As I sit amongst piles of unpacked clothes, and disorganized articles, I pause for but a moment to consider how my thoughts so precisely parallel my unkempt surroundings. My mind, feverishly searching, finds it difficult to find just the right words...So I won't.

So these may not be "just the right words", but here's a snippet of what's going on:
Last Saturday we teamed up with a organization called The Dream Center. Every Saturday they serve a pancake breakfast, play games, and most importantly teach about the love of Jesus to kids in a mobile home community. The West family, from SSA, joined us as we talked, laughed, and played with the kids. Paradosi was able to do a couple of pieces from Worship Project, and also teach the kids a short dance. It seamed very well received, and I think we walked away feeling more impacted then we could have ever expected!

So back to those "unpacked clothes"... I'm zipping up my suitcase now and heading down to Louisiana to visit my sister! We're all looking forward to the next week off so we can come back rejuvenated and ready to start the busy season ahead!

Sunshine here I come!
~Sarah

My sidekick!

As I consider my day to day life at home, at the studio and performing, I'm constantly aware of my mini me that is with me wherever I go. She's on my heels at home doing laundry or making dinner, she's at the studio with the company watching rehearsal, sitting in laps, sharing her toys, giving hugs and drawing pictures. And of course she's at our programs in the dressing room, helping us set up and watching us dance (she loves to sit in the very back on the floor in the center aisle so I can see her at all times).  Of course I'm talking about Maeve, my 5 year old daughter, who is one of the lights of my life (along with her sister Taitum, 8 and her brother Samuel, 6).  She's my sidekick, my mini me (my only child that looks like me!), she's sassy, witty and loves to snuggle. This is her last year with me in studio as she'll be starting school in the fall, so I'm constantly trying to soak up the moments I have with her. She is a joy and the thought of not having my last baby with me, attached to me at all times makes me a little ill to be honest with you!

  

So I started pondering the word "sidekick" (close friend, assistant, buddy etc.) it makes me think about my relationship with the Lord and the responsibility I have as a believer, a wife, a mother, a director and a dancer.  I look at my 5 year old, looking up to me, shadowing me, believing in me and wanting to be near me at all times and it makes me think about what kind of a "sidekick" I am.  It's our job to allow the Lord to be the Leader, the One out in front, the One who is in charge, the One making the decisions.  However, do you often take the reigns after a while just as I do?  I find myself letting Him get me started and then stepping out in front and now expecting Him to follow.  Sounds like I need to learn a lesson from my little one...

Maeve asked me on the way home from a program this morning "Why do I have to listen to you and why are you in charge? I want to be in charge... I'm ready."  I laughed at her and explained she's not ready to be in charge of her life yet because she's not old enough and hasn't experienced enough and doesn't know enough about how life works!  The Lord revealed a lot to me on the way home... that He needs me to consistently maintain the position of "sidekick".  I'm understanding and realizing I don't ever want to make any decision or step out without the Lord leading and being in charge at all times. I will never have enough experience or know enough to be better at running my life that He is.  It is my job to trust and believe in the One who created me and know without a shadow of a doubt that He can do a way better job than I can.  I want to keep Him in the driver's seat, I want to be the forever passenger, the sidekick who believes we're going to arrive to the destination He has for me, not the one I think is best for me and my life.  

Hebrews 1: 1-3  In the past God spoke to our forefathers through the prophets at many times and in various ways, but in these last days he has spoken to us by his Son, whom he appointed heir of all things, and through whom he made the universe. The Son is the radiance of God's glory and the exact representation of his being, sustaining all things by his powerful word. After he had provided purification for sins, he sat down at the right hand of the Majesty in heaven.

I think about this passage and the fact that this God, the one who spoke to Moses and Abraham and David, wants control of my life and only expects me to have faith and believe in Who He is and what He's doing. It's overwhelming to me that the same God who did amazing things with their lives, has amazing plans for mine. I'm trying to lay all things down at the cross each day, down at the feet of my God, I know He will take my life and do what He sees as best, He's consistent and faithful and wonderful in all ways. I trust Him way more than I could ever trust myself.  Praise Him for caring enough for me (and you) to want to be the driver of my life. What a glorious and majestic God we serve.

That's just a little snippet of what the Lord's been doing personally with me, I love the ways He teaches and encourages me. Oh just to be a little bit more like my Father. 

Blessings,

Tennille

"Tolerance is the virtue of a man without convictions."
-Gilbert K. Chesterton

A friend of mine recently texted me this quote, and it struck me. I've been thinking a lot on the subject of tolerance lately. Let's look at the definition. Tolerance: a fair, objective, and permissive attitude toward those whose opinions, practices, race, religion, nationality, etc., differ from one's own; freedom from bigotry. So from this definition we can conclude that a). tolerance is a good thing, and b). we, as human beings co-existing with one another, should strive to be tolerant toward all people. That sounds reasonable, right? I mean, we don't want to be closed-minded, do we?

Sadly, this is the mindset of many people today, including Christians. Just as the quote implies, tolerance is a clear indication of a serious lack of conviction in a person's life. Now I can just see you there, scratching your head, saying, "This girl is crazy! She's saying that if I just accept what others believe to be right, then I have no convictions! It's not like I believe it, I'm just not gonna shove MY beliefs down anyone's throats! There's nothing wrong with that, right??"

WRONG. Let's take a look at the Bible. In John 8:24 Jesus states, "Therefore I say to you...that if you do not believe that I am He [God], you will die in your sins." He goes on to say in John 14:6 "I am the Way, the Truth, and the Life. No one comes to the Father except through Me." Uh oh. Tsk tsk. It doesn't seem like Jesus is being too tolerant of what other people believe. Let me put it to you this way: to be tolerant of other's fallacious beliefs is comparable to watching them burn in Hell for eternity, and doing nothing! That does not sound like love to me.

Let me conclude my rant. The last few verses in Matthew instruct us to go into the world, make disciples of the nations, baptize people, and teach others to observe the things which Christ has commanded of us. This is our purpose in life! Many would define this verse as "shoving Jesus down people's throats." You know what? If it will pull their butts out of the flames of hellfire, I'm willing to be accused of that. Are you?

On to Paradosi news. We have added a new 3 minute piece to 'A Walk With Paul!' It is designed to more clearly portray Saul's persecution of the early Christians, which was a little overlooked before. We also have a few bookings for these coming Spring months, which we are all extremely excited about. Please continue to pray for our company as a whole, as Satan is desperately attempting to get his grimy claws into our unity. (Little does he know that we have legions of angels fighting on our side. Ha!) Also we would really appreciate your prayers for each of us personally, as many of us are struggling with injuries that only serve to frustrate the mind of a dancer.

The Lord is doing mighty things in Paradosi! We see His hand everywhere we turn. We don't deserve to be this blessed!

~Cara Mia