How God Called Me back to Dance

I don’t think I will ever be able to measure the impact dance has had on my life. Since I was a little girl, I have vivid memories of dancing around the house. I begged my parents to buy me tap shoes, with absolutely no idea how to use them. There are so many ways dance has shaped the rhythm of my life. That’s why, every time I stepped away from it, a little sore spot lingered in my heart.

But then Jesus, in His kindness, gave me a glimpse of heaven and restored a void I didn’t even know could be filled.

To be clear, my last time actively dancing on a team was in 2014. I was 18 years old, at what felt like both the peak and the end of my dance journey. I was a captain on my team and choreographed several dances. Not only was I a strong dancer, but I was a good leader. I looked out for my team, taught with humility, and loved every member, we were truly a family.

It’s one thing to dance well, but leading people takes a heart aligned with God. I look back at that time with so much joy, knowing that even though the music I danced to didn’t necessarily glorify God, the person I was, and the source of my actions , always did.

I’m still not sure why I stepped away from dance. I think I struggled to pivot into my next season. I felt so unsure of what came next that it just made sense to leave dance behind. I’ll never forget: a year after I graduated high school, I went back to see my old team’s spring production. When my old director saw me, she looked at me with a hint of disappointment and said, “Jasmine, you should be somewhere dancing.” Her words stuck with me for years.

A Resurrection I Didn’t Expect

As Easter 2023 approached, I felt this undeniable stirring that God had something for me. I remember praying and seeking Him earnestly. During prayer, the Lord told me He was going to resurrect me. I wasn’t sure exactly what that meant. I figured it had to do with restoring some areas of my life that felt dead and buried. I was in the midst of a tough season, so of course, I thought God just meant He would turn it all around.

Then Easter morning came. I walked into service a little late and missed most of worship, but I caught the last song and dance. As soon as I looked at the platform and the music began, I felt the Lord nudging me back to dance. I was shocked. I didn’t expect to receive that kind of instruction and I honestly didn’t know how to approach it, but I was willing.

I reached out to my church’s praise team, but that led nowhere. The email address wasn’t even working, I thought, Great, Lord. Now what?

But within a few days, there was an announcement about an open call for the performing arts ministry at my church. Just like that, I knew I had to audition. I was beyond nervous. It had been over nine years since I’d danced. On top of that, my body looked and felt so different since 2014. I was a mom of two, I’d been pregnant for the past four years, and my youngest was only two! I was exhausted. But still, I showed up out of obedience to what the Lord had spoken over me.

They say all good things take time, and boy, did this take time. My original open call was canceled, so I had to wait over a month for the next one. The process of finding out if I’d made the ministry took another week. And the time from my first meeting to actually stepping on the platform and ministering through dance took months. But that was okay, I didn’t come back to dance for performance. I came back to walk out my old passion with the Lord. And that’s exactly what we did.

From Brokenness to Freedom

In my first few months back, I experienced a move of God like never before. I didn’t even realize how broken I was, but Jesus loved me back to life one step at a time. I learned how to be vulnerable and truly surrender to Him. (It’s very hard to dance freely when you’re still holding on to things.)

I found a new freedom in Christ through movement. Every step became a sacrifice, an offering. Life wasn’t perfect during that first year of serving the Lord through dance, there were setbacks, grief, disappointment, and struggles, but I kept giving God my yes. And He kept showing up for me, extending grace and mercy, purifying my heart, and making me more like Him.

I remember the shift so clearly, the moment I finally let go. Once I received my freedom and healing, dance became less about God healing me and more about God using me to encourage His people. Before, I danced as an offering , a vulnerable sacrifice. And I still do that, but now I know I’m also called to liberate His people through movement, echoing a sound from heaven meant to be released here on earth.

What a gift it is to dance for the Lord.

So that’s it! That’s how a broken girl gave God her yes. I went from being lost and unsure to letting the Lord use me before thousands of people, in hopes of edifying His Word and bringing glory to the King of Kings.