But God: Jail Ministry & Redemption with Ashley Collins (Ep 137)

Introduction

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rage to step into. So back in: 2012

Welcome Guest

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Jason: So welcome Ashley, and thank you for giving us the gift of your time today.

Ashley: Well, thank you so much for having me on your podcast. I'm very excited.

Jason: I am too. I haven't been able to talk to a lot of people who do what you do, and I think it's wonderful that you do it. Yep.

Ashley: Well, thank you very much.

Getting to Know Ashley Collins

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Jason: So, as always, I like to get the listeners the opportunity to get to know you before we really jump into our topic. Um, when you sent me the guest interest form, I had a pretty good feeling about this because your favorite Bible verse was Acts one verse eight,

uh, which goes, but you'll receive the power of the Holy Spirit when it comes on you, and you'll be my witnesses in Jerusalem and all of Juda and Sumerian to the ends of the earth. Tell us how God speaks to you through this verse.

Ashley: Many, many years ago, I did a Bible study on the Book of Acts, and so I've never really dived straight into the Book of Acts just here and there. And so once we started, and of course we started at chapter one and came across verse eight, it just hit me differently. I've read it several times, but this time.

It, it spoke to me differently. Like I felt the Holy Spirit heavy on me, um, and really asking the question, am I living out this calling that, that we are supposed to do? And so I started thinking about it. Am I sharing the gospel locally? Am I sharing the gospel regionally? Am I spreading the gospel to the ends of the earth?

So it really challenged me to kind of up my game and, and spreading the gospel.

Jason: I love that and, and many of those who listen will know that I'm in the middle of a series called Act of the Apostles. I'm going through the book of Acts and Acts one, eight is, is basically the cornerstone of the entire book. When I saw that, I'm like, I know this is gonna be awesome. 'cause this is like Right. You know, God, line this up. I know. It's, it's, it's meant to happen.

Ashley: Yes, that. And when you told me, when I went and looked your podcast, I saw that you were doing in Acts, and I was like, that is just so neat how that lined up.

Jason: Yeah, absolutely.

Ashley's Journey into Jail Ministry

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Jason: So you are originally from Tennessee. You live in Alabama now. With your husband and couple teenage teenagers.

Um, you are a wife, a mom, a church leader, a CFO media specialist, and you do prison ministry. I mean, you're basically a superhero.

Ashley: I wouldn't go that far, but, um, but, but God has definitely equipped me in all of those, in all of those ways, in, in my life, for sure.

Jason: Absolutely, yeah. Praying for the teenagers. I have one teenager. I can't imagine having two.

Ashley: I have one teenager in college and she is a sophomore at Auburn University and just got into nursing school. So we are so proud of her for getting into nursing school. Um, so she'll be starting that, uh, this coming up summer. And then I've got a son who is a junior in high school, and so he is in the throes of.

Picking out college, I think he'll go to Auburn. That's where he really wants to go. And so he wants to be an engineer. So, uh, he knows that Auburn, um, has great engineering and my husband and I both graduated from Auburn and met at Auburn. So they've grown up going, going to Auburn and have loved it.

Jason: That sounds great. I am, I'm super excited to jump into this topic. Um, before we do, is there anything else we need to know about Ashley Collins?

Ashley: Um, well, you'll kind of, I love to, to share my heart and my passion, so I know that. Through this podcast, um, your listeners will, will kind of get a PA piece of that. Um, because jail ministry and prison ministry has a big part of it right now. And so I don't have toddlers running around. I don't have, you know, elementary school students where I'm at the school every other day, which I do have some friends doing that.

So I've had, um, some extra time on my hands. And so, um, fortunately I've, I've chosen to, to spend it in jail. Um. Which I, I, I love and I, and I, and I wouldn't trade that. So, so yeah. So hopefully just my, the heart and the passion I have for, um, for jail ministry and, and, and the women that, that I teach

Jason: That's wonderful.

