Dinner Tonight...Yum!

Upon my last visit to Dillon, I found my house EMPTY of anything sweet. My brother, dad, and mom have recently gone on a health kick. If you know our family, you know that we are pretty healthy anyway. And, if you know my mom, she is a wonderful and healthy cook. Now they are eating SUPER healthy.  My brother, on the other hand, since leaving our house a few years ago for college, had been indulging in fast food occasionally. So, now he has made a change for the better :) and all 3 of them are eating fish, shrimp, salad, and veggies. Where was I to find my nightly craving for a piece of chocolate? I searched the entire pantry, frig, and freezer much to my dismay. I finally resorted to a few dried pomegranate seeds...the sweetest thing I could find!

Among their new adventure has been quinoa. My mom gave me some to try, and tonight here it goes! I am making Martha Stewart's  Moroccan Salmon with Quinoa and Carrots. I can use my cilantro from the garden. Looks yummy!

God is Faithful

Much to our surprise, God has moved in the hearts and minds of believers and un-believers to allow us to raise the ENTIRE AMOUNT of money for our upcoming trip!! HE is FAITHFUL! Last week we had raised $3,800 (which is impressive in itself) and in 1 weeks time, we were at $6,200. Wow! God has provided.

Cole and I feel blessed beyond words. Many of you have given out of the selflessness of your hearts and we have learned from it! God has confirmed His calling to us to GO and "use our feet to bring good news" and "proclaim peace" and "bring good tidings" and "proclaim salvation" and "be a servant" SO THAT "all the nations and all the ends of the earth will see the salvation of our God." (all from Isaiah 52).

I am reminded of Isaiah 46:3-10 which says, "Listen to me, you whom I have upheld since you were conceived and have carried since your birth. Even to your old age and gray hairs, I am HE, I am HE who will sustain you. I have made you and I will carry you; I will sustain you and I will rescue you. To whom will you compare me or count me equal? To whom will you liken me that we may be compared...I am God and there is no other; I am God and there is none like me. I make known the end from the beginning, from ancient times, what is still to come. I say: My purpose will stand and I will do all that I please."

And of Isaiah 41:8-10: "But you, my servant, whom I have chosen, I took you from the ends of the earth from its farthest corners I called you. I said "You are my servant". I have chosen you and not rejected you. So do not fear, for I am with you; do not be dismayed, for I am your God. I will strengthen you and help you; I will uphold you with my right hand."

And of Isaiah 48"11: "We will not yield our glory to another."

Please continue in your prayers for our trip! Prayer works!

Onion or Crocus?

A Christmas gift from my mom was 3 crocus bulbs and vases. I placed them in a cold, dark place (the refrigerator) about 2 months ago. Hopefully they will begin to sprout soon!

Last week, my husband asked..."When are we going to eat these baby onions that have been in here for a while?" :) I said, "What onions?" and then I realized he was talking about the crocus bulbs! Oh man, he keeps me laughing!!

I hope they turn out like this!

http://www.restorationhardware.com/catalog/product/
product.jsp?productId=prod1214047

North Africa Bound

Cole and I will be departing for North Africa in about two months to share the gospel message of Christ and bring medical care to the Berber people. This is the letter we have recently sent out to some of our close friends and family for both monetary support and prayer. God has been SO faithful, and we have received $3,800 so far!! WOW! THANK YOU to those who are praying and giving to this mission! Our plane tickets are purchased, and we are getting really excited about the opportunities of this trip. In preparation, we have ordered 2 books on the specific place we are going and the Muslim religion, and we will be starting them soon. (Actually I plan on stating one tomorrow afternoon as I lie by the pool with my friends and celebrate my hardest few weeks of pharmacy school so far are over!) On Saturday we have a retreat with our team and we are looking forward to planning the details and growing as a team.  


If you feel called to pray and/or give, we would really appreciate your support! Here is the link: East Cooper Baptist Church. If you have any questions about it, let me know! 

“Everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved. How, then, can they call on the one they have not believed in? And how can they believe in the one of whom they have not heard? And how can they hear without someone preaching to them?”  Romans 10:13-14

“For I was hungry and you gave me something to eat, I was thirsty and you gave me something to drink, I was a stranger and you invited me in.” Matthew 25:35

Dear family and friends,

     Greetings from Charleston!  The past year and a half has been both exciting and eventful.  We love being married and have stayed busy with schoolwork. We have enjoyed growing in Christ and learning more and more about His plans for our lives, the beauty of His sovereignty, and the riches of His blessings.

