A Choreographer’s Banjo Journey
October 7, 2020
Select Past Choreography Works
October 7, 2020
Moving Devotionals
Work-in-Progress Series
A devotional series originally created for social media that melds movement & a Word to encourage folks on their journeys of faith. View excerpts from the series below...
"REST"
Sometimes when the battle comes your way, God is not asking you to fight. Sometimes, He’s just asking you to rest. 2 Chronicles 20:15 says “...Do not be afraid and do not be dismayed at this great horde, for the battle is not yours but God’s.” Jesus has been reminding me of this over and over again in this season. He’s been teaching me that there is truly SO much power in knowing that some battles I’m not called to fight, but to rest.
To be honest, resting is HARD. Sometimes those battles are so tough, resting is literally the last thing on my mind. However, Jesus has been teaching me that when I truly stop trying to fight for myself - and when I finally allow Him to fight for me - that’s when things really start to shift on my behalf. I share this to say that sometimes your breakthrough won’t come through your fighting, it will come through your rest. It is in this place of rest that God will move mightily on your behalf. Stay blessed y’all 🙏🏽
"Dear God"
Dear God, Give us the strength to push back every fear that cripples us. Please wipe every tear that falls down our face, and God pour down your love on us in an extraordinary way today. Jesus, most of all, help us to always remember that You are never pulling us away from you. May we find peace in the truth that You died to make sure that we can ALWAYS be by Your side. - - - Start of a new work in progress |Lyrics, acting, and writing by the genius Chris Pree | Directing & Arranging by Tula B. Strong
"Movement Prayer"
I have been off of social media for quite a while now. I’ve been using the extra time to check on my self & make sure my mind is sane during these grieving times. Something that has been on the top of my mind recently is the idea of what am I called to do within the times we’re living in — In addition to fighting for justice and equity in the many ways we know how to, what have I been uniquely created to do. And something that has been consistently coming up for me is the idea of interceding — or powerfully praying - on behalf of my brothers, my family, my community, this nation, those who are hurting, etc.
This thought brought me to this phrase of movement. It is movement that I’m working on with my beautiful dancers @pourboyuninc422 , @thescarlettlion & @genesisefx in a section of TESTIMONY. Months ago when we first started revising this section, my dancers & I were trying to explore what it might be like to choreograph a prayer. But now that everything is occurring in this world, this moving prayer seems so much more important.
I want to create a phrase that depicts a woman who understands just how powerful prayer is. And I immediately thought of the many praying grandmothers, mothers, and black women in general whose prayers have spiritually covered their families & communities for ages.
This is a start of a phrase that pays homage to all these praying women. It’s a phrase that challenges me to remember that prayer is not a passive action, it’s a incredibly powerful one. Remembering the legacy of these women, reminds me that through Jesus we truly have the authority to pull down spiritual strongholds & shift atmospheres. Prayer can give us the strategy we need to move effectively and affect change in the world around us.
I encourage us all to remember this during this time we are living in. Prayer doesn’t have to be our last course of action. Instead it can be one incredibly powerful tool as we navigate the world around us. If you need a friendly reminder of just how spiritually powerful you are in God, check out these bible verses that have been giving me life: 2 Corinthians 10:4-5, Ephesians 6:10-20, & James 5:15. Stay blessed & healthy y'all 🙏🏽