Today we’d like to introduce you to Allison Parker.
Hi Allison, it’s an honor to have you on the platform. Thanks for taking the time to share your story with us – to start maybe you can share some of your backstory with our readers?
I was born in Lawrenceville, GA but was raised by a single mother, so we moved around a lot. Over the years, we lived in most of the major metro Atlanta counties, so I was accustomed to meeting and making connections with new people often. My mother and father dated for a short period of time and broke up before I was born, but my mother married someone else when I was around eight years old. My younger brother was born from their union when I was nine years old, and his life was pure joy to me. My stepfather was my first introduction to a father figure, but unfortunately, he molested me over some time through making inappropriate comments, gestures and touching. I did not want to tell my mother as I loved him as a father and did not want the truth to mess up the life we had. Eventually, I told my grandmother and she ended up exposing it in a family gathering, which I’m sure was traumatic for my mother. We left him immediately and lived in a hotel and with family members until we finally got our own apartment maybe a year or so later. He never confessed to his actions or committed to counseling, so their marriage ended in divorce. My mother never got remarried, so from the time I was 11 or 12 until I left home at 18, my mother struggled both mentally and financially to keep us afloat. It seemed to get worse after I left home.
Our relationship began to struggle when I was about 17 years old, as I had become an older teenager with thoughts and opinions that were different from hers and would test limits and have challenging exchanges with her. Ultimately, she told me that I needed to leave when I was a senior in high school and I was hurt by this as I was a straight-A student and worked after school to help support the family. Nonetheless, I lived with some family members and briefly came back to live with her, but I ended up in cycles of looking for stability through relationships with men. I would meet them, date them for a short period of time, and if things seemed to work out we’d move in together. This went on for about five years with two different relationships, and in that process, I started to sense a call from God in the midst of all the darkness and pain.
Because of the relational trauma I endured growing up, I did not have a good example of what love was supposed to look like and I longed for attention and affection. I did not realize until later that this was actually my soul crying out to God, crying out for a Savior. A friend from work invited me to her church and I started to go from time to time. For years, I felt the pull between the life I was living and the life God wanted for me. It was a constant struggle. Eventually, as I sat in church and listened to God’s word being preached, I realized that my life did not line up with His word and I started to sense that my life wasn’t pleasing to Him. I learned that just because God loves you, it does not mean He is pleased with you; and if we truly love Him we should want to do what pleases Him.
One day, as I was headed home from church, I prayed to God and told him that I knew my life wasn’t pleasing to Him and that I needed His help escaping vicious cycles of sin and brokenness because every attempt I made failed. I gave him verbal permission in that moment to “take the wheel” of my life and have His way. I meant this but didn’t fully know what it meant. The key ending to my prayer was asking Him for strength to go with the flow of whatever He wants to do in my life. Nothing has been the same since that day. Within weeks, my boyfriend and I broke up and he moved out of our apartment. A few weeks after that, I received a raise at work that gave me enough money to live on my own. This was a sign to me that I was moving in the right direction. I left many relationships and habits to follow Jesus. I found great community and joined the church I had been visiting. My appetite began to change and the things I once loved or wanted were no longer appealing to me. This included sex, weed, and alcohol. This was nothing but the work of the Spirit of God.
About three years later, in 2016, I met the man who would become my husband. We attended the same church and grew together for two and a half years before getting married. We’ve endured many things together, but God hasn’t stopped blessing us and showing up in our lives. We now have two toddlers, a home in Hampton, and recently launched a church in the area. Because our personal stories have included so much love and grace from God, that is the way we seek to love and minister to those we come in contact with. Our ministry, Dwell ATL Church, is focused on bridging the gap between people and God through teaching, demonstration and discipleship. It is what we needed and what worked for us when we were lost and hurting, and that is what we desire to share with others.
I’m sure you wouldn’t say it’s been obstacle free, but so far would you say the journey have been a fairly smooth road?
I’ll speak to the struggles of living a life for God, especially in a world that encourages people to live for themselves. I have had to separate from friends, family, bad habits and basically anything that was a hindrance to where God is taking me. Jesus made it clear that He was to be loved more than anything and anyone else, but proving that means making some very tough and sometimes hurtful decisions. You never want to disappoint people you love, but ultimately I’ve learned when I am obedient to God all things work together for my good and I pray the same for the other people impacted by my decisions for God. I’ve also lost possessions and things that once brought security all for God to rebuild my life the way He intended. I lost my first career job in 2017, my car was repossessed in 2018, and I had two miscarriages between 2018 and 2019. My point is that loss may happen, but with God, the loss is only making room for better.
Thanks – so what else should our readers know about your work and what you’re currently focused on?
I am a Certified Life Coach and now Pastor and even before the titles, I have always been known as a voice of reason and wisdom for people that I have been connected with and it is truly a gift from God. I love discipling, coaching and mentoring people to becoming who God called them to be and possess what He has set aside for them. It is extremely rewarding and something I could do for the rest of my life without pay.
What do you like and dislike about the city?
I love that Atlanta has become a melting pot and you can meet people for all places and walks of life. There is so much opportunity here, both relationally and professionally.
I dislike how crowded Atlanta has become and certain areas have resources to build for this, while other major parts of the city do not seem to have these resources.
Contact Info:
- Website: www.dwellatlchurch.com
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/dwellatlchurch/
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/dwellatl
- Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@dwellatlchurch
- Other: https://bit.ly/YourLifeCoach
Image Credits
Anthony Tolen (Photographer) Alwon Mayweather (Photographer) Justin Hardin (Graphic Designer) Dira Harris (99&1 Ministries)
