MOVE

A Guest Posting by Traci Woolever

MOVE…

• A Trivial word
• Just 4 Letters
• No matter how you say it or use it still basically has one straightforward meaning…go in a specified direction or manner; to change position…

How can this one word cause so much havoc in a person’s life? I experienced a period of weeks recently that this word consumed my every thought. I just couldn’t get away from it. Never have I been so weighed down by just one simple word. I kept thinking, “Why me? I am perfectly happy right now & blessed beyond measure, so why me?” Yet I kept feeling this nudging.

But in order to go forward, sometimes we first have to go back. So, let me start at the beginning.

You know the saying that God puts someone in your life for a reason? Well apparently He thought I needed a little shove to MOVE – I guess He saw something more in me that I could never imagine possible. Earlier this fall, God placed such a person in my path – I had seen her at church a million times, even said “Hi” on occasion, but didn’t know her really well, nor had I ever tried to get to know her. But, while serving together, what I thought was just a normal conversation about life and our interests, like discussing Zumba, turned out to be more than I ever thought possible from me. I guess God and this person saw more in me than I did. She wanted me to meet Melanie, another person passionate about fitness, to discuss the possibility of starting a Zumba class at church. I thought, “OK sounds good to me,” and initially felt I should leave it at that. But then she said to me, “I’d be excited for that – when you talk about teaching it you have such a PASSION for it.”

Now, I will admit that for me there is nothing like a Zumba class. I have been teaching for over 3 years and yes I love it, and I love my “Zumba ladies”. But admittedly, teaching became routine for a time and I really felt like I had lost my fire.

But then, here I was – somebody interested in what I was doing and what she saw in me (that I totally did not see) that put this simple little word MOVE in my life.

So, beside my family and Zumba, my other passion is my church, St. Paul’s Lutheran Church. This has really been the only church & church family I have known since I was 11 years old. Again, I will admit my attendance should be better, but for the last few years I have struggled with my place at St. Paul’s – sometimes it didn’t feel like home anymore. I really wasn’t sure what my place was anymore. I came to moments where I wasn’t needed anymore as a teacher for Sunday School (something I had done for years), I didn’t have a place on Praise Team, and it seemed the choir only needed help on Holidays or big events. Now, don’t get me wrong, I think it is awesome that others were doing these things, but when I offered my time what I heard and what I felt was “We don’t want you”. I allowed Satan to let me believe this for so many years. I allowed him to take my passion and purpose at St. Paul’s and leave me feeling like just a body in the pew.

But my story continues….MOVE…that whisper into my life continued.

MOVE. I kept trying to talk my way out if it…“Why me Lord, I am perfectly happy, really I am. My boys are grown and on their own, My marriage although not always perfect is more than I ever imagined. I love my job and having a hobby like Zumba.” What else did I need?

Obviously, I needed more of Him and God wanted more of me – more than just a daily devotion, more than just church on Saturday night, more than just a daily prayer or two – and He was going to make sure it happened.

Needless to say being the stubborn, selfish brat I know I am most of the time, I would avoid any changes to the plan and I wanted do it MY way. I wasn’t about to MOVE. I mean, who likes change anyway, right? My selfish, stubborn ways didn’t last very long. Finally it consumed me and I was MOVING! “Okay God, I will surrender. Tell me what YOU want from me.” BOOM! It hit me like I have never been hit before. He wanted me to take my two biggest passions and bring them together. “OK I got this – Zumba at church, no biggie!”

No, that was not exactly what He wanted. He put that word MOVE in my way again and again it hit me: He wanted me to take my passion for Zumba and not only make it about fitness, but make it about HIM. WOW!!! He was definitely wanting a MOVE out of me that I have never done, something way outside my comfort zone. And still I had a “Moses moment” – “Why me, Lord?”

Finally, in the weeks following that revelation, I managed to fully place my trust and focus on Him. I started working on several new Zumba routines using Christian music. I prayed even more than before, and put together devotions and fitness plans that are Christian based. I even made a website to share this story. I have a whole new fire within me – and it is FUELED BY HIS GRACE.

This MOVE started with that one person He put in my path and not only have I MOVED, but I found my passion and purpose again. I am thankful for her being there when I didn’t even know that I needed her.

Have you been that person for someone else? Have you allowed God to work through you and speak through you into the lives of others in loving and encouraging ways? Look around you right now – who there may need to hear a loving and encouraging word from you? For me, it took that one person who was open to letting God work through and speak through her to me. And now I have the opportunity to pay that forward – by remaining open to God in my life, He can work through me and touch the lives of others while using my passion to fuel the process. I can’t wait to see how He wants me to MOVE next!

So, what is He calling YOU into right now? Where do you need to MOVE?

If you’d like to learn more about Traci’s story or about Fueled By His Grace Zumba Fitness at SPL, consider attending one of the Zumba classes she is offering here: Tuesday evenings at 6:00pm, First and Third Saturdays at 9:30am, or Second and Fourth Mondays at 6:15pm. Classes meet in Room 122.