Praying through the motions
When I choreograph a fitness routine, I listen to the same song on repeat: refining the movements, checking the counts, adjusting the difficulty level, fitting everything in just so. Often, my favorite routines are the Cool & Stretch songs. It always seems that I am praying my way through the motions.
As I choreographed “The Bright Side of Broken” by MercyMe, I found myself in tears. The lyrics, “Even in the darkest time, there is always hope. What we see as a broken mess, Jesus sees as a chance to be made whole,” hit so close to home. Over the past year and a half I have felt myself as that broken mess both physically and emotionally as I have walked through repeated miscarriages. Yet through the darkness, I know I am not alone. I am holding on to hope, searching for joy, and seeking peace. Jesus is making me whole again.
The song continues: “The bright side of being broken is in the hands that are holding every piece, reminding me that it’s gonna be ok.” There is a lot that doesn’t seem like it’s going to be ok in our lives, in the lives of those we love, in the tense and warring world around us. But in the brokenness, I will keep praying, I will remember God’s faithfulness, and I will keep dancing. I hope you can, too.
Let’s pray with David as he wrote in Psalm 143:1, 5 & 8: “Lord, hear my prayer, listen to my cry for mercy; in your faithfulness and righteousness come to my relief. … I remember the edmeds24.com; I meditate on all your works and consider what your hands have done. … Let the morning bring me word of your unfailing love, for I have put my trust in you. Show me the way I should go, for to you I entrust my life.”
Becky Gilbert has been dancing since she was three and choreographing since she was thirteen. She is currently a Dance Blast Choreographer and Mom of two wonderful pre-schoolers. Body & Soul® has always been a part of her life, ever since she first starred in an Instructor Training video as Jeannie’s baby bump. (Yes, Jeannie Blocher, Body & Soul’s Founder, was very pleased to have a daughter who liked to dance.)Body and Soul® Fitness is an international Christian fitness organization that trains and equips instructors to lead a variety of group fitness programs including choreographed aerobics-style Cardio Strength & Flexibility™, cardio dance style Dance Blast™, free-weights-focused Power Strength™, boot camp style FIT360™ and Longevity FIT360™, and GOLD™ - lower impact programming for participants that are pregnant, have weight challenges, injuries, or other medical conditions. These exercise classes meet in church gyms, community centers, gymnasiums, parking lots, schools, etc. across the United States, Europe, and Africa. In-person and virtual fitness classes are available.
Key words: Christian fitness, women's exercise classes, group fitness, dance aerobics classes, Christian group fitness, Christian fitness app, FitTV, Body & Soul, Body and Soul, fitness instuctor training, low impact exercise
