Tag: Community

Where Are The Leaders?

Today’s a new day! As we walk into this Sunday morning and new week, I want to share the following with you. Who will answer the call?

In a world filled with confusion, compromise, and conflict, where are the leaders willing to stand for what is right—even when it’s unpopular?

God isn’t looking for people who simply want a title, a platform, or a spotlight. He’s looking for men and women with the courage to stand on His truth, lead with integrity, love their neighbors, defend the vulnerable, and live out their faith when it costs them something.

Leadership isn’t about being in charge. It’s about being willing to stand up, speak truth, serve others, and do what is right when everyone else looks the other way.

We don’t need more people chasing power. We need more people pursuing God’s heart. We need leaders in our churches, communities, homes, and workplaces who refuse to compromise their convictions for popularity or personal gain.

In Joshua 24:15, Joshua boldly declares, “But as for me and my house, we will serve the Lord.”

That’s leadership. That’s conviction. That’s courage.

So, before we ask, “WHERE ARE THE LEADERS?” perhaps we need to ask ourselves a more challenging question:

AM I WILLING TO BE THE LEADER GOD HAS CALLED ME TO BE?

The world doesn’t just need another voice. It needs people willing to live what they believe.

The question isn’t just where the leaders are. The question is, WILL YOU ANSWER THE CALL? ~OC

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Sin Is No Joke

I HATE SIN.

Not because I think I’m better than anyone else. Not because I’ve never fallen short. I hate sin because I’ve seen what it destroys.

Sin destroys people.
Sin destroys families.
Sin destroys trust.
Sin destroys churches.
Sin can destroy ministries and testimonies that took years to build.

Sin always promises more than it can deliver and takes more than we ever intended to give.

We need to stop treating sin like it’s harmless. Stop laughing about it. Stop excusing it. Stop calling it “just a little thing.”

Sin is nothing to joke around with.

But here’s the good news: Jesus didn’t come to condemn broken people. He came to save us, redeem us, forgive us, and set us free.

“Be killing sin or it will be killing you.” — John Owen

Run from sin. Run toward Jesus.

Grace is real. Forgiveness is real. Redemption is real. And because of Jesus, there is always a way home. ~OC

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Florida Gators Football: Regroup, Refocus and Recommit

I have been a Florida Gators football fan since I was a child. Believe me, that’s a LONG time! And no matter what happens, I’ll always be a Gators fan.

But Gators, we need to talk.

The last two weeks have been disappointing. After all the hype and excitement surrounding this team during the first few weeks of the season, the last two games have left me wondering where that passion went.

Today, against the University of South Carolina, I watched a team that appeared to have given up. The last two weeks have looked like a team playing with a losing mentality.

And as someone who has spent more than twenty years fighting for his life, watching this team has reminded me of my own health journey.

I’ve faced cancer, Parkinson’s, Myasthenia Gravis, Gastroparesis, and countless other medical challenges. There have been days when I weighed just 110 pounds and couldn’t speak. I’ve heard frightening medical reports and faced circumstances that could have ended my life.

But I refused to let those reports define me.

My faith has sustained me through some of my darkest days. I’ve learned that a setback doesn’t have to become a surrender, and a difficult chapter doesn’t have to be the end of your story.

Gators, here’s my message to you:

STOP BELIEVING YOUR OWN HYPE!

The positive reviews from the first few weeks don’t win football games. Talent alone isn’t enough. You need heart, discipline, teamwork, and the determination to keep fighting when things get difficult.

Forget the headlines. Stop worrying about what people are saying. Get back to work, regroup, and rediscover your passion.

When you make a mistake, get back up. When adversity hits, respond. When the scoreboard isn’t going your way, keep fighting until the final whistle.

You don’t have to win every game, but we want to see you compete with heart and play for one another.

I’m frustrated, and I’m disappointed, but I’m not giving up on my Gators!

I’ve spent more than twenty years learning that life’s battles don’t always go the way we planned. Sometimes, winning means just getting out of bed and facing another day. Sometimes, it means finding the strength to keep going when everything seems stacked against you.

Gators, you have another opportunity to respond. Don’t let two difficult weeks define your season.

Regroup. Refocus. Recommit.

Find your fire again. Play with passion. Play with heart. And remember what it means to wear that Florida Gators uniform.

From one fighter to another, here’s my message: Don’t let the hype go to your head, and don’t let adversity break your spirit.

True Gators fans aren’t going anywhere. We’ll be right here, cheering you on and believing you can turn things around.

I’ve been a fan since childhood, and I’ll be a fan for life!

🐊 GO GATORS! CHOMP, CHOMP!

NEVER GIVE UP. NEVER STOP FIGHTING. KEEP OVERCOMING! ~OC

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Be Careful Who You Let Speak For God

There are two people you should be very careful about believing:

A religious leader who tells you how to vote.
And a politician who tells you how to pray.

A pastor, priest, preacher, or church leader can teach you Scripture. They can challenge you to live like Jesus. They can encourage you to seek God’s wisdom.

