> in the moment, were you conscious of that presence? did you feel that presence or the stron instinct problemry for the probably for the first time to say no? no. i felt the presence saying you could choose the old life or new life and i will give it to you. i said i didn t know if i was going to make it out of there a alive. i didn t know if it would be five minute of the new life or 50 years of the new life. as soon as i chose not to do those drugs, it was a sense of freedom for me. physically i knew i was still being held captive. ashley smith wasn t in control and neither was brian nichols, jesus was in control and it would be the way he wanted it to be. ashley says the story of her