What God wants from us?

Shortly after our marriage in 2004, I quit my job as an apartment manager, and joined Michelle as a full-time Couples Dance Instructor at our studio.  Even though I had 10 years of training as Michelle’s Teaching Assistant, and had taught many Group Classes, teaching individual Private Lessons was new to me. 

It was common for us to receive calls at our studio, and schedule lessons for new students over the phone.  That was the case with the woman in this story. She called, Michelle booked her first lesson, and a few days later a middle-aged female student showed up for her first of three lessons.  The student had no idea about our background or beliefs; It was, seemingly, a woman making a random call to a dance studio to learn to couples dance. 

I proceeded with our normal style of teaching; addressing issues of frame and connection, then footwork, and then moving together as a unit.  Communication is the main thrust of our teaching style.  The first dance lesson was completed, and a second was scheduled.  The following week, the student arrived, and the second lesson began. As per our norm, I was focusing on the Lead and Follow aspects of couples dance, which are critical to creating a good working partnership and dance connection.  Suddenly, about 25 minutes into the lesson, the student stopped, and asked that the lesson be finished.  Puzzled, I politely inquired as to the reason for finishing early, and suggested rebooking the second half of the lesson for a later time.  The student stated that would not be necessary, as she had “figured it out.”  I asked her what she meant, and the student said,

“I figured out what God had been trying to tell me - I just need to learn to follow… Him.”