Hi, I’m Ashley.

Wife. Mom of seven. Writer. Woman of faith. And still figuring a few things out.

I’m so glad you’re here.

I’m Ashley, the woman behind A Pile of Ashes. I’m a wife, a mom to seven children, a pastor, a business owner, and a woman who has spent a good portion of her life trying to figure out how to do all the things without completely losing herself in the process.

Some days I think I’ve got it figured out.

Other days, someone goes to school without shoes, the laundry has taken over the house, I can’t remember the last time I drank a cup of coffee while it was still hot, and I’m wondering how I’m somehow responsible for knowing where everyone else’s belongings are.

Such is life.

But somewhere between raising children, building businesses, loving my husband, serving in ministry, and navigating the unexpected turns life has thrown our way, I’ve learned a few things.

Mostly, that life can be incredibly beautiful and incredibly hard. Sometimes all in the very same day.

And I think we should be able to talk about both.

A Little About My Life

I’ve spent much of my adult life raising babies, making a home, loving my family, and pouring myself into the people and things that matter most to me.

Our home is full. Seven children, two dogs, chickens (outside), a whole lot of noise, and more shoes than any family should reasonably own.

I love a beautiful home, a good meal around the table, meaningful traditions, and those ordinary family moments that you don’t realize are extraordinary until they’re gone.

I love creating things. Designing spaces. Writing words. Dreaming up ideas. Finding ways to make everyday life a little more intentional, organized, meaningful, and beautiful.

I also know what it’s like to feel completely overwhelmed by the very life you love.

I’ve experienced seasons when everything seemed to be falling into place and seasons when I wondered how much more could possibly fall apart.

I’ve learned that you can be grateful for your life and still wish certain parts of it were different.

You can love motherhood and still miss pieces of the woman you used to be.

You can have faith and still have questions.

You can believe God is good and still be deeply disappointed by what life has handed you.

And you can be surrounded by people you love and still feel lonely sometimes.

I don’t think we talk about those things enough.

Why A Pile of Ashes?

I started writing more than two decades ago, long before social media became what it is today or before it even existed , before every moment needed a photograph, a caption, or a perfectly curated presentation.

Writing has always been a place for me to process life, share what I’m learning, and hopefully make another woman feel a little less alone.

Over the years, both my life and this space have changed.

And the name A Pile of Ashes has taken on a deeper meaning.

It comes from the promise in Isaiah 61 that God can give us beauty for ashes.

But I’ve come to understand something about that promise.

We don’t have to wait until every difficult thing in our lives is resolved before we can recognize something beautiful.

Sometimes the ashes are still there.

The circumstances haven’t changed. The answers haven’t come. The story isn’t neatly wrapped up with a beautiful ending.

And yet, there is laughter around the dinner table.

There are children growing up right before our eyes.

There are friendships, celebrations, family traditions, new recipes, little victories, and ordinary Tuesday afternoons worth remembering.

There is still a life to be lived.

That’s what I want this space to be about.

What You’ll Find Here

A Pile of Ashes is a little bit of everything that makes up a woman’s life.

We’ll talk about marriage, motherhood, family, home, health, wellness, faith, relationships, and the everyday things that make life both wonderful and exhausting.

Some days you’ll find something funny about raising a houseful of children.

Other days we might talk about the mental load of motherhood, finding time to take care of ourselves, creating a beautiful home on a budget, or learning to navigate a difficult season.

There will be practical advice, personal stories, encouragement, honest conversations, and probably a few things that make you laugh because you’ve lived them too.

I’ve organized this space around three ideas:

The Ashes — The difficult things. The disappointments, the struggles, the questions, and the parts of life we don’t always know how to talk about.

The After — What we’re learning along the way. The growth, the perspective, the decisions, and the small steps forward.

The Beauty — All the wonderful life happening in between. Motherhood, family, home, celebrations, traditions, laughter, and the ordinary moments worth making beautiful.

You don’t have to be going through something difficult to belong here.

You just have to be living life.

One More Thing You Should Know About Me

My faith is a big part of who I am.

It shapes the way I see the world, the way I raise my children, the way I love people, and the hope I hold on to when life doesn’t make sense.

But I don’t have every answer.

I haven’t mastered motherhood, marriage, homemaking, or balancing all the responsibilities that come with being a woman.

And I’m certainly not going to pretend that I have.

I’m learning, too.

I believe there’s something valuable about women sharing their experiences honestly. Not because we all live the same lives or believe the same things, but because there’s so much we can learn from one another.

And I believe there’s room for faith, humor, hard conversations, practical advice, and beautiful everyday living all in the same place.

So, Welcome.

Whether you came here looking for encouragement, a little inspiration for your home, something to make motherhood easier, a good laugh, or simply someone who understands what you’re going through, I hope you’ll find something worth staying for.

I hope you’ll feel comfortable enough to pull up a chair, stay awhile, and join the conversation.

Because life isn’t just about the ashes.

It’s about everything that happens in between.

And there’s so much beauty to be found there.

I’m really glad you’re here.

With love,