God's Upside Down Kingdom-- the Inner Kingdom of Jesus (John's Guest Post)

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God's Upside Down Kingdom-- the Inner Kingdom of Jesus (John's Guest Post)

The kingdom of Jesus is an upside-down kingdom; it turns the definition of a kingdom on its head. Worldly kingdoms bask in their own power, personality, pride, and revolt.

The kingdom of Jesus is the reverse; it basks in the benevolent monarchy of Jesus.

  • The kingdom of Jesus is a small, living seed that grows, matures, and nurtures its citizens, and not a huge dead structure that sucks the life out of its occupants. (Matthew 13:31-32)

  • The kingdom of Jesus is given to vulnerably insignificant followers, not a kingdom usurped by a strong charismatic leader. (Luke 12:32) …

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WHY WORRY? a guest post by a "Spontaneous Friend"

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WHY WORRY? a guest post by a "Spontaneous Friend"

I am honored and thrilled to introduce you to a dear friend, Birdie Anderson. Birdie and I met back in March of 2018 while walking on a wooded path in O’Fallon, Illinois. Our daughter Beth and son-in-law Nate had just made a military move there with Kaden (12 yo), Eli (7 yo), William (3 yo), and Claire (1yo).

So with William and Claire in a double stroller, off we would go to the beloved path. One of those days, Ms Birdie kindly stopped to chat with us at, what would become, our snack bench. We very quickly realized we were sisters in the Lord.

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A God Song: Wrapped Up in You (guest post by John Loyd)

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A God Song: Wrapped Up in You (guest post by John Loyd)

Love songs often sound like songs we could sing to God or even songs God could sing to us. Our human expressions of earthly love are shadows of a perfect love relationship we all inherently crave, but will never find in this world. Such a pervasive longing is evidence that a there is Someone who truly has loved us to the end.

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A God Song: Wrapped Up in You (guest post by John Loyd)

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A God Song: Wrapped Up in You (guest post by John Loyd)

Love songs often sound like songs we could sing to God or even songs God could sing to us. Our human expressions of earthly love are shadows of a perfect love relationship we all inherently crave, but will never find in this world. Such a pervasive longing is evidence that a there is Someone who truly has loved us to the end.

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Why the Fall Colors? by John Loyd

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Why the Fall Colors? by John Loyd

The fall is my favorite season. The colors overwhelm my eyes as every tree and bush shouts, “Here I am! Look at me! You didn’t even notice me as an individual all summer long. But now! Look how I stand out from all the other foliage around me, even though my neighbors are just as striking. But pay attention to me! Now you can see the full glory of all that I am!”

But why does all that color exist? What is its purpose? What is the point of all this color? From whence comes its vibrance?

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Reflections on Emmanuel, God WITH Us

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Reflections on Emmanuel, God WITH Us

Emmanuel…a Christmas Reading
by Kathy Compton

Christmas means different things to different people. For some, it is a difficult holiday because of memories that are cherished…but they are just memories now.

There is an emptiness about Christmas. 

For some, it is the delight of family and friends, of decorations and cards, of cookies and carols. There is a fullness about Christmas.

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Penny's Post: All to Jesus, I Surrender!

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Penny's Post: All to Jesus, I Surrender!

I am more than excited and honored to share my next Guest Branch, my dear, dear, dear friend and sister in the Lord, Penny Mandeville. Penny and I have been friends for many years — through the weddings of children, our launch into grand parenting, and through the up’s and down’s of life.

Penny very often would open her home to our ladies’ Bible Study group. So we have studied the Word of God together for a long time. I’ll never forget Penny’s comment one Bible study morning— “God’s Word is so delicious!

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Continued PRAYER for our PEGGY who Shares Her "Journey with Jesus Poetry"

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Continued PRAYER for our PEGGY who Shares Her "Journey with Jesus Poetry"

Many of you dear “PRAY-ers” responded so generously with love and prayer when I posted our sweet sister in the Lord PEGGY’s urgent need for prayer. See her story here: Urgent Prayer for a Sister.
Well, Peggy is still waiting for her canceled but needed surgery to replace her fractured hip. And of course, as some of you may remember, she is grieving the sudden recent home-going of her beloved Ernie.

