Main Thing Podcast
This podcast encourages others to love God and people by leading them to know and follow Jesus’ truth.
Main Thing Podcast
INSIDE COVENANT | Ashley Donnes
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We sit down with our children’s pastor, Ashley Donnes, to talk about her family’s foster care and adoption story, the moment God met her in a hard season, and why she chose to start serving right away. We also share how we disciple kids with real worship and clear gospel teaching, and how that investment often reaches whole families.
• Coming to faith through a crisis and getting baptized
• Choosing to serve immediately and trusting God to equip
• Kids revival services with worship, gospel clarity, and response time
• Why children can grasp the gospel and lead their families toward church
• What VBS is designed to teach and why it matters as outreach
Keep The Main Thing Central
SPEAKER_01Main Thing podcast with Pastor Steve, equipping you to respond and thrive in the world we live in today. Keep the main thing the main thing has been a saying that Pastor Steve has told for decades. It means no matter what is happening around us, Jesus is what we need to have front sin in our lives. There couldn't be a more powerful reminder for us to recall in today's divisive and dark culture. From foundational truths and scripture to the hot topics of today's culture. Allow this podcast to inspire and motivate you on your faith journey.
Meet Ashley And Her Family
SPEAKER_01Well, hello everyone. Welcome to Main Thing Podcast. We are on episode 42. And we're excited that you're joining us. We have Ashley Donez, our children's pastor, here with us today. And so we get to learn a little bit about Ashley. So hey, Ashley, welcome.
SPEAKER_00Hi, I'm excited to be here.
SPEAKER_01Yes, we're excited you're here. And we have a lot of questions. So let's dive right in. Okay. So tell us a little bit about you, a little bit about your family and how your family is unique.
SPEAKER_00Okay. Well, we have a lot of kids, large family. Um, we have five kids. And so we had three kids of our own, me and Brad. And then the Lord um put fostering on our hearts. And so we are very blessed. We were able to adopt two brothers through um through fostering. We did it five years, and um the Lord really blessed us with those two. So we are complete.
SPEAKER_01Now the question is, how crammed is the vehicle when you guys go places? So or do you you have some kids that can drive, right?
SPEAKER_00So I do. And that's the thing. We have all the way a 17-year-old to a three-year-old, a lot of different ages. Um, so yes, 17-year-old drives, can bring his sister places. So um honestly, it's a little sad. We're not all in the car a lot at the same time now.
SPEAKER_01Is that something you miss?
SPEAKER_00I do, I do. Um, because Rowan swims every day um in Thibodeau, and I used to drive him and we would talk. That gave us 25 minutes. So I kind of it was a little sad when he started driving. But then after about two weeks, um, it was a blessing. Yeah, it was a blessing because I'm a taxi.
SPEAKER_01So yes, which by the way, he has uh really excelled in swimming, hasn't he?
SPEAKER_00Yes, he has, he has. He found something he really um loves, loves to be active, loves to work out, and he's all into being competitive.
SPEAKER_01Yeah, that's awesome. That's awesome. I saw a write-up about him on uh Facebook the other day, so it sounds like he's he's doing really well.
SPEAKER_00Yes, he's really inspired me through um he had to stop playing football because of a back condition, and he just tried something new. He's taken off with it and put all the hard work in and um just he always has a positive attitude about it.
SPEAKER_01That's what it's all about. I love that. Yeah, you know, one thing doesn't work out, but instead of just sitting and sulking, try another. Yeah. That's a good attitude to have as a young man. Yes. That's awesome.
Rest, Date Nights, And Encouragers
SPEAKER_01So, Ashley, what's your favorite thing to do in order to recharge charge, refresh yourself outside of ministry? Because I I know the the viewers and listeners, uh, some understand, but some don't. Like our life is ministry and ministry is our life. Yeah. And so what what do you do to kind of unplug?
