Vine to Branches

 Endlessly scrolling through study after study, I realized I had completed most of what was available on the site I do much of my reading on. The same was true of the other app I use for my morning devotions. How many other people are there like this?—I thought to myself. This went on for a few months as God began to plant an idea in my heart. What if a team could be built that would offer short topical studies for both men and women—young and old. Single and married. A team that would share studies written from their hearts for the Lord that could be a blessing to others. What would it take to make this happen, and would God open the way for this idea to become a reality? How could I take an idea this large and make it actually happen? The key point here is this: it would take help from a small village, and God opening the doors in order for success.

A good friend of mine is great at this sort of thing. He is my go-to for all things "tech" related. I knew before I could even take another step that I needed to talk to him and get his take on whether this was a possibility or not. I definitely am incapable of building a website on my own, but I knew this particular friend's capabilities—he was my best chance at getting the ball rolling. By the end of our conversation I had an action list of 'to-do's' and felt greatly encouraged and excited. 

The biggest hurdle I faced was knowing I desperately needed writers—people willing to write for free;) Writing takes a lot of time and effort, and I knew it would take no less than 6-7 to get started. What  I love so much about V2B (our nickname) is how each person involved is a newbie. We are all forging into new territory and each one of these willing people that join our team are just precious people. They sure aren't in it for the money (although I get teased a lot about them wanting free swag) since we are currently a free website. And so each person involved writes from the heart, uploads and designs from the heart, posts from the heart and edits from the heart. 

God has opened doors for us in ways that make my heart so happy. We are still really small, but we have a team I am so proud of. We currently have 12 people that do writing for us, 3 that take care of social media, 2 that do editing and then the behind the scenes developer that takes care of our website. Without these wonderful humans our site would not be possible and I'm so thankful for them. 

Our name is taken from John 15:5 ("I am the vine; you are the branches. Whoever abides in me and I in him, he it is that bears much fruit, for apart from me you can do nothing"). Jesus is our Vine, and when we connect to Him, only then will we bear spiritual fruit. Being connected to our Vine is where true life is—He is the Source of it, and His Word is our instruction manual for living for Him. Studying, reading and praying are our pathways to knowing Him better and understanding His desire for us.

Our mission at Vine to Branches is simple:to provide material that will encourage and challenge people in their faith. We pray that even those who may not know the Lord may find answers here. We also pray that God will use our studies to be a source of hope to those who may experience similar trials our writers have faced. The message of the gospel and in living for Christ is the best news ever—we are privileged and honored to share it with the world. 

I don't share this information in any way as a desire for a pat on the back or any acknowledgment. What I do want to share is that God has a plan for each one of us, and when He lays things before us, what will we do with it? Sometimes the call seems bigger than we are capable of, but when it's from Him, He will supply the help needed to see it through. Our "following" is small, but our prayer is that as we pour out our work with open hands, that God will be pleased and use it for His glory—that God will take this small act on our part and allow the seed to fall on receptive ground. One day it may become clear that He is closing these doors, but until then, may we continue to labor together in this way, looking to Him for blessing and for guidance. 

*For any of you who do visit vinetobranches.com, we appreciate you. We are humbled by the sacrifice of your time, and for how you greatly encourage us. May God bless each one of you.

Jesus and a Donkey

 Now when they drew near to Jerusalem and came to Bethphage, to the Mount of Olives, then Jesus sent two disciples, saying to them, "Go into the village in front of you, and immediately you will find a donkey tied, and a colt with her. Untie them and bring them to me. If anyone says anything to you, you shall say, 'The Lord needs them,' and he will send them at once." This took place to fulfill what was spoken by the prophet saying, "Say to the daughter of Zion, 'Behold, your king is coming to you, humble, and mounted on a donkey, on a colt, the foal of a beast of burden.'" The disciples went and did as Jesus had directed them. They brought the donkey and the colt and put on them their cloaks, and he sat on them. Most of the crowd spread their cloaks on the road, and other cut branches from the trees and spread them on the road. And the crowds that went before him and that followed him were shouting, "Hosanna to the Son of David! Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord! Hosanna in the highest (Matthew 21:1-9, ESV)!"

The woman rubbed the back of her arm, bloody and bruised from a fall. Frustrated, she gave a look of disgust at the animal that refused to follow her commands. "They really are stubborn animals," she muttered under her breath. Returning the donkey to the barn where she had chosen to board her relatively new purchase, she openly chided him to the manager of the stable. With a smile on his face, and words of patience, he taught her a little about her boy, Carl.

