Category: facing challenges

• Esther: “Wrong” Place, Right Time

  We have been in this series where we have been looking into the lives of biblical characters to see how we can still see ourselves on the pages of scripture. As we said last week, our way of life, and society may have changed, but human nature really hasn’t changed. We still fall prey to […]

  Ryan Stratton

  07/28/2020

  anger, awakening, beauty, belief, believe, belonging, bible, bible study, calling, Challenges, character, Christian Life, Christianity, church, controversy, disciples, example, facing challenges, Failure, faith, faithful, glory to God, God, God’s grace, God’s promises, good news, gospel, grace, holy life, holy living, Holy Spirit, invitation, Jesus, Jesus Christ, John Wesley, judgement, Life, Lifes Journey, mercy, methodism, methodist, mindset, ministry, mission, pastor, revival, transformation, trials, trust, Truth, uncategoried, Uncategorized, worship, writing, youth ministry

  book of esther, called by God, Esther, for such a time as this, God is always working, greater purpose in life, Happy with your life, Life mission, mission of God, new life in Christ, no coincidences with God, People like us, personal mission, trusting God, whats in the bible

• 5 Powerful Words

  In today’s world, especially in times of crisis, let us be the people who spread joy and hope.

  Ryan Stratton

  03/20/2020

  awakening, belief, Bible, Christian Life, Christianity, church, daily devotionals, devotionals, disciples, eternal life, evangelism, example, facing challenges, Failure, faith, faithful, God, God’s grace, Golden rule, good news, gospel, Jesus, Jesus Christ, judgement, judgment, kindness, leadership, live, live stream, Love, mercy, methodism, methodist, ministry, mission, praise, relationships, repent, revival, Spirit, Spirit led, transformation, trials, trust, Truth, Worry, worship, writing, youth ministry

  finding toilet paper, God loves you, Jesus is with you always, jesus loves me, living in times of crisis, loving people, people of Walmart, saying God loves you, saying please, saying thank you, sharing God’s love, sharing the good news of Jesus Christ, trusting God, where is the bread, words we can say

• Moving Toward Victory

  Welcome to the beginning of Holy Week. This is the week, we have been preparing our hearts for as we continue our journey to the cross which will take us through  Palm Sunday (Jesus’ triumphal entry into Jerusalem…today) Maundy Thursday (Jesus’ last supper with his disciples, betrayal and arrest…Thursday) Good Friday (Jesus’ death and burial…Friday) […]

  Ryan Stratton

  04/14/2019

  anxiety, apostles, belief, Bible, bible stories, bible study, Christian Life, Christianity, church, confrontation, disciples, Easter, facing challenges, Failure, faith, faithful, freedom in Christ, glory to God, God, God’s grace, God’s promises, good news, gospel, Gospel of Mark, grace, Holy Spirit, invitation, Jesus, Jesus Christ, Lent, Life, mercy, methodism, methodist, ministry, miracles, pastor, pray, Prayer, prayer life, Spirit led, trials, trust, Truth, Worship, writing, youth ministry

  facing victory, Jesus has won, keep moving forward, marching toward victory, Mark 11:1-11, Palm Sunday sermon, trusting God, trusting God’s plan, trusting in Jesus, trusting the Holy Spirit

• Leaders Are Learners

  We are well into the new year. How’s it going for you? Are you feeling productive, or do you feel as if you are in the same routine, the same way of thinking, feeling like nothing as changed except the numbers on the calendar? I would like to offer this question, “If, for you, everything […]

  Ryan Stratton

  02/15/2019

  ambition, believe, challenge, Christian Life, church, example, facing challenges, faith, God, God’s grace, gospel, Holy Spirit, Jesus, Jesus Christ, leadership, learn, learning, legacy, Life, methodism, methodist, mindset, priorities, renewal, transformation, Truth, writing, youth ministry

  change comes from God, improving ourselves, Leaders are learners, leaders are readers, making lasting change, new year resolutions, spiritual transformation, what to learn first

