tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-59360089013390137372024-03-12T16:38:30.177-07:00Poetry of Motion!One word can change the atmosphere...whether it's spoken, written, or communicated through movement. This is a blog about Worship Arts,and especially for learning about how we can make more powerful statements through what we present to others through our writing, choreography, theatre or visual art... or a collaboration of two or more. Anything is possible. It's the Poetry of Motion!Poetry of Motion!http://www.blogger.com/profile/05267890777114034658noreply@blogger.comBlogger115125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5936008901339013737.post-47091640856721846942021-02-03T14:18:00.003-08:002021-02-03T14:26:40.009-08:00Dear Ministers...<p style="text-align: center;"><br /></p><p style="text-align: center;"> </p><p style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: times;"><i><br /></i></span></p><p style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: times;"><i></i></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: times;"><i><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-Jq3AA4pQpi0/YBsgYszLcYI/AAAAAAAABxs/1cJ-hzGon4kNKsNLR3BpGVoKU4qQ2_aeACLcBGAsYHQ/s702/FD853D1E-C62D-4DDA-BE5D-FC881A6D4039.jpeg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="694" data-original-width="702" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-Jq3AA4pQpi0/YBsgYszLcYI/AAAAAAAABxs/1cJ-hzGon4kNKsNLR3BpGVoKU4qQ2_aeACLcBGAsYHQ/s320/FD853D1E-C62D-4DDA-BE5D-FC881A6D4039.jpeg" width="320" /></a></i></span></div><span style="font-family: times;"><i><br /><br /><span style="font-size: medium;">Therefore, as we have opportunity, let us do good to all people, especially to those who belong to the family of believers. ~ </span></i></span><span style="font-family: times; font-size: medium;">Gal. 6:10 (NIV)</span><p></p>
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<p style="font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-family: times; font-size: medium;">Dear Ministers:</span></p><p style="font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-family: times; font-size: medium;"><br /></span></p>
<p style="font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-family: times; font-size: medium;"> God sees how you dressed in your frocks, cassocks, class A’s, suits, and robes, smiled nice and preached a good word on Sunday mornings, and then talked about the people horribly afterwards. </span></p><p style="font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-family: times; font-size: medium;"><br /></span></p>
<p style="font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-family: times; font-size: medium;"> You’re human. He understands. People have problems, they can be difficult to deal with. They are all kinds of things. </span></p><p style="font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-family: times; font-size: medium;"><br /></span></p>
<p style="font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: times;"> But... He’s not pleased. One good thing about churches mostly being closed is that a lot of the people you look on with disdain are not presently being subjected to your mishandling. It’s for their benefit as well as yours.</span><span style="font-family: times;"> </span></span></p><p style="font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-family: times; font-size: medium;"><br /></span></p><p style="font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: times;"> When the church doors reopen, some will return because of loyalty, some will come back because they don’t know any better, and some will choose to stay away because they have had an entire year to see you as you really are, human. They will p</span><span style="font-family: times;">ray for you and move on. They will pray that you see the light, and they will pray that you learn to love those who are not like you. Then, you will see the Kingdom of God.</span><span style="font-family: times;"> </span></span></p>
<p style="font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-family: times; font-size: medium;"><br /></span></p><p style="font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-family: times; font-size: medium;">Selah.</span></p><div><br /></div>Poetry of Motion!http://www.blogger.com/profile/05267890777114034658noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5936008901339013737.post-5859729586194850912020-04-09T13:00:00.000-07:002020-04-09T13:13:51.842-07:00Selah...Pause, and Reflect!<br />
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<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #001320;">I cried to the LORD with my voice, And He heard me from His holy hill. <i>Selah</i></span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;"><i>Psalm 3:4 </i>(NKJV)<i><o:p></o:p></i></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: "calibri" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; letter-spacing: -0.05pt;"></span></span><i><span style="letter-spacing: -0.05pt;"><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif;"> </span><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif;">Selah </span></span></i><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; letter-spacing: -0.05pt;">is a mysterious word, found only in the book of Psalms. But what does it really mean?</span></span><br />
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<span style="font-size: large;"><i><span style="letter-spacing: -0.05pt;">Selah</span></i><span style="background-color: white; letter-spacing: -0.05pt;"> may be a marker of a mood shift, or a transition in thought. </span><i><span style="letter-spacing: -0.05pt;">Selah</span></i><span style="background-color: white; letter-spacing: -0.05pt;"> may mean </span><i><span style="letter-spacing: -0.05pt;">to hang</span></i><span style="background-color: white; letter-spacing: -0.05pt;">, referring to measuring something by hanging it on a scale to determine its value. </span><em><span style="letter-spacing: -0.05pt;">Selah’s</span></em><i><span style="letter-spacing: -0.05pt;"> </span></i><span style="letter-spacing: -0.05pt;">consonants may be an acrostic signifying either <em style="box-sizing: inherit;">change of voices </em>or <em style="box-sizing: inherit;">repeat from the beginning</em>.(1)</span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;"> For the first time in our lives, this coming Easter/Resurrection Day will be done very differently. Due to the pandemic and chain of tragic events, churches cannot meet as usual. There has been a definite mood shift, a transition in thought. We now have time think about the things we have been doing, and consider our need to continue or even stop. The elaborate programs that we spent weeks preparing, will not be held, at least not right now. We pray for God to show mercy on us, and that He would remove the plague from our lands. Hopefully, we have taken time to pause...and reflect. One day, churches will reopen and people will begin to gather again. Some of us will pick up our routines where we left them, and present our programs on another day. Or will we? Have we learned anything? Will we do things differently, or go back to business as usual? Here are some things to consider:<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;"> Not by our choreography, beautiful garments, dynamic flagging, dance theology and flawless technique or lack of it..not whether we call what we do ministry or performance, what colors we wear...mattahs or crowns, whether we wear shoes or dance barefoot...everyone will know that we are Christ's followers because of the way we love one another. The way we are kind, truly uplifting, and encouraging. The way leaders treat their groups in public as well as behind the scenes when no one is looking, the way we handle money with integrity and honesty, the way we relate to other ministries who are more or less accomplished than we are. It’s about doing away with elitist attitudes and competitive mindsets, because there's room for everyone. It’s not our place to determine who God called or not, it's The Holy Spirit's job to set people apart at their appointed time. How many have we wounded because of our disdain towards those who didn't measure up to our standards when we saw them dance?<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;"> Let's go back to the heart of worship and love others...treating them as we want to be treated. The white elephant has been sitting in the room for a long time and we have been dancing around him. He’s in our way! Let’s move him out and make room for The Holy Spirit to move as He pleases, through us all!<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">Footnote: (1) www.praypsalms.org. "What Does<span class="apple-converted-space"> </span><i>Selah<span class="apple-converted-space"> </span></i>Mean?"</span><o:p></o:p></div>
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Poetry of Motion!http://www.blogger.com/profile/05267890777114034658noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5936008901339013737.post-75783391012511378902018-03-25T22:27:00.001-07:002018-03-25T22:27:41.224-07:00Each One, Teach One...Don't Forget the Teens!<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<span style="font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif;"><i><span style="font-size: 16px;">You are my king and my God;</span><span style="font-size: 9px;"> </span><span class="text Ps-44-4" style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; box-sizing: border-box; font-size: 16px; position: relative;">you give victory to your people.</span></i></span></div>
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A recent video from a church service in a large metropolitan area has gone viral. In this video, several young ladies dressed in fatigue t-shirts and jeans are dancing to Jay-Z's <i>The Story of O.J</i>.. In fairness, I went on You Tube, objectively watched the music video and carefully listened to the lyrics in order to express an informed opinion about what I was seeing and hearing, as we were required to as college students when we had to attend dance concerts, view films, watch plays, and read articles, some of which we agreed with and some which we did not. We still had to look for certain elements that stood out to us, find the message the artist was attempting to convey, and determine its relevance for the time in which it was expressed. Art can be very controversial, and its inherent value often lies in its ability to make people uncomfortable.<br />
Does this mean that <i>The Story of O.J.</i> belongs in a house of worship? Definitely not. However, I understand Jay-Z's cultural references employing black & white cartoon characters to portray Nina Simone singing <i>Four Women</i>, as well as social commentary surrounding racism, colonialism, colorism, the whole dilemma of O.J. Simpson forgetting where he came from, the Heisman trophy debacle, and no matter how many touchdowns he scored, and what he did (or didn't) get away with, society still sees him as a "------", as well as the rest of those who need to be put in remembrance. He addresses economic disparities between the Jewish community and African-Americans and why many of us are still impoverished, the systematic murders of young black males, and the gentrification of Brooklyn and eventually, Queens. Jay-Z informs his audience that he has taken advantage of his own financial opportunties and put his money to work for him, allowing his money to turn over, make more money, and successfully fund his own work, evidenced in record breaking sales of his album weeks before its official release date. He clearly made his point.<br />
Young people listen to Jay-Z and can relate to his music, and while the church is in an uproar about the pastor using this medium to preface his sermon, were there more appropriate songs that could have been chosen to get the point across? Probably so. But more importantly, what message is being taught to the youth who were part of the sermonic presentation? Could things have been done differently?<br />
What more of our churches could possibly do better is to listen to the youth, hear what they are saying, offer intelligent and non-judgmental, biblical answers to their questions and show them something other than the duplicity they have been so accustomed to seeing from many of us. We can see the inappropriateness in much of what they do, but we can't blame teens for what they don't know when it's our responsibility to teach them, or expect for every young person to change what they are doing simply because we disagree with it. Imagine what our churches would look like if each of us who were concerned about what's happening with the youth could become a mentor, a teacher, or a Christlike example to one or two young ladies or young men? Suppose ministers really considered the content of what they allow in the sanctuary when trying to creatively prove a point? What could happen if we really understand what it means to be led by The Holy Spirit everything that we do?<br />
There are no simple answers to any of these questions, because in reality, we don't all read our Bibles the same way and no matter what anyone says, there will always be someone who can find ways to justify what they are doing, and many more who will support the actions of those who do.<br />
Art is a powerful tool for communicating The Good News of Christ. Let's be responsible and learn how to use it correctly, and as we do, give the youth an opportunity to learn and grow along with us!<br />
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Poetry of Motion!http://www.blogger.com/profile/05267890777114034658noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5936008901339013737.post-89705620259769994922017-08-01T00:59:00.003-07:002017-08-01T00:59:53.882-07:00Put it in Writing!<div style="text-align: center;">
