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In My Father's Vineyard
Drawing on the imagery of a vineyard, the author relates the cultivation, care, and harvest of the grapes to the promotion of spiritual intimacy
- GenresChristian
112 pages, Hardcover
First published March 12, 1997
About the author
Wayne Jacobsen
35 books105 followersWayne Jacobsen was a pastor for 20 years and a Contributing Editor to Leadership Journal and has authored numerous books and articles on spiritual formation, relational community and engagement of culture. Wayne also cohosts a weekly podcast at TheGodJourney.com, out of which came his collaboration on the writing of The Shack and helped create Windblown Media, the publishing company behind the phenomenon.
As the director of Lifestream Ministries, Jacobsen travels globally teaching on themes of intimacy with God, the Love of God, and relational church life.
As President of BridgeBuilders, he is also a nationally-recognized specialist and mediator in resolving cultural and religious conflicts. Jacobsen has become known for his expertise in the pros and cons of organized religion.
As the director of Lifestream Ministries, Jacobsen travels globally teaching on themes of intimacy with God, the Love of God, and relational church life.
As President of BridgeBuilders, he is also a nationally-recognized specialist and mediator in resolving cultural and religious conflicts. Jacobsen has become known for his expertise in the pros and cons of organized religion.
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Displaying 1 - 7 of 7 reviews
October 18, 2016
The main focus of this beautifully made devotional book is John chapter 15, which starts, ‘I am the vine…’, using the analogy of a vineyard and vine-grower as one for Christian growth and increasing maturity. The author recounts his own childhood, where his earthly father was a vineyard owner.
The book is written as 29 short chapters, grouped into broad sections reflecting the four seasons, explaining how each period of the year has a specific purpose in the life of the vine. It could be read at one sitting, but I preferred to read just one chapter most mornings over the course of a few weeks.
Recommended to anyone who would like to know more about vine-growing, and to understand better how the analogy can be used in relation to the Christian life.
The book is written as 29 short chapters, grouped into broad sections reflecting the four seasons, explaining how each period of the year has a specific purpose in the life of the vine. It could be read at one sitting, but I preferred to read just one chapter most mornings over the course of a few weeks.
Recommended to anyone who would like to know more about vine-growing, and to understand better how the analogy can be used in relation to the Christian life.
April 1, 2025
Jacobsen Jacks #1
A well presented book, with good looking style, comes a lot undone with its well for want of a better word mushy message, which is less substantial and convicting and more lovey dovey and lacks that punch that we really need.
I guess it is for the people who need this type of thing, but I found it like a mist, something I can't grapple with and grasp.
A well presented book, with good looking style, comes a lot undone with its well for want of a better word mushy message, which is less substantial and convicting and more lovey dovey and lacks that punch that we really need.
I guess it is for the people who need this type of thing, but I found it like a mist, something I can't grapple with and grasp.
April 4, 2020
Great examples given of growing up in a Raisin Vineyard family. Those physical illustrations made the book worth the read!
April 4, 2013
This is an inspiring gift book that beautifully captured the Love of our Father.
Here is an excerpt:
Spring Time in the Vineyard
In springtime, the vineyard can almost take care of itself. That is, it grows without needing the farmer to take care of any of its immediate needs.
The rain waters it. The soil nourishes it.
The weeds are too small to provide any real challenge at this point.
So what does the farmer do in the springtime, other that training the young vines?
One day he might be on his tractor, plowing down new weed sprouts or spreading fertilizer beneath the vines. This time of year he’ll almost always have a shovel with him to scoop away small weeds from under a vine or to clip off a sucker.
The farmer you see is already looking forward to summer, when the weeds will be much larger and can choke out the vine.
The fertilizer will nourish the vine and strengthen it to endure the long haul of summer as the fruit ripens.
This is when the farmer sets a pattern of care that will sustain the vine through summer, when it will need to be strong and healthy the most.
So in our lives, in the season of great joy and promise God invites us to establish patterns of relationship with Him that will endure the severest of tests.
But too many of us can’t see the need. Everything is going well just the way it is. Why do we need to let God deal with our fleshly desires, since He seems to be blessing us in spite of them? Why do we need daily time in the Word since God seems to be speaking to us everywhere we turn?
