When You Get the Choice

Have you ever been driving down the road listening to music and suddenly you're moved by the lyrics? What about when your doing dishes in your kitchen listening to Pandora and a song comes on that moves you to tears? Has that ever happened to you? It happens to me all the time. Maybe I'm just ultra-aware of lyrics or maybe I'm a weirdo super emotional, or both. The latter is probably true. Either way, that scenario happened to me this morning. I was in the kitchen emptying the dishwasher, my least favorite chore, when a cover of the song "I hope you dance" started playing by an artist named Karen Waldrup. I've heard this song a million times, as you probably have as well. What made this rendition or this scenario different than any other? Allow me to share what happens when you get the choice...

This past year has been a big year for me in every way possible: personally, emotionally, relationally, spiritually and professionally. I took some major leaps of faith. I took a few steps backwards in a few areas and several leaps forward in others. I sought help with situations. I've wrestled with my heart and my mind a lot this year, probably more than any other year in my life. I made some life-altering decisions for myself and my family. So what does all of that have to do with the song "I hope you dance", and why did I get so emotional upon hearing it this morning?

First, let me share the lyrics with you for you to read over quickly.

This past year I was hungry. Not in the literal sense, but in the "I desired more out of life" sense. I was hungry to take control of my life and start living with purpose and passion. I wanted to start living a life that I was proud of, that my family would be proud of, and that I was proud to share with others. Prior to 2016, I took a lot of my life for granted (and still do, if I'm honest) and I was constantly trying to come up for air, always feeling like I was coming up just a little empty handed. I felt small in a lot of ways. I felt like I'd given up on a lot of my passions and heart's desires. In a lot of ways, I gave up on trusting God and his plan for my life (versus my amazing plan for my life). I settled for situations that I should've fought harder for in the moment. I feared the mountains in my life, afraid to climb them because they'd be too treacherous. I never used to take chances because fear would cripple me; other's opinions of me would weigh too heavily on my decisions. I was bitter in some of my relationships. I was not giving God the time He most definitely deserves and I was sitting out on many areas of my life because it simply seemed easier to just sit it out. 

Here's where the song hit me this morning. In 2016, I had the choice to dance a lot of different dances, some of which I pursued with bold ambition and others I chose to sit out. I came close to selling out, but then I reconsidered. I felt compelled to write this today because I know so many of you are choosing to sit this one out, but I'm challenging you to reconsider.

Maybe you have lost your sense of wonder and excitement about life. You aren't hungry anymore because you're allowing non-valuable things in life to fill you up {discontentment, fear, bitterness, resentment, anger, anxiety, the list goes on and on). You have started to take your life for granted and you are left often feeling empty-handed. I've been there. You've had doors slammed in your face, maybe literally or maybe just figuratively, and you've decided to just allow them to stay shut instead of trying to open another door. You haven't given the heavens above more than just a passing glance and often that glance is only given when you need something. You have overwhelming fear of the mountains off in the distance, or maybe the ones right in front of you, and you've settled thinking this is just how your life is going to be or you've allowed anxiety to cripple you, thus keeping you from even attempting to climb. You aren't living life or taking chances. Plain and simple...you've settled.

Sound familiar? I think that's a place almost all of us have been at some point in our lives. We all settle. We all have overwhelming fears that keep us from doing the things we want to do. We all push God aside because it's easy to think we can handle life on our own. (Obviously, this isn't true because you wouldn't be reading this post still if you had life all figured out). Let's be honest, we all have hundreds of opportunities a day to DANCE, but do we? 

Here's the kicker! As the song states so perfectly, "time is a wheel in constant motion always rolling us along. Tell me, who wants to look back on their years and wonder where those years have gone?" Do you want to look back on your life and think about all of those times you chose to sit it out instead of dancing? I know I don't. I decided last year when I came close to selling out, to reconsider instead. I chose to dance more, not literally, but as it relates to taking chances, doing uncomfortable things, and chasing dreams. I've decided to live a life that seeks to point to Jesus, that inspires others and that brings joy to other people. So, I challenge you today to take a risk this year. Do something that scares you. Open a door and run through it without looking back, even if it's a door that's previously been closed. Do something that brings you joy and do it fiercely. I encourage you to NOT let fear run you. Don't let what other people think stop you from pursing something that sets your soul on fire. I urge you to give the heavens more than just a passing glance because if I've learned anything this year, it's that the only thing in my life that will ever truly fulfill all of my needs and desires in manner that has my best interest and future at heart, is Jesus. I just want you to experience some of the freedom that I've felt since I decided to "dance".

So, all of that to say, if you get the choice to sit it out or dance, I really do hope you dance! XO!