Dancing for the King and for the Kingdom
In the wake of the heartbreaking shootings in South Carolina last week, there has been a clear call to remove the Confederate flags flying at the state house in South Carolina. Although the Civil War ended 150 years ago, that flag has continued to fly.
The decision to take down the flag may have more than cultural significance. It has the potential to have spiritual significance. Continue reading “The big deal about the flag”
Thanks to all of you who prayed for the Devotions in Motion Workshop this past Sunday. We had a wonderful time. God brought a beautiful group of women who had a heart for worship. It was a small group – perhaps because it was a Sunday, perhaps for other reasons. But it enabled an intimacy that was beautiful and also allowed us to learn an entire group dance.
Here are some testimonials:
Thank you so much for a beautiful, spirit-filled afternoon. The video was lovely. Pretty amazing for a 3 hour workshop. Thanks again. God bless you for your inspiration and teaching. – Nancy
I really loved the dance. I like the way you gave choreography but helped us choreograph too. I liked the help on choreography on terms. This will help me!!! – Christie
(I appreciated) experiencing the ministry of the spirit through the dance and dancing it together, seeing how God brings a dance together in its beauty. – Tracy
Enjoy the recap video and join us next time.
I have a 6 minute video which teaches motions to the Lord’s Prayer along with a really memorable way to teach them. I’ve used this over and over with both children and adults. It’s great for opening a workshop or ending a class.
I would like help getting the word out to people outside of my circle of influence about several things:
1. The Devotions in Motion Videos
2. The Devotions in Motion workshop in Pasadena on June 14
3. The Children’s Praise Dance Camp in Pasadena from June 29-July 3
If you share on Facebook about any one of these and tag Worship Dance Ministries, I’ll give you The Lord’s Prayer in Motion video and enter your name into a raffle to win any product of mine (The only exceptions are Lynn Hayden’s products, which are not mine to give, and that I cannot ship a hard copy of “And a Child Shall Lead Them” outside of the U.S.)
Here’s what you need to do:
Copy one of the links below into a post on your page or a facebook group of which you are a part. (This will both reference the product and tag me, so I know you shared it)
Share why you think it might benefit the people with whom you are sharing it.Try to share it with those for whom it might be relevant. (If you live on the East Coast, sharing about the Children’s Dance Camp in Pasadena might not be relevant to your friends, unless you have friends who live in Southern California. But Devotions in Motion is available to anyone anywhere.)
Here are the links (I’ve included the tag. If the tag doesn’t work, you can tag my personal Facebook page or just email me):
1. Devotions in Motion: https://worshipdanceministries.com/devotions-in-motion/ Worship Dance Ministries
2. Devotions in Motion Workshop in Pasadena: https://worshipdanceministries.com/worship-workshop-pasadena/ Worship Dance Ministries
3. Children’s Praise Dance Camp in Pasadena: https://worshipdanceministries.com/pasadena-praise-dance-camp/ Dance Ministries Please post by this Friday, June 12.
I’ll draw the raffle on Monday, June 15. If you share and you don’t receive the Lord’s Prayer in Motion from me within 24 hours, email me, as sometimes the sharing on Facebook doesn’t notify me. Thanks!
I love the word “compass” which appears many times in the King James Bible. Sometimes, it’s translated, “surround” in newer versions.
The King James Bible page defines compass as, “To stretch round; to extend so as to embrace the whole;” or “To surround; to environ; to inclose on all sides;” or “To go or walk round.”
Psalm 32:10 says,
Many sorrows shall be to the wicked: but he that trusteth in the Lord, mercy shall compass him about.
Psalm 5:12 says, For thou, Lord, wilt bless the righteous; with favour wilt thou compass him as with a shield.
The Lord walks around us. His embrace is on all sides. It is protective like a shield, a barrier through which the enemy’s arrows cannot penetrate. The Lord compasses us with mercy and favor, surrounding us with His blessing.
When the people of Israel compassed Jericho, the Lord broke down the walls of the city. (Joshua 6)
When we intercede for others with movement, we can circle them, either with an embrace, wrapping our arms around them, or by walking or dancing in a circle about them. Sometimes when I’m praying for a friend, I will envision them before me and walk around them as I pray. So often, when we pray for someone in bible study, we gather around them to lay hands on them. They are compassed about.
Try this: Compass your child as she or she sleeps. Compass your home as you pray. Take an early morning prayer walk and compass your neighborhood, your office building, your City Hall. As you compass, intercede. through your prayer and your walking, you make a barrier through which the enemy may no longer pass. Embody the Lord’s favor and mercy.
Take a look at these verses as well: Psalm 139:3, Psalm 118:10, Psalm 116:3
If you have purchased Devotions in Motion, I have good news to share about it. I’ve added to it.
At the request of my good friend, Diane, I added a “straight through” video of all 5 devotional dances. This way, once you have learned the dances, you can use this video to dance them straight through in your devotions. I hope you find it helpful. It is available on your Devotions in Motion download page, which you received from me.
If you don’t have Devotions in Motion yet, but have been wanting to purchase it, it will be on sale for $15 through Sunday night. After that, the normal price will be $20.
I’ve also created a 2 minute video to give you a glimpse of Devotions in Motion. If you’re wondering if it would benefit you, this should help you figure that out. You can watch it here:
You can purchase it below or click here to learn more.
THESE ARE VIDEO DOWNLOADS – Within 24 hours of purchasing them, you will receive an email link giving you access watch the videos online and to download them to your computer.
The Unity in Motion DVD is for the dance ministry leader who wants to take his or her congregation beyond being spectators to invite them to participate in movement. Pastor Lynn gives practical instruction for leading in a way that makes it inviting and easy for a congregation to follow. The exercises are also great to help a dance team learn to dance in unity and create spontaneous, unified movements.
