We all have periods in our journey where we feel we’re at a dry point, or unable to do, say, think or feel like we might ‘normally’. Every journey has hills and valleys, no journey is a straight road. Therefore you will need different things at different points of your journey. As a mover and dancer sometimes, we can feel pressure on our Christian dance movement journey to always be moving and responding to life in a way that uses movement. My journey over the past 3 months or so has experienced what dance can look like in a dry season and how you begin to make your way out.
Work with where you are at
I was beginning to hear more and more about people feeling guilty because they weren’t dancing when they were ‘supposed to be’. This struck more of a cord with me than people probably realised.
Despite me teaching and sharing with you all so much I have been in a dry season of my Christian dance movement. That’s meant that I haven’t felt a pull to dance or move in gusto that I might normally have. Often, I simply took one movement as my offering in that moment. Why this season presented itself I don’t fully know. Apart from there being a lot of external issues that we were dealing and processing as a family. Which meant that my capacity to do Christian dance movement or much else has been very small.
I began to struggle with the fact that I wasn’t dancing like I was telling everyone else to, questioning my abilities as teacher, leader and mentor. But as I journeyed with this weight – because it felt like a weight – I realised that each time I just managed a movement. One simple movement. That was the biggest offering that I could give at that time, and often, it always turned to be exactly what I needed at that time.
As this settled and I chatted with God about this more He drew my attention to others that were struggling with the same thing. So, whilst away on the Going Deeper dance weekend the topic came up again and this is what I’d love you to grasp.
We should never feel the pressure to do Christian dance movement just because that might be our language of conversation with God. Don’t dismiss or judge what you may be feeling about not doing it at the time. There will be clear moments when the purpose of using dance and movement will be made clear.
God meets us where we are at. If that’s simply standing or holding our hands out or breathing. That’s our movement to him in that season, and that’s okay!
Turning point
There will be a turning point where things shift. Don’t rush it. Just give it space. For me, the turning point has begun. It begun over the course of the Going Deeper dance weekend. Emma offered up space for us to choose to make room for God.
Whilst I know I’ve made room for Him over the past 3 months or so. I know that the room I’ve given him may not have been the room he wanted! So, the turning point for me was the phrase ‘I will make room for you’. Room for God to breath into my Christian dance movement.
Since then, there have been two main points where there has been ‘room’ for movement. The revival dance at the dance weekend and then during some enforced isolation and dancing in the kitchen – kitchen dancing is always the best!
As I have shared before. Lyrics speak to me so much. This song was one that stirred my heart and I knew I needed to make the choice to dance to it. It sums up so clearly what happens when we move and how there is God’s gentle encouragement as we do so.
Going Forward with your Christian dance movement
As you go forward from here embrace where you are at with Christian dance movement journey. There is no right or wrong way of doing it. Accept the season that you are in and move in response to that. With as much or as little movement as you need to sustain you.
But, choose to give space to God to allow him to breathe where He needs to in order to help you when you need it most.
During August 2021, UC Grace ran a Prayer Movement Challenge. It’s aim was to both show and share how simple it can be to integrate prayer and movement together. Prompting thoughtful reflection and encouraging self exploration. During the challenge each day had a focus and we used Ephesians 6.10-18 as our foundation as we explored simple ways to experience prayer and movement together.
What did each day entail?
Day 1 we focused on Ephesians 6.10-13 and looked at acknowledging how we welcome God into our prayers, start our prayers and create a habit.
Day 2 was touching on Ephesians 6.14-15 and how we identify things that we feel insecure with or struggle with.
Day 3 began to draw things together by considering Ephesians 6.16 and exploring why we struggle with the things we do and how we lean on God to be in the centre of your battle.
Day 4, through Ephesians 6.17 we know that God gives us the things we need to fight with and part of our journey is learning to accept that.
Day 5 considered perseverance. The chance to keep going, pressing in and giving it to God.
