Set Apart: His Girl 4 Ever

On Sunday night, I cried myself to sleep because of the tremendous pain I was experiencing. As I laid there in bed, I called out through my tears, “Lord, I don’t know what to do!” His gentle reply was, “You’re doing it.”

The First Step:

The first step to healing life’s deepest hurts is to admit the pain and release the emotion. Pain is real and it does cause emotions. In Psalm 55, David admitted his pain when he said, “My heart is pained within me…” (v. 4). David also released the emotions he was experiencing: “And I said, Oh that I had wings like a dove! for then would I fly away and be at rest. Lo, then I would wander far off, and remain in the wilderness. I would hasten my escape from the windy storm and tempest” (Ps. 55:6-8).

What not to Do:

So many don’t admit their pain, and they don’t release the emotions within them that have come as a result of the pain. Like I used to do until recently, they shove their emotions and feelings deep down inside, thinking that’ll make them go away. It doesn’t. The pressure only builds and builds until one day you can no longer keep things inside. Out they spill into the light, and what a big “mess” you have to clean up!

An Encouraging Word:

Girls, don’t be like I used to be: keeping all your emotions and pain locked up inside of you. Number one, it’s not healthy, and number two, you can’t experience true healing until you admit your pain and release your emotions. Please learn this the easy way, and spare yourself a lot of bitterness and all kinds of other bad things.

Putting it into Action:

Admit your pain to the Lord in prayer.  Simply say something along the lines of “Lord, it hurts so bad.” Then release the emotions. If that means walking out to the middle of an open field and screaming at the top of your lungs, than do that. If that means going to your room and crying for two hours, than do that. However you need to release the emotion, do that. True healing cannot com until you admit your pain and release the emotions.

Written By: Allison Parker

April 30, 2008

“My soul is among lions: and I lie even among them that are set on fire, even the sons of men, whose teeth are spears and arrows, and their tongue a sharp sword” (Ps. 57:4). David sums up my situation and feelings exactly with these words of his. Within the past couple of days, I have been severely hurt and wounded by several people. “For it was not an enemy that reproached me; then I could have borne it…but it was thou, a man mind equal, my guide, and mine acquaintance. We took sweet counsel together, and walked into the house of God in company” (Ps. 55:12a-14). Yes, I am coming to realize more and more that those who are closest to you, often wound you the most.

“My heart is pained within me…Oh that I had wings like a dove! for then I would fly away, and be at rest. Lo, then I would wander far off, and remain in the wilderness. I would hasten my escape from the windy storm and tempest” (Ps. 55:4a, 6-8).

Dear one, are you hurtingd deep within just as I am? Have those closest to you done you the most harm? Do you wish you could fly away from it all? Is your heart broken and shattered? If so, then you’re in the same boat with me. However, I want to be healed–fully and completely.

What about you? Are you willing to let go of the pain and let Jesus heal your broken and shattered heart? If so, then join me as I seek to experience His healing touch to life’s deepest hurts and share with you how to experience healing as well.

“The Spirit of the Lord is upon me; because the Lord hath anointed me…to bind up the broken-hearted…to comfort all that mourn” (Is. 61:1-2).

Written By: Allison Parker

April 29, 2008

All alone I sit on a lone back pew

Crushed and wounded deep within.

Shattered by those words

Cutting deep within.

Here alone O now I sit.

CHORUS: Come and heal me

O Lord, my God, I cry!

Come and heal me

O please, Savior, now within.

Come and heal me.

Come and heal me.

In the dark I cry, cry myself to sleep

For the pain’s so deep within.

Lord, I don’t know what to do right now!

In the dark I cry alone.

CHORUS

Lord, you came to bind up the brokenheart,

And to comfort all who mourn.

Here’s the pieces to my broken heart;

Bind them up and soothe my wounds.

CHORUS

Come and heal me.

Come and heal me now.

Written By: Allison Parker

April 28, 2008

Note: Sing to the “Draw Me Nearer” arrangment off of “Creator of it All” CD.

