Brave Hearted Ministry Summer Retreat: Session Three: Remain by Rev. Maria Guzman

 

Session Three — Remain

Abiding in Christ

“Yes, I am the vine; you are the branches. Those who remain in me, and I in them, will produce much fruit. For apart from me you can do nothing.” — John 15:5 (NLT)

Hello Brave Hearted Steppers,

I pray the Lord met you in a special way during Session Two as you practiced being still and listening for His voice.

Retreat Moment

Before you begin this session, pause for a moment.

Take a slow, deep breath.

Become aware of God’s presence.

There is nothing you need to prove.

Nothing you need to earn.

Simply come to Jesus as you are.

Ask the Holy Spirit to help you remain fully present with Him during this time.

Remember, Jesus is not asking you to strive harder—He is inviting you to stay close to Him.

Welcome & Reflection

After we arrive in God’s presence and learn to be still before Him, Jesus extends another beautiful invitation:

Remain.

Many of us have learned how to begin well.

We experience moments of spiritual excitement after a retreat, a conference, or a meaningful time with God. We leave encouraged and full of hope.

But the real challenge often comes after those moments.

How do we continue walking closely with Jesus in the middle of ordinary life?

How do we remain connected when life becomes busy again?

When prayers seem unanswered?

When our faith feels stretched?

Jesus answers those questions in John 15.

Using the picture of a vineyard, He reminds His disciples that He is the True Vine, and we are the branches.

Branches do not struggle to produce fruit.

They simply stay connected to the vine.

Their life, nourishment, strength, and growth all come from remaining attached to the source.

The same is true for us.

God never intended for us to live the Christian life through our own strength.

The fruit of love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control is not produced by striving harder—it is produced by staying closer to Jesus.

Remaining is not a one-time decision.

It is a daily choice.

It is choosing to return to Him every morning, depend on Him throughout the day, and trust Him even when we cannot see what He is doing.

The invitation today is beautifully simple:

Stay close.

Stay connected.

Remain.

Key Scriptures

“Remain in me, and I will remain in you. For a branch cannot produce fruit if it is severed from the vine, and you cannot be fruitful unless you remain in me… Yes, I am the vine; you are the branches.” John 15:4–5 (NLT)

“Remain”

The Greek word menō means to abide, continue, dwell, stay, or make your home with someone.

Remaining is not merely visiting God’s presence occasionally.

It is making Jesus the continual dwelling place of your heart.

“I have loved you even as the Father has loved me. Remain in my love.” John 15:9 (NLT)

“Love”

Jesus invites us to live from His love rather than striving to earn it.

Remaining begins by receiving His love every day.

“They delight in the law of the Lord, meditating on it day and night. They are like trees planted along the riverbank…” Psalm 1:2–3 (NLT)

“Planted”

A tree flourishes because its roots remain near a constant source of water.

Likewise, believers grow spiritually by remaining rooted in God’s Word and His presence.

“But the Holy Spirit produces this kind of fruit in our lives: love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control.” Galatians 5:22–23 (NLT)

“Produces”

Notice that Scripture says the Holy Spirit produces the fruit.

Our responsibility is to remain connected to Christ.

God is responsible for the growth.

Reflection Questions

Take a few quiet moments with the Lord and reflect:

• What helps me stay connected to Jesus each day?
• What distractions or habits pull me away from spending time with Him?
• Am I trying to produce spiritual fruit through my own effort?
• In what area of my life is Jesus inviting me to trust Him more deeply?
• What would it look like for me to remain in Christ throughout my ordinary day?

Journal Prompts

Write honestly before the Lord:

• “Lord, today I recognize that…”
• “The area where I most need to depend on You is…”
• “I often drift away from You when…”
• “You are inviting me to remain by…”
• “This week I desire to stay connected to You through…”

Pause, Pray, Take 30!

As we continue practicing Pause, Pray, Take 30!, remember that remaining with Christ happens through many small moments throughout the day.

You do not need to wait until tomorrow’s devotional time to reconnect with Him.

He is with you now.

“Never stop praying.” — 1 Thessalonians 5:17 (NLT)

Today’s Pause Prompt

Pause wherever you are.

Take one slow breath.

Whisper,

“Jesus, help me remain in You today.”

Spend thirty seconds simply becoming aware of His presence.

Allow your heart to rest in Him before continuing your day.

Practice

This week, practice intentionally remaining connected to Christ throughout your day.

Choose one or more:

• Begin each morning by reading John 15:1–17.
• Pause three times each day to acknowledge Jesus’ presence.
• Before making an important decision, pray, “Lord, guide me as I remain in You.”
• Memorize John 15:5 and repeat it throughout the day.
• End each evening by thanking Jesus for the ways He sustained you throughout the day.
• Remember, spiritual fruit grows naturally when we remain connected to the True Vine.

Prayer

Father God,

Thank You for inviting me into a relationship that is not built on striving but on remaining close to You. Too often I try to live by my own strength, forgetting that everything I need is found in Christ.

Teach me to abide in You each day. When distractions come, draw my attention back to You. When I become weary, remind me that You are my source of strength. When I become discouraged, help me remember that You are faithfully producing fruit in my life, even when I cannot yet see it.

Help me to remain rooted in Your Word, sensitive to Your Spirit, and confident in Your love.

May my life reflect the character of Jesus as I continue walking closely with Him.

Thank You for never letting go of me.

In the name of Jesus, Amen.

Brave Hearted Challenge

Before our next session, choose one daily habit that helps you stay connected to Jesus.

Keep it simple.

Be consistent.

Whether it is reading Scripture, praying during your lunch break, taking a walk with God, or practicing Pause, Pray, Take 30!, allow it to become a daily reminder to remain in Christ.

Write in your journal:

• When did I feel most connected to Jesus this week?
• What helped me remain close to Him?
• What distracted me?
• How did I see God producing fruit in my life?
• If you feel comfortable, share your experience in the blog comments to encourage someone else on their Brave Hearted journey.

Your faithfulness may strengthen another person’s faith.

Brave Hearted Blessing

May you remain deeply rooted in the unfailing love of Christ.

May His Word become your daily nourishment and His presence your constant peace.

May you discover that your strength comes not from striving, but from abiding in the One who never leaves you.

May the Holy Spirit produce beautiful fruit in your life that reflects the character of Jesus.

And may you continue walking Brave Heartedly, firmly connected to the True Vine who faithfully sustains you every step of the way.

Walk Brave Heartedly.

Rev. Maria Guzman

Founder of Brave Hearted Ministry

Sneak Peek

Session Four — Release: Surrendering Your Burdens

In our next session, we will learn what it truly means to place our worries, fears, disappointments, and unanswered questions into God’s hands, discovering the freedom that comes when we trust Him with what we were never meant to carry alone.