Ashton's Testimony!

God knows what He is doing I can tell you that much. Before I came to this ministry I would have to say that living in co-dependent relationships was something I had been doing for a very long time. My mom and dad got divorced when I was very young and my relationship with my father was pretty much non-existent. As I grew into a young lady that need for a man in my life began to show up more and more. I started to fill that need with attention from boys and thus fell into fornication at a very young age. Seeing as I grew up in a Christian home, went to church every week and was a leader in the youth group, I felt very convicted.

By the time I was 16 my heart had been broken time and time again and I had been treated the way no young lady ever should.

When I came to this ministry a little over two years ago Courting seemed like it was the only option if I wanted to stay and be a true disciple of this ministry so I just jumped on the bandwagon so to speak. (Can I be real?)
I ended up falling in love with a guy in the ministry. We decided we were going to wait until we were ready to court and continue to do what the Lord was calling us to at that time. In the process of waiting, we were writing notes, having private conversations and spending lots of time together. This obviously lead to us becoming very emotionally intimate. I was so sure that this was the man I was going to marry. One day he decided that God was calling him to leave the ministry. Of course this tore me up. I didn't want to leave all the people I had grown to love so much and forsake all that God had done for me, but there was something greater inside of me that was pulling me to follow the boy I thought was so worth it all. Worth forsaking my calling, selling out, running away.... going to hell.
I ended up leaving with him and we moved to Seattle Washington. We of course fell into fornication (started with holding hands, then kissing, then so on and so on)

My intention wasn't to forsake the Lord. I was just so deceived that I thought I could have my cake and eat it too. I wanted to "love God" but SERVE MYSELF. I wanted what I wanted and I wasn't willing to trust God or sacrifice.

After a series of events we broke up and I moved back to Arizona. My leaders and friends here of course excepted me with open forgiving arms as Christ would do. I know how hard it was for them to see me go, but just as Issac went on the altar, so did I.

When I arrived back in Arizona I went on Spiritual Bootcamp (an AMAZING 3 week intense discipleship program we have here) During the first week Bobby Torres preached Courting vs. Dating. You can imagine how BADLY I did NOT want to be at this considering I had made this commitment before and it was obvious to everyone that I had just returned from running away with a dude. WOW.... at that altar call I was determined that I was NOT getting out of my seat. Karla Torres began to sing a song at the end of the message and the Holy Spirit moved. Next thing I knew I was standing at the front repenting and giving my testimony.

I kid you not it felt like a 1,000 pound weight was lifted off of me that night. I understood what it meant to give it all to God. I made a choice to save my kiss until my wedding day and I truly meant it. To save myself for my husband in more than just a sexual way, but to set that standard so that when I meet him, our relationship will be centered around the Lord and we will have a covering of spiritual protection.

Its been a little over a year and a half since I have been back and serving the Lord. Please, don't be fooled into thinking it has been a piece of cake since I made this commitment. I have been tested again, BUT (smile and sigh) with the spiritual covering in my life, some amazing spiritual fathers and of course keeping Jesus as first priority, Gods grace has kept me.

Courting vs. Dating has changed my life. I know that I am going to have a blessed marriage and my heart isn't going to get destroyed in the process of finding my husband by dating 100 different guys. I know the Lord is going to bring Him and I don't have to go searching. I know that I am going to be pure for my husband on my wedding day. I have been blessed to be imparted into with this knowledge at such a young age and I encourage anyone to listen to the message and really take to heart the spirit of it!

Ladies, keep your eyes on the Lord! There is nothing more beautiful than a woman of God!