Connecting the words ‘Movement, Prayer and Scripture’ together may seem alien to you. But they have come to have a very special place in my heart. When I wrote the first version of ‘Movement, Prayer and Scripture’ it began as an email series that was emailed out over lent in the run up to Easter. I was keen to see if I could develop ways to engage with Lent that allowed me to also explore movement. This progressed into the ‘40 Day dance and movement devotional’ which began to be more intentional with specific elements for each devotion. The book ‘Movement, Prayer and Scripture’ published now, was how my many years of re-writing ended up.

Some background to Movement, Prayer and Scripture

As my journey with Jesus and my journey of movement with Jesus has deepened and strengthened, a core foundation has been the importance of moving out God’s word. Previously my worship dance seemed to stand alone, away from Scripture. Not interacting with it’s meaning or implementation. My focus was simply on dancing during worship and leading others in that. But softly, as God likes to do, my awareness of Scripture and i’s incorporation into my workshops took a stronghold that I didn’t realise until it was cemented in.

In my early years of Christian Dance Leadership my primary goal during a workshop would be to explore songs, develop movements, teach some technique exercises and read some Scripture in response. Resulting in the latter being inferior rather than taking precedence.

Without realising it softly and consistently God whispered to me during my planning and preparation for sessions a new way of delivering. A way where worship, God’s word, prayer and movement had a new way of working together. Forming a solid foundation from which I teach from now and have done for over 15 years.

A participant once described to me how when she was asked about the Christian dance workshops with UC Grace, she described them as.

‘You meet Jesus and then dance, other teachers teach dance and then you meet Jesus.’

I do want to pause here and say that there is a place and space for Christian dance workshops to do both of what was said above. God meets us where we are at and will connect with us wherever and however that will be. But for my practice and my resulting journey with Jesus, he has led me down the path where we meet Jesus and then we dance.

Moving with Scripture

We know how powerful it is when we learn God’s word off by heart and we can recall in moments of need. Equally a significant thing that occurs with movement that is repeated over a period is muscle memory. The ability for your body to subconsciously know how it needs to move without lots of messages needing to be sent to the brain. Imagine connecting that muscle memory with Scripture.

The Bible is filled with so much movement it is mind-blowing. Pause now and go and read your favourite Scripture, how much movement is in it? Right from the beginning we read about how the spirit of God ‘hovered over the waters’. That’s not something that’s static, it has momentum. The movement results in something. Here is where my passion lies. A passion to read Scripture, imprint it on my mind and my body and pray through its application.

If I can recall a movement and Scripture at the same time I am choosing to actively acknowledge God’s word and the physical impact it can on me. For example, Psalm 46:10 – ‘Be still and know that I am God’. It’s one of the most soothing Scriptures which calls us to still our mind and pause when things might seem overwhelming. The physical impact of recalling this Scripture triggers in my brain that I need to pause and take some big belly breaths. To focus on that and the effect it has on my body, whilst speaking (either out loud or in my mind) God’s words.

Moving Scripture isn’t something that needs to be complicated, it’s a physical reaction to the best support line we have.

Moving with Prayer

Now you might be reading this and saying that you don’t dance or move! But my point here is to say that it isn’t about dance. It’s about movement. The movement of our body every day in your conversation and walk with God. You see I wonder if I asked you to pray what you would do?

Would you close your eyes? That’s a movement. Would you bow your head? That’s a movement. Would you offer your hands open in front of you, or up high, or kneel down? They are all movements…

Often, we can run out of words when we pray, or feel we need to say or do it in a specific way. Our relationship with God is with only him, no one else. How you choose to hold your conversations has no relevance to anyone one. The only relevant person is God.

Jeremiah 29:11-13

‘For I know the plans I have for you,” declares the Lord, “plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future. Then you will call on me and come and pray to me, and I will listen to you. You will seek me and find me when you seek me with all your heart.’

Our identity is in God. He makes our plans and carries us. The core heart behind ‘Movement, Prayer and Scripture’ is for it to act as a springboard to exploring your relationship with God in a different way. It’s up to you how you interact with the different elements in the book. That’s for another blog post.

But hopefully I’ve stirred something inquisitive in you to explore how you could use movement in your walk with God. You can grab your copy of the book from the website here. Not in the UK? Then head to your local bookstore or Amazon to order.