prayer – Explorience by Ryan George

21 Aug 2021

Is There A Wrong Way to Do “Morning Devotions”?

by Ryan George | posted in: Uncategorized | 0

At 5:47 A.M. on Monday, I started sobbing. Walking in a dark woods where nobody could see me, I ugly cried. At one point, I had to stop walking because I couldn’t see straight. I had been listening to a song whose lyrics spoke into a wound my therapist and I had been discussing for months. The truth of Scripture in the lyrics broke me—or more accurately, poured into my brokenness. This was not the first time this has happened, not even on this mountain.

28 Dec 2020

Three New Prayers I Learned in 2020

by Ryan George | posted in: Uncategorized | 0

2020 needs no introduction, but this tumultuous year introduced me to three new prayers. My conversations with Jesus grew sweeter and more intimate while the world around me seemed to move further away, and these simple prayers proved cathartic for my soul. You might find them helpful. Just in case, here’s how I bumped into them.

5 Apr 2020

What I Prayed for You This Morning

by Ryan George | posted in: Ponderlust | 1

This morning, I was prompted to walk around to the various lots of our church and pray specifically for the distinct populations that fill them. For those of you who attend Blue Ridge, here is what I prayed for you in each of these spots. For those who don’t attend my church, here’s a peek into why the parking lot ministry is so critical to the mission of Jesus.

12 Jan 2020

That Time I Stumbled into Empathy in Canada

by Ryan George | posted in: Uncategorized | 0

In the meantime, we can dream. We can hope. We can hear the news and pray for those affected. We can ask for the Source of empathy to wrap his arms around the hurting. We can give to charities on the ground of each conflict or disaster. We can leverage the privilege of our safety to wish it for someone else.

29 May 2017

A Memorial Day Prayer

by Ryan George | posted in: Ponderlust | 0

My prayer today is that God would give all of these souls a respite from their grief. Oh, there’s freedom to rightfully mourn; but today it comes with proud tears, with happy memories, with a renewed hope for a reunion someday. I pray that God redeems their pain and leverages their loss. I plead for peace. I ask that no more brave soldiers will need posthumous plaques, that no more civilians would need victim memorials.

16 May 2017

Why I Don't Pray for Revival

by Ryan George | posted in: Ponderlust | 0

The word revival isn’t in the Bible. Neither is rededication. The idea of a jump start to a dead battery that once was alive rarely makes the Bible’s pages. You’re far more likely to read tales of dead things coming to life. Resurrection. Jesus even disclosed that the reason he left heaven was to bring life and life more abundant.

9 Jan 2017

Serotonin Gives Me Hat Hair

by Ryan George | posted in: Explorience, Ponderlust | 0

I’ll never forget that moment in my life: the sense of accomplishment, the impression of awe. Scientists have found that reflecting on life’s wins like these refuels our serotonin levels in our bodies, which helps us manage stress. Triggering those memories and what goes with them immunizes us to burnout. So, I wear these hats regularly to take me back to January 2008.