Dancing on Your Dash: On Your Toes

Are we willing to settle for the basics in life or do we long for the extras? Easy answer, right? I mean, the basics are important, essential even. But the extras … awww the extras are what takes life to a new dimension … and the dance of life to another level.

Hello friend, I’m Kim Crabill! I’m delighted to welcome you back to Strengthen Your Walk and our series, “Dancing on Your Dash” —discerning when and discovering how God has choreographed our daily steps to fulfill the incredible plan He has declared for each of our lives.

Watch Dancing on Your Dash with Kim Crabill

It doesn’t take a long time or a lot of deep thought to notice all the “extras” God shows us every day. Just think: He could have given us a one-color sky. Instead, He gives us multiple shades of blue plus spectacular orange, red, and purple sunsets. He might’ve created the bluebird for us to admire, but He also created 11,000 species of birds, in all hues, shapes, and sizes! Ours is a God of abundance — and, I think, fun! (Can you imagine Him looking at a horse and thinking, I’m gonna put stripes on this one!)

Several weeks ago, I watched a beautiful 14-year-old ballerina enchant an audience as she glided and spun across the stage. But it was when she danced en pointe, rising effortlessly on her toes, arms reaching toward heaven that we were thoroughly captivated. The music she chose told a universal story of struggle and of faith in God. Her movements reminded us that we can still “dance” — find joy, laughter, peace, and appreciate the daily breaths of life — whether things are going as we had hoped … or going very unexpected and unplanned.

After the dancer’s beautiful and inspiring performance, I had a chance to speak with her. She told me how difficult en pointe dancing was to learn — how much training and practice were required. But, she explained, en pointe is an important “extra” for dancers who want to elevate their art. I told her that even though her toe-dancing looked so effortless, the hard work she had mastered had certainly elevated my spirit!

In our series, we’ve talked about how the Bible can show us what our perfect Dance Partner is like but God used this dear ballerina to show me “the more” He offers! How we can embrace a life of “extras” rather than just settling for the basics.

• Why just dance when we can dance and live en pointe?
• Why just experience happiness when 1 Peter 8-9 says we can have joy unspeakable?
• Why should we just plod through life, trying to “get by,” when Jesus tells us in John 10:10: “He came to give us not only life but the abundant life”?
• Why should we know “not just the absence of chaos,” but know the peace that passes all understanding that we are promised in Philippians 4:6-7?

Dancing on our dash begins with seeing our Father as the Perfect Partner and then heeding His invitation to dance. This is how He wants us to go through life. Then, we grow as God’s dance partner by getting to know Him through His Word. As we grow, we find our flow. And now, by embracing His extras, we learn that with daily discipline and dedication to stay on our toes!

Let’s get up on our toes where we are more likely to see the “extras” in front of us. They are right before our eyes but we may not recognize them at first. That’s where that daily training and practice come into play. Today’s “extra” may include inviting a new coworker to lunch. Or offering a genuine compliment to the cashier at the supermarket. Perhaps the extra God has for us is that we plan a game night or bonfire for our neighborhood. Or bring a little something extra for the teacher at the next parent-teacher meeting.

Dancing on our toes often starts with this simple prayer: Lord, show me how to RISE UP to see someone I can LIFT UP today!

Do you know what I’ve discovered about dancing like this: When those who know we’re struggling see us on our toes anyway, we become walking … sorry, dancing … testimonies who point others to Christ. So today friend, you can Strengthen Your Walk by saying “Yes” to the One who invites you to dance!