The Impact of Jail Ministry

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Jason: And I, I find it interesting how the spirit guides us to our purpose if we're, if we're willing to listen. And, and you touched on something that I think we skim over a lot and it's been kind of the, the theme of this, it's gonna be the theme of this, this episode. And it's like, but God moments, those. You know, you explained it best. Would you mind explaining to us what that means?

Ashley: Yes. So, um, how I just kind of, well, I didn't come up with a phrase, but the phrase kept coming up, um, in, in my jail Bible studies. So, but God, that phrase kept coming up in the scriptures. And I've looked it up and there's more than 60 times where, but God or, but the Lord is, is in the Bible and that, that doesn't even count.

But Jesus and other places, um, and then through the lady stories in the jail, they kept saying, but God, but God. So I'm like, okay. God, what? Why does this phrase keep coming up? And then I realized, so I kind of put a little definition to a but God moment. It's when you have an unexpected grace-filled turning point where God steps in and changes everything.

So you can imagine if you search in the Bible, there's many but God moments in the Bible. But then with these women who may not have known Jesus before they came to jail and then they had a but God moment alone in their jail cell, and then their life is transformed and they don't wanna go back to their previous way of living.

So we talk a lot about, but God moments and how God has saved and transformed their lives.

Jason: Yeah. God will step in the middle of things and, and I, I, you know, I have a friend who, who coined this phrase for me, but I, I, you know, I align to it, is that I'll have arguments with God. You know, I have my plan, but God comes along and I'm like, but I, but I don't wanna,

Ashley: Yeah, because some outta my comfort zone, my just. To know about what this jail ministry was and told me you're going in. And I was like, are you sure? Are you sure? Are you sure you want me to wait? You know, have that conversation. And he's like, no, you're gonna get outta your comfort zone and you're going to go into jail for me.

Jason: Right. And then things line up the way we least expect it. And, you know, we've talked, you know, I mentioned that you walked into the jail expecting to lead this one time Bible study, but, but God had other plans. Um, what, you know, what were the circumstances that led up to you walking into the jail to begin with?

Ashley: Well, it's funny, so, um. So I am the CFO and media specialist at a nonprofit called The Neighborhood Christian Center in Decatur, Alabama. So, and I've worked there for about 10 or 11 years. So this is even before I worked there. I walked in and didn't know what this nonprofit did and so I asked the director, um, what, what do y'all do here?

What ministries were y'all doing here? I was dropping off some clothes 'cause they have, uh, a clothes closet. And so they listed all these ministries and the director mentioned jail and prison ministry, and I followed it up with, oh, well, you know, tell me more about that. Just being inquisitive, not saying, Ooh, I wanna volunteer, but, but the, the director said, well, why don't you come to jail with us next Tuesday and you can find out all about it?

And before I said, no, I've got plans, or I'm busy. The Holy Spirit edge of forming was like, okay. I need there. And so again, the Holy Spirit kind led me because I been struggling a little bit with um. U using my spiritual gifts and one of the spiritual gifts I found that I had was faith. And I really wasn't using that spiritual gift.

I really was. Okay. How do you, I mean, it sounds simple, but when you like really dive down into what the spiritual gift of faith is, it's, it's more. Than just having faith of your own right. It's, it's sharing it, it's making sure other people know where your faith comes from. And so God answered that question too, because where am I gonna use my spiritual gift of faith?

And he was like, well, here's, here's a big local county jail that you can share your faith in.

Jason: Right on.

Challenges and Rewards of Jail Ministry

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Jason: And, and I mean, I mean, you did the Bible study. How did you know this was your calling? Was it pretty obvious or did you have to struggle with that for a minute?

Ashley: Oh, like walking in. So when you walk into this county jail, you have to bus through these big heavy doors, I think five of them. And then you come into the cement block room and I waited for the the women to come in and I was. I had emotions running through me. I had, I was scared, I was intimidated, I was nervous, and I was fearful of.

I'm gonna be around all these people who have committed all these crimes, which that was not the way to think. But the only thing I had known about people in jail were their mugshots on tv. You know? You know how you watch the local news and person, this person, this person, and, and I didn't think another thing of it, but when I walked in, waited for the women to come in.

