UNFAMILIAR PATHS

“I will lead the blind by ways they have not known, along unfamiliar paths I will guide them; I will turn the darkness into light before them and make the rough places smooth. These are the things I will do; I will not forsake them.”  Isaiah 42:16

When I entered the professional world of ballet, there was a contract that I signed that told me some very good information like when my contract began and when it ended, how much I would get paid per week for dancing, and some other business-like details about health insurance, pointe shoe allowance, and our schedule of performances. Also, when I later moved to another ballet company in another city, I signed a similar contract with similar information. Although I knew the logistics of when I was scheduled to rehearse and perform and how much I would be paid, I had so many more questions about this unfamiliar path that lie ahead of me…..and the contract did not answer those questions.

I wanted to know more….

~what EXACTLY was expected of me on a daily basis?
~what do I do if I get hurt…do I tell anyone or do I just pretend I am okay?
~how do I make friends with other dancers who are also my competition?
~what is my director looking for in me as a dancer?
~what do I do when I don’t feel good about my body…can I cover up with warm-ups or again, do I pretend like I feel fine?
~how do I find the right pointe shoe?
~what does it really take to be a professional ballet dancer?
~can I have kids and still dance?

I checked, but the contract had no answers to these questions. I think I was so excited about signing an actual contract, that at the time, I didn’t have all those questions, but there was a slow, gradual, unfolding of questions that came as I danced my way down this unfamiliar path. The journey of finding those answers, although uncertain at times, is part of learning this unusually beautiful world of ballet.

These unfamiliar paths can confront us at home or at work or at school. For me as a mom, motherhood itself is an unfamiliar path. I remember the first time one of my little boys split his head open after jumping from a chair to the floor, hitting his head on the coffee table. I remember thinking, “Nobody told me the skin could just SPLIT if those cutie patooties hit their head hard enough!!!!! It was not in ANY of the baby books I read! ” He was fine after a few stitches, but it took walking through that to learn, they CAN bust their head open!

So I want to encourage you, as you embark on new, unfamiliar territory ahead….put your name in these verses….

“I will lead (your name) by ways she has not known, along unfamiliar paths I will guide her; I will turn her darkness into light before her and make the rough places smooth. These are the things I will do; I will not forsake (your name).” Isaiah 42:16

Go to God with the questions of your heart. He will lead you to the answers through His Word and through encouragement and wisdom from others.

Prayer: “Thank You that You promise to walk me through any unfamiliar paths before me.  I bring You the questions of my heart.  Help me always go to You for the answers.”