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<span style="font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="background-color: white; font-size: 16px; font-style: italic; text-align: start;">The </span><span class="small-caps" style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; box-sizing: border-box; font-size: 16px; font-style: italic; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-caps: small-caps; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; text-align: start;">Lord</span><span style="background-color: white; font-size: 16px; text-align: start;"><i> gave me this answer: “Write down clearly on tablets what I reveal to you, so that it can be read at a glance. ~Habakkuk 2:2 </i>(GNT)</span></span></div>
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Wow! It's been like forever since I've blogged, but I kept my promise to only post when I had something to say. I was appointed as dance ministry leader at church, so we have been working on getting our ministry revamped, up and running since the beginning of this year and are off to a great start.<br />
There is a lot of good information online and in books about how to get a dance ministry started in your church, so I won't restate everything, but I will share about the process that we went through. First, we approached our pastor and asked permission to have a dance ministry; he in turn referred us to the Minister of Music. After much prayer and several planning meetings to discuss the vision, mission, purpose and scope of the ministry, including our name, I was formally introduced to the church as the leader of the new dance ministry and we started sign-ups at our information table that included brochures, information flyers, streaming video and treats for anyone who came by with questions.<br />
Next, we e-mailed everyone who signed up to notify them of our start-up date with all pertinent information as to what to expect, what to wear, and what we would be doing at our first meeting. At our first rehearsal, we introduced the vision again, had prayer, scripture reading, and did a short warm-up and combination to get an idea of what people would do with movement they were given. We chose not to have auditions for our ministry.<br />
This leads to the one of the most important parts of getting a dance ministry started, which is having a ministry handbook that clearly states all expectations, rehearsal times, dress code, code of conduct, and any other important information that you want dancers to know. They can refer to the handbook at any time if issues arise. Your handbook should always be reviewed by the leaders you work with, in our case, Minister of Music and Senior Pastor for approval, and any revisions are always to be checked in with them. The reason for this is, in case of a conflict, everyone has the same information and all resolutions will be fair and "by the book".<br />
It probably will take many weeks to develop your handbook, so take your time, make sure everything in it is biblical, practical, reasonable, and agrees with the vision and core values of the church you attend. Make sure you are completely familiar with the doctrines and practices of your church so that you don't incorporate elements that are not part of their regime, although you can refer to other ministry handbooks to see how they are arranged, and the types of information they contain. Be comprehensive without being too lengthy. Make certain that your handbook is written to accommodate basic reading and comprehension levels. If you need help in editing, ask someone to look over your draft before submitting it for approval and revisions. You can also add clip art or pictures to give your handbook more eye appeal. In the back of your handbook, have two copies of your ministry agreement page, one signed copy for your files, and that remains in the book. If there are minors in your ministry, make sure that a parent or guardian also signs the agreement. Please note that a signature is neither a contract or binding legal document. It simply indicates that they have read the handbook, and agree to abide by the rules of the ministry.<br />
You will find that putting all expectations for your dance ministry in writing helps to maintain a safe environment and keeps a level playing field for everyone, including the leaders. In this way, all are held accountable to the same rules. So...put it in writing!<br />
Please enjoy the first ministry presentation from Resurrection Sunday by A.C.T.S. of Grace Liturgical Dance Ministry:<br />
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<br />Poetry of Motion!http://www.blogger.com/profile/05267890777114034658noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5936008901339013737.post-49897775304143160382017-01-03T23:05:00.000-08:002017-01-03T23:05:45.103-08:00Happy New Year! Happy 2017! I took a break from blogging, but I'm back! I promise to be more present this year. Here is a repost from last January. Keep worshiping Christ!<br />
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<i> <span style="background-color: white; font-size: 14.4px; line-height: 21.6px;"><span style="font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif;">If you won’t plow in the cold, you won’t eat at the harvest</span></span><span style="background-color: white; font-family: "helvetica neue" , "verdana" , "helvetica" , "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 14.4px; line-height: 21.6px;">.</span></i></div>
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I recently attended a program where someone I knew was going to minister in praise dance. We both knew that she had a love for dance, and was called to dance for the Lord, but had challenges with taking advantage of available resources that would help her learn more about what she was called to do. Her work and life schedule was extremely busy, so she bought a DVD to work on at home and never got around to it. Every time she was invited to a workshop or class, she was always doing something else...still she had a love and a calling to dance.<br />
At the program, she was beautifully attired and had prepared her heart with prayer. The music started, and then something went wrong. She froze. Not knowing what to do, she began moving randomly and nervously until the music finished. That had to have been one of the longest 5 minutes of her life!<br />
Afterwards, she realized what had gone wrong. She hadn't prepared herself with knowledge beforehand. All of the opportunities she had to learn about her ministry weren't taken seriously. Although she meant well, the message didn't get to the people due to lack of preparation. That day, she learned that it takes more than emotion to bring a message in public ministry. We can all learn a lesson from that experience.<br />
In the first week of the New Year, let's prepare ourselves for what we plan to do. If a class is needed, please go. If there are no local classes or transportation available, many ministries offer DVD's for sale at reasonable prices. If funds are tight, There are short instructional videos on YouTube that can be watched for free. There's never an excuse for lack of preparation! Even on short notice, if you have been practicing already, you can minister a dance with God's guidance based on what you already know, that will bless people. If you are really serious about ministry, you'll find a way to prepare yourself to be effective, or wait until you can make the time commitment. You don't have to be a professional dancer to minister in dance, but it's necessary to know something about what you are doing, so that your message is clear. Very few people are able to do this without some type of basic knowledge of movement. But, if you want to learn, there is lots of information that is easy to find. (You can type in "dance ministry instruction" in your web browser or on You Tube, and many pages will come up). If you are looking for dance ministry resources, please look at some of the links on the blog page that may be of interest. Be prepared in 2016!<br />
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Here is a wonderful example of what being prepared for ministry looks like: Please enjoy the 13:46 Dance Ensemble from Maryland!<br />
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Poetry of Motion!http://www.blogger.com/profile/05267890777114034658noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5936008901339013737.post-27819944808693191322016-03-29T01:21:00.000-07:002016-04-07T00:32:41.531-07:00Be Careful...<div style="text-align: center;">
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<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;"> </span>By now, most of us in the worship
community have heard the announcement from Israel Hougton about recent
events in his life. The responses from many in the church range from support
and prayer to downright condemnation, while others are not quite
sure what to do. But I have news...God has already told us what to do.<br />
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<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;"> </span>In 1
Corinthians 10, Paul speaks about the Israelites who followed Moses and the
consequences of their actions that displeased God. They all started with
the same spiritual food and drink, but somewhere along the way they started
doing their own thing, which caused calamity to come upon them. After describing
their fate, Paul reminds us that what happened to them were examples written
down as warnings for us, and the modern language tells us to check ourselves if
we think we are standing. In other words, if any of us feels that <i>we</i> would
never do any of the things that the Israelites were involved in, think again...<o:p></o:p></div>
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<o:p></o:p><i><o:p> </o:p>These things happened to
them as examples for us.</i><o:p></o:p></div>
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<i>They were written down to
warn us who live at the end of the age.</i><o:p></o:p></div>
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<i>If you think you are standing
strong, be careful not to fall. The temptations in your life are no
different from what others experience. And God is faithful. He will not allow
the temptation to be more than you can stand. When you are tempted, he will
show you a way out so that you can endure.</i><o:p></o:p></div>
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<i>~1 Cor 10:11-13<span class="apple-converted-space"> </span></i>(NLT)<o:p></o:p></div>
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<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;"> </span>There is nothing that one individual has gone through at
one time that hasn't happened to another. Only God knows why people make the
bad decisions that they make, even when a way of the situation is always
available. It's not our job to figure that out for anyone, but it is ours to
learn from their mistakes. It's not our place to censor or judge them, it's our
place to humble ourselves and remember that the same thing can happen to us. No
rational thinking person wakes up one morning and decides to do something that
will destroy their family, ruin their reputation, and bring their ministry
down. There is always a path to destruction that starts at a blind spot. What's
yours? <o:p></o:p></div>
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Avoid the temptation to speculate, tear
down or have a "holier-than-thou" attitude when you hear about
someone who has sinned. The enemy is always looking for opportunities to knock
us down from our high place. He's looking for you, too. He's watching to see what
he can use, who he can send your way to take you out and shame you. He hates
the worship of God; He hates God and all people; He hates when people worship
God. His goal is to steal, kill and destroy completely, including those who
lead others to worship God. Don't help the enemy! <o:p></o:p></div>
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Selah…<o:p></o:p></div>
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Poetry of Motion!http://www.blogger.com/profile/05267890777114034658noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5936008901339013737.post-63849076456191514482016-01-08T02:13:00.001-08:002017-01-03T22:54:59.831-08:00Be Prepared!Happy 2017! I took a break from blogging, but I'm back! I promise to be more present this year. Here is a repost from last January. Keep worshiping Christ!<br />
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<i> <span style="background-color: white; font-size: 14.4px; line-height: 21.6px;"><span style="font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif;">If you won’t plow in the cold, you won’t eat at the harvest</span></span><span style="background-color: white; font-family: "helvetica neue" , "verdana" , "helvetica" , "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 14.4px; line-height: 21.6px;">.</span></i></div>
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<span style="font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="background-color: white; font-size: 14.4px; line-height: 21.6px;"><i>Proverbs 20:4 </i>(TLB)</span></span></div>
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I recently attended a program where someone I knew was going to minister in praise dance. We both knew that she had a love for dance, and was called to dance for the Lord, but had challenges with taking advantage of available resources that would help her learn more about what she was called to do. Her work and life schedule was extremely busy, so she bought a DVD to work on at home and never got around to it. Every time she was invited to a workshop or class, she was always doing something else...still she had a love and a calling to dance.<br />
At the program, she was beautifully attired and had prepared her heart with prayer. The music started, and then something went wrong. She froze. Not knowing what to do, she began moving randomly and nervously until the music finished. That had to have been one of the longest 5 minutes of her life!<br />
