Full House fans have been anticipating the new spin-off Fuller House which is to be aired this month, Friday, Feb. 26th on Netflix! Rewinding a tad, Candace Cameron Bure (a.k.a. D.J. Tanner) starred on the hit show Dancing With the Stars in 2014. The book, Dancing Through Life documents this experience, breaking down each week of the competition, the behind the scenes looks, and how the experience impacted her life on an inner transformative level.
Let me first admit: 1) I have never watched the show, save for a few you-tube clips. 2) I can’t dance right now because of my medical condition. (We were just able to accomplish twirling in the wheelchair without busting Michael’s shins.)
So why did I so gravitate towards this book? It was about the story.
Imagine With Me…
Can you imagine enduring a grueling week of intense dance moves that you have to memorize in just days? Then you’re supposed to dance in front of a panel of top-notch professional dancers. On top of that, a live audience is watching you and cameras are rolling to have your amateur-supposed-to-look professional dance moves on TV for millions to watch. Clearly, I’m not placed in those dancing shoes, but it’s amazing to read the personal joys and woes of someone who has been.
Lessons Learned
The authenticity of this book was palpable. The voice from Bure is not of an unrelatable Hollywood type. Even though she is a nationally known actress and New York Time’s Bestselling author, she never places herself on a pedestal talking down to her audience. She reveals her encounters with deep-seated matters that were brought to light through her journey on DWTS. One that most of us can relate to is the fear of disappointing others. I expected this to be an enjoyable memoir type of read, but was surprised to find myself growing throughout the book, learning lessons with Candace.
One that really sticks is that living life with conviction isn’t easy and it doesn’t always feel rewarding. Candace took the stand on DWTS to dress modestly which many Christians respected, however, there were some who said her dress was not modest enough. Some inappropriately lambasted her for what they saw as a violation. While on set, she was having difficulties in the dressing department, ensuring there was a little more fabric on the attire they presented her. Some teasing comments were inserted from the crew because being modest in the Hollywood arena is a little unusual. Who knew?
On a similar thread, Candace speaks candidly on the virulent attacks she’s faced on social media (both while on the DWTS and off). She sends off an update with a click of the button, and with only a short time elapsing, she returns to her social media networks to find a war zone. Malicious commenters are berating her, then there is the opposing force blasting the ones who are targeting Candace. What’s worse is that both dueling parties are usually people who wear the title “Christian.” Candace laments on how this could only deter people from the Christian faith, and how she’s had to shake off the criticism over the years.
She uses three Biblical points to caution why this approach isn’t the best. This section of respectably wise boundaries would be good for anyone with a social media account to read- not just out of respect to the celebs, but to anyone’s own personal social media networks. I love her quote on trying to please others:
“I decided that I’d rather be the best Christian with all my flaws and be true to my walk than to live my life so that other people will feel like I’m making the right choices.”
Candace is not going out in life as a lone-wolf-Christian or set on staying comfortable in her flaws rather than proceeding in growth. She speaks on seeking wise counsel from a tight-knit group of people of integrity, instead of seeking counsel from millions of unknown voices with so many different messages it could leave your head feeling like a scrambled egg. At the end of the day, it’s important to remember that though millions are watching, there is One viewer in life that surpasses them all. Candace Cameron Bure and her writing partner, Erin Davis did a wonderful job exemplifying this message throughout the pages.
I received this book for free from B&H and the opinions I have expressed are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255 : “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.”