     As most of you know, the Lord chose for us to meet in Honduras while serving on a medical mission team. In our letter to our wedding guests, we stated that we believe God has created us for a special purpose as a couple, as evidenced by His divine hand in bringing us to each other. We strive to and take delight in accomplishing this purpose and to have hearts that are always open and surrendered to the leading of the Holy Spirit from which God reveals Himself to us. One way the Lord has made clear His calling is in our desire to continue giving and furthering the ministry of Jesus Christ both here in Charleston and around the world. Not only is this a desire, but a command given all throughout the Bible to believers. Psalm 96:3 says, “Declare His glory among the nations, His marvelous deeds among all peoples.” Christ came to the world to reveal the glory of God to all men. This was His ultimate mission, and in turn He gives this mission to believers – this is the Great Commission of Matthew 28: 18-20 which says “Go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age.“ Again in Mark 16:15, we are told to “Go into all the world and preach the good news to all creation. Whoever believes and is baptized will be saved, but whoever does not believe will be condemned.” We believe this and want to live it out!
     One such way is that we have committed our careers to the Lord and desire to use our skills to the glory of God in whatever way he can use them. As aspiring health care professionals, we are in a unique capacity to be able to share Christ to unreached parts of the world. Often times, the need for health care is so great that it is often an open door into countries that otherwise would not be welcoming to missionaries. One such place is in North Africa, a place where God has made clear his calling for both of us to serve this May as a doctor and pharmacist in training, and most importantly a witness for Him.

      North Africa is overcome with tremendous physical and spiritual needs. The present healthcare situation is woefully understaffed and undereducated, but the most pressing needs lie with the fact that the region is 99.8% Muslim.  There is a deeply rooted prejudice against Christianity, which means that many of the people have never been able to hear the good news of Jesus Christ.  Our group will specifically be serving the Berber people, a group of indigenous North Africans.  We will be traveling with a group of fellow students and practitioners as a part of Medical Campus Outreach, a ministry of our church (East Cooper Baptist Church).  When we arrive in North Africa, we will partner with a missionary couple and set up medical clinics in local villages. We know that giving health care will meet physical needs of many people there, but medicine and wellness can’t bring joy, peace, and eternal life. We will use physical healing as a means to convey spiritual healing, knowing that this world is hard and filled with hurt and sickness, but we cling to the promise of heaven and eternal life.  In a place in such distress, the end is uncertain. Yet as Christians we remain strong and have hope to give because we remember that the outcome of our lives is already written. Our desire is to lead people to the only source of peace, Jesus Christ.

      We are writing to inform you of our trip, knowing that we each play a different – but vital role in ministry. Sometimes the opportunity is given to go, sometimes to give, and sometimes to pray. Over the course of our marriage, we have experienced the calling to pray and the calling to give, and now we have been called to GO. We are asking that you would consider partnering with us through financial giving and/or praying for this mission trip.  The total cost for the two of us to go on the trip is approximately $6000, which includes airfare, lodging, meals, transportation, and emergency insurance. Our trip will be made possible by supporters like you and prayers of fellow believers.

      Our prayer is Colossians 4:2-6. Please join us in praying, “Devote yourselves to prayer, being watchful and thankful. And pray for us, too, that God may open a door for our message, so that we may proclaim the mystery of Christ, for which I am in chains. Pray that I may proclaim it clearly, as I should. Be wise in the way you act toward outsiders; make the most of every opportunity. Let your conversation be always full of grace, seasoned with salt, so that you may know how to answer everyone.”

      Pray for strength, safety, health, and that we would radiate Christ’s love. But even more than that, pray for those we will serve. Pray that they would receive the news of forgiveness and have the power to live on for Him on earth with the hope of eternal life. As God’s Word says in Matthew 12:21, “In His name, the nations will put their hope.” Join us in fulfilling this message!

In Christ,

Cole and Ashley Sims

Pre- Race Pasta and Fun Company

This past weekend, Cole's cousins (and mine now too!) visited us from Greer. We loved having them here! The highlights for the weekend were the Cooper River Bridge Run, wondering around downtown, napping :), and dinner at The Wreck, our absolute #1 seafood restaurant in the area.

For our pre-race dinner, I cooked an easy pasta that I had seen in Real Simple magazine. The name is "Green Bean and Pasta Salad". It was quick and easy! I changed it up a little bit, so my version is below:

Cook pasta (penne or linguine). I used about 1/2 box.  Cook 1 medium sized bag of green beans (about 3/4 pound). Toss together with 1 can of red kidney beans, drained and rinsed, parsley (from the garden!), 1/4 c. parmesan cheese, 5 tablespoons of lemon infused olive oil (or substitute 3 tablespoons of olive oil and 2 tablespoons of lemon juice), and S&P. It can be served hot, which is how we ate it for dinner, or cold, which is how we finished it up for lunches. 

The lemon olive oil came from a specialty shop in Mt. Pleasant named Oil and Vinegar. It sells over 50 varieties of you guessed it, O & V. They are all wonderful! You pick out a bottle and then after tasting the flavors, pick out the O or V and then they fill it up for you. It is a little pricey, but I say worth it! Olive oil is expensive anyway. Thanks Mom for treating us to a few!

Waterfront Park

Paige, Kate, and I

Cole and Caleb

At The Wreck

View from the dock that we enjoyed
as we waited for a table.

