Holy Spirit

Do not Quench the Spirit

1 Thessalonians 5:15-19: Rejoice always, pray continually, give thanks in all circumstances; for this is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus. Do not quench the Spirit. 23-24:  May God himself, the God of peace, sanctify you through and through. May your whole spirit, soul and body be kept blameless at the coming of our… Continue reading Do not Quench the Spirit

Hope

To hope is to be vulnerable

To hope for something – especially something I know can only come from God – makes me feel vulnerable.  To feel vulnerable is to be susceptible to being wounded or hurt.    I have found that it is during the wait when hope hurts. Proverbs 13:12 (New Living Translation) says: Hope deferred makes the heart… Continue reading To hope is to be vulnerable

Life on the Vine

The vine, the branches and the Holy Spirit

It is now April, and four months into the year I’m still studying the theme of the vine and branches from John 15.  I'm excited to share with you the topic of the Holy Spirit in this blog series called Life on the vine.     Jesus said to his disciples in John 14:18 before he… Continue reading The vine, the branches and the Holy Spirit

Life on the Vine

The vine, the branches and identity

At the beginning of the year I bought a big, black artist journal with the intention of filling it with notes on what the Bible says about self-esteem, purpose and identity.  I began this year feeling restless and insecure and didn’t want to start a new year feeling this way.  In my search, I parked… Continue reading The vine, the branches and identity

Life on the Vine

The dormant seasons of your life

This is the 4th blog in a series called "Life on the vine." The theme is taken from John 15:5-7. Ecclesiastes 3 1 There is a time for everything,     and a season for every activity under the heavens: 2     a time to be born and a time to die,     a time to plant and a time to… Continue reading The dormant seasons of your life

Life on the Vine

Pruning is God’s Mercy

Since January 1st of this year, I have been doing a deep dive into the teachings of the vine and branches in John 15, and I am excited to continue to share what I have been learning. John 15:1-5 “I am the true vine, and my Father is the gardener. 2 He cuts off every branch… Continue reading Pruning is God’s Mercy

Life on the Vine

The prayers of the vine

Jesus says in John 15:7, "If you remain in me and my words remain in you, ask whatever you wish, and it will be done for you." I have been on a quest to understand this promise of asking and have concluded that Jesus is referring to the prayers of the vine: prayers that are… Continue reading The prayers of the vine

Gratitude

The power of gratitude when life is painful

Gratitude adds power to my life but complaining decreases my energy and makes me weak.  Have you discovered this phenomenon also? We all know that gratitude is effortless when we are feeling healthy, the kids are doing well, our relationships are harmonious, the finances are looking good, and we can get away for a week… Continue reading The power of gratitude when life is painful