SPEAKER_00Um, so date nights are important. And I think um we do a pretty good job at really trying to make that happen once a week. Um, and just we kind of have an agreement like, look, we love our kids and everything else, but like we're not gonna talk about them. We're just gonna laugh, focus on us, and just have fun, use that time. Um, and I think that's really important. And I always leave laughing and just refreshed, you know. We love to spend time and laugh together. So that can be challenging because there's seasons where even in ministry it gets really busy, um, the schedules get really busy, then it slows down a little bit. Um, but just being intentional, even if it's staying at the house, sitting in the backyard having coffee, talking, use the time you have, be creative, but make it happen. And um always leave refreshed. And another thing too is um having coffee with, I have a special friend that every time I, you know, go and sit with her and have coffee, we always talk about what God's doing in our lives. And um, we're just we lift each other up and speak life into each other and always leave refreshed and just ready to take on the week. It's usually a Sunday afternoon and going into Monday is, you know, Amen. Yeah, it feels a lot better. So um that's some things that I enjoy.
SPEAKER_01We all need a barnabas in our life, right? An encourager.
SPEAKER_00Yes, yes.
SPEAKER_01I love that. I and you know, we have small kids as well. So to find that time sometimes is difficult. But I would bet having older kids to help create that space is probably a blessing as well.
SPEAKER_00It is, and we will let them know look, you're serving tonight, you know.
SPEAKER_01Um you're gonna earn your food this week.
SPEAKER_00We we pay sitters sometimes, but sometimes it's like, look, y'all are gonna come together and do this. And they really they really do a great job. Yeah. So it's kind of like a Rhodes and Mini Brad, Brooklyn's a mini me's now. Yeah, you know, but they really do a great job on just giving us that time and stepping up.
SPEAKER_01Speaking of Brad, it's his birthday today.
SPEAKER_00It's his birthday, yes. We're gonna get a cake and celebrate for him.
SPEAKER_01Nice. Um, what kind of cake does he like or um cheesecake? Cheesecake. Yes. Okay, yes, cheesecake is good.
SPEAKER_00Yes. So we're excited when he comes home. He'll have a nice party reading for him. We're gonna decorate one's bacon brownies, and we're gonna go buy a cheesecake.
SPEAKER_01That's what's up. We I don't I don't know what tradition y'all have. So Nicole started this. Um, we don't really do like huge birthday parties. It just invite a couple of friends, the kids invite a couple of friends or whatever. But um, what we do do is like the night before a birthday, Nicole will decorate or we'll make a banner. That way when they wake up, it's like, oh hey, it's a birthday, you know, and celebrate it as a family. Yeah. And just reminds me of what's the way they wake up in the morning. Yeah. What y'all are doing tonight. So I think that's pretty cool. Special moments.
SPEAKER_00Yes, yes.
SPEAKER_01Yeah. I think uh just a little side note, I think that is a good thing for families to do to celebrate one another. Yes. You know, especially the like kids seeing the parents celebrate each other.
SPEAKER_00Yes.
SPEAKER_01And like that they're in unison together, they support one another, they love one another.
SPEAKER_00I agree.
SPEAKER_01I think that's a really that's a precious truth in today's time.
SPEAKER_00Yes, yes.
SPEAKER_01For them.
SPEAKER_00Yeah.
From Crisis To Faith And Serving
SPEAKER_01Awesome. So, Ashley, tell us a little bit like how'd you come to faith in Christ and lead you to the church that used to be downtown and now Covenant Church here?
SPEAKER_00Yes, we love it here. It's family. Um so 15 years ago, let's see, Rowan was two at the time, and Brooklyn was three weeks old, a brand new baby. But we went through something challenging with her. And I had a moment, you know, in my life as a mother, as a wife, I felt hopeless and um just not sure how I would get through it all. And my sister, Alicia, um, actually invited me to church and she had recently accepted Christ. Um, so I started going, started hearing the word, getting in the word. Um, the first book I read was The Purpose-Driven Life. And I just started getting into that. And um, it was one Sunday I accepted Christ and I was baptized at the old First Baptist. Um, everything changed. I got plugged into a Bible study right away, and I immediately just started serving. The Lord just knew I loved kids, and yeah, I didn't have to hesitate. I knew that that's where I wanted to get plugged in.
SPEAKER_01Okay, so let's pause.
SPEAKER_00Yeah.
SPEAKER_01So you didn't stay in a Bible study for 20 years before you started serving. You just started serving right when you got saved.
