What if surrender isn’t the end of your story, but the beginning of something beautiful? What if the places you feel emptied are the places where God is preparing to grow the richest fruit?
The Art of Vinemaking
In her book, The Art of Vinemaking, author and artist Bette Dickinson offers a fresh perspective on surrender, abiding, and spiritual faithfulness through the imagery of the vineyard and the teaching of Jesus in John 15. Bette challenges the assumption that fruitfulness is primarily about productivity. Instead, she offers what she calls the vine-over fruit mindset–a perspective that reminds us that lasting fruit grows from our connection to the Vine, not from our efforts to produce more. In this conversation about surrender and the art of vinemaking, we explore:- Why our culture’s emphasis on productivity can distort our understanding of fruitfulness
- The difference between striving to produce fruit and abiding in the Vine
- The connection between surrender and a rhythm of rest
- Why lament can be an act of surrender
- What may need to be uprooted so something new can grow
- How God nourishes us in the places where we feel empty or depleted
The Art of Vinemaking is for Everyone
Whether you love wine or couldn’t care less about wine pairings, the vineyard imagery in this conversation offers the reminder that the goal isn’t to strain harder to produce more fruit; it’s to be connected to the Vine. Fruitfulness begins with abiding, as Jesus says in John 15. Surrender isn’t an invitation to not do more, but rather to give over more. Not to strive harder, but to remain. Not to manufacture fruit, but to allow God to produce what only He can grow. **This episode is the final conversation in our Summer Book Club: The Grace of Surrender. I hope this conversation brings the themes of surrender, abiding, and grace together in a way that leaves you wondering—not, What fruit am I producing? but rather, Am I abiding in the Vine?💬 The Art of Vinemaking Quotes from Bette Dickinson:
“Our souls were never meant to bear the weight of endless harvest.” “The vinedresser’s primary concern isn’t fruit – it’s flourishing.” “When we abide in the vine, we don’t lose ourselves; we become more fully who we were created to be. Our uniqieness isn’t erased; it’s brought to life.”