12: Michelle DeRusha on the Life-Changing Habit of Quiet

This a great conversation on quiet, stillness, habits, and brain neural pathways. You’ll love learning about why our brains react against stillness and quiet. even task-positive network and default mode network in the brain and how this all fits into how we connect with God. 

A Massachusetts native, Michelle DeRusha moved to Nebraska in 2001, where she discovered the Great Plains, grasshoppers the size of Cornish hens ... and God. She writes about listening to your soul speak at michellederusha.com, as well as a monthly column for the Lincoln Journal Star.

Michelle earned a Bachelor's Degree in English from the University of Massachusetts and a Master's Degree in English from the University of Connecticut. She worked as a magazine writer and editor in New York City, a PR and marketing specialist for a community college and a fundraiser for PBS and NPR before settling down into her career and calling as a writer. 

Here’s why you should listen: If you’re longing to connect with God, be present to yourself and people around you, you’ll want to see how something as small as 5 minutes of quiet a day has reframed our guest today. 

Stick around: You’ll get one small step to help you connect yourself to God and the wider community of faith at the end. 

SHARE

“Ultimately coming to understand your identity as a child of God, is that you’ll naturally start to turn outward to community.” @michellederusha on #FindingHolyPodcast 

“Our brain literally forgets how to rest.” Listen to @michellederusha on our restless age and what can help on #TheFindingHolyPodcast with @aahales

“I practiced directed rest and it took weeks before I could push below that upper level of distraction.” @michellederusha 

LINKS

Link to purchase Michelle’s latest book, True You: https://amzn.to/2K7e1LU

Link to purchase 50 Women Every Christian Should Know: https://amzn.to/2MQ2qmL

Link to purchase Katarina and Martin Luther: https://amzn.to/2ML2aVI

Link to purchase Spiritual Misfit: https://amzn.to/2KDGLLt

Michelle’s website: http://michellederusha.com

NEXT SMALL STEP:

The point isn’t just about being silent or even paying attention to nature. Ultimately we need to know ourselves well enough to know what we each need to do to pay attention to how we connect to God. Michelle talks about how embracing silence allowed her to get to her true self – the self exposed before God. 

Let’s try something small just like Michelle: if 5 minutes feels like a lot, even start with 2 minutes of quiet a day. Put an alarm on the phone and practice 2 (or 5) minutes of silence. You might even have to lock yourself in a bathroom, but it’s worth it! Before you begin give your time of quiet to God, asking him to focus your mind and return your attention and affections to him in your moments of directed rest. 

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