This series of devotionals spanned over a three-year period of my life. I wrote out truths that God shared with me throughout every season of this process. I love how he brought this all together, and I pray that you will receive encouragement from what he has allowed me to experience. Praise His Name!   I am in an in-between place in my life right now. I'm not here or there. I'm at the halfway mark. At least, I hope I am. I'm unsure yet because I can't see the end or the finish. I know I'm working toward something. I just can't see what the something  is. This place can sometimes be referred to as the waiting period, the meanwhile time, or the in-between. Whatever you'd like to call it, I'm there.   Even though I'm here, there is still plenty to do, a ton to learn, and work to be done. Unfortunately, it's the kind of work that is underground. Right now, there is no tangible evidence of the work to see, and it feels like I'm killing myself for nothing. Can I get a witness?   This is what discourages me. This is what makes it hard. This is why we sometimes quit. The in-between is not fun. Sometimes, while we are here, we tend to forget that this is the place where the Lord is doing the majority of His work.   I was reading John 15 this week—the famous lesson about the vine and branches. I've heard it a million times, and you probably have heard it, too, but it meant something new to me. A fresh word that I needed to hear in this in-between season. Jesus says,   "I am the vine, and my Father is the gardener. He cuts off every branch in me that bears no fruit, while every branch that does bear fruit he prunes so that it will be even more fruitful." John 15:1-2   If you were to look up the pruning process of grapevines (which I did because I'm a nerd, and that's how I love to study the Bible), you would learn a lot of amazing facts. The most interesting to me is that it takes three years for a new vine to have the potential to produce grapes. Three years! And that is just for the potential  for production. With this series of devotionals over the in-between, we will examine some words of wisdom from the friendly grape grower at the website grapegrowingguide.com to help explain this fascinating process and hopefully offer some encouragement for those of us who may be in the midst of the in-between.   Here is the author's intro: "Don't let this scare you. Most new grape growers fail because they do not prune enough. It's really simple, pruning and training are performed in order to optimize the production potential of the grape vine."   I've got to tell you, I get this author. I burst out laughing at the opening sentence. I love that it starts with not being scared! To some degree, we are all scared of the process of spiritual pruning. The Bible refers to this as suffering. We understand that cutting away any part of us hurts. But look at the last sentence, which states it is to optimize production . To bear fruit, things will be cut off. Listen to the author of Romans:   "Not only so, but we also rejoice in our suffering, because we know that suffering produces perseverance." Romans 5:3   Take this truth to heart and let it encourage you. Only vines that have been pruned can persevere to produce fruit.   Only vines that have been pruned can persevere to produce fruit.   This is true. It is not popular or fun, but if you want to produce fruit, you must be pruned. You have to cut away the unnecessary so that what remains is optimized for production. I can't forget that the reasoning behind this is so that I will be even more fruitful .   There is more to discuss because of the three years' worth of pruning! But we'll get to that next time. Just for today, and just what I needed, and maybe you did, too, is that this work that sometimes seems so very hard and not worth the effort will be someday. God is laying a foundation for optimal fruit-bearing, and in the process, He is stripping away things that hinder us.   Here is what I'm going to do in light of this truth: Embrace the in-between. You heard me! I'm going to wake up every day and recognize that this place is God's will for me right now. I've got Peter to back me up.   "In all this you greatly rejoice, though now for a little while you may have had to suffer grief in all kinds of trials. These have come so that the proven genuineness of your faith—of greater worth than gold, which perishes even though refined by fire—may result in praise, glory and honor when Jesus Christ is revealed." 1 Peter 1:6-7   Take comfort in these words. The in-between is doing something greater than we could ever imagine!   All grape growing quotes from http://www.grapegrowingguide.com/grape-pruning.html All scripture from NIV, ESV, and NLT translations.