"How long have you had him", he asked? "Just a few months", she replied. "He is as stubborn as their reputation, and doesn't seem to want me to ride him." The older gentlemen explained that it takes about a year of working with a donkey before they are ready to be ridden. And in that span of a year, they need time to get to know their owner so a relationship can be built in order for there to be success. "Donkeys are not so much stubborn as they have a strong sense of self-preservation," he added. Donkeys are great at reading people, and their training, though similar to horse training, can't be rushed. "Be patient with him, and give it time."

Friends—this information about donkeys was taken from research done on these animals. They are not a strange animal you can grab from a post, and hop on their back for a gentle ride down the road—but Jesus did just that. I've read this story often shared on Palm Sunday, never really taking in the miracle that happened on that donkey's back. And yet I have no doubt that it sensed Him as Creator. How privileged this donkey was to carry the King of kings on his back as He made His way into Jerusalem.

It's interesting that Jesus chose a lowly donkey—not a horse. That is, until we stop to think about His purpose. A horse is a creature that usually signifies war, while a donkey signifies peace. When we look at it that way, we know that Jesus is the only true Source of peace, so it was tremendously fitting that He came into the city on a donkey—not a horse. While the events ahead would look anything but peaceful, they were necessary to buy our own peace through His death and resurrection.

This story always touches my heart. At long last, people were praising Him as He entered the city, waving palm branches and laying their garments in the street. It almost seems He is finally embraced for the King He was, but this celebration lasted only one short week, and then the crowd would switch from praise to condemnation. This final ride held significance—it was fulfillment of Old Testament prophecy, and it led Him to a place He would ultimately sacrifice His life for mine. As we look ahead this weekend to all we celebrate in Him—His death and resurrection, may we remember even this simple miracle at the beginning of the story when He climbed on the back of an untrained donkey. 

All creation will worship the LORD. Even the mountains and the trees. He made all things for His glory. "For you shall go out in joy and be led forth in peace; the mountains and the hills before you shall break forth into singing, and all the trees of the field shall clap their hands (Isaiah 55:12, ESV). When we consider this, perhaps this simply donkey recognized the One he bore, and was honored to carry his Creator on his humble back. Perhaps he held his head a little higher as he carried the King of kings into the great city of Jerusalem. Just as this donkey was created for this specific purpose, you also have a purpose—while it may not seem as majestic as carrying our King, may we all be obedient to whatever He calls us to. 

Remove the Weights Holding You Down

     I remember the hot asphalt and my skinny 8-year old unshaved legs like it was yesterday. I was hunched over the track, ready for the race. I didn't want to be here-in fact, I wouldn't have been without the stern request of the P.E. teacher. A row of grade school girls beside me, we waited for the sound of the starting gun, signaling the start of the race. I didn't really sweat at that age, but I do remember my heart pounding-and if I could've done it, I would have plugged my ears. As soon as I heard the blast of the gun, I ran for all I was worth, winning a blue ribbon for our team on track-and-field day. A coach approached me, inquiring about my willingness to join the elementary track team (it was a thing back then, in Canada). And I surprised him by quickly turning him down. Why? My fear of the starting gun held me back from ever wanting to run a race again. 
     Fear. It's one of the weights that lay across the opportunities that life, and even God, have spread before me. Fear is just one of the weights that challenge me and hold me back from doing things I would otherwise excel in. While being a runner never really was one of my life goals, I've walked away from plenty of others, simply because I allowed one factor or another to keep me from accomplishing them. Owning my own bakery, or landscaping/produce shop are dreams that are hindered by financial obligations and risk. I feel sure of my ability to succeed in either dream, yet certain aspects of both have kept me from seriously pursuing them. If I never own my own bakery or landscaping supply shop, it really won't matter once I finish my race here in life. But spiritual hindrances have an eternal cost.
     Maybe you want to be a missionary one day, but you're afraid to leave your homeland and all that's familiar. Maybe you want to write a daily devotional, but find the process too daunting. Maybe you want to read the whole Bible through, studying it carefully, book by book, but can't seem to find the time. Maybe God has placed in your heart, a burden to befriend a troubled church member, but you push away the whispers of His Spirit, longing to spend your time doing something easier. These spiritual goals or longings are good, and without proper focus, we will allow "weights" to hold us back from following through. Our faith journey is like a race-a starting point and the finish line is our goal, yet many things along the way will steer us off course. 
     The Apostle Paul had many weights that could have hindered his faith journey. He had a past that was guilty of shedding innocent blood of christian martyrs. He may have seen the stoning of Stephen night after night as he lay down to sleep, sorry for his part in it all. He could've allowed regret to keep him stuck, but he didn't. When I think of Paul, I am always so impressed with his spiritual focus-refusing to allow those weights to be an excuse to keep him stuck. He strived. He pushed aside the things that could hinder him, and allowed himself to wholly serve the Lord. Because of this, he did many great things for God's kingdom-maybe more than most others ever will achieve. But if I were to apply this same spiritual focus in my own life, how much more could I accomplish for God? 
      Friends, let's not continue to allow our past, or any other excuse to hold us back from finishing our faith journey well. When all is said and done, I won't want to feel regret for the many opportunities I turned my back on for one reason or another. I want to, instead, push aside these weights that are holding me back from what God wants me to do. Maybe you'll have to walk away from people who are standing in your way. Maybe you'll have to turn down obligations in order to make room for God. Whatever is holding you back-have the courage to remove them so that you may one day hear some of the best words ever: "well done, My good and faithful servant!"  

