During a quiet moment at the hospital in 2006 as I was crying and feeling defeated over Eliza’s illness, the Lord gently reminded me, “Shannon, you’re not the one defeated, the enemy is—I crushed him, remember? You have a choice to make, you can either continue to feel defeated and fall for the lies of the enemy or you can choose to rejoice and trust me.” Right there and then I made my choice. I stood up and began dancing around Eliza’s crib with such unexplainable joy! I was dancing with the angels that surrounded her. They never stopped dancing, I did. The angles are forever before the Father in heaven crying, “Holy, holy, holy is the Lord God Almighty, who was, and is, and is to come.” Revelation 4:8

No matter what is happening here on earth, this fact still remains. God is holy and will remain so forever! Nothing can defeat us or God, He has already won. For those of us found in Jesus, this world is the worst it will ever get for us—heaven awaits, beckoning us.

My prayer is that we would continue to dance. If you don’t know this Savior of mine, I pray that one day you will dance as I have danced – free and uninhibited by the cares of this world. There are no words to express the freedom that comes from knowing Jesus, even at dark times as these. I long and desire for everyone to know taste and see what I have seen over the past two decades. My Jesus is real and He’s too good to keep to myself. For those of you who do know my Savior, remember, we are already seated in the heavenlies with Jesus (Ephesians 2:6), once we accepted Him into our lives, we were seated next to Him where there is NOTHING that the enemy can do to remove us from our heavenly position! Praise Jesus, we have already overcome!

In the midst of hard times, I picture myself already seated there, in the heavenlies next to Jesus, looking down on my own life. Am I happy with what I see or do I wish He wouldn’t look? For the day will come when these words penned on paper will turn to light and I will be there, presenting my life before my King. I pray He sees a life danced in step with Him.

“Promise me you’ll give faith a fighting chance and when you get the chance to sit it out or dance, I hope you dance.” Lee Ann Womack

Lord, help us to choose to dance! Help us during the dark hours when this world and its many trials block the vision of our dancing shoes and the many worries of life drown the music in our hearts. Nothing happening in this world stops the activity in Your throne room. May we be about Your kingdom as we dance our way to heaven’s door. Amen.