Here at Louie Giglio’s blog on the Passion site, is a beautiful story about a girl named Ashley, who came beautifully to faith through Passion’s work, and then died in a car accident.
The first letter is from Ashley to Passion, and the second is from her mother. Beautiful news we live and share through living voices.
Skim down through the posts to the one marked “Ashley’s Home.”
22 Comments
the passion cape town was so awesome! thank u for sharing the story of ashley.. come visit again soon! mwah
Thank you for your ministry! May God continue to richly bless all who are working to glorify and lift His name high! Thank you for coming this far around the world to share God’s love with us
Dear louie, I have seen all of your passion videos and am a huge fan. I am currently in college at texarkana, texas. I plan on going into the ministry to work with students. My prayer is that God will use me to reach students, and have an impact on their lives. You have been very inspiring to me to become a better communicater. Well I know you are very busy and probably will not even see this but if you do, can you please pray for me. I am trying to come up with some financial aid for next school year, and so far I have not come up with anything. I know that God will work this out and I am trusting in him. Thanks for all you have done.
Bobby
Hey!my name is mariole and I am from South-Africa and I just want to thank you for everything that you do..YEsterday they played a DVD of yours at out school and I was just blown away when I saw it.
At the moment I am really struggling to keep God in my life,because things are a bit rocky in my life,but you helped me to keep HOLDING on to him
Really thank you!!!!!!
I was so scared to walk a path with God,because I got very hurt in the past,but you learned me not to be scared a just trust God,and I will ever be GREATFULL for what you have done in my life!!!!
THANKS A LOT!!!(*_*)
xoxo
dear mr giglio,
i have a feeling you really don’t read these. i just wanted to thank you for you message on when life hurts the most. i remember this past year. i remember coming home from school i had to ride the bus because my friend couldn’t bring me because she had band. it was a monday, and my mom always worked on monday unless she was on vacation or took a sick day. so the first thing i said when i saw her was what did you do now. and she looked at me and said you need to sit down. the first thing i thought was that someone had died or someone was dying. so i asked if she was ok, she said yes. i asked her if my sister was ok, she said yes. i asked her if my dad was ok, she looked at me with tears in her eyes, i could tell she was trying to be strong. she said not exactly. it was at that moment my life changed forever. she sat there telling me the story of how my friend katie who usually brings me home from school was on her way home when she went by the park, and saw my dads motorcycle. so she pulled in and looked around the corner with my dads arms wrapped around another woman. she kept thinking she should tell me and decided i would over react. so she told my sister. that monday morning after the incident my sister woke up to my fathers car door slamming shut. so she raced out the door got in her car and followed him. she found him in the arms of a second woman. she finally decided to tell my mom since she knew it was true. i didn’t really understand the rest of the story through my sobs. i couldn’t believe it. he was my step dad. but i looked up to him as my dad. a few weeks pass and my mom takes him back thinking he changed. she found out he was texting some girl and that he still wasn’t being faithful. so he left again. yet again she found out he was cheating only this time he wouldn’t leave. so my mom went to stay with my aunt. my sister with her friend. and me to my friend katies house. she finally told me she was moving back in. and i told her if she moved in i wasn’t going with her. and i told her to choose between me and him. and she begged me to come home just for a week. and if i still wanted to move out i could move in with my aunt. so i did. and come to find out this past week it was a plan to get him out so we could have the house. and now he is finally gone. i pray he can change and find god in his life. but through all of this i questioned god. i figured he doesn’t care enough to even help me. he doesn’t love me. but that was what he wanted me to figure out. he wanted me to figure out i didn’t trust him and that he did care. and i don’t know how but through all of this he showed me he cares. i pray that even if this makes no sense to you. it will make someone out there realize god is putting you through these things to show you something that you’ve been missing in your walk with him.
Hello Mr. Giglio
Well I was on a week long trip with my youth group and have seen so far three of your videos. They are amazing and heart touching. I loved how you presented the message of God. Since watching them at 15 my faith in God has grown extremely. It reminds me of what should be. I would love to be in contact more with you. I know you are busy but I pray you have time to read this and answer me. Thank you for everything.
His follower,
Ruth Huss
dear louie,
At my church we whatched the clip about Ashley and Laminan. They were amazing videos. i am really touched and your an amazing speaker. i would love to meet you some day. you should come to my church sometime. We would be glad to have you and the kids and adults that are there would be really touched.