They came in and my heart just sank for these women before anyone opened their mouths. And through two hours of listening to these women and listening to what they were going through, their struggles, then I'm thinking in my mind, wait, I had those struggles too, and. I found that I had a lot more in common with them than I had thought.

And so once it was over, I, you know, greeted or said bye to everybody and they're like, are you gonna come back? And I was like, well, you know, we'll we'll see. But on the way out again, the Holy Spirit pressed upon me and was like, you're gonna come back and you're gonna come back and you're gonna come back.

And at that point. I was like, I can't wait to come back to jail and see these women again. And so for 13 years I've been going in at least once a week, you know, teaching a Bible study and learning about these people's lives and kinda walking through their trials and their struggles with them, and not with that judgmental attitude, but.

What? What things do we have in common? I learn a lot more sometimes from them than they do for me. I feel like, because they teach me in what they get out a scripture. What? I get out a scripture, I.

Jason: Right. Yeah. Different perspective. And I imagine your work with these ladies has impacted your personal walk with Christ.

Ashley: Oh, absolutely. And so with going in and teaching every week, and we usually don't take a break, um, even for holidays or because they don't have holidays per, per se, in jail. It's a, you know, 365 day 24 7 thing. And so, um. So kind of going in and being consistent and then me having to be prepared to teach a Bible study.

And so it's kind of taught me to, to dig in deep and to kind of know going in what I can teach them, but also be open to what they're gonna teach me. And so they've challenged me. They've, um, you know, we're, we hold each other accountable. So when they see that. You know, if I share something, they're like, Nope, you can't do that.

You, you've gotta get in the scriptures. If you miss your quiet time three days in a row, we gotta get back on that. And so, um, and then the, the brutal honesty has kind of helped me open up about, about sin and struggles because they're so open about it, they really have nothing to lose. And so I've learned to be vulnerable and humble around these women because.

Because they have open hearts and minds and are judge judgment free when, when we all get together. So yeah, so they've challenged me a lot in my walk with the Lord.

Jason: That's amazing. And, you know, a question just popped into my head that I, I didn't think about before. You know, in 13 years, have you seen any of these ladies finish their sentence and go on outside of the, of the jail? To, to live prosperous, you know, productive lives.

Ashley: Oh yes, I, I see many of them. Um. Maybe not on a weekly basis, but they'll pop in the NCC or I'll, I'll see them out and it's, and it's fantastic. And so, um, I might be jumping ahead, but, but the book I've written, but God, I went and talked to these women that I had relationships with in jail on most of them were outta jail at the time, so.

We had to sit down and talk, or we even exchange emails if they, if we couldn't, um, sit down and have coffee together. And so it was great to revisit them and catch up if I saw 'em last week or for, if I saw them last year. So, so, yes. So I, I keep up with, with many of them.

Jason: Oh, that's amazing. And yeah, we definitely wanna jump to your book. Um, maybe, maybe in a second if that's okay. Um.

Ashley: I, I just saw a lot of these women. Through writing. Writing the book.

Jason: That's amazing though, that that's, you know, I was wondering about that just as you were, as you were talking about, um, about the, you know, how it, how it changed your personal walk with Christ.

And, you know, one, one of the things that I was, you know, I've considered it, there's no jails or prisons within proximity of me that would make it. Efficient. Um, you know, maybe that's, maybe that's a good way for me to excuse myself from doing it. But, but if somebody were genuinely interested, what, what is a typical Bible study with someone who's incarcerated look like? I mean, is it that different from outside or, or is it pretty much the same?

Ashley: Absolutely not. So what, um. They were Christian Center, the nonprofit I work for now. Um, we teach the, in the jail over 30 classes. And so that's anywhere from a life skills class to abuse to, um, addiction classes. And then strike. Strike Bible studies. So what I teach is just a Bible study. So it's usually a six to eight week study with a study guide and a video.

