Roller Coaster Christian

Hey all!

So it's been a little while......

I'm in Traverse City, MI with my family for a few days and I have some time, so I thought I'd tell you about my vacation.

The road trip was wonderful. Angie and I had a marvelous time. We left really early (5a.m.) and made good time all the way back to Michigan. Thanks SO much for your prayers! I know they made all the difference. It was a great trip.....good memories, and it was nice to spend some quality time with Angie.

When we got back to good old Spring Arbor, my grandparents were at the house! It was wonderful to spend time with my whole family (except Nana...Dad's mom, she was dearly missed!) We had an action packed week of shopping, eating, talking, wrapping and having fun. We had a "fake Christmas" (phrase coined by Alicia) on Thursday the 20th with Nanny and Grandpa. I got a blender and some pots and pans (among many other wonderful gifts!) I'm told that getting excited about a blender is the beginning of a new phase of life.

Jeremy got home the day after I did....it was SO good to spend time with him! We had a lot of fun spending time with his family and with my family. In fact, I danced at my church on Christmas Eve, and Jeremy along with his mom, dad (Sue, Jeff), brother (Justin) and soon-to-be-sister (Laura) all came to watch. Then we had our annual Christmas Eve get together at the house.....so much fun!

It was wonderful to visit my friends too! Some I had seen at Thanksgiving, others I hadn't seen since June! It was SO nice to be home and to hang out with everyone.


All in all, I've been spending a lot of time with the people that are important to me.....except one.

I have to be honest, I've neglected Jesus. Why is it that it's so easy to do my devotions when I'm in the routine of it, but as soon as things change, I squeeze God out? He should be the one I depend on ALL the time.....not just when I feel like I "need" him. I feel "unplugged" for lack of a better word. It's like, when I'm in my normal routine, I'm plugged in, I'm getting energy.....He is my strength, the power behind everything I do. When I'm on vacation, it's like I trade my power cord for a battery pack. I use the energy that I've been saving up, but I'm not getting anything new. I'm doing good things, and making good choices because I know I should, but I'm doing them in my own strength. The thing about a battery pack is that it runs out. Instead of being connected to the power source, I've been trying to run on batteries, and the batteries are burnt out. I can feel the lack of time spent with the Father. It's a weird feeling. I just feel cut off, disconnected....it's the feeling I get when I don't talk with my best friends for a few days, and it's sad. It's especially frustrating because I KNOW what to do, I just haven't done it.

Thankfully, there is grace. God is good. He's always waiting for me to come back. And I can't stand being away any longer....it's painful. I need to get back into my daily walks with the Lord. I can see where most Christians get stuck in a rut. If you're just doing life everyday, kids, husband/wife, job, church, friends, bills, vacations......it's easy to squeeze God out. What does it take to move past this stage where my quiet times are inconsistent (and based on my circumstances to some degree)...and to get to the point where I can't live without them? That's where I want to be.

Accountability is key for this kind of thing....and a bit of will power/self control....and most importantly a lot of grace and conviction from the Holy Spirit.

-Julie

P.S. If you want some GREAT reading, I highly recommend this sequence of "rhyming words." I'm sure you will be challenged, and your perspective will be changed by reading the Bible from this point of view.

Almost home

Hey all!

I just wanted to give you a quick update. Angie (my sister) is here for the weekend!!!! She got in Thursday and we're driving home Monday. I would appreciate your prayers....I'm sure we'll be fine, but it's kind of a long drive.......

The show last night went really well. To be honest, I'm not in a whole lot of the show...but I enjoy hanging out with the other dancers back stage. Good times.


I'm headed out to the theater, we have a show tonight and another one tomorrow! Then we're leaving Monday around 4:30 a.m. to come back to Michigan!


I'll be seeing most of you then. Love you!

-Julie

Captivated

Hi guys!

Well, it finally caught up with me. I got sick. I know, I know, you all knew it would happen.....oh well. It's cool how it happened though. The Lord uses everything to teach me something, and he always knows how much I can handle.

This past week I had nine shows (well, two were dress rehearsals, but same difference). Sunday morning I woke up with a raging fever, chills, sore throat, headache...you know the feeling. It's the "I can't believe I feel this bad and I still have fourteen hours until I get to go back to bed" feeling. Anyway, I had two shows yesterday, and my head was so stuffed up I was having a hard time balancing on two feet, let alone on the tip of one toe spinning in endless circles.

I don't remember a whole lot of what happened on stage, I just know it was amazing. I didn't feel like I was dancing, I felt like I was being carried, it was incredible. I wobbled, but never fell, I got dizzy, but never lost my balance. Jesus gets all the glory. I slept until a few minutes before I went on stage for the first show (wrapped in about five coats and tons of scarves)...I felt a little better for the second show, but I was still relying on Jesus.

