Episode 42: Lessons from the Vine-Part 1

The Valley of Grace Podcast
The Valley of Grace Podcast
Episode 42: Lessons from the Vine-Part 1
/

Lessons from the Vine Outline

  • Introduction
  • Scripture
  • Conversation with Coworker
  • Application to our lives
  • Podcast Transcript
lessons from the vine, vine, branches, fruit, no growth, immaturity, podcasting, podcaster, katina horton, blogger, lifestyle, emotional health, mental health, psychology
Photo by Sarah Pflug

Good afternoon everyone!

Welcome to Healing our Brokenness episode 42, entitled, Lessons from the Vine”. Have you ever received a lesson from a vine? What about the illustration that God gives us in his word regarding the vine and the branches?

John 15:5 New International Version (NIV)

“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.



This past week I was talking to a coworker of mine about how the flowers in my front yard, the side of the house, and in the backyard were doing something weird this year. It is as if they were confused due to a combination of lack of sun, cold temperatures in May and June, and a variety of other reasons.

There were 2 flowers that we discussed.  One is a vine, and the other is a burning bush.  The one that I will dissect today is that of the burning bush.  The burning bush sits in front of my house. It literally has 4 different things going on with it. The first situation is that there were some branches were no leaves were produced.  The second situation that was going on was that there were branches with leaves that produced and is thriving. The next situation that is going on is that some leaves were thriving but are now dead.  And the last situation was one in which some of the Leaves had started turning their burgundy color as if fall was approaching already.  I decided to cut off the dead withered leaves.

She brought it to my attention that it could be a perfect illustration for our lives. Here is what God gave me as a lesson from the burning bush. There are certain areas of our lives that are dead.  They need to be cut out. The second lesson is that there are some areas in our lives where we are trying to move too fast instead of going through the process that God has for us. This could be due to seeing others thriving and excelling in their businesses etc.  The 3rd lesson from the burning bush is that there are some areas in our lives that are right on target and maturing properly. The last lesson from the burning bush is that there are areas of our lives where immaturity exists, and therefore, there is no growth at all. These are the areas that God wants to prune so that we can produce fruit and continue to grow.

Which one of these lessons do you identify with? I’m quite sure that we can find a little bit of ourselves in each one of them. Let’s be mindful of the areas that need growth, areas that are moving too fast, areas that are dead, and the areas that are growing in maturity in Christ just fine.

Thank you for listening to “Healing Our Brokenness, episode 42, “Lessons from the Vine”.  God bless and have a wonderful week!

Episode 37: One Bad Apple

The Valley of Grace Podcast
The Valley of Grace Podcast
Episode 37: One Bad Apple
/

In case you missed my last podcast episode, you can grab it here.

One Bad Apple Podcast Outline

Samuel, bad apple, one bad apple, apples, fruit, internalization, psychology, emotional health, mental health, spiritual health, choosing friends, healing our brokenness, valley of grace, simple functional grace-filled living, katina horton
Photo by Matthew Henry
  • Influence of Others
  • Godly Influence
  • Internalizing Things
  • Samuel’s Experience
  • Scripture Focus:

Galatians 6

1 Samuel 16

Researchers state that it takes one “bad” person to ruin five good people. Remember the figure of speech that you were lectured on as a kid when it came time to picking your friends: “One bad apple ruins the whole bunch.” We got tired of hearing our parents and other adults say it, but what they were saying was basically synonymous with Galatians 5:9: “A little leaven leaveneth the whole lump.” (KJV) Whether we are kids or adults, we must be careful of the company that we keep.

When we hang out with our friends, coworkers, family members, etc, it just becomes natural to start saying some of the things that they say. This is what happens when we are in relationship with anyone. Just as when we are reading God’s Word, and in relationship with him, our thoughts and behaviors will reflect that relationship.

However, if you are like me, where everything that is heard on tv, radio, and by mouth is internalized and leaks into your emotional, mental, and spiritual space, then you’ll find that you must be extra careful. Why? When we least expect it, words that are not our own start entering our mind.

And if we’re not careful, they are coming out of our mouths. I have found myself rebuking Satan many a day when this happens. I will never forget when one of my friends said that

she told her son to be careful with what he allows to come in from other people, because 1) it will go into our minds, 2) it will go into our hearts, and 3) it will come out of our mouths.

Dear God,

Thank you for giving us the gift of relationship. Please help us in using discernment in these relationships, as well as being self-aware of how we operate, so that we don’t fall prey to the devil.

In your name we pray,

Amen

Refinery

When we get placed in the fire, it doesn’t feel good, but when God sees the shiny result, and he smiles, we know that the refinery was necessary.

Katina Horton
refinery, gold, maturity, fruit, trials, spiritual health, transpire, God, work
Photo by Adonyi Gu00e1bor on Pexels.com

Refinery

Refined Like Gold

It’s What We’re Told

We’re Put through the Fire

So Fruit Can Transpire.

The Pain is Intense.

The Trials are Immense.

Maturity is unfolding.

God’s work you’re Beholding.

Related posts:

Will God Deliver?

Pear Crumble

How Pear Crumble Came About

My friend and I were out yesterday, and she started talking about how much she had a sweet tooth.  Sweets sounded appealing to me.  However, I know that I have to be careful with sweets, and that my best bet is to create something at home.  That way, I can control how much sugar, honey, and salt is used.  When I got home, I started thinking about an apple crisp that I made about a month and a half ago.  I looked into the cabinets to see what I had, and I decided that I would make what I decided to call “Pear Crumble”.  This baked good that only requires minimal prep time, takes about 45 to 50 minutes in the oven.  As hoped, it hit the spot.  There’s nothing worse than having your mouth set for something, and it doesn’t come out as expected, so that was a nice blessing.  This crumble would serve as a nice topping for vanilla ice cream.

DSCN0783 (2)

Activity:  Baking Pear Crumble for Dessert

Total Prepping and Cooking Time:  70 minutes

DSCN0752 (2)

Ingredients: 

  • (2) cans of pears – $2.00
  • (1) .75 oz of cinnamon  – $1.00
  • (1) box of oatmeal – $1.80
  • (1) pack of flour – $1.50
  • (1) bag of light brown sugar – $1.80
  • (1)  jar of honey  – $1.70
  • (1) container of butter or bottle of olive oil or vegan butter – $3.69

Total Cost: $ 13.49

Cost per day for two days: $6.75

DSCN0746 (2)

Estimated Duration of Food:  1 day for a family of 4-6, 2 days for a family of 1-3

Directions:  

  1. Pour the pears into a small casserole pan.
  2. Whisk one cup of flour, 3/4 cup of oatmeal, 1/4 cup of brown sugar, and 2 teaspoons of cinnamon in a bowl.
  3. Pour 1/4 cup of oil into the bowl and whisk.
  4. Pour these ingredients on top of the pears and drizzle with honey on top. 
  5. Bake at 350 degrees for 45-55 minutes.
  6. Enjoy!

fruit crisp, vegan, apple. pear, oatmeal, brown sugar, dessert

Make a joyful noise unto the Lord, all ye lands.

Serve the Lord with gladness: come before his presence with singing.

Know ye that the Lord he is God: it is he that hath made us, and not we ourselves; we are his people, and the sheep of his pasture.

Enter into his gates with thanksgiving, and into his courts with praise: be thankful unto him, and bless his name.

For the Lord is good; his mercy is everlasting; and his truth endureth to all generations.

Psalms 100, KJV

fruit crisp, vegan, apple. pear, oatmeal, brown sugar, dessert