So You Think You Can Dance?!

I recently went Salsa dancing for the very first time.  I'll be the first one to say, I was terrible at it.  Probably still not that good, but with time and several dance partners trying their hardest to teach me the steps, I did get a little better!  

Being in a season of learning submission and living by faith more so now than ever before, I had a spiritual moment while learning all of these different dances... (Salsa, the tango, the cha-cha, and the rumba.)  Oh yes!  I was branching out, no dropping it like it was hot at the Salsa Club.  They're all about moving those hips!  

With each partner that tried teaching me a different dance, I realized a couple things.  When you don't know the steps, following is essential.  When following a move and you're not sure what move is next it's extremely hard to look down at your feet and keep up with your partner.  How do I compare this to submission and faith?  Well, being a female I'm called to submit to my husband.  In my case, we'll say my 'future husband'.  As I was dancing with my partners, I realized what it was like in the natural to allow the man to lead.  Each guy had complete control over me as he guided my every move.  Whether he was pulling me in, pushing me out, or twirling me in circles, I followed where he led. 

Dancing by faith... I may not have known the steps to the dance, but as I learned and as I followed his move I wanted to follow him because I knew he wasn't going to let me fall on my face.  During parts of the dances, I would want to look down at my feet to make sure I was making the right steps.  Every time I looked down, my partner would say, 'Hey!  Look up!  Don't look down at your feet, you'll mess up!'  Which reminded me a lot in retrospect to my relationship with God.  I normally have no idea where God is leading me, but when I hang on tight and allow Him to pull me in to Him, He leads me exactly where He wants me to go. When I look down and doubt where God is leading me, I fall on my face every time.  Thankfully He is always there to pick me back up... He never leaves me or forsakes me regardless of how big or small my faith is! 


With all of this said, I'm believing that when God does bring me my husband, I'll be ready to submit and follow his lead.  It's so incredible to me how God will speak in the most unique ways.  What He's been teaching me in the spiritual was shown to me in the act of dancing in the physical.  My God never ceases to amaze me!  




  
 

Believing for my harvest...

Psalm 126:5-6 says, Those who plant in tears will harvest with shouts of joy.  They weep as they go to plant their seed, but they sing as they return with the harvest.

The last 4 months have been some of the most difficult times I have ever faced spiritually and emotionally.  I was a co-leader for LIFE this spring for the very first time and let me tell you, I had no idea God was going to take me through such a 'process'.  I didn't realize it till about 3 weeks before LIFE was over with, but it was a 'process' of sanctification.  It was a time of God molding and shaping my character into being who He created me to be.  He taught me the importance of submission and most importantly, He taught me, or is still in the process of teaching me, how to live by faith, not by sight. 

I'm a very visual person.  I used to be a 0 to 60, fix it girl, if you want it - get it... until Jesus slowed me down and started teaching me how to take steps 1 through 59.  During this time there were a LOT and I do mean a LOT of tears.  Sometimes I knew why I was crying, but sometimes I didn't.  It was hard.  There were times I thought I'm not doing this anymore.  I'm ready to throw in the towel.  It was during those times when Papa God showed Himself so real and true to me.  It was during those times where I could feel Him wrap His arms around me and love me despite of my short comings and my fear of the unknown. 

Once we made it to LIFE Retreat everything suddenly made sense.  God healed my heart and He brought me to a place of complete trust and faith in Him.  No more doubting.  No more second guessing.  No more worrying.  It's a place I've never been before.  A place where He says, give me your whole heart... Trust me... And watch what I will do.  One of my best friends texted me the verse in Psalm 126 yesterday.  It brought tears to my eyes knowing that God is so faithful in His word.  I know beyond a shadow of a doubt that through the seeds of tears I sowed, He will bring me my joyful harvest. 

His JOY is my strength!!!