In today’s society, young women are obsessed with anything and everything buttheir true Prince, Jesus Christ. Today’s young women dream about being popular–about being the center. They want attention and lots of it. And yet, in every generation, there are a few who choose a different path: set apartness to their Prince, Christ Jesus.

As set apart young women, our dreams should be different from our female contemporaries. Instead of dreaming about being in society’s spotlight, we must begin to dream God’s dreams for our lives. His dreams will cause us to seek our Beloved Jesus even more. We must become totally preoccupied with Him!

To be great at anything demands large amounts of time and energy. To be great a knowing Jesus is the same way. It takes time–and lots of it. It demands all of our energy to stay focused on Him. We can’t just fit Him into our lives; He doesn’t conveniently fit. Rather, we must build our lives around Him. From the time we wake up, ’til the time we go to sleep, He must be the center.

May the Lord Jesus Christ bless you all as you seek to build your life around Him and dream His dreams for your life. May each one of you fall more and more in love with Jesus with each passing day. May you be consumed with Him, and may He give grant you strength to make the changes you need to make in order to build your life around Him!

Written By: Allison Parker

April 8, 2008

“Stop trying to fit Me into your life. Instead, build your life around Me.” It was a simple challenge from my Prince, one I thought that I had been doing. However, after a good, long look at my life, my Prince showed me that my life was built around Christian activities, but not around Christ Himself.

It’s so easy to think that because our lives are filled with Christian music, Christian books, Christian movies, Christian friends, Christian ministries and activities, that our lives are built around Christ. That is not the case. The Christian “things” can never substitute for the person of the Lord Jesus Christ. Our lives must be built around Him and Him alone.

It was a big wake-up call. A shock. I began to look at what I devoted large amounts of my time and energy to during an average day. Over the course of three days, I discovered four things that made up my day. Four things that I devoted large amounts of my time and energy to: being on the computer, reading, music(listening to and practicing), and crocheting. Those things in and of themselves are not bad, but they were hindering me from having a deeper, intimate relationship with Christ…or so I thought.

On the morning of Sunday, April 6, 2008, I asked the Lord to show me what changes needed to be made in my life so I could build my life around Him. The answer I was expecting had to do with the four things that made up my day, but that was not the answer I got.

That evening, I was sitting in church, and our pastor was preaching on the love of money and how it doesn’t satisfy from Ecc. 5-6. Only God brings and gives the satisfaction we need and more besides. As I was sitting there taking notes, God very clearly said to me, “To build your life around Me, you must pray about how I want you to use/spend your money.”

Written By: Allison Parker

April 7, 2008

Hopefully by now, you have been able to determine what it is you put alot of your time and energy into during an average day. I know for myself, I put alot of time into getting on the computer, reading, music, and crocheting. Those four things pretty much make up my day. Now, there’s nothing wrong with those things in and of themselves, but it could be that they’re hindering an intimate relationship with Jesus Christ. “But what things were gain to me, those I counted loss for Christ. Yea doubtless, and I count all things but loss for the excellency of the knowledge of Christ Jesus my Lord: for whom I have suffered the loss of all things, and do count them but dung, that I may win Christ” (Phil. 3:7-8).

Now that you have determined what things dominate your day, ask the Lord what changes need to be made in your life so you can build your relationship with Him. For some it may be something as simple as getting up earlier to spend time with Him, or it may simply be turning off the TV. However, for some, it may be more. Remember, “But what things were gain to me, those I counted loss for Christ” (Phil. 3:7).

Written By: Allison Parker

April 7, 2008

In yesterday’s post, we examined dreams, and how dreams define our lives. We saw that to build a life of intimacy with Jesus Christ, we must not settle for just hearing, reading, etc about it. No. Like that gymnast who want to win that Olympic gold medal, we must pour all that we are into developing an intimate relationship with our Beloved, Jesus Christ.

