Crista Ashworth

A lifelong worshipper and musician, Crista loves to sing, play and minister to the Lord through music. She is married to Tim Ashworth and has two young children, Claire and Graham. Wife and mom responsibilities keep her busy, but she is also very involved in ministry at Gateway Church with worship and teaching for women’s groups as well as the women’s prophetic team. Crista is a contributing writer for Destiny in Bloom, a women’s online magazine, and hosts her own personal blog, Dishes and Diapers: Hope for Moms in the Trenches.

Tell us about your GROW experience:
I was blessed to grow up in a family who loved and followed Jesus. I learned about Him from birth – I think my parents took me to church when I was 2 weeks old… So, I came to the age of reckoning with God very early. I gave my heart to Jesus when I was 7, and followed Him with the help and encouragement of my family. But the first monumental growth in my spiritual life happened when I was in high school. I went to school in Ft. Worth, and several older friends of mine took me with them to Waco on a Monday night to Baylor University. There was a worship and teaching time on campus called Choice (with Louie Giglio!) - for the university students – but we found a sweet touch of God there and crashed it every week! That is where I learned to abandon myself in worship to my Savior and where I truly fell in love with Him. Those Monday nights in His presence shaped every other decision to come in my life.

What is one of the greatest things you learned on your journey from Grow to KNOW?
When you are growing, you are developing trust. I think the greatest thing I have learned on my journey is that I can absolutely trust and rely on God. His love is wild – in a savage sort of way – and it is consuming and invigorating. He always has my back and He always comes through. I KNOW He is for me. He is cheering me on, empowering me, providing for me, leading me and flowing through me. He has proved Himself over and over in the story of my life.

What do you think your unique call is to GLOW?
I believe that God has called me to worship Him with my whole being, and to bring others along when I do. I feel like He has given me a voice to proclaim His truth and goodness through teaching, mentoring and making people laugh. And I know that He has charged me to storm into the darkness and bring His precious ones out into the Light.

Sarah Birkbeck

A graduate of Oral Roberts University, Sarah Birkbeck has used her Business degree in the past three years as an event manager for Evangelist Reinhard Bonnke. Traveling the world as an event manager for an evangelistic ministry has allowed Sarah to see and experience a broad spectrum of life and ministry. She is married to James Birkbeck and has her first baby on the way. Alongside her husband James, Sarah is a small business owner and entrepreneur; their vision is to help non-profit organizations become more successful. Becoming a mommy is Sarah’s new focus recently as she continues to pursue what the Lord has in her heart. She desires to connect with women and run together in this race of life.

Tell us about your GROW experience:
I was raised in a Christian home; my father was a pastor for the majority of my childhood. Having parents in the ministry did not mean I was ‘saved’; in fact I was far from it. During the majority of my teen years I rebelled against God, my parents and anything related to the church. It wasn’t until I had my own personal encounter with God, at one of the many church camps I attended, which completely revolutionized my life. I was 18 years old in my senior year of high school when all of the sermons, prophetic words spoken over my life, prayers and speeches about this ‘so called’ God came to life for me. He came into my heart and I was never the same. I returned home from the weekend away, broke up with my heathen boyfriend, witnessed to all my unsaved friends and set out to attend Christ for all Nations Bible School after graduating. God had picked me out of the mess I called life and gave me a new life of freedom and victory and I have been on an adventure ever since.

What is one of the greatest things you learned on your journey from Grow to KNOW?
FEARS… fear of rejection, fear of failure and fear of lack have been some of my biggest struggles through this growing experience. Over the years, through the trials and through the challenges the Lord has continued to show himself faithful to never reject, never let me fall and continually provide for all of my needs. Through many experiences He has taught me that He created me unique and for a purpose that only I can fulfill. So as I continue to grow into knowing more of Him, I gain courage to simply be the best Sarah I can… because there is only one.

What do you think your unique call is to GLOW?
Glowing for Jesus alone would just not be as fun, or bright, as if we all Glowed together. I feel called to help draw a unique group of women together from the DFW area to Grow, Know and Glow for His kingdom purposes. Together we can shine brighter than apart. God has a specific purpose for each individual woman of Glow, I am excited to take this journey together as women of God discovering our purposes and helping populate heaven!

Kerrie Oles

Kerrie is a speaker and an author, of “Invisible Chains,” that she co-wrote with her mother. Most importantly, she is hopelessly in love with Jesus who saved her! She has an extensive background in corporate training and speaking and from that foundation that God allowed in her life, she has uncovered her passion for delivering God’s word. She is also a contributing writer for Destiny in Bloom, and online women’s magazine. However, her three best treasures on the face of this planet are: Her husband Phillip, who was her knight in shining armor, and the two cutest boys in the world! With her love for the Lord and her love to laugh, her life’s passion has become ministering to the hearts of women, and helping them pursue a life of freedom from the chains that have them bound.

Tell us about your GROW experience:
I didn’t grow up in church, and I met Jesus really late in life. However, I’ve been running after Him ever since! When I became saved and had been attending and serving at church for several years, I went virtually, physically blind for three days. In the time that I was hospitalized I was tested for many horrific illnesses and just knew it was my time to die. However, three days and many tests later would only prove to show me that I had been living in a religion with Jesus instead of “personal relationship.” Through that experience I learned that I had been physically blind for three days, but spiritually blind for years. Because I realized I had been trying to “be good” enough for God to love me. My grow experience was definitely learning that Jesus doesn’t love me for the person I will become; He loves me for the person I already am and was.

What is one of the greatest things you learned on your journey from Grow to KNOW?
Throughout my journey of growing, what I have come to truly understand and know on such a deeper level is that my past doesn’t dictate my future. Studies show that one of the biggest deterrents for people is the reality of their past life. We have some conscious belief that people with a sorted past cannot be used by God. As I have come to know the word of God, I know that is quite the opposite. Throughout scripture are people with very tainted pasts, and God used them in mighty ways. I know my life and all that it has been is no surprise to God, and since He is the redeemer of everything, He not only knew my past; now He uses it! My past cannot stand in the way of my purpose.

What do you think your unique call is to GLOW?
Jesus was and is the light of this world, and because He lives in us we all GLOW for Him. We each have a unique way our light shines and for me, I will bring people to Jesus by the blood of the lamb and the word of my testimony as it says in Rev 12:11. We all have a story to tell about what our lives looked like before Jesus, how we met Him, and how our life has changed since we’ve known Him. There is great power in that, and that is how I GLOW for Him, using my personal testimony to tell others what He has done in my life!