Alive! with Pastor Patina Ripkey

Tim is the Pastor at Pfrimmer's Chapel and the co-founder of The Joshua Center. He is a a dynamic preacher and teacher and he ministers to people all over the world but Tim has not always been skilled at public speaking. Tim was born premature and had a severe speech impediment. It was so bad, his teachers believed he was mentally challenged. For years he was bullied, made fun of, and treated as less-than. He was also physical...

How does someone leave their lifelong dream of becoming an attorney, to respond to God’s call to become a Pastor?  Well, it doesn’t happen overnight, and it doesn’t happen without a wrestling match with God. Jay finally relinquished control of his dreams to the Lord and found himself in some unexpected places along the way.  His journey has included many ups and downs, but he has a clear sense of purpose. Loving Jesus and following...

Jessica had a beautiful life: two wonderful children, a loving husband, a great job, and many friends and family. But in 2022 she was faced with a cancer diagnosis that rocked her world. Instead of allowing her circumstances to cause bitterness and anger, she will tell you that her suffering brought her closer to Jesus. She frequently says, “I can do hard things. I have God on my side” and she has certainly proven that to be true.

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Tony Loeffler grew up in a broken home with a lot of anger toward his absentee father. As a result of his pain he became addicted to drugs and was diagnosed with schizophrenia. He got involved in witchcraft, and read tarot cards for several months before he became homeless and eventually gave up on life. But on a very cold night in Chicago he had a miraculous encounter with Jesus and his life was never the same again. From that poi...

Assel was born into a family of very talented musicians and began playing piano and organ in church at a very young age. He was hired as a church musician when he was a teenager. In this interview, Assel talks openly about the ups and downs of his faith journey. He also  answers some very challenging questions. How do we trust God enough to walk by faith? How can one trust God for a marriage partner? You might be surprised by his a...

Brady Duke has always been known as someone who excels at whatever he does. His ability to think under pressure and to not allow pain to hinder progress has enabled him to excel as an athlete, a student, and as a Navy Seal. After marriage he went to church faithfully and led small groups and Bible studies with his wife. On the surface everything looked perfect, but there was something he was hiding from everyone…a pornography addic...

Have you ever wanted more out of life, but weren’t sure where to turn? As a young child, Patti had a miraculous encounter with God. She spent much of her life trying to discover the nature of this God, who had been so kind to her. With little spiritual direction, she ended up researching many different religions and dabbling in New Age activities, until she finally found an incredible church that taught her the Bible. Eventually sh...

Patina Ripkey and Lanie James, two pastor's kids who are now in full-time ministry in the local church, share their thoughts on "church hurt." When the church is working, it is a joyful gathering that brings healing and restoration to so many people's lives. However, although the church was designed by God to be an incredible place of worship and spiritual transformation, sometimes it falls short, and people lea...

Suzanne spent about twenty years heavily immersed in the occult. She was a successful medium, wiccan, reiki healer, and tarot card reader. She helped build covens all over the country and organized major festivals in an attempt to make paganism an acceptable practice. However, her involvement in paganism and the occult left her empty. Then, on a rainy night, as she considered how mad she was at God, her van filled with the light of...

Marci had an accident while on a family vacation. She thought her recovery would only take a few weeks. Instead, it took 6 months before she would be able to walk again. As a very independent wife, mother, and business professional, she found herself bedridden and then confined to a wheelchair, unable to care for herself. In those moments she learned the blessing of depending upon others for her care, and turning her mind to the Lo...

Megan grew up in a suburban, middle-class, two-parent household. On the outside, Megan appeared to be normal and well-adjusted, but on the inside, Megan was broken. Upon entering high school Megan began experimenting with drinking and drugs. Her addiction eventually landed her in Orlando, under the control of a pimp, where she was trafficked for five years. However, her story does not end there. She encountered Jesus, and after str...

Doug grew up in a small rural community in central Ohio on his family's 500-acre farm. In high school, he was popular and succeeded in just about everything he did. He graduated high school in 1983, then about a year later in December of 1984, he had a tragic accident that changed the direction of his well-planned future. His journey to a relationship with Jesus took some unexpected turns but eventually he found himself in a s...

What once seemed like a perfect life in an amazing community, suddenly turned into the darkest season Joanna would ever endure. In her mid-forties, as a single parent, she discovered that all three of her children were going through major personal struggles. She also found out her boyfriend of 4-1/2 years was a drug-addict. After leaving him, he stalked her, destroyed her vehicle, and installed tracking devices on her truck. Throug...

Larry Smith is a family man, a leader in his church, and the Owner of a successful Chick-fil-A Franchise in Orlando. A few months ago, Larry was hospitalized with a critical illness. While in the hospital, he heard God’s voice telling him to let go of all of life’s distractions. That changed Larry's life completely.  Since that day Larry is more passionate than ever about serving God and listening for God’s direction. Although...