Here we are!

We have arrived in Cai! After 2 days of traveling, we've made it to our first destination of Sacramento. The trip started off with a lovely snack at Grandma Barton's (Whittannie's Gma) of homemade soup and apple crisp and the evening finished with checking into a Garden Villa Inn in Southern Oregon. Saturday began with a 7 hour bus drive (with a couple stops of run around the bus 10x's for the kiddos) with opportunity around every corner. Some of the girls had an chance to share with a gentleman running a liquor store (where we stopped to plug our coffee pot in) and encouraged him in his faith. Our 10 minute stop gladly turned into 30! I wonder how many opportunities we miss every day when we don't consistently have the mindset of ministry? We arrived in Roseville, CA at the Risney home and was blessed to share a meal with them.
Sunday began bright and early at Resurrection Lutheran for our first program on the road of Project Grace. It's amazing the things the Lord teaches us in different scenerios, it's always different than you expect and the things we've learned so far is to not have any preconceived ideas about what it will be like, because He always surprises you. The congregation quietly watched, the first time they've had dance like this in their church and we heard they
were pleasantly surprised. The Lord shows us His faithfulness in so many ways and is consistent to be there every time, Oh we pray our hearts will be ready and willing to receive what He wants to teach us at any given moment. A sweet church with so many sweet families who took care of us so well. What a blessing!

Our afternoon next went to an outreach at The Palms retirement home down the road, we had such a lovely time with the residents there. They were so eager to hear about the Lord, we were so blessed by their hearts and their honest, open questions about our God. Asking about the cross and the joy we had on our faces and in our hearts. We were so eager to tell them and had many opportunities to pray and encourage them. It was a great day! Blooms coffee was next on the list where we had the chance to discuss the day and what the Lord accomplished through us. I love what we do. How awesome to be called into ministry at a time such as this.

Please pray for our next couple programs, the last thing we desire is to have it look anything like a performance, the word literally makes me cringe. It's nothing like a performance, it's worship. From the top of our heads to the bottom of our feet. The best question we had today was "Why do you sing when you dance? Is it to help you count the music or what?" and our answer really surprised her "No, it's because it's worship, it's all about worshipping the Lord, with everything we have". Genuine shock was on her face. I love it. :)

Boldness to share our faith in any way the Lord sees fit, whether it's on stage in front of 500 or holding the hand of an elderly woman who feels she's been forgotten. We pray for boldness to do and say exactly what He wants us to, whether we're uncomfortable or uneasy. He will direct and give us the words if we allow Him to take over. Isn't He great?

Ok, I'm being beckoned into the pool in a lovely home in El Derado Hills, the skyline to the left, a waterfall to the right and my family laughing and playing around me.

What a great day. What a great God.

Tomorrow is another day, please pray for traveling mercies!!
In Him,
Tennille

Prepping for California

Here we go! It's been an insane month and a half as we've put together our most recent piece "Project Grace". What a whirlwind! This piece has been a battle to finish, and has been a roller coaster from day one, however through all the ups and downs the Lord reminded me where to place my trust. Him and Him alone.

Physically and mentally He has prepared each of us for this piece "Project Grace". This ballet is centered around the cross and tells a story with each song and how they are placed together, continuous from beginning to end, rips to the very core of who we are in Christ.

Nothing but the blood, Lead me to the cross, Inside out, Revelation Song, Hosanna, How He loves, I surrender all.

Reading the words to each song and placing them together paints the most beautiful picture. I love the creativity of our Savior.

To dance this piece is exhausting, overwhelming and beautiful all in one and we all have the bruises to show for it. We have ultimately come to the end of who we are and have found who we are in Him. The Lord has shown up as we've rehearsed this past week, I know He's always there but to have Him pour out His anointing and to feel His presence in such an awesome and tangible way that I have never felt before, has brought us to a new level. We have found ourselves not wanting to finish worshiping and on our faces before Him as the last song "I surrender all" is played.

I'm so in awe of what He's done with each of us, what can I say? Whenever I feel like moaning or complaining about the "work" that has to be done each day or the refining that needs to take place, I'm reminded of where I'm at. Do you find yourself thinking that way? How does God remind you each day or get your attention to pull you out of the mindset you find yourself in? When do you get to the end of you and the beginning of Him? He did it this week for me with the flu (of all things) got me to step back and reevaluate where I'm at. It's such a glorious thing, I have a new respect for the flu. If you don't enjoy the ride how disappointing would it be to get to the finish line and not remember the journey with all it's ups and downs. Remembering what He's shown me and taught me as I choreographed this piece brings depth not only to this ballet but to my life.

