My family is full of musicians – they sing, play instruments, and harmonize. Whenever my adult kids are home, there is singing throughout the house. It’s one of my favorite sounds. Dance has always been my preferred art form. I’ve been known to make my family laugh by breaking out unexpected dance moves at the most random times. The connection between music, dance, and life is one that is very clear to me. Dance is challenging without music.
Ken Gire, the author of one of my favorite books, describes the journey through life with Jesus as a dance:
“I have learned a few things about dancing with Jesus. The most important is this: If we fall in love, our feet will follow. If we draw close to him and stay close, we won’t have to worry about our feet or where he may be leading them. It doesn’t mean we won’t trip over our own feet. It doesn’t mean we won’t bump into other people. What is does mean is that Jesus will be with us through all the complicated steps and the sudden turns, steadying us if we stumble, picking us up if we fall, doing whatever it takes to keep us dancing”
Sometimes the trials and disappointments in life tend to drown out the music. What an incredible gift it is to know that Jesus is and will be with us through the entire journey. I intend to continue dancing, and when I can’t seem to hear the music, I will surrender all the more and dance as God guides me through.
Let’s keep dancing, friends. Let’s commit to following the music wherever it leads.
“The LORD, the King of Israel, is with you; never again will you fear any harm. … The LORD your God is with you, he is mighty to save. He will take great delight in you, he will quiet you with his love, he will rejoice over you with singing.” Zephaniah 3:15-17
Claudia Guardado-Wittel
Star 99.1 Director of Development
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I want to dance with Jesus!
Yes- It’s the dance of our lives!
Oh Claudia!! What a great message & SOOO good to see & ‘hear’ you!! I remember our girls in elementary school & your wonderful son & little baby, too! I remember all of the love in your home & your sweet husband. Wishing you and the entire Wittel ‘clan’ a MOST wonderful & blessed Thanksgiving and abundant JOY at Christmas and the year ahead!!
Huggss,
Robin
Robin! It’s so great to hear from you – we have such great memories of our Westfield days! Please send our love to the family & happy thanksgiving ❤️
Beautiful!
On one of our Secular Franciscan fraternity retreats our friar spiritual assistant who directed our retreat defined conversion as turning from sin, turning to God, & turning WITH God. The “turning with GOD” is the daily challenge, but I recognized pretty quickly that it definitely implies the metaphor of the DANCE.
I love this idea of “turning with God” – thanks for sharing Arlene!
My life has been filled with music from my earliest years. I sang in choirs, played in high school bands, studied music in college. Thank you for your story of music and Jesus!!
What a blessing! So glad you appreciated it Carol. Happy thanksgiving!
I love this message. Thank you Claudia for saying so beautifully. The music from 99.1 makes me feel so much closer to God.
That is what our work is all about Joanne! Thanks for taking the time to reach out. Merry Christmas to you!
Thank you for this wonderful message! I’ve danced most of my life and I so miss the music in our churches, so hard to dance without it! Thank you Star 99.1!