Girls, an intimate relationship with Jesus cannot happen if other dreams, activities, etc. are consuming your time and energy. Remember what we said yesterday? Dreams define the way we spend our time and energy. If your dream is to be an angelic singer, then that will define how you’ll spend your time and energy. On the other hand, if your dream is to fall more in love with Jesus, then that will define the way you spend your time.

For the next few days, I challenge you to go on a journey with me. Take a good, long look at what consumes your time and energy during an average day. Ask yourself, “What am I putting most of my time and energy into?”

Written By: Allison Parker

April 6, 2008

Does a young gymnast with the dream of winning an Olympic gold medal just settle fot reading about gymnastics, listening to songs about gymnastics, watching videos about gymnastics, and listening to advice about gymnastics? No. Absolutely not. She puts her mind, soul, heart, body, energy, and time into it. She gets up early in the morning to practice, and she practices every spare moment she gets.

Girls, this kind of devotion should be what it’s like for us in pursusing an intimate relationship with Jesus Christ. We should not just settle for reading about intimacy with Him, singing songs about intimacy with Him, watching videos about intimacy with Him, and listening to advice about intimacy with Him. No! Instead, like that gymnast with the dream of the Olympic gold medal, we must pour everything we are into developing an intimate relationship with Him.

Girls, each one of us has a dream for our life. It may be simple or complex, but each and everyone of us dreams. It’s our dreams that define our lives. It’s our dreams that define the way we spend our time. As set apart young women, our dreams should be different from all the other young ladies around us. Instead of dreaming of being the “center of society”(for me, that was gymnastics and figure skating), we should begin to dream God’s dreams for our lives. (This website is the product of me beginning to dream God’s dreams for my life.) And so I ask you, what is your dream for your life? Is it God’s dream for your life?

Over the next few days(or weeks, depending on how often I post!), we’ll be going on a journey of learning to build a life of intimacy with Jesus. Your questions, comments, etc are more than welcome!

Written By: Allison Parker

April 5, 2008

No words can describe this “trip” with my Lord Jesus Christ. It was such an amazing, one-of-a-kind “trip.” I don’t think that I’ve ever experienced such a rest as this, such a time of refreshing as this, such a recovering of my life as this. It was amazing!

I wish every single person could experience what I’ve experienced! I don’t think that their life would ever be the same again. (I don’t think that my life will ever be the same again!)

I think that for the first time I experienced what it really meant to have a life built around Christ. I didn’t try to fit Him into my life. Instead, I built my life around Him. He became the center. My first and last thought of the day were of Him…plus multiple times throughout the day! He gave me many sweet and precious promises.

Most of me just wanted to stay. I wanted that heavenly bliss to go on forever. Jesus quietly reminded me, “It doesn’t have to stop when you ‘get back.’ You’ve learned and discovered many new things; take them with you.” On the other hand, part of me couldn’t wait to get back to share this with you all!

It all began with a desire to once again build a life of intimacy around Him…………………………….

“Are you tired? Worn out? Burned out on religion? Come to me. Get away with me and you’ll recover your life. I’ll show you  how to take a real rest. Walk with me and work with me–watch how I do it. Learn the unforced rythms of grace” (Matt. 11:28-29, The Message).

This translation of Matt. 11:28-29, perfectly describes my situation. I’m spiritually in need of a rest. I’m also dealing with some difficult things that are going on in my family right now, plus juggling a lot of other things(i.e. graduation prep). I just need to get away with the Lord for a while. My heart has heard Him call, “Come to Me,” and my heart responds, “Lord, I am coming.” I wish that we could go off to some secluded beach, but I’ll just have to use my imagination for that part! Meanwhile, for the next couple days, I shall be on vacation with Jesus, recovering my life, and finding true rest! On Thursday through Saturday, I will up  in Rome, GA along with the rest of New Life Singers as we recording a new CD entitled, “My Light, My Strength, My Song.” Lord-willing this CD will be out before we leave for our missions trip to Florala, AL on June 6th. Therefore, I am bidding you all farewell for a week! Have a wonderful week enjoying Him and basking in His presence! Farewell for now!