On taking the next step.

Photo courtesy of some Tumblr. Can't remember.

This is probs the first part in a 22-part series called Ashlyn Doesn't Know What She Is Doing After May. But--and I apologize for it's length--this below is how God swoops in and provides me my manna portion daily. How I know the next step is going to be okay. I just keep obeying Him. And it will be okay. He tells me so.

Whew. Deep Breath. Praise God.

Below, transcribed from "Zealous for One Thing," Church at Brook Hills. God through D. Platt says it better than my elementary verbage can. It's long, just go with it:

"...And as we obey his commands, he directs our steps. Paul had no idea what was coming that night. (I should maybe tell you we'd just read Acts 16:6-10.) He couldn't have organized. it. Planned it. Forseen it. He was OBEYING. And as he obeyed, God lead him. As a result, the Gospel for the first time would go into Europe, to most of our ancestors in this room. He couldn't have planned it. He was obeying and the Sprit led. Isn't that Proverbs 3:5-6?! 'Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding, in all your ways--in your ways, as you're walking--acknowldge Him and he will make your paths straight--he will make. Them. Straight.'"

"God is not up in heaven trying to keep His will from you. Trying to make it difficult on you. He wants His will to be accomplished in your life, Christian, so much that he has put His Spirit inside of you! He's not even going to just give you directions; He's saying 'I'm going to LIVE in you. And I'm gonna change your thoughts and your desires. And I'm gonna drive your steps. You walk in Me, you abide in Me, and I will direct your steps.'"

(here's where it gets gooooood...)

Now it's not always the most direct route. God could've given Paul this visition a few nights before he started to go this direction. The Spirit somehow stopped it. He could've given him this vision from the beginning, he could've laid out his plans. Ever wish God would do that in your life? (Chyeah. Like, daily. I hate surprises.) Like, all those questions... But there are so many things not in His word for sure! Like, 'Who am I gonna marry?' Her name isn't in here. I mean, ha, it might be, but I dunno which one--there are a lot of names. 'And so what job do I take, where do I live? (Hello, my name is Ashlyn and this is the story of my current life.) What decision do I make here or here?' We're wrestling with these. But you don't have clarity in the Word on it."

"And you're thinking, 'Man. It'd be nice to have a little Macedonian vision, and aight--BOOM. There she is.' It'd save a lot of dating stress if you could just have a vision, right? So we WANT that. And the reality is, God could've given that, but He didn't. Maybe there's something deeper here than just instructions on where to get to. Maybe the destination is even deeper than Macedonia..."

"Maybe God Himself is the destination.

Maybe he's the goal--maybe more than the answer to our questions is."

My next job stint isn't. My next little appartment in the city isn't. Some guy isn't.
The Creator of the Universe wants me desperately to arrive at His feet.
Talk about love...

Lilly Pulitzer ADPi Print!

Photo courtesy of Lilly Pulitzer.

Alpha Dee's: Assemble!

As many of you know, Lilly Pulitzer has a line of sorority prints called Pledge Perfection. They are deciding which srat is next and we're being considered, so email sociallyyours@lillypulitzer.com to request an Alpha Delta Pi print! It's quick and easy, and they're keeping a tally over there in Lilly Land, so let's make this happen, sisters.

I have three reasons:

1. We invented the sorority. 1851. Thanks, Eugenia.

2. I'm tired of being jealous of my little sister's Kappa Delta Lilly-ness.

3. They ALREADY MADE a blue-and-white lion print in the 1960's. Name? Golden Lion. The same name of the highest award an ADPi chapter can win. That, m'dears, is called destiny. And I may or may not own some pieces of it.

Let us make this happen. If you are an ADPi (or my Mama) and I discover you do not do this, I shall hunt you down. I took yoga this morning and I'm probably, like, really strong... Kidding. But seriously. Now go henceforth and email.

Further proof that I'm a mess/all over the place.

Photo courtesy of Viva Amore.

I succumbbed. I started a Tumblr page (is that what you people call them?).

I'm like that chick in Mean Girls:

"I wish I could bake a cake filled with rainbows and smiles and

everyone would eat and be happy."

"She doesn't even go here!"

"No. I just have a lot of feelings..."

Guess I have a lot of feelings. But dangit if those Tumblrs aren't a heckuva lot easier to maintain than the miniature novels I draft over here... And I can always pull the journalism major card, eh? I must constantly educate myself on social media brands and high-accessibility communication techniques, right? Riiiight.

So yeah. It's whatevs. Enjoy the picture show, y'all.

Top down and I'm at it again.

Photo courtesy of All Things Elegant.

