HOPE NEEDED ONCE MORE---TO BEGIN 2024!

Abounding hope, is known in "Dotsyese" as abunDANCE of hope. May I "dance" through 2024 with all joy and peace in every step as I believe!"

A dance allowing me to follow the lead of my partner, the One who is my Living Hope. A dance keeping my eyes on Him and not looking down on my own circumstance of fear.

Though they stumble, they will never fall, for the Lord holds them by the hand.(Psalm 37:24, NLT) Help me, LORD!

CHOOSE: TO DANCE

Dance Lesson to follow...............

Sometimes its hard to even take that first step on the "Dance floor of Life" especially if the tune is unfamiliar or the lyrics to the song are ones you don't want to hear.

If first step hard to take, just hold out your arms and your dance partner will meet you more than halfway because He is already on thence floor. He can give clear direction----more than once, if needed. Many dancers have to revisit this first step often in order to clearly learn the lesson the Lord has for them.

But....when the "Lord of the Dance" is your partner and you are allowing Him to lead your steps, it's easy, not only to choose to dance with Him, but to be the first one to hit the dance floor.

CHOOSE: TO DANCE ONCE MORE

Many times, especially those of hardship, loss or health struggles, one wants to choose anything but dancing.
Choosing to dance is a metaphor for choosing to live life to the fullest in spite of the "falls" on life's dance floor .
For Christians it requires the right dance partner. Jesus Christ.

When we stumble our Partner is there to catch us. (His hand hold keeps us from going headlong)

When he falls, he will not be hurled headlong, Because the LORD is the One who holds his hand. (Psalm 37:24)

Trust ensues and grows with every recovered struggle/slip.

Step adjustments are made and once again we can see what seemed like utter trial/pain, or devastation---take your pick) God can use for good.

Thanks be...."to Him who is able to keep you from stumbling and to make you stand in the glory, blameless with great joy." (Jude 1:24)

Choose to dance looking up into the face of the Ultimate Dance Partner who leads you in His chosen dance of love for you.

accorDANCE---same word different verse

10/3/12

Studying in the book of James, I sense the Lord is trying to teach me some new steps----those in complete accordance with His word. The accorDANCE is a dance of unity and harmony, as long as God is doing all the leading---which is always in accordance with His law.

Though it helps to have others come alongside, those also desiring to walk according to His good and perfect will, these steps take practice.  Private lessons. Then accorDANCE steps, once learned, can be shared as a way of encouragement, even testifying to God’s faithfulness in one’s missteps along the way!

This “dance” seems to have many facets and I ‘m sure I’ll be “learning” new steps as I go. 2 Kings 16-18 has provided much for deeper consideration. But God….today has me focusing on His love.

 Hear my voice in accorDANCE with your love;…..(Psalm 119:149)

 In accorDANCE with your great love, forgive the sin of these people, just as you have pardoned them from the time they left Egypt until now. (Numbers 14:9)

Hear my voice. Forgive my sin. Those are the first two steps of accorDANCE!

We would do well to remember that as we are led in the accorDANCE by Him who is our great love.

Dancing term…………….“Light on your feet”

5/3/10 How does one keep “light on her feet” when dancing with a partner? Balance is important---so keep your focus. Posture too---helps you move as a unit of one with your partner. Listening is key. Are you listening to the same music? Being aware of the gentle nudge from your partner. Response is also very important so that you don’t have to be “jerked” into compliance. Don’t even try to anticipate your partner’s lead----just go with His flow. Whatever you do, don’t lead!
My God Calling “journal jottings” made during my surgery month last fall as I pondered Psalm 34:1-5 (KJV):

• First step in my dance with the Lord is Praise---Boasting in Him and magnifying Him is so much easier in the “closed position”—facing him, looking into His face, which opens the line of communication so that you are prepared to follow before fear even sets in. Burdens are lifted as I look to Him---

The result is lightness of heart, which I think translates to our feet so that we then have a “dance” (our Christian walk) to show the world. That's our final step---showing the world the beauty of a dance/life with Him.

1I will bless the LORD at all times: his praise shall continually be in my mouth.
2My soul shall make her boast in the LORD: the humble shall hear thereof, and be glad.
3O magnify the LORD with me, and let us exalt his name together.
4I sought the LORD, and he heard me, and delivered me from all my fears.
5They looked unto him, and were lightened: and their faces were not ashamed. (Psalm 34:1-5)

Graceful and beautiful dancing (being light on your feet) can be achieved through a gentle but definite lead, coupled with a sensitive and responsive follow. Allow the world to see your “dance” and thus glorify Him.

Dance Plans

4/26/10 If I’ve learned anything these last few months, it’s that my “dance” is His plan, not mine. Jesus Calling, these last few days, has certainly reminded me of that. The dance is empowered by Him. I’m just to respond to His lead rather that trying to make life’s dance fit my plans. My compulsive planning can cause missteps along the way. When my mind spins with multitudinous thoughts I cannot follow His lead---I can’t hear His still small voice. Is it fear that manifests itself in my excessive planning? Isn’t unbelief the root of all fear?

Yesterday’s Jesus Calling entry (4/25) reminded me to make the Lord my focal point as I moved (danced) through each day. Maybe others need reminding too. The only way for a spinning ballerina to keep her balance is to keep returning her eyes to her immovable focal point.

Certainly our world/circumstances continue to whirl around us and we, too, need to focus on the One who is the constant in our lives. That way our steps are steady and sure---because we are focused on Him and His plan for us instead of our own plans.
As I typed this I could hear my Mama Davenport’s squeaky little voice humming this old but still familiar hymn:

Turn your eyes upon Jesus,
 Look full in His wonderful face,
 And the things of earth will grow strangely dim,
 In the light of His glory and grace

So with His plan to think about, think on this verse as you “dance” through your day. Please note parenthetical paraphrases are just my THOTS on this verse.

Let us (that’s you, Dotsy) also lay aside every encumbrance (my role of trying to plan and lead the dance) and the sin (my compulsive, excessive planning) which so easily entangles us, and let us run (dance) with endurance (His strength) the race (His dance plan) that is set before us, (Dotsy)
2fixing our (my) eyes on Jesus, (my partner who leads me in the dance) the author and perfecter of faith, (faith = belief) (Hebrews 1b-2a)