Afterwards, she realized what had gone wrong. She hadn't prepared herself with knowledge beforehand. All of the opportunities she had to learn about her ministry weren't taken seriously. Although she meant well, the message didn't get to the people due to lack of preparation. That day, she learned that it takes more than emotion to bring a message in public ministry. We can all learn a lesson from that experience.<br />
In the first week of the New Year, let's prepare ourselves for what we plan to do. If a class is needed, please go. If there are no local classes or transportation available, many ministries offer DVD's for sale at reasonable prices. If funds are tight, There are short instructional videos on YouTube that can be watched for free. There's never an excuse for lack of preparation! Even on short notice, if you have been practicing already, you can minister a dance with God's guidance based on what you already know, that will bless people. If you are really serious about ministry, you'll find a way to prepare yourself to be effective, or wait until you can make the time commitment. You don't have to be a professional dancer to minister in dance, but it's necessary to know something about what you are doing, so that your message is clear. Very few people are able to do this without some type of basic knowledge of movement. But, if you want to learn, there is lots of information that is easy to find. (You can type in "dance ministry instruction" in your web browser or on You Tube, and many pages will come up).<br />
If you are looking for dance ministry resources, please look at some of the links on the blog page that may be of interest. Be prepared in 2016!<br />
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<br />Poetry of Motion!http://www.blogger.com/profile/05267890777114034658noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5936008901339013737.post-66234528894951372112015-12-22T21:58:00.000-08:002015-12-22T21:59:39.692-08:00Christmas Blessings! <br />
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At this busy time of year, I hope everyone enjoyed wonderful presentations of worship around the Christmas theme whether it was through Musicals, Drama, Poetry, Cantatas, Dance, Caroling, or Non-traditional Tradition, and that those who were observing were blessed. I had the most amazing opportunity to direct a children's play that was a lot of fun for the kids as they learned how to present the Good News of Christ in a creative way. They also learned that excellence as an expectation does not mean to never make a mistake, but to put enough time and effort into what we do, so that no matter what happens, we know what to do when mistakes happens (so that no one else notices) :-)</div>
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Have a Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year, and we will be back in 2016 with more insights about worshiping Christ through the arts!</div>
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Blessings... </div>
Poetry of Motion!http://www.blogger.com/profile/05267890777114034658noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5936008901339013737.post-8587401910019503372015-11-24T23:54:00.001-08:002015-11-24T23:55:45.198-08:00Be Thankful!<div style="text-align: center;">
This is a re-post from 11/24/11. Blessings!</div>
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<em>...Since God chose you to be the holy people he loves, you must clothe yourselves with tenderhearted mercy, kindness, humility, gentleness, and patience. Make allowance for each other’s faults, and forgive anyone who offends you. Remember, the Lord forgave you, so you must forgive others. Above all, clothe yourselves with love, which binds us all together in perfect harmony. And let the peace that comes from Christ rule in your hearts. For as members of one body you are called to live in peace. And always be thankful.</em></div>
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~ Col. 3: 12-15 NLT</div>
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We have so much to be thankful for every day. In spite of the many historical controversies surrounding Thanksgiving Day, thankfulness should be a part of every day if we have life. Even if everything around us is going completely wrong, we can still give thanks and praise to God:</div>
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<em>Even though the fig trees have no blossoms, and there are no grapes on the vines; even though the olive crop fails, and the fields lie empty and barren; even though the flocks die in the fields, and the cattle barns are empty, yet I will rejoice in the Lord! I will be joyful in the God of my salvation! The sovereign Lord is my strength! He makes me as surefooted as a deer, able to tread upon the heights.</em></div>
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~Habakkuk 3:17-19 (NLT)</div>
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Being thankful doesn't mean that we are in denial about our situation, it is really about humbling ourselves and trusting God to work things out for us in His way. We give thanks in the midst of the situation, (not for it) and believe by faith that He will give us wisdom, guidance, and peace until we get through it, knowing that He always has our best intrests at heart.<br />
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<em>Be thankful in all circumstances, for this is God’s will for you who belong to Christ Jesus.</em></div>
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~1 Thess. 5:18 (NLT)</div>
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There are many who will say that they have absolutely nothing to be grateful for, and are angry at God for the way their lives are going. The Word says that people would be increasingly ungrateful in the last days..<br />
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<em>...in the last days there will be very difficult times. For people will love only themselves and their money. They will be boastful and proud, scoffing at God, disobedient to their parents, and ungrateful. They will consider nothing sacred.</em></div>
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~1 Tim 3:1-3</div>
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Don't be counted among the ungrateful ones! Give thanks and praise to God at all times. He's done so much for us that we can never thank Him enough. Have a Happy Thanksgiving today, and every day.</div>
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Poetry of Motion!http://www.blogger.com/profile/05267890777114034658noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5936008901339013737.post-86698671634644773852015-09-19T18:57:00.000-07:002015-10-25T19:50:42.240-07:00Giving Honor...Always!<div style="text-align: center;">
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<i>I thank my God for all the memories I have of you. ~</i> Phil. 1:13 (GWT)</div>
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It's been awhile since I put up a new blog post, lots has been going on and my promise is still to only post when I have something real to say. Recently, a dear friend and fellow worshiping artist departed this life, and I had the opportunity to share some words at her repast after the service. She was a true gift from God and a friend in every definition. When we realize the power of friendship, we will hopefully learn to be more supportive of one another, more Christlike in our behavior, and more understanding of our differences. When that happens, there will be no room for competition...I believe that we wouldn't even want to compete with one another if we really realized the power of friendship. No, everyone will not be our friend, and we can't be friends with everyone. But, we can be kinder and treat others as Christ would treat them.<br />
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Cynthia Manker was a prolific writer, actor, communicator, motivator, public relations and media specialist, and most of all, a true worshiper of Christ. She lived in the revelation of Ephesians 6:13 "...After having done all...Stand". Even when she could no longer physically stand, her spirit stood tall. She was a wonderful friend to me, and we worked together in the same drama ministry for six years. These are the words I had the opportunity to speak about her today:<br />
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<i> August 6, 1998 was not only my birthday, it was the day
that God blessed me with one of the greatest gifts I would ever have, a friend
named Cynthia. On stage and off, we were complete opposites in almost
everything, in height, in taste, in animals: I loved cats, she thought they
were sneaky, she watched TV, I got rid of mine. She was the extrovert, I was the introvert,
when I would stress out, she would see the bright side. If
there were a theme song for our friendship, it would be: "Count on Me"
but I won’t sing. I called to cry on her shoulder many a night and she would
listen and never once judge me, but wouldn’t hesitate to call me out if I was
in the wrong. Once, she talked me into
being part of her clown act “Quacky & Company” at a church picnic, (she was
Quacky, I was Company) and I went along, being the willing drama student that I
was. It was my first and last time EVER being a clown but that’s another story.
But for 17 years, we were in each other’s corner, at our best, and at our
worst. We both loved the Lord, and watching The Hoarders because we were afraid
of becoming pack rats. Our running joke was “Cynthia, find my show”. She was my
friend, and I will miss her.</i><o:p></o:p></div>
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Cynthia was a reader of my blog, and I'm glad we shared many ministry times together, as well as a great friendship. Today's blog is dedicated to her, to remind everyone to honor those who you work with in ministry, whether you sing together, dance together, mime, act, do music or visual art. You never know when you won't have those times again. So, love them, uplift them, and support them!</div>
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Blessings...</div>
Poetry of Motion!http://www.blogger.com/profile/05267890777114034658noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5936008901339013737.post-4908916788248901852015-07-07T02:16:00.001-07:002015-07-07T10:08:38.714-07:00Do You Really Wanna...<div style="text-align: center;">
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<i>So, my dear brothers and sisters, be strong and immovable. Always work enthusiastically for the Lord, for you know that nothing you do for the Lord is ever useless.</i></div>
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~1 Corinthians 15:58 (NLT)</div>
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When I have time, I enjoy watching dance ministry videos just to see what others are doing, or to be blessed by someone else's gifts. There are so many You Tube channels with hundreds (if not thousands) of recorded footage that makes it impossible to view every one. No matter where the group is based, what music they choose to dance to, how much or how little choreography they use, or their skill level or age, the one thing that effective ministries have in common is that they all look happy to be dancing for the Lord. They dance with their entire being, they are not hindered or holding back. Their facial expressions are full of peace, joy, and reverence. If the song is intense, they project that in the same way. Even through the computer or tablet/phone screen, the intention of the message can be clearly seen and felt.<br />
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I remember hearing a long time ago, that if you want to know if your ministry project is effective, turn off the music and watch the piece in silence. If it just looks like random movement with no direction or expression, you probably need to go back and rework it, because what you are seeing is the same thing that the people you are going to be in front of will see. I have watched far too many videos where the dancers have blank facial expressions, or have their lips folded in. The latter is especially true with teenagers who are at that self-conscious age, and although it is extremely challenging to get them to "come out of their shell", part of your rehearsal time should definitely include time in the mirror to work on the face, connecting with the message of the song, learning how to relate scripture to the song, and being comfortable in front of others, starting with self. Also, when working with teens, they as well as their parents/guardians need to be reminded that dance ministry is just that. It's not cheer, drill, competition or any of the things they see on reality TV, it's God's work. So, while they should always be welcomed to come into the group, they do need to understand the difference between each one, and if they are not ready, should not be forced to participate.<br />
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One of the worse things you could ever do is offer any kind of ministry that is not effective, meaning that it only provides a platform for your group, but does nothing to help other people. In fact, that's not ministry at all, it's not even good performance. In the professional arena, a good performance always leaves something with the audience. Have you ever heard the saying "Always leave your audience wanting more?" That means that what you gave was so fulfilling, they wanted to see or hear more of what you had to offer. In ministry, what you have to offer is the Good News of Christ, not your skill or your talents; although God will use that, it's secondary. What God is interested in is your heart, and once He has it, He can lead you in whatever ways that will benefit the people you are sharing with.<br />
