A New Year's Eve Gift

For New Year's Eve I went to a Winter Hawks game up in Portland with some friends. These boys above are getting into a fight. Unfortunately no really good fights broke out.

When I started this blog spot I had meant for it to be a way for my friends from high school to see what I do down here in college. Upon further reflection of this purpose I decided that I wanted to reflect a side of me that is unfortunately rarely seen, the melancholy side. I want this site to be a place for me to reflect my thoughts and share about what God is doing in my life. With that said I would like to tell another story.
Before leaving for Christmas Break I went over to my friend David's house for some reason that has slipped my memory. We ended up talking and he prayed over me. He said that Jesus had a Christmas present for me and that it would not be something that my parents give me. So I left for break bewildered at why Jesus would want to give me something on His birthday.
In order for you to understand the significance of the next part of this story we need to go back about five years. My mom and I go for walks near my house and this is a time for us to talk and bond with each other. One time my mom told me the story of how one of her friends goes on runs and how she needed to know that God was in control of her life at that time. She asked God to let her find a coin to show her that He was with her. Now this may seem like a small feat for such a powerful God, but she had never found money on her runs before. Sure enough God answered her request.
This story encouraged my mother and I and God uses the same sign for both of us. It is just a symbol of the fact that He is in control. Case in point, over break I was really worried about how I was going to pay for college this term. I do not have a job and have been searching for one without any luck. As I was worrying about this I went to Wal-mart with my mom and walking through the parking lot I found a dollar! Usually I just find a penny or a small coin of that sort. Now this did not mean that God was giving me this dollar to help me pay for college or that this is God's way of providing for me financially. It is just His way of saying, "Ashley I am in control. You don't have to worry."
With that said, let us go back to New Year's Eve. After the game, my friends and I went to a Jack in the Box on the way home. As we walked into the establishment I found three pennies. We ordered milkshakes and were standing near the counter waiting for our drinks. The place was pretty empty as it was New Years Eve, but soon a man walked in who looked as though he might be homeless. He had dark hair and a beard and was wearing a Subaru jacket. He started being friendly and made small talk with my friends. We eventually sat down together and I saw him sitting alone in a corner eating. He approached my friends and I and asked me if I collected coins. I told him that I did. He then proceeded to tell me that he had something for me. He opened his wallet and pulled out an Indian head nickel and coin. He asked me if I knew what these were and explained to me how they were old coins. He told me to take care of them and repeatedly said to me God love you.
At that moment I thought I was going to cry. My relationship with Jesus has been highlighted with some pretty amazing experiences, but this was personal. Only God knew the significance of these coins to me. There was no way I could doubt that it was not from Him. Ironically before the man came over I thought about my financial situation and then I gave it to God and asked Him to take care of it.
I have been a christian ever since I can remember and because I attended a private christian school all my life I knew my Bible pretty well. I knew that God knows the desires of our hearts and that He is our Father and that He wants to bless us, but I guess I only knew it as head knowledge and not heart knowledge. It is those little moments when the Creator of the Universe shows me that He truly does know everything about me that make me stand in awe of Him.