Not everyone knows what they want in life… Understandably so. At a young age, we graduate from high school and rush off to college and university. There, with little to no real-world experiences, we are expected to choose the direction that we will take for the rest of our lives. I don’t know about you, but I changed my major 5 times in university, and finally settled on doing a BA in Journalism – just because I liked writing and I had to pick something. The truth is that all I really wanted in life was to be a good wife and a mother some day.
We may think we don’t know what we want in life because society often tells us that what we want “isn’t enough.” Well-meaning parents and loved ones will often steer us away from choosing a career focus based on anything that isn’t predictable. So we are often guided to follow paths that are not authentic to our true selves.
But let’s be real – we are not children anymore. What do you really want?
In the last blog post, we started talking about your life purpose and reconnecting, at least on a surface level, to the spiritual gifts that Yahuah has blessed you with. Let’s go a little deeper today. If you don’t know what you want in life, or what Yah’s calling you to do, let’s try the reverse. What is it that you don’t want. If you’re in a job that you despise – I’m sure you can list all the things that you don’t like about your job. If you’re in a relationship that was never right to begin with – I’m sure you can list all the problems with your relationship. So why not take some time to consider what you don’t want? What are the things you are really tired of… What are the things you wish that you could change… And what do those things say about your values? What do they say about who you are?
Understanding the things you don’t want in life can help you figure out what you actually do.
Last weekend I asked people on my Instagram and FB page if they had any prayer requests. The responses people shared got me thinking… although making music is powerful and prayer changes things, there are specific needs in our community that need to be addressed; needs that often simply just go ignored. It’s almost like, as a community, we want to believe that if we are spiritual enough, all of life’s problems will go away on their own. Yes, Yahuah still works miracles – but there isn’t enough discussion around the practical steps that we can take as individuals in order to reach the place where we can find healing. When we find healing, it’s then that we will find ourselves ready to fulfill our purpose in life.
So many of us are struggling with relationship problems, family dysfunction, financial issues, depression, anxiety, loneliness, low self-esteem, emotional, and even physical pain… Leave a comment below if you’re going through any of the above. I’m just coming out of a season of depression myself, and the healing began when I started to get real about what was really going on, and taking practical steps to change my situation. Although we may not be able to fix every problem in a single blog post, or heal every wound with a set apart song, the least we can do is start talking about what’s really going on. I’ll be sharing more about this topic in the future, but let’s all start by being open and authentic about our problems. That is where true healing beings.
Sharing the struggles that we go through in life not only brings us closer as a community, but it helps us to wake up and realize that it’s time for change. If we want more meaning and purpose in life, if we want to be a light in our local communities, how can we do so if we are overwhelmed, stressed out, burdened with past problems, and struggling with present pain?
“Blessed is the man who does endure trial, for when he has been proved, he shall receive the crown of life which the Master has promised to those who love Him.”
Ya‛aqoḇ (James) 1:12
I invite you to leave a comment below and share what’s on your mind. Maybe you’ve had some really tough experiences that taught you more about what you don’t want in life. Let’s discuss and share together in the comments below. If you do know what you want in life but something is holding you back from getting it – you can leave a comment about that too. And if you’d rather just send me an email or a DM instead, that’s cool. I may not be able to reply to every email, but I will always read them privately and pray for you. Let’s stay connected as a community of believers and be authentic so we can lift one another up.
You are here on purpose, and Yahuah has a plan for your life. I keep saying that again and again because we need to remember that it’s true. Life can be overwhelming when you’re swimming in problems and pain, but believe it or not, those very same problems, once you’ve overcome them, could be the very things that fuel your purpose and direction in life.
So tell me in the comments, in one or two words, or twenty-five lol – What is getting in the way of you pursuing your purpose in life? What problems are pushing up against you right now? What is it that you’re tired of dealing with? What do you wish you could change about your life, your community, or your walk with Yah? What is blocking your healing and causing you pain?
I’ll see you in the comments below.
-Hadarah BatYah.
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Do you ever wonder about what The Most High has in store for your life?
I’ve been thinking about Yah’s plans for me A LOT lately. If you’re already following me on Facebook (Just started a new page) You might have seen the personal story that I shared about how I decided to leave my depressing day job and – with my husband’s support and approval – do music and creative projects full time here at Set Apart Heart. (More music & motivation for YOU – Yay!)
