First Show!

Hey guys!

We had our first performance last night! It was a show at Belhaven College, and it involved many different dance companies from around Jackson. I know, I know, it doesn't seem like there'd be that many, but there was quite a group of people there.

The audience was good...the stage was SLIPPERY....technically, we did okay, not stellar. The unity was really good, but the overall technical aspect was not our best. It was a hard situation, because we didn't get to rehearse before hand, and our director changed a few things right before the show, which is always difficult. Anyway, despite that, it was an awesome experience. The girls on stage were SO worshipful, and as we each took our turn in the wings, it was really cool to see all the dancers just raising their hands and praying for the girls that were dancing. You'd have to see it, it's hard to describe....but we literally danced as one. We shared in concern for each others mistakes, and in the joy of their triumphs. It was awesome. I love dancing with those girls! Each one is so unique, but together we dance as one for Jesus.

Here are some pictures:

Me and Dani!!!



Our whole company!

If you've got a good thing....share it!

Hey y'all! Sorry I haven't written in a while...it's been a LONG week.

Our first performance is tomorrow! I'm so, so excited! The Lord has given me a lot of joy and peace about it...so that's good. I'm most excited about sharing Jesus with people! I love him so much....I feel like I might explode if I can't talk about him!

This morning at work, I was talking to my friend Liz. She's a sweetie, but has had a sad life. She was in alcohol rehab, and just recently got out, and now she works in the mornings with me. Anyway, today she goes, "Julie, you dance everyday right?"

"Yeah."

"And you work every morning, and all day Saturday, right?"

"Yup."

"And you're HAPPY???!??!"

"Yeah!"

"Why? What makes you so happy."

"Well Liz, to be honest with you, it's all the Lord. (Okay, this was cool, because it wasn't me speaking, it was the Spirit). He gives me strength for each day. Somedays, I go to bed thinking that I will never have the strength to make it through the next day, but somehow, every morning, I have the grace to get up and go about my day. It's all thanks to Jesus. He is my strength."

"Wow....cool....(silence)...Julie, you're my hero."

"Really? Thanks....but it's not me....Jesus is my hero."


PRAISE THE LORD! It was such a little thing...she's not saved, she didn't break down and repent....but the wheel was set in motion. I am praying that the Lord will give me more opportunities to share him.

You know, no matter where you live, opportunities like that are all around. The thing that I've discovered is that you have to open your eyes and LOOK! It helps to just ask the Lord to make you sensitive to those opportunites, every day. He is so awesome! It's not hard to share about him.....just let your love for him spill over....he takes care of the rest.

One last thing. Life is hard. Come Lord Jesus, come! I would be SO happy if he would come back and take us all....I want to see him soon!

-Julie

Harriet Tubman

I love Harriet Tubman. She is such an awesome lady. So strong....so courageous. One of my favorite quotes by her is the following...

"Jesus, I'm holding onto you, because you're the only one who can see me through." Amen?

It's funny....I realized the other day that my life means nothing without Christ....the world would not define my life as successful. I'm dancing full time with a Christian ballet company....I'm not in any dance magazines, I'm not in New York, I'm not making any money. I'm not going to college to learn how to become successful...I'm a little girl in Mississippi, working hard, dancing harder....all because God told me to. No plan or map of the future....one hand raised high toward heaven, the other one clinging tightly to my Bible. Here I am. Thank you Jesus! I wouldn't have it any other way.

So..."Jesus, I'm holding onto you, because you're the only one who can see me through."

-Julie

Free

My friend Laura Hawkins recently sent me a devotional book by Sarah Young titled "Jesus Calling"....it is absolutely phenomenal. The book is a collection of words that Jesus spoke to her heart. It is written like a journal, and Jesus is the writer. Of course, it's not scripture, but it's a really neat concept, and today's entry was beautiful....so I thought I'd share it with all of you.

"Walk with me in the freedom of forgiveness. The path we follow together is sometimes slippery and steep. If you carry a burden of guilt on your back, you are more likely to stumble and fall. At your request, I will remove the heavy load from you and bury it at the foot of the cross. When I unburden you, you are undeniably free! Stand up straight and tall in My Presence, so that no one can place more burdens on your back. Look into My Face and feel the warmth of My Love-Light shining upon you. It is the unconditional Love that frees you from both fears and sins. Spend time basking in the Light of My Presence. As you come to know Me more intimately, you grow increasingly free."

Mmmhhhmmm....thank you Lord Jesus. I am free in you.

-Julie

The INTENSE love of Jesus

Today at B. Mag we had creative worship...and we watched this skit. It moved me so much I sobbed. The love of Jesus is SO intense. Take the time to watch this, you won't be disappointed. I wish everyone in the world could see this, it's THAT powerful.

Lifehouse Skit

How amazing is that love? How can I possibly love anyone or anything as much as Jesus? He took my pain, and my sin upon himself. He loved me and you SO much, that he couldn't bare to see us under sin....so he threw himself into the midst of our struggle...even to death on a cross.

