Dance Partners
Canon 5D Mark ll, 100 2.8 macro, 5.0 aperture, 1/100 shutter, 100 ISO. Alien B800 to left of camera with a 20 degree grid spot at 1/4 power.
When I was a little girl I wanted to be a dancer. I would stand in front of my bedroom mirror with feet pointed outward trying to look like the dancers I saw on television. At the time, my parents did not have money for dance lessons. A pastor’s salary did not allow for too many luxuries. My siblings took piano lessons, and none of them pursued it, so I am sure my mom did not want to pour money into any new hobbies that would eventually fall by the wayside. As I grew older, I forgot about this passion as I fell into other pursuits, such a horses. I thought I would die if I did not have a horse of my own. Die. My poor mother.
The desire lay dormant in me until I had children of my own. When Katie was 4, I went to see a performance put on by the homeschool association in which we participated. It seemed like yet another sweet school presentation until the dancers came out. They were in their early teens and they danced to a song called “For Such a Time as This”. How fitting. I thought my heart was going to beat out of my chest as I watched the dancers worship God through movement. I had never seen anything like this before. For weeks after the event, I could not shake the feeling that something significant had happened in me. I had never taken a dance class. I was 26. I didn’t know what to do with all that I was feeling, but I knew I had to dance. I signed up for my very first ballet class. I bought my first black leotard, pink tights and pink ballet shoes. I will never forget it. I was so excited.
As time went by, I took every class I could find. Every workshop, including one put on by Ballet Magnificat, an incredible Christian dance company. It was with them that I really learned how to connect my worship and my dancing. I think it is as close to flying that I will ever get. A wonderful feeling. It is so freeing as my spirit leads my body to worship the Father in spirit and truth. Everything else disappears.
I now lead an amazing team of dancers at 12 Stone Church. It is such a privilege. They are a group of amazing young women with beautiful gifting and passionate hearts for God.
I am so grateful that God plants dreams in our hearts so that He can clap happy with joy as He brings them into reality for us. He is that kind of God. Now my daughters are dancers. Annie is pursuing ballet more seriously and has a deep love for it. She hopes to be in pointe shoes some day like the ones above. I never got to that level, but I believe in her to do it. We took a class together tonight, and it brought back so many memories of when I first began my own dance journey.
What are you dreaming about? Don’t give up. There is One who longs to bring it to fruition for you. He is that kind of God.
Psalm 103:1-5 ~ “Praise the LORD, my soul; all my inmost being, praise his holy name. Praise the LORD, my soul, and forget not all his benefits— who forgives all your sins and heals all your diseases, who redeems your life from the pit and crowns you with love and compassion, who satisfies your desires with good things so that your youth is renewed like the eagle’s.”
Waiting to Fly
In Spirit and in Truth
A Dancer, At Last
Grateful
8 Comments
I’m glad you found your muse yesterday. You are beautiful, inside and out.
I wish every one could see the dance party that breaks out with you and the girls (and even Jmo) on those special occasions when we have dinner together. You have done a great job at transferring your love for movement in music to the children. The world is richer.
Lovely!!
I knew it was there…..right in front of you! So beautiful MaryAnne! Thanks for bringing memories back for me as well. My childhood went by so fast. God is so good to us! He protects us all the time. His dreams for us is way better than what we can dream for ourselves. I thank him all the time for the passions he puts in my heart and soul. He has more for you Mary! Your life is only going to get better and more fruitful. His hand in on your life and in your work. To God be the Glory!
The project lives on!!
You said it yourself.
“I am so grateful that God plants dreams in our hearts so that He can clap happy with joy as He brings them into reality for us.”
He wouldn’t leave you a dream without inspiration, now would He?
Keep dreaming.
Thank you for this encouragement, Lewis! That is truly one of your many gifts!
I don’t think that I even knew that you wanted to take dance lessons as a child. Hey, but what little girl doesn’t? I certainly knew that you wanted a horse and horseback riding lessons. You pestered me day and night. You promised that you would do this and that if only… It was your great grandfather, who was living with us at the time, that said that he would buy the horse. That was just the beginning. You cleaned out the stalls to help pay for the boarding costs. Then there were the vet visits and the additional items that go along with keeping a horse. It was all worth it when I saw in your eyes how much you loved riding the horse down by the water. Now I see that same look in your eyes when you dance. I love it!
I am Dinah’s new mother-in-law. We love her & Hannah as if we always had them. You I bet are so much alile, both beautiful, both in luv with the Lord & you are so talented! I know that everything you did & said on this project was straight from God. He is sooo wonderful! Would love to meet you. Thanks for the beauty!