A message from Regina

Regina was the BUMC Middle School Youth Minister before the weird guy from Northern Ireland arrived. In fact, she picked him up at the airport when he arrived, the first person he met when he got here. She is loved and appreciated by that Northern Irish guy, and many at BUMC. I contacted her to ask if she could share something with us, about our Disciple Experiment question, "what does it mean to be a disciple of Jesus?"

But Lord, You said Dance…

As a child I dreamed of being an actress and dancer…lighting up the stage…accepting an Oscar or a Tony Award.  I practiced my acceptance speech using my hairbrush as a microphone on several occasions.  Right before deciding to leave a job I loved in Nashville to dance I felt the Lord calling me to Africa.  “But Lord”, I said, “you said dance.”  So, I told the organization I was going with that I could teach dance to the children of their orphanage.  While there, I was led to the bedside of a tiny baby dying of hunger.  I felt God say to stay.  “But Lord, you said dance.”  But in front of me lay the eyes of humanity saying…sit and be here with me.  

[The middle section has been cut out for the blog. To read the fully story of Regina's past year go to the link at the bottom]

The Lord does not care about plans.  He doesn’t care about how the world says things should be done.  He does not care about Tonys or Oscars or fame and fortune.  Did the Lord tell me to dance?  ABSOLUTELY.  But he also said…continue to listen and stop and be with me when I ask you to…without fear of what the world says that may look like.  The Lord said pick up your cross and follow me. 

I challenge you.  Do you stop each day to see where God wants you to sit?  Do you see where he wants you to come and meet with him?  Do you see the people around you he wants you to touch?  My calling is to dance.  But my calling is also to be a child of God and help his other children along the way.  So when you find yourself standing in front of someone who needs you and you think to yourself But Lord, you said _____.  Ask yourself, is this my moment to stop and be with God? 

Will you say this prayer with me?

Dear Lord,

Help me to see the need in the world.  Over the coming weeks help me to stop when someone needs a friend, or when I see someone who may need my help.  Help me pray that God would help me have a heart like Jesus.  Help me to see how my heart may change and help me to continue to pray that prayer for the rest of my life.

Help me to be the kind of person to my friends and family you would want me to be.  When I get caught up in my day to day activities…whether it is school, sports, dance or extra curriculars, help me to have the courage to stop when you ask me to and feel safe with the detours you send my way.  I love you. Amen.  

Regina's letter in full (click here)