Hallelujah! He didn't stay dead, he rose again, another act of love, to conquer death so that we can live with him forever.

That's the kind of love I want to live for.

Blah.

In Jesus name we press on....

Well y'all, today is just "one of those days"....pretty blah. Nothing too exciting, or sad or anything....just boring really.

One of my friends (Amy) cut her hand open REAL bad at work today (she works with me at the bagel shop)....she had to have stitches, and she cut into some of the nerves (which means she needs to see a specialist to sew her nerves back together.) Ouch! Thanks for your prayers....I'm finally learning NOT to cut my hands....but I fully believe that it is your prayers and God's grace that caused me not to be in the same situation as Amy. If you don't mind, send up a prayer for her right now, it's not fun to have to go to the hospital when you're so far from home!

It's easy sometimes to just go through the motions of life, instead of really living. I caught myself doing that today....I wasn't thinking or feeling anything....I was just going through the motions of work, dance, devotions....like a robot. I'm not TOO worried...this happens to me on a consistent basis.....I think it's part of life (at least part of mine).

This morning at B. Mag devotions, Lydia read something in the Screwtape letters that was REALLY encouraging.

"But you now see that the Irresistible and the Indisputable are the two weapons which the very nature of His scheme forbids Him to use. Merely to over-ride a human will (as His felt presence in any but the faintest and most mitigated degree would certainly do) would be for Him useless. He cannot ravish. He can only woo. For His ignoble idea is to eat the cake and have it; the creatures are to be one with Him, but yet themselves; merely to cancel them, or assimilate them, will not serve. He is prepared to do a little overriding at the beginning. He will set them off with communications of His presence which, though faint, seem great to them, with emotional sweetness, and easy conquest over temptation. But He never allows this state of affairs to last long. Sooner or later He withdraws, if not in fact, at least from their conscious experience, all those supports and incentives. He leaves the creature to stand up on its own legs—to carry out from the will alone duties which have lost all relish. It is during such trough periods, much more than during the peak periods, that it is growing into the sort of creature He wants it to be. Hence the prayers offered in the state of dryness are those which please Him best. We can drag our patients along by continual tempting, because we design them only for the table, and the more their will is interfered with the better. He cannot "tempt" to virtue as we do to vice. He wants them to learn to walk and must therefore take away His hand; and if only the will to walk is really there He is pleased even with their stumbles. Do not be deceived, Wormwood. Our cause is never more in danger, than when a human, no longer desiring, but intending, to do our Enemy's will, looks round upon a universe from which every trace of Him seems to have vanished, and asks why he has been forsaken, and still obeys."

Amen?? Here I am, having a blah sort of day. God doesn't seem very close....but yet I know he is. I have a choice, I can be frustrated that he seems far away...and ignore him...or I can still obey.

Our father in heaven....my father on earth.

How is it that God loves us SO much?

I am constantly amazed by that fact. He loves ME. The God that created the universe loves ME! He calls me his....he speaks to me....he showers me with blessings...he carries me though storms....how can this be??

I love the Lord. My feeble attempts at loving him are nothing compared to his great love...but I know that he loves to receive my love. How do I know that? Because that's how my earthly father is. He loves me SO, SO much more then I deserve. I try to do what he asks....I try to love him with my words and my deeds....but it is nothing compared to the sacrificial love he has for me.

I just want to take this opportunity to brag about my wonderful dad. He is awesome. He is so strong, so loving, so wise, so kind.....he has been, and continues to be an AMAZING reflection of my heavenly father. He encourages me and loves me....when I don't deserve it at all. He is always looking out for my best interests, and he is ready to defend and protect me from anything that could harm me. He is awesome. I miss him A LOT. I haven't always understood his love....I've taken it for granted....I've belittled it....I hate to admit it, but sometimes I've even trampled on it. But it's still there. No matter what I do, or what I say, he still loves me....and he always will. What an awesome man.

When I was a little girl, my dad used to drive me to ballet class....we had to drive from Albion to Jackson, and we always had the BEST talks. I miss those. I'm now an "adult" and I drive myself to dance....but I miss the days when I was just safely in the back seat...talking with Dad.

It's cool how God has filled that void....now I talk with God to and from ballet...and it's that same safe, loved feeling that I got talking with Dad so many years ago.

What's even more amazing....is that as much as my dad loves me, and would go to the ends of the earth for me....God loves me EVEN MORE. How amazing is that? Wow. How can I not follow his plan for my life?? How can I not listen to his commands? He wants the VERY BEST for me. He's not playing games, he really, truly wants the best for me. I am in awe of that kind of love.

Thank you Lord for your amazing, sweet, awesome, powerful love....I'm trying my hardest to love you back. You know what's funny? I need your help to love you. I am too weak to even love you on my own....Please fill me with your love Lord, so that I can give it back to you, and to those around me.