So we've used Priscilla Shire, Lisa Hurst, Kelly Mentor, Lisa Harper. Um, and so we go in and, and dive into either a book of the Bible or, or something maybe that. We all are, are struggling with at that time and, and we walk through with the homework. They have to do their homework just like in school. That, uh, because they're gonna get more out of it if they do their homework.

And so I ve I'm encourage that. So we'll watch a video. We'll discuss the video, we'll discuss homework. Um, and yeah. And th those, I'm, I have them for two hours. And so, but those two hours go by so quickly. I could stay in there for four hours a week just to get all that information, um, that, that we can talk about.

'cause there's so much to talk about when you're talking about God's word.

Jason: I can imagine and, and I'm sure there's unique challenges that come along with that. You know, how has God shown himself through those challenges for you?

Ashley: I mean through, through the women and through how, through their stories, through them being so vulnerable in. Speaking about their, their past addictions, their past struggle, their past abuse. And when they bring that up, we try to walk through it. And there's usually someone else in the class who has been through a similar situation or almost the exact situation.

So then they get to talk. Um, and so that's great because the, the women are housed in six different pods and so. All the women in my class don't get to talk or see each other unless they're housed in the same pod. So this is a time for them to, to talk to others that they might not talk to on a regular basis and, and get help from if, if they're struggling with the same thing or have something in their past that has really been weighing on them, and they just, they just talk it out.

So I like that that gives them the capability of that.

Jason: That's amazing. And anyone who spent like a minute in the faith knows that we're all broken. And, and we, we had talked about this a little bit I think in our previous conversation, that, that there's probably some significant brokenness with these women, um, like deep places of brokenness. And, you know, I'm wondering how you, how do you present the gospel in a way that meets them where they are?

Ashley: Yes. So we, we just go straight to God's word. It doesn't matter denominations, it, we, we talk about God's word. And so, you know, whatever they're struggling with, we can, we can find it in there. And so, I kind of alluded to this, but you know, you can read a verse for a hundred times and then. If you're in this season and you read it the hundred first time and it just jumps off the page and was like, I never thought about that verse like that before because of the season that you're in.

So, so we'll talk about that. And so it's nothing that, that I teach or preach to them or, or they teach me, but we, we go to the word and that's where it starts and that's where it ends.

Jason: That's amazing. Yeah. And, and I do wanna circle back to Acts one verse eight for a second and then, you know, jump into. Your book, but Jesus tells his apostles there that they will be his witness in Jerusalem and all judaeans Samaria to the ends of the earth. Now, Samaria wasn't really a place that the apostles wanted to go.

There's a lot of religious animosity between the Jews and the Samaritans. Um, they had overcome this in order to preach the gospel there, which Philip did. Um, but do you, do you feel like jail ministry is that Samaria for disciples of Christ? For a lot of people, they, they look at that and it's like, that's not really a place I wanna go. But it's desperately needed.

Ashley: Right. And so like I said with that verse, it not only resonated with me, it changed. Challeng. And so I have been to Uganda twice on a mission trip, and actually I just got back this summer. Um, I spent a week in Costa Rica doing prison ministry there, which was amazing. So I'd been on, on the, on the mission field in, in Africa and Costa Rica and then locally.

I've been in the mission field with, with, with helping start, um, a church a few years ago and working for a nonprofit and, and working that way. So that middle part, what what you are saying, you know, in Judea and Samaria, where was that? Sharing the gospel there and you hit it right on the head, is that jail is kind of like the, the Samaritans, because those were the outcast in the Bible.

Think of it, these women, they felt, they feel forgotten. They feel like they're out past and outliers. And I wanna make sure that they know that that is not true according to God. Like who their identity is in God, not what people say, not what people think. And, and, and we build on that. To, to where, you know, that's where Jesus spent a lot of his times with the outcast.

And that's what, what we need to be doing. And so jail and prison ministry is just one facet of that Samaria that, that you can find in, in your area, or at least regionally, um, where you, where you can go and share the gospel with those people that need it the most.