This series of devotionals spanned over a three-year period of my life. I wrote out truths that God shared with me throughout every season of this process. I love how he brought this all together, and I pray that you will receive encouragement from what he has allowed me to experience. Praise His Name!   Sometimes, there is nothing quite as mind and body-numbing as finishing. Especially if the finish was monumental and consumed your waking, talking, and breathing. In the aftermath, you discover that you do not know what to do with yourself. You are positive it should be something - you're just not sure what that something is. I mean, where did all this empty life space come from?? This is where you can find yourself when the in-between is over. I'm here right now, and I've just got to say that it is pretty overwhelming.   That pesky in-between seemed like it would never end, but then it did, and I was left reeling, trying to convince myself that it actually happened. It felt like I had to be dreaming. But praise the Lord, I have the pictures to prove it! And the brick.   People will offer congratulations, and I've heard, "You did it!" Whenever that happens, I stop and say, "No, God did." I just hung on for dear life.   You may not know this about me, but I have a secret perfection problem. I am so afraid to mess up. It can sometimes be debilitating, but praise the Lord; he's slowly stripping me of my fear. I've had a myriad of mess-ups that, no doubt, will be followed by a myriad of more, and I'm discovering that that's  okay.   My motto for this in-between season was perseverance, not perfection, and my sweet friend, that's what I want to leave with you. I can't help but think back to the first lesson of the in-between season when we learned from our friendly grape grower that it could take up to three years of constant diligence before the evidence of hard work would appear. Three years sounds like an unbearably long time to wait for grapes. It is. It is also worth  it.   Let's look at our verses in John 15 again to understand why persevering is important. See this with me.  "Remain 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. 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." John 15: 4-5  How many times does He need to tell us to 'remain' so that we grasp its importance? It's almost as if he knows how weak and unsure we can be like he knows our tendencies to run when we should stay. Our Gardener understands that without the remaining, there will be no fruit. He is very clear when he states that the best we can produce is nothing without him.   This period, this time, this season you are finding yourself in, I promise it will be over one day, and you will stand in shock, wondering how it all happened. So, I want to give you permission to breathe. Permission to set aside your demands and understand it's not how fast or slow you get there. It is that you remain. That is the accomplishment. Remaining is the real goal because, for some, the going gets too hard, and the in-between seems foolish and pointless. They wonder why they are putting themselves through this and what the point is, and they quit. And all that remains is nothing.   Let me encourage you: if God has placed you in the in-between, he will see you through it! He never takes you someplace to leave you. He has something for you on the other side, and friend, you hold on because this is not about you doing or handling everything with perfection. This is not about earning yourself bragging rights and showing off your fruit. Aren't you exhausted by all that anyway? This is about you persevering till the end with a God who remains with you all the way. This is about Him, for His glory and purpose, and will always come from remaining.   You persevere in the in-between. You remain in Him because God does not place someone where they do not belong.   Incidentally, my personal in-between lasted three years. Let me tell you, I did not know the length of the journey when I wrote that first devotional, but God did. Isn't that just like Him? "For in him you have been enriched in every way - in all your speaking and in all your knowledge - Therefore you do not lack any spiritual gift as you eagerly wait for our Lord Jesus Christ to be revealed. He will keep you strong to the end, so that you will be blameless on the day of our Lord Jesus Christ. God, who called you into fellowship with his Son Jesus Christ our Lord, is faithful." 1 Corinthians 1:5-9 "Let us not become weary in doing good, for at the proper time we will reap a harvest if we do not give up." Galatians 6:9

This series of devotionals spanned over a three-year period of my life. I wrote out truths that God shared with me throughout every season of this process. I love how he brought this all together, and I pray that you will receive encouragement from what he has allowed me to experience. Praise His Name!   We do not realize how much we learn when living in the in-between. It's probably because we are so focused on getting through it . But God is molding, shaping, and training us in a way that only he can. It is called preparation.   This method that God uses should not surprise us in any way, but for some reason, this reality becomes muddled when it concerns us. We focus on the end game instead of foresight and forget that God is doing deep work in these moments.   Our friendly grape-growing guide has some words to say about preparation as well. Let us see what thoughts there are for us concerning this part of the in-between. "First you must understand that soil requirements vary from region to region. A professional can evaluate and make certain recommendations based upon your soil condition. What does this mean to you, well don't make the mistake of adding amendments to your soil without knowing what is in your soil. Have the appropriate local government analyze a soil sample for you. It's silly to even try and guess. Adding nutrients is easy if necessary. Removing unwanted excess nutrients is nearly impossible."   