Have you ever considered the bible as a love letter from God to you? You can see Youtube videos of Louie Giglio on the SonsLoveLetter website:
When You are struggling to hold on, you call for help. When no one comes and you can`t hold on any longer, you lose hope. The passion series helps you understand that God is the one who will grab your hand, he has already reached out to you, you only have to look up and take His hand. God is the hope I needed to see. I always had the hope but never looked up to see Him. For such a long time I was calling for help, but always looked down. God is my Hero, the one who saved me. When no one else heard my plea, God was there. It does not matter who I am or whatI did in the past, what matters is wheter or not I am willing to let go, and let God.
Thank You God for speaking through Louie!
hi louie
ill cut it short basicly, iv had my heart broken by a girl who i loved so much and i introduced her to god and now 3 years later she leaves me to go partying, now i have been able to talk to her since and we have sat down together just as friends and shes watched all your dvds to help, god has givin me the burned because im the only person she has ever trusted to try and win the fight of her choosing god or clubbing and shes knows whats right and wrong but still really badly wants to go out and do these things and shes giving up, i just ask could anyone who reads this pray for me and her for me to be given strength to be able to push through this battle and that she will be given wisdom and will follow gods way. thank you for copeing with my boring ramble which im sure you get alot but iv just got desperat thank you
lee tysall
Hey there,
). I think it was Ashley’s story which started it, but when I looked around that assembly hall I could see nothing but tears and solemn faces in even the most rebellious students. That was my turning point; that day I knew God. I left that assembly hall in tears, gave my close friend a hug with the parting words of “God loves you” for the first time in my life, to which she responded with the same comment (and equally as tearfully mind you!) But, as much as I’de love to tell her story (perhaps the most inspirational one I’ve heard from anyone personally), that is not why I am writing this. I am writing this to offer you my thanks, even if you never read this, I will be glad that I atleast thanked the man who gave me the glue to hold my belief firm. After all, its that sermon that I now think of whenever it gets tough, a great help in my sudden change of environment. Thankyou once more, I look forward to seeing you in the new Jerusalem 
I realise the chances of you reading this are small, but I want to say this none-the-less. I have had a rather simple life, raised as I was in a Christian family and attending a small Christian school. Sure, I fantasized about Heaven when I was a little girl with my best friends and did well in my Bible class when I was at school, but I didn’t really feel it, and I’m sure you know what I mean by ‘it’. I watched your sermon ‘Fruitcake and Icecream’ at a school assembly, and I will always be glad I did. You see, that assembly changed a lot of people at my school and is a story we mention a lot when “rehashing our old times” (even if it wasn’t that long ago
God loves you (always)
Gemma
Mr. Giglio, a friend of mine gave me your hope dvd a few days ago. At this moment my family is in the midst of the trouble Jesus said would come for the second time. April 1, 2007 marks the birth of my youngest daughter’s first child, a little girl named Laci. We were told at about 5 and 1/2 months into the pregnancy that she had a physical disorder in which she was not life compatable. We were devistated and prayed furiously that God would perform a miracle. He did not. She lived about 30 minutes. Many great and life changing things came from her little short-lived life. 18 months later a beautiful and perfect little boy was born. We were and are so grateful for him and the joy he brings. Genetisist had said 25% chance of reoccurance which means 75% chance of not occurring. Wanting another child, they tried again and are pregnant with a little girl, Lauren, who will be born in about a week and most likely buried a few days later. These experiences have heart rendering as well as full of blessings. I appreciate your message of hope. It is hard to see the positive when planning a funeral. The day to day grind is difficult when you know the outcome, and even have to choose the day of birth and death of your daughter. We also found comfort in the story of Angie and Todd Smith through Angie’s book I WiIl Carry You. It truly is a dance with joy and grief. I have a friend who went through a similar circumstance during Laci’s pregnancy, but her child lived contrary to doctor predictions. She grew very close to the Lord during that time and when I asked her if she would go through it again, she said emphatically, “yes.” I could not say that, at all. And here we are 3 years later going through it again. God changed my life during the first pregnancy, giving me a passion for all my family that exceeds what I thought possible. In this pregnancy I was wondering what I didn’t learn the first time. There has been much. It has been like a refining process, removing the dross that would hinder. I wish there was an easier way, but of course there are is more involved than a grandmother that wants to hold her precious grandaughter and see her grow into a godly woman. I see many on the fringe of our story. They pray for us but keep their distance. Only a few have waded into the mire of grief with us. They are so precious and needed. In watching the first part of Hope, I came away with one idea, the first time I watched it. It was what you said to Ashley’s dad, “I’m so glad that you got to see the power of the gospel with your own eyes up close. I see purpose in that as well as why. My daughter’s name is Kim McBride and she has posted her journey on Facebook. It started out as an easier way of giving out news than on the phone, too exhausting and hard. It has drawn in many. I know there is a bigger picture, God’s canvas for our lives. I would change it in a heartbeat, but know the He will use the suffering as the servant of His message.
