what makes you fearless.
God is what makes me fearless because without His love and support, I live in constant fear. I have felt fearful since a very young age. Many times, it has paralyzed my decision-making abilities and limited my growth. I learned throughout my life that if I wanted to live, I had to acknowledge my fear and do it anyways. The irony of this is that many times the word that is used to describe me is “brave.” That is about complete opposite of what I felt. For me, God gave me Isaiah 41:10 as a constant reminder not to fear and that God will strengthen and help me. I don’t make me fearless, God does.
Where do you stand with Christ as of right now and were do you see your relationship with Him headed?
I have always known Jesus existed. I knew it from a very young age and never doubted it. What I did not know is how much He loved me and how much He wanted a relationship with me. Over the past five years, I went from reading devotionals to truly studying His Word. I began to discover all the promises He had for me and then I struggled with believing those were true. I am learning how to let go and surrender to God, acknowledging that He alone is God and beginning the journey to discover what that means. Jesus is my savior and I have never doubted that, but now, Jesus and I are becoming more than casual friends and am I excited for the journey that lies before me.
What is one of your favorite Childhood memories?
My favorite childhood memories are the ones where my sisters and I are playing together. Whether it was Barbies, detectives, kick the can, or sports, there was always a lot of playing and creativity among us.
What makes your bond with your sisters and mom unique?
I was probably the most difficult to get along with. I was very strong headed and definitively believed I had the right way. Candice and I butted heads more than anyone, well maybe my mom and me. I was the type of child who was either very sweet or very angry. There was not a whole lot of in between. God knew who He wanted me to be and I believe that my sisters and mom have shaped so much of who I am. We are the type of family who talks on a regular basis, we are there for one another whether that person wants us to be or not, we have always been a team. I think that the bond we had was tested repeatedly (most likely because I tested their patience) and we grew stronger through it. Now, my sisters and my mom aren’t just “family” they are also my best friends, my prayer warriors, my cheerleaders, my encouragers, my brainstorming team, my biggest fans. The reverse is true for me with them.