• Experience the Power of the Holy Spirit

  Do you have your copy of the daily devotional on the Book of Acts? Get your copy here. Paperback version. Kindle version. The Book of Acts tells the historical events that shaped the early church through the powerful, dynamic movement of the Holy Spirit. This power is still available and working today all over the […]

  Ryan Stratton

  11/30/2018

  Apostle Paul, Apostle Peter, belief, believe, belonging, bible, Bible, Christian Life, Christianity, church, daily devotionals, devotionals, disciples, eternal life, evangelism, example, facing challenges, Failure, faith, fear, forgiven, Forgiveness, freedom, freedom in Christ, fruit, glory, glory of Christ, glory of God, glory to God, God, God’s grace, God’s promises, good news, holy life, Holy Spirit, hope, humanity, humility, invitation, Jesus, Jesus Christ, John Wesley, journaling, kindness, leadership, memory, mercy, methodism, methodist, mindset, ministry, miracles, mission, Prayer, prayer life, preach, preaching, proclaiming Christ, renewal, repent, Rest, revival, serving, sharing, sharing our faith, Sin, Spirit, Spirit led, trust, Truth, uncategoried, Worship, writing, youth ministry

  Acts 1:8, book of Acts, daily devotionals, donating to charity, experience the Holy Spirit, giving to the church, Great Commission, Holy Spirit in us, Holy Spirit is real, miracles of the Holy Spirit, must read book, power of God, power of the Holy Spirit, renewal, taking the Gospel to the ends of the earth

• Grasshopper Syndrome

  

  We have all felt as if the mission we were/are called to do is too big. How we handle our perceptions of the mission/task will be a big indicator of how it turns out. There is a great story, in the Bible, at the end of the book of Numbers chapter 13. Moses had sent […]

  Ryan Stratton

  11/09/2018

  attitudes, belief, believe, bible, Christian Life, Christianity, church, comfort, facing challenges, Failure, faith, faithful, fear, glory to God, God, God’s grace, God’s promises, good news, gospel, grace, Holy Spirit, invitation, Jesus, Jesus Christ, leadership, methodism, methodist, mindset, ministry, mission, Spirit, Spirit led, trials, trust, uncategoried, Worry, Worship, writing, youth ministry

  difficult journey, God can do the impossible, God sized dreams, God sized plans, nothing is impossible with God, numbers 13, power of the Holy Spirit

• Betrayed, Denied, Tried, Crucified

  

  In the 1924 book by Richard Connell, The Most Dangerous Game is a story of big game hunter Sanger Rainsford and his friend Whitney ending up on an island owned by General Zaroff. The General talks about how he is bored with “traditional” hunting and has moved into hunting the most dangerous, the most cunning […]

  Ryan Stratton

  10/19/2018

  Apostle Peter, belief, belonging, bible, bible stories, character, Christian Life, Christianity, church, comfort, compassion, confession, controversy, disciples, eternal life, example, facing challenges, faithful, Forgiveness, freedom, freedom in Christ, God, God’s grace, God’s promises, good news, gospel, healing, heart, holy living, Holy Spirit, humanity, hypocricy, invitation, Jesus, Jesus Christ, John Wesley, leadership, Life, Lord, Love, mercy, methodism, methodist, ministry, mission, pastor, priority, purpose, reconciled, reconciliation, sin, Spirit, transformation, trials, trust, Truth, uncategoried, Worship, writing, youth ministry

  betraying Jesus, change your hearts and lives, denying Jesus, depths of humanity, God always has the last word, God offers forgiveness and mercy, Good News of Jesus Christ, gospel of Jesus Christ, Gospel of Luke, Jesus is crucified, Jesus’ mission on earth, Judas betryas Jesus, Luke 23, Luke 23:1-3, Peter betrays Jesus, trials of Jesus

• Making An Eternal Impact

  