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Another trend that has become more frequent is a lot of dancers who dance to songs that they like, but lack the ability to effectively minister because they cannot carry the weight of the music. Remember, in dance, you are to become the music, not simply dance to it. There are some songs that lend themselves easily to soloists, other songs are more appropriate for two or more dancers, or large groups. Listen to the musical arrangement and orchestration. Do you hear a choir singing or multiple layers of music? It's one thing to turn the music on and dance to your heart's content at home, and quite another do to the same thing in a public worship setting. People may say "Amen" and praise you to your face, but once you dance out the back door...need I say more? Just because you respond emotionally to a song, does not necessarily mean that it is a song for you to minister at this time, or ever. Before going out to do something that will be remembered in cyberspace as a hot mess for years, please consider attending local dance ministry workshops where classes are offered on choreography, Biblical foundations of dance, musical selections, garments, and dance ministry etiquette. You can click on any of the ministry links or do a search on dance ministry conferences and workshops on your favorite search engine or social media website. Do you really wanna?<br />
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Please be blessed by the ministry of Zion's Daughters...dancing from the heart!<br />
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Poetry of Motion!http://www.blogger.com/profile/05267890777114034658noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5936008901339013737.post-32179976174812104272015-05-25T23:48:00.000-07:002015-05-26T00:06:15.080-07:00Choose Life!<br />
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<i>O <span class="small-caps" style="font-variant: small-caps;">Lord</span>, you have examined my heart</i></div>
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<span class="indent-1" style="font-style: italic;"><span class="indent-1-breaks"> </span><span class="text Ps-139-1">and know everything about me.</span></span></div>
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<span class="text Ps-139-2" id="en-NLT-16218" style="font-style: italic;"><sup class="versenum"> </sup>You know when I sit down or stand up.</span></div>
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<span class="indent-1" style="font-style: italic;"><span class="indent-1-breaks"> </span><span class="text Ps-139-2">You know my thoughts even when I’m far away.</span></span></div>
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<span class="text Ps-139-3" id="en-NLT-16219" style="font-style: italic;"><sup class="versenum"> </sup>You see me when I travel</span></div>
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<span class="indent-1" style="font-style: italic;"><span class="indent-1-breaks"> </span><span class="text Ps-139-3">and when I rest at home.</span></span></div>
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<span class="indent-1"><span class="indent-1-breaks"> </span><span class="text Ps-139-3">You know everything I do.</span></span></div>
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<span class="indent-1"><i>~</i>Psalm 139: 1-3 (NLT)</span></div>
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<span class="indent-1"> This month's blog will be a little different in that it's about two topics we sometimes avoid: Depression and discouragement. Many Christians feel that if someone admits to these things, it is because of sin in their life, not praying enough, lack of faith, or not being a true worshiper because the Word does say in Nehemiah 8:10 that "...The joy of The Lord is our strength", and it is. But, what about those times when we can't seem to find the joy because of where we happen to be in life, or when life becomes overwhelming? Where do we go when there seems to be no one to talk to, or no one understands? </span></div>
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<span class="indent-1"><i>God is our refuge and strength,</i></span></div>
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<span class="indent-1"><span class="indent-1"><i><span class="indent-1-breaks"> </span><span class="text Ps-46-1">always ready to help in times of trouble.</span></i></span></span></div>
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<span class="indent-1"><span class="indent-1"><span class="text Ps-46-1">~Psalm 46:1 (NLT)</span></span></span></div>
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Sometimes the hardest thing to do is to go to God when we are feeling our worst, but He is the One who can help us. Even if we call a friend or a trusted leader or professional, their ability to help us comes from Him. If all we can do is sit by ourselves alone, God hasn't left us. He's always available even when He seems distant. In the book of Psalms, David wrote about feeling that God had forgotten about him, being discouraged, alone, and feeling sad, and he was a great worshiper. We are no different.</div>
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If you know someone who is feeling discouraged or depressed, the best thing you can do is to be a good listener. Don't try to change what they say, tell them how they should or should not feel, or preach at them.Never judge them. Let God lead you as to how to speak after you hear them out. Offer to pray with them, cook them a meal, do whatever you are able to do to assist. If your friend is talking about harming themselves, get them to a safe place and call 9-1-1 if needed. Take everything they say seriously. Remember, it's not your role to try to fix them, but as a friend to get them some help.</div>
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<i>The Sovereign <span class="small-caps" style="font-variant: small-caps;">Lord</span> has given me his words of wisdom,</i></div>
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<i><span class="indent-1"><span class="indent-1-breaks"> </span><span class="text Isa-50-4">so that I know how to comfort the weary.</span></span></i></div>
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<i>Morning by morning he wakens me</i></div>
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<span class="indent-1"><i><span class="indent-1-breaks"> </span><span class="text Isa-50-4">and opens my understanding to his will.</span></i></span></div>
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<span class="indent-1">~ Isaiah 50:4 (NLT)</span></div>
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Lastly, if you are reading this blog and are feeling discouraged for any reason, there is help available. If you can't find anyone to talk to and just need to hear another voice on the phone, please call the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline in the USA at: </div>
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<span class="sa_label" sb_id="ms__id887">Hotline Numbers:</span> <a class="sa_ext" href="http://www.suicidepreventionlifeline.org/" sb_id="ms__id888" target="_blank">1-800-273-TALK</a> or <a class="sa_ext" href="http://www.suicidepreventionlifeline.org/" sb_id="ms__id889" target="_blank">1-800-273-8255</a> </div>
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<span class="sa_label" sb_id="ms__id891">Crisis Text Line:</span> Text "LISTEN" to <a class="sa_ext" href="http://www.crisistextline.org/get-help-now/" sb_id="ms__id892" target="_blank">741-741</a></div>
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You don't have to be suicidal to call, The Lifeline is a listening ear for anyone who calls, 24 hours a day. Please don't be ashamed. Discouragement and depression are not signs of weakness, they are signs that help is needed. Don't give up...Choose Life!</div>
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<i>Lord, you know and see the person who is reading this blog post right now. Please give them grace and strength to walk through whatever season or circumstance they find themselves in. We ask that you would move every hindrance and stumbling block that is in their way and let them see the light that is in You. Restore the joy in their heart and be their rock and shelter. This is our prayer, in Jesus name. Amen.</i></div>
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Poetry of Motion!http://www.blogger.com/profile/05267890777114034658noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5936008901339013737.post-49525767119474179032015-04-20T23:27:00.000-07:002015-04-28T10:51:51.930-07:00#That Garment Conversation...Again<br />
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<span style="text-align: left;">. . . <i>Do not therefore let what seems good to you be considered an evil thing [by someone else]. [In other words, do not give occasion for others to criticize that which is justifiable for you.]</i></span></div>
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<span style="text-align: left;">~ Romans 14:16 (AMP)</span></div>
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There can never be too many blogs, books, online classes or conference workshops about appropriate attire for dance ministries. While there are many dancers who have invested time, effort and money to dress themselves in garments that are both beautiful and modest, there are still too many who wear clothing that is either too tight, revealing or doesn't fit well because it is too large or does not cover enough of the body. A few of the common reasons for this are:</div>
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<i> "It doesn't matter what you wear, God is looking at your heart" </i> It's true that God does look at our heart, but taking 1 Samuel 6:7 out of context to justify not wearing the proper attire when we dance isn't going to change what people see. We never want to be a stumbling block for anyone.</div>
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<i> "Dance garments are expensive" </i>Wrong...<i>some</i> dance garments are expensive, but some are very inexpensive and well-made. In addition, there are ways to make beautiful coverings with 2 yards of fabric that don't even require sewing skills. The other problem with this argument is that some of us who complain that dance garments are expensive will spend the same amount of money or more on worldly concert tickets, hair weaves, shoes, and handbags. What is our real priority?</div>
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<i> "I don't need to wear pants under my skirt or dress if I have on tights" </i>For modesty purposes, ladies should always wear the wide legged palazzo pants under a skirt or dress. That way, we can be free to move without anyone seeing something of ours that should only be seen by our mates at home. Men (and some women) in a church service should not have to struggle to focus on God because they are seeing crotches on the platform! </div>
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<i> "I can't help it if I have a lot up top, that's the way God made me" </i>You can't control your genetics, but you can control how it is seen. Ladies, please wear proper undergarments that don't allow your bust to bounce up and down when you move. Make sure you wear pasties if you need them, or put folded tissue in the front of your bra. Some type of overdress or overlay should be worn over a leotard. The worship dresses that are made by the dancewear companies look may beautiful on children, but not so nice on women because they call attention to our bust. The body is not shameful, but once again, we don't want to call attention to our form, because the focus in worship is always on God. Anything that takes away from that is a distraction.</div>
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<i> "Those praise dance garments look plain and old-fashioned" </i> A long time ago, when dancewear manufacturers discovered there was a market for worship dance attire, they created garments based on their perception of dance, and of the church. The result was often drab, non-interesting, cheesy looking, almost comical items. Their stock consisted of ruffles, bib-tops, and dresses that looked like choir robes or togas, instead of the beautiful selection of garments now available. As people who were gifted to sew began to create dancewear that was colorful and modest, the amount of garments available increased tremendously. Today we can look anywhere online and find very nice attire for all budgets. It's not necessary to buy the most expensive garments, but it is important to purchase the nicest ones that you can afford. Even if you don't have a lot of money, you can create a worship dance top using 2 yards of 45" or 60" fabric, secured with safety pins on the inside and tied at the shoulder over a leotard. The same length of fabric can also be wrapped without any pins at all. </div>
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(We can show you how to do this in detail in a future blog).</div>
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A great reference is <i>Garments of Glory</i>, a downloadable e-book by Jocelyn Richard of Visual Praise Ministries in Augusta, GA (www.thepraisedancelife). Jocelyn has a wealth of information about garments and other aspects of the dance ministry from her many years of experience as a worship dance leader. Her e-book includes full-color pictures, historical references and a list of reputable and affordable dance garment makers. You can purchase and download it here: <a href="http://store.payloadz.com/details/843062-ebooks-religion-and-spirituality-garments-of-glory.html">http://store.payloadz.com/details/843062-ebooks-religion-and-spirituality-garments-of-glory.html</a></div>
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It can never be stressed enough that one of the main reasons that praise and worship dance is still not accepted in some churches is because of the way dancers are dressed. I was in a fabric store one day and an older woman began to lecture me on why she didn't like praise dance, and how disgraceful women looked in what they wore. She was so offended by their immodesty that she didn't even believe that anyone could do anything different than what she had seen. What a shame! Someone did not receive the message of the dance (if there was one) because of a preventable situation. </div>
