When I tuned into the show, she didn’t emerge with the rest of the cast at the opening. It was after two commercial breaks before she was introduced, just after they had discussed subjects such as the Pope’s leadership decisions and Christian Kim Davis and her gay marriage controversy. I thought it was a certainty that they would ask Candace on her take of these recent events, but such was not the case. Instead, they introduced her, mentioned her new Netflix show Fuller House, and then began discussing how people tend to spend more time watching the streaming network than having sex. And other dialogue was had over some of the attractive young men that can be found on certain shows. Whoopi Goldberg contributed to the conversation by mentioning (once again) her relationship with her portable vibrator, which suits her more than these young guys on televised/streaming programs. Of course the camera went to Candace more than once in these moments, and while she handled it in an upbeat manner, she showed a perceptible amount of mortification. As Miss Whoopi said, “Welcome to The View!”
You can watch Candace's nine-minute appearance on, while it's still available on Hulu.com:
In addition to being known as a sitcom and TV movie actress, recently Candace participated in a season of ABC’s Dancing with the Stars. In the wake of this experience, this New York Times best-selling author has penned an inspirational and historical account of her weeks on the show. Entitled Dancing Through Life: Steps of Courage and Conviction, the book takes her readers through her experience week by week, discussing the highs and lows of her time as a cast member, Christian and woman. While it was an exhilarating time, she was tested in many ways during those months and came through a stronger person.
Although I was interested, I confess I didn’t watch most of Season 18 of Dancing with the Stars. Given their excellent lineup that season, I thought I would watch more of it, honestly. But life got in the way, or rather; it was Little League baseball season in my house! Still, having a chance to review Dancing Through Life seemed like a fun opportunity to get a behind-the-scenes look at much of what I’d missed. And boy what a look I got! Candace begins with her previous love of the show, her acceptance into the cast, and the steep learning curve to get on board with her dancing partner, Mark Ballas. One of the biggest challenges she faced not only at the outset of her time on the show, but throughout her time there was determining how she was to live out her Christian faith in this venue. Ballroom dancing can be known for its elegant performances, but it can also be racy and hyper-sexualized. Candace wanted to give 100% in her dancing, but she didn’t want to compromise her beliefs either. It was tough for her, learning how to balance modesty with entertaining choreography and costuming.
I enjoyed the format that Candace used, going through the season week by week, chapter by chapter, sharing Bible-based lessons that she gleaned from her time there. Some of the topics she covered were:
- What Submission Really Looks Like
- Female Sexuality
- What is Modesty Exactly?
- Letting Faith Shine
- Attitude is Everything
- The Power of Joy
- Discipline is Spelled L-O-V-E
- Shame vs. Convictions
- Letting Go of Perfection
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| Week 3: The Joyful Jive |
As Candace is a public figure, she frequently has to navigate through social media’s opinions of her, and they aren’t always positive. On the left she has liberals who find her too conservative. On the right she has conservatives who find her too liberal. At times she found her head spinning, trying to make the best decisions based on her beliefs, and those decisions weren’t always clear. Possibly the biggest lesson I took away from Dancing Through Life is that when all is said and done, you cannot please everyone all of the time. Your moral decisions will most probably upset someone, somewhere. You cannot base your life’s direction on other people’s opinions. Ultimately, a Christian should weigh their decisions against God’s word and their relationship with Christ. Candace came to understand that in reality, she wasn’t just performing for an audience of millions, but for an audience of One, and it was truly only His opinion that mattered. And I think that’s something all Christ-followers can relate to, whether we’re making choices as artists, parents, authors, or employees. Life is a dance, and if we have the ultimate Partner leading us in front of a great crowd of witnesses, we’ll certainly end up with more than a mirror ball trophy in the end.
About the Authors
Candace Cameron Bure, actress, producer, New York Times best-selling author, inspirational speaker and Dancing with the Stars Season 18 finalist, is both outspoken and passionate about her family and faith. Known to millions worldwide from her role as "D.J. Tanner" on the iconic family sitcom Full House, Candace continues to flourish in the entertainment industry as a role model to women of all ages. She lives in the Los Angeles area with her husband and three children.
Connect with Candace online:
Erin Davis
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 Audio Book |
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Complimentary copy of book provided for review purposes only.
