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| Ashton in the spring of 2005. |
I have tried to put this into words for the last 10 years, but I could never come up with the correct words to describe the beautiful miracle that happened in my little sister. I know I need to share this story because healing happened, and the love of a Father was poured out. So here it goes:
This story begins in 2004 with a little girl who suddenly began to lose all her hair. Within 6 months of noticing hair loss she was bald. She was starting the 6th grade with no hair, but completely clothed in the strength of her Father.
She is clothed with strength and dignity, and she laughs without fear of the future.
Ashton in the spring of 2005.
After months of doctor visits and tests, the culprit was discovered. Alopecia areata - an autoimmune disorder that had begun its slow but harsh overtake on my little sister. Her immune system was overactive, and her body was choosing to calm itself down by releasing hair follicles. Along with the diagnosis from the doctor came the words that you never want to hear; there is NO cure.
Ashton began aggressive treatment to slow the disease and hopefully bring a medical stop to it. The doctors were clear that this would be a lifelong battle, and most people who lose all their hair never recover it.
In the face of intense medicines and rounds of steroid shots stood a little bald girl, strong and smiling.
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| Ashton and I the summer of 2005. |
Ashton began middle school in a wig; one that was donated by the Locks of Love foundation. When she was fitted for the wig, the doctor came out in tears. He said that he had fitted people of all ages for wigs, but he had never met anyone with the strength of the little girl sitting in his office.
As a big sister, this is a moment imprinted in my mind forever. It was the moment that I knew Ashton’s fight was going to change the lives of people.
I was right.
Ashton never missed a beat as she battled Alopecia. She continued dancing competitively, participating in school programs, and striving for all that her heart desired. She decided to keep pushing on through life despite the heartache she experienced every time she looked in the mirror. She made a decision to see beauty in herself as a daughter of the King, and not the beauty that is defined by our world today.
There were moments that the wig would come off and she would walk in freedom not worried about the stares or nasty comments from random people. She not only fought the disease, but she chose to do so in humility and strength. Alopecia was never about her struggle, but about bringing glory to God through her struggle.
Throughout the next 10 years Ashton battled Alopecia head on. (literally!)
She wore wigs for 3 years, and then regrowth started. Our small town community surrounded her in prayer. Every church and every family had Ashton on their prayer list. And the great part about our God is that He hears prayers.
Healing started in 2006 and continued. The hair started growing and growing. Then it fell out again. But this didn’t stop the prayers or the hope of a little girl determined to make a difference in her own struggle.
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| Fast forward 10 years, to today. Monday May 26, 2014. |
Ashton is now 21 years old, and she has finished her junior year of college. She has now been living with alopecia for 11 years. She is more beautiful than ever. She walks in the strength of her Father daily knowing that she is bringing glory to God every day that she wakes up and sees herself as a beautiful. She walks as a living miracle and proof of the power of prayer and the need for faith in the impossible.
THIS IS WHAT A MIRACLE LOOKS LIKE.
Here is Ashton today:
And here she is 30 minutes later.
Here stands a woman who once received a wig from Locks of Love, and now, because of our Father’s healing powers, she is able to donate her own hair to Locks of Love. It wasn’t enough for God to bring healing to Ashton and her alopecia. She knew that the blessing of healing was meant to be shared with others.
The display of love has come full circle.
Biblically, we see healing many times, but the time that really sticks out to me is the lady who had been bleeding for 12 years. At the touch of Jesus she was healed. She crawled through a crowd of people just to see and touch him, hoping that He could heal her. She could not be healed by physicians (Luke 8:43), but nothing is impossible for Jesus. She had faith and she literally fell at His feet. That is all we need.
“Daughter, your faith has made you well; go in peace and be healed of your disease.” –Mark 5:34
I have learned so much about God’s love in the last 10 years.
I have learned the power of prayer and faith.
I have learned to smile in the struggles, knowing that your joy is bringing glory to God.
I have learned to fall at the feet of my Savior and trust in Him.
and
I have learned that my hero isn’t Superman or some other super famous person. My hero is the little girl who smiled in the face of adversity and stands strong today as a woman of God looking to change the world one haircut at a time.
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