Category: new year

• What Can “Baby Shark” Teach Us?

  It has taken the toddler country by storm. My toddler is obsessed with “Baby Shark.” Actually, obsessed may be too nice of a word. She has the toy shark that swims and sings in the bathtub. The phone that plays the song. A book. A Baby Shark puppet. She wears herself out dancing to the […]

  Ryan Stratton

  12/31/2019

  belief, believe, children, Christian Life, Christianity, church, Creativity, disciples, eternal life, evangelism, faith, faithful, glory to God, God, God’s grace, God’s promises, good news, gospel, grace, Holy Spirit, Jesus, Jesus Christ, leadership, mercy, methodism, methodist, ministry, miracles, mission, new life, new year, pastor, preach, preaching, proclaiming Christ, Relationships, religion, repent, repentance, revival, spiritual growth, spiritual transformation, trials, trust, Truth, uncategoried, worship, writing, youth ministry

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• John the Baptist

  John the Baptist is one of my favorite biblical characters because he definitely stands out and people take notice of him. He is memorable, not only of his message, but of his clothing and food choices. Though the Gospel of Luke does not mention him wearing camel’s hair and eating locusts and wild honey, Matthew […]

  Ryan Stratton

  12/07/2015

  Advent, advent devotional, attitudes, belief, believe, bible, bible study, calling, Christian Life, Christianity, Christmas, Christmas story, church, daily devotionals, devotionals, disciples, evangelism, faith, faithful, forgiven, Forgiveness, glory, glory of Christ, glory of God, glory to God, God, God’s grace, gospel, Gospel of Luke, grace, heart, Holy Spirit, humanity, Jesus, Jesus Christ, Jesus’birth, Life, light, Love, mercy, methodism, methodist, new creation, new life, new year, passion, pastor, plan, planning, prasie, pray, preach, preparation, prepare, reconciled, reconciliation, relationships, repent, repentance, revival, spiritual gifts, spiritual growth, spiritual transformation, Spirituality, transformation, trust, Truth, Uncategorized

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• Really Ready for Christmas?

  This week, we have asked some tough questions, hopefully preparing us and challenging us to embrace the real Christmas event so our lives reflect Christ in this world. Once more, I invite you to read the scripture focus for this week. Take some time to ponder what we have talked about this week. Most importantly, […]

  Ryan Stratton

  12/04/2015

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• Urgency

  Today, we again look at the passage in Luke 21 of Jesus speaking about the end and the glorious return of the Son of Man. This time, I invite us to look at verses 34-36. “Be on guard so that your hearts are not weighed down with dissipation and drunkenness and the worries of this […]

  Ryan Stratton

  12/03/2015

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• Our Lives Look Different

  Christmas is a wonderful time of year for many and a tragic, depressing or sad time of year for many. This time of year for others is…frustrating. Advent is a time of preparation for the birth of the Christ child into the world, and into our hearts once again. How we live demonstrates our devotion […]

  Ryan Stratton

  12/02/2015

  Advent, advent devotional, arrogance, attitudes, belief, believe, belonging, Bible, bible study, born again, calling, challenge, Christian Life, Christianity, Christmas, Christmas story, church, community, daily devotionals, eternal life, faith, faithful, Forgiveness, gift, glory of Christ, glory of God, glory to God, God, God’s grace, God’s promises, good news, gospel, Gospel of Luke, grace, Holy Spirit, Jesus, Jesus Christ, Jesus’birth, kindness, Life, Love, mercy, methodism, methodist, new life, new year, pastor, people, pray, Prayer, preach, proclaiming Christ, reconciliation, relationships, renewal, revival, Savior, Spirit, spiritual growth, spiritual transformation, Spirituality, transformation, trust, Truth, Uncategorized, worship, writing, youth ministry

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• Do We Take Christ Seriously Enough?

  This may seem like a strange question as we begin Advent, but I believe it is an important question we should ask ourselves. This is a questions I ponder most days. How we think about Christ changes our to do list and what we do day to day. What we believe about Christ changes our […]

  Ryan Stratton

  12/01/2015

  Advent, advent devotional, belief, believe, bible, bible study, Christian Life, Christianity, Christmas, Christmas story, church, daily devotionals, devotionals, disciples, eternal life, facing challenges, faith, faithful, faithfulness, forgiven, gift, glory, glory of Christ, glory of God, glory to God, God, good news, gospel, Gospel of Luke, grace, Holy Spirit, Jesus, Jesus Christ, Jesus’birth, Life, Love, mercy, methodism, methodist, new creation, new life, new year, pray, Prayer, preach, prepare, relationships, renewal, revival, spiritual growth, spiritual transformation, Spirituality, transformation, trust, Truth, Uncategorized, worship, writing, youth ministry

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• Preparing for What?

  We have just entered into the season of Advent. This marks the beginning of a new Christian church year. Advent is one of my favorite times because we have the opportunity to focus on the actions God took by becoming man, Jesus Christ. We are invited, once again, to deepen our faith and allow the […]

  Ryan Stratton

  11/30/2015

  Advent, advent devotional, belief, believe, bible, born again, challenge, character, Christian Life, Christianity, Christmas, church, conflict, daily devotionals, devotionals, disciples, eternal life, faith, faithful, family of God, forgiven, Forgiveness, gifts, glory of Christ, glory of God, glory to God, God, God’s grace, God’s promises, good news, gospel, grace, heaven, holy, Holy Spirit, invitation, Jesus, Jesus Christ, Jesus’birth, Life, Love, methodism, methodist, ministry, new creation, new life, new year, pastor, patience, peace, power, pray, Prayer, preparation, prepare, relationships, renewal, Savior, spiritual growth, spiritual transformation, Spirituality, trust, Truth, Uncategorized, youth ministry

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• Identity

  Galatians 2:19-21 19 I died to the Law through the Law, so that I could live for God. 20 I have been crucified with Christ and I no longer live, but Christ lives in me. And the life that I now live in my body, I live by faith, indeed, by the faithfulness of God’s Son, who loved […]

  Ryan Stratton

  01/10/2015

  bible, bible study, Christian Life, Christianity, church, facing challenges, faith, freedom, Galatians, gifts, God, good news, gospel, grace, Holy Spirit, Identity, Jesus Christ, Life, Love, methodism, methodist, new life, new year, peace, Prayer, relationships

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• New Year

  Grace and Peace to you this year and welcome to 2015! From Paul, an apostle who is not sent from human authority or commissioned through human agency, but sent through Jesus Christ and God the Father who raised him from the dead; and from all the brothers and sisters with me. To the churches in […]

  Ryan Stratton

  01/01/2015

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• Battling the Giants

  As they were heading over the field, they took cover behind some rocks and looked at the land. The land was beautiful. Everything they were promised and dreamed about. It was the perfect place for their tribe to settle down. All of a sudden, one of the lookouts spotted the inhabitants of the land. They […]

  Ryan Stratton

  12/29/2014

  bible, bible stories, Challenges, Christian Life, Christianity, comfort, devotionals, facing challenges, faith, fear, God, Holy Spirit, Imagination, Jesus Christ, Life, Love, new life, new year, revival

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