The Carpenter's Daughter Dance Workshop

As I write my heart is full. I feel as though I received one of the best Christmas gifts of my life--and it wasn't wrapped or in a box! Let me explain what I mean. In the growth of this ministry I have encountered many wonderful people, some of whom also have a ministry and a calling of their own. One of the most beautiful (in every way) people I have met on my journey is Sheba Phillips, founder of a ministry known as "The Carpenter's Daughter." She is the daughter of a carpenter, both in the physical world and in the spiritual realm. Most importantly, of course, she is the daughter of THE carpenter, Jesus Christ. As His daughter, she has been called to worship through her very special talent of dance. She ministers to people through dance and also teaches others how to worship and minister through dance.
I saw her perform for the first time this past March and was moved to tears. I felt the presence of God through her expressive movement and I knew that she was no ordinary dancer. Now, Sheba will tell you that none of this is by her doing--but only by the power and grace of God. I invited her to dance at our Easter Celebration in April and we were blessed once again by her gifts. I sat in the audience watching the faces of those around me, and watched tears stream down the face of the person next to me. When God moves, the experience is powerful!
Last week Sheba offered to hold a "mini-workshop" in worship dance for the girls I work with. I can't tell you how excited I was!! I was anxious to see if God would work out the details to allow this to take place. It was God-ordained, because HE DID! New Covenant was very gracious in allowing us to use their facilities and van today--otherwise we would not have been able to do this at all. (Thank you, New Covenant, for the blessing you are to us!!). It all came together and I was able to escort 7 girls to Sheba's workshop.
As soon as we arrived, I switched gears from being the "teacher" and became the "student." I participated with the girls and was more blessed by my experience than I could have ever anticipated. I learned practical things, such as the six types of worship dance, common signs used in worship dance, and the steps to choreographing a song. I learned a dance choreographed by Sheba to the song, "Oh, Come All Ye Faithful," which was a lot of fun for me to do with the girls. They laughed at me a few times when I was going in the wrong direction, but I laughed along with them and then turned the right way! Above that, I learned something very moving about myself and the girls participating in this workshop today: I learned that the desire, the ability, and the passion to worship our Creator is something innate in all of us. It was there all along, it just had to be tapped and allowed to surface.

I saw "my girls," as I call them, transform beyond their shyness and their insecurities and give their all to Him. I saw unconditional acceptance blossum among girls who are still getting to know each other. I even felt that happen within myself. There was something happening in that workshop today that was above the technicalities of dance, the choreographed movements, and the individuals who were there. God's Spirit was moving among us! Sheba was faithful in her call to minister to us, I was faithful in my call to be there, and He was faithful to His word, "Draw near to Me, and I will draw near to you," (James 4:8). Today was a priceless gift, for me.

Thank you, Sheba, for your faithfulness in allowing Him to move in and through you! Your gift to us today was better than any gift we will open come Christmas day!

AWO Christmas Event 2010

My heart is so overwhelmed by the goodness of God that as I write this tears stream down my face. As a ministry, Arms Wide Open has faced much adversity this calendar year. People have gone before us and tried to hinder us in our walk. People have even tried to dissolve Arms Wide Open altogether. God's word is strong, however, and He commanded me to continue in my purpose. I have faced all challenges head on and am here now only by His grace. In the last month, while preparing for this event, I have come to realize just how much the enemy does not want us to succeed in our mission. He has come against us at every turn and at times, I confess, I have been tempted to give up. But I have to give God the glory for what He has done, because for every blow the enemy dealt us, God has bestowed upon us a generous gift. So I walk on. I commit to walk on until my journey on Earth is done. Come against me, enemy, because the Lord my God is for me and He will prevail!

I had to acknowledge God for sustaining me because it has been a battle. Let me now share with you some of the blessings He has poured out over the last two weeks. When my heart was heavy wondering how we would be able to provide music for this event and I was almost in tears thinking of all the kids I might have to let down if I could not put this thing together, I received a phone call. It was the drummer from the band Afterlife, calling to inform me that they would be able to come play for us today. Those words thrilled my heart and my very soul!! That propelled me forward in faith, because I knew God would provide for all of our needs. But as the days went on my heart again grew heavy. How could I feed all the people who might come? We were planning for 100, but what if there were many more? Let me tell you, if God has asked you to do something, He will provide everything you need! Within the last week, a local church donated $500.00, Merita bread donated 100 hot dog buns and 96 snack cakes, and Pepsi Bottling Company donated 125 drinks. Fresh Beginnings and others donated gift cards, goods, and money for our gift give-away. And that is not all!! While shopping with one of our Board Members, Carissa Gardner, on Friday, an anonymous donor handed us a $20.00 bill. There are so many little ways I have seen God's hand in all of this I cannot even recount them all for you. I wish I could do it justice with words, but I cannot.

This morning when I left, I stepped out in faith, trusting that God would work everything out. I prayed that the people who needed to be present would be there, and that God would provide enough food but that there would not be an excess of food. I prayed, "Let it be like the loaves and fishes, God. Let it be enough." I am not sure how many people came today but my best guess would be 150 or so. We had 96 hot dogs and somehow every person there got at least one and several people had two or three. We kept preparing to go buy more food, because surely we didn't have enough, but every time we looked at the table it looked like we still had plenty. We had three extra hot dogs when everyone was gone. You don't have to tell me how to explain that--I KNOW!! I know what God has called me to do and I know that if I am obedient He will bless my way before me and provide for my every need. Thank you, God!!

There were many people there today, the majority of which I have never seen before and will likely never see again. In addition to about 30 AWO kids that I personally transported, there were homeless, vagabonds, thieves, single mothers, foster children, families, alcoholics, addicts, and more. The hurting and lost from Lowndes County were there. God answered my prayer to reach the most needy and He somehow brought them to us. Afterlife blessed us with awesome worship music and praised Him in a glorious way! Pastor Chuck Sayers brought an anointed message about sowing seeds on fertile soil! Several of the AWO girls performed a worship dance unto Him! We celebrated His birth with everything we are!

In the midst of our celebration, though, let me share with you how the enemy was working to disrupt, distract, and destroy what we were working so hard to do. One AWO kid, a boy, had his iPhone stolen. The police were called but the thief refused to let them search her car, and without a warrant they could do nothing. Another AWO kid, a girl, won a $5 Wal-mart gift card during our gift give away, and that was also stolen. Those thieves needed to hear our message as much as anyone else. Disagreements arose between several individuals in attendance which had to be resolved (and these occurred in the midst of the preaching of the word and prayer, of all times!). One individual in attendance was intoxicated and caused a bit of scene as everyone was leaving.

Something else I have learned through ministry work is that when you are doing God's work, the devil doesn't like it. He will do anything in his limited power to stop you. Let me reassure you, GOD prevailed!! Lives were touched, hearts were opened, and seeds were planted today at Scott Park. To God be the glory!! Let's do it again next year!