What if we all decided that we wanted to figure out what was the real cause of the old pain in our lives? You know, that brokenness you’ve been carrying around for, what, a year? Five? Fifteen? Thirty-seven? What if you just woke up one day, and instead of saying “I’m so tired of this,” you said,

“I’m going to figure out why I’m still carrying it.”

I have a friend who made this claim about a year ago, now. She’s given me the privilege to walk a piece of life’s road with her, while she’s been on her quest, and let me just say that the terrain we’ve been covering has been really rough and rocky. There have been some places along the way that have been so thick with thorny vines and razor-sharp outcroppings that her progress has sometimes slowed to a crawl while she worked to clear the path for passage.

But you know what?

She’s never stopped.

She’s scraped, dug and cut through the old and overgrown vines, to find the original root, so that it could be removed and replaced by a different Vine altogether. Not a vine that grows thick and chokes the life out of what it covers, but One that provides nourishment, and produces fruit.

Yesterday, the original root was not just found, but exposed to the light. Love and Truth flooded in on it, as the seeds were planted for the new Vine, and I find myself standing to the side of her, as she stands at the beginning of the rest of her life, old vine curling and drying at her feet, and nothing blocking the smooth walking path that lays ahead. Sure, there are still hills and valleys around the bend, but she’s ready for them because she no longer carries that heavy burden. Her burden is light.

There is something so different about her. Certainly, she’s the same, beautiful girl she’s always been, but there is a bit of warrior coming through those eyes, one who’s battled her enemy with the strength of her Savior, and won. The Son shines on her face, as the mountain air blows back her hair.

She’s an overcomer.

A conquerer.

And brave. So brave.

“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.” John 15:5 NIV

“No, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him who loved us.” Romans 8:37 ESV

“Who is it that overcomes the world except the one who believes that Jesus is the Son of God?” 1 John 5:5 ESV

“Are you tired? Worn out? Burned out on religion? Come to me. Get away with me and you’ll recover your life. I’ll show you how to take a real rest. Walk with me and work with me—watch how I do it. Learn the unforced rhythms of grace. I won’t lay anything heavy or ill-fitting on you. Keep company with me and you’ll learn to live freely and lightly.” Matthew 11:29-30 MSG