Hey. I am 12, almost 13. I couldnt figure out another way to get to you so I am doing this. In my Bible class we have watched some of your videos. I thought maybe you would be able to answer some of my questions. I becam a Christian when I was young, but really because everyone wanted me, too. Does that count? I have been struggling alot with my faith lately. Like with doubt and everything that has been happening in my life lately. Since I have doubt, does that mean I am going to Hell? I dont really feel as close to God as I used to. What should I do. If you ever do email me back or even get this, I will ask you more of my questions.
Untill then,
S. Kinsey Russo
Dear Louie,
I just wanted to say thankyou. My faith in god has become stronger for your message about him!! You have truly been gifted by god to communicate to the world his incredible glory!! I recently gave a friend your dvd’s after he started coming to a bible study and im so happy to see him become a christian because of gods perfect grace and work in his life!!! Im leading a christian union talk at our school next week on grace and ive ‘borrowed’ some of your analogies
I cant wait to sit with you in heaven and talk lol you have been such a kl influence in both my life and so many christian teenagers across the world. Quite simply God bless you!!!!!
Ben
:
louis
thanks for the story of ashley
Hi Louie
This last year I’ve been having a lot of troubles in my life and I’m having troubles coping with them. I feel lost and at times I don’t know what to do. I feel like I need help but I’m not good at asking. But I feel comfortable asking you. So if you get this please e-mail me back and I will tell you details then. Thank you, this will mean a lot to me if you send me something back
HELLO LOUIE
SO MANY PEOPLE WITH SO MANY STORIES TO TELL!
I KNOW YOU CAN’T REPLY TO THEM ALL!
I LIVE ON A TINY ISLAND OF 4 THOUSAND PEOPLE ,IT IS ONE OF THE MOST REMOTE ISLANDS IN THE WORLD! – ST HELENA ISLAND IN THE SOUTH ATLANTIC OCEAN!
BUT BY GOD’S GRACE YOUR DVD’S MADE IT HERE!!
I AM 36 YEARS OLD,MARRIED WITH TWO CHILDREN.
ALONG WITH A FEW OTHERS WE MEET AT A FRIEND’S HOME EVERY TUESDAY EVENING FOR PRAYER MEETING.
AFTER LEAVING THE SEVENTH DAY ADVENTIST CHURCH WE ARE NOW SEEING ONLY ONE WAY AND THAT’S BY GRACE!
I PLAN TO TAKE YOUR DVD’S TO A HALL IN OUR DISTRICT AND SHOW THEM.
SO MANY IN NEED OF JESUS AND WE HAVE FELT THE PRESENCE OF GOD’S GRACE IN OUR OWN LIVES AND NOW WE ARE CALLED TO SHARE THAT WITH OTHERS!
THERE IS NO OTHER WAY THAT’S SO PERFECT EXCEPT THE JESUS WAY!
I AM ALSO A RECORDING ARTIST AND YOU CAN GO TO http://WWW.CAPRICORN STUDIOS AND SEE MY WORK THERE.
I ALSO HAVE A CHRISTMAS,WOMAN AND ANOTHER ALBUM TO COME OUT THIS YEAR- IT’S APTLY CALLED ‘AMAZING GRACE’ – I WORKED ON THESE WITH A TRUELY TALENTED BAPTIST YOUTH PASTOR -NICK CLEVELY.
I PRAISE GOD FOR SENDING HIM AS A MISSIONARY TO ST HELENA ISLAND.
GOD BLESS YOU LOUIE AND YOUR WIFE AS YOU CONTINUE TO LIFT UP JESUS!
WITH LOVE IN CHRIST
TAMMY WILLIAMS
How grateful I truly am for this audacious ministry! I AM NOT A BLOGGER, but have felt on numerous occassions I needed to write and commend you for your obedience and deep desire to impact so many! In a lost generation, you are paving the way for today’s young men and women to experience HIS awesome power and the fullness of HIS grace.