Love Lustres at Calvary

This is a Puritan prayer from "The Valley of Vision" that we prayed through at church yesterday. Read it, meditate on it, pray it. You will be blessed.

My Father,
Enlarge my heart, warm my affections, open my lips, supply words that proclaim ‘Love lustres at Calvary.’ There grace removes my burdens and heaps them on thy Son, made a transgressor, a curse, and sin for me; There the sword of thy justice smote the man, thy fellow; There thy infinite attributes were magnified, and infinite atonement was made; There infinite punishment was due, and infinite punishment was endured.


Christ was all anguish that I might be all joy,
cast off that I might be brought in,
trodden down as an enemy that I might be welcomed as a friend,
surrendered to hell’s worst that I might attain heaven’s best,
stripped that I might be clothed,
wounded that I might be healed,
athirst that I might drink,
tormented that I might be comforted,
made a shame that I might inherit glory,
entered darkness that I might have eternal light.


My Saviour wept that all tears might be wiped from my eyes,
groaned that I might have endless song,
endured all pain that I might have unfading health,
bore a thorny crown that I might have a glory-diadem,
bowed his head that I might uplift mine,
experienced reproach that I might receive welcome,
closed his eyes in death that I might gaze on unclouded brightness,
expired that I might for ever live.


O Father, who spared not thine only Son that thou mightest spare me, All this transfer thy love designed and accomplished; Help me to adore thee by lips and life.
O that my every breath might be ecstatic praise,
my every step buoyant with delight, as I see
my enemies crushed,
Satan baffled, defeated, destroyed,
sin buried in the ocean of reconciling blood,
hell’s gates closed, heaven’s portal open.


Go forth, O conquering God, and show me the cross, mighty to subdue, comfort and save.

A Magnolia Day

Whew! This last week has been a whirlwind with school! It has been SO busy, and I don't foresee this week being much easier. I take refuge in Matthew 11:28-29:

"Come to me, all you who are weary

 and burdened and I will give you rest. 

Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, 

for I am gentle and humble in heart, 

and you will find rest for your souls. 

For my yoke is easy and my burden is light."

And in 2 Corinthians 4:17-18:

"For our light and momentary troubles are achieving for us 

an eternal glory that far outweighs them all. 

So we fix our eyes not on what is seen, but on what is unseen. 

For what is seen is temporary, but what is unseen is eternal."

Since I haven't had a chance to yet, I thought I would share some things from last weekend when we had a visit from Cole's parents for the weekend. On Saturday, we went to Magnolia Plantation and enjoyed the beautiful gardens and swamp. It is the absolute perfect time of year to visit the plantations here. Warm yet not scorching; flowers yet no bugs! 

We also enjoyed a picnic on the grounds. One of the most creative wedding gifts we received was a monogramed picnic basket full of everything you would need for 2 to go on a picnic - plates, utensils, napkins, small blanket, S&P shakers, candle holder, plastic wine glasses, etc. We love it and use it often! So, if you need a creative wedding gift idea, here you go! Our picnic menu was one of my favorite recipes from my friend and college roommate Christine called "Chicken Pasta Chicken". It is perfect alternative to sandwiches because you can make it a day ahead, pack it up, and its great cold. We also had some fruit, propel (thank you Publix for the free water with my coupons), and oreos :) Yum!

Chicken Pasta Chicken

1 pkg (6 oz.) Uncle Ben Long Grain Wild Rice

1 pkg (6 oz.) Uncle Ben Herb Veggie Rice

1 box twist tri-color pasta

1/2 c. parsley or to taste

1 pkg. frozen peas, thawed

2 lbs. boneless chicken, cooked 

salt and pepper to taste

Red Wine Vinaigrette on side

Mix all together. Add vinaigrette to taste.

Hints: You can use the 90 sec microwave rice for the first 2 ingredients. (I usually get a rotisserie and pull the chicken, but you can cook chicken breasts also). You can serve it hot or cold. 

We were fascinated with the people- friendly peacocks. 

After touring the plantation house, the gardens, and the audubon swamp, we heading to Magnolia Cemetery. Here lies the great-great-great-great grandfather of Cole, William C. Dukes, and his great-great-great -grandfather, Dr. Daniel Cain, both notable men in Charleston history. Dr. Daniel Cain was an early faculty member of the Medical College of South Carolina, what is now MUSC, in the 1860s. His family also owned Somerset Plantation until the land was acquired and flooded by the Santee Cooper Project. The house was built in 1827. We have found some really cool photos and information on this place, and I wish it was still around to see! The cemetery was really an interesting side trip of the day. Many other significant figures are buried here. I recognized the names from many road, bridge, and building names all over Charleston. The landscape with big old trees on the water is also worth seeing.

Dukes was instrumental in the founding of the cemetery.
This stone is located at the entrance in memory of him. 

We ended our day with a nice dinner at the Fat Hen on John's Island. Our dinner was absolutely wonderful and I definitely recommend it!