Another Special Life in Christ

These testimony lives are not stories of "role models". Jesus is the role model!
These are lives wonderfully touched & changed by Jesus!

Ashley Smith:

She is Caucasian & born about 1979. At age 12, she was baptized by Rev. Frank Page at Warren Baptist Church in Augusta, Ga.

She has a little girl (born in 2000), and she witnessed her husband being stabbed to death...about 2001 in Augusta. From 1996-2001 she was arrested for several things, including drunk driving; and she had a struggle with drug addiction. She was a sports-bar waitress in training & had just moved two days earlier to a new apartment when she came home about 2AM on 13 March 2005. Four-person murderer, Brian Nichols, shoved a gun into her side and went into the apartment with her. He is a powerful 33 year old black former football athlete.

At some point, she became alone with Nichols' guns but did not attempt to use them due to lack of know-how. A little later, he asked if she had any drugs. She gave him some, and he asked if she wanted to join in. At that moment, The Hound of Heaven let her know, "You do the drugs with him and your life will continue this journey into darkness. If you decline, I will give you a new life." Ashley politely declined.

While being detained (tied with duct tape), she asked him if she could read; he allowed it. She pulled out her Bible and the Christian  book, The Purpose Driven Life, Rick Warren's 21,000,000 copies sold book.  She read aloud from chapter 33. He said, "Stop, will you read it [1st paragraph] again?" It had to do with a person's purpose, talents, and gifts. "And I asked him what he thought; and he said, 'I think it was to talk to people and tell them about you.'"

"But after we began to talk, he said he thought that I was an angel sent from God. And that I was his sister, and he was my brother in Christ. And that he was lost and God led him right to me to tell him that he had hurt a lot of people. And the families -- the people -- to let him know how they felt, because I had gone through it myself."

"Most of my time was spent talking to this man about my life and experiences in my life, things that had happened to me. He needed hope for his life. He told me that he was already dead. He said, 'Look at me, look at my eyes. I am already dead.' And I said, 'You are not dead. You are standing right in front of me. If you want to die, you can. It's your choice.'

"But after I started to read to him, he saw -- I guess he saw my faith and what I really believed in. And I told him I was a child of God and that I wanted to do God's will. I guess he began to want to. That's what I think. He got to know me. I got to know him. He talked about his family. How -- he was wondering what they were thinking. He said, 'They're probably -- don't know what to think.' We watched the news. He looked at the TV and he just said, "I cannot believe that's me on there."

About 9:30AM, after a tense 7 hours, he let her leave with her cell phone. She called 911, and the arrest was made peacefully shortly afterward. Brian finally was senticed to multiple successive life imprisonments.

This is a profound testimony of what the indwelling Holy Spirit can do with a Jesus believer that just does not seem humanly possible. Fact is, she was divinely enabled to sense moods & timing; and she was given the right words to say at the right time! How would you like to have this sort of empowerment in your life? (Ashley appeared on the 12/3/08 Mike Huckabee show on the FOX TV channel and also the 11/27/2015 The Kelly File on the Fox TV channel). HERE is a CBN interview. Video interview by Katie K. as to the 2015 movie about this case, Captive.

Hound of Heaven: In some cases, salvation is forced onto someone. I call these instances "Hound of Heaven" rescues. [Wikipedia note, HERE.] In addition to former Hells Angels biker, Barry Mayson, I consider the following as sometimes even more dramatic rescues: famous originally bad-ass heavyweight boxer, George Foreman; famous Gospel blue grass artist, Lily Fishman Isaacs; famous news commentator, Kirsten Powers; former bad-ass, rough-man bully, Kirk Martin; and, former druggie captured by murderer, Ashley Smith.

COMMENT: During the past 4 years (2009-2013), my pastor has focused on (1) Jesus' clarification of the earthly component of the Gospel as being all about right relationships ("righteousness"). And (2) he has amply demonstrated how the ancient mind, able only to understand through the "mindset" of suzerain thinking, has failed to lay down a record that rightly reflects His emphasis of the primary love and grace of God, our Father, for all (not His condemnation and punishment).

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You have just read a very brief example of the powerful, supernatural transformation of a person's life which is possible through the acceptance of Jesus as your savior. Are you tired of life as it now is for you? He will accept you just as you are right this second! Consider accepting Jesus now [check it out]!

Stories: You may want to read many brief examples of the powerful, supernatural molding of a persons life (in spite of the family background) which is possible through the acceptance of Jesus as your savior. Are you tired of life as it now is for you? Consider accepting Jesus  now [check it out]! See other faith & health information [here]. More testimonies HERE.

(posted 2005; updated 7 December 2015)