My goodness. You have to love when someone gets to the heart of the matter. We need professional help preparing our soil for the harvest. It would be silly to guess what preparation is needed on our own. In fact, if we run ahead without consulting the experts, we could cause damage that would be " nearly impossible " to correct.   Oh, my. Is that preaching to anybody else? Let's look at a familiar Bible story with a fresh perspective today and see God's training manual for preparing those he has chosen as they lived in the in-between.   I teach the 7th grade class at my church every Sunday. It has been one of the best things to ever happen to me. I love getting to know the kids and developing relationships with them, and I've been blessed to have my three boys, nephews, and niece all come through my class. I look at these growing children every Sunday and marvel at all the potential possibilities! When I recall my time in 7th grade, I can't help but cringe. Seriously, who would willingly relive that experience? Not me. But I also know that God is doing a work of preparation for these children, even now, especially now. We looked at David in our class time together last week, and the lessons we applied speak true for anyone living in the in-between.   1 Samuel 16 details the story of David's anointing as King over Israel. The previous chapters tell us that God rejected Saul because of his continued disobedience. We have a rejected king and a newly anointed king. It makes perfect sense to me! Let's get David on that throne! But if we are not careful, we will miss the fact that the transfer of power does not immediately occur. It will be years before David assumes the throne over Judah, and even more time will pass before he becomes ruler over all of Israel. So, why the early anointing? Why does David not immediately take over? God has moved, chosen, and made his plans known. God is ready, but David is not . Oh, me. It is preparation time.   1 Samuel 16:13 tells us something very important. It explains that after Samuel anointed David, "the Spirit of the LORD came upon David in power." You need to understand that in the Old Testament, the Spirit came and went as directed by God. It is not until Jesus' ascension that the Holy Spirit is present for all believers. So, before David could accomplish what the LORD had chosen and called him to, he first had to have the power of God over his life. It is no different for us as well.   David's life is then marked by years of preparation. It just appears to be very un- kingly. He fights and kills a giant. He is pressed into service for the guy he has been anointed to replace. That guy is constantly trying to kill him. He is on the run and spends most of his time hiding in caves. He spends years watching out for and protecting his people and kingdom from enemy attacks while not being recognized or benefiting from his position as king. Sound amazing? No, not to me, either.   But God is preparing David. God has ordered his steps. God knows what he is doing between the anointing and the crowning. God is at work in the in-between.   The fight with the giant earned David respect from the fighting men of Israel, who would eventually follow his leadership. The time spent in service under Saul gave David a unique opportunity to view the interworkings of palace life. Not something he could have learned while tending his sheep. Being constantly afraid for his life and on the run pressed David deep into the protection of his deliverer, God. We have some of the greatest Psalms as our benefit from this difficult time. And doing the right thing with no thought for personal recognition or reward is the kind of person you want leading you. You understand they recognize a higher purpose and a higher authority. They are not living for man's praise but for God's approval.   This was David's preparation, and it took years.   Most scholars think that David was a teenager when he was first anointed by Samuel, maybe fifteen or seventeen years old. We know from 2 Samuel that David was recognized as Judah's King when he was thirty but did not become king over the entire nation until he was around thirty-seven. That is a long time to live in the in-between.   It is not hard to look back and see God's hand over my life, to understand the places, the people, and the circumstances he orchestrated to prepare me for what's to come. It is difficult to remember that preparation is a part of his plan when you are actively living it. That preparation is usually painful, tedious, and can seem never-ending, but it is necessary. Why? Because without it, we are not ready.  We would be foolish, silly , to think otherwise.   I'm sure David was glad to see the end of his cave-dwelling days every time he laid his head on his king-sized bed. But I'm equally positive that when he read through his Psalms, he remembered where he had been when the words of praise, acknowledgment, and even anguish poured from his soul. He knew those times brought him to his future fully prepared to accomplish the purpose of the anointing. The same holds true for us.   I don't know what God has called you to or called you to be, but I know that the calling usually comes before  the preparation. That is just the way God operates. So, be encouraged while living in the preparation part of the in-between. God is the professional, the expert, equipping your life to be fully prepared for the anointing. He will be faithful to the completion. "Therefore you do not lack any spiritual gift as you eagerly wait for our Lord Jesus Christ to be revealed. He will also keep you firm to the end, so that you will be blameless on the day of our Lord Jesus Christ. God is faithful, who has called you into fellowship with his Son, Jesus Christ our Lord." 1 Corinthians 1:7-9 All grape growing quotes from http://www.grapegrowingguide.com/grape-pruning.html All scripture from NIV, ESV, and NLT translations.

