Year 2000 was the year where I finally graduated with a degree of Bachelor of Marketing and Management from one of the prestigious universities in Melbourne. Alas, I fulfilled my parents’ wishes. I remembered looking at my graduate certificate and this thought came to my mind, “Where do I go from here?”. This piece of “paper” costed my parent’s few hundred thousands of Australian dollars which I know deep within, I will have no way of repaying them. Just like all fresh graduates, my future lies in the reality of securing a well-paid job, be married to a good husband, build a happy family, grow old and eventually, ending up in the cold hard earth. “Is this all that “life” can offer me?” was the question that I had always asked myself since I was as young as ten years old. The answer is no. I do have a choice.
God has a purpose for every person who is made in the image of God. He came to save, redeem and restore His original purposes to all who come to believe and accept Him as their personal saviour. Little did I know, God had set his eyes upon me since I was in my mothers’ womb and had “woo” me until I finally received Him wholeheartedly in May 2000. Just as He gave Adam the responsibilities to be “fruitful and increase in number; fill and subdue the earth and rule over all the living beings and plants on earth” (Genesis 1:28-30), He revealed my calling in developing the dance ministry in Melbourne in October 2002.
As a believer in Christ, I believe in seeking first His Kingdom and His righteousness, just as written in Matthew 6:33 and also to do all things for the glory of God (1 Corinthians 31). Without God as our main priority in life, it is very easy for us to be distracted by the ways of the world. The world desires power and beauty. Wealth and the ability to control and manipulate others, fall under the category of power and beauty. To be honest, the society at the present is not very much different from the time during the Judges, as everyone does what is pleasing to their eyes. But God is looking for those whose hearts are seeking after Him. In all that I think, act and speak, it really depends on the foundation of my relationship with God. Without Him as the lover of my soul, all that I do is meaningless.
“To man belong the plan of the heart, but from the Lord comes the reply of the tongue.” Proverbs 16:1. Ever since I began investing my time to develop my dancing skill and drawn plans to invest in this calling, I am careful that as much as I am able to develop strategies and plans, I hold these plans and surrender all that I do, to Him. God is the one who will determine my steps (Proverbs 16: 9). God gives us mission on this earth for the purpose of benefiting the people on the land and to bring glory to Him. That is why we must not hold on to our calling, as if, it is only for our own benefit. The talents are to be utilised and invested into others for the sole purpose of bringing glory to God instead of us. All that we own and have, and even our life, belongs entirely to Him.
We are called by Jesus to “go and make disciples of all nations..” as written in the book of Matthew 28:19. I believe that Jesus has not only call us to bring people into a church compound but to represent Him in our relationships with our colleagues, neighbours, friends and even, strangers. God has given me the opportunity to participate in a non-church dance company in Melbourne since last year, where I was able to minister to a dancer who was going through a tremendous challenge in completing one of her dance routines. We supported each other through prayers and she managed to overcome her fears and anxieties. I was so glad that I had listened to the prompting of the Lord to participate in this dance company or else, I would not be able to witness God’s power in redeeming my friend from the bondages of fear and shame that had held her down in the past. It has become crystal clear to me that my presence in this dance company is more than just being a performer but I realise that God’s love and compassion for His people is far more important at this stage. Hence, I make the point to make friends with my dance companions and when the opportunities do come, I am able to be there to encourage, build and support them.
I also believe that being in this non-church dance company, I will be allocated to dance routines or perhaps having to wear dance attires, which may not necessarily bring glory to God. Just last weekend, I was chosen to perform in a Samba dance routine where the dancers are requested to wear skimpy attires. At the same time, I was asked about this situation by one of my church friend who recently joined the dance company. I was so glad that I put forward this dilemma to God during my personal devotion time with Him and He revealed to me to drop the routine. The thoughts of rejection and disapproval from the choreographer did cross my mind initially, but I chose to fear God instead of men. So, I obeyed and immediately withdrew from the dance routine.
My dream is to one day be able to choreograph routines that reveal the many great stories of love, hope, compassion and freedom that God wants to bring to all those who have yet to know Him. Just as a picture that speaks a thousand words, I believe dance that expressed the very heart of God, is able to penetrate hearts that are in search of truth, hope and love. At the end of the day, all that I have, I surrender them to God and all that I do, I do it so that Gods’ name will be glorified. Amen! ☺
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