I wish this ministry was around when I was making massive mistakes instead of seeing mass conversions and revival in my life and my friends. Then again, God’s plan is perfect and decades later He would, appropiately place a compilation of dvd’s in my hands that TOTALLY CHANGED MY LIFE!!!! Not to mention, anyone who came near me long enough to watch! LOL!
I was a dead Christian for a long time. Went to church, involved in numerous Bible Studies, was involved in church, prayed… I was numb. The hurts from years gone by paired with the sins of my youth destroyed my perception of a God who truly desired to transform me. I never knew of a God that loved me no matter what. The religion of my youth left me numb and doubting the abilities of God and His true intentions for I only knew Him as the God of wrath.
Many years later… Married, a beautiful little boy, recent relocation to a small rural city in Florida, Okeechobee and a floundering business. My life had plundered into the deepest depression I had ever experienced… and a woman by the name of Ashley entered my life.
I struggled coming from a huge metropolitan area and living in this beautiful small town. I was raised completely different and the ministry that God placed in my life many years ago gave me hope and faith to dream and believe God for big things. I struggled with what God was speaking to my spirit and the limited thinking of so many around me. I began to doubt my relationship with God until…
In the midst of a move I found an old version of Experienceing God. Always wanted to do it, but never had the opportunity. Met Ashley for lunch that day and in conversation shared how she felt led to facilitate Experiencing God. I shared how I just found this book and really felt called to just do this study NOW! We laughed.
Ashley, was my gift from God. Ashley was my breath of fresh air! Powerful, beautiful, hopeful, BIG THINKER… She is simply awesome! I pair our meeting right their with giving birth! She is so simply wonderful!
The significance of Ashley in this blog is that she was obedient and we began that study 3 weeks later. When we reconnected for the second week she shared with us a dvd called Indescribable. I just sat their and cried.
God had just revealed to me the details of my sexual abuse as a little girl. I had no recollection of this for decades until my son was sexually abused. God, in His infinite wisdom, allowed me to experience Him in preparation for the details of this horrible event. I was struggling so deeply with both situations when I watched that dvd.
I was one of those women who looked like she had it together, but was absolutely falling apart inside!
I left Ashley’s that day, praying because I knew I needed that dvd asap. Unfortunately, living in a small rural town does not allow for the resources to make this possible. So I thought.
As I was praying, I was reminded of a friend who really needed prayer and felt led to stop by her house and share what God was reveling to me through this Bible study and of course this dvd I just saw. We prayed, shared and laughed. She then asked me if I could return a set of dvds to Ashley…. and then placed your dvd compliation in my hands! I WAS ABSOLUTELY BLOWN AWAY!!!!!! God is faithful!
I shared all of these dvds, as I said prior with EVERYONE who would listen to me long enough! At first, my favorites were Indescribable and How Great is Our God. As time went on I became overwhelmingly in love with Hope: When Life Hurts Most and Fruitcake and Ice Cream. It took me a few, but soon discovered part two of Hope: When Life Hurts Most.
What I failed to mention, is that when I began Experienceing God, I felt led to put everything down and spend all my time with Him. That meant work, too, which was hard because of our financial situation at the time. Normally I would ignore that, but I chose to be obedient.
I spent days studying, praying, reading my Bible and other resources, watching your dvds repeatedly, etc. God provided EVERYTHING that we needed during that time. Like I would have expected differently. LOL!
My mom had been sick for years. I had cared for her off and on for over 7 years. We had drawn very close, which is inevitable given the situation. After going blind and reacclimating from becomming an amputee, I finally was able to join my husband in the town we had relocated to 2 1/2 years prior.
I would travel back and forth whenever she needed something and/or for business. In October of 2010 my mother was hospitalized with congestive heart failure, while visiting my sister. At 4 am I rushed to be with her. Upon her release, she returned home. Two weeks later, I rushed my mom to the hospital for heart failure. She received a pacemaker and released a week and a half later.
Life resumed, I continued to spend everyday while my son was at school and husband at work, seeking God. I assumed God wanted me to heal from the sexual abuse of my past. Unbeknownst to me, I would receive a call, December 21st at 12:30am that my mom had passed away. I, of course, rushed to her.
It never dawned on me what God was truly preparing me for.
