{"type":"rich","version":"1.0","provider_name":"Transistor","provider_url":"https://transistor.fm","author_name":"Conversations with Buddy","title":"Ep. 217 Winston Thurton - God gives grace for the journey!","html":"","width":"100%","height":180,"duration":3671,"description":"In this powerful conversation, Winston shares the remarkable story of his journey with Jesus Christ. Born in Belize, formerly British Honduras, Winston spent much of his life in Canada, where he was educated before continuing his studies in the United States. His journey eventually led him into pastoral ministry, and today he serves as a pastor in Lebanon, Oregon. Winston also opens up about his 50-year marriage to Lois, who passed away in 2022, and the profound impact her life, humility, sincerity, and love for God had on him.\nWinston shares how he came to know the Lord in 1963 and reflects on the things God used to draw him out of poverty, addiction, and the challenges of his early life. Baseball—especially his love for the Brooklyn Dodgers—became an escape and a source of hope, but ultimately Winston discovered that no earthly substitute could satisfy the deepest needs of the human heart. His story is a reminder that God can use circumstances, people, and even difficult seasons to bring us to the place where we finally hear the Gospel and ask the most important question: “Are you ready to give your heart to Jesus?”\nOne of the most meaningful parts of our conversation is Winston’s honesty about wrestling with God. Even as believers, we can experience seasons of uncertainty, grief, disappointment, and questions. Winston points us back to Psalm 42 and 43, where the psalmist repeatedly tells his own soul to hope in God. His message is simple but profound: God is for us, not against us. His ways are higher than our ways, and His thoughts are higher than our thoughts. We talk about what it means to keep our eyes on Jesus, live by God’s Word, obey where He leads, and trust Him for the grace needed for each step of the journey.\nWinston also shares his life verse, Psalm 48:14: “For this God is our God for ever and ever; he will be our guide even to the end.” From pastoring in Sodaville, Oregon, to serving in Lebanon, his desire remains the same—to faithfully follow...","thumbnail_url":"https://img.transistorcdn.com/oxFqe0AJP5S7qrhkdAltuVa8mFSqDbYbj8eGzi5h_mM/rs:fill:0:0:1/w:400/h:400/q:60/mb:500000/aHR0cHM6Ly9pbWct/dXBsb2FkLXByb2R1/Y3Rpb24udHJhbnNp/c3Rvci5mbS9zaG93/LzMyODkxLzE2NjAw/OTQ2NDAtYXJ0d29y/ay5qcGc.webp","thumbnail_width":300,"thumbnail_height":300}