02/02/2019 (This was written in a time when I had a desire to change companies. I thought I needed a bit of a fresh start. I am glad to say that I am no longer looking for a new job, but I’m very happy with where I am at.)
Auditions, auditions, auditions…. I think one of the most nerve wracking processes for any artist is that of auditioning. Spring of 2019 has been a spring of juggling these crazy and potentially life altering appointments.
One day I received an audition invite to Munich. But to my embarrassment, after finalizing all the details with the coordinator, I realized I had misread the dates! It’s always a bit disheartening to have to write a company that you want to get into saying, “thank you for accepting my audition request, but I misread the dates, and they don’t work for me, I really do care though, and oh, do you mind changing your whole schedule so I can make it still”… ugh. Not exactly the kind of first impression I like to give, especially for an organized, people pleaser like myself. I probably over dramatized it in my head, but still, it made an already stressful situation more aggravating. It’s so easy to get caught up in the pressure of saying the right thing, doing the right thing, at the right time, in the right way, etc, when all I really want is for God to lead me. It is so much more restful when I follow His leading rather than fervently trying to plow my own path.
Someone once said, “the most dangerous place you could be is outside of God’s will.” It’s funny how we want to chart our own course, until we get completely stuck, then we’re like, “God, help!” But the cool thing is He doesn’t abandon us, even though we often give Him every reason to.
We are His greatest masterpieces. Yes, humans. And He is the master.
Many people don’t like the idea of God being a master, but I think that comes from a negative view of “masters” that culture has adopted. But in the ballet world we have what we call “ballet masters” they are the masters of our craft. And working with them can be life altering. They are there to teach us and help us grow into the individuals and artists that we are. They are both there to teach us the ways of ballet, that are in some ways, unchangeable, and also to help us discover our own unique qualities that no one else can or ever will posses.
I think it’s the same with God. There are things that are “fixed” in our life, things that we don’t have control of, so to say, but there is so much also to discover with God as we do life together with Him. Unlike earthly masters, God stands outside of time and space and knows what is good for us in the future and how to use our lives for His eternal purposes. He is the master artisan, who created us, and knows exactly how we work, and function, better than we ever could. But He doesn’t want to just stop there. He also wants to keep creating through us. He wants us to join Him in his work!
But, We are far from perfect, injured and often tainted by the sin of the world and the sin in our own lives. But like any good master, one of His roles is to bring us back to perfect form. He is patient, He will work with us to restore us, to make us who we were made to be, if we are willing to follow Him in His ways.
“Righteousness will go before Him, and shall make His footsteps our pathway.” – Psalm 85:13
And because He goes before me I don’t have to be afraid.
“And the Lord, He is the One who goes before you. He will be with you, He will not leave you nor forsake you; do not fear nor be dismayed.” -Deuteronomy 31:8
So, as I move forward, to who knows where, I can be excited that the One who made me, knows what is good for me, and that as I follow Him, I will discover all I was made to be.
“For we are God’s masterpiece. He has created us anew in Christ Jesus, so we can do the good things he planned for us long ago.” – Ephesians 2:10
Soul Food 