January 2012 - Susan Panzica

A Rose Among Thorns

Posted on January 30, 2012 by Susan Panzica

Hello friends! I’m still slightly jet-lagged and bleary-eyed from my week in Australia, but Lauren is all set up and excitedly starting classes. Please remember her in your prayers as this first week is “intensives” which means classes from morning to night. Thanks so much.

Today I’m posting over at Laced With Grace about an unlikely lesson learned from my friend Rose. Please click here to meet me over there. And be sure to leave a comment!

Something That Matters – Part One

Posted on January 15, 2012 by Susan Panzica

This afternoon, my daughter takes off for Hillsong International Leadership College in Sydney, Australia. One giant step closer to realizing her dream.

It seems like yesterday but 20 years ago, Lauren took her first dance lesson starting a lifelong love of dance and all things “arts”. Middle school spirit team introduced her to worship dance.

In high school, she started teaching others what she had learned. Mission trips expanded her understanding of the world and increased her compassion for those in need.

This month, she graduated college earning two degrees – a BFA in dance performance and a BA in dance education. And now she’s off to study Leadership in Dance Ministry at Hillsong in Sydney.

Why?
Why study more?
Why so far away?
Everyone asks these things [especially her dad wondering why she wants to go to the other side of the world for a year – and possibly meet some nice young Aussie gentleman – horrors!]

She smiles when she responds. Actually she more than smiles. She glows.

She has a dream, has had it for years. It sprung up from seeds planted and has grown and developed in unimaginable ways.

Her mission trips have taken her to remote undeveloped areas of the world. And she wondered what she can bring these people whose basic needs of water and food are barely met. Don’t you need to feed them before you can share the gospel? Yes. But she discovered something else. Through her dance and the arts, she was able to communicate love, and everyone needs love. Dance and art transcend language barriers. They connect different cultures.

Here is Lauren last year teaching preschoolers in northern Uganda, a region slowly healing after the world’s longest civil war: http://tinyurl.com/74dye2r

Lauren’s dream, in a nutshell, is creating an Arts Center – a place for students to hang out, learn dance, art, acting, all varied ways of expression. But there’s more…

In 2006, a young man named Blake Mycoskie founded a shoe company with a new premise: “With every pair you purchase, TOMS will give a pair of new shoes to a child in need. One for one.” Blake traveled to Argentina, saw the disease and the dire need for shoes for the children there, and founded a company that would provide a quality product and also meet that need.

Lauren wants a “One for one” program for her future Arts Center with a “sister school” in Africa. Every student here will support a student in Africa. Lauren has the vision. Her studies this year will provide the leadership training she’ll need to bring it to fruition.

Our family asks for your prayers as Lauren takes this next step of her life journey. You can follow her throughout at the year at:
Blog: laurenpanzica.wordpress.com
Twitter: twitter.com/laurenpanzica
YouTube: www.youtube.com/LaurenElizabethDance

I’m traveling to Australia with Lauren, spending a few days helping her get established.

My next post is a review of Blake Mycoskie’s book Start Something That Matters. As part of the review, I will be giving away 2 copies. It tells the story of TOMS shoes and inspires us all to purse something that matters. Keep tuned!!

Wanna play Hangman?

Posted on January 2, 2012 by Susan Panzica

In the restaurant last night, I spotted a boy with his new Christmas gift – an ipad. And what was he doing with this valuable gift?

Playing Hangman.

Hangman? – on an iPAD? – really????

As a kid, I played Hangman – using pencil & paper, chalkboard & chalk, dirt & stick.

And here was this 21^st century kid using one of the most powerful devices currently known to man to play the simplest of games.

But could we be doing exactly the same thing with the gifts that God has given us?

He is Emmanuel – God WITH us.

He declares us to be His temple and so His limitless power dwells WITHIN us.

And yet too often we are content to live a limited life.

We are satisfied with less than best.

We play with dirt & sticks when the Power that created the dirt resides inside us.

He calls us to use the gifts He has so freely given for Kingdom work. He wants us to step out of the boat with our eyes fixed securely on the One who keeps us from sinking. He desires to reveal Himself in us and through us. As a believer, His power within us is greater than an ipad or any man-made device. Where we are weak, He is strong.

Rather than settling for mediocrity, I want 2012 to be the year I climb out of my comfort zone. How about you?

ps – If uncertainty is holding you back from serving, and if you live near northern NJ, please join me and my Bible Fellowship class as we embark on a 9 week study “What’s So Spiritual About Your Gifts?” by Blackaby. Shoot me an email if you’re interested in participating.