SPEAKER_00I just wanted to. Look at that. Yes, I did. I did. I love it.
SPEAKER_01I love it. And I say that facetiously because so many people think they have to gain all this knowledge before they just serve the Lord. That's true.
SPEAKER_00And yeah, I mean, I did not grow up reading the Bible or having a Bible in the home. But um, you know, I know when you accept Christ, He has a plan and a purpose. And he gives everybody gifts, you know, and don't hold back if he puts something on your heart. Just be obedient. And if you're in the word, he will equip you. That's right.
SPEAKER_01I'm learning that.
SPEAKER_00I mean, he will equip you, you know. So definitely.
SPEAKER_01Amen. So you got saved, you got baptized, you started serving, and then you began to find your love for a certain kind of ministry.
SPEAKER_00Yes, yes, and children, and we fostered, and so everything we did was yeah, pretty much children and ministry.
SPEAKER_01Yeah, yeah. And so I know your your love, uh, passion that you developed was fourth and fifth grade girls, right?
SPEAKER_00That's where I started. That's where you started. When it was kid boss, yes, yes.
SPEAKER_01And then uh after time you started doing a little more leadership roles in the ministry.
SPEAKER_00Yes. Um, that was when Jenny Evans was here. Um, we had visited um New Springs Church, in which it's all and just observed their children's ministry. And we were just meeting, talking about different ideas, and um I just prayed about other areas I could serve in, and I started getting on stage, doing a little here and there. Um, and I still was kind of in the fourth and fifth girl small group, but starting to, you know, do more of the on stage and speaking and and teaching side of things. Um and the first time I got up there, I was definitely a little nervous. But as I started doing it more and more, I I loved it. You know, I really did. And um, and then I got to spend three years with Paige, who was here. Um, and she really just poured into me. And I remember when she first got here, there would be times where service, we were in worship and co-kids, and she would just say, Hey, get up there and go pray for us, or get up there and talk about the worship song and on the spot, and I'm like, Yes, okay, and I'll just do it. Um, but she just really had a way of like seeing things in people, seeing the gifts God's given them, and just this way of like, you're gonna do this, you know. Um, without her doing that and without um just serving alongside her, you know, I don't think I'd had have the growth that I have, you know, in in doing everything. And we got to do chapel with her for three years and we loved that, and I still love chapel. So I'm thankful for that time and how God used that definitely.
Kids Revival And Real Worship
SPEAKER_01And then just from what I've seen uh and what my kids have t have told me, you know, we had revival back in January. Yes. And you decided to basically have revival services for the kids, like not just fun and games, but like worship and a message and allowing them to respond. And I can attest just my kids coming up to me every night. Hey, dad, you know, the Lord told me to pray for so and so, or wow, Miss Ashley invited me to come forward. So I came forward because I felt like God wanted me to do this or God wanted me to do that. And to hear, to hear a child say, I heard that God wanted me to do something, what more could you want? You know what I mean? So I mean, talk on that a little bit.
SPEAKER_00How that blesses me, you know, to hear that. Um, so I was in prayer about that and should I do it, should I not? And God really just put it on my heart. Um, and always like to say, you know, this isn't babysitting. Let's get as much Jesus in these kids as we can. Right. Um, let's use every minute of that time. And, you know, not knowing how long revival would go in the main worship center. I prayed a lot about the timing, every detail in the service. And God just, I mean, he showed up, he moved, he used every minute. Um, we had our time of worship, we had um our message about coming alive and Jesus. What does that look like in their life? And there was, I don't think there was any child in there that just wasn't looking up, focused, listening, taking it in. And then um, we had this one night and we were doing a slow worship song make room, and the entire room of kids, every kid was singing and lifting their hands. And I mean, I had tears in my eyes on stage, just looking down, being there, just looking how God was working in their hearts. Um, and that night our message feed was blowing up for co-kids, like that was amazing, you know. I'm so blessed to be here and to serve. It was just a great time. And we also had, you know, a time of prayer on some nights and the response like use the response time, just like we would have, you know, for adults. Um, you know, I think people can underestimate what a child can grasp and take in and they can receive the gospel message just like adults. Um, we communicated on their level and God works in them and you know, they're not too young.