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As a member of the National Liturgical Dance Network, I want to share this best practice information with as many in the dance ministry community as possible, because once we learn something, we need to pass it on to others. Please feel free to share the this blog and slideshow I created with anyone you feel could benefit from seeing it. You can go to the video and share it directly from You Tube. The garments pictured are but a few of many examples of attire that is beautiful and appropriate in any church setting. The purpose of the slideshow is not to endorse any garment maker. You can go online and type in "Worship Dance Garments" or "Praise Dance Garments", and several options will show in your browser. If you would like any additional information about garments, you can e-mail me at: urbanartz212@gmail.com, and I will be happy to direct you to more resources. You can also contact the National Liturgical Dance Network, Foot of the Cross Ministries, Dancing for Him Ministries or any of the ministries and garment makers in the info section of the blog. We would love to help you dress for glory and beauty!</div>
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I hope that I've posted something that can help the dance ministry to grow, and to be perceived in the way that God intends. </div>
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Be blessed, and as always, Keep Dancing for Christ!</div>
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Poetry of Motion!http://www.blogger.com/profile/05267890777114034658noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5936008901339013737.post-19698365815384683052015-04-03T12:58:00.001-07:002015-04-03T13:00:53.588-07:00Remember Why...<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<span class="text John-3-16" id="en-NIV-26137"><i>For God so loved<sup class="crossreference" data-cr="#cen-NIV-26137A" data-link="(<a href="#cen-NIV-26137A" title="See cross-reference A">A</a>)"></sup> the world that he gave<sup class="crossreference" data-cr="#cen-NIV-26137B" data-link="(<a href="#cen-NIV-26137B" title="See cross-reference B">B</a>)"></sup> his one and only Son,<sup class="crossreference" data-cr="#cen-NIV-26137C" data-link="(<a href="#cen-NIV-26137C" title="See cross-reference C">C</a>)"></sup> that whoever believes<sup class="crossreference" data-cr="#cen-NIV-26137D" data-link="(<a href="#cen-NIV-26137D" title="See cross-reference D">D</a>)"></sup> in him shall not perish but have eternal life. </i>John 3:16<i> (NIV)</i><sup class="crossreference" data-cr="#cen-NIV-26137E" data-link="(<a href="#cen-NIV-26137E" title="See cross-reference E">E</a>)"></sup></span></div>
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Resurrection Sunday, also known as Easter is fast approaching and many people are preparing to celebrate by shopping for new outfits, cooking elaborate meals, and planning fun activities for children. There will also be an array of pageantry, plays, musicals, and artistic expressions at worship gatherings around the world.<br />
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As we prepare for Sunday service, whether it is a Passion Play, Stations of the Cross, dance, singing, spoken word, or any other art form, please remember to not get so caught up and consumed by the act of performing service that it becomes more important than the worship of Christ, or the people you are ministering to. Too many times we get excited by lights, staging, cameras, crowds, and sound systems that we forget how to speak to others and how to treat them. If someone forgets where to stand, or misses a cue, do we belittle them, or do we exercise the fruit of patience? Do we become so concerned with garments and costumes, that we disregard the person who is wearing them? This is not a show we are doing, it's the communication of the Good News for an audience of people who may have never heard or seen it. It's not for us to display our talents and skills, although that will happen. God is the director and producer of all that we do!<br />
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Last of all. this is a busy time. People have a lot going on around them...if something does not go as planned, please remember that what you have to say is <i>never</i> more important than the person you are saying it to.<br />
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Be Blessed...and wise.Poetry of Motion!http://www.blogger.com/profile/05267890777114034658noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5936008901339013737.post-26928594041829660632015-04-03T11:20:00.000-07:002015-04-03T11:41:17.141-07:00We Are Free!<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<i>Stand fast therefore in the liberty by which Christ has made us free, and do not be entangled again with a yoke of bondage.</i> Galatians 5:1 (NKJV)</div>
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On the day that is remembered as Good Friday, let's remember why it has that name...the day that Christ died on the cross in our place, receiving the punishment that we should have received so that we could be free. That's Good News! Whatever you do today, consider Christ and his life, not just on today, but everyday.</div>
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Please enjoy this classic worship song by Morris Chapman, "We Are Free":</div>
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<br />Poetry of Motion!http://www.blogger.com/profile/05267890777114034658noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5936008901339013737.post-77814641803804162092015-03-21T23:15:00.001-07:002015-03-21T23:15:11.871-07:00Blurry Lines . . .<div align="center" class="MsoNoSpacing" style="text-align: center;">
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<i><span class="text"><span style="background: white; font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt;">Don’t love the world or anything that belongs to the world.
If you love the world, you cannot love the Father.</span></span><span class="apple-converted-space"><span style="background: white; font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt;"> </span></span><span class="text"></span><b><sup style="box-sizing: border-box;"><span style="background: white; font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt;"><span style="text-align: start;"><span id="en-CEV-28452" style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; box-sizing: border-box;"> </span></span></span></sup></b><span class="text"><span style="background: white; font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt;">Our foolish pride comes from this world, and so do our
selfish desires and our desire to have everything we see. None of this comes
from the Father.</span><b><sup style="box-sizing: border-box;"><span id="en-CEV-28453" style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; box-sizing: border-box; text-align: start;"> </span></sup></b>The world and the desires it causes are
disappearing. But if we obey God, we will live forever.</span></i> <o:p></o:p></div>
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<span class="text"><span style="background: white; font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt;">~ 1 John 2:15-17 (CEV)<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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If this seems to be a play on words using a popular song title...it is! The lines are blurry because lately it's becoming increasingly difficult to tell the difference between some Christian ministries and other groups that have nothing to do with God by the ways in which He is being represented, and by the ways that ministries are presenting themselves to the world. In other words, the lines between what is godly and what is ungodly can be hard to discern unless you can see them spiritually. Just look around . . . and it will become very obvious what is being allowed to get our attention. Money, pride, competition, confusion, compromising behavior and personal drama that calls itself Reality TV is causing people to exalt fame above Christ.<br />
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<span style="background: white; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;"><i>For
all that is in the world—the lust of the flesh [craving for sensual
gratification] and the lust of the eyes [greedy longings of the mind] and the
pride of life [assurance in one’s own resources or in the stability of earthly
things]—these do not come from the Father but are from the world [itself]</i>.</span></div>
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~
1 John 2:16 (AMP)<o:p></o:p></div>
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It has been said that most ministries start out with the right intentions of putting God first in all they do, but as they progress, what they do can become more important than God Himself. In other words, they leave their first love. Other things begin to replace prayer time, study time, rest and refreshing time and they move away from a place of devotion to a place of constant motion, and the enemy can then entice them away from God's way into the way of man, which is the way of the flesh. Next come offers of more exposure, more money and of course the weakening of the message of the Good News to become more "seeker friendly" to draw a broader audience with the prospect of mass appeal, eventually moving them even further away from Christ. At the extreme end of this continuum is the complete removal of God Almighty from their ministry, and the addition of other doctrines and teachings that are a complete opposite of the Bible. This is where some lose their faith, become "enlightened" and no longer even believe that Christ is the only way of salvation, and the enemy has effectively destroyed another ministry.<br />
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<span style="background: white; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;"><i>But this is what I have against you: you do not love me now
as you did at first</i>.</span> ~Rev. 2:4 (GWT)<o:p></o:p></div>
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There has to be a distinction between the way Christian ministries live, behave, believe, and appear in contrast to others. People should be able to recognize when your group goes up to present an ministry offering anywhere they go by the presence of God that is with you. The anointing is more than a feeling, it is the approval of God on what you do! The anointing of God brings a change, brings spiritual sight, physical, emotional and mental healing, deliverance and a reverence for holy things. If the lines are blurry, people will have nothing of God to take with them and all they were was entertained.<br />
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<span style="background: white; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;"><i>And
it shall come to pass in that day that his burden shall be taken away from off
thy shoulder and his yoke from off thy neck, and the yoke shall be consumed in
the presence of the anointing.</i></span> <o:p></o:p></div>
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<span style="background: white; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">~
Isaiah 10:27 (JUB)<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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Stop and think...who and what do you represent when you minister? Do people see Christ in your works, or do they only see your skill of presentation? Has the amount of time you spend preparing your ground (environment, personal space, spiritual time) decreased since the time you began your ministry? Is what you do (choreography, garments, engagements, content, awards, popularity) becoming more important than the One who called you? Have you started associating more with non-believers to promote yourself while hiding who you really stand for? If you can honestly say yes to even one of these points, then maybe it's time to pull away from the limelight and reacquaint yourself with your original calling and vision. Don't be one whose works will be burned at the end of your time on earth because they didn't glorify God. There's still have time to make those blurry lines clear!<br />
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Please enjoy this video of "Who's on the Lord's Side" by the late Rev. Timothy Wright:<br />
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<br />Poetry of Motion!http://www.blogger.com/profile/05267890777114034658noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5936008901339013737.post-73522903464072587112015-02-26T19:58:00.003-08:002015-02-26T20:45:09.322-08:00Say What?<div align="center" class="MsoNoSpacing" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in; text-align: center;">
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<span class="text"><i>In the past
there were false prophets among God’s people. It is the same now. You will have
some false teachers in your group. They will teach things that are wrong—ideas
that will cause people to be lost. And they will teach in a way that will be
hard for you to see that they are wrong. They will even refuse to follow the
Master who bought their freedom. And so they will quickly destroy themselves</i>.<u1:p></u1:p></span><o:p></o:p></div>
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<span class="text">~2 Peter 2:1-2
(ERV)</span></div>
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<o:p></o:p> Just in case no one has noticed, there's a lot going on in the world now, and it's happening all at once at a very high level of intensity. We see more because of the large amounts of information that can be seen and heard and passed along quickly, 24 hours a day. The media controls a lot of what we learn so it's not always easy to know what is true and what isn't. The older people used to say "Believe half of what you see, and none of what you hear" and there is some wisdom to that saying when it's taken in the right context.<br />