Acknowledging where in the journey you are
Finally, be strong in the Lord and in his mighty power. Put on the full armour of God, so that you can take your stand against the devil’s schemes. For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the powers of this dark world and against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms. Therefore, put on the full armour of God, so that when the day of evil comes, you may be able to stand your ground, and after you have done everything, to stand. Ephesians 6.10-13
One of the things that I have struggled with during my journey as a Christian is connecting to God more, both through his word directly, and in prayer. There can seem to be all these ‘shoulds’ as you go through your Christian walk.
You should read the Bible everyday, you should have a quiet time every day, you should soak in God’s presence, you should be praying morning and evening, you should get up early to do it all. The list goes on. And whilst each one of those things has a place in our walk as Christian, it took me a long time to realise that there are no ‘shoulds’ with God, there are only invitations and opportunities presented. We are after all made unique, that means each of our walks will be unique, there isn’t a one size fits all. Often it’s the smallest change that you make in your walk that creates the biggest impact. A change that is easily manageable day to day. For me this involved adding prayer and movement together and recognising the intention through doing this.
I asked questions such as –
How are we ready? What makes us move? How does God give you strength at the moment? Where are your priorities in your prayer life? How do you get ready to pray? Close your eyes, open your hands out, pause, breathe and drop your shoulders? They are all movements!
At UC Grace it’s not prayer and movement, but instead prayer movement, I define this as the following –
“Prayer movement is your body’s reaction to drawing closer to God. The external display of an internal feeling and preparation for a conversation. It’s nuances that only you and God know. Fleeting moments when you choose to acknowledge your connection and conversation with God. The reality of moving through life sometimes 100 miles an hour but still always doing the same thing when you choose to pray. To have that conversation and allow intention into the time of response with God.“
The first step in moving, (literally and figuratively) forward in our prayer lives is acknowledging where we are really at and recognising how God’s word can help us do that.
Prayer and Movement is an individual journey
Stand firm then, with the belt of truth buckled around your waist, with the breastplate of righteousness in place, and with your feet fitted with the readiness that comes from the gospel of peace. Ephesians 6.14-15
The journey that we take is all different. Some of you will be keen to apply prayer and movement together in your prayers in lots of ways. Others of you want the opportunity to see, explore and do just a little, to knock on the door.
Whichever stage you are at that’s fine. It’s your individual journey. Part of creating a habit is giving yourself space to identify what you struggle with. This isn’t something you do as a one off, it’s an ongoing process.
For me this was something that took me a while to grasp. I used to figure that because I had looked at and identified areas of struggle or insecurity once that that meant I was done and wouldn’t need to do it again.
The reality is, just like we have to continually work at keeping our focus on God. We have to continually pause and recognise what we are struggling with and act on it. God is always there to support and guide us, but if we don’t stop long enough to see that things won’t change. For me part of that process is being honest with God when I am in those insecure places. When I need to know his truths more and have the confidence to stand firm.
Exploring our journey
In addition to all this, take up the shield of faith, with which you can extinguish all the flaming arrows of the evil one. Ephesians 6.16
Part of any journey we encounter with our faith is recognising and acknowledging what is part of the journey. There will be many points along the journey where we feel like we are being attacked, don’t know how to get out or just feel really down. God is with us and He will defend us.
The amazing verse is exodus describes this for us. ‘The Lord will fight for You’ you need only to be still’. In the high speed train of life we can often forget the simple actions this verse portrays. In those flight or fight moments you have a choice, to turn and move away or to pause, be still and let God work. Neither are the easy option.
But the biggest difference I have found when I am in this position is activating a pause. A physical pause right there with my body but also a mental pause. A mental pause which allows God to speak, his word to enter my mind, the Holy Spirit to take control of the situation and to receive His peace. Two things have now happened in this moment. You’ve acknowledged that you need God in the situation, and you’ve also given the space for God to be in the situation.
