One day at work, a coworker asked me if I had ever been “discipled.” Having grown up in a Christian household, and working at a Christian university, I was quite familiar with the term. After placing my faith in Jesus when I was 21 years old, I was on the “accelerated course” with my beliefs as I already had all the information, it just hadn’t been something that I had placed faith in. I got a jump-start on my Journey.

But even after 10 years, when I was asked if I had ever been discipled, I realized that I hadn’t been. I’d learned plenty from pastors sitting in church services, and had a lot of older leaders further along in their faith try to impart wisdom to me, but I had never truly been discipled. I told my coworker I hadn’t, and when he offered to walk with me on what he called the “Journey”, I said yes. Little did I know how the Holy Spirit had caused our paths to cross, nor the friendship/brotherhood that I was entering into when I agreed.

Over the next months we met once a week to talk about scripture and what God was showing us. We had intense discussions about the Holy Spirit and how He was moving in our lives. From the very first time we met, the Holy Spirit was guiding my Journey closer to Him. Studying His Word and praying that He would literally change our lives was so good. I have never experienced a more intimate time in my life with Jesus than when I was going through the Journey that I was invited into.

Even after we stopped meeting weekly due to my changing jobs and life becoming busier, I still look back on that time fondly. I know that my journey is continuing and will until the day I see Jesus with my own eyes. I have continued to have highs and lows as we go through the mountain tops and valleys that life takes us through, but the foundation I have in scripture is a result of the Holy Spirit bringing my coworker and the Journey into my life which gave me a firm foundation to stand upon.

John 15:5 states “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.” Reading scripture every day brings you into the presence of God. Prayer allows you to respond to the presence of God. ABIDING and REMAINING in that presence and state of mind allows you to live the abundant life that Jesus promises in John 10:10. If you choose to go on the Journey as well, you won’t be disappointed in the way the Holy Spirit changes your life.