1. Providing a church for us to call home.
2. Benita Bike DanceArt Company for Jess to dance with.
3. The PEF grant Jess just received for the PHS dance program.
Our first and greatest praise is for God's provision of a church! Jud & I visited about four churches in the area over the past three months and became quite frustrated. We were having a hard time finding a church that put its primary focus on the Scriptures and Jesus Christ. However, through prayer and waiting on God...He faithfully provided and led us to Calvary Bible Church in Burbank. We are so excited about their focus on the Bible and their contagious love of Jesus Christ. We are meeting more and more people each week and I am so enjoying the woman's bible study I just got involved in. We are studying the book of Joshua now and are on to Judges next! Jud & I also go to the Young Marrieds group on Sundays. The following picture is from the Young Marrieds Christmas Party we went to last Saturday night. It was a white elephant gift exchange...notice the IV stand, puppets, and other random gifts. It was absolutely outrageous. Although Jud did walk away with a real set of bagpipes from Ireland that someone brought and had no use for...how appropriate for the Camerons! =)
Secondly, I've been wanting to share that God provided the most unexpected opportunity for me to perform again. I'm having so much fun with it. A friend of mine texted me one morning recently and asked if I'd be interested in dancing with this dance company as a part time dancer. I prayed, I tried out, and they asked me to join. It is much different from the last company I danced with...it only consists of five female dancers and the movement is more classical modern and conservative. The girls are so great and I'm being challenged as a dancer again. I love it. Plus, it inspires me in my teaching and gives me an outlet to relieve my own stress as well as reminds me of the love I have for dancing. We practice in Studio City and perform locally. The uniqueness of this company is that its focus is on educating the local community about modern dance by exposing them to it for free! The company has so many sponsors/donors that all but one of our performances are free to the public and we perform almost twice a month. It amazes me how God had this planned when He led me to say no to becoming the school's dance team advisor and to say no to doing my master's right now. Hmmm.....I see now that He had this planned. =)
Lastly, speaking of God's plans...He also had plans for me to put on our very first Spring Dance Concert this year for the high school dance program. I have dreamed of doing this since I was hired three years ago, but never did I think this was the year to do it. But, as I began this year, He definitely starting laying things in place for it. Literally overnight, a couple months ago, the joy and excitement just came for putting on a full show. The ideas flooded my mind, the energy to fundraise came, the excitement from the students came, the resources started falling in my lap. It all started with the $2,000.00 grant I applied for in November. I applied for this same grant last year but did not receive it. However, with the help of my teaching mentor, we rewrote my proposal with a clear vision and plan and by God's grace, I got it! I couldn't believe it. The money is to purchase a safe marley dance floor for the kids to perform on, costumes for the show, and a practice curtain in the dance room. Since then, I have met some key people in the Pasadena area and district connected with the arts that have shown a great interest in supporting what I'm doing. It is soooo exciting, encouraging, and overwhelming all at the same time. All to say, I praise God for opening the doors to do what I love and have always dreamed of. May God be glorified through the whole process.
I not only wanted to share these praises with you guys, but also ask for prayer. Yesterday Jud got laid off from his job. We know God is faithful and will provide as always. Please pray with us for God to be glorified through us in this time as we wait on Him and seek His will.
We love you guys and thanks for sharing in our lives.