Accepting our journey
Take the helmet of salvation and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God. Ephesians 6.17
For me to grow not only in my dance leadership skills but my normal leadership skills I have had to make a choice to grow in other areas of my faith. This has involved an acceptance that I need to action God’s word and look for the impact it can make in my life and others. It’s also stepping out and moving myself to God’s word and not just telling others. The armour of God that this challenge was based on is a springboard to help us to grow, to action God’s word, the scriptures and see the impact. Those moments when we need to fight the flaming arrows, God gives us the things we need – his armour, his word, his spirit. Joining prayer and movement together helps us fight this stronger.
Perseverance in what’s ahead
And pray in the Spirit on all occasions with all kinds of prayers and requests. With this in mind, be alert and always keep on praying for all the Lord’s people. Ephesians 6.18
Our Christian walk is full of perseverance, the need to press on and seek God. How that looks for each person. Your act of pushing through giving God a place in all areas of your life whether big or small. Will all be different.
I’ve experienced so many times, thinking that I am track and focusing on God. But when I stopped long enough. I realised that I needed help, a little direction, encouragement and joy in my journey in order to keep persevering.
The opportunity to lift it all up to God, seeing and feeling the joy as God takes control, is a feeling to strive for. It’s like you’re putting a full stop in as you let God peel it all off you. The perseverance you pick, is not to do it in your own strength but in Gods.
Going on from here
The Prayer Movement Challenge was run as a lead up to launching the mentoring programmes of UC Grace. My passion for the mentoring is to provide a safe space for people to grow in whatever area they need. That could be directly related to dance and movement or it could be about their faith, habits and life mindset. Whichever it is. It will be an adventure as they invite God into the centre of that journey. You can read more about mentoring here.
My journey to writing the challenge was a chance for me to really look at when I move, why I move and what helps me as I pray, focus, and build my conversations with God, connecting prayer and movement together. My hope above anything else was to open others eyes to the possibilities of how you can approach your prayers and deepen your faith.
If you’d like to explore this concept more why not join us for our Prayer Dance Trail course. This encourages you to encounter God outside in his creation with prayer and movement together. More info is available here.
Got a question about the Prayer dance trail? Then check out the questions below. If you still have questions then please do get in touch.
How long are the sessions?
Online sessions will last between 60 and 90 minutes, this will provide flexibility needed for discussions.
The in-person session will be 2 hours.
What happens if I miss an online session?
You can catch up afterwards as the recording will be uploaded into the learning portal.
What will we cover during the first online session?
This first session will be introducing the trail, what it looks like, how you will do it and laying the foundations of creating your own trail. We will begin to unpick how to pick a topic and what you need to think about relating to that topic during the course of the trail.
The trail will be challenging, so we will also talk about some of the challenges and excitement that it can bring.
I will share ways you can start movement and what can inspire you during your journey. Between the 1st and 2nd weeks you will encouraged to start creating some movement yourself as well as firm up the finre details about the trail that you are going to take.
What will we cover during the second online session?
This session gets exciting as we dive deep into what movement on the trail looks like. I will share a topic and how I have developed it – this will be available for everyone to use if they wish.
You will also find out ways that you can document your journey with the trail. Between the 2nd and 3rd session you will be encouraged to actually do the trail, and not just once! Always coming back to how God can impact you through this trail and your prayer dance journey.
What will we cover during the third online session?
The final session will offer a time to draw together how your prayer dance trail went and the impact that it has had on you.
Reflection, praise, worship and moving forward will al feature.
Are we supposed to be dancing outside during the online session?
Not at all! You will need access to notebook, bible, pen and workbook during the sessions. Of course if you want to do the session outside you are most welcome, but we won’t be moving for the whole session. Don’t get cold!
What do we do between each of the online sessions?
At the end of each online session Anna will explain what you will need to do between then and the next online session. You will be encouraged to complete that so you can maximise your experience and learning during the course.
If we want to listen to the session again will we be able to access it?
Yes of course. All online sessions will be recorded and uploaded into the learning portal for you to watch again at your own pace.
