by Jennifer Greene-Sullivan
As I look toward 2026, one intention rises above all the others: to DIVE deeper into the Word and to ABIDE closer to Jesus than I ever have before. Not just to read Scripture, not just to study it, but to live inside of it—to let it breathe through me, shape me, and draw me nearer to the Redeemer Himself.
Last year, I began writing the Bible study Courting God while we gathered for study in our tiny house. Those evenings were simple—Bibles open, coffee warm, hearts expectant—but something holy was happening in that little space. I began to understand that truly courting God is not about a program or a checklist. It is about a steadfast, well-nourished relationship with Jesus—one built through time, attention, surrender, and love.
Jesus Himself invites us into that kind of nearness:
“Abide in me, and I in you. As the branch cannot bear fruit by itself, unless it abides in the vine, neither can you, unless you abide in me.” — John 15:4 (ESV)
This year, the Lord has also met me through the most unexpected place: sitting beside my son at AWANA. Our third unit has been what I lovingly call the “I AM” unit—walking through the seven metaphorical statements Jesus makes in John, along with the two powerful declaratory “I AM” proclamations. Week after week, I find myself wondering if the writers of this children’s curriculum know how deeply it has blessed this 48-year-old mama’s heart.
Studying those declarations with Liam has reminded me that the Gospel is never outgrown. The words of Jesus—I AM the Bread of Life, the Light of the World, the Door, the Good Shepherd, the Resurrection and the Life, the Way, the Truth, and the Life, the True Vine—are not only lessons for children. They are invitations for every age, every season, every weary soul.
“I am the vine; you are the branches. Whoever abides in me and I in him, he it is that bears much fruit, for apart from me you can do nothing.” — John 15:5 (ESV)
And oh, THE TRUE VINE—that image has captured me.
Jesus invites me to the table with the Vine Dresser. Without Him, I would have no access. Without Him, I would have no life, no fruit, no hope of becoming who I was created to be. What an awe-inspiring victory it is to walk through the book of John with my Savior—to feel His pruning, His molding, His gentle but persistent shaping of my heart.
“These things I have spoken to you, that my joy may be in you, and that your joy may be full.” — John 15:11 (ESV)
This little ChatGPT-rendered caricature of me—sitting with Bibles and notebooks and coffee—makes me smile, but it could never capture the debt I owe to Jesus.
It could never express the depth of gratitude I have for His love, His sacrifice, His patience in teaching me—and my Liam—how to abide.
So my question as we step into 2026 is simple:
Do you want to court God?
Not from a distance.
Not with leftovers of your time.
But with your whole heart.
Sit with Jesus in your parlor, in your bedroom, in your car, in your quiet morning chair.
Let Him into your thoughts, your strength, your fears, your plans.
Open the Word and stay there long enough for it to open you.
Let’s DIVE.
Let’s ABIDE.
Let’s live so close to the Vine that the fruit becomes inevitable.
With hope and holy expectation,
Jennifer
Closing Prayer
Jesus, True Vine and Gentle Shepherd,
I come to You at the beginning of this new year with open hands. Teach me how to abide—how to remain when life feels busy, how to listen when the world is loud, how to choose Your presence over every lesser thing. Prune what needs to be pruned. Nourish what has grown dry. Let Your Word take root in me so deeply that my life naturally bears fruit for Your Kingdom.
Thank You for inviting me to the table with the Vine Dresser, for giving me access through Your sacrifice, and for walking patiently with me as I learn to court You with my whole heart. Draw my family, my children, and every reader of these words closer to You. May 2026 be a year of diving deeper, abiding longer, and loving You more than ever before.
In the precious name of Jesus,
Amen.
Reader Challenge: 7 Days in the Gospel of John
If you truly want to court God in 2026, begin where Jesus reveals His heart most clearly—the Gospel of John. I invite you to join me in a simple, intentional challenge this week.
Day 1 – John 1
Meet the Word made flesh. Write one truth about who Jesus is.
Day 2 – John 6
Read about the Bread of Life. Ask: What am I feeding my soul?
Day 3 – John 8
Jesus says He is the Light of the World. Where do I need His light?
Day 4 – John 10
Listen to the voice of the Good Shepherd. What is He speaking to me?
Day 5 – John 11
Consider the Resurrection and the Life. Where do I need new life?
Day 6 – John 14
Jesus is the Way, the Truth, and the Life. Surrender one worry to Him.
Day 7 – John 15
Sit with the True Vine. Pray the word abide over your heart.
Each day, write one verse that stands out, one prayer, and one step of obedience. This is not about perfection—it is about presence.
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The Aging English Major 