A Vine That Needed Pruning

     Not too long ago, Pastor Steven Furtick preached a message that I felt God had written specifically for me.  Based off of John 15:1-8 (see below) I found myself at the exact point of a vine that needed pruning.  Now, I wasn't at a point in my life where I found myself bearing no fruit... I mean, I had a great job, I enjoyed who I worked with, I was attending an awesome church, I was volunteering with some AMAZING high school guys @ Forest Hill, Cheyenne's (my wife) new photography business was exploding...everything seemed to be "good" in my life.  I could see exactly how God led me to where I was, but I couldn't see where He was about to take me.

     Now I had been doing some volunteer graphics work with a young adults and singles ministry called CharlotteONE and really enjoyed it and thought that it would be great someday to be able to work as a motion graphics designer for a ministry.   That is when I came across the job opening at Elevation and by the divine planning of God, was able to hear this message of the Vine and the branch.  As I began the interview process and battled leaving a lot of "good" things in my life, I realized that I was being pruned, God had something "GREAT" in store for me.       

     Being pruned isn't always easy, in fact it hurts to have live braches cut off.  Leaving my friends at work, my boys at "The Heights," and making other life changes that come with the territory of stepping into ministry weren't all easy, but the promise of greater fruit has been made to me and my hope and trust are found in the words of our awesome, faithful, and loving God.

John 15:1-8

1"I am the true vine, and my Father is the gardener. 2He cuts off every branch in me that bears no fruit, while every branch that does bear fruit he prunes[a] so that it will be even more fruitful. 3You are already clean because of the word I have spoken to you. 4Remain in me, and I will remain in you. No branch can bear fruit by itself; it must remain in the vine. Neither can you bear fruit unless you remain in me.
5"I am the vine; you are the branches. If a man remains in me and I in him, he will bear much fruit; apart from me you can do nothing. 6If anyone does not remain in me, he is like a branch that is thrown away and withers; such branches are picked up, thrown into the fire and burned. 7If you remain in me and my words remain in you, ask whatever you wish, and it will be given you. 8This is to my Father's glory, that you bear much fruit, showing yourselves to be my disciples.