A couple days a go, i was attended Passion Conference (World Tour) in Kuala Lumpur where there was thousand of uni students came and worship together. The conference had Louie Giglio, Christ Tomlin and his band. It was a great time to worship, singing contemporary music and new version of hymm (Amazing Grace). It was even more exicting that we had a prayer time, listened to the word of God and the story of Ashley and the fruitcake. I just have to share the story that read by Louie from Ashley's journal because i was really blessed by it.
Ashley is a student of University of Florida, the Top party school in the States. Now you can imagine what happens when the parties would start. She is an unbeliever, living in an apartment with her boyfriend. She was in her senior year when one day she went home and caught her boyfriend sleeping with another girl; of course she was devastated. She broke up with him, kicks him out of the apartment and posts an ad at school about needing a new roommate.
A girl named Christa found it and later on became Ashley’s roommate. While Ashley was on her depressed mode, she wrote about how screwed up her life is and every once in a while mentioned details about her new roommate Christa, how she acts crazy and is a freako believing in God and all that Christian stuff; Ashley says: WHAT A FRUITCAKE ?!
Ashley gets more and more intrigued at how her roommate lived her life, there was a day Ashley was wallowing over her situation crying whole day and eating ice cream, and her roommate took time to ask her if there was any problem. The roommate sat beside her and started eating ice cream too. Ashley told her roommate what happened and she said she never heard the response she was expecting to come out; no condemnation but genuine care and sympathy. The roommate asked if she could pray for her but of course, Ashley refused. Ashley’s Mom and step brother are Christians. She said she would have expected her brother to be good to her, but it’s puzzling her that Christa, the fruitcake, acts that way with her.
Ashley becomes all the more bothered how Christa had been living her life which was opposite of how she lives. It was obvious that the roommate didn’t drink, and when asked if she slept with her boyfriend whom she’s been with for three years she said she’s still a virgin. That was crazy stuff for Ashley who could sleep with a guy she’s only been with for three weeks. She asked why Christa was living her life that way, and the answer was a desire to please God in all that she does.
Christa shared about how much Jesus loved her. Ashley kept writing on her journal, and just can’t accept that God could forgive her. God is just not for her type. Ashley was on her moment of unbelief. But it was funny how Christa would share about her experience at a Passion conference and even had a DVD of Louie Giglio sharing a sermon. Ashley writes about how crazy that was.
To Ashley, God just can’t forgive a crap like her but God was working in Ashley’s life, and Christa is doing her work in being a good witness of God’s love and grace. As they lived together and the days passed by, Christa had shared about the good news of God’s grace that forgives, even to the worst of all people, even Ashley. She saw that love in “fruitcake” and wanted that for herself. One day, Ashley finally believed and gave in and she said in her journal, “that was it”, the day she became a Christian; the unconditional love of Jesus flooded her heart with peace. She experienced this love and grace that God has for everyone.
Ashley attended one of the Bible studies where Christa attends. The youth didn’t act in a crazy way but were interested at her and were genuine. So they sang and Ashley didn’t know the song but she really liked it and felt like raising her hands too, but she didn’t. When she got home, she googled the lyrics of the song they sung and it just communicated to her so well.
Ashley and Christa talked about how God’s children worship Him and that’s one of the ways. Ashley made her family know about her being a Christian and her mom cried and her step brother was so happy to see her changing. Their prayers were answered. Ashley emailed Louie about her experience, and Louie shared this story to many people, even writing it to the passion blog and it’s being heard in their podcast. Ashley was thrilled that many people can know of her experience, that of God’s unconditional love forgiving her and changing her.
Louie scanned through the pages of Ashley’s journal and jumped to a couple of pages near the end where Ashley was very excited for her graduation. Louie wanted to see and know that she graduated, but there were empty pages. No words were written about her graduation….and the journal was handed on to Louie by Ashley’s father….
Ashley died in a car accident, but her story and God’s love that changed her life for 3 months is now being known all around the world. It took a “fruitcake” for Ashley to know about this love and grace, and Louie reads her nicely written story in their Passion tour.
After heard this story, i had a mixed feeling.We never know when is our last breath.Ashley past away in such a young age and yet she had leave a wonderful legacy to our Heavenly Father. On the other hand, i was greatly inspired by fruitcake who never gave up on Ashley and never thought herself highly or better than others. Fruitcake was'nt a perfect girl but she tried to live out her faith and shined for God. It then strip me is no matter how small or insignificant of our actions we think, it does play a role. Lending a listening ear, eating ice-creams along with Ashley, trying to heal her broken heart or even offering a simple prayer. It does play an important role.
