Arise, go on your journey.
Deuteronomy 10:11 ESV
I write a lot about letting God lead this dance of life. Of course, that doesn’t mean we don’t work hard or set goals or live life with intention. So in this chapter we’re going to go through what it looks like for us to live with intention, purpose, and focus while still letting God lead. It’s one thing to dream with God, know what He has called us to do, and seek Him for wisdom, but it’s a whole other thing to actually live out. Distractions, busyness, information overload, and discouragement can completely sideline us from living out God’s plans for us.
Some of us thrive in setting goals and mapping out steps to reach those goals. Some of us wither instead because the goal setting is just too overwhelming. We all function differently and must discover how we best function when it comes to intentionally living out God’s dance for us. So whether you scribble notes on the pages of this chapter, fill out the goal sheets in your cute day planner, or create reminders in your iPhone, I invite you to get purposeful. A million things pull at us for attention. To dance through life well, we need to be intentional.
While onstage, a dancer lets muscle memory take over. She becomes lost in the movement and joy of dancing. But being able to perform so smoothly doesn’t just happen; it’s the result of careful intentionality. She has to think through each step and every movement. She has to deflect bad habits. She has to dance with thoughtfulness and care to make her movements look effortless. She has to tune out worries and cares to grow and focus. She has to remember that every rehearsal matters. She has to remember that all the work behind the scenes is worth it. She has to remember why she dances. She has to believe her dancing matters. She has to trust it’s making an impact. Sometimes she will not know if her dancing has made an impact until the curtain goes down and an audience member hugs her neck.
She can’t just casually go about her training. It takes effort, energy, and enthusiasm. There’s a beautiful balance of knowing when to work and when to rest. Staying in that balance keeps her dancing, and valuing what she does keeps her excited. In the same way, we must be careful and intentional about how we spend our time, our days, and therefore our lives so that we stay in touch with God and His plans for us.
Valuing Your Place in This World
A beautiful place to start in living life with intention, purpose, and focus is by valuing our place in this world, understanding that God has specific purposes for us. I know that sometimes it feels like if we are not doing something big and impactful or if we are unknown and not famous, our lives aren’t all that valuable. Now that we have the world at our fingertips through our phones and social media and easy access to the world of celebrities and such, if we are not careful, our hearts can begin to believe a lie that says our quiet lives are insignificant. We can easily lose sight of the precious value of our lives.
When I looked up the definition of value, I found words like regard, esteem highly, worth, merit, importance. Have you seen your life, your work, your dreams, your everyday activities as really important lately? Have you seen these things as highly valuable?
Sometimes you just need a little nudge of encouragement to assure you that what you do matters and is worth being intentional and focused about. When you lose sight of the value of your place in the world, you lose the motivation to live out your callings with confidence and enthusiasm.
Often you don’t see a return on your work. You don’t know if it’s impacted anyone. You don’t see yourself as making a difference in the world. But God sees. He sees what no one else can. Your work, even though you don’t always recognize its value, is indispensable to God.
I save every card from my husband, every hand-drawn note from my boys, and every letter from my readers. They’re little gifts to remind me that what I do is valuable to God. And every so often, when no notes, no cards come, those are the times when I exercise a little more faith—faith that God sees the value of my life.
Nothing can really measure the value of what you do. So as a starting place to living with intention, purpose, and focus, I encourage you to take note of why your life is significant. I want you to see the importance of what you do and that it really matters. It impacts others, it gives you joy, it allows you to feel God’s pleasure, and it puts much-needed light into the world. Challenge yourself to think through why you do what you do. How is it helping others? How is it pointing to God? How is it delighting God? How is it delighting you?
So instead of setting mile-high goals, start with the why behind them. Why do they matter? Why are they important to you? Starting there will help you find strong footing for standing with intention, purpose, and focus.
Looking Up for Inspiration
Next, look up for inspiration. This is slightly different from what we talked about earlier, regarding staying inspired. Our tendency is to look around. But God is the creator of creativity, and when we look to Him for inspiration, help, and guidance, our creativity flourishes. Creativity flourishes with space and time and slow moments of living. It’s important to turn off the noise, shut down the phone, and spend some time looking to God for inspiration in our dreams and our daily lives.
One thing I loved about stepping into a ballet studio is that dancing was the only thing I could really think about when I was there. If I started daydreaming about to-do lists or other things, I was likely to bump into another dancer or slip and fall. It usually took me until ronds de jambe, that’s about halfway through the barre exercises, to completely let go of my real-life thoughts and focus on all things ballet. I enjoyed slowly letting go of all the distractions and tuning in to my dancing.
Likewise, keeping a single focus is important when we’re looking for inspiration. In an age of the internet, it’s hard to completely turn off all the noise and to focus. But what might we find if we turn it all off and simply look to God for inspiration? When we unravel ourselves from the world and wind back up into the arms and presence of God, we find our focus.
