Ashlie Miller

By Ashlie Miller

A few weeks ago, many sky-watchers cleared either a couple of hours in their day or made a day trip to a nearby state in the path of totality, ready to see the elusive and exclusive solar eclipse. Having experienced the one in 2017 with my family on a day trip to South Carolina, we did not make plans this year – no trips, no special glasses.

However, we pulled out the kitchen colander and looked at the shadows cast by the trees to see the crescent shapes that were unique to this event. There was still that unmatched eeriness in color, light, momentary stillness, and quiet in nature. Neighbors came out on their lawns simultaneously, one couple sharing the cereal box to see the pinhole shadow and a young mother and daughter sharing other observations – a brief moment of standing in awe together. Rather than feeling we missed out for not being in the path of totality, this still provided a sweet moment I will not soon forget.

Can I  keep the same joy and excitement over other things in my life that are only in the 85% completion category? Sometimes, as a mother eager to launch children into the world one day, I can quickly get frustrated when they are not where I want to be in various aspects of their maturity. I want them to be where I am now, or at least where I think I am. That, however, is not always an accurate self-evaluation. I’m afraid I can have an overestimated opinion of myself, like many post-modern humans. 

Thankfully, the voice of reason, often outside the home, will speak words of encouraging observations of how well my children are getting along – reflecting respectful manners to others, their engagement in lessons and sharing thoughtful responses, helpful attitudes of serving others, healthy work ethics, or sharing talents that bring joy to others. 

As I grow and hopefully mature in character and spirit, I easily get frustrated over where I lack – slipping into cynicism or an analytical attitude, trusting others (sometimes even God) to fulfill their word, my impatience, lack of efficiency in a given day. Yet, as I look back, I see I have grown in those areas and others. A card arrives in my mailbox with words of gratitude for my spirit. Another mom at co-op remarks on my “chill, laidback attitude.” My husband gently reminds me that the work I did on a given day was more important than what I planned to do. I sometimes stand agape when I read or hear words like that. They are celebrating my growth while still being incomplete. 

I bet there are areas in your life as well that are worth celebrating – little steps toward significant growth. You likely see it in the lives of others as well. No, they aren’t perfect, but there are changes from who they were. Don’t wait for perfection; you will miss out on beautiful celebrations!

For Christians, those changes and transformations foreshadow what one day will come in eternity. God promises that we will one day be like Jesus. I can’t even begin to imagine that, but what a celebration that will be!

Ashlie Miller and her husband Chad raise their 5 children in Concord, NC. You can contact her at mrs.ashliemiller@gmail.com.

By Ashlie Miller

My neighborhood walks often look more like a saunter while I stop to snap a picture of this iris, that azalea, or those clematis. I enjoy sharing them with friends in my Facebook stories to encourage others to observe their adjacent yards or share with those who cannot walk their neighborhoods. Together, we share our admiration and memories associated with certain flowers. 

The fantastic thing is that from house to house, in the same ecosystem, the flora highlighted by owners can vary greatly. One home may choose NC native plants in a well-kept lawn. Another may choose a symmetrical design with carefully cultivated plants usually found in other countries. Yet another may have an award for creating a habitat to welcome and protect local creatures – a natural lawn. Even the actual plants, like irises lately, might be in full bloom on one street today, while just around the corner, nestled in a shadow, irises are only beginning to bud. While it could create opportunities to be dissatisfied with one’s yard, it also gives one a chance to celebrate the beauty in a neighbor’s yard. 

Flowers are one thing; grass is another. Ask my husband, who may be the chiefest of sinners in coveting the green grass of a neighbor. Ours has taken much effort, to no avail. Rejoicing over a neighbor’s grass is a little more difficult than admiring their flowers.

Why is it more difficult to rejoice when others have a victory or win in life? When someone gets a promotion we hoped for, is accepted to the college or program we had our eyes set on, becomes engaged, or announces a pregnancy, and we are still waiting, how much effort does it take to rejoice with them?

Romans 12:15 couples our need to rejoice and weep with others. Though empathy and sympathy may open the door for weeping together, why would Paul need to instruct rejoicing with others? 

– It guards against my covetousness and envy, readjusting my gaze from the provision to the Provider who also loves my friend.

– It keeps my pride at bay. Instead of wondering why they got what I feel I deserved, I can humbly consider how God allows a common grace for all humanity.