Will I need to record myself moving at all?
No. You will not be required to provide ‘evidence’ of your dance trail. But equally if you wish to record and share with us, you are most welcome.
If I wanted to record some of my movements and share them how would I do that?
Recording – The easiest way to do this is with two devices. For example, I use my tablet or computer to play the music I want to dance to and I use my phone to video my movement. I have a tripod to help me with recording but propping it up against something works just fine too!
Sharing – if you have the recording on your phone, you then have the ability to share into any whatsapp groups, upload to facebook/ social media or email. Most videos would be too large to attach to an email directly. So a file transfer service like www.wetransfer.com works well for this.
What is the learning portal?
The learning portal is an online space where everything is uploaded for you to access. It’s main address is https://community.ucgrace.co.uk/ . If you have previously brought the 40 day dance and movement devotional, you would have purchased it here. Just log in as normal. Can’t remember your password? Then request a reminder.
Hope this has helped. Don’t forget you can find all the other details and how to book here. Don’t forget there is also the blog post Creating Prayer Dance Trail that gives a more in depth idea of what is involved.
I’m excited to bring this ‘how to’ blog to you today. Many of you will be familiar with prayer walking. Choosing to go out in a specific area to pray for things as you pass different locations. Whether that is to do with the location directly or to offer a springboard for prayers on other topics. I’ve been sharing a lot recently about how prayer dance can impact our prayer journey. So today I want to share with you how creating a prayer dance trail can help build another way to journey your prayers and conversations with God. I will offer a simple outline that you can apply to different topics and situations as you wanted, giving you limitless possibility to move your prayers outside.
I highly recommend a notebook as you work through this, so you can write down any bits that you need to. However lots can be gained from doing this spontaneously as well.
Step one – Discover what you want to pray for.
Praying with a purpose gives you a greater focus and will help with creating a prayer dance trail that fits with what’s on your heart at the moment. Use the following things as an impetus to begin to note down things that you want to pray through.
Person
Circumstances
Emotion
Place
Whatever you pick, this is known as the topic. Write down everything about that topic you have picked. Think about all aspects of it and any impacts that there are.
Step two – Creating a prayer dance trail route.
Begin by choosing 4 areas or stops within walking distance from your home or at a location you visit frequently. Or simply an area that you love! Assign one of the following themes to each of the areas –
Head and Heart
Relationships
Pause and rest
Encouragement
Learn the order that the topics appear on your route. Each of these 4 areas, with their relevant theme assigned will act as stopping points along your route. At each of these stopping points you will focus on the relevant theme and how you can pray into it with the topic you picked at the beginning.
Step three – Begin to create some movement.
Now start to look at all the things that you have written for your topic. Find one word (or a phrase if you need to) that could sum it up. This is to be known as your capital letter and full stop and will be the foundation blocks for creating a prayer dance trail.
Once you have identified your word, you need to create a simple and short movement that you can do for it. This movement will be used at the beginning and end of your time in each area that you stop at along your route. This is why I have called it a capital letter and full stop! You could also think of is as the bread in a sandwich!
I find having a simple movement such as this helps you to frame each section and provide you with focus, both as you begin and as you end.
You then have the choice to leave the space between the capital letter and full stop at each location empty. Then to fill it with spontaneous movement each time. Or to think about each theme and location and some movements that might work best to that theme.
The biggest thing to remember is providing God with the space to move, speak to you and respond to your movement. After all whatever it is that you are praying about is important, so you want to know what God might have to say about it!
Step four – Prayer dancing the trail.
Before you step out and begin your trail. Pause and ask God to lead you. You have spent time laying the foundations creating a prayer dance trail layout. Now, how your trail works is really up to you. Here are some suggestions about how you could approach working your way through the trail:
Use music to inspire you as you walk.
Allow God’s silence to fill the space you walk.
Move to a specific scripture at each stop.
Move to the same scripture at each stop thinking about how the theme assigned to that location impacts it.
