Prepare (Advent Devotional December 1)

Yesterday we began this journey. This journey will hopefully allow us the time to prepare our hearts for the coming Messiah. Here’s a great truth: Jesus Christ has come and will come again! Just as we prepare to celebrate his birth, and not just go through the motions, we should also make preparations for whenContinue reading “Prepare (Advent Devotional December 1)”

Prepare (Advent 2014 devotional) – November 30

Today, Sunday, November 30 begins the season of Advent. This is a special time of year that we prepare our hearts to receive and celebrate the birth of Jesus Christ, our Lord and Savior. Each day up until December 24, we are taking a journey to travel along with Mary, Joseph, the Magi and manyContinue reading “Prepare (Advent 2014 devotional) – November 30”

Giving Thanks

We have so many things to be thankful for. The Thanksgiving holiday is a time when we can slow our busy lives and simply give thanks and gratitude for all that we are blessed with. When I look at my life, I am so blessed and thankful to have the family and friends I amContinue reading “Giving Thanks”

Jesus’ Final Week & Resurrection

Buda United Methodist Church Saturday Evening Worship 11/22/14 Live Stream link for message: http://m.youtube.com/watch?v=GnxWSStxPlY Youth Director, Ryan Stratton delivers this message on JESUS’ FINAL WEEK & RESURRECTION. Jesus Christ once asked his disciples “Who do you say that I am?” and this is the same question he asks us today. This 6 week series isContinue reading “Jesus’ Final Week & Resurrection”

Be Different and Stand Out

Romans 12:1-2 (Message translation): So here’s what I want you to do, God helping you: Take your everyday, ordinary life—your sleeping, eating, going-to-work, and walking-around life—and place it before God as an offering. Embracing what God does for you is the best thing you can do for him. Don’t become so well-adjusted to your culture thatContinue reading “Be Different and Stand Out”

Destroying Bridges to Build New Ones

Watching this bridge being destroyed so a stronger one would be build in place of it made me think about the bridges we have built in our lives that need to be destroyed. Think about that for a minute. What bridges have you or I built that we need gone, or to be redirected? IsContinue reading “Destroying Bridges to Build New Ones”

Simple Steps (Sharing Our Faith) Part 3

This blog series (parts 1-4) is the sermon teaching how to share our faith in Jesus Christ easily and naturally. Sermon given by Ryan Stratton on Sunday, September 21, 2014. The Scripture reference for this sermon is Luke 15:1-7. For some reason, many of us, including me, are timid or afraid to witness our faithContinue reading “Simple Steps (Sharing Our Faith) Part 3”

Simple Steps (Sharing Our Faith) Part 2

This blog series (parts 1-4) is the sermon teaching how to share our faith in Jesus Christ easily and naturally. Sermon given by Ryan Stratton on Sunday, September 21, 2014. The Scripture reference for this sermon is Luke 15:1-7. We all know the saying, “there is one in every crowd.” Well Jesus says this shepherdContinue reading “Simple Steps (Sharing Our Faith) Part 2”

Simple Steps (Sharing Our Faith) Part 1 of 4

This blog series is the sermon teaching how to share our faith in Jesus Christ easily and naturally. Sermon given by Ryan Stratton on Sunday, September 21, 2014. The Scripture reference for this sermon is Luke 15:1-7 “When he was the pastor of the Methodist church in Scarborough, William Sangster had an eccentric member whoContinue reading “Simple Steps (Sharing Our Faith) Part 1 of 4”

Learning About God at the Beach

Standing on the beach and staring at the ocean can make us feel small. We may even feel like there is so much going on around us (birds flying and feeding, waves never ending, avoiding sea weed and jellyfish). With all of this going on around us, it can be difficult to see or hearContinue reading “Learning About God at the Beach”