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Happy New Year KAI family!!!
I pray that your holidays went well, that you were able to find moments of rest and joy.

I am encouraged in the Lord about His resolve to show up and move on our behalf this year as we seek, trust, and follow Him. As I hear about and see the things going on in the world, I think about the times of difficulty where the Lord asked His doubting servant, Has My arm shortened? In Isaiah 50:2, He asks, “Is My hand shortened at all that it cannot redeem? Or have I no power to deliver?” In Numbers 11:23, He tells Moses, “Now you shall see whether what I say will happen to you or not.” This is not a statement of uncertainty, as in what I say might happen and it might not happen.
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God was really saying: “Is my power suddenly limited? Watch closely — you’re about to see my word fulfilled.”

I am excited for all the ways you will see God’s word fulfilled in your art life this year, in your creative heart, in the vision He’s given you.

No matter what we see going in the world right now, God does not lie (Num. 23:19), His word does not return to Him void (Isaiah 55:11), He watches attentively over His word to perform it (Jer. 1:12), and He is faithful to complete the good work He began in us (Philippians 1:6). But I love the Amplified version. It says:

"And I am convinced and sure of this very thing, that He Who began a good work in you will continue until the day of Jesus Christ [right up to the time of His return], developing [that good work] and perfecting and bringing it to full completion in you."

Amen! Just keep your eyes and ears focused on the right stuff. Be intentional this year to seek, trust, and follow the Lord and see His salvation!!

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On Tuesday, January 13, I’ll begin teaching a live, online course, Dance as Ministry and Worship, with Fuller Seminary’s Equip Program. There’s still time to join!!
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On New Year’s Eve, my Bishop shared this would be a year of return for us. I find it interesting that I would start 2026 off facilitating this course. Dance ministry was where this whole adventure began for me at 15 years old. And I have been walking this hilariously unfolding path (hear my sarcasm) ever since.

I didn’t realize then how much dance would become both a seedbed and a laboratory for my faith walk and my relationship with God. Or for the work I would do beyond dance, for that matter. It has been my greatest, most consistent potter’s wheel.

When I first heard a voice say, “Go watch,” I didn’t know what it was. I just knew this voice kept bothering me and pressing me to go watch this dance group. I wasn’t even interested in dance like that. When I finally relented, that was the first time I can remember tangibly feeling the presence of God—watching a dance ministry.

I learned how to pray and read my word in dance rehearsal. I began to learn who that “Go watch” voice was in dance rehearsal, too. I learned that I had a gift for teaching and choreography in dance ministry rehearsal. I didn’t know.

As I began to travel and minister with the dance ministry (The Hush Company), I got to see this art form used as a vehicle to minister healing, deliverance, and hope to people. I got to see this gift be used to usher people into the presence of God, to declare His word. I got to experience using my body and movement to help people understand the word of God.

Then I got to learn more about ministry happening outside of my church life, as the Lord started to lead me out of engaging dance just within the church. He moved me to engage my dance and faith beyond the church, showing me how my dance career was ministry.

I’ve experienced being formed by the Spirit of God through dance, Him working on my character, building character and grit through my difficulties and experiences. I look at how He’s expanded me into speaking, writing, traveling, entrepreneurship and more, all based off of this art form. Dance has opened a world I didn’t know was possible. And in so many ways, I feel like I’m just getting started.

And that is what I want for you: for you to experience your life in art as a seedbed and laboratory for your life in God. I want you to see the incredible ways He will form you and lead you to express your life in Him through your artistic pursuits. Pulling from Intervarsity Arts Ministry’s mission, I want you to experience serious faith while you’re building a serious life in art. And if it’s already happening for you, I want it to deepen.

I am an artist in relationship with a living God, walking out a living faith in my everyday life and activity being an artist. That experience is what I have to give to you. That is the only place I want to speak to you from—even as we speak about contracts and auditions and grants and all that. How do we navigate all that stuff as artists in relationship with a living, communicating, guiding God as we walk out a living faith in our art stuff?

That’s what I’m here to converse with you about.
Ok, this is long enough.
Reach out if you want to chat.
Walk in His favor and see you next month.
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Marlita
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