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The one place that we should always be able to get accurate information is when we go to church to hear God's Word. Even though pastors and ministers are not perfect, what they say should always be found in the Bible and not made up. Nothing is supposed to be added to their message from outside beliefs, and definitely nothing should ever be taken away. The church is supposed to be a safe place where we can worship Christ in a pure environment, pure -- meaning that no one makes mistakes or doesn't sin, but the purity that comes from worship in spirit and truth according to John 4:24:<br />
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<i>For God is Spirit, so those who worship him must worship in spirit and in truth.</i></div>
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<i>~</i>John 4:24 (NLT)</div>
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We need to worship God in a place where we will not be lied to, manipulated or have mind games played on us. The only way to know if a preacher or church is telling the truth is to know what the Word says for ourselves. We need to listen to everything they say with an open mind (thinking), an open heart (reflecting), and an open spirit (discerning). I once heard that when bank tellers are being trained to recognize counterfeit bills, they learn what real currency looks and feels like, so when the fake bills are passed they will immediately reject them. It shouldn't be any different when it comes to any type of ministry. We should be so familiar with what the Bible says that when someone speaks something that is foreign, we don't listen to it. It doesn't require a degree in theology to know a lie when we hear it. It's not necessary to have a title or be a church leader to discern when something is wrong with what a person is saying or to be able to see that his or her actions don't agree with what they are promoting from the pulpit.<br />
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<i>Pattern yourselves after me [follow my example], as I imitate and follow Christ (the Messiah).</i><br />
1 Cor 11:1 (AMP)<br />
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God is not calling us to be judgmental, but He does require us to discern when something or someone is leading us in the wrong direction and not to follow them. A wise pastor once said: "If there ever comes a time when you no longer see the fruits of righteousness in my life, please leave this church!" Anytime you see a minister mixing other beliefs with God's Word in the pulpit, or promoting activities on TV that should only go on in private, saying one thing and doing another, paying off millions of dollars to keep themselves out of court or promoting selfishness, worldliness and greed, it's time to take a long hard look and determine if what they are doing is bringing you closer to Christ or closer to Them....because as men and women of God there should be no contradiction between what they say to you, and what they do. </div>
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<span class="text"><i>Do not let anyone fool you. For the Lord will not come again until many
people turn away from God. Then the leader of those who break the law will
come. He is the man of sin.</i></span><span class="apple-converted-space"><i> </i></span><span class="text"><i> He works
against and puts himself above every kind of god that is worshiped. He will
take his seat in the house of God and say that he himself is God. ~</i>2 Thess. 2:3-4 (NLV)</span><i><span style="font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></i></div>
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It's challenging when we see "great" preachers that we admire become part of the world system that they are called to pull others out of, but we are living in a time where the Word says that people will be deceived and will cause many to fall after them. I hope and pray that none of us will be in that following. Let's remain watchful and prayerful!<br />
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Please enjoy this video from the P4CM Dancers reminding us to "Stand Out"!<br />
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Poetry of Motion!http://www.blogger.com/profile/05267890777114034658noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5936008901339013737.post-83276991709024941302015-02-12T16:25:00.003-08:002015-02-12T19:23:33.795-08:00What Jesus Really Cares About...<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<i><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; line-height: 115%;">If I could speak all the languages of earth and
of angels, but didn’t love others, I would only be a noisy gong or a clanging
cymbal. </span><b><sup><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; line-height: 115%;"> </span></sup></b><span style="font-family: Times New Roman, serif;"><span style="line-height: 115%;">If I had the gift of prophecy, and if I
understood all of God’s secret plans and possessed all knowledge, and if I had
such faith that I could move mountains, but </span><span style="line-height: 18.3999996185303px;">didn't</span><span style="line-height: 115%;"> love others, I would be
nothing. </span></span><b><sup><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; line-height: 115%;"> </span></sup></b><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; line-height: 115%;">If I gave everything I have to the poor and even
sacrificed my body, I could boast about it;</span><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; line-height: 115%;"> but if I didn’t
love others, I would have gained nothing.</span></i></div>
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<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; line-height: 115%;">~1 Cor. 13:1-3 (NLT)</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; line-height: 115%;"> That picture might offend some people...but in reality Christ spoke often about how we as Christians are to treat others, and although He wants us to know His word, He really wants us to do what we read and quote. A lot of us are very good at speaking, confessing, decreeing and declaring, but when it comes to relating to other people, a lot of that word we are saying gets lost somewhere in between the pages of the book and our hearts. I'm sure we have all experienced bad treatment at the hands of people who profess to be saved, and we have probably given out some of that same bad treatment either in response to what we received from them, or just because we forgot what mirror we had been looking at ourselves in:</span></div>
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<i><span class="text"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif";">But
don’t just listen to God’s word. You must do what it says. Otherwise, you are
only fooling yourselves.</span></span><span class="apple-converted-space"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif";"> </span></span><span class="text"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif";"> For if you
listen to the word and don’t obey, it is like glancing at your face in a
mirror. You see yourself, walk away, and forget what you look like.</span></span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif";"><o:p></o:p></span></i></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif";">~ James 1:22-24 (NLT)<i> </i></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif";"><i> </i>Regardless of who we are, what our gifts and talents may be, how many people are in our ministry or what we have been called to do, the most important thing is to love others and treat people the way we want to be treated. Sometimes it's the simple things that we neglect to do, that hold doors closed for us and open the door for the enemy to come in and do whatever he wants to do. From the front door to the pulpit, we all need to be loving and kind towards those we come in contact with if we want to please God. We are in the last days, and God is going to judge what we do, without regards for title, age, job description, resume, degree, or income. We will all be judged individually by the same word!</span></div>
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<i><span class="woj"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif";">“You
have heard the law that says, ‘Love your neighbor’and hate your enemy.</span></span><span class="text"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif";"> </span></span><span class="woj"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif";">But I say, love
your enemies! Pray for those who persecute you!</span></span><span class="text"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif";"> </span></span><span class="woj"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif";">In that way, you
will be acting as true children of your Father in heaven. For he gives his
sunlight to both the evil and the good, and he sends rain on the just and the
unjust alike.</span></span></i><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif";">
<span class="text" style="font-style: italic;"> </span><span class="woj" style="font-style: italic;">If you love only those who love
you, what reward is there for that? Even corrupt tax collectors do that much.</span>
<span class="text" style="font-style: italic;"> </span><span class="woj" style="font-style: italic;">If you are kind only to your
friends, how are you different from anyone else? Even pagans do that.</span> <span class="text" style="font-style: italic;"> </span><span class="woj"><i>But you are to be perfect, even as your
Father in heaven is perfect." </i>~ Matt. 5:43-48 (NLT)</span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif";"><span class="woj">~</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif";"><span class="woj"> <i> </i></span></span><span class="text" style="font-style: italic;">My dear brothers and sisters, how can you claim to have faith in our
glorious Lord Jesus Christ if you favor some people over others?<sup> </sup>For
example, suppose someone comes into your meeting dressed in fancy clothes and
expensive jewelry, and another comes in who is poor and dressed in dirty
clothes.</span> <span id="en-NLT-30257" style="font-style: italic;"><sup> </sup>If
you give special attention and a good seat to the rich person, but you say to
the poor one, “You can stand over there, or else sit on the floor”—well,</span>
<span id="en-NLT-30258" style="font-style: italic;"><span class="text"><sup> </sup>doesn’t this
discrimination show that your judgments are guided by evil motives?</span><sup> </sup>Listen
to me, dear brothers and sisters. Hasn’t God chosen the poor in this world to
be rich in faith? Aren’t they the ones who will inherit the Kingdom he promised
to those who love him?</span> <span id="en-NLT-30260" style="font-style: italic;"><sup> </sup>But
you dishonor the poor! Isn’t it the rich who oppress you and drag you into
court?</span> <span id="en-NLT-30261"><span class="text" style="font-style: italic;"><sup> </sup>Aren’t
they the ones who slander Jesus Christ, whose noble name you bear?</span><sup style="font-style: italic;"> </sup><i>Yes
indeed, it is good when you obey the royal law as found in the Scriptures:
“Love your neighbor as yourself.”</i><sup data-fn="#fen-NLT-30262d" data-link="[<a href="#fen-NLT-30262d" title="See footnote d">d</a>]" style="font-style: italic;"> </sup><i>But if you favor some people over others,
you are committing a sin. You are guilty of breaking the law.</i> ~ James 2:1-9 (NLT)</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif";"><i>So
now I am giving you a new commandment:
Love each other. Just as I have
loved you, you should love each other.~ </i>John 13:34 (NLT)<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif";">~</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif;"><i>Three
things will last forever—faith, hope, and love—and the greatest of these is
love.<o:p></o:p></i></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif;">1 Cor. 13:13 (NLT)</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif";"> I believe that all of us can find ourselves somewhere in this message, whether we have been on the giving or receiving end of less than loving treatment. But...if you are reading this blog, you have been given the chance to do better and make amends, because it's never too late to get a new start in our walk with Christ!</span></div>
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Poetry of Motion!http://www.blogger.com/profile/05267890777114034658noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5936008901339013737.post-53572625215591342612015-01-04T18:01:00.000-08:002015-01-27T13:21:27.487-08:00A New Year!<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<i>Brothers and sisters, I know that I still have a long way to go. But there is one thing I do: I forget what is in the past and try as hard as I can to reach to goal before me. I keep running hard toward the finish line to get the prize that is mine because God has called me through Christ Jesus to life up there in heaven.</i></div>
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~Phil. 3:13-14 (ERV)</div>
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Happy New Year to everyone, and especially to all of my 41 followers who have taken time to join my blog over time. Lately, due to time constraints I haven't been adding to the blog as often, and because I realize that you have many reading choices online, I've always promised to only write when I actually have something to say. So...if you don't see a new post, it's for that reason and I feel that I owe you something fresh every time. As I mentioned in a previous blog, there are a hundreds of prolific writers addressing different perspectives <span style="text-align: center;">of the same topic, so if you can't find it here, it's out there somewhere. I also wanted to expand my blogging beyond dance and dance ministry to focus on worship as a whole, which will continue to include dance/drama/poetry/music/art as I'm led. The wind has shifted my sails again and although I'm still blogging, I'm taking my time to carefully write my next post. Please look for it soon, and again...thanks for reading. Keep worshiping Christ!</span><br />