Got a call yesterday that my schedule's changed, and I gotta rental car booked to drive to Virginia Commonwealth University on Monday, as an ADPi presentation beckons. Alas: I'm not driving there from Des Moines, never you fear. I shall be in Merry Land by then. Nevertheless--TWO HOUR SOLO ROADIE! Dear iPod, prepare to be rocked.

Anyway...

What y'all know about Richmond? I've always wanted to pay it a visit.

Blog post title: "There It Go" by Juelz Santana.

Derby Days.

Photo courtesy of Hostess Blog. Most fun blog EVER.

Attention: Mint Julep Cupcakes. TSM.

GET ME OFF THE ROAD AND NEAR A KITCHEN.

I need to make these stat. Click here for recipe.

Worth it.

Alpha Delta Pi Foundation Video by Mitch Hardison.

The above Foundation video dropped at the 6 Alpha Delta Pi District Leadership Conferences across the nation this winter. If you're an ADPi and that doesn't make your heart speed up, we have an issue. Because I swear my heart rate jumps and I think for half-a-sec I could do this LC thing for 5 more years (Ha. Riiight.).

I just feel like we miss the point of sororities sometimes. We sorority squat at our little campuses and forget that women got in there and fought to make us national, then international. We forget that our chapter's donations combine with 137 others and make something big. Really big. We forget that women in our own chapters are benefitting from international scholarships and grants just to continue higher education. Now that's sisterhood. Dear everyone: Do you see what we're doing?! And ADPi is just one of 26 National Panhellenic Groups...

Suz and Tara. I love my home chapter and buddy I love RMH-Birmingham.

This is why I'll give to ADPi my whole life:

Because God used it to turn my life around.

Because it helped supply me the confidence to stand up in front of 160 women and lead them.

Then 500 women.

We're talking a girl who bought the lowest-priced diamond-shaped badge because I thought I'd only wear it once a week for 4 years, maybe give it to my kid, 

and that's it.

Ha.

It gave me the tools to understand myself.

To work for something I believe in.

To meet thousands of women who believe in the same thing.

To meet role models at every turn.

Like the one last weekend that got me going on church-planting and fostering children because the gospel demands it of us...

And watch younger women grow up into these role models literally before my eyes.

Because it encourages me that I'm doing something pretty alright with my life right now.

p.s. Next life mission: Convince Greek organizations that while we're social in nature, there is a deeper reality that we can no longer raise thousands of dollars for each other's national philanthropies and call it a day. There is this thing called service. Called not calling Daddy for a check, but looking people in the eye and helping make things brighter for them. Imagine the force we could be if we reached past our wallets and committed to interacting with those we throw checks at...

Sorry, soapbox.

Aaaaaaand this post is why I work for a sorority. I would. Ha.

To contribute to the Alpha Delta Pi Foundation, click here.

Meet Virginia.

I know, right? Love a good magnolia.

Okay, I'm back on track--runnin' those two ADPi leadership conferences took it out of me! While I'm waiting for my blood flow to return to normal levels of Diet Coke and Starbucks and my achilles tendon to stretch out after running around conference centers in sky-high stilettos (#sororitygirlproblems, huh?), I'll let you know how baller of a visit University of Virginia was...

University of Virginia

Charlottesville, Va.

Zeta Xi Chapter

You see, it's pretty legit collegetown. As one of my chapter sisters told me before my visit, "Ash. Dave's from Charlottesville. It's gotta be cool." Tara meant "Dave"as in "Matthews," of course, and buddy was she right.

Here's where you gotta go in Cav Country:

1. Explore. This. Campus. Classical architecture and tons of history--UVA is simply gorgeous. I'm getting sick of running in Under Armour, two layers of Lululemon, and a ear-wrap thingy, but this campus made it all worth it.

Dear Amphitheater, ya think UVA's founded on classical fundamentals? Also, Edgar Allan Poe lived in one of these rooms facing the quad. Three cheers for Annabel Lee and American poetry!

BONUS: Secret societies have been woven into UVA culture since 1825. I don't even know all of them, but during my 4 days, I noticed these: IMP, 21, Seven, and Z. Legit. They're waaay hush-hush, but they mark the properties they inhabit. Thus every ancient frat and srat house, plus like, almost all the adminstrative buildings are marked with their symbols. Sweeeeet.

2. See our pretty Alpha Delta Pi house. :) It's old and a former Alpha Tau Omega house, and during the spring and fall, they open all the french doors and tailgate. Presh.

