There’s this show.
World of Dance.
Have you seen it?
For so many years, my life was very much focused on dance. And even in the years when it couldn’t be a focus, it was still a passion. Even as I settle with the fact that I have this 33-year-old body that doesn’t work at all like it used to, when I hear a song that moves my soul, or when I’m home jamming to tunes with my kids…
I dance.
So when a new show comes out called World of Dance…well, I’m not exactly going to miss it.
What I didn’t expect was that there would be a 14-year-old girl on this show who would remind me who I am.
Thank you, Eva Igo. You little fireball, you. You touched my heart.
Maybe you guys won’t understand. I hope that you will, but sometimes I wonder if non-dancers think dancers are crazy – what with all the emotions and such. But stick with me – there’s something in here for you, too.
Cuz here’s the thing. Something happened to Eva, to her family, and it kind of broke her heart and made her hide. Here she is, this bright candle with an extraordinary gift, and she was afraid because she’d been broken.
Sound familiar?
But then she came on this show, and someone saw her and called out her gift and told her – reminded her – that she was extraordinary…and it changed everything.
Over the weeks, this shy girl in a shell came out. She had a bright, ferocious realization of who she really was, of who she had been created to be and what she was outrageously gifted to do. And with her fear gone, with her shame destroyed, she suddenly…BECAME.
She became a WARRIOR, a FIGHTER, and a confident SURVIVOR that was sure as heck not gonna back down.
Watch for yourself…
And so I watched this unfold, and something was reawakened in my heart.
As a very young girl, God spoke to me – he made it clear that I was strong, that I was set apart, that I had been chosen and gifted to set the world on fire, to be His mighty warrior and His ambassador to the nations. I heard the call and I was convinced of it. Completely.
But some things happened that broke my heart. Some things made me shy away and hide my candle, causing me to forget that I was extraordinary, that I was uniquely and wonderfully created and gifted to do the work of the Kingdom.
I still walked the walk. I did what I was “supposed” to do, because I still knew the basics of who I was supposed to be.
Eva never stopped dancing, you know. She just hid some of her fire…I don’t think she even knew it.
Then someone spoke truth into her life.
Who are your truth-tellers? Do you have any? Do you shy away from asking a spouse or a friend, “How do you see me? Who am I? Can you remind me of my gifts and my call?” Because chances are, even if you’re kind of hiding in a corner, the gift on your life (which cannot be revoked – see Romans 11:29) is shining through the cracks and someone there doing life with you sees it. And maybe they just didn’t know you needed to hear it. Maybe they figured you knew.
But if you’re in a place where it’s dark and you’re drowning, well maybe just be a little bit brave and ask.
And while you’re asking your friends, also be brave and ask your King…cuz oh gosh, how He wants you to walk fully alive into all that you’re created to do and be. Why? Because in order for His Kingdom to come and His will to be done on this earth, He needs His people to recognize who it is He made them to be. In full.
And those things that broke you open and made you hide, well don’t be surprised if that was exactly the intention of an enemy who is very very scared of the gift and calling on your life coming to pass.
For me – well I asked a few friends. I did and it felt weird, but I did it anyway, and what I heard back surprised me because what they said was that I was…
PASSIONATE. BOLD. WISE.
I guess I shouldn’t have been surprised. I knew in my heart all those things to be true, but there in my corner with my candle getting dim, I figured I had not been living those things out very well, because…well you know how it is when your heart is kind of breaking and your knees are kind of shaking and you’re feeling all alone.
But somehow the light of this flickering candle was still making it out through the crack under the door. Somehow even in the midst of my brokenness, my people are seeing me and believing in me, and really, is there anything more healing and empowering than that?
Well there is one thing…recognizing that your King is seeing you and believing in you, too. And he kind of did that for me through the ferocious dancing of a 14-year-old girl named Eva Igo. She broke through the wall she had put up. God said to me, “That’s what I’m doing for you, too.” She said, “Ready or not, here I come,” and danced like a warrior. He said to me, “You know why this moves you? Because it IS you. This is how I see your heart, how I see YOU.” Then she screamed to the world, “I’m alive!” and danced like an overcomer who would even take bullets in the fight to keep her heart beating and alive, and He said to me, “THAT, Gabi. THAT is your message and your gift and the way that you’ve approached this life for all of your life. And I know you will keep overcoming like this because you are fierce, you are free, and you are totally in Love with Me.”
So thanks, Eva. Really, I’m so thankful. You reminded me who I am. So let me remind you, too.
You were created for great things because you were created by a great God. You, little one, are going to set the world on fire…
And you, dear reader, fierce dreaming friend, remember that the enemy is a liar and he will try to darken your heart and dampen your gift with discouragement and fear. Don’t let him. Remember the promises of your King. Make THOSE your anthem. Make THOSE your song. Let these words from your King ring strong in your heart:
“But I have raised you up for this very purpose, that I might show you my power and that my name might be proclaimed in all the earth.” Exodus 9:16, NIV
He’s not through with you yet. In fact…He’s just getting started…