It’s a huge leap of faith, but I know that if I don’t do this now, BEFORE we start a family, I may never have the opportunity to give my all to this purpose again. Is there anything in your life that you wish you could give more of your time to? Do you know what your spiritual gifts are? Do you feel like you could be doing more work for the kingdom? Share your thoughts in the comments below.
Last weekend I went out for a long walk and I started thinking about where we are as a people, and how much healing still needs to take place from all the trauma of the last 400 years. I really wanna do something about it – even if it’s just through a few songs. I randomly took some pictures and video while I was thinking out loud. There’s also some music in the video for you. It’s “Let This Mind” from my album “Peace of Mind” I hope you enjoy the video, and that it inspires you to keep moving forward on your journey with Yah.
‘For I know the plans I am planning for you,’ declares יהוה, ‘plans of peace and not of evil, to give you a future and an expected end.
Yirmeyahu (Jeremiah) 29:11
So next Friday will be my last day at my full time day job. I know that not everyone has the luxury of taking such a huge leap of faith – but tell me in the comments what you would like to be doing more of – regardless.
It’s ok if you’re not a signer or a speaker. Maybe you’d like to spend more time in prayer and really tune in to what Yah is guiding you to. Maybe it’s more time reaching out or listening to others who look like they need a listening ear? Maybe it’s something as simple as smiling at your neighbours? Or making an effort to reconnect with a long lost friend or someone in your family? If each one of us makes an effort to do something as a witness, a real live personal human being witness, we’ll be one step closer to the kingdom.
‘“You are My witnesses,” declares יהוה, “And My servant whom I have chosen, so that you know and believe Me, and understand that I am He. Before Me there was no Ěl formed, nor after Me there is none.’ Yeshayah (Isaiah) 43:10
Let’s continue this convo in the comments below.
It’s always great to hear from you – even if it’s just to say shalom 🙂
I’ll see you there.
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When January came along in 2018, if you would have told me that I was about to meet a wonderful man, find love, and get married before the end of the summer, I probably would NOT have believed you.
Lo and behold, Yahuah had plans for my life that I knew not of – because that is exactly what happened! I just got married, on July 16, 2018!! And we first started getting to know one another in January. If you follow me on Instagram or Twitter you may have already heard the good news.
On the way to finding love in marriage, I’ve learned quite a few life lessons. Some of them I learned the hard way lol. Before we get into all that, would you like to share in some moments from my wedding day? I’ve made a slideshow of our memories – and I hope the pictures inspire you!
Whether you already have love in marriage, or you’re still waiting to find it, remember that Yahuah is in control and that He alone is the author of true love.
(Photographer, Ardean Peters).
“He heals the brokenhearted, and binds up their wounds.” Psalms 147:3
Life Lessons.
Yah is in control. Sometimes we think we can find love on our own, but it’s Yahuah who is the one writing our love stories. If we allow ourselves to just sit in the passenger seat for a while and let Yah do the driving, He will take us where we need to go and bring the right people into our lives. In the past, whenever I tried to find love on my own, it NEVER ever worked. This time, it was TOTALLY different. Maybe one day I’ll share the whole story, but for now, I just have to say PRAISE YAHUAH! He brought a wonderfully patient, kind and giving, strong and balanced Hebrew man into my life. Yah brought me a man I could never have found on my own, in a way I could never have orchestrated. Yah knows just what we need and when, and He knows when we are ready to receive it. If you want to hear the whole story of how we met, leave a comment below.
Take time to heal.Do you remember my last blog post where I said that I needed to take some time out to heal? Well, my healing journey began long before that post ever was made. About 6 months before I even started talking to the man who is now my husband, I started to focus in on taking time and space to let go of everything I was holding onto from the past.
On some level, as part of my spiritual journey, the healing will always continue. But before getting married, I wanted to remove all distractions for a while, and just focus on allowing Yahuah to work in me. Yah has plans to fully renew and restore His people – but we need to do our part, and make time and space for the healing to take place.
The scripture in the box below is one of my favourites. Click the arrow to read it. It’s a constant reminder of Yahuah’s plans for our lives.