– I become less egocentric. I begin looking for goodness that is always happening all around me in the lives of others.

As you get your steps in, consider slowing your pace to a leisurely stroll. Pause to look at the gifts in another’s yard, and if your neighbor is outside, ask how life has been for them lately. You may find an opportunity to rejoice not only in their plants but also in the beautiful things happening in their lives. 

Ashlie Miller often gathers more photos than steps on her walks. She and her husband are parents to 5 children in Concord, NC.

By Ashlie Miller

What do you do when you think of someone you haven’t seen in quite some time? Do you reach out to them and let them know? Do you stop and pray for them? Thankfully, a friend who thought of me out of the blue stopped and prayed for me last week and then texted me to let me know. Though a good friend, she lives many hours away. We usually see each other at funerals these days, and we only text occasionally, yet she was thinking of me. 

The text read, “Thinking about you and praying for you.” She reminded me that the Lord knows my requests and hears me. Nothing on social media would have alerted her; I am private about my personal needs. We have not been in contact about ongoing struggles or prayer needs. How, then, could she have known? I believe it is because we share someone extraordinary – the Holy Spirit, who ministers to us as we pray and read God’s Word.

In the Kingdom of God, this is a common occurrence. Many Christians from all walks of life pray fervently – moms, dads, grandmas, singles, teens, and professionals. You may feel alone and think no one notices or considers you, but remember, you can be a part of a community of believers. The love that overflows from their relationship with God will cause them to notice others, pray for them, and perhaps help them, if possible.

Sunday morning, on my walk, my playlist reminded me of the song “Someone Is Praying For You”: 

When it seems that you’ve prayed ’til your strength is all gone

And your tears fall like raindrops all the day long

He cares and He knows just how much you can bear

He’ll speak your name to someone in prayer

Romans 8:26-27 reminds us: 

“In the same way, the Spirit helps us in our weakness. We do not know what we ought to pray for, but the Spirit himself intercedes for us through wordless groans. And he who searches our hearts knows the mind of the Spirit, because the Spirit intercedes for God’s people in accordance with the will of God.” Wow, the Spirit intercedes – prays – on behalf of the believers in Jesus!

As the Holy Spirit intercedes on our behalf, and as other believers are faithful to pray and read their Bibles, it is clear that the Holy Spirit can breathe the names of others who are struggling to fellow believers. But it’s not enough to just know this, we must act on it. When we trust that those random names were put on our hearts for a purpose, we can reach out, encourage, and even sometimes be tangible help to those in need. This is our responsibility as Christians, and it’s a privilege. Sometimes, the answer to someone’s prayer is us!

Ashlie Miller is a pastor’s wife and serves at Mission Bible Church in Charlotte. She and her husband, Chad, are parents to 5 children.

By Ashlie Miller

Do yourself a favor and read the paper while sitting outside today. If you are close to such spectacular sounds, sit and listen to the high trill of birds. As I sat down to begin writing on my porch, the overlapping chatter of many songbirds filled the air.

Growing up, I remember hearing that birds sing to praise the Lord. Many of their calls are for basic, daily survival. However, we can observe their behavior and see that everything created can bring glory to God. As it says in Psalm 148:7-10, “Praise the Lord from the earth … small creatures and flying birds!” God made things for His glory and praise. Isn’t it remarkable that in Him receiving glory, we can enjoy the beauty and wonder of creation?

Birds sing continuously and loudly. From the early hours of first light, I can hear them rousing the neighborhood with their melodies. In the midday, I hear their symphony while I enjoy my lunch. Depending on the bird, their songs soften or increase in the evening. They are simply doing what they know to do – communicating for various reasons and needs – resulting in an echo of songs that resonate in our hearts.

We, too, can attend to our everyday activities as an offering of praise and worship when done with the joy, purpose, and acknowledgment of the work God has given us to do at that moment. We can worship continuously by ensuring that everything we do is done with all our heart as serving the Lord (see Colossians 3:23, 1 Corinthians 10:31).

Often, I am tempted to do things with a grumbling spirit, which Philippians 2:14 warns us about. I can groan and complain as I rage clean the house – “I guess if I want it done, I’ll have to do it myself!”… “Either no one sees this mess, or they think someone else will clean it up!” Or I can be thankful that I have a large family to serve, that I can serve them another day, and that one day they will be getting similar opportunities to serve selflessly. Do I always succeed? Not nearly. But I can grow a little at a time.

