Today’s a new day! As you run your race, life will be filled with many trials. Some days you may feel defeated. The world might tell you your race is over. But God might just be preparing you for a Comeback. A comeback may seem unlikely when your life is filled with obstacles, but hold on and dig in. Your current situation may seem hopeless, but keep running and you will discover God’s power to overcome every obstacle in your life. Keep running! ~OC
Give
Today’s a new day! As I continue to run this crazy beautiful health journey, God has shown me more and more, that we truly find the meaning of life when we give, not just receive. And I do not mean material things. I mean ourselves, our time and our gifts. ~OC
God’s Word
Today’s a new day! As I continue to run this crazy beautiful health journey, I cling to the promises of God’s word. One of those promises is found in Isaiah 40:29, “He gives strength to the weary and increases the power of the weak.” Even when our bodies are struggling to find strength, God lifts our hearts with hope and comfort. He gives strength to the weary and weak. If you have ever felt weary and weak you qualify.
The astonishing thing is the way He chose to do it. It does not take the mending or healing of our bodies. We do not have to be propped up with the comforts of this world. God did it all with the power of his word. It is true, “Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word that comes from the mouth of God.” (Matthew 4:4). If your soul is starving today, find nourishment in the reading of God’s powerful words and promises.
Today, if you find yourself weary, worn, and ready to throw in the towel, I want to remind you that He gives strength to the weary. My prayer is that you’re experiencing God’s strength and peace this very hour. Know this, one day, you will look back on your troubles, whether in this life or on the beautiful shores of eternity, and you will say, “God pulled me through. He gave me the strength I needed.” The One in whom you trust does not faint or grow weary, and his understanding is unsearchable. ~OC
Joy
Today’s a new day! Is there such a thing as joy in the midst of trials? Especially when life is beating you down. Wow! What a way to start a new day. Thanks Todd.
This question came to me after reading these words in James 1:2-4, “My brethren, count it all joy when you fall into various trials, knowing that the testing of your faith produces steadfastness, And let steadfastness have its full effect, that you may be perfect and complete, lacking in nothing.”
A number of years ago, as I was reading James 1:2-4, God raised the following question. “Todd, when you fall into trials, and difficult times, do you truly consider all of it joy, as you are being tested for your faith?” Ouch!
It was a question, I could not fully answer at that moment. That question cut me deep. And I bled. I bled from the wound of the Holy Spirit, who engraved this question deep into my innermost being in order to awaken my sleeping heart-fire for God.
The more I thought about this question and prayed, the more I wanted this amazing joy. As I pondered this question for days, I began to crave for this type of joy. No matter the situation. No matter the trial. But I realized I would never be able to do it on my own.
But neither could Job, Esther, Ruth, David or Mary. Pretty good company.
At that moment, I just wanted to fall at Jesus feet and wash them with my tears.
I am not writing this post to complain about my troubles, my trials, or my problems. No, I am sharing this post to encourage you as you walk through your own storm. To say yes, joy is possible during the storm. But not on our own.
God is the only one who can give us lasting, satisfying, unwavering joy in the middle of our storm.
I believe sometimes we think that happiness is the most important thing in life. But it’s not. You see, happiness is only a fleeting emotion. But true joy come from God. It sustains us. Even in the hard times. ~OC
Seeds of Hope
Good morning God. I come with a heavy heart this morning. I am tired of all the hate and violence in our world. It hit home this morning, as I watch a loved one and his family struggle with the grief of violence.
This morning, I lift prayers up for this family and every family walking through pain and loss today caused by hate and violence. We know life has always been a struggle between peace and violence. Good and evil. We know love and peace give hope to a broken world. That is something that so many of us are striving for in this world. We also realize that there is a group of people spreading hate and violence to destroy peace, hope and love. Good and gracious God, we know hate and violence tries to shatter love and hope. We know hate and violence can tear apart people, families and communities. But we also know that by loving and caring for the hurting, we can bring hope and love back to broken relationships and communities.
In each of us, is a seed of peace and love. It calls out not only to be recognized, but to be nurtured and cared for. As we scroll through social media or turn on the tv, we see what seems like an endless stream of hate and violence. Dear God, help us hold on to those seeds of peace, hope, love and unity.
As fear and violence try to destroy and divide us, may our repulsion of these actions turn us to the soil of our souls. May we instead plant seeds of hope, love and peace. May we work together to nurture those seeds of change. Regardless of skin color, different faiths, cultures or political views may we work together to create change. Not just change for this generation, but for generations to come.
Dear God, do not allow us not to buy into the lies that resistance of violence requires anger, aggression and animosity. No, keep reminding us that peace, prayers, love and community are the ways to achieve the positive changes we cry out for.
