Tag: Church

Healing…

Today’s a new day! 

Life has a way of leaving marks on us—some visible, many hidden deep within the heart. Wounds come in all forms: betrayal, rejection, loss, abuse, disappointment, spoken in anger, or silence where love should have been. And if we’re honest, many of these wounds were never our fault. They were inflicted by others, shaped by circumstances beyond our control, or born out of a broken world.

But while your wound may not be your fault, your healing is your responsibility.

This truth can feel heavy at first. It may even seem unfair. Why should you have to carry the burden of healing something you didn’t break? Yet, within this truth lies a powerful invitation from God—not to carry the pain alone, but to step into freedom through Him.

God Sees Your Pain

Before anything else, you must know this: God is not indifferent to your suffering. Scripture reminds us that He is “close to the brokenhearted and saves those who are crushed in spirit.” He sees every tear, every sleepless night, every silent ache. Your pain matters to Him.

Healing does not begin with pretending you’re fine. It begins with honesty before God.

Healing Is a Choice, Not a Feeling

Healing rarely happens automatically with time. Left unattended, wounds can harden into bitterness, resentment, or fear. Choosing to heal means deciding that your past will not define your future.

It means saying:

  • “I will not let what happened to me control who I become.”
  • “I will bring my pain to God instead of burying it.”
  • “I will pursue wholeness, even when it’s difficult.

This choice is not made once—it’s made daily.

You Are Not Meant to Stay Stuck

Sometimes we unknowingly build a home in our hurt. It becomes familiar. Even our identity can start to form around it: “the rejected one,” “the abandoned one,” “the one who was hurt.”

But God never intended for your wound to become your identity.

Your identity is found in Him—redeemed, chosen, loved, and restored.

Healing requires letting go of the labels your pain has given you and embracing the truth of who God says you are.

Forgiveness Is Part of Freedom

One of the hardest, yet most essential, steps in healing is forgiveness. Forgiveness does not excuse what happened. It does not minimize the pain. It simply releases the hold that offense has on your heart.

When you refuse to forgive, you remain tied to the very thing that hurt you.

When you forgive, you don’t set them free—you set yourself free.

Healing Is a Process with God

Healing is not instant. It’s a journey—sometimes slow, often uncomfortable, but always worthwhile. God walks with you through every step of it.

He heals through:

  • His Word, which renews your mind
  • His presence, which brings peace
  • Community, which provides support and encouragement
  • Time, which allows deep restoration
  • You don’t have to rush the process. But you do have to participate in it.

Take Responsibility for Your Healing

Taking responsibility doesn’t mean blaming yourself. It means taking ownership of your next step.

It means:

  • Seeking God intentionally
  • Being willing to confront your pain
  • Choosing growth over comfort
  • Asking for help when needed

No one else can do this for you.

A Final Encouragement

You may have been wounded in ways that were deeply unfair. But your story doesn’t end there. With God, pain is never wasted. What hurt you does not have to define you—it can refine you.

Healing is possible. Freedom is available. Restoration is real.

And it begins when you decide that, with God’s help, you will no longer live bound by what happened to you—but transformed by what He is doing within you. ~OC

You can listen to this blog post at my YouTube page Todd E. Shoemaker Music.

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A Prayer To Live Out What We Profess

Dear Jesus, 

We speak Your name easily,
but too often we resist Your way.

You told us to love our enemies,
yet we hold on to anger.
You told us to forgive,
yet we keep score.
You told us to serve the least,
yet we chase comfort and recognition.

Forgive us for the gap between our words and our lives.
Forgive us for using faith as identity instead of obedience.
Forgive us for hearing Your teachings
and admiring them,
but not doing them.

Give us courage to take You seriously.
Not just in what we believe,
but in how we live, speak, spend, and love.

Break our pride when it keeps us from humility.
Interrupt our routines when they ignore the hurting.
Convict us when we justify what You clearly commanded.

Teach us to love when it’s inconvenient.
To give when it costs us.
To forgive when it feels impossible.
To choose truth over comfort,
and mercy over being right.

Make us people who reflect You—not just in church,
but in our homes, our work, our relationships, and our thoughts.

Let our lives become living prayers,
where Your words are not just spoken,
but seen.

We don’t want to only call You Lord—
we want to follow You as Lord

Change us, challenge us, and lead us.

We pray all of this in the powerful and matchless name of Jesus. Amen

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No Authority

Today’s a new day!

Fear is a powerful emotion, but as a believer, it does not have authority over your life. Scripture reminds us time and time again that God has not given us a spirit of fear, but of power, love, and a sound mind. When fear tries to creep in—whether it’s fear of the unknown, fear of failure, or fear of loss—you can stand firm knowing that it does not come from God. Instead, it is something you are called to resist through faith. God’s presence in your life is greater than any anxiety that tries to take hold, and His promises are unshakable even when your circumstances feel uncertain.

