Just Dance!!

     I have never read the book 'Two Steps Forward, One Step Back" but I have used the message in the title many times. So many times in life we get so discouraged when we have a step back with a particular goal or growth with the Lord. When we do, many times we want to just quit. We have to adopt the philosophy that whatever we are trying to accomplish, will be accomplished if we continue to try and we continue to improve. The only way we can fail is to quit! I have a great friend who walked across a parking lot with me, while we were taking two step forward, one step backward. The important thing is we made it to the finish line. It might have taken us a little longer, but we accomplished our goal. We often get frustrated when we 'make mistakes' or when we 'mess up' or we 'take a step backward'. Often when we do, we give ourselves permission to just quit! We say, "What is the use?" There is only one was to ensure failure and that is to quit. As long as we are doing something toward our goal, we will eventually succeed. What determines whether we succeed or fail, is what we do next after taking a step backward. If we sit down and stop stepping, if we just quit: we fail. If we take a step forward, we will stay at the place we began. However, if we take two steps forward, we will succeed. Once at a marriage retreat that Dwayne and I conducted, we had an activity to illustrate this. We went to the restaurant for lunch by taking two steps forward and one step backward all the way to lunch. I have used this activity before but only with individuals, this was the first time I used it with partners.  
     As I was watching all of my couples get to the restaurant, I noticed something quite amazing for me. They each were making it a dance! What a great picture. We could never dance without stepping backwards occasionally. Life is a dance! Dancing has steps forward and steps backward. Don't quit just because you step back, just make it into a dance. Every day we have an opportunity for a step forward. I don't know your specific goal, but whatever you are striving for can become a dance! If you took a step back today, start over tomorrow, just do not quit!! Every day gives you an opportunity for a new start, a step forward. God's mercy and manna are new everyday! How many days of new beginnings have you wasted by not even trying! Don't waste another one! Use every day as an opportunity to take a step toward God! And no matter what, just dance!!

One final word friends. We ask you--urge is more like it-- that you keep on doing what we told you to do to please god, not in a dogged religious plod, but in a living, spirited dance.

1 Thessalonians 4:1