SPEAKER_01Right.
SPEAKER_00And so we had a lot of kids come up for prayer and just um it was just a blessing. You go into something wanting to bless them and hit all to go well.
SPEAKER_01Yeah.
SPEAKER_00But I leave blessed. Yeah. And so it was a a sweet time. Yeah.
SPEAKER_01That's right. Yeah. That's right. And I, you know, a lot of ways, um, in order to get to the family, it's through the child.
SPEAKER_00Yes.
SPEAKER_01I mean, we've seen that here as a church body over and over and over again.
SPEAKER_00I actually have a really special story. Um we had a girl recently, she had got baptized, but she started coming here because of VBS. They weren't going to church before. And after VBS was over, she's like, Mom, we need to go to church. We need to go to church. And so her mom told me, like, it's she's the reason why we're here. She's the reason I'm plugged in a Bible study and attending church now because she kept, she was adamant about we need to go, we need to go. And um, those kind of stories that reminds me, you know, why I do what I do.
SPEAKER_01Right.
SPEAKER_00So that that was definitely that vision that um you're talking about,
VBS Details And Why It Matters
SPEAKER_00you know.
SPEAKER_01Yeah. And uh on that note, Sean, this episode mid-May, roughly, it's gonna be enough time. I think registration will still be open for VBS. Yes, sir. So that if you can confirm that for me, yeah. So yeah, so I mean that's a plug. Maybe talk a little bit about VBS and invite people uh to register for that.
SPEAKER_00Yes. Um, and so that's uh June 15th through 19th. Registration closes June 14th at 10 p.m. Okay, so you still have time. Um, we have our VBS Sunday service. It's one of my favorite times of the summer. Um, of course, Camp Zephyr, too, but I love it. Um, there's a lot of planning, a lot of detail.
SPEAKER_01Oh goodness.
SPEAKER_00We have up to 500 kids, you know, that come. Um, but it's just all worth it at the end. You leave blessed. Um, but we're just gonna be focusing on how God is great, he's almighty, um, tracking down the one true God, understanding who God is and you know, what he can provide for us. It's gonna be a really sweet message. Um, of course, lots of fun and our skits, but um, a lot of learning. You know, we're here to learn, we're here to worship. Um, and every time we do VBS, I mean, there's tons of salvations and that's right. God does so much um through the fun. It's okay to have fun, like Pastor Steve says, but um we we use it, you know, we use it for God, for his kingdom, and um it's it's a wonderful time and one of the biggest probably events that we do.
SPEAKER_01Oh, yeah. Yeah, yeah. Um, well, I mean, honestly, the two biggest outreach events we have are the ones you lead, uh, Fall Fest and PBS. That's true.
SPEAKER_00Yes.
SPEAKER_01So I mean, you you single-handedly.
SPEAKER_00Yeah, I got through my first ones. I survived. I survived, yes.
SPEAKER_01Yeah, absolutely. All is good from here on out. That's right. Yeah, that's awesome. That's right.
Connect Night And Partnering Parents
SPEAKER_01Um, so Ashley, you've been the children's pastor now for about a year, right? A little over the year. It's a little over a year. A little over a year. And um, so you did something unique just recently. You did what you call the co-kids connect night. Yes, which was such a cool concept. So explain that to us a little bit.
SPEAKER_00Yeah. So my heart behind that was to have a night. I mean, Sundays are busy. You don't really get to talk to these parents. Um, so it was a time to come together and connect with parents and to also show them what a service looks like, what a co-kid service, what a chapel service looks like. They're not in there. Yeah. And so we want them to see and experience what their kids are, you know, alongside their kids. And it was also an outreach um, right, just to let families know hey, if you don't have a church, you know, we would love to have you here. Um, that way they can come see what co-kids is about and kind of see, hey, this is what goes on, the place where I would send my kids, you know, this is what they're learning, this is what they're doing. Um, and it was definitely a very sweet time of fellowship after. I mean, we really enjoyed it.
SPEAKER_01So it was well, you basically had to kick families out. They were still.
SPEAKER_00Yes, we, I mean, I was one, I was like talking and talking. It was a good time.
