The Little Dancer That Could

Ben and Maria were both fresh out of high school but had met, fallen in love, and wanted to be together for the rest of their lives. Ignoring everyone’s “conventional” wisdom Ben and Maria went for it. Getting married a year after they met and beginning the journey of living “happily ever after.” Full of love but overlooking the lack of financial aspect at that age.

While they had plenty of dreams, they had chosen a career path of serving others, that would quickly divide them financially from their closest friends who were beginning to make larger amounts of money and enjoying all the “pleasures” of life. Yet, Ben and Maria would continue to be faithful to their dream of serving, their dream of having a large family, and counting themselves blessed for the life they were experiencing together.

In good faith, Ben always promised Maria, at the next financial raise, she could scale back working to focus on raising the family. He would promise, “when we make $15,000 a year you can quit; okay, $18,000 a year; seriously, $24,000 and we are set.” Yet the perfect timing would never arrive.

Pregnancy #1 would come along producing Charles, would almost cost Maria her life, but she would rebound. Then be sent back to work. Pregnancy #2 Teddy was brought into the world to change everyone around him forever. The pregnancy went better. So, after his birth, it was time to go back to work.

Ben and Maria kept a “Dream Book” in a Little Black Book, believing in the reality that if they would write down their dreams someday, they would come true. Thus far all the dreams had continued to become reality, except for having a little girl and Maria being able to focus more time at home. But they would keep believing. The result 5 heartbreaking miscarriages and Maria still working unreasonable hours, while trying to be a great mom and wife. Knowing there would be plenty of time to return to chasing her professional dreams as the kids grew a little older. While that is not the perfect path for everyone, for Maria it was her dream.

The day finally came that Maria discovered she was pregnant again. This was pregnancy #8, while excited, she was much more subdued with her expectations. Leading her to count down each day, and each week, as if a religious calendar of, “If we can make it to…” Both Ben and Maria would never forget when they felt the baby begin dancing within her Mommy’s belly but were still challenged with raising 3 kids while she was working 2 jobs to help hold things together.

This pregnancy was different. They found that it was going to be their little girl, McKenzie Elizabeth, and left them only one dream. Maria staying home to focus on the kids, allowing Ben to become more focused on growing organizations for their future together. But how? How do you give up half of your income and make it work? How do you muster that amount of courage? They would soon be surprised and find out.

While Maria had beat all the miscarriage dates, and McKenzie was dancing in her tummy, Maria would start having contractions at 11 weeks into the pregnancy scaring everyone. Whatever needed to happen, they couldn’t lose this little girl dancing inside of her.

On week 13 Maria was due for her doctor’s appointment, had been in and out of the hospital trying to keep the pregnancy alive, and together they would both read over their “Dream Book”, daily trusting somehow it would all come together. That Thursday in a bizarre way the “Dream Book” would take an unexpected step toward reality! Dr. Jones looked at Ben and Maria to say, “If you want any hope of keeping this little girl dancing you have to quit work today, go on full bed rest (meaning you can get up for the bathroom, shower every 3 days, and come see me every three days) and beyond that, enjoy watching TV. Our goal is 20 weeks, and we think we can sustain McKenzie in the NICU until developed fully. Are you willing to do whatever to keep her dancing? Will you trust me?”

While crushed, confused, and excited Ben and Maria were committed to doing whatever it would take to keep this little girl dancing, one day at a time. They would review their Dream Book daily together and trust that somehow everything would come together. One of the “Dreams” was coming to pass unexpectedly, and Maria was quitting all of her jobs immediately. She was “getting” to stay home to focus on her family! Just in a way they had never planned. So scared and excited they would start the journey.

While each day was a blessing, it was full of stress and anxiety also. While many would help, bring meals, etc., it still didn’t relieve the internal pressure growing in their family. But every day they would review the “Dream Book” and keep trusting. Ben was “in charge” of the boys and would always forget to pick them up from whoever was keeping them. People would graciously bring meals, but if it was something weird, they would go to the noodle closet for a creative solution. And the financial stress was becoming unbearable. Yet, day by day, week by week, there was a little girl still dancing in her Mommy’s tummy so it would all be worth it. They would focus on their written dreams, be grateful for every day’s provision of the basics, keep smiling about the joy the boys would continually bring them, and keep trusting that the finances would all come together.