Dear God, remind us that love and peace are a constant pursuit and they only grow when we nurture and care for them. Peace, hope and love require constant tending, mindfulness in every moment, and a willingness to see each person as a reflection of You. Amen. ~OC
Joy
Today’s a new day! As I walk through this crazy beautiful health journey, people always comment on how happy I always seem to be. I wish I could say I am always happy, but that would be a lie. The truth is, happiness is based on current circumstances. Happiness is like a yo-yo. Up and down based on the moment.
Let’s be real, it’s impossible to feel happy 24/7/365. That beautiful smile eventually falls into a frown. The different social groups that we belong to eventually disappear. The social gatherings we attend can leave us feeling alone. The people we put our hope in can let us down. The social media post we scroll through might not be telling the whole story. The truth is, happiness is fleeting. Happiness is an impossible feeling to feel all day everyday.
But then there is Joy. There is a major difference between happiness and joy. Joy is found in our relationship with God. It comes from Him. Joy in the Lord remains even in and through the storms that we face. Joy, unlike happiness is not fleeting. What a difference! The happiness that the world tries to hold onto can never even begin to compare to the joy that we experience with God.
When we look around at the world, it is so easy to get caught up in all of the negativity. It is so easy to be distracted and discouraged by everything we see and experience. But in those moments of doubt and distraction God calls us to cling onto the truth that is only found in Him. The word of God says that God is good and that He works all things together for His divine purpose. (Romans 8:28). I don’t know about you, but if there’s one thing that I’m 100% sure of, it is God’s word to His people. When we choose to see things in a different perspective, we will begin to recognize that maybe the trials that we are faced with were never meant to destroy us. No, maybe the storms of life are making us stronger. To be a little more like Jesus. In the book of James we are told to consider it ALL joy! (James 1: 2-3). This statement made by James is the same truth that helped Jesus face the evils of the world and make the ultimate sacrifice on the Cross with a heart of joy. When we choose to shift our focus to what God is actually doing through the storms in our lives we begin to see these storms differently knowing that Jesus ultimately wants good for us.
The truth is, you cannot fake joy. Joy is something that you either have or you don’t have, and I guarantee you, you can tell a difference. Scriptures share that joy is the very essence of who God truly is (1 Chronicles 16:27). If God is filled with joy, and He is molding us to be more like Him, why would we not desire to be filled with that same beautiful joy? To live it out!
The day we choose to open our eyes to the struggles in life and truly face reality can be one of the greatest days of our lives. To wake up every morning, and have the choice to choose joy that can only be found in God. I know God has taught me that joy is a gift from Him that can never be taken away. We no longer have to depend on the circumstances of life. Today, let our satisfaction be found in a new way of living. A life filled with joy. It is available to everyone. All you have to do is reach out to God. ~OC
“These things I have spoken to you, that my joy may be in you, and that your joy may be full.” John 15:11
God Is Watching
Today’s a new day! I have been a Christian for almost 50 years. Definitely not a perfect one, but striving to be a positive light in a dark world. During these almost 50 years, I have seen a lot of things come and go in the Church. But the past 8-10 years, I have seen something that is very troubling. I have witnessed many Christians, including leaders in the church allow their politics to become more of an identity marker than their faith. Some have agued they are interpreting their politics through the prism of scripture, with the former subordinate to the latter, but in fact scripture and biblical truths have often been twisted to fit their political agendas.
The problem is not Christians being involved in the political world. The problem is when Christians and leaders of the church allow politics to eclipse the gospel. That is damaging and dangerous to the church and those watching from a distance.
Whether we like it or not, the world is watching how Christians and churches deal with the issues of the day. Including politics. This election season, will Christians and the Church show love, respect, compassion and grace or will they choose a candidate or political party over the gospel? The world and God are watching. ~OC
What Picture Are You Living?
Today’s a new day! There are people who don’t know Jesus who are watching those who claim to know Him and making assumptions about who Jesus is. There are people around us whose only picture of who Jesus is will be shaped by what we do and say. For better or worse.
As followers of Jesus, we represent Him to those around us. What we do, what we say, tells others something about God. Good or bad. Following Jesus means that He actually expects us to love, serve and forgive others. Our actions good or bad can have eternal consequences.
I hope you will spend some time today reflecting on the magnitude of this amazing responsibility. ~OC
Prayer
Today’s a new day! Prayer has been a major part of my life. Especially, as I have walked through this crazy beautiful health journey. I have learned a lot about prayer during this time. I thought I would share a few things I have learned about prayer over the years.