Jason: Absolutely, and I mean, you, you nailed a point that I, I had a note on it that, you know, Jesus went to the margins of society. He sought people. Who were intentionally overlooked by the mainstream religious leaders, the, the lepers, the tax collectors, women of questionable re reput, demon possessed, I mean, all the people that nobody else wanted to get near. That's where he went. And, and I, you know, in, in a lot of ways I see, you know, the, the ministry that you're doing mirrors that aspect of Jesus. And you know, and I know there's a lot of other people doing it, and I, I'm just wondering if you, would you agree with that?

Ashley: Oh abs. Absolutely. Absolutely.

Jason: Great.

Ashley's Book: 'But God'

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Jason: Let's get into the meat of it. Your book? Yeah. You have a book that's, it's, I think you said it's still with the publishers. It's coming out soon, hopefully.

Um, but God is, is the main title, uh, if I got that right.

Ashley: yes.

Jason: Awesome. So give me the 30,000 foot on it. What, what this book gonna be for the readers.

Ashley: Well, and I, I want the readers to know, so it's, it's a 31 day devotional and so I take 31, but God scriptures. Pair them with a but God story from an inmate in Alabama and how those correlate together. Now, I want everyone to know this is not just for the ones that are incarcerated. We can learn a lesson from each of these stories that, that are in the devotional.

And so, you know, we talk about forgiveness, we talk about hope, we talk about, um. Mending relationships. That's something we all, um, some at one time or another, maybe, you know, have in our life that, that we need to, um. Need to overcome and, and do that. And so, um, so I hope this, this devotional it. It'll be a short read, but these stories are incredible.

So I cannot wait to get these women. And I have two men actually, so I teach strictly to women. But then I have run into, um, two men who were also incarcerated, um, who gave me their stories. And so, um, it's, it'll, it'll be for men and women, just stories of hope and healing and transformation. That, that but God moment, sometimes even save, even save their life.

Um, because they have many stories where, um, I think two of them might we're gonna end their life and then the police barged in and arrested them that night. And so that's saving their life. Take them to jail. And, um, and a lot of them say, God saved my life by putting me in jail. And so what I like to call divine timeouts and, and, you know, maybe our divine timeout is not necessarily in jail, but, but God intercedes and, and he protects us.

And so, um, so I, I can't wait for these stories of, of hope to come out and just be an inspiration to, to the reader.

Jason: Yeah, hopefully you'll, you'll email me when it comes out and I can

Ashley: Oh,

Jason: it on, on Facebook and whatnot, but I'm excited to see what that's all about and it's, I mean, I can't even imagine the depth. Of, of need for things like forgiveness and hope, and I mean, just everything that Jesus stands for when they're inside of a jail. Um, those things must be elusive and hard and hard to wrap their arms around. Like I just, I can't even imagine it.

Ashley: So, so the, so these stories are, yes, they're from women who are currently incarcerated or have been incarcerated, but again, the stories from the scripture. And then these, the stories in the devotional will, will hopefully challenge you. I, I have a, a at the very end I have a section called My Heart Notes.

So it's something where you can write down, um, what you've learned and maybe what you're gonna try to do, how to apply what you've learned in that day's reading to your.

Jason: Any, and I mean, there's anything that acts has taught me so far. Uh, I think, what was that? Acts three, chapter three or four with the, the man who couldn't walk, who was carried to, uh, the beautiful Gate every day. Begged for money. And he did this for what he was like over 40 years old. His entire life was, was just existing in this, in this cycle of being carried there, sitting there hopeless, hoping for scraps and you know, that was his prison. And you know, you don't have to break the law and be in jail to be stuck in your own prison and, and need Jesus to break you out. It's, it's just, you know, there's so much alignment there. I think this book will be great for everyone.

Ashley: I hope so. Now, again, I'm not a writer. I actually the only. Class at dropped at Auburn was Journalism 1 0 1.

Jason: Excellent.

Ashley: I don't want it. But again, the Holy Spirit. Now it took, it took me a little bit longer for me to say yes, to write a book. I'll, I'll just say that like it's been a couple years to have this idea, and it's finally, hopefully in the next, um, month or two, will come to fruition and get, and be published and be available where, you know, on Amazon and my own website.

