Tag Archives: praise dance

He Sent Me To Just One

Alabaster Box

Ministry is so peculiar at times.  I have been a licensed Minister of the Gospel now since 2007 and I still stand in awe of how God always takes my breath away with surprises!  That is why we have to follow hard after Proverbs 3:5-6.  You know it.  Go ahead and quote it, “Trust in the Lord with all of thine heart and lean not unto thine own understanding.  In all your ways acknowledge Him, and He will direct your paths!  This is one of those feel good scriptures that is so popular.  Everyone can quote it but do we truly understand it by revelation and experience?  I am still learning it!  I had a dance ministry assignment not too long ago and I was all in a “tizzy” because I just did not know what songs to use.  I was asked to do 2 dances, which is unusual because normally I only do one when I dance alone as a soloist.  So this doubled my trouble, so to speak.  I knew about the engagement at least a month and a half ahead of time but still did not know.  I prayed and tried to put aside extra time to prepare myself like I love to do but still nothing.  So, on the day of, I placed several songs that I had done in the past on a single CD and thought of two particular ones and went on my merry way.  As I arrived I finally just had to pick 2 numbers.  I prayed once more and went with it.  Well, God moved in that place like never before.  After I ministered, there was a woman sitting in the back who had an oxygen tank with her that she was on.  She said to me:  “let me hug  you, you know, I just had open heart surgery and this is my first time attending church since that, and you know what, your dance has blessed my soul.  I  never gave up my hope during my trial”.  Well, after this woman hugged me and said those words to me, I lost it.  I melted, I began to be so humbled because I knew that God sent me up to that place for that one woman.  One of the songs that I ministered was “I never lost my praise” and that particular song was the song that ministered to this woman.  Praise the Lord!  Had I done what I originally planned to do in my own mind, it would not have been that song.  As I waited on the Lord to speak, I did not hear anything.  I chose that song at the last minute because what I practiced as I was waiting on a confirmation from the Lord surely was not that particular song!  So you see Ministers, sometimes God will hold out on you and then He will send you to just one!  Yes, your ministry is to the masses, but sometimes you are sent to just one.  I know this to be true.  Take courage and always remain open to the odd ways that God reveals His will to you.  Be Blessed!

GOSPEL STAGE PLAY COURSE COMING SOON!

Hello everyone.  So very excited to announce the upcoming online course for writing and directing your own gospel stage play!  Do you have inspiration to direct a gospel stage play?  Do you have a vision or see the images, yet cannot seem to get it all on paper?  I can help you with this!  The course will show you how to use the inspiration inside of you to write your own play and how to know the dynamics for directing it at your local church or in your community!  Stay tuned for more details.

Minister Denise Cook Godfrey

 

Never leave Him Out!

Never leave the Holy Spirit out when selecting a song for ministry in dance.  Don’t do it.  I tell you, I have been serving in the praise and worship dance ministry for some ten years now and it never ceases to amaze me how I can even get “tripped” up into thinking “I got this”.  Holy Spirit knows who is going to be at the service or event, He knows what each person is currently or has already been through, He Knows the will of the Father!  In John 16:13, Jesus puts it this way when He spoke of the Holy Spirit who would come to dwell within the Christian believer’s heart:   “However, when He, the Spirit of truth, has come, He will guide you into all truth; for He will not speak on His own authority, but whatever He hears He will speak; and He will tell you things to come“.  So there you have it, ask the Holy Spirit to guide you into all truth even when it comes to what song to minister in dance or what doors to go in.  You would be surprised at the times when we pick and choose what we want to minister or where we want to go, and it may appear that we are effective above the surface, but underneath, we will lack the effect that the Lord has in mind.  Only when we totally surrender our wills to His, will we serve with a purpose and get the results that the Holy Spirit desires to bring forth.  I have experienced this first hand.  Once I remember ministering at our local church and as soon as the music started playing and I started to move, I felt an impression in my “gut” that the song was not the right song for that service at that time.  The song was an anointed, Christ-centered piece but it was ministered out of season.  I could not wait until that dance was over.  I felt a weight of burden on my heart and I did have to end up repenting.  Even though a few people approached me at the end and stated that they really enjoyed the dance, I knew deep within that I did not consult the Holy Spirit.

