He Danced

David...danced before the Lord with all his might ~ 2 Samuel 6:14

Last night was our first West Campus 1st Wednesday service. It was fun, it was refreshing; I'm always glad when I go. After service, I was talking with Dan, the worship leader, and I told him it was amazing and that I really enjoyed the energy. He said that the band is energized when the crowd gets energized, so when he saw me dancing and having fun, it energized him. He said to never stop. On my way home, I was thinking about what he said, and I remembered my life before...before Bayside, before Florida, before dancing for Jesus, for my King.

I grew up in church and my mom said that when I was little, I had the song of Jesus in my heart. She said I was a happy child. And I probably was, until things changed. Because my biological Dad was abusive, my mom, my brother, and I left him and moved back to Wisconsin. We went to my grandparents' church, which was what I was used to. I started going through confirmation, as is the norm. But one day, the Pastor embarrassed me, in front of our whole class, and I was too ashamed to go back after that. Looking back on it, I don't even remember what was said or done, I just remember feeling so embarrassed and wanting to run away. And I did run away; not from home, but from that class, from those people. I just sat in service, feeling alone.

Around that same time, I was really missing having a Dad, so I tried spending time with my biological Father, and it went ok. Until one night. In that one night, everything changed. He did something that night that frighted me so much, and did it in Jesus' Name, that I actually remember thinking, "If this is what God is all about, I don't want any part of it." It was that night, that I shut a door--out of fear, out of pain. I still went to church after that, because that's what you did on Sundays, but it wasn't the same. There was no child-like freedom, there were no songs in my heart.

Fortunately, God didn't let me stay there. When I was feeling the most abandoned and alone, God led me to a place and my life changed. My parents and grandparents had just moved to Florida. I was in my hometown, in college, 1500 miles away from my family. All my friends had moved away for college. I was alone. But I heard about something, a meeting, a place to go. It was Campus Crusade for Christ. I still don't remember how I heard about it, but I'll always remember that night. I can still see myself walking into the building and walking into the pit class. I only went a few levels down, because I didn't want to be in the crowd. I didn't like to be in crowds where I didn't know anyone. They started the service with Worship, which is normal for most churches, but this one was different. The band actually seemed excited to be there. I remember the worship leader had so much energy and freedom and I thought to myself, "I want that!"

The energy that he had inspired me, encouraged me, drew me in. I wanted to be involved, I wanted to get to know more, I wanted to be a part of it all. After that experience, I wasn't a different person, my life didn't drastically change. But at the same time, it did. Because that night I began to open up the door in my heart that had been sealed so tightly for so long. That was the beginning of a new life for me.

It's been almost 11 years since that night, the night that a spark lit in my heart and began to burn brighter and brighter over the years, especially within the past five years. Looking back, I don't even know the names of the guys in the worship band. I can't even really see their faces anymore, just their passion, their joy, their freedom to go after God with everything. I enjoy that freedom, that passion, that desire and that is why I dance, I jump, and I sing. I don't do it for me or anyone who may be watching. I do it for my King.

David...danced before the Lord with all his might...with shouts and sounds of trumpets ... David said,"I will celebrate before the Lord. I will become even more undignified than this" ~ 2 Samuel 6:14-15, 21-22