Newsletter  -  Thursday, April 10, 2008

In this issue:

            - achieving goals
            - you can touch others, but can you touch your toes?
            - dangerously powerful praise dance
            - Worship Steps the book

Achieving goals

Is it really April? What happened to the last three months?

If you are like me, you have big dreams and goals you hope to accomplish this year. There are goals for the ministry, goals for our family, goals for our careers and goals for our lives in general. And yet, 2008 is already a fourth of the way through and I often feel like I am spinning my wheels. There doesn’t seem to be enough time in the day, week or even month to accomplish all that I need to do.

Recently, I learned a goal setting and achieving method that really works if one is willing do put words into action. First, set three most important goals that you really want to attain in the next three months. Now, write those goals down and post them where you can see them daily. It may help to put up a picture rather than words to help with the inspiration. Let me open up and share three goals that I want to achieve within the next three months.

1. Get my book to the publisher

2. Film the video for the dance to “Alive”

3. Go on a romantic getaway with my husband (no kids)

The next step is to list three easy and practical steps I can take to reach each of my goals. This is what I came up with:

1. Book    
   A. Finish making the corrections from the editors
   B. Get the book to those who are previewing and reviewing it
   C. Present it as a whole to the publisher

2. Video
   A. Set rehearsal dates with dancers and studio
   B. Set film date and space
   C. Arrange for costumes

3. Getaway 
   A. Pick a date and place to go
   B. Make reservations and arrange for child care
   C. Put money away for trip

What goals and dreams have God place in your heart? Begin to take the necessary steps to achieve them. Often our dreams elude us because we don’t plan and set simple goals. We either try to tackle everything at once causing us to be overwhelmed or we sit and do nothing hoping that things will just fall into place. A friend of ours, John Stanko, made a very powerful statement: “don’t prioritize your schedule, but rather schedule your priorities.”

When the Lord told me He wanted me to read the Bible in a year while taking notes and studying it like a college textbook, I felt overwhelmed. I decided to see how many pages that would require me to read each day. Since I read Psalms and Proverbs daily anyway, I took those chapters out of the count. I found that I only needed to read three pages a day to get through the whole Bible in a year. Well, my eyes were opened to so many things when I studied this way that I often found myself reading more than just three pages. When November came around I had already finished reading the entire Bible and study commentaries. Do you know the Bible actually seemed short to me for the first time in my life?

This is a season when Christians are being called to action. Let’s begin today to identify what we need or want to do in the next three months. To get off to a productive start, choose just a few things and then list the most direct steps to get there. In three months look and be amazed at where the Lord has taken you and all that has been accomplished because you took action. This is something you can do quarterly with your own life, your family, your job, and your ministry.

You can touch others, but can you touch your toes?

If you are in the movement ministry, being strong, flexible, and accurate in your moves should be a life-long goal. Our bodies are not only the temple of the Holy Spirit, but they are the instruments God has given us to minister His heart. To fulfill our purpose we must keep them healthy and pliable. Now that I am in my forties, I realize that my body will not stay flexible if I do not work at it regularly. I can no longer get away with bypassing stretching and expect to get a full-range of motion out of my instrument. I am also more prone to injuries and muscle stress when I don’t take the time to stretch properly on a regular basis.

Our family has the pleasure of knowing an incredible dancer/gymnast by the name of Craig Hempsted who is also truly gifted in teaching others. He was trained in flexibility at the Circ du Soleil center in Canada. We partnered with Craig on a much-needed video that teaches the proper way to stretch and gain flexibility. This video, professionally filmed and enriched with instrumental worship music, is unique in that it begins with stretches for the everyday office worker, housewife or traveler showing how to release stress and stiffness in your neck, shoulders, back and legs. Then it progresses to dance, martial arts, and gymnast targeted moves. He even includes a ballet barre segment. I highly recommend this video to everyone for proper, safe, and effective daily stretching. You are guaranteed the increase of your flexibility and your range of motion. This is a tool you must have! Check out, this casually done, >video clip showing Craig's flexibility< (not a part of the instructional video) and pre-order your DVD today @ 20% discount!

Dangerously powerful praise dance!

It’s only weeks away from being released! “ Praise Him Till the Walls Fall”, the powerful praise dance to Martha Munizzi’s song “Till the Walls Fall” will be out in early May! We have gotten several emails asking about pre-orders, so we have made it available for pre-order for a discounted price. Check out a clip of the dance on this link: >dance video clip< and pre-order now!

Worship Steps - the book

From Dawn’s Book: Worship Steps: a practical guide for the dance and creative arts minister (Coming out this summer!)

I hear from dance ministry leaders all over the world, and many of them are frustrated with the lack of commitment and passion on the part of the dancers in their team. Often this occurs when the dancers see no goal line towards which they are moving. The team will be more excited about working together, spending time in God’s presence and learning dances when there are ministry events planned or outreach dates on the calendar. It is your job, as a leader, to not only build the dancers spiritually and physically, but also to look for the opportunities God is opening for them to minister. The balance here, leaders, is to find a waysto begin teaching the team that opportunities like these are not about showcasing ourselves, but that it is a part of God’s agenda to reveal Himself through each dancer. With this in mind, everyone needs a tangible goal to work towards.

As you talk to your head pastor, worship pastor, youth pastor, women’s pastor, children’s pastor and creative arts pastor, discuss opportunities within your local congregation to utilize the dance team. In house ministry can give the dancer a sense of support, belonging and family. In turn, the congregation is encouraged to enter into praise and worship as the dancer ministers. Often, when the body of Christ can see the heart of God displayed through dance ministry, they can come to a deeper understanding of His love.

May the Lord give you wisdom and grace to set and achieve your goals!