It Doesn't Take Much To Move A Feather

I have a habit....I tend to run right into something and say things, often without thinking first (God is tempering me in this :) but today that is what I am about to do in this blog...run right into it.  In doing so, I am borrowing some incredible insight I just read in a "newsletter" from a ministry I deeply respect, "Ransomed Heart".  Many thanks to John for his thoughts in his May letter, as it further confirmed in my own heart what has been a constant thread of concern over the past months.  (If you don't know of this ministry...check it out...


www.RansomedHeart.com. and get their newsletter; each month it is filled with huge boulders of insight (in comparison to nuggets :) and will deeply bless you!


Over my years of ministry and mentoring women, I have tried to convey from my heart the urgent, important, life-saving need of being in the Word and His Truth being our guiding Light.  Nothing else will help us navigate the junk that life throws at us.  During the last year I have read twice "The Divine Mentor" by Wayne Cordeiro and the past six weeks led a small group of women reading, discussing this book as well as sharing from the Word together and what the Master is teaching us.  It has been food to our soul!  (again...read it if you haven't!)


John Eldredge shares about the lack of substance in our souls today; the move towards finding a deeper sense of self, of being.  We engage in an assortment of activities to make an individual statement of who we are, everything from tattooing to a more liturgical church experience....but what we are really doing is reaching for substance and groundedness.  He also shared that while people are moving in that direction, they also are becoming more susceptible to anxiety disorders, mental distresses - being blown by every wind that comes along.  Hence, the phrase IT DOESN'T TAKE MUCH TO MOVE A FEATHER !


"Wikipedia" says that "in electrical engineering, ground or earth may be the reference point in an electrical circuit from which other voltages are measured  or a common return path for electrical current, or a direct physical connection to earth/ground.  Oooh, we can take so much from this definition...who is my reference point; who am I directly physically connected to?


John asked, "What are you doing for groundedness?"  My question with that is "Who are we grounded to?"  If I am not connected to my Source....grounded into earth (JESUS),  I will be blown by every wind, tossed by every wave.  


Wikipedia also stated that "being connected to ground is to prevent contact with dangerous voltage".  If I am not connected and grounded in the Word and my relationship with Jesus, I can come into contact and be burnt by some pretty dangerous voltage (that's a word picture!) in this life.


Jesus was a man who was grounded.  Look at His life...he withdrew to spend time with His Father.  He prayed.  He navigated some pretty tough people, crowds and opposition this world threw at Him.  Yes, He was/is God, but when He was flesh, He knew WHO His source was.  I like how John stated from the book of John 8::31-32 , Jesus saying "If you hold to my teaching, you are really my disciples.  Then you will know the truth and the truth will set you free."  We like the second half of the verse...we want to be free.  But the first half is the key...the truth doesn't set you free until you know it, hold fast to it and put it into regular practice.  We like to pick and choose our truth. If we are to be grounded, we need to hold to His teaching.  It is the only way. (A study of the Gospels and Jesus' teaching is a real eye-opener....the parables a host of meals to chew on :)


John states that we need to be grounded in the truth (His Word/the Bible) daily. I love the verse from Jeremiah 15:16 "Your words were found and I ate them, and Your words became for me a joy and the delight of my heart."  He agrees that yes, there are other things we need to do for groundness...cut the insane busy-ness, do not live for tweets, texts, facebook or email (whoa, this will cut to the quick for some of us!).  Here's a challenge to move towards groundedness....let's spend more time cultivating our relationship with the Father and Son, than tweeting, texting, phoning.  These are not "bad"....just can be a major distraction and time-consuming to say the least.  Let's practice some good old solitude and silence with the Father....even for a few minutes each day.


I am preaching to myself here....I want to be grounded, not a feather moved by the slightest wind that comes my way.  I want to be a tree (Psalm 1:3; Jeremiah 17:8) where my roots go so deep that I am directly grounded - that direct physical connection - to My Father.  I hope and pray you will join me in this :)  (and thank you, John, and Ransomed Heart Ministries for another encouragement in running the race and staying on course!)


P.S.  A side note...in case you were "wondering"...doctor appointment last week and my #'s were down!!!  Yeah!!  Still a ways to go to be where I need to be, but 5 weeks of healthy eating and I am one happy (healthy) lady!!  (and I did make that soup...substituting the fat and cream...and it was DELICIOUS! I'll share my tips on how to knock out fat if you want...this is not a cooking blog, but we are woman2woman and this is important for us :)