Imagine a day when Christians will eternally worship on a renewed earth using our abilities and interests in unfettered, non-distracted, uninterrupted ways! Our gifts and talents will resonate with beauty, adoration, and glory more purely to God – to work as we were originally intended all those years ago in the Garden of Eden as God dwells with us.

But until that day, much like the birds flitting about, singing, and chirping to our ears’ delight, I pray my daily mundane is more than a monotonous tone of duty and instead reflects gratitude and satisfaction in completing a task with joy. May it sound as lovely as a songbird and less like unsuccessful attempts to stifle grumbling.

Ashlie Miller is slowly growing past rage cleaning as she puts away the dozens of glasses and cups left out each day by her 5 children.  You may contact her at mrs.ashliemiller@gmail.com.

By Ashlie Miller

“Our Lord has written the promise of the resurrection not in books alone, but in every leaf in springtime.” – Martin Luther.

I have a growing love of botanicals – their colors and fragrances, the intrinsic detail of each plant, each petal. It is astounding! Yet, I have mixed feelings about receiving plants as gifts. Upon receiving them, my eyes gleam with hope, but then, reality sinks in. I have to feed, water, and protect this living green thing. I have managed to keep five children fed several times a day, in clothing that mostly fits, and put to rest as needed, but I make no such promises with plants. Did I neglect to water you? Did I overcompensate by drowning you? What are these spotty things on your leaves? It looks like you have left us, so do I toss you or hold out false hope?

I found an amaryllis bulb from two Christmases ago that I had tossed into the garage, forgetting what it once held. Upon visiting my stepdad this past Christmas, I saw that the bulb given to him the previous year was flourishing. I asked him, “How did you manage that?” and wondered if there would be hope for my poor, neglected bulb. Of course, I forgot to follow up when I returned home. A month passed before I found it again, but when I did, I finally planted it in a pot with dirt, showering it with water. When I say “planted,” I mean I stuck it in dirt, not even fresh dirt  – something from a bag I found hidden in the shed. Sigh, even my efforts seemed half-hearted. However, in recent weeks, I beam with delight, seeing something green sprouting and flourishing – currently 10-12 inches of greenery. It feels like a resurrection!

I am sure many readers have green thumbs or at least enough dirt under their nails to prove they know what they are doing. Does it astound you when a plant comes back from what seems to be the perils of death? Maybe you rescue plants from the clearance shelf or even the dumpster. You may have even purchased those resurrection plants (Rose of Jericho) through Amazon to witness such a phenomenon. I think deep inside us, we love the idea of life coming from seeming death. What a lovely reminder during the Easter season – the Resurrection season! Not only was Christ resurrected from actual death, but the same power that raised Him can also transform those of us dead in Christ, miserable in the existence and bondage of sin. The same power will give Christians a true, bodily resurrection, not merely a spiritual resurrection.

Romans 1:16 – which by now the avid reader knows is a favorite verse of mine – points to nature’s general revelation of God’s attributes. That knowledge compels us to learn the special revelation of ideas like redemption in the truth of God’s Word. Through general revelation in nature, these signs of resurrection in what is seemingly dead – a resting plant bulb – are a pale comparison to He who was truly dead and fully resurrected. But it is something to learn from and to point us to God’s Word.

As you nurture diseased or seemingly lifeless plants to health this spring season, may your heart and attention be directed to the resurrection that has occurred in Christ and that which will happen for believers in Christ. What an opportunity to worship as we work, grow, and cultivate!

Ashlie Miller and her husband Chad do a lot of weeding, nurturing, and pruning….but mostly on their 5 children in Concord, NC. You may contact her at mrs.ashliemiller@gmail.com.

By Ashlie Miller

Like Aesop’s fables, spring trees and plants tell stories of something worth learning or remembering. Some tales have emerged from folklore tied to Christianity, but I love the symbolism many admirers of creation have developed to share the gospel story. One such tree I only learned about recently is the Judas Tree (the Eastern Redbud). A friend noticed a photo of this tree on my Facebook stories and gave me a short lesson on its legend. Much like the story of the dogwood tree, which reflects the crucifixion of Christ, the Judas Tree reflects the tragic narrative of the one who betrayed Christ. I will let the reader take the time to Google this folklore as it is pretty interesting.