Ḥazon (Revelation) 21:4-5
“And Elohim shall wipe away every tear from their eyes, and there shall be no more death, nor mourning, nor crying. And there shall be no more pain, for the former matters have passed away.” And He who was sitting on the throne said, “See, I make all matters new.” And He said to me, “Write, for these words are true and trustworthy.””
Stay Focused. Part of the renewal process is learning to focus your energy on what matters most in your life. If we don’t make a concerted effort to focus on letting go of past pain, it is far too easy to sweep it all under the proverbial rug and stay busy in our daily lives. If we let that happen, all the pain and hurt will simply resurface again and again. In one form or another, we will continue to face the same test and trials until we pass through them. The past can and will affect the present if we don’t make the choice to let it all go. That’s why I make music reminding myself that “Yesterday is gone… So now I live…” Stay focused on today, and where are you now so you can find the peace of mind and balance that you need. You will find that in this present moment – Yah is with you – and you’re gonna be just fine.
“Therefore do not be anxious about tomorrow, for tomorrow will be anxious for itself. Sufficient for the day is its own trouble.” Matthew 6:34 ESV
Love Yourself. Before we seek to connect with others in love, and especially in marriage, we must learn how to love ourselves. Take time alone with Yah and let His word show you who you really are. Not just as Hebrew people, but as unique individuals.
Leviticus 19:18 says “Love your neighbour as yourself”.
So my question for you is, do you love yourself? Do you know yourself? Are you at peace with yourself? Can you sit in the middle of your mess with yourself? Or are you still running away from yourself? You can not learn to love anyone else if you have not already learned to be loving to yourself. Be still and know – He is Yah! (Psalms 46:10)
We often look for relationships to fill us up and fix our problems. When we take time to heal from our brokenness, Yah will fill us till it overflows. The 23rd Psalm in says (in the KJV) my cup runneth over...
“You prepare a table before me in the presence of my enemies; you anoint my head with oil; my cup overflows.” Psalms 23:5 ESV
That overflow is the source from which we can give love to others. If we are empty and hurting inside, how can we give love?
Whether you’re single or married, leave a comment below and share your thoughts. If you have life lessons to share I’d love to hear them too. Let’s continue to be authentic on our own individual journeys, and let’s be kind to ourselves. We have work to do, Israel, and it starts right here with our hearts. Let’s keep it set apart. I’ll see you in the comments… Talk soon.
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How often do you take the time to make sure that what you are putting out into the world is in sync with what’s actually happening on the inside? Do you post smiling pictures on social media when you’re actually struggling inside? When people ask “How are you?” do you say you’re OK – when the truth is you’re actually not?
There’s a time and a place for everything. I firmly believe that. And the reality is, most of us are wearing band-aids over our pain. For one reason or another, the band-aids keep getting torn off before we can fully heal. Sometimes we even tear the band-aids off ourselves, pretending like we never got hurt in the first place. I don’t know about you, but pretending to be happy is not good enough for me.
Life is more than digital. Have you taken time to heal? It is so easy to fool ourselves into believing that making videos, blog posts, and being present on social media is our sole purpose this digital world. It is not. Yes, these things can be used for good, but they are not the end all be all. Yahuah is looking closely at our hearts. I’ll be the first to admit that I’ve been living life with band-aids on. I’ve been doing so for a VERY long time. If I can be honest, likely since childhood. I’ll share the lessons I learn while I’m away when the next album is complete. But it’s going to take time. A significant amount of time. So I want to share this one song with you before I go. It’s called “Healing Me.” Leave a comment at the bottom of this blog post if it’s meaningful for you.
“But unto you that fear my name shall the Sun of righteousness arise with healing in his wings.” Malachi 4:2a
Life is not a race. Healing takes time. Living and learning takes time. And if we just keep running through life, we’ll reach the end and realize we’ve never actually lived. It’s the moments we spend living -breathing, praying, connecting, seeking – that become moments filled with meaningful lessons that we can share with the world.
I’ll be gone for a while, but I’ll be back. And while I’m gone I pray you will seek Yah’s healing in your life as well. As a nation we need healing, but first, as individuals, we MUST learn to submit to the will of Yahuah and walk it out by faith. We must look at the seeds in our heart that should not be planted there, and uproot them. Be it physical healing, or spiritual, whether we realize it or not, we all need Yah’s healing touch in our lives.