Walking in freedom from fear requires trust. It means choosing to believe God’s truth over your feelings. Fear may speak loudly, but it does not have the final say—God does. When you anchor your heart in His Word, you begin to see that fear loses its grip. You are not defined by your worries or limited by your doubts; you are defined by who God says you are: chosen, loved, and secure in Him. As you continue to lean into His presence, you’ll find that courage rises, peace settles in, and fear fades into the background where it belongs—powerless and without authority over your life. ~OC

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Words Matter

How can you call yourself a leader and use such foul language? Words matter. They reveal what is in the heart, and they shape the tone of entire communities. When those who claim to lead—especially in spaces that influence people of faith—speak with harshness, vulgarity, or cruelty, it creates confusion and disillusionment. How can Christians support such rhetoric like it’s acceptable or even admirable? This tension is deeply troubling, because it sends a message that character is secondary to power, and that witness can be compromised for the sake of loyalty or influence.

This is why I can never call myself an evangelical Christian. The phrase, once rooted in the proclamation of good news, is sadly an embarrassment to God since it has become associated with behavior that contradicts Christ’s teachings. Jesus modeled humility, compassion, and truth spoken in love—not insults, not degradation, not prideful speech. 

How can a lost world look to the Christian community for help, for hope, for love, when so many within it appear to endorse language and attitudes that push people away rather than draw them in? If we are to reflect Christ, then our words must align with His heart, and our witness must be one that invites, heals, and restores rather than divides and wounds. ~OC

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Holy Week Journal- Resurrection Sunday

Happy Resurrection Sunday! It has been a full week of reflection and preparing ourselves for this day. I pray everyone has a wonderful Easter. ~OC

Sunday: Resurrection & New Life

Scripture: Matthew 28:1–10

Lesson:
The resurrection changes everything. Jesus conquers sin and death, offering hope, restoration, and eternal life. This is the foundation of our faith—He is risen!

Questions:

What does new life in Christ look like for me?

Where do I need resurrection hope today?

How can I share this hope with others?

Prayer:
Risen Lord, thank You for the victory of the resurrection. Fill me with hope and joy. Help me live as a reflection of Your new life. Amen.

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Through The Eyes Of A Thief

The sky darkens in a way I’ve never seen before, though I’ve spent my life in the shadows. I hang here, condemned, my body wracked with pain, my past heavier than the crossbeam upon my shoulders. I deserve this, I know it. Every selfish choice, every hardened moment has led me to this hill. Beside me, another man curses, demanding rescue, demanding proof. But I have no demands left—only the bitter clarity that comes when there is nothing left to lose. And then I look at Him.

There is something different about the man in the middle. He does not spit back insults. He does not fight for breath with rage, but with mercy. I hear Him pray—not for Himself, but for those who have nailed Him here. “Father, forgive them.” Forgive them? In that moment, the weight of my own guilt presses deeper, yet strangely, hope flickers where despair once lived. If He can ask forgiveness for them, could there be mercy even for me?

With what strength I have left, I speak—not to mock, but to confess. I deserve this. He does not. And then, with a trembling voice, I ask the unthinkable: “Remember me.” Not save me from this cross, not erase my past—but remember me. It is a small plea from a broken man. Yet His reply is immediate, certain, and filled with a grace I have never known: “Today, you will be with me in paradise.” In the shadow of death, I find life. On a cross meant for punishment, I receive a promise.

As the darkness deepens, fear loosens its grip. My circumstances have not changed, but everything else has. The man beside me is not just another condemned soul—He is a King whose kingdom begins where mine ends. And somehow, by His mercy, I am invited in. This is Good Friday through my eyes: not the end of a life, but the beginning of eternity. ~OC

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Maundy Thursday

Maundy Thursday, nestled within the sacred rhythm of Holy Week, invites believers into a deeply intimate moment in the life of Jesus Christ. It commemorates the Last Supper, where Jesus gathered with His disciples not only to share a meal, but to establish a new covenant through the breaking of bread and the sharing of the cup. The word “Maundy” comes from the Latin mandatum, meaning “command,” pointing us to Jesus’ profound instruction: “Love one another, as I have loved you.” This command is not casual or optional—it is the very heartbeat of Christian discipleship. On this night, love is defined not by words alone, but by humble, sacrificial action.

One of the most powerful images of Maundy Thursday is Jesus washing the feet of His disciples. In a culture where such a task was reserved for servants, Christ turned expectations upside down. The Savior knelt low, demonstrating that true greatness in the Kingdom of God is found in serving others. This act challenges us today: are we willing to humble ourselves, to serve without recognition, and to love even when it costs us something? Maundy Thursday is not just a remembrance—it is an invitation. It calls us to the table of grace, to receive Christ’s love, and then to carry that love into a world desperately in need of it.~OC

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Holy Week

Holy Week and Easter are at the very heart of the Christian faith, and understanding them can offer a meaningful glimpse into what Christians believe about love, sacrifice, and hope. Holy Week begins with Palm Sunday, recalling Jesus’ arrival in Jerusalem, and moves through deeply significant moments like the Last Supper—where He shared a final meal with His disciples—and Good Friday, the day Christians remember His crucifixion. To a non-Christian, this might seem like a somber sequence of events, but for believers, it represents something profound: the idea that God chose to enter into human suffering and injustice rather than remain distant from it.