Take ribbons, material, flags or something else to inspire you along the way.
God can speak through whichever way you do it. There is no right or wrong. My prayer is that these instructions will offer up a chance for you to explore and see what works best for you.
Step 5 – The challenge
Often, we forget that praying for something can take patience, perseverance and consistency. Now you’ve taken the time creating a prayer dance trail. The challenge would be completing it consistently over the course of the month with the same topic, locations, and themes. See how God moves and what he says.
Over the space of a month work your way through the trail as often as you can. Sometimes it might be that you feel only part of the trail needs completing but respond to what God is saying to you each time. Refer to all that you wrote down about the topic at the beginning.
Some other things to consider when creating a prayer dance trail.
Doing it with others – creating a prayer dance trail with others can be even more fun than doing it on your own. You have the chance to be unified in what you are praying and support each other as you do it. This could be through you all prayer dancing to the same topic or you each have your own topic but you work your way through the same route together.
Do the trail at different times of day – we all know that we can be more tuned in to God at certain times of day. Why not see whether different times of day affect how you approach the trail and how God speaks.
Other influences – such as music, weather, scenery or scripture that could inspire you as you pray and move.
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In May 2021 we will be running a prayer dance trail for you to join in with. Keep an eye on the Events page for further information. If you want to know more about prayer dancing read this beginners blog – Encountering God through prayer and movement.
Would you like to be part of the UC Grace journey? Then head here to sign up and be kept in the loop with what we are doing.
Following on from my blog post How can I start to Prayer Dance, I wanted to take the time to be more specific about ways that you can begin moving and encountering God through prayer and movement. What’s important to remember is that all movement day to day can be a part of your prayers. It’s the intention that’s behind the movement when you do it.
I want to break it down into 3 easy movements for you to explore at your own pace – stand, sit or kneel and lie down. Each of these are postures that can be made before God, during your worship and prayer time. The reason these movements work well is because it encourages a 3-dimensional view of your prayer. Looking forward, behind, around you and up above, it changes your perspective to what you are praying for.
Let me break it down a bit –
Standing
Standing itself is an action, think about all the different ways you can stand and whether they are always static. For example, we very rarely stand completely still. Often, we are swaying slightly, shifting from foot to foot or walking/ moving forward.
The intention behind a standing prayer is the decision to look forward to what is to come. Accepting what’s happened behind and choosing to seek God with the future or ways to move forward. It’s noticing what happened before to get you to where you are now and striving forward to see what will come.
Sitting (or kneeling)
Sitting often requires an acceptance of the situation or moment that you are in. It might also involve an exhale of breath and the release of tension.
The intention is pausing in the current whirlwind to see where you are. Allowing yourself to be in the present, notice things around you. People, conversations, God. To choose to take big breaths for that moment.
Lying down
Lying down forces, you to look upwards, to lift your face to what’s coming down, receive, accept and look at all the areas you couldn’t see from the other perspectives!
The intention is surrender, turning your face to God to receive his spirit, to listen to his voice and give to him the things that you have been holding onto.
But how will these movement help me with encountering God through prayer?
Let’s put it into practice…
Before we add an intention to your movements, get familiar with the movements and the space you’re in. Work your way through the different postures making note of what you see and how you feel. Often there is one that feels more comfy.
Now decide what you want to pray for…
Sometimes, if you’re a pen and paper person it can be useful to write down the things that you might want to pray for in each of the different postures. Or you can wing it!
Then move it…
You can work your way through the different postures speaking out your prayers in each place, pausing to listen to God.
Or if you are a mover and dancer then you can step out the things you have written into some simple movements or hand gestures.
Remember
The intention that you bring a movement can make it a prayer. So even if you’re washing up and scrubbing something clean, you can choose that movement for example to be a prayer…
About removing bad words said against you or someone else.
For new things to come when old stuff has gone.
To see the goodness amongst the craziness of life.
Intention in the action creates the prayer.
