A new year doesn't always start the way you think it will . . . and well, ours started with a round of Covid.
Three of our family of five were ill. Just days away from our trip to America to spend Christmas with family before heading to minister at Winter Ramp conference, we were bummed.
After making sure the airlines didn’t need me for any jobs since I had formed personal relationships with their entire call-center team, we were finally out of isolation, leaving for the airport, new tickets and negative test results in hand, only a week later than we planned.
But as the saying goes, good things come to those who wait, and the trip proved worth the wait.
A Christmas Day selfie. This was our final day of isolation after recovering from Covid.
Winter Ramp Conference
It was worth the wait not least because two of my favorite humans—Stacie Reeser and James Aladiran (travelling all the way from Manchester)—gave mind-blowing messages for the thousands gathered at Winter Ramp in Tennessee. You owe it to yourself to catch their messages.
Stacie spoke on having a heart for the nations and reaching people who are unengaged with the message of Jesus. The whole service was incredible, but if you don’t have three hours to dive into worship and all, you can watch Stacie’s message by itself.
James spoke on winning spiritual battles over our generation and ushering in a move of God’s Spirit. It’s deeply impacting.
Back in Manchester
Back home, we started 2022 like we do every year at Ramp Church—with a 21-day fast. It’s so life-giving to be in a community dedicated to prayer, and we had multiple prayer meetings each week.
The 21 days ended with all-night prayer where over 100 people gathered—kids, youth, adults, and seniors—to seek God for his involvement over the next 12 months. I’ve never been in anything quite like it. It was deeply moving to look across a room full of people alive in prayer after nine straight hours through the night.
I spoke on Galatians 5 this month, which came from a work God has been doing in my life throughout January. It’s important that our life change be performed by God’s Spirit and not simply self-effort. I unpack this idea in my message called, “Authentic Transformation by the Spirit.”
If you’re feeling stuck in your journey with God, this will help jolt you back into motion.
Next Up
For February and beyond . . . A new season of Ramp Communities (basically our congregation’s house churches) are launching across the city. I’m travelling to Israel. And we have new interns arriving from America. It’s gonna be a great month.