The Abundant Life

Abide in me, and I in you. As the branch cannot bear fruit of itself, except it abide in the vine; no more can ye, except ye abide in me.

When I was in college I found myself searching for the truth. I struggled to know if I was making the right choice by choosing to continue in the faith I had been raised as a member of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints. I sent my dad and email telling him my dilemma. He sent me back a message filled with love and his own personal experience coming to know and follow our Savior. I was surprised that he wrote only about Christ and how his decision to follow Him has made all the difference in his life. He quoted John 15: "without me, ye can do nothing."

I eagerly opened up my scriptures and read the chapter. It was a turning point for me-- I realized that in order to produce anything of value, any "good fruit" I would need to follow Jesus Christ. He promises to purge us- or to test, try and prove. But by doing that, we can produce more than we could if left on our own. With Him and through Him, our life can be a masterpiece. He can take our raw materials and make them into something beautiful and full of light.

This has made all the difference in my life.

"To embrace [the gospel of Jesus Christ] fully is to be filled with wonder and to walk with an inner fire. Our Savior proclaimed, “I am come that they might have life, and that they might have it more abundantly.” The abundant life is a spiritual life. It is not a religion of mourning and gloom. The faith of our fathers is one of hope and joy. It is not a gospel of chains but a gospel of wings. . . the abundant life is a spiritual life." (Joseph B. Wirthlin-- taken from one of my favorite talks "The Abundant Life")