“Spiritual Warfare”

          When I began to pray about what choreography to offer the students for the Winter Concert, I knew I wanted it to be different than anything I had done before. I also knew I wanted to take a piece of instrumental music and put some kind of story to it. I was really into stories when I was little (still am) and even though I’m a visual person, I also have a very vivid imagination. I love seeing to whole thing come to life. The characters, feeling the emotions they feel, involving me in their “lives”. So I started with the idea of a toymaker and a child believe it or not….dancing dolls (sound familiar??) I had it all planned out, characters, music, actors and costumes. It was all done; I was just waiting to hold auditions. While I was working on it one night, God prompted me to listen to the “Narnia” soundtrack. The first song started and all I saw was….demons. Everywhere, fighting, getting ready for battle, and I thought…..demons??? Who’s going to audition for a demon dance? And it was like God said, “Keep Listening”. So, I went to another song, and there it all was, the conversion, the oppression, the intense warfare, and the victorious outcome. So that’s just a little bit of how it came about. But I wanted to talk a little bit about spiritual warfare itself.

I believe spiritual warfare is like the literal battle you’re about to see. Even though we can’t see it with our eyes, I believe if we truly could pull back the curtains into heaven we couldn’t handle how much struggle actually goes on, and it happens daily. And our opponents in this battle are not beautiful dancer in scary costumes and makeup, but they are beyond anything we can imagine. (“For we do not wrestle against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this age, against spiritual hosts of wickedness in the heavenly places.” Ephesians 6:12)   

“Each of us faces a spiritual battle with the devil today whether we realize it or not. The very nature of the enemy is to defeat us, destroy us, and to kill everything that is important to us. His pursuit of us is persistent, unrelenting and always aimed at the most vulnerable area of our lives.” “As we focus on spiritual warfare, we will do so from the perspective that the devil is a defeated foe. We cannot defeat him by our own authority; rather, he has been defeated by Jesus Christ.” –Charles Stanley

The victory over the devil is assured in reality, but it hasn’t been accomplished yet. And even though his fate is sealed, he will have access to world until the Lord comes back. It is important to keep the assurance of victory at the forefront of our thinking. If we only focus on evil, we can easily become discouraged and fearful. If we keep our eyes and hearts focused on Jesus, we remain strong and alive in our spirits. (“But thanks be to God, who gives us victory though our Lord Jesus Christ”1 Corinthians 15:17)

The piece starts off with the conversion of an ordinary human being. She read the word, believes it in her heart and makes a commitment to the Lord. (“I say to you that likewise there will be more joy in heaven over one sinner who repents than over ninety-nine just persons who need no repentance.” Luke 15:7) The girls in white were going to represent the fruits bestowed upon us by the Holy Spirit. But there are 9 fruit and 5 dancers in that section, so it didn’t divide evenly and they were calling themselves and each other “fruits” which sounds kind of funny in the hall, so they became angels. (For He shall give His angels charge over you, to keep you in all your ways.” Psalm 91:11) These particular angels are meant to be an encouragement to our Christian, whereas the Arch Angels later on in the piece are meant for protection.

“The enemy seeks always to lead us into isolation from other believers, groping and grappling with our thoughts and feelings.” – Thomas White.  

There are points in the dance where the Christian portrays feelings of abandonment and fear, and at times walks away from Jesus. I wanted this to illustrate human nature, and if we are not strong in our faith we can easily be tempted to doubt. As Christians we are not immune to certain feelings. We’re human. And as such, we sometimes walk away from God thinking, we can do it all by ourselves. And when we realize we can’t, and that we’re nothing without him, we run right back to where we first left Him. And He is still right there, waiting for us with His arms open wide. I have enjoyed working on this piece and I hope you enjoy it as well.  

    *I wish I could add the video, although it's not complete.

Arts Alive's annual Winter Concert is here!!!!!!  We (the staff) decided to move the concert from March back to January(therefore staying with the winter theme) in our first staff meeting back in September. Well, that seemed really far away, but now it's here!!!!!!! It's next Saturday, an I have dances the are not even close to being ready and THEY HAVE TO BE..........BY NEXT WEEKEND!!!! I choreographed two pieces this year, one is a big piece (17 people) entitled "Spiritual Warfare." which is exactly how it sounds, angels,demons,epic battles, heartrending moments, a christian and Jesus! I'm really excited about this piece, and we have two big rehearsals to finish the whole thing(before Friday)!!!! The second piece was to be for a trio(Hannah, Natalie and myself) entitled "Forgiveness" but when Natalie dropped out because her family was moving to FL I was torn. I had created a character in this piece with her in mind and I didn't want to do it without her. So I told Hannah we would just drop the piece and maybe pick it up next year. I could tell she was disappointed and I hated to do it because she has worked really hard to get where she is now. Two weeks ago, I was listening to Klove on my way to work, and I heard a song by Casting Crowns called "East to West". I immediately started to see a dance involving only Hannah and myself. I know for a fact that God gave me that music at just the right time and I can't wait to see how it turns out. God is SO good!!!!!

The 7th Annual Winter Concert

Saturday, January 19, 2008

7:00 P.M.

Antioch Community Church

1600 Power Line Rd

Elon NC 27244

PLEASE COME!!!!!!!!

What famous books and or plays are these quotes from? And no using a search engine!!!!!!!

1).

How soon he had walked himself into the proper resolution, however, how soon an opportunity of exercising it occurred, in what manner he expressed himself, and how he was received, need not be particularly told. This only need be said;- that when they all sat down to table at four o'clock, about three hours after his arrival, he had secured his lady, engaged her mother's consent, and was not only in the rapturous profession of the lover, but, in the reality of reason and truth, one of the happiest of men. His situation indeed was more than commonly joyful. He had more than the ordinary triumph of accepted love to swell his heart, and raise his spirits. He was released, without any reproach to himself, from an entanglement which had long formed his misery, from a woman whom he had long ceased to love; and elevated at once to that security with another, which he must have thought of almost with despair, as soon as he had learned to consider it with desire. He was brought, not from doubt or suspense, but from misery to happiness; and the change was openly spoken in such a genuine, flowing, grateful cheerfulness, as his friends had never witnessed in him before.

2).O, I die, _______;
The potent poison quite o'er-crows my spirit:
I cannot live to hear the news from England;
But I do prophesy the election lights
On Fortinbras: he has my dying voice;
So tell him, with the occurrents, more and less,
Which have solicited. The rest is silence.

Dies

________
Now cracks a noble heart. Good night sweet prince:
And flights of angels sing thee to thy rest!
Why does the drum come hither?