Peggy says, “ I have no idea when or if they will schedule my surgery. I am getting so very tired at this point, I can hardly stay awake much of the day. I’m beginning to wonder if I will be strong enough if I do get the opportunity for surgery. I’ll probably try it anyway, living with this amount of pain for the last 3+ months is intolerable.”

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Urgent Prayer Needed for a Dear Sister

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Urgent Prayer Needed for a Dear Sister

Dear Praying Readers,

There is an urgent need for prayer on behalf of a dear sister in the Lord.

Peggy is almost 90 years young and has experienced the sudden and deep loss of her husband. And this has come in the midst of a long period of personal physical pain. The surgery that was to be her only option to fix the fracture in her hip was scheduled for mid-September. But it has now been cancelled indefinitely because of COVID.

Dearest friends, would you beseech our God on behalf of this dear one whom Jesus loves. Rescue, deliverance, healing in Jesus name.

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Biking and the Bible -- A Story of Faith

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Biking and the Bible -- A Story of Faith

Today I have the absolute delight to introduce you to one of my favorite people in the whole world, Theo Hale, my current “Guest Branch.”

I met Theo a couple years ago at our grandson’s basketball game in Kettering. As I observed Theo that day in the bleachers of the gym, I came to realize that this is a special young man. EVERYONE seemed to know and love Theo. And I could see why as I got to know him. Theo is friendly, kind, helpful, interested and interesting. There is never a boring conversation when you are talking with my friend Theo.

It didn’t take me long to discover that Theo loves bikes and trains and people. And he travels many miles by bike to spend time with people and even to view trains and other sights.

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Joy in January: God vs Fear {Song Added}

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Joy in January: God vs Fear {Song Added}

The last in my “Joy in January” series, originally shared in January 2015, is a post written by my youngest “Guest Branch” and my oldest grandchild Kaden. When he wrote it, he was just 8-1/2 y.o. and now he is almost 15 … how can that be? So it’s my delight once again to share this awesome blog. We can all learn from the young ones in the faith, can’t we? By the way, be sure to see Kaden’s “today photo” at the end…yikes!

I have no greater joy than to hear that my children [and grandchildren] are walking in the truth.
3 John 1:4 ESV

It is pure JOY for me to introduce my youngest "Guest Branch" to A Branch in the Vine. My 8-1/2 year old grandson Kaden is today's blogger.

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Reflections on the MAGI: the Blindness of Biblical Literacy Alone

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Reflections on the MAGI: the Blindness of Biblical Literacy Alone

. . . The Gentile seekers were led to Jerusalem by a celestial phenomenon, the star. They were not experts in the Scriptures, but they were driven to learn more about what God was doing in their day. And they undertook an arduous journey that probably took months to find the answer to their question.
Israel’s wise men knew the Scripture, yet they were not motivated to find out for themselves what God had done. They weren’t motivated enough to travel five miles to Bethlehem to see for themselves.
I love the Scripture, I’ve known the Scripture since I was a small boy. But I understand that Bible knowledge alone cannot generate spiritual vitality. . .

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A Socially Distanced Christmas

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A Socially Distanced Christmas

…Well, rather than nixing our family Christmas Eve tradition of “Poppi’s Christmas devotions,” my darling husband John, inspired by the Holy Spirit, used what has been happening in our COVID world to share with the grands and their parents (in our hybrid celebration) the glory of the Incarnation.

So here is my favorite “Guest Branch” John, revisiting his message to our family this past Christmas Eve . . .

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Reflections on Emmanuel, God WITH Us

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Reflections on Emmanuel, God WITH Us

Emmanuel…a Christmas Reading
by Kathy Compton

Christmas means different things to different people. For some, it is a difficult holiday because of memories that are cherished…but they are just memories now.

There is an emptiness about Christmas. 

For some, it is the delight of family and friends, of decorations and cards, of cookies and carols. There is a fullness about Christmas.

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The Devil Hates Marriage, Every Day of Every Year

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The Devil Hates Marriage, Every Day of Every Year

John and I have been married 49 years today, and I have just now come to the realization . . . no, the revelation by the Holy Spirit . . .

The DEVIL hates marriage . . . our marriage!

And why is that?

Because marriage is a picture of the oneness we experience with Christ the true Lover of our souls. And the evil one loves to mar God’s pictures.

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