#arrowsustour2020

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The Choice: Believe the Lies or God’s Word?

When I look back at the two weeks we spent in Wisconsin and Illinois, I see God’s hand in every moment. I’m sitting here in awe of His work and the strength He gave us to press into what He had in store for each day. My name is Emma and this is my first year training with Arrows International. These past few months of training have led me to new heights and deep relationship with the Lord.  

I want to share a journal entry that I wrote near the beginning of our tour on February, 11th: “This morning I woke up to the noises of the city. We started the day with an outreach at a retirement home, Applewood in Milwaukee WI. We had a small audience, small performance space, and very small changing area. But, we were right where God wanted us to be and each person there was there for a reason. I love going to retirement homes because the people are always so sweet and kind. I spoke to the nicest man named Don. He had tears trickling down his face while he told me how touched he was during the performance. Those are the moments of outreach that I love! I was feeling discouraged after the performance but Don reminded me why we do what we do. I pray that I will be reminded of Don whenever I’m feeling those feelings again. I’m so glad that God uses all of our movement, even our flaws, to bless different people in different ways. Don was so touched and God spoke to him even though I didn’t feel that I had performed my best.”

This little moment with Don brought back to remembrance a saying that I used to hear quite often in Sunday school: In our weakness, God is strong. I’m learning that when I don’t feel confident in myself, I need to press more into the Lord and find my confidence in Him. This concept is one that I am still exploring and growing in daily but has already changed my perspective on everyday life. While on tour there were several moments when the enemy found his way into my thoughts. When this happened, I had to choose one of two ways to respond: to believe those lies and doubt myself, or to cast them out and speak God’s word over the situation. There is so much power in His name to cast down strongholds and placing my confidence in His word is one of the most effective things to do in those moments. One thing the Lord continued to reassure me was that I didn’t need to be worried about taking the right step or swinging the right arm. God was going to guide me and use my movement in a way that would show His glory if I placed my heart in His hands. I am so thankful that God carried me despite the personal battles I had. I was entirely blessed to have the team of beautiful, Godly women by my side and I will never forget all of the incredible lessons each of them taught me. 

- Emma, Year 1 Trainee from North Carolina

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My Burden was Lifted

Hello! My name is Jadyn and this is my first year with Arrow’s Levitical Trainee Program. The 2020 U.S. tour to Wisconsin and Illinois was my first tour with Arrows and it was amazing! God moved in so many big ways and in so many lives while also working behind-the-scenes in my own heart. 

One of my most memorable and encouraging encounters happened at a nursing home called St. Ann Rest Home. We had just finished our performance and began to talk to the residents. I initiated a conversation with an elderly lady in a wheelchair when her daughter, who worked at the home, told me that her mom doesn’t speak very much. I started to talk to the daughter and she told me how touched she really was. Her husband passed away 20 years ago around this time and she was feeling so depressed and heartbroken. She began to tell me that she had almost not come at all that day and she was not quite sure what prompted her at first. As she started to cry she said “That last dance, ‘I Have to Believe’ really touched me. It reminded me that God is still here with me now. I can’t explain it, it’s weird.” She was so thankful and couldn’t stop crying tears of joy! I was able to encourage and pray with her. As the Arrows’ team was loading up in the van she passed by and mouthed “Thank you.” to me one last time. Later, I found out that our director, Jeff, had also spoken with the same lady. She tearfully told him about her husband, and that she felt like she was carrying a heavy burden and had been struggling. As we danced, she felt God lift the heaviness off of her.

I am so blessed The Lord used me to be just a small part of this lady’s life!!

- Jadyn, Year 1 Trainee from Tennessee

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...then Jesus danced for me!

Wow, we are AMAZED at this powerful testimony! Roselyn attends World Impact Church in Illinois, which we visited during our 2020 US Tour. Just a few days after that Sunday, Roselyn emailed us a very beautiful and vulnerable testimony about how God ministered to her that morning through our worship and dance; the Lord did some deep inner healing in her heart when we presented “David’s Song”. We praise God for using us as His ministers and ambassadors, and give Him all the glory for ALL of the lives changed during our tour! 

Here is Roselyn’s story.

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As I entered the sanctuary I knew, deep in my spirit, that this team of dancers who had come to lead our worship service, were themselves encountering God with abandoned intimacy.

I felt a sense of excitement as I watched this visual worship through dance. And yet, I did not have a high level of personal expectancy. I was there more because I wanted to support diversity in worship styles and pray through the service.

I always sit in the second row of pew chairs, but the front row was taken down to give more room for the stage, and thus, I found myself sitting in the front row. (This is important because of the access it gave me to the dancers).

My first encounter was finding my eyes locked with one of the young dancers who was literally 2 feet in front of me. Without missing a movement, her eyes invited me to move more deeply into the arms of Jesus. The invitation was initiated by Him; it was His eyes reaching to me through her. Her hands even gave a brief “come to me” gesture.

I recognize the eyes of Jesus. I have seen them at least twice before. Once when I was a young nurse, I encountered His eyes in a tribal Bolivian woman who stood, nearly naked, beside a jungle river. We had no words to communicate, but eye contact kept us riveted as we acknowledged a belonging far deeper than words could ever take us.

The second time was when I was being interrogated by police in China. Widows, who lived in the church and prayed, came down and made a circle around this little scene of what to me was terror. No one spoke a word, we had no words, but I made eye contact with one of them. That was enough to assure me that all will be well. It was not until 3 weeks after I got home that I recognized I had seen the eyes of Jesus.

And now, through the eyes of this young dancer, from Arrows International, I have seen them again.

In reflection, I know that this eye contact was a preparation for what Jesus had planned for me a few minutes later in the service.

It happened in the context of what was introduced as “David’s Song”. One dancer depicted the person whose life was alternately being torn between victory and defeat. Six dancers fought over their subject; three, dressed in white, symbolized angels and the presence of God, while the three competing dancers symbolized demons and darkness.  A story, told through dance, of a young man who knew Jesus, struggled with addiction and, at first glance, lost his battle.

But as this dance began, the story of David disappeared for me and I was watching the story of my friend, Jean. Her story was being demonstrated for me as she celebrated victory over mental illness and addiction only to once again be caught in the claws of the enemy. Jean and I walked together for 35 years. Her death, now 2 ½ years ago, was a devastating double loss for me. I not only lost my friend, but I lost my paradigm of faith.

How could I reconcile the God I knew, whom I had served in pastoral ministry for 30 years, with the God who let my friend die in the most brutal way possible? How could He have abandoned her?

I have pushed myself into believing that God is good because of Who He is. I tell myself this decision cannot be based on a life story that, through my eyes, contradicts. When we sing about the goodness of God, I join in. I confess it. I teach it. I have pictured, in my mind, that Jesus was somehow there, even though there was no evidence of it to me. People who watch my life think I have victory over this thing that shattered both my heart and my faith.

But Jesus has known that I needed another step of healing.

It happened as this dance of David’s Song concluded. Though my eyes, it was Jesus Himself, who came dancing into the scene of the defeated child, brought Him back to life and welcomed Him to eternity.

Jesus knew I needed a picture of Him being in the Las Vegas mobile home, picking Jean up from her battered state and welcoming her to the only place she would ever be able to settle.

Jesus danced this for me. Yes, Jesus danced this for me.

I’m reminded of a little verse that I wrote, during my days of turmoil. I made it into a song that I often sing to Him.

“Open the window that I might see You, open the door that I might walk through, into Your arms as you lead me along, to the beat of Your heart, and the dance of Your song.”

This past Sunday, through the ministry of Arrows International, Jesus opened the window and danced for me.

- Roselyn