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Please enjoy this video by the Get Lifted Ensemble:<br />
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<br />Poetry of Motion!http://www.blogger.com/profile/05267890777114034658noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5936008901339013737.post-32100510589145249742014-11-12T20:19:00.000-08:002015-01-27T13:15:32.118-08:00Worship and Purpose<div style="text-align: center;">
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<i>All that I am, praise the LORD; everything in me, praise His holy name.</i></div>
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~Psalm 103:1 (NCV)</div>
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"I see you dancing in God's hands..." Words from a great man who passed suddenly from this life a few days ago. In 2003, I attended a dance conference held at Bahamas Faith Ministries where Dr. Myles Munroe was speaking. He was teaching on Worship and Purpose, and the importance of understanding why we worship God. Dr. Myles spoke about creation and God's plans for us, and becoming like Christ. I was one of the last people he prayed for at the altar call. I was standing in a corner and he called me over to where he was, all the way across the platform. He asked me where I was from, paused, and with that great big smile that he will always be remembered by, said those words to me, along with some other things that only God would have known. That brief moment was so amazingly powerful. I remember running around the entire sanctuary!<br />
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It has been many years since that prophetic word was given to me, and everything Dr. Myles said on that day has come to pass. I count myself fortunate to have had something personally imparted into my life from God through him. Some say his passing away was untimely, some say it was his time and he died empty. The truth is, only he and God know. We offer prayers for the families of all who were with him in the catastrophic accident that marked the end of his life and the lives of others who died including his wife and fellow ministers, that God would comfort the grieving, give them peace, and that people would only speak words that give strength and encouragement.<br />
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Whenever someone leaves this realm, it is always a reminder to us that life is temporary, and we are only here for a brief moment on the continuum. God has promised to redeem and restore years that were taken from us, but there is no promise in the Bible to regain time that we waste. What are we doing with the goals that we set out to accomplish this year? How are we spending our time, our finances, and our gifts and talents? Have we finished anything that we started, have we even started, or are we still talking about starting? Dr. Myles once said: "One of the greatest tragedies in life is to watch potential die untapped". "What will you do with your dash?" is a message that many ministers and motivational speakers use to describe the time we have between our birthday and our last day. Our dash represents everything we do with our lives, our opportunities, resources and abilities that we have been given. If you are reading this blog, that means you still have a chance to make the most of the time you have in this world. We were all created by God to fulfill a unique purpose in this life, not to be like anyone else, or for anyone's approval. Once we find it, we must run with it until the race is over, so that when we are finished, we can hear, "Well done, good and faithful servant!"<br />
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<i>Teach us to number our days, that we may gain a heart of wisdom.</i></div>
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~Psalm 90:12</div>
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Poetry of Motion!http://www.blogger.com/profile/05267890777114034658noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5936008901339013737.post-49716737632053948082014-09-13T15:43:00.002-07:002015-01-27T13:13:54.694-08:00Keep Your Word! <br />
<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-QsTGK2J2kZc/VBTHKIsLv-I/AAAAAAAAA6A/Rym0EqrYIC4/s1600/wordalive.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-QsTGK2J2kZc/VBTHKIsLv-I/AAAAAAAAA6A/Rym0EqrYIC4/s1600/wordalive.jpg" height="320" width="320" /></a><br />
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<span class="text" style="font-style: italic;"><span style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: white; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial;">Broken promises</span></span><br />
<span class="text" style="font-style: italic;"><span style="background: white;"><span style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; box-sizing: border-box; text-align: start;">are worse than rain clouds</span></span></span><br />
<span class="indent-1-breaks"><span style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; box-sizing: border-box;"><span style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: white; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; font-style: italic;"><span style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; box-sizing: border-box; text-align: start;"> </span></span><i><span style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; box-sizing: border-box;"></span></i><span class="text"><span style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: white; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial;"><i>that don’t bring rain. ~ Proverbs 25:14 (</i>CEV<i>)</i></span></span></span></span></div>
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The saying: " Word is bond" goes back a long way, but it will always be true. God always keeps his word, and as followers of Christ, we are expected to keep ours. Have you ever attended an event, expecting to receive something that was promoted to be a "Power-packed, life-changing experience" and found it to be totally disorganized? Or, have you ever paid for goods or services that were not received as promised? Worse yet, have you even been responsible for any of these things? Well, I'm not here to judge or condemn anyone, but this needs to change.<br />
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<span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;"><i><span style="background-color: white; font-size: 16px; line-height: 24px; text-align: start;">You must not cheat each other, but you must respect your God. I am the </span><span class="small-caps" style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; font-size: 16px; font-variant: small-caps; line-height: 24px; text-align: start;">Lord</span><span style="background-color: white; font-size: 16px; line-height: 24px; text-align: start;"> your God.</span></i></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;"><span style="background-color: white; font-size: 16px; line-height: 24px; text-align: start;"><i>Leviticus 25:17 </i>(NCV)</span></span></div>
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We always need to count the cost of anything we undertake before we commit to start. Careful planning and having a backup strategy can help avoid misunderstandings. There may be circumstances that are beyond our control, but a little communication goes a long way. With the advent of text messaging and social media, there is little excuse for keeping people who have invested time and resources into your ministry in the dark about changes or cancellations. Most people will understand if they are informed about changes in venue or availability, but no one likes to be ignored with unreturned phone calls or e-mails; they were important when you received their money, and are still important afterwards!<br />
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<i><span style="background: #FDFEFF; color: #001320; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">It is better not to make a promise than to make one and not
keep it.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;"></span>Ecc.
5:5 </i>(GWT)</div>
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If you find that you are unable to follow through with a commitment you have made,contacting people directly to acknowledge the situation and offering an acceptable solution is the best way to keep a positive relationship with them for future endeavors. If funds were exchanged, make sure there is a clearly written policy in place for handling refunds in a timely manner. In addition, people should be given the option of a full or partial refund if there is a cancellation on your end. Don't automatically assume that everyone will give you a second chance! If people stop trusting and supporting you, it won't be long before you are forgotten. Always strive to be that ministry that is known for excellence behind the scenes, as well as in public. If people express their opinions, listen to what they have to say and consider if the impression they have of you is one that you want to keep, and remember that there are many who will never say anything directly to you, but will tell others of their bad experiences.<br />
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We are living in a time when everything we do as Christians is under careful scrutiny. A good reputation is worth the time and effort that it takes to build and maintain. Keep your word!Poetry of Motion!http://www.blogger.com/profile/05267890777114034658noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5936008901339013737.post-30893820302035788692014-08-30T21:41:00.001-07:002014-08-31T08:06:18.905-07:00Life . . . Outside<div style="text-align: center;">
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<i> There’s an opportune time to do things, a right time for everything on the earth . . .</i></div>
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Ecc. 3:1 (MSG)</div>
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As a Christian artist or minister, lay person or enthusiast, have you found yourself spending most of your time focused on dance, music, writing, poetry, singing, play writing, or any of the other art forms that can, if allowed, take on lives of their own? I invite you to read and ponder the meaning of this quote:<br />
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"Continue to learn about life outside of the dance studio, outside of the dance world. The richer you are as a person, the more interesting you will be as a performer.”</div>
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~Veteran Ailey dancer Renee Robinson</div>
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Now, read the quote this way:<br />
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"Continue to learn about life outside of ________, outside of the _____ world. The richer you are as a person, the more interesting you will be as a _____________."<br />
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Do you see where this is going? We definitely need to invest time into honing our craft, but we also need to have a life outside of it. Our lives were never intended to be one-dimensional, in fact if you look around, there are very few things in nature that are truly flat, one-sided, or only come in one color. God, the ultimate Master-Creator, created the universe with infinite colors and shapes, sounds and dimensions. Each planet rotates on its own orbit and has its own axis around the sun. Each plant has a different seed, and within each plant there may be a variety of colors. Animals of the same species vary in size and breed. He created the seasons, the oceans, mountains and lakes. How much of these things have we really taken notice of, because are we so bogged down in our next song, choreography, poem, venue, or ministry engagement that we have forgotten to "stop and smell the flowers"? It's an old saying, but it's true. We were never intended to be so involved in anything that we do to never enjoy the world around us.<br />
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No matter where we live, or how many hours we work, or our financial situation, we can always find other positive interests to make life more exciting and interesting. Read a book about something other than what you do all the time. If you are in the dance ministry, why not go to the zoo or to the beach, just for the enjoyment of doing it? Are you a poet? why not go to a museum? If you are a singer, think about learning how to play chess or something that releases you from singing for a change.<br />
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The more things that you are exposed to in life, make you a more interesting person, and much more aware of the world around you. It's easy to get into a rut, and very difficult to get out, but once we make the effort to extricate ourselves from the routine of sameness, it's very liberating to us and to those whom we serve.<br />
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Deeloping other interests also frees us from the pressure of competition with others, because when we live balanced lives, we learn that the only person we need to compete with is ourselves, the only person we should try to outdo is us, and the only person we need to please, is God. So, definitely spend quality time on your craft and your ministry, but take time to have a life outside of it. The people you serve deserve the best you that you can offer them!<br />
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Selah . . .<br />
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Poetry of Motion!http://www.blogger.com/profile/05267890777114034658noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5936008901339013737.post-10495463732387541682014-07-10T02:47:00.001-07:002014-07-10T02:50:33.088-07:00I Cannot Pray...<div>