You were running well. Who hindered you from obeying the truth (Galatians 5:7, ESV)?
I press on toward the goal for the prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus (Philippians 3:14, ESV).
I can do all things through him who strengthens me (Philippians 4:13, ESV).
I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race, I have kept the faith (2 Timothy 4:7, ESV).

Dear heavenly Father, allow me to clearly see the weights that are holding me back from my spiritual potential, and then the courage to remove them. In Your name, I pray, Amen!

Sunday Relationship Post- Sex, God's Way!

     Sex is one of the most misused expressions of intimacy. Our world twists its meaning, capitalizes on it, and uses it to entice young and old alike. While it offers momentary pleasure, it often causes deep-seated pain. It steals, confuses, corrupts, and hurts. When misused, it often leads to heartache and brokenness. It can lead to paths of betrayal, abortion, disease, and addiction. We have distorted this gift, and used it in ways God never intended. 
     Who did He create sex for? This made me think of kids and young adults, and how they think it's gross to know their parents have sex- and yet, it was created for married people. God made sex as an expression of love between a husband and wife. If we are Christians and want to live a life that pleases God, scripture is clear that it was intended only inside of marriage. If you're single, dating, or engaged- God says not yet. He doesn't hold it back from us to punish or deprive us, He holds it back because He knows the pain and heartache it can cause. He says, "not yet" because He cares for us, and knows better than we do. And so, we should simply honor His Word and trust Him while we wait.
     What about sex inside of marriage? It shouldn't be given as a reward for good behavior, much like it shouldn't be withheld as punishment for bad behavior. It should be liberally enjoyed to express our love in feeling and action. We can say, "I love you" with words, but with sex, we show our love in a unique, beautiful way. God didn't only create it with procreation in mind, He knew it would be something we would crave and enjoy. Some days, we feel more intimate and loving than others, but regularly expressing our love in this way is healthy and builds a marriage up. Don't deprive one another when it comes to sex, it opens the door to sin and betrayal. I also challenge every married person not to look outside of your spouse for sexual fulfillment. It's always wrong, it always leads to trouble, and it always causes pain and heartache. 
     If you aren't married, and find yourself compromising when it comes to sex, consider studying God's Word on the subject. It's never too late to decide to save it for marriage. You may have done it wrong in the past, but with God, He always gives us opportunity to be obedient and start fresh. If you are married, make it a regular part of your communication. Be thankful for this unique gift God has given us- and enjoy it with your spouse. Make time for it, and don't allow distractions and an overfilled schedule to stand in the way of intimacy. Talk about what you need from your spouse, and learn to know what your spouse needs from you. If you're still in the "not yet" phase of life, as the saying goes- good things come to those who wait. 

Flee from sexual immorality. Every other sin a person commits is outside the body, but the sexually immoral person sins against his own body. 1 Corinthians 6:18 ESV
So flee youthful passions and pursue righteousness, faith, love, and peace, along with those who call on the Lord from a pure heart. 2 Timothy 2:22 ESV
The husband should give to his wife her conjugal rights, and likewise the wife to her husband. 1 Corinthians 7:3 ESV
Let the marriage bed be held in honor among all, and let the marriage bed be undefiled, for God will judge the sexually immoral and adulterous. Hebrews 13:4 ESV
Do not deprive one another, except perhaps by agreement for a limited time, that you may devote yourselves to prayer; but then come together again, so that Satan may not tempt you because of your lack of self-control. 1 Corinthians 7:5 ESV

Dear Heavenly Father, we thank You for this gift- one we often misuse and abuse and in the process, we hurt not only others, but ourselves as well. Help us to be strong and exercise self-control, knowing that when we are sexually pure, we honor You. Help me treasure this gift, and remember Your purposes in it. In Jesus' name I pray, Amen!
     

