Dance Camp 2006 Testimonies
Joy Cook
Each year as I prepare for the week of dance camp I use the devotions I will be teaching as my personal devotions. No matter how many ways I am touched by the devotions something happens during the week of dance camp to teach me a different aspect. On the first day we were in class, I was talking to my young students about the tribal people and how some of them have never even heard the gospel message. As a teacher sometimes you aren't sure how many things you say are impacting the students, but at the end of the devotions I asked if anyone wanted to pray for these people. I remember that I had three volunteers and we all bowed our heads to pray. This was the prayer of the last girl, "Dear Jesus, thank you that we are free. Please help these people to pray to you every day." Such a beautiful short prayer really touched my heart. Even though the exact words were not said, I felt a desire that not only would these people come to know the Lord but that they would be able to pray and have a relationship with Jesus every day. Again, like in years past, I was taught a lesson, this time by an eight-year-old girl, to go beyond praying for their salvation and pray for their personal devotion to God.
Darrah Sikkema
One of my favorite parts of summer camp is being able to teach girls who have never participated in worship dance before. This summer was no different. I had one little girl who had never done worship dance before. On the first day of camp I explained what "free dance" was and turned on some music. Most of the girls immediately began dancing freely, but this new girl stood there with a look of terror on her face, frozen. She looked around nervously. Two days later, you wouldn't even recognize the girl. She was twirling, spinning, and bowing down eagerly. Her eyes were no longer on the girls around her, but in her Savior. What a privilege to be able to be a part of leading that little girl, as well as the others, to a place of deeper worship!
Melissa Estepp
I am so in awe of what God did during Summer Camp week. The amount of things God did in all the girls' hearts and lives reminded me of God's heart toward all of us. It goes to show that if we truly hunger and seek after God with all that we are, He shows up and carries us with Him.
My prayer for all the girls at camp, especially the girls in my class, was that they would draw closer to God and that He would touch them in such a way that their lives would never be the same. I remember on Monday morning asking the girls what their life goals were, and by Thursday I remember seeing them desiring to surrender all their dreams that were in their hearts to His higher plan. The girls inspired me by their immediate obedient acts of surrender.
As I said before, I am so in awe of what God did summer camp week and how He answered my prayers. Praise be to our Great God.
"Trust in the Lord with all your heart, and lean not on your own understanding. In all you ways acknowledge Him, and He will direct your paths." Proverbs 3:5
Crystal Gifford
Summer camp was so amazing! I love seeing how God can use me and the other teachers to better His kingdom; To bring us all to a place where we have to abandon everything we have and give it to Him is a scary place, and yet I saw so many girls do that this week.
A few times during the week I found myself watching everyone around me. I wasn't taking part of anything or talking to anyone, just sitting back, my gaze spanning the mass of people in front of me. Sometimes maybe watching a workshop or during lunch or during worship when everyone was in one place, I realized how privileged I've been to be apart of all these girls lives (some of these girls I've known for years some of them just this week).
To see so many girls worshiping God with dance (using a freedom that not all people in the world have) made me want to cry... quite a few times. I'd find myself getting all choked up. If I love these girls so much and love to see them worship God, the how much more must God love them and love to see them worship Him with all their hearts? I think sometimes I forget how much love pours from God's heart towards us all the time. I know He loves us, I've always known that...but it's always good to be reminded of it. This week definitely put everything back into perspective for me.
Alyssa Weiss
As I write this, I consider myself to be one truly blessed. To see God at work in the hearts and lives of these children throughout the week of summer camp was such and extraordinary experience that cannot be fully expressed in words. But let me try to convey to you at least a piece of it...
Even in just those few days, I had the honor of seeing a glimpse into these young girls' hearts. It was a joy to see the light for their Savior in their eyes when they danced. It was amazing to see them grow as they were being drawn closer to the heart of God. To see the passion that God has ignited in some of the girls' hearts for missions and spreading God's light to the lost people of this world. It was touching to see the tenderness and compassion of some of the girls' hearts as they were tearful and broken for those that were broken around them. Romans 12:15 tells us to "Rejoice with them that rejoice and weep with those that weep", and it is such a blessing to see these girls living that.
I love working with children. I love seeing God at work in their lives. I am struck with my own unworthiness to be a part of such an extraordinary thing. He is great and greatly to be praised. And as I strive after Him, longing to help draw these children to the Father's heart, it never ceases to amaze me how, in return, He uses them to bless my heart. I am so thankful for each one of them.
Katrina White
I love the privilege of teaching with CMA. I am constantly in awe as I see God use my life and feeble words to impact my students. And I am equally amazed when the Lord uses my wonderful students to challenge me. I watched as God did both of those things and more during summer dance camp.
Here are a few highlights that stood out to me:
- The girls I got to work with; they were a joy to teach. Their honesty during devotionals, their patience with room changes and choreography confusion, and their desire to learn and grow inspired me. God's work in each of their lives was evident. I loved investing in them, in class and at other times as well.
- Asking my students about ways God could use them and hearing answers like "God has given me a really tender heart" or "I love little children... making them smile". Seeing those things lived out in some of their lives that week.
- Spending part of one class in the dark (lights turned off) praying for the lost. Watching the girls pray silently for unsaved family, friends, other people in their life, and different people groups and/or countries. Praying aloud that our hearts would be broken with the things that break the heart of God. Seeing the tears still streaming down some of their faces when the lights had to be turned back on.
- Just being around so many godly girls who are precious... to Him... but also to me! The delight I felt in watching God move in their lives is indescribable, even when I'm watching from a distance. They are "trophies" of God's grace and sweet reminders to me of His goodness!!