It is precisely the time of great blessing when God is so readily present, that patterns of spiritual relationship can be built most effectively in our lives. When God is easy to find—in our Scripture reading, our prayers, our fellowship with the body of Christ—that is the time to set patterns that will strengthen us and prepare us for the days to come.
Through the Word emphasizes this pattern of preparation, many believers mistakenly think their spiritual life will flourish regardless. They assume grace will cover spiritual lethargy. But whenever we decide we need just enough of God to survive the day , we have a process that will break down. Our response to God today has implications down the road [Teaching our children today will have immense implications down the road.]
Nowhere is this more powerfully illustrated than in the vine. Grapes are a two year crop. The bunches forming now were developed a full year before, while another crop was coming to fruitfulness. Although they are microscopic in size, hidden in the buds of next year’s crop, the care the vine received then determines their quality now.
Complacency is the greatest danger we face when God blesses us in the Springtime. We don’t need to participate, we think; God will do it all. How wrong that is! Whenever complacency grips our hearts sure a future nourished by His presence. We need to do likewise.
Almost always, long days lie between promise and fulfillment. And those are the days when the process of transformation takes place. When God is moving powerfully in our lives—that is the time we need to develop patterns of relationship for our future.
Now while spring time is here.
For spring will not last forever.
Here is an excerpt:
Spring Time in the Vineyard
In springtime, the vineyard can almost take care of itself. That is, it grows without needing the farmer to take care of any of its immediate needs.
The rain waters it. The soil nourishes it.
The weeds are too small to provide any real challenge at this point.
So what does the farmer do in the springtime, other that training the young vines?
One day he might be on his tractor, plowing down new weed sprouts or spreading fertilizer beneath the vines. This time of year he’ll almost always have a shovel with him to scoop away small weeds from under a vine or to clip off a sucker.
The farmer you see is already looking forward to summer, when the weeds will be much larger and can choke out the vine.
The fertilizer will nourish the vine and strengthen it to endure the long haul of summer as the fruit ripens.
This is when the farmer sets a pattern of care that will sustain the vine through summer, when it will need to be strong and healthy the most.
So in our lives, in the season of great joy and promise God invites us to establish patterns of relationship with Him that will endure the severest of tests.
But too many of us can’t see the need. Everything is going well just the way it is. Why do we need to let God deal with our fleshly desires, since He seems to be blessing us in spite of them? Why do we need daily time in the Word since God seems to be speaking to us everywhere we turn?
It is precisely the time of great blessing when God is so readily present, that patterns of spiritual relationship can be built most effectively in our lives. When God is easy to find—in our Scripture reading, our prayers, our fellowship with the body of Christ—that is the time to set patterns that will strengthen us and prepare us for the days to come.
Through the Word emphasizes this pattern of preparation, many believers mistakenly think their spiritual life will flourish regardless. They assume grace will cover spiritual lethargy. But whenever we decide we need just enough of God to survive the day , we have a process that will break down. Our response to God today has implications down the road [Teaching our children today will have immense implications down the road.]
Nowhere is this more powerfully illustrated than in the vine. Grapes are a two year crop. The bunches forming now were developed a full year before, while another crop was coming to fruitfulness. Although they are microscopic in size, hidden in the buds of next year’s crop, the care the vine received then determines their quality now.
Complacency is the greatest danger we face when God blesses us in the Springtime. We don’t need to participate, we think; God will do it all. How wrong that is! Whenever complacency grips our hearts sure a future nourished by His presence. We need to do likewise.
Almost always, long days lie between promise and fulfillment. And those are the days when the process of transformation takes place. When God is moving powerfully in our lives—that is the time we need to develop patterns of relationship for our future.
Now while spring time is here.
For spring will not last forever.
May 24, 2013
A beautifully simple book. It doesn't take a long time to read but is full of wisdom. The author's father owned a vineyard. I have heard snippets of this information about growing grapes in sermons but not all together in one place. It makes me appreciate all the more, the imagery Jesus used in the Scriptures.
November 16, 2021
This is my second time reading this book. I highly recommend it.
December 24, 2011
Beautiful book, the texture of the inner binding, the colors and the wording. Heart moving.
Displaying 1 - 7 of 7 reviews