A Surprise Text from my Estranged Husband

     If you've been following the story of my husband's deliverance, you read about him sending a text to me the morning after he discovered my blog. I woke up early that morning and noticed a long text from him, and was curious about the subject, but also thinking it was probably about moving forward with a divorce. I expected it, and was prepared with a lawyer, some information, and complete heartache.
     Instead, God gave me a window into a hope I wasn't expecting- a text filled with real sorrow and tenderness. While I had received plenty of texts throughout the year- some good and some bad, this one seemed genuine and different. It was different in that I expected only anger from his discovery of my blog... but here he was telling me about how it made him feel after the initial anger wore off. He mentioned shame, guilt and remorse. He offered words of apology and sorrow over his actions. 
     The one thing that stood out to me in his text was a feeling of hopelessness- that he felt he was forever ruined, and that tore at my heart. When you know God, and Satan isn't getting in the way with lies, you know that we are never beyond His grace and forgiveness. He loves us with a love so much greater than our human minds can comprehend. I longed for him to remember His grace, and I longed for him to remember how loved he was, and always would be. No matter what we do, no matter how far we fall, God's love is consistently the same. He doesn't love us more when we are obedient, and He doesn't love us less when we aren't.
     At this point, I wasn't sure where this would go, but I got to praying right away, and asked a few of my prayer partners to join me. These wonderful prayer partners were with me through the whole journey, and I know they pray for us still- for healing and recovery! I had no idea of the spiritual battle that would ensue in the day and days ahead, but God faithfully pursued His lost sheep, and brought him not only back to the fold- but in time, back to me as well! 
     If you're in a situation that feels hopeless, I want to challenge you to believe that with our God, no situation is hopeless. There were days my hope wavered, but when we believe the promises He makes to us in scripture, we can rest in knowing this - He will prevail in all circumstances. He is good no matter how bad today may feel. Friend, don't give up believing He will deliver you! As sure as the sun will rise tomorrow, He is faithful to His Word. Trust Him while you wait- and know your day of deliverance will come!

Now faith is the assurance of things hoped for, the conviction of things not seen. Hebrews 11:1 ESV
"And now, O Lord, for what do I wait? My hope is in you. Psalm 39:7 ESV
But if we wait for what we do not see, we wait for it with patience. Romans 8:25 ESV
Surely there is a future, and your hope will not be cut off. Proverbs 23:18 ESV
Be strong, and let your heart take courage, all you who wait for the LORD! Psalm 31:24 ESV
Let us hold fast the confession of our hope without wavering, for he who promised is faithful. Hebrews 10:23 ESV

Dear Heavenly Father, I thank You for keeping Your promises to us. We make promises and fail to keep them, but I can always count on You to keep Yours. On days when it seems impossible, on days when it seems unbearable- let me hold fast to Your promises of hope and deliverance. Your unfailing love is my constant source of joy, and I thank You for loving me faithfully. In Jesus' name I pray, Amen!

Part One- HIs Deliverance (told by him)

     I had grown cold in my Christian walk. I was still going to my place of worship, I was still participating and even in a leadership role and at times, I was moved by the Spirit to be warm for Christ, but I was lukewarm at best. Satan saw the chance and knew exactly what it would take to cut me down and wreck my life, and he moved swiftly, and with boldness.
     I had developed a friendship with a co-worker that turned into a temptation. This temptation was far more than I would ever have wanted in the past, but in my weakened state, I fell. I lied to the people that I loved the most, I did things behind their back that gnawed at the heart of what I stood for- honesty, integrity and loyalty. I was unfaithful to my family, I cheated on my wife and I lost the respect of my close friends. During all of this, Satan kept whispering lies, telling me this is what I really wanted in order to be happy. He was filling my heart with lies and he was continually telling me this was a good thing. I wanted to believe it, but I also knew in my core being that this was not right and was totally against what i believed and had been raised to be. 
     This is when Satan dropped my biggest challenge- he lied and told me I had gone too far to ever be restored. He said it was too late for me and that I was forever scarred and useless in God's work. I was struggling with being able to accept God's grace. I had been forgiven years ago when I was first saved, told others about God's abundant grace that He shows to all who call out to Him, and here I was - refusing to accept it and break free of my chains. 
     I want to fast forward to January of 2019. I had left my wife and family for the 2nd time just after Christmas, and my plan was for this to be the final departure. I knew this was going to be it and I would move on and divorce- it would be hard, but manageable. So many others chose this path and surely I could handle it as well. I tried to make it as easy as possible on my wife, but I left. 
     I spent New Year's being unfaithful and actually miserable. I had so much conflict in my heart that I can say it was the worst New Year's I had ever had. I got back to North Carolina on New Year's night and went to work the following day and the conflict began to intensify. It got to the point where I made the decision to break off the relationship with the woman I thought would make me happy. Satan had told me that would be difficult, but I prayed to God to help me do this quickly and for it to be forever done. God prevailed in this, and I was so thankful.
     Whatever you're facing in life today, listen to the Voice of the Spirit. He will lead you to life and peace, while Satan will whisper lies to derail and defeat you. I am thankful to serve a God that doesn't turn His back on His own. We turn our backs on Him, yet He remains loving and faithful to us. I will always be thankful to the Lord for His persistence in dealing with me. He is a God Who invests in our lives- and He seeks to deliver us from sin. Will we open our hearts to Him, or listen to the lies of Satan? The choice lies on us- choose well!