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If you’re interested in learning more about prayer, dance and movement then there’s a free PDF download you grab here.
There is also weekly prayer dance bite session, where we look at scripture and how that reflects in our life at the moment and adding movement to do. More information about this can be found on the Prayer Dance Bites page on the website here.
If you follow me on social media you will have seen me posting daily throughout advent, an advent prayer dance. As advent comes to an end I wanted to share my journey of where it’s taken me over the 24 days. Prayer dance initiates so many people’s conversations with God. I delighted having the opportunity to be intentional, persevere and draw closer to God during this season.
Intentionality
In a month when I knew life would be very busy, I knew I had to be intentional about my prayers and communication with God during this advent season, choosing to a advent prayer dance everyday was very special. Prayer dance is something very close to the heart of UC Grace and has been the soul of 2020 as we have kept people moving for Jesus.
This wasn’t just about being intentional with DANCING a prayer, but being intentional about WHAT I was going to pray about. Whilst God gives us the freedom to move how we wish. If there is no intention behind what we are doing then it can be hard to see Jesus at the centre.
Be joyful in hope, patient in affliction and faithful in prayer.
Romans 12.12
My intention was to share some of what God was saying during this season, identifying daily different things I could pray for. Which, through sharing with you would encourage, grow and ignite you during this season.
A goal of mine at the beginning of 2020, was to be intentional about incorporating movement into my daily life. At the beginning of the year I didn’t know what that would look like, and I probably should have been more specific – considering goals are supposed to be specific!
But 2020 has brought a new dimension to my movement, as it’s got closer to the end of the year I was prompted to share this with you. The advent dances offer glimpses into how I have been feeling and things God has laid on my heart.
Perseverance
This year more than ever perseverance has been important. In family, personal, spiritual and work life. Much of what we knew was turned upside down over night with the pandemic. With the majority of stuff still nowhere near what it once was or will be.
Perseverance during #adventdance for me has been about still choosing to move when I was tired, sad, or fed up. Those times that I made the effort to move through the emotions drew me closer to God. At the end of the day we to make the choice –
To read about Jesus
Learn about how he lives
Ask him to help us in the tough times
Say thank you when we see him in the big stuff
OR
To live Jesus
Demonstrating to others who He is through how we live
Praying continually regardless of circumstance
Seeking joy and thankfulness on a daily basis
Prayer dance often puts you out of your comfort zone, challenging where God is in certain aspects of your life and your attitude towards others. But, it enables you to persevere through all circumstances, and dance when words are not sufficient to talk to God.
The days when I pushed through with advent prayer and still danced, peace reigned!
Closeness to God through advent prayer dance
Often people say pictures speak 1000 words. There’s detail, emotion, depth, growth and so much more when you look at pictures. But look at movement and you see someone’s heart on display.
You identify what they are feeling at that very moment and there’s an invitation for you to come and take part in what they are experiencing. As I shared these advent dances I was sharing what my heart was going through that day. There were days which were hard, but worship brings such a delight. Instead of letting the day dictate my feelings, I stepped out and followed through with the choice (intention) I had made to still dance (persevere). Through this I drew into God’s presence and stood by his side as I moved.
Reaching the end of my advent prayer dances, I really wanted to share with people something that God was saying I should do over the Christmas season, and that’s smile! Yes, I have a husband deployed and I always knew that this Christmas would be a different one.
However, it’s now a different one for everyone in the country (little bit of comfort there). Despite many feeling like ‘Christmas is cancelled’. God says smile :-), I am here. Seek me, find me and draw close to me in the way that fits you.
We are all individual and how we choose to draw close to God during this time will be different. My journey is movement… what’s yours?
I’ll leave you with my #adventdance day 24 SMILE
Music – Smile, Sidewalk Prophets.
If you want to read more about prayer dance and how you can encounter it for yourself, head over to read How can I start to prayer dance?
To check out all dances from #adventdance head over to my Facebook or Instagram page.
