If you joined us in person for worship of our Lord last weekend or watched online, you may recall that I mentioned during the message that John's Gospel account includes seven "I AM" statements of Jesus. Last week, we heard Jesus say, "I AM the Good Shepherd." This weekend's Gospel includes Jesus' words, "I AM the true vine." Jesus goes on to say we are the branches attached to the vine – fruit-bearing branches that the Father prunes so they can become even more fruitful. 

As you have heard me talk about, we recently brought Leilani, a rescue dog, into our home. She suffers from severe separation anxiety. So far, she has broken out of one crate, destroyed a few dog beds and door mats, tore into a recliner, had "accidents" in our basement, etc. There is a positive and a negative to all of this.

As we follow Jesus, the Holy Spirit brings us to those times of refreshing when we are brought to a fuller understanding of God's amazing love and mercy, as well as His powerful intervention in the midst of life's challenges.