Take a Risk and be YOU
Every Tuesday night, we have a Mission Builder's meeting, much like church, with worship and a speaker. It is a time that we can spend together to hang out and get to know each other more, which really helps to unify our large group of about 90 people.
At our first meeting, the speaker shared about the history and the logistics of YWAM. It is always good to know the history and the core values of a ministry, and why they do what they do, when you are working for them. I was really impressed to learn about how this huge, world-wide ministry has set up a solid system of checks and balances to make sure there is accountability at every level of leadership in the organization. From the ministry side at the different schools to the business side of running an international ministry, everyone is checked by and held accountable to someone, which I think is a huge key to staying on track in the Christian faith.
The speaker was also encouraging us to use our three months here as Mission Builders to step out of our comfort zones into a new level of freedom. No one knows us here. We will probably never see these people again. Why not take a chance to do the things we are normally afraid to do? This is a safe environment for people to break away from fears and be comfortable with who they are. This is a place where people who have a fear of public speaking become great public speakers or people who are afraid to sing in front of other people become worship leaders. You never know what talents and gifts or purposes are locked up inside of you if you always let fear hold you back.
This freedom is contagious! When I hang out with someone who is comfortable with who they are, it makes me feel more comfortable to be myself as well. But how do we find this freedom? I am still learning the answer to this question myself, but I think that when you feel that little nudge to do something that you feel like you should do, but are too afraid to do it...you just have to do it!
For example, for me, I am a dancer and a worshipper. That is in my DNA. Worship is my favorite part of a church service. I love the sermon, and it is important to me, but the worship time is my time with the Lord when I really feel connected to Him. There are many ways one can worship and one isn't necessarily better than another because really it is all about the posture of the heart, but, there is something about dance or even movement, such as lifting an arm, that can usher freedom into a place. Think about it. Why do people say that they don't like to dance? I would say 99% of the time it is because they are afraid of people judging them. The reason why people who drink a couple beers do things they wouldn't normally do, such as dancing, is because they lose that fear of man.
For myself, I really struggle with fear of man and not worrying about what other people think about me. So even though I am a dancer, I don't particularly like people to be watching me unless I have been given choreography that I have practiced and polished for the stage. But, being involved with dance ministry the last few years, I have seen the power that dance has to change an atmosphere and release freedom in a room ("You have turned my mourning into joyful dancing"-Psalm 30:11). Because I know this, I now carry a responsibility to lead others in this. Even though I know this, most of the time, I still let fear hold me back. I am the only dancer that I know of in the Mission Builders group, so tonight when I felt that urge to dance during worship, I really suppressed it and pushed it down. I don't want people to think I am weird or to think I am prideful and that I want people to watch me, and, I also don't want to be a distraction. But ultimately, if God tells me to dance, then I should dance. You never know what could happen. Maybe there are other people in the room fighting that same fear. One person taking a risk can lead others to find freedom too.
At the end of the talk, the speaker showed us this video "How to Start a Movement", which I think perfectly demonstrates how if we can be willing to take a risk and push through our fears of what other people might think, it can bring a new level of freedom and joy in an amazing way. Radical people are the ones who change the world. People who are free from peoples opinions of how things should be done. People who don't just copy other people, but people who do things that no one has done before. People who aren't afraid to look silly or fail. People who really believe and pursue their convictions. People who bravely walk in obedience toward the things that have been placed in their heart.
I hope this video inspires you like it inspired me. Fight against your fears and take a risk! Don't miss the opportunity to live life to the fullest! For me, I'm going to dance.
At our first meeting, the speaker shared about the history and the logistics of YWAM. It is always good to know the history and the core values of a ministry, and why they do what they do, when you are working for them. I was really impressed to learn about how this huge, world-wide ministry has set up a solid system of checks and balances to make sure there is accountability at every level of leadership in the organization. From the ministry side at the different schools to the business side of running an international ministry, everyone is checked by and held accountable to someone, which I think is a huge key to staying on track in the Christian faith.
The speaker was also encouraging us to use our three months here as Mission Builders to step out of our comfort zones into a new level of freedom. No one knows us here. We will probably never see these people again. Why not take a chance to do the things we are normally afraid to do? This is a safe environment for people to break away from fears and be comfortable with who they are. This is a place where people who have a fear of public speaking become great public speakers or people who are afraid to sing in front of other people become worship leaders. You never know what talents and gifts or purposes are locked up inside of you if you always let fear hold you back.
This freedom is contagious! When I hang out with someone who is comfortable with who they are, it makes me feel more comfortable to be myself as well. But how do we find this freedom? I am still learning the answer to this question myself, but I think that when you feel that little nudge to do something that you feel like you should do, but are too afraid to do it...you just have to do it!
For example, for me, I am a dancer and a worshipper. That is in my DNA. Worship is my favorite part of a church service. I love the sermon, and it is important to me, but the worship time is my time with the Lord when I really feel connected to Him. There are many ways one can worship and one isn't necessarily better than another because really it is all about the posture of the heart, but, there is something about dance or even movement, such as lifting an arm, that can usher freedom into a place. Think about it. Why do people say that they don't like to dance? I would say 99% of the time it is because they are afraid of people judging them. The reason why people who drink a couple beers do things they wouldn't normally do, such as dancing, is because they lose that fear of man.
For myself, I really struggle with fear of man and not worrying about what other people think about me. So even though I am a dancer, I don't particularly like people to be watching me unless I have been given choreography that I have practiced and polished for the stage. But, being involved with dance ministry the last few years, I have seen the power that dance has to change an atmosphere and release freedom in a room ("You have turned my mourning into joyful dancing"-Psalm 30:11). Because I know this, I now carry a responsibility to lead others in this. Even though I know this, most of the time, I still let fear hold me back. I am the only dancer that I know of in the Mission Builders group, so tonight when I felt that urge to dance during worship, I really suppressed it and pushed it down. I don't want people to think I am weird or to think I am prideful and that I want people to watch me, and, I also don't want to be a distraction. But ultimately, if God tells me to dance, then I should dance. You never know what could happen. Maybe there are other people in the room fighting that same fear. One person taking a risk can lead others to find freedom too.
At the end of the talk, the speaker showed us this video "How to Start a Movement", which I think perfectly demonstrates how if we can be willing to take a risk and push through our fears of what other people might think, it can bring a new level of freedom and joy in an amazing way. Radical people are the ones who change the world. People who are free from peoples opinions of how things should be done. People who don't just copy other people, but people who do things that no one has done before. People who aren't afraid to look silly or fail. People who really believe and pursue their convictions. People who bravely walk in obedience toward the things that have been placed in their heart.
I hope this video inspires you like it inspired me. Fight against your fears and take a risk! Don't miss the opportunity to live life to the fullest! For me, I'm going to dance.
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