This is how the Lord is using aviation to change lives around the world.

Summertime Fun

Summers in Texas are much like summers in Georgia... heat, heat, and more heat. One thing is for certain about a TX summer - the heat is worse, the humidity is better! While faculty and students take a month or two off from the rigors of classes and meetings, the Admissions Office (along with a few other offices) stay for the long hot summer months. Luckily, this is also the best time for us to take vacation days. After Pete had completed his summer classes we packed up our bags for a trip east. Along with 5 other couples, we hid out in the Outerbanks of North Carolina! It was a great time of rest, fun, and THE BEACH! While we were at the Outerbanks, a group of us went to Kitty Hawk - home of the first powered flight! It was incredible to see where Orville and Wilbur had worked, slept, and prepared for their first flight. Pete and I had a great time at the Memorial! In addition to our trip to Kitty Hawk, we also enjoyed local restaurants, putt-putt golf (I got two holes-in-one!), ice cream, and the waves!
As all good things do, our vacation came to an end - but it will not be forgotten and the rest that occured was much needed. We are already looking forward to our next adventure with the couples we vacationed with and are grateful that the Lord provided such a perfect week for us.

Solo!!

Although we are not currently involved in a mission aviation organization we still have the opportunity to work within mission aviation.

Zac Wojahn is a young man from Minnesota who was one of my flight students this semester. Zac wants to be a missionary pilot as well, so it was a joy to work with him.

When Zac and I first started flying he had just a few hours of flight time under his belt. The goal that he and I worked towards together was for him to Solo. This is one of the biggest accomplishments of any pilot. I still remember the insanely hot day in the North Georgia mountains that my instructor actually found me worthy to fly the airplane all by myself! There is nothing else like the experience of taking to the air by yourself and experiencing such incredible freedom!

Well sure enough Zac soloed early in the summer. Being able to play such an important role in helping a future missionary pilot accomplish the necessary steps towards taking the Gospel to the world was a humbling and exciting opportunity. I am still amazed that the Lord has put me of all people in a position to teach others a skill that He will use to enlarge the Kingdom!

Mighty to Save

Savior, He can move the mountains.
My God is mighty to save.
Forever, Author of salvation.
He rose and conquered the grave.
Jesus Conquered the grave!

We've just returned from another great Easter weekend with Pete's brother's family. Our two nieces are always a delight to be around. Kalli (3 1/2 years old) has a new pink room and an OKC Thunder basketball, while Tori (1 1/2 years old) wakes up after every nap with a mohawk that is truly inspirational. Some of my favorite moments in Oklahoma this weekend were when we Tori would see me after a nap, sunday school, or some other function that kept us from each other. As soon as she would see my face she would light up and run full throttle towards me while saying "aunt Ashawee". This adorable little girl of 1 1/2 years brighten my life with her unabandoned excitement when she saw me. Not only did this warm my heart, but it really made me start thinking - if I get joy from a sweet little girl running into my arms, how much more joy does the Father receive when his children run into His.

Within the past few weeks healing has been the prayer of my heart. With friends and family recovering from heart surgery, dealing with the onset of cancer, and undergoing procedures that can bring about devastating results, my heart has been crying out for healing in many ways. Over the past week or so, "Mighty to Save" by Hillsong has been playing over and over again in my mind. I am reminded during this Easter season that our God, the God who spoke and the world was created, who breathed and life was formed is the very same God whose character is love and whose desire is relationship with His created. That He wants our salvation. That's what it's all about. That's the reason for the cross. That He wants us. He wants us!! The cross is a reminder for us to surrender to His will, to His goodness, to His love, to His might and mercy to save!

While I do want physical healing for my family and friends, more than that I want them to know the God who gave them life and know that He not only created them, but that He wants relationship with them and loves them. My heart breaks thinking that any would perish without the opportunity to know and accept the King of kings, the Lord of lords, the Risen Savior.


Shine your light and let the whole world see.
We're singing for the glory of the RISEN KING!

- Ashley

A week at MMS Aviation

During my spring break I was able to spend the week at MMS Aviation in Coshocton Ohio with a group of LeTourneau students and faculty. MMS is dedicated to maintaining and repairing aircraft that serve in the mission field both overseas and in the US. The service they provide saves hundreds of thousands of dollars for mission organizations across the globe.

I worked almost exclusively on a Cessna 206 which will be returning to service in Honduras when it is complete. When this aircraft first came to MMS they discovered severe corrosion of the airframe which had to be repaired for the aircraft to be safe. The aircraft was gutted and has been almost rebuilt from the ground up. I worked on installing a Robertson STOL Kit and repairing a portion of the right wing. STOL kits (short takeoff and landing) are installed as after market modifications and allow the aircraft to fly much slower and land on extremely short runways.

Here Scott is instructing me on the finer points of installing the Robertson STOL kit.

The leading edge of the right wing had been previously repaired but we decided to go ahead and replace a large portion of it. This required us to make a cut in the sheet metal, drill out all of the rivets that held the metal on, form a new leading edge, and then reinstall it. Unfortunately our week was ending just as Scott and I were preparing to form the complicated shape out of a sheet of flat aluminum.

Scott finally turned me loose to remove the middle portion of the leading edge and prepare it for new skin.

For more information about MMS Aviation click the link at the bottom of the page. Ashley and I are looking forward to seeing some of their crew at Oshkosh this summer!