OUR STORY

God has been dealing with us for nearly 8 years to “do more” for the kingdom.   With young children at home and an already over-flowing work/life schedule, we just couldn’t understand how more was an option.   This was an interesting conversation with God (almost argumentative I guess).   He has given us many chances and many times we said, “no”.  Until now.  Now is the time.   We are just thankful that the Lord hasn’t quit anointing or calling us.  He hasn’t given up on us.  We will forever be grateful for his mercy on our family.  For where he called one of us, he has called all 5 "Praters"!

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We will soon celebrate 20 years of marriage and oh how we need to write a book.   It has been full of so many wonderful, sorrowful, and memorable moments!  Years ago, a special anointing was placed on our life for youth ministry, but as you all know, when you are young, you don’t quite grasp all of that.  Shortly after marriage, we knew that God was dealing with us to answer the calling but we just weren't confident.  We pushed back for a year before our home church was in need of Youth Pastors.  We still were very hesitant; we can remember the nerves we felt about applying for it as we knew others were also interested in the position.  We felt a bit like David in the line-up of his brothers.  We were willing to do what God had called us to do but didn't want to offend anyone. 

I can remember a dream that God had given me after a car accident where I rolled a little Chevy Cavalier with 4 young passengers.   That accident could have been deadly with multiple casualties.  But God!  Not a single injury on any child, I crawled out with some cuts from broken glass, but that is it.  Who But GOD?!  That night I went home, still shaken from what “could have been” and celebrating a great BIG God!.  He spared my life, and 4 kids' lives that day.  But why? 

The same night as the accident,  I had a dream; that dream was so real.  I can still remember it so vividly.  Now,, I can see that God was sending us a message through that dream.   He was telling us,  that the time was “now.”  It was time that we said “yes” to what he had called us to do.  

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As for the dream that awoke me in August of 2003...
One of the kids attending our church at the time had died and was laying on a morgue table at the funeral home. Beside her laid my sweet Grandma Jenny (who had passed the year prior).  I had stopped into the funeral home to see them and as I walked passed where my Grandma was laying, she reached out with soft hands, grabbed my arm (creepy I know).  She said, “Oh Ash, it is so beautiful here” .  I began to cry in my dream but I was also physically crying as tears were falling on my pillow.  Next, the teenager on the table grabbed my arm and said, “Ash, Help me!  Help me, I’m burning. It's so Hot!”  Talk about sitting straight up in bed and being forever changed!  

The next morning, I shared this dream with my husband.  It was then that we knew what we were supposed to do.  We said “Yes, Yes Lord, if it is your will we will do this. "  The Lord’s will was done and we served in Youth Ministry for nearly 11 years and in a  supportive role for an additional 5 years.   That's almost 16 years of Youth Ministry!  We had amazing kids throughout the years and were blessed to be intertwined with their lives.  We are so grateful that their parents/guardians allowed us to pour into them one youth service, one youth event and one youth camp at a time!  We have no regrets of the sacrifices of resources given.  Our intent was to exude Jesus' love in a tangible way because He certainly loves us!   If after all of those years, one soul was saved from a burning hell, then our mission  was fulfilled.