This series of devotionals spanned over a three-year period of my life. I wrote out truths that God shared with me throughout every season of this process. I love how he brought this all together, and I pray that you will receive encouragement from what he has allowed me to experience. Praise His Name!   I had to say the word "no" the other day, and it was so very hard . I know my voice shook the entire time, and I'd like to say it was from conviction, but honestly, it was out of fear. I was afraid of upsetting the person I said no to and never being asked to do anything again because I'm now one of those people who says "no."   When you're living in the in-between, you feel a burden of non-productivity—an emptiness you can't help but feel needs to be filled. To be useful, feel useful, or appear like you are altogether fine, you say "yes" to whatever comes your way. This is one of the biggest enemies of living in the in-between.   The in-between is about waiting patiently while the Lord does His hidden work - not to run ahead of His plans. You can read the first encouragement from my last blog post, but let's talk about the next step in the in-between. Let us revisit our passage on the vine and branches.   John 15:1-2 "I am the vine, and my Father is the gardener. He cuts off every branch in me that bears no fruit, while every branch that does bear fruit he prunes so that it will be even more fruitful."   I mentioned last time that pruning is painful but necessary for optimal fruit bearing. If we want to be fruitful, we must have things cut away. I also mentioned that it takes up to three years of pruning to have the potential for production! Pruning is a practice of patience. Oh, me. So is spiritual growth. This is what we are called to do while living in the in-between. God is at work in the deep places of our lives, which may never see light but are necessary to produce fruit.   Let's examine that thought while we read further advice from our author of grapegrowingguide.com  about pruning: "In your first growing season multiple shoots will begin to grow and the vine may become bushy. Common vineyard practice is to allow at least two to four shoots to emerge. After the leaves have fallen the shoots are then referred to as canes. One or two of these canes will be chosen to establish the vine's base trunk."   I love this! Do you see the simplicity? Only a few are chosen, and those are selected to establish the base from which all other production will stem. OH MY! I hope you get this!   Has your life taken on a life of its own and, in the process, become "bushy." Any gardener who knows his stuff knows that too many shoots will only sap the vine of its usefulness. I would ask for a raise of hands for those feeling "sapped," but I believe we are all in solidarity here.   Let me return to when I said "no." I did not want to. In truth, I said "yes" at first. I did not even hesitate to say "yes." It was such a natural response. It was not until I prayed and sought God that I realized I needed to return and say, "No, I'm sorry. I cannot do that." What I had been asked to do was not hard or wrong. I just wasn't the one that was supposed to do it.  God had something else for me.   What do you need to say "no" to so you can say "yes" to God? It is simple, but simple doesn't always equate to easy. It is, however, a necessary discipline while in the in-between.   This world expects quick fixes and fast results. It is incredibly tempting to say "yes" to everything that crosses our path to prove our validity. The problem with this method is it is derived from our own strength instead of God's. If we are not careful to follow the leadership of God, our quality and quantity will be less desirable. Our Gardener knows what He is doing. I don't believe grapevines are capable of pruning themselves because they don't possess a full-picture mentality. Only the Gardener does.   We cannot forget that God defines success completely differently than the world and is doing work that will not make sense to man's mind. God knows what He is about in the life of His child. He knows when to say "no" or "yes." He desires something more for your life. Listen to what Jesus says in John 15:8   "This is to my Father's glory that you bear much fruit, showing yourselves to be my disciples."   We cannot take our eyes off the finish line with this because, as disciples of Jesus, bringing God glory is always our objective. The in-between may seem like a strange way to do that, but I'm taking this encouragement to heart!   It is funny. No, not really. It is exactly how God operates. Hours after I said "no," I got a message asking me to do something I knew I didn't need to pray about. Why? Because it was what God had already called me to do. It was what He had already determined was one of my yes's. I love that about Him. "And I am sure of this, that he who began a good work in you will bring it to completion at the day of Jesus Christ." Philippians 1:6 All grape growing quotes from http://www.grapegrowingguide.com/grape-pruning.html All scripture from NIV, ESV, and NLT translations.