Life is a challenge, a test, meant to help us grow and develop faith, hope, and charity. Sometimes we’re stretched to our limits, and seemingly beyond, as we face this challenge and learn to trust our Savior. We all face trials. It’s supposed to be that way. But, in those trials, we all have others placed in our path to lift us and to help us through, we just have to reach out and hold on. Then, somewhere on down our journey through life, we’ll be the ones to reach out and help another through a difficult experience because we’ve passed that way before.
Ashley’s song is about this journey and reaching out in love. As her mother, I watched Ashley feeling weighed down, struggling with decisions, as she neared the end of high school. I saw her bubbly, cheerful personality begin to fade. I felt the burden she carried and it was all too familiar. She has always loved music and singing, so I wanted to give her a song, but I am not musical. The best I could offer were the lyrics and a note suggesting that perhaps one day she could create the music.
Quite some time passed, she went off to college, and I received a call from her to let me know that she hadn’t forgotten my birthday, she was still “working on” my present. I wondered what she could be working on for me when she was 1500 miles away. About a week later I received a “sorry this is late, happy birthday” email with the song attached. She hadn’t had time to compose the entire accompaniment, but she wanted to give it to me before my birthday was too far past. It was a wonderful gift, given at a time when I needed a hand reaching out to me.
I shared it with a few friends which led to the opportunity for Ashley to share it with a large group of women assembled for a Houston Area women's meeting of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints featuring Sheri Dew, CEO of Deseret Books and inspirational speaker. Heavenly Father weaves the tapestries of our lives together in miraculous ways. For Ashley to sing her song at that meeting, many things had to come together in a very short time. Miracles occurred, people reached out to help, and it worked.
The song reached deep and touched the hearts of many women in attendance. We are grateful for that. It was a gift from a loving Heavenly Father and we are humbled and thankful for the opportunity to share it with others who may need the reminder and assurance that we are never alone. There are friends, family, and angels, seen and unseen, reaching out to help steady us through the turbulent times when our strength to hold on may falter. Our Savior loves us. He knows us and He has prepared a path back to our Father’s presence. That path is lined with people who have been prepared through their own trials and experiences to help us stay the course to our heavenly home.
Many women approached Ashley after the meeting through a variety of means wanting to know where they could find the song. We were overwhelmed and surprised by the response and decided this was the easiest way to make it available to all who want it.
You may freely download the song by clicking on the song title below. We want all who have a desire to access this song to be able to. In addition, Ashley has been called to serve an 18 month mission for The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints and will begin her service the end of August 2014. If you would like, you may contribute to her mission fund by clicking on the following button:
lyrics by Rebecca A. Brighton, music by Ashley D. Brighton with Jennifer Swanson helping with the arrangement.
© 2014 Ashley Brighton, Rebecca Brighton, Jennifer Swanson. All rights reserved.
We are in the process of making the sheet music available, so please check back for further updates.
Thank you for your interest. Please feel free to leave comments.