Who: Children ages 7 and up
What: A week of Praise Dance for children
Where: Magnolia Studio, 4 Esther Street, Pasadena, CA
When: M-F, June 29-July 4, 10 AM – 12 PM
Why: To develop a heart of worship and to use movement and dance to praise Jesus
Your children will love this praise dance class. They will:
• build a vocabulary of movement for worship
• learn the biblical basis for using dance and movement to worship
• learn to interpret the words and heart of worship songs in dance
• lead other students in worship movement
•learn 3-5 of simple dances to use in their private worship
• experiment with props such as streamers, scarves and flags in worship.
• get exercise, strengthen their muscles, practice following directions, build Christ-centered friendships and have FUN!
• Receive a beautiful worship dance tunic to wear to class and to keep
“I was touched by your devotion and by modeling to the kids how to pray and include God in their dancing. It is hard to find how to use the gift of dancing in a way that pleases God and that makes it an act of worship as opposed to a performance. You are Giving the kids tools to do that. I also loved the modesty in your choice of outfits. Your focus is on God in everything and that is inspiring!” – Parent of student in Praise Dance Class.
I’m soooo close to releasing the Devotions in Motion videos. It always amazes me how looong the technical part of producing a product and editing it takes. But there is a Proverb I love that says, “A longing fulfilled is sweet to the soul.” I’ve been longing to make these available for over a year now, and my hope is that it will not only be sweet to my soul, but beneficial to many souls, as they use these in their morning devotions or teach them to their praise dance team.
Devotions in Motion will be released as a video download with 5 short, simple, and powerfully expressive devotional dances using the acronym for prayer, ABIDE. You can learn more by clicking here.
Would you pray for me in this final stretch? The work left at this time is technical, so I would appreciate grace with technology. I would also appreciate prayer that God would lead me to those who would benefit most from these and that they would be a blessing to others.
I also have it on my heart to schedule a local dance workshop here in Pasadena in the next 5-6 weeks and to offer a summer dance class as well. I’d so appreciate prayer for these things.
Please let me know in the comments section how I can pray for you.
Jesus said, “I am the vine, you are the branches; he who abides in Me and I in him, he bears much fruit, for apart from Me you can do nothing.” John 15:5
He also said, “But when you pray, go into your room, close the door and pray to your Father, who is unseen. Then your Father, who sees what is done in secret, will reward you.” Mathew 6:6
I have found that when preparing to dance in ministry or to teach a class, I need to also be dancing at home in private. When I dance in private, I connect with Jesus. He’s the source of all true creativity, healing, beauty, and power. If I want those things to flow from my dance in ministry, I need to spend time with Him in private.
I also find that there is a battle that goes on inside me in the morning. I know that when I offer my body in praise and worship (that means I move in my devotions) that I experience breakthrough in my life. But something inside me resists moving. I want to sit comfortably under my covers, read the bible, and pray quietly. Now, there are plenty of mornings when I do just that, and it’s a lovely time with God.
But there are many mornings when I know He is saying, “Amy, get on your knees,” or “Amy, you need to move. I want more from you.” I always receive from Him when I’m obedient to Him, and yet, I so often resist it.
So, it’s been really helpful to me to have a pattern of prayer and some simple movements to do early in the day that get me moving. I’ve developed these devotional dances over the years from some of my favorite verses and from choruses to some of my favorite worship choruses.
Based on the acronym ABIDE, they give me starting point to engage my body, and, by engaging my body, to engage my heart.
I have taught them to classes of children as a pattern for prayer to begin our class, preparing ourselves to worship from the heart.
I’m excited about this project because it is truly accessible to worshipers of all ages and skill levels. The movements come out of expressive sign and can be done first thing in the morning, before you are ready to move your whole body. They can be done in a small place, beside your bed, on your couch, in your prayer closet. Because they consist primarily of upper body movements done in a posture of prayer, you can do them when your family is still asleep without awakening them.
On the videos, I teach these five devotional dances, step-by-step, so you can do them with me. I also include live video footage of me teaching this to a class of children, so that you can see how it works to teach them to a group. You will be blessed by their hearts of worship.
When you purchase Devotions in Motion, the videos will be available to watch online or to download and keep on your own computer. I have my heart set on releasing a physical DVD, but that happen later.
What can you do if you are interested in these videos? If you aren’t already subscribed to my mailing list, make sure you subscribe right now, so that you’ll get an email as soon as it is available. Please also be praying for this project, that I’ll do it in the time and way that is pleasing to Him and that will benefit others.
Take a minute and share in the comments. I’d love to hear what you think. I’d also love to hear how dancing in your devotions makes a difference in your life.
The Expressive Worship and Dance DVD presents and teaches a beautiful group dance that can be used for ministry and for personal devotion. You can take this dance and use it exactly as it is to create a ministry piece. Or you can take and adapt parts of it to fit your context. You can even use it as a solo or simply dance it in your own devotions, an invitation to the Lord to soften your heart and form His heart in you.
Not only do you learn a complete dance from this DVD, you get many ideas for how to take your own choreography and adapt it for a group, making it full of variety so you can minister.
Pastor Lynn shows how she takes a motif, which is illustrated in the chorus of the song and shown in the solo choreography, and creates many variations on this. In doing so, she creates a group dance that contains powerful variety. By adding group shapes, unison movement, by varying stage position and group formations, and by using cannon in the choreography, the original movements are adapted to add interest and impact to the dance. Here, I teach the solo part to the chorus: Continue reading “Create a Powerful Group Dance from a Simple Solo”
