There is a song by Jo Dee Messina and Tim McGraw, Bring on the Rain, with the lyrics, tomorrow’s another day, I’m thirsty anyway so bring on the rain; it reminds me that regardless of my circumstances, the season of life I may be in especially when the clouds are hovering over and all there is, is rain, sometimes you just have to embrace it. It takes more effort trying to duck and run out of it then dancing in it. The last three months of my pregnancy with Oliver I could have spent my days sad, angry at the world and mad at God for allowing this situation that was out of my control to happen. It was unfortunate. It was a season where I had to learn to rely on someone else other than myself. I had to be intentional about choosing joy. I had to start focusing on my blessings rather than my circumstance and that meant learning to dance.

be intentional about choosing joy.

There is something about dancing that is freeing. Don’t you remember twirling around as a kid and not having a care in the world? There is joy and laughter that comes from dancing. I can watch my son Lincoln spin and spin and yes while you may think it’s just spinning, it’s dancing for him. He laughs during and after when he almost falls over or does fall over. The same with my 10-month-old Graecia. She loves to dance right now. Isaac, my husband, will dance with her around the house and she just laughs and smiles the entire time. Carefree. As we get older we start feeling the pain, we understand the disappointment, we quickly learn that life is unfair. But throughout our lives we will have both the rain and the sunshine. The dancing is about embracing where you are. It’s easy to dance while the sun is shining bright upon you. There is no care in the world because there is not something that you are trying to run from or finding shelter for. Dancing opens our hearts to thankfulness. We have a choice.

The dancing is about embracing where you are.

Whatever circumstance you are in the dancing brings thankfulness and thankfulness changes our perspective. The lens in which we are seeing our life starts to change. Trust me it’s hard to choose to be thankful. It does not come naturally. It takes work every day. Our thankfulness gets robbed when we start worrying about what tomorrow will bring. Make it a conscious effort to thank God for what you have. For the blessings you have received throughout your life. Write it down. When we start changing our heart posture to thankfulness, each day gets easier. There is power in being thankful. It shifts our focus back to God. It keeps us in a place of dependence on God. It reminds us that God is in control. That God is our provider for all things. It invites His presence into our life. It opens the door for more blessings. It takes our attention from our problems and shifts our focus on the great things He has already done.

Whatever circumstance you are in the dancing brings thankfulness and thankfulness changes our perspective.

Thanksgiving is giving thanks in everything—prepares the way that God might show His fullest to us (One Thousand Gifts, Ann Voskamp). Romans 15:13 says, May the God of Hope fill you with all joy and peace as you trust in Him, so that you may overflow. God wants us to overflow in His blessings. To understand our blessings, we need to be thankful for them. And to be thankful we must trust and to trust is work. Once we are truly reminded of His gracious hand upon us it brings us back to the trust we had in Him when the sun was shining. We start trusting Him again when we count our blessings. We discover who can be counted on. As hard as it was to lose Oliver I was at a fork in the road. I could continue down the path of anger, unforgiveness, depression, fear and drown in my sorrow and disbelief that this would happen to me. Or I could start doing a reality check. I could count my blessings and realize that I have a God who is for me. A God who I have trusted before in the rain, so why not trust him again? Even though this time it was a deeper pain. A thunderstorm rather than just some rain clouds. I had to choose. What was my heart posture going to be? I had a son who needed me. Lincoln was one at the time. As much as I wanted to feel helpless I knew I couldn’t. I had to show up every day for him. I realized what a blessing he was in my life. And with that one realization I started to dance.

My heart was open. Now four years later I am blessed with another sweet blessing, my 10-month little girl, Graecia. God reveals Himself in rear-view mirrors (One Thousand Gifts, Ann Voskamp). What a revelation! It’s not until the rain stops that you see the intricate work of God over your situation and life. After the rain we look at the rainbow. The beauty that comes after the storm. I know it seems crazy, but I felt closest with God while dancing in the rain with Oliver. God is closest, at work, forging His perfect and right will. Though it is black, and we can’t see, and our world seems to be free-falling and we feel utterly alone, Christ is most present to us (One Thousand Gifts, Ann Voskamp). This book I keep quoting beautifully describes how to be thankful regardless of your circumstance (a great read, if you so choose). Thanksgiving always precedes the miracle (One Thousand Gifts).

I felt closest with God while dancing in the rain.

When you’re faced with the rain that just won’t stop, embrace the rain drops falling. Dance like you did when you were five. Hide God’s word and speak out loud your blessings. When you can’t remember who He says He is for you, recount all the things you are thankful for. You will remember His promises. Take the time to dance and to be reminded of His thanksgiving.

Speak Thanksgiving

• Enter His gates with thanksgiving; go into His courts with praise. Give thanks to him and praise His name. For the Lord is good. His unfailing love continues forever, and His faithfulness continues to each generation. Psalm 100:4-5
• Give thanks to the Lord, for He is good! His faithful love endures forever. Psalm 118:29
• And let the peace that comes from Christ rule in your hearts. For as members of one body you are called to live in peace. And always be thankful Colossians 3:15
• Always be full of joy in the Lord. I say it again—rejoice! ⁵ Let everyone see that you are considerate in all you do. Remember, the Lord is coming soon. ⁶ Don’t worry about anything; instead, pray about everything. Tell God what you need, and thank him for all he has done. ⁷ Then you will experience God’s peace, which exceeds anything we can understand. His peace will guard your hearts and minds as you live in Christ Jesus. Philippians 4:4-7

• Be thankful in all circumstances, for this is God’s will for you who belong to Christ Jesus. 1 Thessalonians 5:18
• Give thanks to the Lord, for he is good! His faithful love endures forever. Psalm 107:1
•  And give thanks for everything to God the Father in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ. Ephesians 5:20
• Blessing and glory and wisdom and thanksgiving and honor and power and strength belong to our God forever and ever! Amen. Revelation 7:12
• Since we are receiving a Kingdom that is unshakable, let us be thankful and please God by worshiping him with holy fear and awe.²⁹ For our God is a devouring fire. Hebrews 12:28-29
• Give thanks to the Lord, for he is good! His faithful love endures forever. ² Give thanks to the God of gods. His faithful love endures forever.³ Give thanks to the Lord of lords. His faithful love endures forever.⁴ Give thanks to him who alone does mighty miracles. His faithful love endures forever.⁵ Give thanks to him who made the heavens so skillfully. His faithful love endures forever. Psalm 136: 1-5