Count It All Joy: Don't Walk, Dance

Life is deep fast.

First day of this year, I was faced with the unexpected death of a gal named Jenna, this literally knocked the wind out of me. I had word someone from church was hurt, and I was crushed to find out it was her.

I had so much depression for so many, really years, that I do avoid watching or doing things that create lingering sadness.

But

I needed to be at her funeral, I needed to hug her mom, Gloria, and her husband, her brother, her sister and mother in law...I wanted them to feel loved, because how can you comfort that level of loss?? My pastor was overcome, and shed many tears and quite literally couldn't speak on several moments, it was his secretary's daughter; and like one of his own children.

The word 'joy' has been tossed about a lot in my face over the last 12 months. A great read that I have read a couple of times is 'If Satan Can't Steal Your Joy, He Can't Steal Your Goods'  by Jerry Savelle. I highly recommend it, I learned a lot from it. Joy seems to be the critical component of knowing to Whom you belong, and therefore living in a life of victory and peace. One of the people in smallgroup this week pointed at Jenna's mother, Gloria; crushed with pain, but still filled with the Joy of The Lord. And she was, very much so. Joy.

It left me with a painful lingering question.

Do I exhibit joy?

My natural tendency is truthfully, no.

I haven't let my head go there...the what if this happened to me. Not to her loss. She buried her husband recently as well. I haven't let my heart imagine the experience that level of sorrow and loss would hold. Her 'count it all joy' face humbles me. I felt angry about this loss, this is too much to ask of one human, for them to bear. But when I saw her, she looked so beautiful, tear stained face, but exuding pure joy, and gave me the tightest hug.

I needed that hug. I needed to feel comfort from me to her and from her to me. I will never forget the glowing beauty Gloria's face held that day.

Jenna was incredibly special.  DAILY I get spoken to about her, co-workers, dance people, patients that come to the gym. Her loss has been like an earthquake in my small town. Her funeral was an incredible tribute. They had her dancing on screen. I watched in awe, her gift. I had been there for that performance live; I remembered it well. She reminded people she danced for 'an audience of one!' on many occasions when I was just a face in the crowd helping with production or stage hand or stage makeup and she didn't know even who I was really.

Her life as I knew it had dance as a massive part of it.  I watched her from afar, knowing I loved to dance, and wishing I had done it younger than I did. But dance from her inspiration eventually became a massive part of my life as well. It saddens me on a deep level to admit, I never told her that on this side of heaven.

It's so interesting, that the residue of her unintentional fingerprint remains on my soul and I think of her every time I dance, or watch a child I'm teaching come to life as they learn and let music fill up their spirit and spill out into their hands their feet, their face...their eyes...

I have always had my thought trail return to Jenna, and she never knew that.

This life has no time frame attached to it. It just doesn't. We have a beginning we are unaware of, and then an end, like smoke from a fire...leaving this realm.

I have entered 2019 filled with so much hope. Jenna leaving so suddenly, got me to thinking, no more just walking through this life, it's too short...it's too precious...

Do I even know HOW to exude joy? Danya, It's time to show those around you joy, so that they too, can feel the unknown imprint of the tug that they too have gifts and talent to offer this world.

No more just walking through life.

As Jenna lived and even died teaching us all, there's no time like the present...

~Dance

About the Author Danya Powers:

I have been working with people in this arena since 2004.  I am not a magazine cover model, I'm a mom of 8, 3 biologically mine, 2 of my heart, and 3 in my new marriage. I'm passionate about getting people to the next level. I'm just like you, fighting against globesity one person at a time.  We are all created for more, to be more, and to inspire more, even you! I've been blessed with so many incredible mentors and coaches in my life, and it has radically changed my health from the inside out.  My own struggle with food addiction and depression has become something I have turned into my secret weapon of strength, and I use it to help people like you overcome your own demons.  Life is such an incredible gift, I would love to be part of helping you remember that, or perhaps realize it for the first time.  Healthy really does look good on EVERYONE!