I believe prayer is an act of listening to God, not just talking. Prayer begins with listening, or being still as the Psalmist says. Without this, I believe prayer can be downgraded to transactional communication.
Prayer was not designed to be transactional. Prayer is relational. I believe we must learn to listen to God before prayer will have the true meaning He desires for each of us to experience.
During this crazy beautiful health journey, I have learned a lot about just listening to God. Being still.
As I shared earlier, I believe prayer begins with listening. But it eventually becomes a way of life. I believe prayer is a divine attentiveness to the things of God in our everyday lives. It’s an increased awareness of God’s movement in the world. I believe this explains why Paul tells us to “pray without ceasing.” (1 Thessalonians 5:16-17)
Over the years as I have learned to sit still and just listen to God, I have found peace in my health journey and in every area of my life. What a beautiful gift.
When prayer truly becomes a way of life, nothing happens by chance. No moment stands alone. Everything is connected. Good or bad, nothing is wasted. Every circumstance is an opportunity to see God, a realization of his movement in the world.
Prayer, the transformative kind, cannot be rushed. Short little pop up prayers are not wrong. God can use those prayers in powerful ways. There is also nothing wrong with scheduling a time for prayer. But I believe to truly experience God and the Spirit’s fruits (love, joy, peace, etc.), prayer must become something our day revolves around rather than something crammed into an already busy schedule.
I encourage everyone not to hurry through prayer. You just can’t. In America, everything is built on speed. We’re an on-demand, right this minute culture. And while there’s nothing inherently wrong with this, it’s toxic when we try to impose these cultural values onto prayer.
A few more thing I believe we sometimes miss about prayer.
Prayer is intensely personal and extremely intimate. When it comes to intimacy, how you approach it with God is how you approach it with everything in your life. If you struggle to find intimacy with God, it will impact intimacy with your spouse, family, friends, and everyone else you connect with in life.
Prayer shapes our capacity for relational intimacy. It’s hard to be intimate with another divinely-created person when you’re not intimate with the divine Creator.
My health issues continue to be a battle, but I strive to be still and listen to God throughout my day. By doing this, I feel more connected to God and I am more grateful for my life and relationships. I am also more concerned about the wellbeing of others. This journey is not all about me.
Coincidence? No. I believe my increased intimacy with God has given me a different lens in the way I look at people and the world.
So, as I continue to walk out this health journey, focused and intimate prayer will continue to be a major part of my life. I pray as you walk out your own journey, prayer will guide your steps and become a special and life changing time in your daily life. ~OC
A Different View
Today’s a new day! I have several friends who do not like going to church, but they think Jesus is really cool. When Jesus was walking on earth, thousands of people flocked to hear him teach. He had something worth saying and his message was life changing. If you are a Christian how do you live? If a non-Christian spent the day with you, would they change the way they viewed Christians?
Some people believe that the Church is a place that is only for people who are good enough. Nothing could be further from the truth. The faith lived out by Jesus was one that was taken up by people who were the wrong sort according to the religious people of the day. They did not have it all together. People came to Jesus with their imperfections and some turned to him and called on him for forgiveness and he forgave them and he led them in a new life. Jesus never sent anyone away who was imperfect and he never sent people away who didn’t agree with him or who didn’t want to follow his teaching. One of his disciples Peter, cut off the ear of one of the people who had come to arrest Jesus (John 18:10), Peter also denied knowing Jesus three times (Mark 14:66-72). In Matthew 16:18, Jesus shares these powerful words, “Now I say to you that you are Peter (which means ‘rock’), and upon this rock I will build my church, and all the powers of hell will not conquer it.” In Peter we see the worst and best of the Christian faith, but Jesus loved him and still chose to work with and through him.
Where some Christians go wrong is that they try to portray themselves as perfect rather than the truth which is that we are all broken and thankfully have been forgiven. That as Christians, we are all on a journey of change. I’ve heard it said that: God loves us as we are, but he also loves us too much to leave us that way.
When we make the choice to follow Jesus we are born again, spiritually beginning a new life. The Bible also talks about us reflecting the glory of God as he changes us (2 Corinthians 3:18). The apostle Paul who wrote most of the New Testament talks about a battle going on in every Christian between the Spirit (God in us) and our sinful nature (Romans 7:9). Who will we listen to? Will we live for ourselves only or do we want to live for God?
I pray every Christian will walk securely in God’s love, acceptance, forgiveness, grace and all of His beautiful gifts. I pray as God’s children, we will be guided by the Holy Spirit living in us to keep on striving to become more like Jesus. ~OC
The Blessed Overcomer 