Shall We Dance. . .

Since we have returned to Thailand from America, God has just been so incredible in my life.  In fact, sometimes, I have felt as if I am running just to keep up.  Sadly, one area in my life that has gotten set aside during this time is my blogging.  I say sadly, because I truly enjoy blogging.  I love to share what God puts on my heart, in hopes that it will speak to and encourage someone else.

Here in Thailand I have offered to share my knowledge about ballet and Praise Dance with the girls in the area.  The girls have been so dedicated and enthusiastic!  They have picked up the basics of ballet so quickly.  Okay, okay, I know I sound like a proud teacher, but listen to how the Lord has worked through this ministry. . .

A friend popped into in Youth Group one Saturday, and chatted with Bill and I briefly, while the youth ate dinner.  I talked about how well the girls had done in their first ballet class.  He immediately jumped in and said, “Oh by the way, would the girls be available to perform at an all church gathering the last Friday in September?”

I laughed and told him that they had only had 1 class so far.  He said that was fine, and that he was sure that they would do a great job.  Some of the girls were at Youth Group and I called them aside and told them that they had been asked to dance in two weeks for a gathering of hundreds.  They all started to laugh.  I told them it was true, and they laughed all the harder, saying that they had only had 1 class so far.

I went back and told our friend that 2 weeks was just too soon.  Not to miss an opportunity, he said “Okay, how about if they dance at the following gathering on the last Friday in October?”  I told him I would let him know.

At the next ballet class I discussed with the girls the possibility of dancing at the end of October.  They kept asking me if I thought they could do it.  I really felt like the Lord was saying “Yes, they can do this.”, and I told them I thought they could do it.

And they did!  Two nights ago, they danced in front of about 200 people from Thai churches and from English speaking churches, and they did an amazing job.

In fact, as soon as the worship service was over, the coordinator came over and pleaded with me to have the girls dance at the November gathering.  Not just one dance, but two.  She said she wanted the girls to open the worship service with a dance and close the service with another dance.

We (the girls and I) decided that it would be too much for me to choreograph two dances, teach them the dances and rehearse enough that they would feel that they had done their very best.  So, we are looking at maybe December.

So far, the girls have danced at two churches and the all church gathering of our town.  They are dancing at another church in December, and. . .

Well, we are still working out details about other dancing opportunities.

I have seen this group of girls draw closer to each other, encourage each other and seek to Honor the Lord with their dancing.

Praise God!

"Praise him with tambourine and dance; praise him with strings and pipe!"  Psalm 150:4

Blessings,

April

It’s Incredible. . .

I love how the Lord, gives me new understanding of His Word even though I have read it before.  In reading the Bible recently, I found myself looking at some of the scriptures in a whole new way.

In John 13, here was Jesus on His last evening on earth, and it is fascinating to me how He chooses to spend His last evening and with whom.

I mean, to be honest, if I knew that I was going to die tomorrow and that a close friend was going to setup my murder. . .basically, that person would be the last person I would think of spending my last evening with.  Personally, I would seek to surround myself with family and close friends.

But. . .How did Jesus choose to spend His last evening on earth?  He surrounded Himself with His 12 disciples.  Note I did not say 11 disciples.  He did not post a guard, giving them strict instructions not to let Judas in.  In fact His treatment of Judas was just as He had always treated him, with love, caring and compassion.

Even though Jesus knew that Judas would betray Him, He still chose to spend His final evening with all of His disciples.  They ate together, they prayed together and Jesus – the Creator of the world washed the feet of His disciples.  He humbled Himself, and just as lowly servants would do, He washed their feet.  Jesus washed the feet of all of His disciple’s.  He did not skip Judas.  He did not ridicule Judas, or give Him ‘the look’, or tell the other disciples who was going to betray Him.  It’s Incredible!

In fact, when Jesus said that one of them would betray Him, they all looked at each other wondering who it was.  Hmmm, that tells me that Judas acted (at least on the outside) like the other disciples.  Judas had already decided in his heart to betray Jesus, and yet no one could tell from his demeanor that those were his intentions.  The other 11 disciples did not all spin around, pointing and staring accusingly at Judas.  There were no ‘Oh yeah, we knew it was Judas’ comments made.

I wonder how many people are sitting in church pews looking the part, but in their hearts they don’t even know Christ.  God knows our hearts.  He knows whether we have given our lives to Him, or whether it is all about the perception of others and showing up for an hour on Sunday.  My heart hurts thinking about those that don’t know Jesus as their Lord and Savior.  For me, there is no greater Joy. . .than knowing and loving Jesus.

As Jesus sat surrounded by His disciples, did He dwell on that fact that He would endure horrible pain, torture, humiliation and death the very next day?  I think many of us would be self-centered had we been in similar circumstances, and yet Jesus shows us that we should humble ourselves and be God centered and other’s-centered no matter what the circumstances.   It’s Incredible!

What a challenge to Christians, to live a life that reflects those same things. . .

Being Humble. . .truly humble, not ‘Hey look at me.  Aren’t I humble?’.  (a.k.a. – not humble.)

Being Servants. . .not looking around to see who will serve us, but us looking around at how we can serve others.  Without fanfare.  Quietly, and with the love of Christ in our hearts, serving others.  Without looking for a ‘pat on the back’ or accolades for a job well done. 

Colossians 3:23-24 "Whatever you do, work heartily, as for the Lord and not for men, knowing that from the Lord you will receive the inheritance as your reward. You are serving the Lord Christ."

Giving Grace. . .Jesus gave us undeserved Grace.  Can we rise to the challenge and give undeserved grace to the people around us?  To the people that we have decided don’t deserve grace?  Yes!  With Christ in our hearts we can!

Loving one another. . .Giving and showing love to one another, without expecting anything in return.  Jesus loved Judas knowing that he would not thank Him for the years of love, time and devotion that Jesus showed him.  Jesus loved Judas, because God the Father wanted Him too.  Jesus tells us in John 13:34  “A new commandment I give to you, that you love one another: just as I have loved you, you also are to love one another."  After that commandment there is no ‘but’, there is no ‘except’.  We are to love one another, as Christ loved us.  Period.

It’s Incredible!

John 13:

Vs 1-5 …when Jesus knew that his hour had come to depart out of this world to the Father, having loved his own who were in the world, he loved them to the end.  During supper, when the devil had already put it into the heart of Judas Iscariot, Simon's son, to betray him,  Jesus… rose from supper. He laid aside his outer garments, and taking a towel, tied it around his waist.  Then he poured water into a basin and began to wash the disciples' feet and to wipe them with the towel that was wrapped around him. ...

Vs 14-17 “If I then, your Lord and Teacher, have washed your feet, you also ought to wash one another's feet.  For I have given you an example, that you also should do just as I have done to you.  Truly, truly, I say to you, a servant is not greater than his master, nor is a messenger greater than the one who sent him.  If you know these things, blessed are you if you do them...”

Vs 21-22  …Jesus…testified, "Truly, truly, I say to you, one of you will betray me."  The disciples looked at one another, uncertain of whom he spoke. ...

Vs 34-35  “A new commandment I give to you, that you love one another: just as I have loved you, you also are to love one another.  By this all people will know that you are my disciples, if you have love for one another."

This is just part of the story; I encourage you to read all of John 13.  It’s Incredible!

Blessings,

April