Let’s remember one another in prayer as we go through this life. There is healing in His wings, Mishpacha. Let’s keep on looking up and trusting in Him.
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Last night during rehearsal, I decided to turn on the camera so that I could share some of the music with you. I hope you enjoy what came out of it! In the video below you’ll hear Let My People Go, and Wade in the Water.
Those two songs are actually my favorite Negro Spirituals. I really connect with them because they remind me of our experience and the truth of who we are. Whether we were consciously aware of our true biblical history at the time or not, the Exodus story was so close to our hearts as a people, that we saw ourselves in those scripture-based songs and identified closely with them. I believe we sang those songs like they were our own stories because they were, and still are, our own stories. The Bible is our history book and it’s so important for us to be conscious of that. Yahuah has been calling us back into His arms ever since the days of old. He’s been so faithful to us. Finally, we’re listening to His voice and coming back to Torah. Finally, we’re choosing to follow His ways. HallaluYah! Thank you Father for your mercy.
With the New Year upon us and Passover right around the corner, I love to think about new beginnings and how the Exodus Story applies to our lives today. Can you imagine how it would feel to leave behind the slavery of Egypt, and literally walk through the red sea on dry land? Talk about new beginnings! The Father was and still is committed to His people. Just like our ancestors, He wants to immerse us in living water, and prepare us to shine His Light of truth to the world. I pray that as you watch the video below, that you will take a moment to imagine what it could have been like to be there. Let’s prepare our hearts and minds, because soon and very soon, we’ll be wading in those waters once again, as Yahuah leads us all the way home.
“This month shall be unto you the beginning of months: it shall be the first month of the year to you.”
Exodus 12:2 KJV
Happy New Year Mishpacha. I pray you enjoyed the video of Let my People Go and Wade in the Water. Before I go, I have to say thank you soooo much to all who have been supporting the new single, Heal our Land. I appreciate you more than you know. My prayer is that the music you find here at setapartheart.com will always be meaningful, and inspire you to stay close to the word of Yahuah.
Leave a comment below if you’re ready for new beginnings! Let’s stay humble and continue to pray as Yahuah prepares our hearts and leads us all the way home. I’ll see you in the comments below.
-Hadarah BatYah
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Hi there, I’m Hadarah Batyah. I sincerely believe that in order to have a spiritual walk that is authentic and true, the Word of Yahuah must be written on the inside of our hearts. That's why I write scripture songs and set apart music. Although I don’t have everything in my spiritual life all figured out, I know that Yahuah gave me the gift of music to serve Him and encourage your heart. I pray you'll be inspired by what you see on this blog. If you're curious and wanna know more- I tell it all on the About Page.
Not everyone knows what they want in life… Understandably so. At a young age, we graduate from high school and rush off to college and university. There, with little to no real-world experiences, we are expected to choose the direction that we will take for the rest of our lives. I don’t know about you, but I changed my major 5 times in university, and finally settled on doing a BA in Journalism – just because I liked writing and I had to pick something. The truth is that all I really wanted in life was to be a good wife and a mother some day.
So many of us are struggling with relationship problems, family dysfunction, financial issues, depression, anxiety, loneliness, low self-esteem, emotional, and even physical pain… Leave a comment below if you’re going through any of the above. I’m just coming out of a season of depression myself, and the healing began when I started to get real about what was really going on, and taking practical steps to change my situation. Although we may not be able to fix every problem in a single blog post, or heal every wound with a set apart song, the least we can do is start talking about what’s really going on. I’ll be sharing more about this topic in the future, but let’s all start by being open and authentic about our problems. That is where true healing beings.
You are here on purpose, and Yahuah has a plan for your life. I keep saying that again and again because we need to remember that it’s true. Life can be overwhelming when you’re swimming in problems and pain, but believe it or not, those very same problems, once you’ve overcome them, could be the very things that fuel your purpose and direction in life. 
Hi there, I’m Hadarah Batyah. I sincerely believe that in order to have a spiritual walk that is authentic and true, the Word of Yahuah must be written on the inside of our hearts. That's why I write scripture songs and set apart music. Although I don’t have everything in my spiritual life all figured out, I know that Yahuah gave me the gift of music to serve Him and encourage your heart. I pray you'll be inspired by what you see on this blog. If you're curious and wanna know more- I tell it all on the