Where shall I go from you Spirit? Or where shall I flee from your presence? If I ascend to heaven, you are there! If I make my bed in Sheol, you are there! Psalm 139:7-8 ESV
The LORD you God is in your midst, a mighty one who will save; he will rejoice over you with gladness; he will quiet you by his love; he will exult over you with loud singing. Zephaniah 3:17 ESV

Dear Heavenly Father, no matter where we are or where we go, You promise to be with us. We can't outrun You, nor can we hide from You. I'm so thankful for Your persistence and Your faithfulness- without both, I would be lost. Help us to listen for Your voice, and that it would always be louder than the evil whispers of Satan. In Jesus' name I pray, Amen!

Grace like Hosea

     If we could see our whole life picture ahead of us when we choose someone to marry, I wonder what we would do differently. If you saw your spouse, unfaithful in the future, would it change your choice? What if they were repeatedly unfaithful, and caused you a great deal of hurt? Wouldn't you want to run from what you saw, and choose differently? And what if God asked you to marry that person anyways, what would you think about that?
     There is a book in our Bible called Hosea- it's one of the minor prophets in the cleaner part of your Bible;) Hosea was instructed, by God, to marry an unfaithful woman. It seems pretty ludicrous, that God would ask this of him, but He did. I love how Hosea was obedient, and didn't pitch a fit- he simply obeyed. Gomer was an unfaithful wife that surely caused a lot of heartache for Hosea. But God had a reason, as He always does for what He asks of us. 
     In Gomer, He saw me; and in Hosea, He saw Himself. By requesting that Hosea marry Gomer, He was allowing a picture of His immeasurable grace. I am the unfaithful one, when it comes to God. And time and time again, He takes me back because that is His character- a God of love and endless grace. It doesn't make sense to us that He would reach out to us every time we turn away from Him, because it is against our nature. We like to hold on to grudges, and refuse to give grace and compassion to those that have hurt us, but when we refuse to extend grace, we are saying our standards are higher than His. 
     The older I get, the more I realize God asks hard things of us, sometimes. But He never does it to cause us pain or harm, He does it out of love- to make me more like Him. God led me to this book of Hosea often after my husband left, and I knew He had a reason. It popped up in my devotions, it popped up in sermons, and it popped up in conversations. I couldn't argue that He was asking me to apply this story to my own marriage. 
     If you're struggling with extending grace to the one who has betrayed you, remind yourself of the grace God shows you. Hosea didn't partially obey, he chose to be obedient, and love his unfaithful wife. This is a hard thing for our hearts to comprehend, and sometimes, we don't quite make it there. Other times, we may not be given the opportunity to repair what has happened. But if you do have the opportunity, and if you're willing to be like Hosea, you have an opportunity to be a picture of God's love towards us. In any situation, grace is yours to offer- and in it, you'll find freedom!

And from his fullness we all have received, grace upon grace. John 1:16 ESV
You then, my child, be strengthened by the grace that is in Christ Jesus, 2 Timothy 2:1 ESV
But grow in the grace and knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. To him be the glory both now and to the day of eternity. Amen. 2 Peter 3:18 ESV
But as you excel in everything- in faith, in speech, in knowledge, in all earnestness, and in our love for you- see that you excel in this act of grace also. 2 Corinthians 8:7 ESV

Dear Heavenly Father, help me to show grace like Hosea. In light of the grace You have shown me, I have no right to hold it back from others. Give me the strength to be liberal in extending it to those who have hurt me. I thank You for Your grace towards me, for it shows a love greater than I can understand. In Jesus' name I pray, Amen!