Ryan Gold

Director of Strategic Operations @acescholarships | Eph 2:8-9 | married to Rachel | dad of 7 | a pastor for 17 yrs | @Moody_Bible & @SBTS alum

[The Biblical Man @Biblicalman]

And now... the rest of the story.

Every year, families across America gather around the television.

They watch a bald kid try to kick a football. A beagle dance on a dog house. Charlie Brown get a rock instead of candy.

They laugh.

They don't know they're watching a man's autobiography.

When Charles Schulz was a boy, the other children called him Sparky. The name of a horse in a comic strip. A joke horse.

He failed every single subject in eighth grade.

Not one or two.

Every. Single. Subject.

But the grades weren't the worst part.

Paul Harvey told this story, and his voice cracked on this line:

"Sparky wasn't actually disliked by the other youngsters. No one cared enough about him to dislike him."

He wasn't hated. He was nothing.

The one thing he had was his drawings. He submitted cartoons to the school yearbook.

Rejected.

He wrote to Walt Disney. Poured everything into the drawings.

The reply was a form letter. Disney only hired the very finest artists. Sparky was not among the very finest.

Harvey paused there. Then: "I think deep down, Sparky expected to be rejected."

This is where the motivational speakers lie to you.

The rest of the story isn't about winning.

Sparky didn't try to prove them wrong. He wrote his autobiography in cartoons.

He drew himself. The loser. The kid who failed everything.

He named him after himself.

Charlie Brown.

You know what Charlie Brown never does?

Win.

His kite crashes. Lucy pulls the football. The Little Red-Haired Girl doesn't notice him.

And sixty years later, we still watch.

Not because Charlie Brown succeeds.

Because Charlie Brown keeps showing up.

Here's the part even Paul Harvey didn't tell.

Schulz taught Sunday school. He read the Bible so constantly his strips are filled with scripture.

When network executives tried to cut Linus reciting Luke 2 from the Christmas special, Schulz refused.

Either the Gospel stays, or there's no special.

It stayed.

A boy called a horse.

A student who failed everything.

An artist Disney rejected.

Planted the Gospel of Luke in front of sixty million homes.

The loser became the messenger.

God has a history of using the rejected ones.

Moses had a stutter. David was the forgotten son. Peter denied Him three times.

The kite never flew.

But the Gospel did.

Still falling?

Good company, brother.

Get up.

He's not done with you yet.

[Matt Smethurst @MattSmethurst]

Bitterness ensnares you in yesterday.
Anxiety enslaves you to tomorrow.
Jesus gives peace for today.

—@pastorjgkell

[Ryan Gold @ryanmgold]

Too much Summit White!! 🤮

[Denver Broncos @Broncos]

Our 2026 uniform schedule is here!

Full uniform combos with pants + socks will be announced the week of each game.

[Denver Broncos @Broncos]

🔁 RT for Throwback
🧡 Like for Midnight Navy

@D1__JW x @Island2_1

[Megan Basham @megbasham]

“Shared passions aren't the building blocks of a relationship. They're decoration. People go down different paths over the years, at different paces, and that's not a malfunction. That's what life looks like.”

Beautiful post.

[Matt Smethurst @MattSmethurst]

“Laughter at yourself is the sound of self-righteousness leaving your body.”

[Matt Smethurst @MattSmethurst]

My 14-year-old is far more developed than my 2-year-old—physically, mentally, and emotionally. But she is not more my child.

Beware of justification by sanctification.

[Matt Smethurst @MattSmethurst]

Every man should keep a fair-sized cemetery in which to bury the faults of his friends.

— C. S. Lewis

[Ryan Gold @ryanmgold]

Stud.

Best war movie/series EVER.

[J&L Historical @Jason_R_Burt]

From the muddy fields of Normandy to the pages of history, Dick Winters didn’t just lead Easy Company — he distilled a lifetime of command into 10 timeless principles.

🧵 Dick Winters’ 10 Principles of leadership

[Matt Smethurst @MattSmethurst]

Man, this is beautiful. A life adorning the gospel.

Listen to what @StevenBartlett—host of one of the world’s most popular podcasts—says to Christian apologist John Lennox.

[ACE Scholarships @ACEscholarships]

"When you invest in education, you're investing in America. You're investing in a better country and without education, people don't have a chance. We're going to level the playing field." - @nortonrainey3 #acescholarships CEO of ACE Scholarships

[Matt Smethurst @MattSmethurst]

Adam fell.
Noah got drunk.
Abraham lied.
Jacob deceived.
Moses murdered.
Aaron caved.
Rahab prostituted.
Gideon feared.
David took.
Elijah despaired.
Jonah fled.
Thomas doubted.
Peter denied.
Paul persecuted.
We rebelled.

Jesus redeems.

[Ryan Gold @ryanmgold]

@Broncos Old school throwbacks

[Ryan Gold @ryanmgold]

I homeschooled when it was “weird” (1985-88). It changed my life in many ways (esp academically).

It’s GREAT to see it recognized so widely now!

https://t.co/a2iNwYCWus

[Ryan Gold @ryanmgold]

It all makes sense now why Baptists passed Kentucky Fried chicken containers for the Sunday offering.

[History Calendar @HistoryCalendar]

Kentucky Fried Chicken founder Colonel Sanders laying in state at Southern Seminary's Alumni Memorial Chapel in Louisville, Kentucky. 1980.

[ACE Scholarships @ACEscholarships]

“[ACE is] in my humble estimation the best nonprofit in the United States. They do what they say they are going to do, and they make a huge difference. ACE shows hope to children—and I’m all about hope,” shared ACE Donor Lynn Friess at the 2026 ACE Annual Luncheon on May 6, presented by UMB Bank and Lockton Companies of Colorado.

ACE Scholarships proudly presented our first-ever Founders Award to an incredible friend and leader, Lynn Friess of Jackson Hole, Wyoming.

The Founders Award is ACE’s highest honor, recognizing individuals who embody the vision, courage, and generosity of our founders. Lynn’s leadership reflects a deep and enduring commitment to expanding educational opportunity—through school choice, strategic leadership, and a generous investment of time, talent, and resources.

Congratulations, Lynn—and thank you for creating brighter futures for students and families everywhere!

[ACE Scholarships @ACEscholarships]

Despite the snow and cold, yesterday’s 2026 ACE Scholarships Annual Luncheon was one for the books! It was a powerful and inspiring afternoon—one that left us all motivated in our work to build the future and deliver educational freedom across the country.

Thank you to our presenting sponsors UMB Bank and @Lockton!

#educationfreedom #ACEScholarships #nonprofitimpact #scholarships #education #nonprofit