Judas is a tragic being in the Christian narrative. One chosen to follow Christ and, in the end, not only sold the Messiah for temporary treasures but then regretted it to the point of ending his life. Imagine kissing your Teacher, your friend, and also the one whose last point of touch with you was to serve you by washing your dirty feet. His Teacher said, “What you do, do quickly,” almost as if Judas could only do such betrayal issued by the Enemy in haste. Isn’t that always the way with the Enemy? He whispers hurry and haste because he realizes that if we slow down, pause, and consider what we are doing, we will have instant regrets.

After seeking an opportunity to betray Christ (see Matthew 26, Mark 14, Luke 22, and John 13 for reference), after going through the motions of the Last Supper, after kissing the One whom he would betray as a signal that “this is the man,” the weight of sin and wrong upon his heart is worse than that of those 30 coins he throws at the feet of the chief priests and elders. It’s too late. He cannot turn back the clock on the events he set in motion. Regrets. Is it repentance?

Others who are much wiser and more eloquent than I have written on the difference between regretting and repenting, so I will not expound on it here but rather remind the reader. Judas is a picture of one with regrets. His actions are external. They lead to such great sorrow that his only control over the situation is an external, physical fix – returning the money, verbalizing his mistake, and then ending his life tragically. He cannot change the outcome or his future.

How is that different from Peter? Peter may not have betrayed Christ but he denied him. Repeatedly. The one so quick and loud with words and boasts of promised faithfulness to his Rabbi was hiding in the corners when it was crunch time, marring his talk with cursing, distancing himself in the heat of the battle as he warmed by the fire.

But Peter’s battle is internal and emotional, and he is unable to make amends on his efforts. At a final moment with Christ (John 21), we see a private conversation between Peter and the Messiah, one of a repentant spirit that leads to change.

Both men sinned greatly against the One they followed so closely. With one man, efforts made to cover sorrow over a mistake led to tragedy. With the other, a contrite spirit led to freedom, experienced through repentance and forgiveness. No longer living in constant sorrow, a man changed to set the world ablaze with the gospel.

This Holy Week, let us take a walk or drive, notice the Judas Tree, and then ask ourselves, “Am I living a life of regrets I cannot fix? Or am I ready to surrender in repentance and know the freedom found only in forgiveness that will lead to a change in my life?”

Ashlie Miller is a homeschool and co-op teacher and wife of a lead pastor church planter. You may contact her at mrs.ashliemiller@gmail.com.

By Ashlie Miller

The signs of spring are peeking through. The daffodils have already trumpeted their readiness for the new season. Wow, they have been everywhere lately – such joyful heralds of a coming season!

My iPhone plant identifier tells me that bird’s-eye speedwell, dead-nettles, henbits, and dandelions are trying to take over my yard. My husband calls our yard a “lawn” and tries to care for it accordingly, so I guess I better not let the kids blow the dandelions on it.

The children point out that the robins have returned to visit the birdhouse on the back of the mailbox. I notice a small cup in a tree made from pine needles, leaves, and other organic material, hoping to host another family of hatchlings soon.

Then, there is the overabundance of skunks, mainly on the side or in the middle of the road. Is this a sign of spring or evidence that land development has pushed away their predators? My son tells me he has already seen – and accidentally killed with a weedeater – some snakes in and near our backyard.

All these signs are whispers – or shouts! – that something good indeed is coming. We can trust that spring will again arrive because it always has.

We can also believe that the things God has spoken and promised in His Word to us through the Bible will also come to pass. I can look at promises made and prophecies pronounced to see a literal fulfillment timeline. It enables me to trust that those promises which have not yet come to pass also will.

That speaks peace to my heart, not only concerning world events but also to my personal needs. Many Christians have been reading an annual Bible reading plan that has led them through Genesis and Exodus early this year. There, we read of some of the covenants and promises to Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob. Promises to make their small family into a great nation, even with wives who suffered from barrenness for a time. Promises to give them their own land, even when famine and slavery in a foreign land stood in the way. Yet, as we approach Exodus and look further down the horizon past Israel’s good kings – and not-so-good kings – and to the New Testament for The Great King (Jesus), we see the fulfillment of promises. Israel indeed became a great nation, settling in a promised land with the most excellent King that enabled the ultimate promise – hope for all nations and all souls.