It was so neat to have to trust the Lord with something that I feel like I am totally comfortable with. Dancing is pretty much second nature by now, but I had to trust Jesus just to stand up yesterday. It reminded me how much I need him in everything. There are so many days that I think I can handle the "easy" stuff, so I decide to trust Jesus with the "big things." I don't think that's what I'm supposed to be doing. I think he wants me to rely on him in everything, not just the things that are completely out of my control.

As a little bonus, I thought I'd include the lyrics to another of my favorite songs. It's called "Captivated" by Vicky Beeching. I just love this song, it puts into words how I feel about Jesus:

Verse 1:
Your laughter it echoes like a joyous thunder

Your whisper it warms me like a summer breeze

Your anger is fiercer than the sun in its splendor

You're close and yet full of mystery

and ever since the day that I saw Your face

try as I may I cannot look away

I cannot look away


Chorus:
Captivated by You

I am captivated by You

May my life be one unbroken gaze

fixed upon the beauty of Your face



Verse 2:
Beholding is becoming so as You fill my gaze

I become more like You and my heart is changed

Beholding is becoming so as You fill my view

transform me into the likeness of You

this is what I ask for all my days

that I may never look away

never look away


Bridge:
No other could ever be as beautiful

No other could ever steal my heart away

No other could ever be as beautiful

No other could ever steal my heart away

I just can't look away

Hymns

Each day at Ballet Magnificat we have a different person lead devotions. Mr. John led yesterday....and he is awesome! He plays mostly hymns, and then we spend a lot of time in prayer. Good stuff. I like almost any music that glorifies the Lord, but there's something really good about hymns. The words are SO deep and meaningful. In Christ Alone is my favorite (and yes, I know it was written recently). My other favorites are Be Still My Soul, Precious Lord Take my Hand, Great is Thy Faithfulness and Before the Throne.

I love how hymns teach theology. If a non Christian went to a "hymn sing" they would hear the message of salvation just as clearly as if they heard a sermon. Praise music and worship music also have their place. Sometimes I have days where all I can say is "holy, holy, holy." Jeremy and I were talking about this one time, and he pointed out that all types of music are scriptural:

"Speak to one another with psalms, hymns and spiritual songs. Sing and make music in your heart to the Lord, always giving thanks to God the Father for everything, in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ." Ephesians 5:19-20

"Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly as you teach and admonish one another with all wisdom, and as you sing psalms, hymns and spiritual songs with gratitude in your hearts to God." Colossians 3:16


Just something to think on: Musical preference has nothing to do with worship. Worship isn't about music.

Love,

Julie

P.S. This weather is RIDICULOUS! It's December 8th and 75 degrees.....I usually like warm weather, but this is annoying. It doesn't feel like Christmas at all! No good. I want to go back north to see the snow!

Words of Life

Isn't scripture amazing? It's the only thing in the world that can truly calm my fears and give me hope. It's so easy to try and make other people/things/relationships satisfy my desire for words that can calm and heal.

A few weeks ago I was having a rough day, and ended up calling about five people to reassure me, tell me that everything was going to be okay.....ect. When I finished talking, I realized that I was just as upset and empty as before. The Lord spoke so clearly to me and said, "Julie, my words are words of life, no one else can satisfy."

I've held that in my heart since then and repeat it to myself and other often, "His words are words of life, no one else can satisfy."


I told you guys about the study of the gospels that I've been doing lately, but sometimes I need to read other things as well. I hadn't read the Psalms in a while (I was on this kick for a while that the Psalms were for people who couldn't handle the hard stuff in scripture....I'm retarded....they're just as much a part of the Bible as anything else!) Anyway, Psalm 34 really encouraged me. I hope it will speak to you as well.

I will extol the LORD at all times;
his praise will always be on my lips.

2 My soul will boast in the LORD;
let the afflicted hear and rejoice.

3 Glorify the LORD with me;
let us exalt his name together.

4 I sought the LORD, and he answered me;
he delivered me from all my fears.

5 Those who look to him are radiant;
their faces are never covered with shame.

6 This poor man called, and the LORD heard him;
he saved him out of all his troubles.

7 The angel of the LORD encamps around those who fear him,
and he delivers them.

8 Taste and see that the LORD is good;
blessed is the man who takes refuge in him.

9 Fear the LORD, you his saints,
for those who fear him lack nothing.

10 The lions may grow weak and hungry,
but those who seek the LORD lack no good thing.

11 Come, my children, listen to me;
I will teach you the fear of the LORD.

12 Whoever of you loves life
and desires to see many good days,

13 keep your tongue from evil
and your lips from speaking lies.

