The Abide Factor
“Abide in Me, and I in you. As the branch cannot bear fruit of itself, unless it abides in the vine, neither can you, unless you abide in Me.” – John 15:4
For the last several months, I’ve been working on a project with two of my closest friends. Now that it’s finished, I’m ecstatic to tell you about our creation.
Before I share more, let me ask you a question. How are things going for you right now? In many cases, it depends on your current season of life. We’ve all experienced prolonged periods of struggle or hardship, and some of us may feel we have more bad days than good ones. We live in an unpredictable, volatile world that often demands more energy and grit than we feel like we have to offer.
Today, I’m here to tell you that life doesn’t have to be this way. No matter where you are or what you’ve experienced, hope remains. God has created you for something greater, and each person has the opportunity to discover the secret to true fulfillment and contentment.
Few (if any) men have had as significant an impact on me as my friend and former pastor, Shawn Lyons. I admire how Pastor Shawn has overcome challenges throughout his life as he’s pursued God’s calling. Shawn struggled with various physical challenges (in addition to a learning disability) throughout his childhood. However, everything changed when Pastor Shawn heard the truth about Jesus at age 12 and felt a calling to preach God’s word. Pastor Shawn has spent the last 37 years ministering in different churches and sharing boldly about Jesus’s impact on his life.
I remember the first time I heard Pastor Shawn speak about the “Abide Factor,” based on Jesus’ words to his disciples in John 15. This powerful concept immediately struck me. The word “abide” means to dwell, be present, or remain. To abide in Christ requires letting go of the past and focusing on our future growth and transformation in Christ. While it’s not always easy to live this way, it’s what Jesus calls us to pursue, and it has the power to transform your mind and spirit completely.
If you want to learn more about what it truly means to abide, I encourage you to pick up Pastor Shawn’s new book, “The Abide Factor,” on Amazon. The Abide Factor is a biblically-based and practical book that details the importance of abiding in Christ and describes the step-by-step process of applying this teaching to your everyday life.
I was blessed to have the opportunity to work alongside Pastor Shawn as he brought this book to life, and I believe this book will help you see how you can live a more fulfilling and God-honoring life by recognizing what it means to truly abide in Christ.
Forgetting those things which are behind and reaching forward to those things which are ahead, I press toward the goal for the prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus. – Philippians 3:13-14