On a writing day, if I don’t completely turn off my phone, I cannot find my inspiration. I’m distracted by too many things—good things—but the writing doesn’t happen. There’s a freedom in turning off the noise and looking up for inspiration. Turning off the noise gives us a chance to hear God’s whispers. His whispers are where we find our greatest source of inspiration for all we do. I love these verses in Isaiah 48: “Come near me and listen . . . I am the LORD your God, who teaches you what is best for you, who directs you in the way you should go” (vv. 16–17). He longs for us to hear Him and for us to focus on doing the things He has called us to do.
Just as a dancer gets to the studio and tunes out the rest of the world to focus on her dancing, I invite you today to tune out the world for a while and completely plug into God. That’s where you’ll find inspiration for your dreams and your daily life. It will take some time to completely unravel from the noise and chatter, but it will be worth the effort.
Progress over Perfection
“Just make a dent.” That’s what Brian says to me when I tell him I’m going to work on a writing project. Sometimes I get all gung ho that I’m going to finish my project or write x number of words. In the face of my enthusiasm, he gently reminds me to just make a little bit of progress at a time. I tend to want to accomplish an entire project at once, but when I do, I quickly become overwhelmed by the enormity of it. But giving myself the freedom to just make a dent keeps me from becoming overwhelmed, feeling inadequate, and completely burning out.
When it comes to making progress toward the goals and dreams God has given us, there is wisdom in pacing ourselves and embracing progress over perfection. This goes back a little bit to what we talked about earlier—taking time to play, have fun, and enjoy life. If we’re constantly working only on our goals or our dreams, we can easily exhaust ourselves. We need a change of scenery. A mom, for example, sometimes just needs a little time alone. A dancer sometimes just needs to do something not related to dancing. A writer sometimes just needs to put down her pen.
So as you dream with God and work out some goals with Him, I encourage you to “just make a dent.” Set realistic expectations. Don’t try to change everything today. Don’t try to master all your goals at once. Leave plenty of white space on the calendar and time to just be, to live, to laugh, and to have fun. See every little dent of progress as valuable. Sometimes when we set the bar too high, we give up in frustration.
I think that’s the sweetest part of dreaming with God—the beautiful rest we experience in knowing He has our back. With God, we have a Helper. With God, we’re not left to do life on our own. God is the keeper of time, and He is never in a rush. Our time is in His able hands, and He will nudge us when maybe we need to hurry up a bit. He will also tug on our hearts when we need to slow down a bit. We can always trust in His unwavering, guiding lead.
Turn, Remember, Hold Fast, Start
This chapter makes me think about the journey the Israelites endured to the Promised Land. It was a land they longed for and could hardly wait to experience. They wanted something new, fresh, and good. We all long for that in life. We all long for new land in the landscape of our own lives. The following verses from Deuteronomy stick out to me as we press toward a life of beautiful intention, purpose, and focus:
You have stayed long enough at this mountain. Turn and take your journey, and go. . . . See, I have set the land before you. Go in and take possession of the land. (Deut. 1:6–8 ESV)
These words can provide us with inspiration to turn, step into a new journey, and go. This journey of dreaming with God and tuning in to His presence in your life is pointing you and me to something new. A new land. A new dance. A deeper connection with the Lord. One of purpose. One that requires focus on the Lord. One that takes intention. Many times throughout Scripture, God reminds us, “Do not fear or be dismayed” (Deut. 1:21 ESV). It can be daunting and hard to try something new. But He implores us not to fear or get tangled up inside. He’s got us in this new thing.
The theme of remembering God runs throughout Deuteronomy.
Do not be in dread or afraid of them. The LORD your God who goes before you will himself fight for you, just as he did for you in Egypt before your eyes, and in the wilderness, where you have seen how the LORD your God carried you, as a man carries his son, all the way that you went until you came to this place. (Deut. 1:29–31 ESV)
Our journeys with the Lord require us to remember how He has been faithful in Scripture and in our lives. Scripture points us to His faithfulness, grace, and love. And our journeys remind us of the times He has come through for us. It’s vital for us to remember our personal history with the Lord. There will be mountain moments and valley moments and all things in between, but reflecting on our relationship with Him gives us a sense of calm about the land He is bringing us to.
That’s why I love to journal. My journals are my history books of my relationship with the Lord. When I need a reminder that God’s in control, that He sees me, and that He’s got me and my whole dance of life, I dive into an old journal. When we reflect on our history with Him, new courage for the paths ahead takes hold of us and we step into new territory with stronger confidence in Him.
Deuteronomy 11:22 says, “Loving the LORD your God, walking in all his ways, and holding fast to him” (ESV). This verse says it all. Our journeys are about loving God, walking in His ways, and holding on to Him. But here’s the thing: He’s also holding on to us! God goes into our lives ahead of us. He already sees our steps. He already knows what’s ahead. In His all-knowingness, He also goes with us. As much as He is ahead of us, working and establishing the steps forward, He walks side by side with us throughout our journeys. Holding out His hand, He gently whispers, “I got you.” And onward we go into a new land or dance that He has set before us.
