Dancing to Freedom

Firstly, let me apologise for not posting anything for AGES!!!!

Secondly, let me tell you about one of my most embarrassing moments, turned into one of my proudest.

So, it all started when I volunteered to be a steward at a big youth event run by SWYM (the people I’m training with). One of my fellow trainees was taking some of her young people to this event and needed a male leader. Being the generous guy that I am (and because I was going anyway and needed a lift there), I said I could be the male leader, when I wasn’t busy with important stewarding business.

Now, at this youth event there is a nightmarish, horribly-terrorfying, enough-to-make-you-wet-yourself-out-of-fear part of the programme called ‘Leader’s Got Talent’. You’ve probably guessed what it is, a talent show for youth leaders. The reason most youth leaders faint at those three words is because it’s the young people who deciede what their leader is going to do…and normally the leader doesn’t even know they’ve been signed up until their name gets called out and they have to stand on the stage in front of the WHOLE crowd!

So, I’m standing there, chatting to these two boys that I’m supposed be the male leader of, and one of them says ‘You’re down to do that’, pointing at the sign up sheet for ‘Leader’s Got Talent’. I laugh thinking he was joking. Then, he goes ‘I’m not joking, we went and put your name down, go and have a look.’ Not daring to breathe, I walk over to the sign-up sheet. I couldn’t believe my eyes. DANCING?! They’d put me down for dancing!!! God’s given me many skills, but when thing I am NOT good at is dancing!

A mixture of alarm and annoyance that they’d done this to me, when I had only know them for a few hours, swirled round my stomach. I tried reasoning with them, well, almost begged that they’d take my name off (because apparently ‘You can’t just scribble your name out’). Eventually, we struck a deal, I’d dance while the other trainee we were with (aka their actual youth worker!) sang. Breathing a sigh of relief, knowing that I wouldn’t be making a fool of myself all alone up on that stage, I returned to my very important stewarding duties.

The rest of the afternoon came and went quite pleasantly, and I had almost completely forgotten that I was supposed to be strutting my stuff in front of hundreds of teenagers. That was of course, until the dreaded call came.

I was at the door of the venue, doing very significant stewardy things, and didn’t hear my name called out at first; people had to come and get me. As I was walking to the stage, I kept waiting for the other trainee’s name to be called out, the one who was going to sing. Their call never came. I was now standing on the stage, all alone, feeling like the wind had been knocked out of me. The host for the evening asked me if I knew what I was going to be doing. ‘Dancing’ I said, in a monotone, as I looked out into the crowd like a rabbit into head-lights.

Before I knew it, some music was playing. I realised that I could either crash and burn, or just go with the flow and get the most out of it. The next couple of minutes passed in a blur, as I made my body do random movements out of time with the music. Eventually, the music ended and I was allowed to run away (like in Neopalion Dynamite!).

I spent the rest of the evening trying to figure who had stitched me up. As the night was drawing to a close, the winner of ‘Let’s Torture a Leader’ was announced…it was me!

I had to be collected as again, as I had resumed my post by the door and didn’t hear the call. I was lost for words…and I was really proud of myself. I hated every minute I was on that stage dancing, but in the end it worked out.

This whole experience reminded me of Romans 8:28 ‘In all things, God works for the good of those who love Him…’ So, even when everything is going wrong, and you can’t even see two feet in front of you, let alone the light at the end of the tunnel, know that God is using what you’re going through to bring about something extraordinary for you!

May 24, 2013 | Categories: Adventures, Discoveries, God Time | Tags: Competition, Dancing, Embarrassing, Event, Got, Main, Proud, SWYM, Talent, Winner, Youth | 3 Comments