“God has taken my ashes and turned them into something beautiful*. I want to help other women experience the same thing.” It has only been six years since Ashley Garland escaped an abusive marriage, also rescuing her three-year-old son. Since then, she has attended Bible college, worked with at-risk youth, and pastored a church.
When Ashley married her husband, she knew he had previously struggled with addiction. Still, she was surprised when his addictive behavior resurfaced. However, she believes in redemption and stayed with her husband through multiple attempts at recovery and seasons of incarceration.
His addictive behavior got worse, and he grew physically abusive.
A close friend advised Ashley, “If you don’t get out of that marriage, you will wake up one day, and you won’t even recognize yourself.” That day eventually came when Ashley woke up on the bathroom floor, where she had sheltered herself from her husband’s rage the night before. She couldn’t face herself in the mirror and remembered her friend’s prophetic words. That’s when she packed her things, dressed her son, and left.
Throughout her turmoil, Ashley’s faith in Jesus never wavered. God had called Ashley to vocational ministry when she was 14, and since then, she has given herself fully to the work of the Lord. She has served God on the mission field in multiple countries and attended Bible college when she was younger. After she left her abusive husband, she took the opportunity to return to Bible college.
Ashley’s ministry journey led her to be the Lead Pastor at Victory Christian Center in Frederick. While serving there, she brought church members to volunteer at Faith House. Many of the women they ministered to were also escaping domestic abuse. Ashley was impressed by the work that your support accomplished.
God has confirmed Ashley’s calling to Faith House in multiple ways, and she can’t wait to see what the Lord has planned. Her vision is for the guest residents to consider Faith House to be “the place where their life began.” She wants to help women become whole, equipping them to mentor other women. The difficulties that Ashley experienced in the past now equip her to minister to other women who have or are currently experiencing trauma. We thank God for Ashley, and we thank God for you because you have provided a place for Ashley to fulfill God’s calling.
*Isaiah 61:3
