From The Studio To The Stage

Ballerina. It's a word that has defined me for most of my life. Like 20 years worth of my life.

I look back and can vividly remember the days and nights I spent in the dance studio. Hours passing by. And there I was, working diligently to strengthen my body. Working to be successful and to grow as a dancer. Working on pirouettes until I was dizzy (unless I was spotting because then obviously I wasn't dizzy haha).

Anyway, I see such a parallel between my relationship with the Lord and my days as a ballerina. You see, both take hard work. And both require a teacher. Someone who is there pushing you. Someone who is constantly shoving you out of your comfort zone. Someone yelling out the steps to you. Someone shouting over the music helping you keep in beat with the music.

And then the day comes when the curtains rise and you're standing on a stage in front of hundreds of people performing a routine you've practiced until it's perfect. And you look out in the audience (or in the wings of the stage) and your teachers are right there cheering you on.

Isn't that the same in our relationship with Jesus? Not only is He our teacher and He cheers us on but He offers us community that does the same for us.

I have people in my life who walk through the thickets of life with me. They yell over the music of life and help me keep the beat. They help me stay on track toward Jesus. They help me stay the course of chasing Jesus and the dreams He's placed on my heart. And then, as I take steps toward fulfilling that calling and those dreams coming true; those people are in the audience and in the wings cheering me on.

But let's not forget how important the dance studio is. The blood, sweat, and tears (quite literally sometimes) that go into growing as a dancer. It's the same in our faith. We can sit complacent on the sidelines and not push ourselves. Or we can step into the unknown, push ourselves even when it's hard and our feet are bleeding and we feel utterly exhausted and defeated because when we step into the studio the next day and we conquer the skill we've been fighting so hard for; it's all worth it.

So let's be a people of hard work in the studio. Let's fight for more of Jesus. Let's spend hours fighting to know Jesus better. If I can spend hours spinning in circles trying to master a pirouette, I sure as heck can spend hours forcing myself out of my comfort zone getting to know Jesus better.

And one day, when our fleshly lives comes to an end, we'll stand on the stage at heaven's gate and the curtains will rise, and sitting in the audience will be our Jesus cheering us on.

xoxo -Cal