I was amazed by the peace I had, although sad and missing her, I was grateful she was home. God continued to reaffirm me in my faith and reminded me that my mom was in heaven because of a decision my sister and I made years ago. He gave me visions of her running, being reunited with her mom and her birth mom. These were things I never believed in prior to all of this.
Many, many times I was reminded of Ashley Akinn’s story. (Fate be it, I had finally returned the dvds to Ashley 13 days prior to my mom’s death.) I remembered how excited my nephew and I were when we found out Ashley’s father had received Christ. I would spend days seeking to understand so much and find myself comforted by the memories of the journal entries you read.
This has been the hardest experience of my life. I am so grateful for my introduction to your ministry. God reminded me that He was preparing me for this for months prior to her death. While worshipping at church, singing a Chris Tomlin song, I found myself overwhelmed with peace, thanking and praising God for His healing power and restoration. Things I might not have been able to grasp prior.
A few days after my Mom’s death, my best friend (whom watched the dvds at my house over Thanksgiving weekend) surprised me with tickets to see Chris Tomlin. Unbeknownst to us, your name was on the tickets when she received them. WE WERE TOTALLY STOKED!
Eve lost her mother to cancer, 9 years ago. She never really dealt with the loss of her mom until the dvds and my mom’s passing. She became my rock as I began journeying through all of this. We shared a lot and have been able to see God work through tearing down years of “rot” and “decay” in her life. She is now being freed by the power of God. He is truly restoring the years the locust had eaten.
We thoroughly loved the show in Palm Beach, at the Cruzan amphitheater. Everyone was so amazing! You absolutely blew our minds. We laughed about where we had come from and the last few shows we saw at the amphitheater. (ie. Incubus, Ozzfest, etc.) WE HAVE COME A LONG WAY!!!!
I show the video that someone downloaded to Youtube to everyone I can! Sorry if that is wrong, but so many do not know how truly amazing your ministry is! I spoke with so many people in Okeechobee, just an hour away from West Palm Beach, who either had not heard about you or did not know about the tour! THAT IS SUCH A TRAVESTY!!!
Thank you for your honesty regarding depression. God healed me that night! I had never experienced anything so powerful! I literally could not stop trembling!
Your transparency was so powerful for two women facing loss, suffering from depression and struggling to overcome our past! I thank you from the bottom of my heart for the amazing ministry that God has created through you and the various artist whom are on your label!
Today, I am so much stronger, better wife, mom watching God run with my business/ministry!!!! The Lord just keeps reveling Himself to me and allowing me the privelege of witnessing to others whom have lost a loved one. It has been such an amazing experience for me! I HAVE FOUND PASSION AND VISION FOR MY LIFE! I HAVE BEEN RESTORED! NO CHAINS ON ME!!!
Thank you for your commitment to share with us a God, in a capacity that no other could express to the fullness that God expresses Himself through you! You are a mighty vessel being used incredibly by God! Thank you!
I am sorry this is so wordy! Had a lot to say to you! From the bottom of my heart, in the deepest respect, my heart is so overwhelmed with love and gratitude for you and all who are involved in making this ministry happen! Until the whole world hears…
Hello there
Our bible study group just completed (and cried through) hope: when life hurts most DVD – Awesome inspired preaching.
A few members in our group were wondering
1) What happened to the girl that led Ashley to Christ
2) What happened to the girl with cancer (TIffany I think her name was)
Love your work, love your ministry
Nicky X
louie im a huge fan and to ashley r.i.p……love u jesus
I wish Louie Giglio and his team would come to Johannesburg
Does any one have an email address for Louie Giglio? Sorry if my English is a little bit rusty, I’m Afrikaans speaking. Thank you Jesus for using Louie to connect to all of us X
Hey guys, you know what, I’m realizing just by reading these posts that I’m very much a pessimist. I grew up in a christian environment that instead of giving me little hints of god here and there, the beliefs were everywhere and they were suffocating me. The ideas were there wherever I went. At first I embraced the ideas and I loved god but as I got older I started to doubt god. I guess I thought that he didn’t have time for me, and in Louie’s movie “how great is our god I started to feel really small and insignificant. I’m only half sure that it’s true that god is really there. I hear about people with their extravagant lives and sad situations and I guess I should be happy with what iv got. But as I said, I’m a pessimist and I’m lost, alone and confused because I don’t see how there can be a god that big and powerful out there who would actually care for me if I did. All in all I feel like I need someone to talk to. Someone who I can share my feelings with. This teenage girl needs help from someone who isn’t to busy to answer my call when I need them.
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