This has been my greatest challenge: learning how to take captive every thought and make it obedient to the word of God. For so long, I seemed to be trapped in my own thoughts. The future seemed unimportant and the present felt heavy; very, very, heavy. I would look in the mirror and quickly turn away, hating what I saw.  I was listening to my mind, letting it keep me in depression and anxiety; letting it keep me quiet, timid, and afraid.  ​ But one day, I didn’t turn away. I heard this voice tell me to look at myself, to open my eyes to see what He saw. God told me that He saw a beautiful, wanted, smart, worthy, and loved daughter. A daughter whom He designed and loved so much. I looked deep into my reflection, and with tears in my eyes, I told myself that I was good enough- because HE said I was. I was tired of being controlled by fear and insecurities. I had big dreams and places to go, so I kept up with this activity. For months, I would look in the mirror in the morning and force myself to say, “I am enough! I am smart enough, pretty enough, and capable of doing the things I set my mind to. I have a purpose here on this earth and I will not be controlled by insecurities and fear. Instead, I will fight, I will smile, and I will go after my dreams.” It was not easy at first. Even though I would say these things, I still didn't feel the truth of them. But slowly, the truth of God’s words began to transform my mind as I started to believe the words I was speaking over myself. My battle with my mind was not a one-time battle. It is a daily decision to look at myself in the mirror and speak truth over my life. It's a decision I have to make every day to trust God's Word over the voices of the world. Are you fighting this internal battle too? If you are, let me remind you that you are a child of the King of all kings. Let me remind you that you have power, not only over your own mind, but also over the enemy. As a woman thinks, so she is. Be careful what you think about. Your mind can be loud; your mind can cripple you with fear, anxiety and depression. Your mind can tell you that you are not good enough, pretty enough, or smart enough. Your mind can tell you that you are not worthy, that you are unloved, unseen, and unimportant. Don't listen. ​ Friends, let us DIRECT our thoughts. Let us choose to set our minds on the things above. We have been given power and authority to take CAPTIVE every single thought and make it obedient to the word of God. I believe in you, even if you don’t believe in yourself. You are more powerful than you know! Though the journey may feel hard at times, there is so much good that is just around the corner. God loves you deeply and intimately. He doesn’t want you to remain trapped in these kinds of thoughts. Look up to Him and let Him speak life over you as you take captive every thought and make it obedient to what God says about you. You are wonderfully made, valuable, worthy, loved, wanted and created in His image. You can win the battle in your mind because of the Holy Spirit who is in you! ​ with love, Ash