Let me start by saying that the video below is a moving and powerful expression of God’s love for us lived out through the vocations of his children. I urge you to watch the video below and share it with your friends and family. You can find out more about the video HERE.
That being said…
Is the role of grandfather a sacred vocation?
Is being a 10-year-old dance student a sacred vocation?
Is being a disabled 3-year-old with Aicardi Syndrome a sacred vocation?
Yes, yes, and yes.
A Grandfather’s Calling
Last week, I received an e-mail from my friend, Jim Rauch, who recently stepped down from having been the pastor of a church for twenty-one years. In his e-mail, Jim outlined his new calling as being part of “Team Nora,” caring for his beloved three-year-old granddaughter who is “not able to walk or talk or consume food” and who “suffers from frequent seizures and various respiratory problems.”
Jim is living out his vocation as a grandfather (a vocation, I might add, that is no less sacred than the calling to be a pastor). In doing so, Jim brings shalom into the world—into Nora’s life, into the life of Nora’s family, and into the lives of all those who love Nora.
A 10-year-old Dancer’s Calling
Jim’s isn’t the only sacred vocation in this story. There’s also Grace, a 10-year-old dance student who fell in love with little Nora. Grace keeps a picture of Nora under her pillow and prays for her every night. Through her prayers and love, Grace brings shalom into Nora’s life.
But what about Grace’s ability to dance beautifully? Is that part of her sacred calling? Can God work through her gift of dance to bring healing and wholeness into Nora’s life and into the world?
Nora’s Calling
There’s one more sacred calling you need to know about, and that’s Nora’s calling. So often, we think that people who are disabled can’t have a real purpose in life. Our culture emphasizes the importance of being a “productive member of society.” One look at Nora and you might be tempted to think Nora has nothing to offer. How could Nora have a vocation in life?
The amazing thing about God is that he does great things through weakness. It is through that which at first seems bent and broken that we are able to perceive profound beauty and wholeness.
[bctt tweet=”It is through that which at first seems bent and broken that we are able to perceive profound beauty and wholeness.” username=”MarkusWatson”]
I don’t know Nora personally, but I believe Nora has a calling. I believe Nora’s calling has something to do with pointing us toward the one who heals, strengthens, and comforts.
A Sacred Dance
In his e-mail, Jim shared this video of Grace and Nora dancing together. I don’t know much about dance, but I know beauty when I see it. I know when I have been touched by something sacred. I know that together Nora and Grace are bringing healing and wholeness into the world.
Watch this video and see if you don’t feel like the world is just a little bit better than it was before…
Find Out More About Nora and Grace
I invite you to read more about Nora and Grace on the blog And She Lived Happily Ever After by Nora’s mom, Jesse. Check out these posts in particular:
- The Decision to Dance tells the story of how Nora became a part of the Amazing Grace School of Performing Arts.
- Watching Nora Dance describes what it was like to watch this performance as it was being filmed.
- Grace and Nora’s World is the post that launched this video.
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