14 Turn from evil and do good;
seek peace and pursue it.

15 The eyes of the LORD are on the righteous
and his ears are attentive to their cry;

16 the face of the LORD is against those who do evil,
to cut off the memory of them from the earth.

17 The righteous cry out, and the LORD hears them;
he delivers them from all their troubles.

18 The LORD is close to the brokenhearted
and saves those who are crushed in spirit.

19 A righteous man may have many troubles,
but the LORD delivers him from them all;

20 he protects all his bones,
not one of them will be broken.

21 Evil will slay the wicked;
the foes of the righteous will be condemned.

22 The LORD redeems his servants;
no one will be condemned who takes refuge in him.


Amen.

-Julie

His name shall be called....

Who is Jesus?

Is he a beautiful man with long brown hair and loving eyes? Is he a battered corpse hanging from a cross? Is he a tiny baby lying in a manger? Is he a warrior coming down on the clouds of heaven? Who is this man that I am so devoted to?

Those were the questions that I was asking myself about a month ago, so I decided to do a biographical study of Jesus. I've been going through the gospels trying to see what Jesus was like. I'm trying to understand his personality, his attitude, his mind set...everything that made him who he was. I'm doing this because I want to be more like him. I want to understand how he lived his life so that I can follow that. It's been awesome! I know him as Lord and Savior....I'm learning to know him as Provider and Master.....and now I want to know him as friend and lover. He's patient and kind and loving, but not a push over! He has a passion and love for people that is incredible (no surprise there I guess). He fears nothing. He's very wise, but doesn't lord it over people....he teaches them so that those that want to hear can understand. Even though he's kind, he's not afraid to speak against those that are doing wrong. He has a soft spot for children, widows, orphans, prostitutes and tax collectors. He prefers the company of the "unsophisticated" fishermen to that of the rich and powerful leaders. He lives simply, no pomp and circumstance. He LOVES his father.

There's a lot more to learn! This is awesome, I want to know him more.


Love you all!

'Tis the season

I LOVE the Christmas season. The lights, the bells, cookies, carols, candles, church services, time with friends and family....mhmmmm, definitely one of my favorite parts of the year!

The best thing about being a Christian is understanding the true meaning of Christmas. Sure it's a pagan holiday....yes, I know, Jesus wasn't REALLY born on December 25th....but isn't it wonderful to have a time of year that makes it easy to spark conversations about Christ? With all the hustle and bustle of Christmas, most of us come into contact with a lot of people we only see once or twice a year....and all the traditions of Christmas point toward Christ, making it easier to share about him. People are a little more open to hearing about Christianity if it has to do with a baby in a manger....it's a great way to get your foot in the door so that you can share, not only about the manger, but about the cross and the empty grave!

We have another show tomorrow, and another on Thursday....and then one Friday, two Saturday and two Sunday....talk about busy! I'm glad though, it's good to have something to focus on.

Oh, if you want to, you can check out our trainee pictures here


Sometimes it's easy to lose sight of how amazing this ministry is. It is such a privilege to be a part of Ballet Magnificat! How many people get to be a part of a full time ministry at my age? I am so blessed. This is a wonderful experience...something that I will treasure all my life. The Lord is letting me live out my childhood dream. Sooner or later, I'll move onto other dreams, as this one fades into a memory, but I never want to forget how blessed I am. I prayed for this everyday since I was eleven...and prayed to be a ballerina for years before that. I begged God to allow me the privilege of being a trainee with Ballet Magnificat. At this time last year I was sending in my audition video...and praying diligently that God would let me come here. Some say that God doesn't answer pray....or that he always asks you to do something you don't want to do...not true. God gave me the desire of my heart, but not for the reasons I thought. I thought I wanted to be a prima ballerina, to dance for huge audiences, to have perfect technique, to be on T.V., to travel the world. It turns out that God's idea of a ballerina is quite different. He brought me here not to be a star, but to be a servant....to learn what it means to live for Christ EVERY day, despite hours of dancing, working, exhaustion and fatigue. Instead of signing my name on programs for adoring fans, I'm signing His name on hearts as I reach out to the "least of these" with Christ's love. It's not a life of glamor, tiaras and tutus...no, it's not what I thought it would be....it's better.


I wonder what God is preparing me for? What are all these hours of working, growing, praying, learning and stretching for? I don't think he's preparing me for the company (my heart has changed from that, and I think it's the Lord's gentle persuasion.) Where is he taking me? What will I be doing? I'm not stressed out about it at all, I'm completely peaceful. How could I be upset when, no matter what, I get to live out the rest of my days hand in hand with the man I love with all my heart? My Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.

"Rejoice always, pray without ceasing, give thanks in all circumstances; for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you." 1 Thessalonians 5:16-18