3. UVA's preptastic level? Just go with it. I mean, ADPi and half of Greek row is on a street called "Rugby," the bookstore sells monogrammed sorority headbands, and KJP bracelets are everywhere. Adorable Madam President Carrington and I discussed her days fox hunting in England... So yeah, they're kinda preppy. I was a happy little Samford Country Club grad.

Perfect for the lake. I'd take the tanlines from one of those. Photo courtesy of Kiel James Patrick.

4. Prepare to dine, and dine well. From Basil--Mediterranean food is my second favorite food genre behind Mexican--to Baja Bean, and Bodo's Bagels to Arch's Fro-Yo, the girls treated me so well! Charlottesville has more restaurants per capita than New York City. What am I going to do when I can't explore 8 new restaurants a week?!

5. Shop "the Corner." Case in point? A shop called Finch. You blare Edward Sharpe & the Magnetic Zeros and Mumford among your adorable sundresses and I'm sold. And I will also buy your Emi-Jay hairbands because I'm a ponytail girl at heart.

Do not be decieived: "The Corner" is actually a street. Photo courtesy of Sugar Hollow.

I only wish I coulda gone to a Cavaliers b-ball game, but at least now I have a reason to visit another Kappa chapter sister starting UVA law school. Go Hoo's and go Jesska!

Such a flirt, I guess.

Photo courtesy of We Heart It.

“Traveling is like flirting with life. It’s like saying, ‘I would stay and love you,

but I have to go; this is my station.’"

— Lisa St. Aubin de Terán

 

Welp. Guess that explains why I like jetsetting. Ha.

Roar.

I love this storyso much that a chapter sister one time gave me a book about Christian the Lion.

Dear everyone:

I apologize profusely for the lack of updates. I'm on the second-to-last day of my last weekend of ADPi District Leadership Conference in Baltimore (hellooo my beloved East Coast chapters!), and then I'll update you on DLC in Detroit and Cavs Country/UVA. And maybe then I'll eat something besides M&M's and Starbucks and sleep regularly. Maybe.

But for now, I shall hence remind everyone that I adore lions--from Aslan to Alphie. And the amount of lion paraphernalia I'm surrounded by is ridiculously awesome this weekend. And I'll update ASAP. Promisecrossmyheart.

Love,

Ashlyn

Romans eleven:sixteen.

Forget the wedding, I googled until I found the name of this baller tree in Ireland. It's at the Bellinter House. Pretty sweet, God. Photo courtesy of Cooper Carras.

If the root is holy, so are the branches.

- Romans 11:16

If I had a type then baby it would be you.

How do you people at palm-tree-climate universities ever go to class?

Yesterday I caught a 5 a.m. flight outta the sunny south, and this mornin', I'm missing my Gamma Iota sisters as I sit here in Detroit! I'm always reeeal quiet about my "favorite visits," but I'll go ahead and admit this one is on up there at the top. I fell for this chapter and University of Florida. Shhhh...

University of Florida

Gainesville, Fla.

Gamma Iota Chapter

Highlights/breaks in the 11-hour work day:

The Swamp: Every school I go to, I either ask to see the football stadium or sneak in myself and run stadiums. If I didn't ask you to see your stadium, well, uh, put it this way: I wouldn't necessarily take you to Samford's Seibert Stadium. "Ashlyn, when's your next meeting," Sam-the-pres asked. "Uhh, 12:30. How come?" "Come on. Wanna go see our stadium?" And then a ginormous man with a ginormous championship ring chillin' on the bleachers with his wifey snapped our pic. UF's Ben Hill Griffin Stadium? Check.

Sam was so patient with me being a total tourist.

ΑΤΩ-ΑΔΠ Strawberries and Champagne Mixer: Every now and then, I give in to the persuasive begging of the collegians: "PLEASE come tonight to our social! It's gonna be so fun. It won't be weird we promise! Come on--you're basically our age!" (I mean, I am their age). Plus, this historical mixer used to be held between Florida Alpha Tau Omega's and FSU ADPi's until UF went co-ed and Alpha Delt came on in '42...

Stinkin' adorable Gamma Iota girls + good 'ole tradition +

 the little black party dress and stilettos I travel with = I went to a frat party.

Wednesday, we headed over to Gainesville's precious downtown and 101. I think the boys were excited to meet "nationals" and I was quickly labeled Miss Alabama. Dear precious sophomore frat boys, nice try. Excellent job convincing me that you were a second-year UF law student. NOT. But y'all were just so cute.

And then I laughed so much I didn't even think to the the Cam--oh, I mean, Heisman--pose.

