Crafting Your Spiritual Journey

Welcome to Your Spiritual Action Plan. This is where you can discover how to deepen your connection with God spiritually, physically, and mentally. We are dedicated to providing the guidance and inspiration you need to grow.

Getting Started

To get started, consider the scripture below. The italicized text is from the Christian Standard Bible as related by Jesus in John, Chapter 15, Verses 5 and 7 - 9. Read it, consider it, and at least try and finish this opening section of the guide if you are so curious and led in your mind and heart/soul (the deeper part of you, your “gut” if you will).

I am the vine; you are the branches. The one who remains in me and I in him produces much fruit, because you can do nothing without me. If you remain in me and my words remain in you, ask whatever you want and it will be done for you. My Father is glorified by this; that you produce much fruit and prove to be my disciples. As the Father has loved me, so have I loved you. Now remain in my love. If you keep my commands, you will remain in my love, just as I have kept my Father’s commands and remain in his love.

As stated above and will be stated a few more times, this booklet, or spiritual action plan (SAP), is intended to be a starting point for your growth.

Contemplating the Passage

If you are a Christian, these verses and the related concepts are likely somewhat vaguely familiar though you may feel stuck from time to time in your spiritual growth (this is okay!).  If you are not a Christian, things might feel a little askew to you (this is okay!).  In either case, at least consider the questions below.  If you are satisfied with your answers to them, then maybe you can move onto something else.  If you are not satisfied with your answers, I encourage you to press on for another few pages at least.

 

  • If you are a Christian, are you living a life worthy of the gift God has provided of being a vine on God’s branch? Are you receiving the fullness of his living sap flowing through you in ways that bring you joy, bring Him pleasure, and help to others?  In what ways, yes…and in what ways, if you are honest and open minded, no?  
  • If you are not a Christian, have you ever tried to live life as if there is a God who is a Personal Being that cares for and is in charge of everything (including you)? In what ways have you lived this life beyond moral philosophical ideals that make you “generally a good person”?  Are you putting your faith and current/future destiny in this possibly unstated or unexplored thought without trying another approach?
  • For everyone, imagine for a moment your own death, that transition from this existence to the next. What do you want a Personal God to say to you about how you lived your life?  What do you want your friends and family to say about you at your funeral?  What legacy do you want to leave behind in your own words?  Ponder if the spiritual, mental, and physical activities you do each day support these desired words and ultimately life outcomes.

A Little More from the Book

In addition to the questions I want to spend a little more space commenting on this passage (do your own meditation on it as well as leverage other commentaries…there are many online), and a few items of note. 

 

First, you can hopefully see where the concept of the Spiritual Action Plan (SAP) stems from (get it, stems???  Ah, but I digress 😊); namely, this is you doing your part of surrendering and accepting the flow of life transforming sap that Jesus provides you so that you may be a healthy branch in his vine bearing the fruit He wants you to in this world. 

 

Second, Jesus mentions or alludes to a few roles and their responsibilities/actions: God, Jesus, the Holy Spirit, and you.  God is mentioned as the gardener who will do the maintenance on the branches of the vine.  Jesus is specifically noted as being the vine himself.  The Spirit is the means by which the branches (you, me) are given what you need to stay in Jesus and Him in you so that you can produce fruit.  This view of the Trinitarian reality is enough theology talk for now, but it could be important for your contemplation depending on your presuppositions.   

 

Third, Jesus intimates that God as the gardener will do pruning so that each branch can produce the right amount of fruit.  This is not a fire and brimstone scare message, in fact, if you open your Bible you will see I excerpted some of this passage to make it seem even less so.  Nevertheless, pruning is just part of the way for those who believe and those who choose not to believe.  It is a matter of fact to Jesus as He points out from and through the Scriptures.  It does not exclude a re-grafting into the vine if a branch withers or falls!  It does indicate, however, the seriousness with which Jesus wants you to hear and act upon this message.

 

In summary, be excited that God in his Trinitarian wisdom is concerned for your wellbeing and your living out of his will.  He wants this relationship to be “pura vida” (pure life) full of vitality for you, Him, and others.  Remain in Him and do so by acting as He wants.  Let’s keep learning one way to carry this calling out (crafting an SAP and working it daily) and do our parts through his strength and power…his ever-flowing sap!