Shake Yo' Groove Thang, C'mon!!!

I finally work in a place that I love. Today, our professional development was about mental health. Of course, part of mental health is getting moving. After discussing strategies to keep ourselves emotional healthy, my principals gave us the gift of movement by hiring a ZUMBA coach to lead us in an hour of cardio-dance. I immediately let everyone know that (while I am black) I have ABSOLUTELY NO RHYTHM! Everyone was shocked, because that does not match my personality! I actually agree with them. I got all this "junk-in-my-trunk" and no movement. I got this juicy-chubby-wubby body, and don't know how to get jiggy wit' it! I just don't know how to "shake my beautifully voluptuous 'groove thang'!"

Here is why: My parents were FIRST generation Christians of the 80/90's era of Christianity! This means that my parents were saved in that era of Christianity that connected secular music, dancing and drinking to the old/sinful life. My parent's standards of living did not begin when we joined the IFB (Independent Fundamental Baptist) cult. My parents were saved in a traditional black MBC (Missionary Baptist Church). My dad eventually pastored an historic MBC church in Gary Indiana (New Mt. Olive MBC). 80/90's Christianity was weird. It demonized EVERYTHING it did not understand. Dancing was the ultimate no-no! It was connected to lust, sex and the devil. While dancing can be sensual, it is also a form of creativity and joy. God created our bodies to react in freedom to music. In fact, our bodies are one giant conglomeration of musical instruments. Our bodies contain both melodious and rhythmic instruments . We are the orchestra, baby!

So back to me in ZUMBA....

As I began the warm-up, there were so many thoughts going through my brain. I felt awkward. I thought everyone was looking at me. I was focused on getting the moves exactly right. Was I jiggling too much or not enough? I was looking at the clock to see how close to an hour we were. I was thinking about all of the things I needed to get done, and what I was cooking on Saturday... During each song I told myself, "At the end of this one, I'm leaving...I got too much to do!" The song would end, a teacher left, a new song would begin- I'd stay. I repeated this thought pattern for a while until.... Suddenly, I had this thought (insert Holy Spirit)..."Let your body be free and just enjoy this gift...JUST HAVE FUN!" It was in that moment, that all of those thoughts went away. I went to my classroom, grabbed a towel and my water and rejoined the dance session! I am so glad I did. I realized how much of a gift from God dancing was. (last random thought) So, David dancing before the Lord was a God-flex. God had done so much in his life that he gave his insecurities to the Lord His God, and let his body operate in creative freedom!

Eventually, my ZUMBA session was over. I realized the importance of dance. Dancing is freedom. Dancing is creative. Dancing is release. Dancing is a gift from God. Dancing releases me from insecurities, stress and anxiety. Dancing allows me to shake the body God handcrafted with the creativity God gave me. When God breathed life into me, he gave me a living and dancing soul! It is not that I can't dance. Dancing hasn't been cultivated...yet! But I am a dancer! God gave me this gift when he breathed SOUL into my body!

I got all this body, personality, creativity, and boldness! I am in a new season:

"THIS IS MY SEASON TO SHAKE MY GROOOOOOOVE THANG!"

Genesis 2:7 "Then the LORD God formed _______ from the dust of the ground and breathed into ________ nostrils the breath of life, and ________became a living soul."

Ecclesiastes 3:4 "A time to weep and a time to laugh, a time to mourn and a time to dance"

Jeremiah 31:4 "I will build you up again, and you, Virgin Israel, will be rebuilt. Again you will take up your timbrels and go out to dance with the joyful."