Oh, and there's that little last name, "Tebow." So I stalked the halls and found these guys. Oh, I see you my girls. Because I do not care that he cried on national television, I would marry Tim Tebow tomorrow. You wanna shout Jesus' name all day, I'm gonna fall for ya. And they say he's gotta marry an Alpha Dee, right? Right. :)

Get itttt, Social Chair.

All apologies, Daddy, but I indeed loved UF. And bought the t-shirt.

Blog post title: "Tonight" by Enrique Inglesias.

Easy come, easy go.

He brings it. Gah, I wanna go to a Boyce concert one day...

However, first things first: Bonnarroo. That lineup makes me weak in the knees.

p.s. Now, why is he hanging out with a girl who is getting a grenade chunked at her? He's so cute...? Never mind.

p.p.s. Thanks, LB. :)

Blog post title: "Grenade" by Bruno Mars.

Where the skies are so blue.

Photo courtesy of Etsy.

Dear The Wheatfield,

Please whip up an Alabama watercolor for your Wander the States collection on Etsy stat. We have won 2 back-to-back college football national championships and gave America the Bed Intruder Song (and before that, we housed the Leprechaun), thus feel that at least we should be bumped up on the list at least maybe before Rhode Island and Idaho.

Love,
A Montgomerian Girl Who Will Buy It

Life is either a daring adventure or nothin'.

Photo courtesy of The Beauty in Mystery.

Hard to believe I get to go through the rush of opening my monthly schedule uno mos time before this job wraps and I'm workin' in THE srat house (ADPi Headquarters) for the very merry month of May. Yeah, don't ask me what I'm doing after this stint. I dunno yet. Like, at all. But I'm honestly not worried; things always work out, huh?

Anyway, I squealed a lot when I opened this one. Without further ado, here's the March list:

Drake University

Des Moines, Iowa

Theta Eta Chapter

University of Maryland

College Park, Md.

Beta Phi Chapter

Virginia Tech

(Chyeahh!! Go Hokies!)
Blacksberg, Va.

Eta Pi Chapter

University of Tennessee

(ULTRA-pumped for my 3rd SEC visit. Hollaaa...)

Knoxville, Tenn.

Alpha Kappa Chapter

Boston University

(I promise I will not complain about the frigid here. I LOVE BOSTON.)
Boston, Mass.

Rho Chapter

I always email Mama and Pops the schedule so they know what city their darling eldest daughter is on any given day. Dad's email back: "Good for you. Do not get me a Tennessee shirt either. Love you." Ah, thank you, Daddy. He told me this week to pass on getting him a UF shirt, too. (He gets a shirt from every school I go to except here and UGA). I mean, I did grow being told not to say "Roll Tide" because it is a bad word...

Blog post title: Helen Keller wisdom.

Gator chomp.

Even then I always knew how much I love that white and blue. Gamma Iota chapter house.

University of Florida

Gainesville, Fla.

Gamma Iota chapter

Today, I emailed my boss that there were "major operational problems" (Yeah, no. Not at all.) in Florida and that it looks like it's best for me to stay shipped here until April.

Verbatim email back from The Boss:

"Uhh... I'm gonna go with a 'no.' Sorry, Charlie. Nice effort though."

Porch swing sitting between meetings, Spanish moss on a live oak is my jam.

Sigh. I just can't help it! I'm finally rid--well, for 4 days--of pesky peacoats and scarves and gloves and tights anad Under Armour. Today? Sundress and sandals. Get at me. I was born under a Southern sun for good reason: Throw me my Lilly bathing suit and gimme a little tanning oil and I'm set for a good six hours. Really. I love outside. I even started popping Vitamin D pills with this job because I am severely worried that I'm not outdoors enough...

Obviously then, I'm all about UF. The part of me that had a dorm, tons of Noles paraphernalia, and everything set for freshman year at Florida State University (reeeeal long story) still sees a mossy live oak next to a palmetto tree next to an old gothic style building and absolutely swoons. I'm having excellent running adventures through campus this week.

Precious basket (note the koozie--chyessss), the random love offering of roses.

I lug my 124 lbs. of luggage into my room to find an adorable welcome basket, and they promptly got a vase for my roses. Wait, roses, you ask? Sigh again. Weird things happen to me at airports. I met some guy in terminal D at Hartsfield-Jackson International and by the time we were at baggage claim in Gainesville, he'd run up to me and given me a dozen roses. Baha. And I don't even know his name... Thanks, dude!

So yeah. More to come, but for now suffice it to say:

I love the Southeast and don't ever wanna leave.

They speaka my native language down hurr.

p.s. Oh, and the Tebow girls (Tim's mama and sis) were ADPi's here. No worries--I'm stalking the composites in the hall tomorrow. I shall report back.