Always stand in His council before ministering, even if someone else has asked you to do a specific number.  Let Him (Holy Spirit) guide you into all truth concerning what the Father wants you to do, and you will see results.

 

A Few Tips for Praise Dance Ministries

Well hello my fellow praise and worship dancers.  I love to encourage praise dance ministries.  Sometimes I get so full when I think of the goodness of God and how He places creativity down on the inside of us, I get too excited and just want to write!  Below are a few of my favorite tips.  You may already be fully aware, but it never hurts to be refreshed and reminded.  Just writing these tips again has helped to rejuvenate my spirit and frame of mind.  If you enjoy these tips and are helped by them, why not become a follower of this blog and also check out the book:  “So You Say You Can Praise Dance….Now What?”  (get it at amazon.com/author/denisecookgodfrey)  It not only helps those who are new to praise dance ministry, but it is filled with biblical foundations for answering criticisms and it gives the praise dancer a firm foundation from a biblical point of view.  Enjoy the tips.

Praise dancers:  when was the last time you danced for an audience of “ONE”?  Dance for Him first and He will anoint you to minister through your dances, mimes, and interpretive expressions.

When His anointing rests upon your movements, it really does not matter how skilled you are or how many hours you put into practice.  This does not mean that we do not prepare and continue to train and learn, it just means that the anointing makes the difference.

Praise dancers:  sometimes the most popular song is not for your season.  Always seek the Holy Spirit’s advice when selecting a song to minister in dance.  You will be surprised sometimes at what He will direct you to do.  Be open.  Be sensitive to HIS voice.

amazon.com/author/denisecookgodfrey

 

Praise Dancers: God has given you a dance for each season of your life!

In the life of each believer, we go through seasons.  Even as in the natural realm, so it be in the spiritual realm!  Sometimes your season is a jubilant time of feasting, celebration, and joyous praise.  If so, let the Holy Spirit birth a celebration dance within you.  A dance of joy using all your might!  Use your arms, hands, face, even your flags, tambourines, and streamers!  Celebrate the goodness and blessing of our God!

But what if this is a time of extreme warfare, pressure, and lack?  What season is this?  What dance will He birth out of this?  My, my, my!  Let Holy Spirit birth a dance of warfare mixed with extreme praise and worship.  If you are believing God for a breakthrough then He will give you a dance of great travail where you are pushing, contracting, spinning under a violent emotion, kicking, and in the end rejoicing!

Whatever your season, just dance!   Dance your way into the Holy of Holies.  Dance in travail until you birth something or someone into the Kingdom.  Dance with such strength and might until you actually see yourself leaping over that high wall, running through that troop of enemies, and pulling down every stronghold in your mind!  Stomp, punch, kick, leap, and twirl until you or your loved ones receive breakthrough!  But most of all, no matter what season you are in or what type of dance He births in you while you are in that season, always end with a dance of worship.  Ah yeaaa, the worship dance is the dance to dance no matter what your season.  Do it in your private prayer closet or do it publicly, just do it  This is a dance for HIM and about Him!  Bow, lay prostrate, twirl beautifully, extend your arms and hand upward to Him, blow Him a kiss, or use signs with your hands and face to express your love to Him.

If you were helped by this Holy Spirit inspired message, please follow me on this blog and also leave a comment.  I look forward to sharing with you and hearing from you.  May God continue to bless you as you minister to Him

Called to Praise Dance

Are you called to use the art of dance as a means of worshipping God?  What about using dance technique as a tool to minister to the Body of Christ?  How do you know that you have been appointed by God to dance?
This is how you know that you are called to the worship dance ministry:  God places a strong desire within you that does not go away.  Even though the desire is there, there is still an overwhelming feeling of inadequacy that comes along with it.  The whole idea seems to interrupt the “norm” of your entire life, or so you think.  IF THIS DESCRIBES YOU, then the book, “So You Say You Can Praise Dance….Now What” is a must for your library.  Go to amazon.com/author/denisecookgodfrey for more details on this very informative book.
Prase and worship dance is an excellent tool to use to bring forth worship to our Lord and King.  It is also a great way to demonstrate the gospel message.  The physical movement on the outside actually demonstrates what is going on inside the heart of the worship dancer.  Remember, check out the book described above.  You will be very glad that you did!