So as I get back to our trip to California, we are 6 days away from our first 10 day tour. I'm excited to see how the Lord has prepared us for ministry, prepared our hearts to seek relationship and conversation, prepared our minds to dig into His word deeper and more intentionally each day and prepared our "body", unifying us, tying us together in significant ways to uphold and encourage each other. We are on a mission. To share the love and passion Christ has for us in a way that touches people to the core of who they are, to stir up emotions and excitement about what our Father did for each of us at the cross.

He saw our faces, called out our names. Let us never forget.

Stay tuned for a tour update, please pray for safe travel and the spirit of the Lord to hover over us from day one.

He makes everything glorious,
Tennille

2009/2010 Season

Our 2009/2010 Season has begun! It's going to be a fantastic year. We have a few new dancers with us this season, Alle from California and Rachel from Michigan. They have both proved to be assets this far so we're excited to see how they grow in the Lord and in the ministry this upcoming season.

Our summer was chalked full with summer camps at SSA. We had the privilege of ministering to over 75 kids this summer at our studio in Edgewood as well as at Cascade Christian Schools. The Lord worked in mighty ways uniting us all on a deeper level and showing us the importance of reaching out into the community and to these little ones who are so hungry to know more about Him. Our focus within our camps this summer was "The Fruit of the Spirit" and teaching our students why they are important and how to apply them to our daily lives. We sang the Fruit of the Spirit song (with hand movements, yes) for 5 weeks straight, oh my! :) We are already thinking about how to expand our camps for next summer!

We've been in the studio for just two weeks and have gotten a great jump start on our new piece "Project Grace". This worship session is God inspired, focusing on the cross and the grace the Lord bestows upon us daily. We are moved (literally) by each of these songs and are excited to bring our word for the year, "Authentic" to life within this piece. We want to be authentic in our worship we lay at the altar for Him. It's all for Jesus, it's all about Jesus and it's all pointing to Jesus. The minute we lose sight of that, we've failed. We choose to be authentic this year, not bringing less than 100% to our programs, not just physically but mentally, emotionally, spiritually. We choose to dig in and apply ourselves quickly. Sometimes in worship we all find ourselves not "feeling it" right away or just being lazy in digging into the Word. We have decided as a ministry that won't fly. As worshippers it is our obligation to offer nothing less than 100% and we are excited to see how the Lord will honor and bless that. Please be praying for us as we move forward in our word for the year.

Our year is shaping up nicely, a few tours here and there (which I'll update on later, I can't share all the good stuff right away otherwise you won't stay tuned!) and exciting things around every corner I'm sure, our God is an exciting God!

We have begun registration for classes at the school (Surrendered School of the Arts) and anticipate and praying for double the students where we finished off last year (84 is the exact number), please pray that these kids will pour in our door, we are ready to receive and eager to make an impact! We know the Lord is Faithful and will give us exactly what we can handle and ready for, so we're praying for abudance! Our partnership with Cascade Christian School continues this year as well, we have the wonderful opportunity to teach 10 classes at 3 campuses this year (ballet, hip hop, drama and pilates) and are so blessed to have this partnership, the Lord is so good!

That's all I have for an update for now, there are many many many things on our plate, we are relying on the Lord's voice and prompting to direct. I was told a few years back by a dear family friend when we were praying about the beginning of this ministry;

"Cling to, run after, and dig into the word of God. Rely on NOTHING but Him. When you don't know what to do or how to keep going sit and share with Him. He is your first, your last, your everything. He is the driving force of the ministry. You are not."

Isn't that the truth. Praise God! Whew.

Stay tuned, you won't be dissapointed, it will be a wild ride this year. BUCKLE UP!

Blessings,
Tennille

Greetings!
I hope everyone had a wonderful weekend celebrating Christ's triumphant victory over death, hell, and the grave. We were blessed to be a part of Puyallup Four Square's five church services this past weekend, dancing to "Jesus Paid It All" and "This Beautiful Place". It is such a priviledge to be used of the Lord as He ministers to His people. We also had great times of fellowship with a Saturday brunch and a Sunday Easter lunch. ( yummy!)
We are starting our second week in the studio since coming back from our wonderful spring break. It was nice to have a little breather before we start up our next few busy months. Yesterday marked the kickoff of Surrendered School of the Arts partnership with Cascade Christian Schools. We are offering an after school enrichment program for the elementary grades to share with and teach kids how to worship Jesus with the arts. As of now there are ballet, hip hop, and drama classes in place. I am excited to see what all the Lord has planned as He continues to open new doors of opportunity!
Our next few days in the studio we will be preparing for a program coming up this weekend. We will be dancing at a conference in Yakima ( I think I spelled that right). I think we are all excited to be busy doing what the Lord has called us here to do, minister through dance!
Also, thank you Lori Plyler, (Amanda's mom) for giving your time and energy to help work on new costumes. I am pretty sure they are our favorite ones yet!
TTFN,
Holly

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