And just for, for whoever wants to have a, a, another 31 day devotional of of Hope.

Jason: Oh, that's wonderful. And I, you know what I, I meet so many people doing this podcast and most of them. Who are authors will say, you know, classify you as an author who are, you know, because none of them feel that they're authors are like, I was just told to write a book and I did, and these are some of the greatest books that I've read.

They're not mainstream. Uh, I wish they were, or a lot of them.

Um, you know, I would love to find a way to make them more mainstream, but, but it's those moments where God is like, Hey, you know, you're an engineer or a doctor, or, um, a teacher or whatever, but I want you to write about this. And when they finally do it, it's just, it's amazing because it's very heartfelt, it's very organic. So I am looking forward to it for sure.

Ashley: Thank you very much.

Jason: Welcome.

Final Thoughts and Encouragement

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Jason: so when, when someone reads your book. they they turn the last page and close the book. What do you hope that reader walks away with?

Ashley: Really just a sense of hope, a belief that God is in every circumstance, the good, the bad, and the ugly. Um, and that God will step in in his time for our good and his glory.

Jason: That's, that seems simple enough, like I love it. Oh, right. Um, okay. So we'll, we'll go ahead and wrap this up and we'll be respectful of time. Do you have any final thoughts, any final words for the listeners?

Ashley: Well, I just am, am excited to, um, to talk about jail and prison ministry. I, I feel that it is, um, a ministry that kind of people, if they hear about it, they kind of look at it from afar. But, um, and that's what I wanna do in, in the next year to, is to just inform people more about jail and prison ministry and how they can get involved, um, whether it's in their local jail or, or.

For a prison in their state. Um, yeah, there is some things you have to walk through, like a background check and training and, but, but you know, it's, it's not a whole lot of time. I will tell you that. I can, I can promise you it'll be a lot more rewarding than you can ever imagine. And so I just hope that, um, if you are interested in jail or prison ministry, you, you kind of do a little research on your own to see, to see what's around and to see if there's a church or nonprofit going into the local jail or prison in in your area and, and sign up to volunteer.

'cause we're always looking for volunteers in, in Decatur and our Morgan County Jail. That's the county that I'm in.

Jason: That's wonderful. That's wonderful. So looking forward to the book. When you're out there doing your thing, be aware of those, but God moments, be aware of the, the marginalized and, and what God has, has you out there doing for them as well. And Ashley, I apologize in the intro, I forgot to plug your website.

It's ashley be collins.com. I will put that in the show notes along with, I think you sent me your Instagram. So all of the information I have on you, I will put in the show notes for the listeners when, when they listen to this, they can click on all those links and, and get your information. And like I said, once the book comes out, you know, if you let me know, I'll shoot out, a message on Twitter and or XX, Facebook, LinkedIn, all that stuff and I'll let everyone know.

So, but thank you so much. I appreciate all that you do and, and your time here. Um, it's greatly appreciated.

Ashley: Well, I appreciate your time and you taking the time today to just have a conversation with me, even though you have no idea who I, who I was. Uh, but we had that, you know, conversation, um, previously and just got to know each other a little bit. So I appreciate you going on a limb for the strange person in Alabama.

Jason: Yeah, you know.

Ashley: on your podcast.

Jason: You know, God has been very, very gracious with the people he sent my way. Um, and you're no exception. You're great. I love it. I love what you do. I hope we stay in touch. Um, but it's, it's good because, you know, I get different perspectives on, on the world, you know, you know, I read, I go to church, I read in my Bible, I do, uh, like my men's group, uh, whatever.

But it's all within my little, my little bubble. Um, so when I get to talk to people like you, my bubble gets bigger and I appreciate that.

Ashley: Great.

Jason: So, all right, well that's Ashley. Thank you again. Uh, until next time, keep loving your neighbors, dive into God's word daily. May the Lord bless you and keep you and fill you with his peace. Take care. God bless. God bless you, Ashley, and we'll see you in the next episode.

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