Still unpacking...

Finally sitting down to share all of this...I kept putting it off, because I knew it would be one of those times where I sit down and don't move for another 2 hours. (plus, I wanted some peace and quiet for it...hehe, not easy to find unless it's 5am!) Also, I'm still rather sleepy. =/ I'm pretty sure three days in a row of 6am-1am counts as jet lag...right?

Ok. Epic moments of the weekend. GO!

Songs.
Overall favorite part of the weekend---I had songs running through my head the whole time :) Amazing. And what a gift! Had the revelation that it's a way God uses to take my every thought captive, and it ties into something Louie said a few weeks ago at church - you may not remember that profound statement you heard during the sermon, but when you need it, God can allow His melody to float through your head.

It started on the airplane with Shane & Shane's Everything is Different...haha, of course, because I'm sitting there talking to God thinking, 'wow, Lord, I'm excited but this year feels completely different..' (Well, praise GOD! why in the world would I want to be in the same place I was a year ago?)

You made a way when there was no way
You covered heaviness with garments of praise
You wrote a song and You're singing it over me
I feel a dead heart beating now
This revelation makes me wanna shout
That Jesus has been sent
And everything is different

What an awesome expectation to begin the weekend with; no clue (well, some clue) what's coming, but absolute confidence that it's going to be incredible. The majority of the other songs came after Friday Night Live, both from the companies that performed, and worship afterwards.
(ps--THE most Spirit-led evening of worship that I've ever witnessed at a Project Dance event...what a blessing, it felt like my church + lots more dancing!) ah, I wanted to take a picture at some point, but there wasn't much point in trying to capture moments that you really had to be there for...

Exceedingly
Abundantly
More than enough for me
...........................................
The veil was torn
You made a way
When You said that is is done
..................................
Spontaneous worship. I love it. Shouldn't our lives always be an example of spontaneous worship? Perhaps then it would be more habitual...
Also, I should have warned you that I'm still processing through everything that God did/is doing/will do...hence, why some of this may not compute. =) my apologies.

Friends.
See, Project Dance events are so much more than opportunity to simply network. The dance world is already small, so the Christian dance world is miniscule. So once you've attended several of these events, you begin to recognize people, forget their names, and re-introduce yourself every time you see them. =) (gotta love it) I'm grateful for the moments that we have to catch up, connect, and encourage one another with the progress in our own lives.
Added bonus --> the friends that came to see me, that were not even a part of the event! I'm so blown away by the selflessness of some people I know...I happen to be near them for a few hours, so they completely rearrange their schedules to make time to come see me?! ah, I'm so humbled...and also awakened to my own laziness, when I can't 'make time' for coffee with a friend that lives only 15 minutes away from me? geez, cannot take my close-distance friends for granted. But yes, God is so gracious...whether it was a hug, an in-depth conversation, or even a text - my joy was made complete on lots of different levels. =]


Word.
Sunday morning's short churchish service was so refreshing and helped to seal up some things that had been floating around the past 2 days. Friday evening, there was some focus on how God had torn the veil for us, and all that was left was for us to step through. Skip to Saturday, and I'm thinking about dancing (jumping, leaping, turning, etc)...I'm in a good mood, just wishing that my body was physically able to do what I want it to. Back to Sunday morning, and Michelle Leaney is talking about God's timing, about pursuing what He's given us to do today. (which ties in w/my wonderful mother reminding me - pretty frequently - that His timing is always perfect and intentional) So at the end of the sermon, we're all sitting there just taking a moment to listen to what He's speaking over us:

"Emily, keep your arms up (in praise) as you are stepping forward. It's not a leap or a jump, it's a step. Keep moving forward, my daughter - I love you and hold your plans."

(also made the connection that my desire to leap & jump forward is not just physically literal, but I can become entirely too forward focused and want to fast forward my way through life--what a waste, when to live is CHRIST!)
Thennn - something I didn't connect until my plane ride home processing - Bekah and I were put on babysitting duty after the sermon, and I ended up playing "Mother, may I?" with a sweet, four year old little girl. hehe, so fun! Felt kind of silly/stupid/random, but I did it! And in God's grace, He revealed that that was a practical example, of my response when He asks me to take a step - sometimes it's 2 steps, sometimes it's 12 steps..I might have to walk like a monkey or waddle like a duck..but if I will pause, look up, and ask, Father, may I? that's it. =) can't miss it.


The plane ride home was so neat; the majority of this post is from all of that unpacking I did on the plane...worth it, b/c I couldn't have slept with all of this going through my head! And the ride was such a relief after 2 hours of subway & bus confusion! But it was sooo Amazing Race!! - the subway line we needed was shut down, we weren't sure what connected to where, then we met these 2 awesome ladies from Israel that helped us, once we got on the bus it kept stopping, finally made it to the airport and ran (literally), and in God's mercy, they had just begun boarding and we were at Gate 1.). haha, not something I desire to experience again too soon, but what a good story! :D

hm, don't normally read Psalms in the Message...I kinda like it!
"God made my life complete
when I placed all the pieces before him.
When I got my act together,
he gave me a fresh start.
Now I'm alert to God's ways;
I don't take God for granted.
Every day I review the ways he works;
I try not to miss a trick.
I feel put back together,
and I'm watching my step.
God rewrote the text of my life
when I opened the book of my heart to his eyes."
~Psalm 18:20-24

ah, if you made it all the way or partially through this, I hope that God gave you something to take away from it. Be joyful, prayerful, and thankful!! HE is worth it!