Abiding
"I am the vine; you are the branches. If you remain in me and I in you, you will bear much fruit; apart from me you can do nothing."
– John 15:5
I spent this past weekend at our family farm, Heritage Farms, enjoying some of God’s beautiful spring weather with Amy, my eldest daughter, Mary Kathryn, her husband JD, and four of our grandkids. It was one of those weekends you wish you could bottle up—turkey hunting, bass and crappie (sacalait) fishing, and a little friendly family fishing tournament (see pics attached below).
My 8-year-old granddaughter Selah took home the win with a 5.10 lb bass, closely followed by her sister Lily (6) with a 4.25 lb catch. We wrapped it all up with a good ole Donner family crawfish boil—over 30 lbs consumed, with my granddaughters leading the charge!
But what made the weekend truly special wasn’t just the activities—it was theintentional connection. Slowing down, telling stories, laughing together, and simply enjoying the blessings God has given us.
Early Sunday morning, I left the farm to head to Birmingham for a JH Ranch Outback gathering at Grace Farms, where I shared my “Abide Talk.” As I reflected on that message—and coming off last week’s focus on Family, Heritage, and Legacy—I was reminded of this simple but profound truth:If we had to distill it all down to one thing… it would be Abiding.
Everything we desire in life and leadership—fruit, impact, legacy—flows from this one place:our daily connection with Jesus.
3 Principles of Abiding:
God Is Our Abba Father — He Desires Daily Connection:At the core of abiding is relationship. God is not distant—He is our loving Father who desires intimacy with His children.“Because you are His sons (daughters), God sent the Spirit of His Son into our hearts, the Spirit who calls out, ‘Abba, Father.’”Galatians 4:6 He is inviting us into a daily relationship—not religion, not routine, but a real connection. Just like any meaningful relationship, it requires time, attention, and presence. Abiding is not about doing more for God—it’s about spending time being with Him. I call this being before doing – Abide then Lead!
Abiding Requires Intentional Priority — First Things First: Abiding doesn’t happen by accident. It requires us to initiate and prioritize our time with God.“Seek first His kingdom and His righteousness, and all these things will be added to you.”Matthew 6:33Order really matters to God, and He desires and even demands to be first—not just in theory, but in practice. This is the principle ofFirst Fruits.Before the noise of the day…Before the demands of work…Before anything else…We meet with Him first. In a world full of distractions, this is one of the greatest spiritual battles we face every day. If we make God and His Kingdom our priority every day, He will take care of our needs, and we will live blessed lives.
Fruit Is the Byproduct of Abiding — Not Striving: This is where the paradigm shifts. We don’t produce spiritual fruit through effort—God produces fruit through our connection to Him.“This is to my Father’s glory, that you bear much fruit, showing yourselves to be my disciples.”John 15:8When we remain connected to the Vine, Jesus does the work in and through us.Peacereplaces anxiety,Wisdomreplaces confusion,Lovereplaces striving, andImpactmultiplies. The fruit we desire in our families, leadership, and legacy is not achieved—it isreceivedthrough abiding. “But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control; against such things there is no law.”Galatians 5:22
Last week, we talked about Family, Heritage, and Legacy. This week is the foundation of it all. You cannot build a lasting legacy without a daily connection to the One who gives life. At Heritage Forum and through Abide & Lead, if we simplify everything down to one core principle, it is:Abide in Christ.Because when we get this right: Our lives align, Our leadership transforms, Our families flourish, and Our impact multiplies for generations. Everything flows from our relationship and connection to Jesus –He is our source.
Challenge Question: Am I abiding in Christ daily and making this the first and top priority in my life every day—or am I simply trying to produce fruit in my own strength?
Prayer: Father, thank You for inviting us into a daily relationship with You as our Abba Father. Help us to slow down and prioritize time with You above all else. Teach us to abide—to remain connected to You in every area of our lives. Produce Your fruit in us and through us as we stay rooted in You. May our lives reflect Your love, Your wisdom, and Your power. In Jesus’ name, Amen.
Let’s make our Abiding relationship in Christ the highest priority today and everyday and see what God has in store for us!
