My life’s path has been one filled with twists and turns, stepping stones appearing where they were not the day before. God has truly ordered my steps.
I was eating with Dr. Jerry Falwell one afternoon at a Bailey Smith Real Evangelism Conference in Woodstock, GA. I mentioned to him that day that I was going to go back to school and study Bible. A week later I got a call at home from Liberty University. They informed me that I had been given a scholarship from Dr. Falwell to attend Liberty University in their online program. That was definitely a stepping stone where there was none the week before.
What a joy and privilege to study the Word of God on a formal basis. Riches flow from the scripture to the writers of textbooks and into my mind and heart. I learn more of the character of God and His ways with the turning of each page. He is my all in all, my bread and breath.
I have a mission. My path is to bring people back to the study of the Bible. Many Christians do not read it, still fewer study it, and it has become acceptable to only glean the mouthfuls received from the pulpit sermons on Sunday. Because of my studies, God has drawn me close to His side where I have found abiding joy and comfort. I now want to share that Secret Place of the Most High God with others, not just in music, but in speaking. In a song you have but three minutes to convey doctrinal truths and deep theological ideas, and it is challenging to write a piece that goes to a place of spiritual depth quickly. Because of my intense study, I now have been asked to bring whole messages for ladies events and church events.
There was an early childhood development study that was done recently about how our earthly father affects our view of God. It is common knowledge that our perception of God the Father is often determined by our relationship with our dads. In this study 97% of adults were in some way affected negatively by our fathers and we carry that negativity over into our spiritual relationship with God. The other 3% of people studied did not carry those negative attitudes into their relationship with God and those were the ones who studied the Bible on a regular basis. This is an interesting conclusion. If God’s Word relieves us of so great a burden as grief and shame and loneliness, why do we not feast on it, consume it daily?
The Bible is the Living Word. It does not come alive when we read it, we come alive to it. My goal is to cause listeners to come alive to the scripture again. I want people to mature spiritually, and grow in their gifts, to attain the confidence and authority they desire to minister to the world.
I consider each engagement an opportunity to rightly divide the Word. I approach each event with prayer and careful study. The life of the church depends on people who know the Bible.
May our journeys guide us into a common path.
Allison