Hi Friends,
Welcome to my first letter in nearly a year! I apologize for going silent on you; I simply did not have the words yet. God took us on a deep dive into purpose, starting with our own, and it took the full weight of this season for me to be able to write about it.
Those of you who have been following me for a while may remember that a year ago, my husband and I asked God to confirm whether He was calling us home to the States from Scotland – and He did so in a way that left no room for doubt. So, we sold our flat, packed our bags, and got on a plane. The season that followed wasn’t easy, but through it all, we felt God leading us, providing one small step at a time.
After a few months of wandering, my husband and I felt an undeniable pull toward Franklin, Tennessee — the kind you cannot explain, only follow. So, we prayed, and we went. A hundred of these newsletters could not contain what God did in us there. Our church family at Wellspring Franklin were used by the Holy Spirit to impact our lives in ways I am still processing. God healed things I did not even know were broken and taught us more about Jesus's love and the authority of His name than I had learned in years of ministry.
It was in that season that something that had been buried finally surfaced. I had a burning desire to launch my own company — to help driven Christians unlock their God-designed purpose for impact. God was sending me confirmations to move forward, but I kept hesitating and I did not know why. I prayed for clarity.
In His infinite kindness, God knew what I was struggling to hear from Him directly and began revealing it to others on my behalf. People started praying for me and verbally articulating who God saw me to be — and they treated me as though they wholly believed every word of it. I thought they were kind but mistaken. Something in my mind was louder than every voice God was sending me. In His unrelenting love, He kept sending them anyway.
One day, while someone was praying for me, she told me God wanted to expose a lie I had received as truth. When she named it, I recognized it instantly — it was the exact wording someone I had trusted had spoken over my character years before. She said God declares it a lie, and He wants me to hear His truth instead. As she spoke that truth, I forgave the person who spoke the lie over me, I repented for agreeing with it, and I received the fullness of God’s truth. It felt like new blood moving through my veins. I remembered who I truly am and whose I am!
I had not fully realized how easy it is to exchange truth for a lie — or that I could not always correct it alone. When that lie was first spoken over me, I was so afraid it might be true. I wanted to be humble, so out of fear, I agreed that perhaps it was. That lie implanted like a seed and began to sprout all kinds of self-doubt — and that self-doubt kept me from stepping into the next phase of my purpose.
That is what the enemy does. He cannot stop what God plans to do through us, but he knows we can choose not to give our full yes to the adventures God invites us on. Lies are all around us and they are completely harmless on their own. The pain does not even come from the person who delivered the lie (that is another lie the enemy loves to feed us, so we do not realize the power we have to heal it). The problem occurs when we try on that lie, just to see if it fits. We wonder if perhaps we are that lie — prideful, stupid, a constant failure. Then we think perhaps it is partially true, and the lie takes root. We begin to see all the ways we are unqualified for the dreams God has hidden in our hearts. We begin to focus on the obstacles ahead. We begin to question whether we can even hear God at all.
If we do not believe we are who God says we are, there will always be something holding us back from stepping into the purpose He has for us. Sometimes we are aware of the lies we are believing; other times they have become so familiar that we no longer notice them. That is why we need a community to remind us that we are capable of living out our God-designed purpose. We were not created to do this alone.
You, my friend, are so deeply loved and so entirely lovable. Your presence brings joy and life to the people around you in ways you have not yet been able to fully see. You are a light bringer — even when the darkness around you feels heavy. Our Father God is incredibly proud of who He made you to be. He does not make mistakes. You are absolutely capable of carrying out the purpose He has for you. You are worthy of that purpose. Anything that tells you otherwise is a lie.
When you find a lie, here is what I have learned to do.
· Forgive the person who told you the lie — even if that person was you. Forgiveness cuts the first tie.
· Repent for exchanging God's truth for the lie of the enemy. If this lie runs in your family line, stand in the gap and repent for those who first let it in. Command the lie to flee and renounce it in the name of Jesus Christ.
· Receive God's truth by naming it specifically and agreeing with it out loud. Whenever you feel wobbly, keep proclaiming His truth over that lie. Sometimes immediately and sometimes gradually, your vision begins to re-align with God's — and your purpose becomes clearer.
It is never God's wrath that leads us to repentance — it is always His kindness. His kindness is the invitation to free ourselves of anything holding us back from receiving the fullness of His love. As Paul writes: "Or do you have no regard for the wealth of His kindness and tolerance and patience? Are you unaware or ignorant that God's kindness leads you to repentance — that is, to change your inner self, your old way of thinking, and seek His purpose for your life?" (Romans 2:4, AMP)
If you are struggling to articulate your God-designed purpose, if the fears and lies are louder than His truth, or if you simply need a reminder of how deeply loved you are — return to a Spirit-filled community. Search for people who listen to God on behalf of others. Surround yourself with people who live on purpose and who call out yours. God will use them. He certainly used them for us.
It took a whole community to get us here, and I am continually in awe of what happens when people anchored in their own purpose turn their eyes upward and outward — seeing the purpose in others and calling it forward. It takes a village to raise a person in their purpose. To each and every person who did that for us this year: I am grateful for you, I thank God for you, and I pray you are forever blessed.
From that truth, Blueprinted Collective was born and we step into our next chapter in Washington DC, because God always has our yes.
God has left us blueprints everywhere. It is His divine wisdom that uncovers what has been hidden, bringing revelations to the surface. It is His urging that we never drift from these two goals: to walk in wisdom and to discover our purpose. It is our purpose that empowers, strengthens, and inspires us to do what is right. We will be energized and refreshed by the healing we bring to others. We will stand firm and sleep soundly. We will have no need for terror, because we will know Him through every fiber of our hearts, minds, and bodies. He is our confidence, so that our hearts can be at rest. (Inspired by Proverbs 3:19–26, TPT)
I hope you will continue to join me as I explore questions like these below — and I would love to hear yours too:
- What do these seven R's have to do with purpose: redemption, revelation, repentance, revival, reconciliation, reformation, and restoration?
- What do repentance and generosity have to do with one another?
- How can I listen to the Holy Spirit about my unique purpose?
- And so many more.
What questions about God-designed purpose are popping up for you? I would love to hear. Reply to this email — I read and respond to every one.
With joy and wonder,
Ashley Gordon
These letters are crafted through hours of prayer, research, and writing — and they will always be free. If one of them has added something to your life and you'd like to fuel the work, I receive that with deep gratitude.
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