  READ SCRIPTURE: Luke 12:13-21 13 Someone in the crowd said to him, “Teacher, tell my brother to divide the inheritance with me.” 14 Jesus replied, “Man, who appointed me a judge or an arbiter between you?” 15 Then he said to them, “Watch out! Be on your guard against all kinds of greed; life does not consist in an abundance of […]

  Ryan Stratton

  09/07/2018

  awakening, belief, believe, bible, bible stories, bible study, challenge, character, charity, Christian Life, Christianity, church, devotionals, disciples, eternal life, evangelism, example, facing challenges, Failure, faith, faithful, giving thanks, glory, glory to God, God, God’s grace, God’s promises, good news, gospel, grace, heaven, holy life, holy living, Holy Spirit, influence, inheritance, investigative, invitation, Jesus, Jesus Christ, John Wesley, judgement, judging, kindness, leadership, Life, mercy, methodism, methodist, ministry, miracles, mission, motivations, Motives, pastor, Prayer, prayer life, preach, preaching, priorities, proclaiming Christ, relationships, Savior, spiritual disciplines, thankful, transformation, trust, Truth, uncategoried, Worry, Worship, writing, youth ministry

  assurance of eternal life, eternal life, is tithing important, Jesus changes everything, John Wesley On the Use of Money, living a generous life, Luke 12:13-21, relationship with Christ, relationship with God, relationship with stuff, stewardship sermon series, storage unit industry, storing up too much, the generous life, tithing and Christian life, Wesley’s rules for use of money

• BREAKTHROUGH: When the Holy Spirit Moves

  I am excited to announce this NEW daily devotional: BREAKTHROUGH: When the Holy Spirit Moves You can order your Kindle or paperback option from Amazon: Click here to order. The Book of Acts tells the historical events that shaped the early church through the powerful, dynamic movement of the Holy Spirit. This power is still […]

  Ryan Stratton

  08/21/2018

  Apostle Paul, belief, believe, Bible, Christian Life, Christianity, church, daily devotionals, devotionals, disciples, eternal life, evangelism, example, facing challenges, Failure, faith, faithful, faithfulness, freedom in Christ, glory to God, God, God’s grace, God’s promises, good news, gospel, harevsting, holy life, holy living, Holy Spirit, hope, invitation, Jesus, Jesus Christ, leadership, Life, mercy, methodism, methodist, ministry, miracles, mission, new creation, new life, pastor, power, praise, pray, Prayer, prayer life, preach, preaching, proclaiming Christ, revival, Spirit, Spirit led, spiritual gifts, spiritual growth, spiritual transformation, transformation, travel, trials, trust, Truth, uncategoried, witnessing, Wonder, Work, Worry, Worship, writing, youth ministry

  Apostle Paul, book of Acts, Christian life, daily devotionals, faith in Christ, God has a plan, Good News of Jesus Christ, Holy Spirit power, live by faith, live differently, new creation in Christ, new life in Christ, new published book, transform the world, Trust God, Trust Jesus

• More To Your Story

  

  There is an interesting line in Genesis 37 that says, “This is the account of Jacob’s family line.” (Genesis 37:2 NIV) This is actually a pretty significant line. Have we paid attention to it before? We can think it is talking about the people that descended from Jacob, and it does; but there is more […]

  Ryan Stratton

  06/27/2018

  Christian Life, Christianity, church, conflict, controversy, conversion, devotionals, disciples, eternal life, evangelism, example, facing challenges, Failure, faith, faithful, forgiven, Forgiveness, freedom, glory to God, God, God’s grace, God’s promises, good news, gospel, grace, healing, Identity, Jesus, limitations, mercy, methodism, methodist, miracles, mission, possibilities, power, spiritual transformation, Spirituality, storms, transformation, trials, trust, Truth, uncategoried, Worship, writing, youth ministry

  bright future, Genesis 37, God defines who we are, God loves the world, God loves you, God works in your life, God’s promises, Jacob in Genesis, Jeremiah 29:11, Jesus is with you, our identity, our past does not define us, there is always hope