Then, I can look at the precision and care for the small intrinsic details of my life and see God’s involvement as I look at the past patterns of His love. You may have your own stories of evidence of His sovereignty and care.

Observing the little sprouts on my lawn, birds chirping in the trees, and even skunks or snakes out and about, we can remember God is working as He always has to fulfill His plan in our lives.

Ashlie Miller refreshes her spirit by taking nature walks with her family, finding glimpses of grace and promise along the way. You may email her at mrs.ashliemiller@gmail.com.

By Ashlie Miller

Convincing a child to wear a coat in the South is no easy task, especially on a cold but sunny day. Persuading a child to keep up with their coat while at school or co-op is nearly impossible! Hoodies and jackets fill the lost and found box or closet. Many organized mothers with foresight carefully label the inside of their child’s jacket. Those of us who collect hand-me-downs may have a label of a friend (or even a stranger) inside our jackets.

Joseph from the Old Testament in the Bible often could not keep up with his robes and garments. You may remember him as Joseph and the coat of many colors. His many brothers loathed that cloak and hated this favorite son of Jacob. When the opportunity arose, these brothers maliciously sold him into slavery to a caravan of merchants, tore his coat, dipped it in blood, and deceived their father about Joseph’s whereabouts.

Later, while serving in Potiphar’s household, the trusted and again favored servant, Joseph, is set up by the wife of the house, longing to have an affair with him. In the act of escaping her clutches, he leaves his garment in her hands – another opportunity for deception lying in the hands of Joseph’s enemy.

The first garment revealed Joseph’s identity as the favorite son. His later garment revealed his identity as a trusted servant. In both cases, the cloak was taken from him, yet his true identity and integrity remained intact.

Upon salvation, Christians “put on a new self” (Ephesians 4:24, Colossians 3:10); we are transformed from the old to the new (see 2 Corinthians 5:17). Christ clothes us in His righteousness, an identity we willingly embrace at salvation, even if we struggle later to think it is up to us to keep it on through our own merits. Isaiah 64:6-7 tells us that our best efforts towards righteousness (being made right with God) are like filthy rags. It reminds me of the times I let my children choose their clothing for an outing, and they come out with their stained play clothes, thinking they have made a lovely choice. It just will not do.

Thankfully, Isaiah 61:10 shows us the great love of our Messiah, clothing us in “garments of salvation…covered with the robe of righteousness.” Since perfect righteousness is the requirement for salvation (which we are inept at producing and maintaining), we hold fast to the promise of John 10:28-30 that Christ gives us eternal life. No one can pluck Christians out of God’s hand. Better than not losing your coat at school, we have a sealed identity wrapped in something no one can take. Though we may stumble and fall, our repentance reveals that His righteousness remains.

I am so grateful I do not have to keep up with my eternal “coat” myself. Christ has set His name on it and keeps up with it for me! His love is so great that I want to live purely for Him, not to stain my garment intentionally, but even when I fail, He keeps it spotless in His eyes.

Ashlie Miller sorts through coats for five children, sometimes finding jackets belonging to other children. Thankfully her husband, Chad, is type A and does a good job of hanging up his jackets.

By Ashlie Miller

By now, you may have learned that I am a bit of a dendrophile – just don’t ask me to name the particular trees I love. I admire their shape and structure, their rings that reveal years of stories, and how they transform with each season. In winter, I appreciate how deciduous trees, which once provided a curtain separating us from other scenes, lose their leaves in the fall, exposing a hidden world during the winter months.

As passengers in our mini-van, I love pointing out the scenes behind the woods to my family. Sometimes, it is a delightful treasure – the gated mansion off the main road, ginormous boulders in the woods, the lines of intentionally planted trees standing at attention. Other times, we pass by an area better off concealed from the public – an unkempt yard of junk or trash, a worn-down, neglected shack that was once a beloved home.

Spring and summer will conceal the hidden once again in a few months. However, the hidden will still be there – the good and beautiful as well as the bad and ugly. It reminds me of Jesus’ encounter with scribes and the religious leaders (the Pharisees) in Matthew 23. In verses 25-28, Jesus warns about how these leaders focused on outward displays of righteousness. Yet, their hearts held greed, self-indulgence, and essentially death and uncleanliness.