But your faith should never be reduced to a voting guide.

And a politician? They can ask for your vote. They can talk about their policies, their vision, and their plans for the country.

But they don’t get to tell you what your faith should look like.

Jesus was not a Republican.
Jesus was not a Democrat.
Jesus did not come to build a political party.

Jesus came to build His Kingdom.

So read your Bible. Pray. Think critically. Examine every candidate and every leader. And never surrender your God-given conscience to someone simply because they stand behind a pulpit or behind a podium.

Don’t let politicians become prophets.
And don’t let pastors become political puppets.

Follow Jesus.

Let His Word shape your heart, your character, your compassion—and yes, even the way you vote.

Jesus should have the loudest voice in your life. ~OC

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Today’s Prayer

Dear Jesus,

Today we lift up everyone facing a test, scan, treatment, or medical procedure. Calm their anxious hearts and remind them that they are never walking into that room alone.

Your Word says:

Fear not for I am with you;
    be not dismayed, for I am your God;
I will strengthen you, I will help you,
    I will uphold you with my righteous right hand. ~Isaiah 41:10

Lord, let that promise bring comfort and courage. Give doctors, nurses, technicians, and every member of the medical team wisdom, skill, and steady hands. Bring clarity to every test and scan, and let the results reveal what needs to be known.

Surround each person with Your peace that passes understanding. Replace fear with faith, anxiety with hope, and uncertainty with the assurance that You are still in control.

Bring healing where healing is needed, strength where strength is needed, and courage for whatever comes next. Remind them that You are their refuge and strength, an ever-present help in trouble. — Psalm 46:1

We trust You. We believe You. We place it all in Your hands.

In the powerful and matchless name of Jesus. Amen.

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Embrace Your Timeline

WE ALL HAVE A TIMELINE.

Every one of us is living on a timeline. None of us knows exactly how long that timeline will be, yet so many people live as if tomorrow is guaranteed.

Don’t wait.

Don’t put off the trip.
Don’t keep postponing the adventure.
Don’t wait for the “perfect” time to call someone, forgive someone, love someone, or tell someone how much they mean to you.

Embrace your timeline.

Life isn’t measured only by how many years we get, but by what we do with the years we have.

So get out there. Laugh harder. Love deeper. Take the pictures. Make the memories. Dance in the kitchen. Watch the sunrise. Take the road trip. Hug your people a little tighter.

Go live. Go love. Go make some amazing memories.

Because one day, the memories we make today may be among the greatest treasures we have left.

Don’t just count the days. Make the days count. ~OC

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I Want More

“As the deer pants for the water, so my soul longs after You, my God.” — Psalm 42:1

There is something powerful about being able to say, “I want more.”

More of God.
More of His presence.
More of His peace.
More of His wisdom.
More of His love.
More of His purpose.

The world constantly tells us that we need more stuff, more success, more recognition, more money, more followers, and more accomplishments.

But what if the “more” our souls are desperately searching for isn’t found in any of those things?

What if we’re simply hungry for Jesus?

You can have everything the world says should make you happy and still feel empty inside. But when you begin seeking God—not just what He can give you, but who He is—something changes.

You stop asking, “What can God do for me?”

And you begin asking, “God, what can You do through me?”

I want more.

Not necessarily an easier life.
Not necessarily more possessions.
Not necessarily more applause.

I want more Jesus.

More faith when I’m afraid.
More courage when I’m hurting.
More compassion when people disagree with me.
More grace when I fail.
More strength when I feel weak.
More willingness to love, serve, forgive, and overcome.

Because the more of Jesus we seek, the less room there is for the things that keep us from becoming who God created us to be.

TODAY’S CHALLENGE

Don’t just ask God to give you more today.

Ask Him to give you more of Himself.

“Jesus, I want more of You. Empty me of anything that keeps me from You, and fill me with Your presence, Your love, Your wisdom, and Your purpose. Use my life for Your glory. Amen.”

Don’t settle for more of the world when you can have more of Jesus.

I WANT MORE.
MORE JESUS.
MORE FAITH.
MORE LOVE.
MORE PURPOSE.
MORE OF GOD. ~OC

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Discipline: Choosing Faithfulness

Discipline isn’t always about doing what we feel like doing. Sometimes it’s about doing what we know we’re called to do.

There will be mornings when we don’t feel motivated to pray. Days when opening the Bible feels difficult. Moments when loving someone, forgiving someone, serving someone, or simply getting back up feels like more than we can handle.

That’s where discipline matters.

Discipline is choosing faithfulness when feelings are telling us to quit.

Paul reminds us:

“I discipline my body and keep it under control.”
— 1 Corinthians 9:27

Following Jesus isn’t a sprint. It’s a lifelong journey of putting one foot in front of the other and continuing to say, “Yes, Lord.”

We don’t develop spiritual strength by accident. We develop it through prayer, Scripture, obedience, worship, service, forgiveness, and perseverance.

And when we fail—and we will—discipline means we don’t stay down.

We get back up.