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<i>"Lord, teach us to pray, just as
John taught his disciples.”<o:p></o:p></i><br />
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Luke 11:1 (NIV)</div>
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I haven't posted for awhile...but I only post when I feel that I have something to contribute that will inspire, uplift, and challenge those who read my blog. To those who have been following me, I hope that you will continue to be blessed by my thoughts that I share. Most of us are familiar with <i>The Lord's Prayer</i>, and there are many great teachings and messages on this part of the Bible.<br />
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I found a devotional in a Christian magazine that shed some light on what we often overlook when we read or pray from Matthew 6:9-13 which is known as the <i>Lord's Prayer</i>, or <i>Our Father</i>. I believe that the message is contained within the message, and will speak accordingly to the need of each person who reads:<br />
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I cannot say <b>OUR</b> if my religion has no room for
others and their needs.<o:p></o:p></div>
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I cannot say <b>FATHER </b>is I do not demonstrate this
relationship in my daily life.<o:p></o:p></div>
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I cannot say <b>WHO ART IN HEAVEN</b> if my interests and
pursuits are in earthly things.<o:p></o:p></div>
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I cannot say <b>HALLOWED BE THY</b> <b>NAME</b> if I who am called by His Name am not holy.<o:p></o:p></div>
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I cannot say <b>THY KINGDOM COME</b> if I am unwilling to
give up my own sovereignty and accept the righteous reign of God.<o:p></o:p></div>
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I cannot say <b>THY WILL BE DONE</b> if I am unwilling or
resentful of having it in my life.<o:p></o:p></div>
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I cannot say <b>ON EARTH AS IT IS IN HEAVEN</b> unless I am
truly ready to give myself to His service here and now.<o:p></o:p></div>
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I cannot say <b>GIVE US THIS DAY OUR DAILY BREAD</b>
without expending honest effort for it or by ignoring the genuine needs of my fellow
man.<o:p></o:p></div>
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I cannot say <b>FORGIVE US OUR TRESPASSES AS WE FORGIVE
THOSE WHO</b> <b>TRESPASS AGAINST US</b> <o:p></o:p></div>
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If I continue to
harbor a grudge against anyone.<o:p></o:p></div>
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I cannot say <b>LEAD US NOT INTO TEMPTATION</b> if I
deliberately choose to remain in a situation where I am likely to be tempted.<o:p></o:p></div>
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I cannot say <b>DELIVER <st1:country-region w:st="on"><st1:place w:st="on">US</st1:place></st1:country-region> FROM EVIL</b> if I am not
prepared to fight in the spiritual realm with the weapon of prayer<o:p></o:p></div>
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I cannot say <b>THINE IS THE KINGDOM</b> if I do not give
the King the disciplined obedience of a loyal subject.<o:p></o:p></div>
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I cannot say <b>THINE IS THE POWER</b> if I fear what my
neighbors and friends may say or do.<o:p></o:p></div>
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I cannot say <b>THINE IS THE GLORY</b> if I am seeking my
own glory first.<o:p></o:p></div>
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I cannot say <b>FOREVER</b> if I am too serious about each
day’s affairs.<o:p></o:p></div>
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I cannot say <b>AMEN</b> unless I honestly say, “Cost what
it may, this is my prayer.”<o:p></o:p></div>
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-Author Unknown<o:p></o:p></div>
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If anyone knows of the original author and/or source of this devotional, please comment so that proper credit can be given.</div>
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Poetry of Motion!http://www.blogger.com/profile/05267890777114034658noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5936008901339013737.post-86365693887352438152014-05-24T10:02:00.000-07:002018-07-07T19:12:36.634-07:00No More Games!<div align="center" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in; text-align: center;">
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<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-dVOhGspXjvU/U4DPmF4xPzI/AAAAAAAAA2Y/m2YHF8cj4N0/s1600/honesty.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-dVOhGspXjvU/U4DPmF4xPzI/AAAAAAAAA2Y/m2YHF8cj4N0/s1600/honesty.jpg" /></a></div>
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<i>Because of God’s grace to me, I have laid
the foundation like an expert builder. Now others are building on it. But
whoever is building on this foundation must be very careful.<span class="apple-converted-space"> </span><sup> </sup>For no one can lay
any foundation other than the one we already have—Jesus Christ.<sup> </sup>Anyone
who builds on that foundation may use a variety of materials—gold, silver,
jewels, wood, hay, or straw.<span class="apple-converted-space"> </span><sup> </sup>But
on the judgment day, fire will reveal what kind of work each builder has done.
The fire will show if a person’s work has any value.<span class="apple-converted-space"> </span><sup> </sup>If the work survives,
that builder will receive a reward.<span class="apple-converted-space"> </span><sup> </sup>But
if the work is burned up, the builder will suffer great loss. The builder will
be saved, but like someone barely escaping through a wall of flames.<span class="apple-converted-space"> </span></i>~1 Cor. 3:10-15 (NLT)<o:p></o:p></div>
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Have you ever become
discouraged because it looks as if mostly everyone around you seems to be
progressing in their ministry endeavors, and you are still struggling? Does it
look as if others have that "crowd appeal" when it comes to hosting
events and conferences, and no one ever notices your efforts, or worse than
that, only a handful of people even show up to your venue? Are you still trying
after all these years, to make the right connections by casual name dropping,
hard at work to create the strategic network circle that will get you noticed
on the "friend" list of some highly recognizable name in social
media, resorting to "liking" and posting an "Amen" every
quote they put up, requesting to tag yourself in their pictures, or even giving
sizable offerings that you can't afford,in an effort to gain their favor?
Well, I have one word for you: "STOP!" It's a waste of your
time. Many of the people you are trying to emulate have worked tirelessly for
years to get to where they are, and if you were to ever sit down and talk with
some of them, their stories would be overwhelming. Those with genuine
ministries have endured trials, tests, hardship, betrayal, rejection,
discouragement, loss, grief, sickness, and all kinds of emotional pain. They
had to wait, study, be trained, be brokenhearted, and still be faithful. No one
gave them anything, they worked hard to achieve the status that you see them
carrying. <o:p></o:p></div>
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<o:p></o:p></div>
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. . .<i>Instead,
we commend ourselves as ministers of God in every way. We did this with our
great endurance through problems, disasters, and stressful situations.<span class="apple-converted-space"> </span><sup> </sup>We went through
beatings, imprisonments, and riots. We experienced hard work, sleepless nights,
and hunger.<span class="apple-converted-space"> </span><sup> </sup>We
displayed purity, knowledge, patience, and generosity. We served with the Holy
Spirit, genuine love,<span class="apple-converted-space"> </span><sup> </sup>telling
the truth, and God’s power. We carried the weapons of righteousness in our
right hand and our left hand.</i>~ 2 Cor 6:4-7 (CEB)<o:p></o:p></div>
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Don't allow the enemy
to deceive you into thinking that the "way to the top" in ministry is
to have what the world calls "Game" or "Hustle" because
although there are many who have chosen this way, in the end, it will only come
to ruin. The Bible says that every one's works will be tested by the fire of
God when we stand before Him, and His fire will reveal the intention of the
works that we have done. It goes on to say that we will still be saved, but all
of the worthless things we invested our all into in this life to achieve
greatness that God didn't even recognize will all be destroyed. What a
humiliating experience that would be, for the Almighty to destroy our hustle
and game! If you're unsure of what hustle looks like, here is a brief
definition in context:<o:p></o:p></div>
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<i>To convey forcibly or hurriedly; to obtain
by energetic activity; to sell something to or obtain something from by
energetic and especially underhanded activity*</i><o:p></o:p></div>
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Does that look like anything you have been
trying to do, to make your ministry happen? if so, you can turn it around, ask
God for forgiveness and help you to go on the right path to do things His way.
Everyone will not have a large dance/worship arts ministry, an extensive
conference schedule or long mailing list, but everyone can do God's will. Maybe
in your efforts to attain these things, you have found yourself being tempted
to push others aside to make room for yourself, or even sacrificed some
friendships to become more appealing to the people you are trying to impress.
It's not too late to change your course! Go back and get direction from God,
and if what He is leading you to do seems small for now, be faithful with that
and do it with a pure heart. And remember the old song that says: Only what you
do for Christ will last!<o:p></o:p></div>
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Selah . . .<o:p></o:p></div>
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Footnote: *www.m-w.com<o:p></o:p></div>
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Poetry of Motion!http://www.blogger.com/profile/05267890777114034658noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5936008901339013737.post-31646565019475168712014-04-22T09:43:00.000-07:002014-04-22T09:43:00.887-07:00Rest, Refresh, Rejuvenate<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-x_rmqVgTBCA/U1aamqtBDRI/AAAAAAAAA0o/oPtZseantak/s1600/waterheart.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-x_rmqVgTBCA/U1aamqtBDRI/AAAAAAAAA0o/oPtZseantak/s1600/waterheart.jpg" height="156" width="200" /></a></div>
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<i>"...In six days the LORD made the heavens and the earth, and on the seventh day he rested and was refreshed"</i> ~ Ex. 31:16</div>
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After all of the Palm Sunday, Good Friday, and Resurrection services, now is a good time to take a step back and rest. It's easy to get caught up in a whirlwind of activity and lose sight of the real purpose of what we do...and even more important than what we do is our relationship with God. We can be called upon so much that our time with Him gets pushed aside, and then we wonder why we are exhausted. May I suggest that we take a moment, however long that moment may be, to do three things? The three things I'm suggesting are to Rest, Refresh and Rejuvenate.<br />
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Rest is very important to God, in fact so important that the Bible says that God rested on the 7th day of creation. It does not say that He created anything else on that day, but that he rested.<br />
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<em>By the seventh day God had finished his work, and so he rested. <span class="text Gen-2-3" id="en-CEV-34">God blessed the seventh day and made it special because on that day he rested from his work.</span></em></div>
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<span class="text Gen-2-3">Genesis 2:2-3 (CEV)</span></div>
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The word "rested" here is from the Hebrew word<em> shabath </em>which means to repose, i.e. desist from exertion. If God rested from His work, why shouldn't we? He looked on all of his creation and it was flawless. While we are resting, we have time to think about what we have done, what we could improve, and even what we need to cease from doing. We have time to be more prayerful, take "time outs" to go walking, go to the beach, the library or the park, spend time with family, and be refreshed and rejuvenated, ready to get new direction or continue with the task we were completing. In our rest time, we can listen to what God is saying and also pay attention to our bodies to make sure everything is in tune. We have more time to read the Word and get revelation and insight into Christ and the world around us. Rest is one of the most important things we can do!</div>
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So, while you are putting away the garments, props, and scripts, make plans to rest...you will be glad that you did!</div>
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Selah</div>
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Please enjoy this refreshing video from the Blueprint Dancers from Traveler's Rest Missionary Baptist Church...to<i> Nothing Without You</i> by Jonathan Nelson:<br />
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</span>Poetry of Motion!http://www.blogger.com/profile/05267890777114034658noreply@blogger.com0