UL #362: Abide and Flourish: Breaking Free from the Productivity Trap (Gem with Bette Dickinson)
For many of us, faith has been shaped by pressure to perform and produce. But in John 15, Jesus gives us another way: abiding in the True Vine. In this episode, Gem Fadling sits down with artist and author Bette Dickinson to explore how God as the loving Vinedresser leads us not toward exhaustion, but toward flourishing.
If you’ve felt weighed down by striving or longed for a slower, more organic spirituality, this conversation will help you rediscover a rooted, fruitful faith.
In This Episode, You’ll Learn:
Why God’s primary concern isn’t productivity but flourishing
The difference between an industrial approach to faith and an organic one
How natural seasons reflect Jesus’ life, death, and resurrection
The meaning of abiding as our place of belonging and identity in Christ
How to trust fruit will emerge over time without forced busyness
Resources & References Mentioned:
The Art of Vinemaking: Flourishing in a Productivity-Driven Culture
Making Room in Advent by Bette Dickinson
John 15: The Vine and the Branches
About Today’s Guest – Bette Dickinson
Bette Dickinson is a prophetic artist, author, and contemplative guide. Through her writing, artwork, and teaching, she invites others to encounter God’s presence in embodied and imaginative ways. She is the author of The Art of Vinemaking and Making Room in Advent: 25 Devotions for a Season of Wonder.