Can we talk about Dancing with the Stars for a moment? In a short recorded clip before Laurie and Val danced one night in the 2016 season, the show featured a performance of the two gliding across the floor together, and Val, while holding Laurie and spinning her around the corner, whispered, “I got you.” Laurie had just lost her grandmother. It was an emotional night for her, to say the least. Her partner carried her through the performance and his “I got you” completely got me. It was precious and beautiful. It resonated so deeply with me because an “I got you” from someone we love and someone who loves us is one of the best things in the world.
To know someone has our back and cares so deeply for us is to know great strength and new courage. This makes me think of Brian’s pep talks when I’m discouraged or overwhelmed in my writing. Right when I think I can’t continue, he picks me up and, in his own way, tells me that he’s got me. He’s with me. He’s for me. He believes in me. And great strength and new courage rise up in my heart.
To know someone is there for us makes us brave. The love they show through their support points us back to the right path when we’ve lost our way. An “I got you” gives us the boost we need to keep dreaming with God.
When God whispers, “I got you,” you become brave. When the journey grows discouraging, and it will at times, pause to remind your soul, “He’s got me.” And keep holding fast to Him.
Hope for Fresh Beginnings
My family has a small space in the corner of our backyard that I like to call our little rose garden. We fenced it off to keep Shaka, our puppy, out of it. He loved to get in there and “help” trim my hyacinth bean plant and rosebushes. We also pulled out some overgrown purple salvia, much to my heart’s dismay. I love lavender-colored flowers of any type, so pulling them out was a little sad, but they were taking over the garden to the point that we couldn’t see any roses.
After our little renovation, Brian and I stood back and admired our freshly weeded, trimmed down, and protected little garden. It looked simplified, spacious, and tidy. As the weeks went by and the sun hit the roses just right, it was as if it were pulling them out of an invisible shell. They began to stand taller and reach toward the sun; they started to fill out, blossom, and bloom. It was fascinating to watch them grow, and we quickly realized they were thriving because they had room to grow. And not to mention, they didn’t have a little puppy constantly taste testing them.
In our everyday lives, sin is a lot like that overgrown salvia Brian and I pulled from our rose garden. It invades our lives, choking the life right out of us.
And here’s the thing: sin can be subtle. It can feel very not sin-like. Good things and good desires, just like my purple salvia, can take over and consume our hearts—and that’s the point at which they become a problem. Sin can hide and crowd the gifts and callings God has instilled in us. That’s why keeping the Lord in our dancing through life is so vital. In His love and sweetness, He points out things that need to go. He points out things that are suppressing His light in us. This makes me think about artistic directors and choreographers. While it’s not always fun to be told that my steps are a little off, they see the bigger picture. When I apply their corrections, my dancing improves.
New life and hope for fresh beginnings are waiting to bloom under the weeds of sin. And God wants us to find these hidden treasures. He wants us to discover all the precious talents, abilities, and gifts He instilled in us that have been crowded out. But we have to find the weeds first and, with His help, pull them from our lives.
When we take the time to really examine our lives and recognize the sins that are choking the life right out of us, we, like the roses,
Begin to stand taller.
Begin to reach toward the Son.
Begin to blossom and bloom.
God wants us to be free from sin to do our kingdom work.
Let us throw off everything that hinders and the sin that so easily entangles. And let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us. (Heb. 12:1)
We have races to run, people to love, work to do, dances to dance, growth and blossoming ahead, but we must release all the entanglements. The doubt. The fear. The insecurity. The comparing. The worrying about what people think. All of it.
What a gracious God we have who loves for us to flourish for His kingdom purposes. And here is the sweetest news: His grace covers us. Wherever you are, wherever you’ve been, or whatever sin is overgrowing in your heart, God sees you through the lenses of grace and forgiveness. He will gladly take your hand and help you step out of the weeds and into new freedom.
Prayer, Scripture, and Reflection
for Your Dreaming Heart
Thank You, Lord, for inviting me to dance through life with You and for showing me that it will take intention, purpose, and focus. Help me hold fast and draw close to You for wisdom and direction. Thank You for staying with me every step of the journey and for faithfully leading me through life thus far. Show me the weeds that are crowding You out and that need to go. I praise You for Your constant hold on me and Your guidance in helping me flourish.
“But be assured today that the LORD your God is the one who goes across ahead of you like a devouring fire.” Deuteronomy 9:3
“Arise, go on your journey.” Deuteronomy 10:11 ESV
“Come to the rest and to the inheritance that the LORD your God is giving you.” Deuteronomy 12:9 ESV
“The Mighty One has done great things for me—holy is his name.” Luke 1:49
1. Why is your work valuable to God?
2. Where do you typically look for inspiration and how can you intentionally look up to God today for inspiration?
3. How can you make “just a dent” in the work God has led you to do today?
4. How has your history with God encouraged you?
5. In what ways do you need to tend your soul today?