Welcome to the Determined to Dance podcast with your host, Jennifer Hallmark. The world would have us march to its chaotic beat but God invites us to dance in His will and His way. Let’s take a moment to be energized, refreshed, and motivated to face the day, one spin and twirl at a time.

Today’s episode, “When Disappointment Shows Up,” looks at the way disappointment tries to discourage us from dancing and how we can be reappointed. In our last episode, I mentioned moving onto the dance floor this week. That would be going from considering the invitation to dance with God to actually stepping into said dance. I didn’t realize that my first dance would prove to be so difficult.

Show notes: When Disappointment Shows Up

A few days ago, life was great. The podcast ideas flowed, I finished the proposal on my next novel and started a new fiction work that I’m most excited about. The weather was unseasonably warm, I mean, do you get the picture here? Ten out of ten.

Then ...

The email came. As I read it, I actually took hold of the monitor, saying no over and over again. An unexpected snafu in my writing life.  Didn’t really see it coming. I went from disbelief to anger to sorrow in a number of hours. I ranted to another writer friend through FB messaging. She was understanding and encouraged me. Shared some silly emojis. Talked me off the ledge. I finally calmed a little. But how could this happen to me?

I can see you shaking your head, sending hugs my way because you absolutely know what I mean. The dance has started, you’re wearing the perfect ensemble, and you feel like Cinderella at the ball.

Then bam, it’s midnight and everything falls apart. We’ve all dealt with midnights in a relationship, our job, our homes, life in general. What’s a person to do?

I began by being totally honest with myself on how I felt. I didn’t pretend it didn’t hurt or make me mad or almost drive me to despair over my chosen career. I cried a little, pouted a lot. When life blindsides us, we start, not by hiding or pretending, but by allowing the pain as part of life.
I talked to friends I could trust. Ones who wouldn’t repeat those first, raw moments when hurt occurs and shared their wisdom and empathy with me. Trusted friends or family are a must when disappointments set us back.
I went back to work. Within hours of my disappointment, I sat down with my laptop and loaded a couple of Friday Fiction blog posts. Checked my email. Simple tasks I could do even in my emotional state. It kept me from wallowing in self-pity. When you keep moving forward in the face of disillusionment, it lessens the pain and focuses on what lies ahead.

For there is more ahead. Later, I was able to look objectively at the situation and see positive possibilities where at first, I saw no hope. I’d made the decision to go from marching to dancing and that would involve not always knowing the next step. Having to change my plans. Becoming flexible. Ouch. Spontaneous I am not. But I am willing to learn. I feel that you are also.

To be reappointed and continue the dance, we surrender to God. Again. We hand the hurt to Him and explain how it doesn’t make us happy. In fact, it’s really irritating. But we share it all with the One who can handle it. We ask him to take the mess and turn it into something beautiful, something practical, something worthy. Then we stand back and trust that He will.

I’d like to say that everything is great again and I’m totally over my little snafu. But, I’m not. I feel shaky and a little fearful but I’ve decided not to lean on my feelings. God still has a plan for my life and it’s just taking a little different route. One I didn’t see coming.

But it’s okay. I’m back on the dance floor. A little wiser. A little more cautious. But moving forward, swaying to a different beat. Join me. Don’t let disappointment and disillusionment drive you to the chairs alongside the wall of the dance floor.