ROOTS

This post was written for Five Minute Friday

Word prompt--ROOTS 

Five minutes to free write about it

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Roots make me think of anchors and stability.

For plants, roots are the lifeline that moves water and nutrients from the soil up into the leaves and branches, as well as providing an anchor that keeps them grounded. Without roots plants could not survive.

People need roots as well. Roots provide a sense of identity and belonging, and a lot of other important things such as self-esteem, self-worth, self-confidence, a sense of purpose, and a way of relating to your surroundings.

Because of my Jewish heritage and the fears for me my parents had, I was very sheltered and our family origins kept a well guarded secret. At school I envied friends who came from large, close knit families, and wished I had family ties and roots too. I wanted to feel as though I belonged, but never seemed to fit in, and that is what down the road led me to embark on a very dangerous path.

After my husband's death I went on a search for roots and purpose, and thought I had found them in New Age and occult doctrines. Karma seemed like a perfectly plausible explanation of the things that had happened to me, and what lessons I was supposed to learn this time around. It was also comforting to know that my personality, talents, and even the events of my life were all predetermined by the position of the stars at the moment of my birth. It gave me a sense of peace and security I had never experienced before. Except, I was sincerely wrong.

But God! But God, in His infinite grace and mercy did not leave me there. Who am I that at a time when I believed I had all the answers and was no longer seeking, but rather persuading others to believe in the lie as well, God rescued me from the darkness I thought was light and set me on the right track. Now my roots are firmly anchored in Jesus, my sure foundation and I know whose I am and to whom I belong. My gratitude at His not just leaving me where I was so sure was the right place for me to be cannot be expressed in words. It is astounding beyond belief.

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And now, just as you accepted Christ Jesus as your Lord, you must continue to follow him. Let your roots grow down into him, and let your lives be built on him. Then your faith will grow strong in the truth you were taught, and you will overflow with thakfulness. -- Colossians 2:6-7, NLT

I pray that from his glorious, unlimited resources he will empower you with inner strength through his Spirit. Then Christ will make his home in your hearts as you trust in him. Your roots will grow down into God's love and keep you strong. --Ephesians 3:16-17, NLT

But blessed are those who trust in the LORD and have made the LORD their hope and confidence. They are like trees planted along a riverbank, with roots that reach deep into the water. Such trees are not bothered by the heat or worried by long months of drought. Their leaves stay green, and they never stop producing fruit. -- Jeremiah 17:7-8, NLT