Earlier, in Matthew 5, as Jesus preaches the Sermon on the Mount, he warns about these same scribes and Pharisees. “Unless your righteousness exceeds that of the scribes and Pharisees, you will never enter the kingdom of heaven” (verse 20). These religious leaders prided themselves in their outward appearance of righteousness but failed to fix their gaze on the One who alone could make them inwardly righteous.

As followers of Jesus, we are to move beyond a mere outward facade of goodness. Professing Christians can fail to fully realize true inward righteousness by prohibiting access to the Holy Spirit to transform them from the inside out. But truly righteous deeds on the outside must have the transforming power of the Holy Spirit on the inside first. Otherwise, these good deeds are acts to convince ourselves or others that we have earned our righteousness. That is tiring work because it comes from our efforts rather than a refreshing, supernaturally powered work.

In each of our seasons, someone passes by us. Unlike passing trees in summer versus winter, people can observe righteousness from the inside out during any season. Our love for God overflows into our love for others. In some seasons, we think we are good at concealing what is not so great on the inside through our efforts to convince others by our works, but there is One who always sees the state of our hearts (see 1 Samuel 16:7).

I pray we can be people with outward works that are an overflow of supernatural inward work. It begins with submission, which can be a restful posture.

Ashlie Miller is married to Chad, a pastor and church-planter of Mission Bible Church in Charlotte. You may contact her at mrs.ashliemiller@gmail.com

By Ashlie Miller

Being a fan of anything is an intriguing thought – the idea that we have an innate desire to esteem or glorify someone or something – to put someone on a pedestal, if you will. Last week was a moment of obvious illustration – sports enthusiasts excited for the big game, music fans anticipating halftime, and celebrity worshipers waiting to catch a glimpse of him or her. We may not like to equate fanaticism as the same as worshiping something earthly, temporal, or worldly, yet worship it is. 

Elevating other earthlings as somehow untouchables worthy of so much awe inevitably leads to a letdown. There is no true reciprocity in this dynamic. Yet, we tend to be quite forgiving and understanding when the celebrity we follow makes horrible decisions or even, in some instances, moral failures. “They are just merely human, after all,” or “They are just like us!” we say to justify our continued obsessive followings. 

In the book of Job in the Bible, which I revisited last month, Job is called a “righteous man” at the beginning of the book. However, by the end, after trial upon trial and horrible counsel that lacked empathy from friends (and that is putting it nicely), Job is set straight by God for failing to understand God or demonstrating knowledge of His ways. It is a rebuke wrapped in love and followed by great blessing and restoration. Though Job was righteous, he was not perfect.

We often mistake the righteous for the perfect, don’t we? Many distance themselves from the thought of attending church or becoming a Christian because “there are too many hypocrites.” This may partly contribute to the fastest-growing religious group in our country – the Nones (non-religious). I wonder why we assume that Christians are perfect while on this earth. Christians come from the position of knowing they are not perfect and need a Savior, after all. 

As Christians, we often find it easier to remember to pray for those who are constantly struggling but neglect praying for those viewed as righteous. We can hold those in church leadership on pedestals, giving them esteem and glory, assuming they do not need our prayers and attentive listening and discernment. When they do offer advice that reveals their limits of understanding God and His ways, we find ourselves in shock and disbelief, ready to “throw out the baby with the bathwater.” But righteousness does not equal perfection. Listen to a wicked man long enough; you will eventually hear something true or good. Yet, a wise man would not go on listening to him. Listen to a good man long enough, and you will eventually hear something wrong. Should a wise man immediately discount everything the good man says or has said? Maybe the other question is, to whom am I giving my attention and affection? How am I praying for those I value as righteous and worth listening to?

Much of our attention today as both Christians and Nones seems to be focused on celebrity culture – jumping to defend or hate a particular celebrity. Either way, it is a lot of attention, affection, and worship. I think Christians’ time would be better spent praying for our ordinary, righteous leaders than fixating on this world’s celebrity-obsessed culture. One can help us grow in understanding and love, while the other is merely consumer-driven affection.

Ashlie Miller is a pastor’s wife to Chad. They parent their five children in Concord, NC. You may contact her at mrs.ashliemiller@gmail.com.