Today, don’t worry about being perfect. Just be faithful.

Take the next step.
Say the next prayer.
Do the next right thing.
Love the next person God puts in front of you.

Discipline isn’t about earning God’s love. It’s about responding to the love He has already given us.

Keep showing up.
Keep trusting Jesus.
Keep walking.

One faithful step at a time. ~OC

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Between The Storms

LIFE IS GOING TO BE FULL OF STORMS

A happy life isn’t a life without storms.
A happy life is learning to recognize when you’re between them.

Storms are part of life.

Some storms arrive without warning. Others build slowly on the horizon until the sky turns dark and the wind starts blowing.

There are storms of sickness.

Storms of grief.

Storms in our marriages.

Storms with our children.

Storms with our finances.

Storms in our friendships.

Storms at work.

Storms in our communities.

And sometimes, storms happen inside our own hearts.

We spend so much of our lives wishing the storms away that we sometimes forget something incredibly important:

Not every day is a storm.

There will be moments when the clouds break.

There will be mornings when you wake up and realize, I’m okay.

There will be conversations that make you laugh again.

There will be people who remind you that you are loved.

There will be sunsets that stop you in your tracks.

There will be unexpected blessings.

There will be answered prayers.

There will be moments of peace that you didn’t create and couldn’t have manufactured.

Those are the moments between the storms.

And we need to learn how to recognize them.

Because if we’re constantly waiting for the next storm, we can miss the sunshine we’re standing in today.

Maybe happiness isn’t about having a perfect life.

Maybe happiness is learning to appreciate the imperfect life we’ve been given.

It’s knowing that the storm will come again—but it isn’t here right now.

So breathe.

Laugh.

Love somebody.

Call a friend.

Hug your spouse.

Play with your kids.

Sit on the porch.

Watch the sunrise.

Take the picture.

Eat the good meal.

Thank God for another day.

Celebrate the calm.

And when the next storm eventually arrives, remember this:

You’ve survived storms before.

You have made it through days you thought would break you.

You have walked through valleys you never thought you’d leave.

You have cried tears you never thought would stop.

And somehow…

You’re still here.

For those of us who follow Jesus, we have an even deeper hope.

Jesus never promised us a life without storms.

He promised to be with us in the storms.

The disciples learned that on a boat in the middle of a raging sea.

The storm was real.

The fear was real.

The waves were real.

But so was Jesus.

And sometimes the greatest miracle isn’t that God immediately calms the storm.

Sometimes the miracle is discovering that He is with us while the storm is raging.

So don’t spend your entire life fearing the next storm.

Look around.

Maybe you’re standing in a season of calm right now.

Maybe this is your moment between storms.

Don’t rush through it.

Enjoy it.

Be grateful for it.

Give God thanks for it.

Because life will have storms.

That’s inevitable.

But life will also have sunshine.

There will be laughter after tears.

Peace after chaos.

Healing after pain.

Hope after disappointment.

And joy after sorrow.

A happy life isn’t a life without storms.

A happy life is learning to recognize the moments between them—and having the wisdom to be grateful for every single one.

So today, if the sun is shining…

STOP.

Take a breath.

Look around.

Thank God.

You may just be standing in one of the beautiful moments you’ve been praying for.~OC

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Lament: Bringing Our Pain to God

“Pour out your hearts to him, for God is our refuge.” — Psalm 62:8

Lament is something we don’t talk about enough in the Christian life.

We often think faith means being positive, strong, and certain all the time. But Scripture gives us permission to cry. To grieve. To question. To say, “God, I don’t understand this.”

Lament is not a lack of faith.

Lament is faith bringing its pain to God.

The Psalms are filled with people crying out to God in the middle of fear, loss, loneliness, injustice, sickness, and uncertainty. They didn’t pretend everything was okay. They brought their broken hearts directly to the One who could hold them.

Sometimes the most faithful prayer we can pray is simply:

“Jesus, I’m hurting. I don’t understand. But I’m still here, and I’m still holding on to You.”

Lament doesn’t mean we have given up on hope. It means we are honest about where we are while trusting that God is still with us.

You don’t have to hide your tears from God.

You don’t have to clean up your emotions before coming to Him.

You don’t have to have all the answers.

Bring Him the whole story—the pain, the questions, the anger, the fear, the grief, and even the silence.

And when you can’t see what God is doing, remember this:

His presence doesn’t disappear just because you can’t see His plan.

Today, if your heart is heavy, don’t run from God.

Run to Him.

Lament honestly.
Trust deeply.
Hope stubbornly.
And keep walking with Jesus.

Because sometimes faith doesn’t look like shouting victory.

Sometimes faith looks like whispering through tears:

“Jesus, I don’t understand this… but I’m still Yours.” ~OC

Prayer

Jesus, teach me that I don’t have to hide my pain from You. Give me the courage to bring You my honest emotions, my questions, my disappointments, and my tears. When I cannot see the way forward, remind me that You are still beside me. Help me lament without losing hope, grieve without giving up, and keep trusting You one day at a time. Amen.

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