SPEAKER_01And the weather was like unlike anything in Louisiana. It was a wonderful night. It was wonderful. It just happened to be the best night ever.
SPEAKER_00I thought it was gonna rain that morning. It was so dark, but it didn't, and it was perfect. Yeah. We had so many of our leaders step up to to serve. Um, and they did amazing. Um, they were out talking with the families, connecting with them. So we have a very um amazing team.
SPEAKER_01That is something that our people do well here. Yes, they do. They really do. Yes. I wish we had more of a percentage of the church that did it, but our core group, they just they get it and they do it. Yes. And it's really a blessing.
SPEAKER_00Yes, it it is, it is.
SPEAKER_01And I I love I love the heart behind it because if we don't invest in the next generation, the world will.
SPEAKER_00Yes.
SPEAKER_01And so we as a church have to do everything we can with resources, time and energy to make sure we're reaching these kids. Um, because the world will get them.
SPEAKER_00Yeah, and that's kind of my heart is to like come alongside them. Like parenting isn't easy, especially these days. And um you know, just living for the Lord and coming alongside them and just um helping them, you know.
SPEAKER_01Right.
SPEAKER_00Um for our co-kid service, they always leave with a resource of, you know, the Bible message they learn, kind of how they can conversate at home. Uh, those are all tools that they can use. Um, and then just being a part of their life and um being able to be in the life of the family, the child is a blessing and kind of my heart in these um, you know, family-centered events that are done.
What We Want Kids To Leave With
SPEAKER_01Amen. So, Ashley, what is your favorite if you had to pick a favorite part about your ministry, about co-kids, what what would it be?
SPEAKER_00So I really love just being up on stage, bringing, you know, the message to life, um, and just having fun up there, doing what I love to do, um and looking out, you know, like we were talking about revival, just seeing the kids, seeing them worship. Um, all those things are just remind me every day why I do what I do, right? You know. So I guess.
SPEAKER_01Amen. So uh last question, what's one thing that you want the kids to leave with at a co-kids service? Like what's that one truth or that one thing you want you want them to have when they leave?
SPEAKER_00Right. So just like uh we had talked about revival, getting as much Jesus in as we can. Um something really important just about the whole, you know, co-kids experience for a Sunday is, you know, kids, they walk in with things on a Sunday, just like we may walk in with things. Um and you know, you really have to like meet them where they're at, make them feel safe and loved and welcome from the moment they come till the moment they leave. They're gonna get Jesus. They're gonna get the love of Jesus, you know, um, it's a ministry. We're gonna help these kids um and help them learn the best way that, you know, is right for them.
SPEAKER_01Right.
SPEAKER_00Um, and so something really important is that they leave with a message, with a truth, knowing, you know, God loves them, God created them, and then starting to understand the gospel. Right. Um, you know, any chance we get just sharing that gospel message on their level on a way that they can understand um every game, every activity, every object lesson, it all connects to that the message for that day. And so the goal, my goal is, you know, to reach them while they're there. You only get 45 minutes to an hour. So get as much Jesus in them, as much learning in them. Um and just Just allow them to leave with that. And you know, we make learning it fun. You know, there's all different learning styles. We try to touch on all of them. They're not robots. So you just you have to get creative. Um, and I always pray that they leave with a message, with something that they learned, a truth about God, and just knowing that they are loved.
SPEAKER_01Yeah. Amen. Amen.
Encouragement And Closing Prayer
SPEAKER_01That's powerful. Well, thank you for all that you do. Yes. And it's exciting to see the ministry grow and to watch you grow. Uh like I was meant, like I was mentioning earlier and the the co-kids connect night, listening to you speak up there and like comparing it to what I heard. And not that it was terrible last year. It's just you could see the growth. And you clearly communicated the gospel. You clearly, I mean, like I shared with you, one of my kids were distraught because they didn't sign up that night. I mean, you got the kids so pumped up that they were like, we missed BBS registration. They thought it was a time limit. So anyway, great job, Ashley. We love having you on the team and just pray that God continues to bless all that you do.
SPEAKER_00All right. Well, thank you.
SPEAKER_01Absolutely. Well, thank you guys. See you on the next one.