In John 15:4, Jesus gives us a powerful command: "Abide in Me, and I in you. As the branch cannot bear fruit of itself, unless it abides in the vine, neither can you, unless you abide in Me."

This simple but profound statement encapsulates the heart of God’s desire throughout Scripture: His relentless pursuit of a relationship with us. From the very beginning, God weaved through His Word the truth of His desire to be near us, to walk with us, and to live in communion with His people. Today, I want to explore how this invitation to "abide" in Christ is not just a call for our personal devotion, but a command meant to transform our lives.

While the Mayo Clinic reports that five to ten percent of people have an actual speech disorder, I estimate that over 50% struggle with speech control and might consider using a mouth guard, as Proverbs 21:23 suggests. Words hold immense power; God used them to create everything, speaking the universe into existence. As bearers of His image, our words carry that same power, capable of building up or tearing down. I often remember this at family dinners when a single comment slips from my lips, robbing the table of joy and laughter and quickly replacing it with solemn silence of hurt souls. Proverbs 18:21 reminds us "death and life are in the power of the tongue." So how can we take control of what we say? How do we choose to speak life?

History shapes our thinking, perception, and understanding. The stories of our grandparents’ triumphs and trials influence our values and self-worth. Whether we are descendants of slaves or related to royalty affects how we interact with the world and how we expect it to respond to us. It is His story—and its vividness in our hearts—that determines whether we are guided by His Word, or led astray by false gods.

Have you ever reached a point in a relationship where starting over felt like the only way to restore it? Sometimes, a fresh beginning turns things around and brings healthier results. Similarly, throughout history, God has sought to renew His relationship with us.

Imagine experiencing 87 funerals per day for over 35 years. For those who experienced tragic days in human history, such as September 11th, October 7th, or the Holocaust, the etched frame of reference of pain and grief lives within our hearts. How did we live on? How did we cope? Much like the Old Testament times, many like Moses, the man of God, chose prayer to find life lessons arise from death.