Our name, Abide Well, is established in two worlds.

In scripture, Jesus speaks of the vine and the branches—of abiding in Him to bear good fruit. In Swazi culture, everyday partings carry the words “stay well” and “go well.” Together, they form a phrase that holds both spiritual and cultural meaning. To abide well is to remain rooted in Him through all of life’s coming and goings.

This language originates in John 15, where Jesus is speaking to His disciples just before His death and resurrection:

John 15:1-11:
"I am the true 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. You are already clean because of the word I have spoken to you. Remain in me, as I also 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 you remain in me and I in you, you will bear much fruit; apart from me you can do nothing. If you do not remain in me, you are like a branch that is thrown away and withers; such branches are picked up, thrown into the fire, and burned. If you remain in me and my words remain in you, ask whatever you wish, and it will be done for you. This is to my Father’s glory, that you bear much fruit, showing yourselves 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. I have told you this so that my joy may be in you and that your joy may be complete."

This is a theme throughout scripture. Paul traveled around the world on several missionary journeys, oftentimes imprisoned and facing martyrdom, and wrote:

Colossians 1:22-23:
"But now (God) has reconciled you by Christ’s physical body through death to present you holy in his sight, without blemish and free from accusation—if indeed you continue in the faith, stable and steadfast, not shifting from the hope of the gospel that you heard..."

Paul wrote letters while facing persecution. I love his definition of an abiding faith: Stable & steadfast. To remain—immovable but not in hiding—showing up in the storm, without shifting positions or changing course because of the harsh weather we face.

Why did Jesus give us this metaphor? That our “joy may be complete” as the conclusion of John 15:11 states.

Exploring what it means to share in the joy that Christ promises is where we will head in our next email, but in the meantime, I promised shorter emails. So until next week:

Stay well & Go well.

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