By Prayer to Paju
thoughts from Ashley Huskey as she seeks to follow God’s calling on her life
A few months ago, during the 2023 FBC Missions Conference, Pastor Vradenburgh shared that the Lord had laid it on his heart to have others specifically ask God to reach down and to call someone from our midst into the whitened harvest field. He had no idea who it would be, but he was praying that God would touch somebody.
Later, he found out that the Lord had touched Ashley Huskey’s heart—even before then.
Recently, Ashley shared with our church family how God, over time, had led her to be burdened for the mission field and even for a specific mission field.
But I have trusted in Thy mercy; my heart shall rejoice in Thy salvation. I will sing unto the Lord, because He hath dealt bountifully with me.
Psalm 13:5-6
Life update from Ashley
I thought it was about time to update you all on the newest thing in my life. Long story short, over the last few years the Lord has really been working on my life through various means.
Eleven years ago I went on a missions trip to Brazil. It was the first time I had experienced what God was doing around the world, not just here in Raleigh. Then, a few years later, I went to France to work alongside the Bixbys. I have always loved different cultures, partly because of the influence of my mom growing up on the mission field in the Philippines. The Lord used those trips to expose me to various ministries outside of the U.S.
However, due to my health, I wasn’t sure if I would ever be able to leave Raleigh, so I just waited and continued to trust the Lord and His leading in my life—which looked vastly different than I thought it would look.
But God…
About three years ago, I began praying about getting a degree in sports because it can lead to great discipleship and outreach opportunities through relationship building.
My grandpa, a retired missionary and pastor, was one of my closest friends. I talked to him almost every day for as long as I can remember. We would often discuss the Lord, how He was working around the world, and how we could serve Him. We often discussed how I could serve the Lord—with eternity in focus—and not waste my life. Grandpa passed away a few years ago, but through his death I realized in a more real sense that life is too short to waste.
After losing my grandpa, I began praying that the Lord would start putting things in my path and opening doors to use the things I had been trained to do and loved to do. As I finished grad school, I began to earnestly seek the Lord about the new direction in my life that He would have for me.
He’s a big God, and He’s a good God.
I love quotes and writing things down. One quote I heard while seeking God’s specific will for my life was that choices matter.
Choices matter. One choice at a time can have significant, eternal results. Will you stand in the way stubbornly? Or will you stand “in the way” so that you may be an instrument of God’s glory in bringing others to Himself?
I wanted to stand in such a way so that God could use me.
Over the last few years, I began praying for God to direct my life on how He wanted me to serve Him either vocationally or in full-time ministry. I was burdened to see how the Lord could use me. It was shortly after this that South Korea was placed on my heart. I began to pray and ask the Lord for direction in regards to helping or serving there. I knew I had a burden for a group of people that I had never met but was going to pray for.
I began to pray specifically for Brandon and Rose Song, their family, and their ministry in South Korea. I was excited to see them as they were recently on furlough in the U.S. Through various meetings with them, trusted godly mentors, and my family, I felt the Lord was calling me to serve Him through missions—specifically in South Korea.
Sometimes the best things come from taking the next step forward with a “Yes, Lord” and trusting that His way is always best. I knew that the Lord was calling me to do this, but it was a little scary. So, I just determined to take the next right step in obedience, knowing that God truly would direct my path.
As a result of God’s direction in my life, I am answering the call to serve Him in Paju, South Korea in children’s and ladies’ ministries as well as camp and outreach opportunities. I’ll be serving alongside Brandon & Rose Song at Mars Hill Baptist Church. Through these opportunities and through working with Mars Hill, my prayer is that people will come to Christ as they hear the gospel.
Located about 45 minutes north of Seoul, a city coined “the gateway to the reunification of Korea,” Paju is where the 1953 Korean Armistice Agreement was signed. Bordering North Korea, you can see the Demilitarized Zone and parts of North Korea from various points in the city. With a population over 420,000 people, the city is growing rapidly as people relocate from Seoul. This provides a great opportunity for outreach to all different types of people.
I am beyond excited to begin this journey and see young people come to Christ. I have already been accepted by a mission board—Global Faith Missions—and am now in the support-raising stage. As I begin to raise funds, I am trusting that the Lord will provide the monthly support I will need to get to the field in His timing.
While I am looking for monthly financial partners, I am also looking for prayer warriors to pray that the hearts of the people will be softened to the gospel. If you would like to learn more, you can visit my website.
I’m so grateful for the many of you that have already been praying for me and am excited to see God work in the coming months as I prepare to move to South Korea.
As I look back at the last ten years of my life, I can see now how God has been shaping me for this moment. I want to be used by Him to bring salvation to others because He has dealt bountifully with me.