One night, after the boys had gone to bed, Maria was in bed, Ben was sitting in his recliner, reviewing the dreams, yet feeling like a failure for not being a better provider for Maria and their growing family. He had begun to doubt everything about himself, losing his confidence, wondering if Maria would be better without him, yet never sharing those thoughts with her or anyone else. Surely the “Dreams” written in that “Little Black Book” would exist, and everyone really could live happily ever after. Ben just sat staring at the dreams, thinking, “we just need one break.”

At that exact moment, the phone would ring, and life would begin to change forever. McKenzie was now past 20 weeks, dancing in her Mommy’s tummy, the 2 boys were already the best big brothers that a sister could ever imagine, and somehow, they continued to make it through each day. Ben would simply stay quiet, doubting himself, thinking, “just one break to be the provider that I am supposed to be in this situation.” He didn’t care how it happened, he just needed it to happen! And the phone rang.

Ben dragged himself out of the recliner, in his hidden stupor, dragged himself to the phone, and answered with his fake confidence. “Hello.” “Ben this is Trent, how are you, Maria, and the family doing? And how are you fairing to make it financially through this season? I know the stress couldn’t be healthy for you, Maria, or the baby. So, don’t fake it and lie to me.” Wow. What a moment of truth! What to do? Trust that truth can lead to dreams becoming reality, or trust in faking it until you’re making it leads to your dreams becoming reality. Ben chose truth.

He broke to Trent, told him everything, asked for him to keep it confidential (trying to protect his ego), and thanked him for calling to check on him. Trent interrupted him to say, “You didn’t let me finish. Something inside of me just really caused me to think about you about 10 minutes ago and that I was to call you. And… that I was to deposit $20,000 into your account in the morning to make the dreams of your Little Black Book come true. More importantly, to keep McKenzie Elizabeth dancing to full term in her Mommy’s tummy, and to give your family the margin to figure out how to make Maria’s dreams come true and her not return to work outside of the house until the time is right.” Wow! Tears were present everywhere.

Each hour, day, and week were still a count down, but the worry of the financial burden had been lifted. The Little Black Book would begin to be filled with new dreams and goals, and Maria would continue to honor the authority of the doctor by staying on 100% bedrest, while Ben would continue to forget to pick up the boys.

It was mid-winter when Maria had carried her little dancer to full term, and they would have to induce labor to get the little girl to enter the world. At the moment that she did, the family was changed forever. McKenzie Elizabeth would continue to dance every day, while the unexpected $20,000 gift, not only relieved immediate stress but caused Ben and Maria to keep trusting their “Dream Book.” Knowing that somehow, someway, whenever there seemed to be a large insurmountable need, that provision would come through in some way.

Over the coming years Ben, Maria, and family would continue to be devoted to serving others, ending up experiencing a rare level of success in our nation. The big brothers would raise their sister perfectly. McKenzie would begin dancing at a studio and stay at the same studio through her Senior year. And every time there seemed to be a need that would make a “dream” become a reality, the phone would ring.

As the kids got older Maria would begin to focus more of her time on her dreams professionally that had been listed in the Little Black Book. One day while working on one of her dreams to encourage ladies in their identity, destiny, and ability, McKenzie entered the room to ask, “What are you doing?” Maria shared the dream and the little dancer said, “Is there any way we can do that together? To create events for moms, daughters, and even their grandmothers? To encourage them all to dance into their dreams?” Maria said, “Yes!” Not knowing how to pay for it or make it a reality, but it was now written in the “Dream Book.” Leaving Ben, Maria, and the whole family confident the $20,000 that kept the dreams dancing in her Mommy’s stomach, would somehow appear to keep the new dreams dancing. Within a few days, the phone would ring! On the other line, one of our dear friends, said, “I know in your ‘Dream Book’ you have a goal of creating an event like never created in the nation to this point, is that correct?” With timidity and humility, Maria simply said, “Yes.” On the other end of the line, her friend would simply say, “Okay, I am going to make that dream dance and give $20,000 for the first one. If you keep doing them, I might be able to give that for each!” And the dream began to dance with the first event.

By the time McKenzie Elizabeth had graduated high school she had created environments and stood on stage to encourage, more than 20,000 ladies of all ages.

One simple phone call, a generous gift, and keeping written goals in a Little Black Book had now reached over 75,000 people in the 18 years since a little girl was dancing in her Mommy’s tummy. Teaching everyone to keep believing, keep dreaming, keep them written in your Little Black Book, and know that all blessings will ultimately flow through relationships! That no matter what the situation Ben, Maria, and family learned that as long as they kept serving others, kept it all written down, that somehow $20,000 surprises would keep happening to make dreams a reality.