Easter, which follows, is the celebration of Jesus’ resurrection from the dead. This is not just a symbolic moment in Christianity—it is the foundation of Christian faith. As Christians we believe that through His resurrection, Jesus conquered sin and death, opening the door to forgiveness and new life for all people. Even if you don’t share that belief, the message behind Easter can still resonate: that renewal is possible, that love can overcome hatred, and that even in the darkest moments, there is the potential for transformation. For many, Holy Week and Easter are not only religious observances but also an invitation to reflect on themes of grace, redemption, and the possibility of a fresh start. ~OC

You can check out the Spoken Word version of this post at my YouTube channel Todd E.Shoemaker.

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More To Life

Today’s a new day!

Is there more to life than more? It’s a question that cuts through the noise of our everyday lives. We live in a world that constantly tells us to chase after more—more success, more money, more achievements, more recognition. We are taught that if we just keep striving, keep climbing, keep accumulating, then eventually we will arrive at a place of fulfillment. But if we’re honest, many of us have reached milestones we once dreamed of, only to find ourselves still longing, still restless, still asking, “Is this it?”

The truth is, “more” was never meant to satisfy the deepest parts of our souls. That longing inside of us is not a call to gather more things—it’s a call to draw closer to God. Ecclesiastes reminds us that God has set eternity in the human heart. That means there is something within us that this world can never fully satisfy. No matter how much we gain, it will never be enough if we are disconnected from the One who created us with purpose and intention.

So what if the answer isn’t found in speeding up, but in slowing down? What if we paused long enough to allow Jesus to meet us in the quiet? In a culture that celebrates busyness, slowing down can feel uncomfortable, even unproductive. But throughout Scripture, we see Jesus often stepping away from the crowds, withdrawing to quiet places to pray, to commune with the Father. If the Son of God made space for stillness, how much more do we need it?

When we slow down, we begin to notice things we’ve been missing. We become aware of God’s presence in ways that get drowned out by the noise of constant activity. We start to hear His voice more clearly—not because He wasn’t speaking before, but because we were too distracted to listen. In that stillness, Jesus gently begins to reshape our understanding of what truly matters. He shifts our focus from outward success to inward transformation, from temporary gain to eternal purpose.

Jesus invites us into a different kind of life—not one defined by endless striving, but one marked by rest, trust, and relationship with Him. He says, “Come to me, all who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest.” That rest is not just physical—it’s spiritual. It’s the deep, soul-level peace that comes from knowing we are held, known, and loved by God.

So is there more to life than more? Yes—but it’s not the kind of “more” the world offers. It’s more peace, more purpose, more joy, more of God’s presence. And we don’t find it by chasing harder—we find it by surrendering, by slowing down, and by turning our hearts toward Jesus.

Today, you have an invitation. Step out of the rush. Quiet your heart. Make space for Him. Because when you do, you’ll discover that what you’ve been searching for isn’t found in having more—it’s found in knowing Him. ~OC

You can find the Spoken Word version of this at my YouTube channel Todd E. Shoemaker Music.

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Purpose Equals Peace

Today’s a new day! 

For more than two decades, I have walked a road marked by uncertainty, pain, and countless moments where I was told my life might soon end. After hearing over fifty times that I had only hours, weeks, or months to live, I stopped counting. Not out of denial, but out of a quiet realization—life was never meant to be lived under the constant shadow of “what if today is the last day?” Instead, I chose to seek something deeper. In the midst of my storm, I prayed and asked Jesus to show me my purpose within the pain. And He answered.

What I discovered changed everything. My hospital rooms became mission fields. Waiting rooms turned into places of ministry. Conversations with doctors, nurses, and fellow patients became opportunities to encourage, uplift, and share hope. God didn’t remove my storm, but He gave it meaning. Over the years, He has allowed me to walk alongside others in their darkest moments—offering support, listening ears, and reminders that they are not alone. It has been one of the greatest privileges of my life to be used in this way. And in that purpose, I found something unexpected: peace. A deep, unshakable peace that doesn’t depend on circumstances.

Time and time again, I’ve heard others share a similar testimony. When they begin to understand that God has a purpose even in their suffering, something shifts. The fear loosens its grip. The questions quiet. And peace begins to take root. It doesn’t mean the storm disappears—but it does mean the storm no longer defines them. So today, I want to gently challenge you: what is God revealing to you in your current season? Are you leaning in to listen, or are you overwhelmed by the noise of the storm? Have you allowed your struggle to become your identity, or are you willing to surrender it?

Take a moment today to lay your burdens at the foot of the Cross. In fact, don’t just lay them down—leave them there. Nail your fears, your pain, your questions, and your weariness to the Cross and trust that Jesus will carry what you cannot. I can’t promise that your season of hardship will end quickly, or even in the way you hope. But I can promise this: when you seek God’s purpose in the storm, you will find His peace. Even now, as I continue walking through ongoing health challenges, I do so with hope and a calm assurance that God is not finished.

So the question remains—are you willing to take that first step today? To trust, to seek, and to walk forward in the purpose God has prepared for you? Peace and victory are not found in the absence of storms, but in the presence of Jesus within them. ~OC

You can check out the Spoken Word version at my YouTube channel Todd E. Shoemaker Music.

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