Tag: Endurance

Morning Prayer

A Morning Prayer. ~OC

Dear God, we lift before you the needs of our hurting world, knowing full well that your heart is already grieving for all the loss, the destruction and death in Washington D.C., Philadelphia and the needs around the world.

We pray for those who are hungry with no hope of being filled,
for those who are sick with no hope of medical attention,
for those who are fearful with no hope of rescue.


We come to you on their behalf asking for provision, for you are the Hope that does not disappoint.

God, raise up leaders in our nation and world who are courageous to stand against the evils of the world.

We wonder, Lord, sitting in our privilege and comfort, arguing about first world problems, if it’s even possible to serve you faithfully without running water or basic freedoms, so we pray that you would protect our brothers and sisters in Christ whose lives may be threatened because they have chosen to set their hope in your unseen Kingdom.

Enlarge our compassion, Dear God, for we are a distracted people who scroll past misery and then complain about our slow internet speed. Thank you that you are a God who can hold and respond to the pain of every nation, every man, woman, and child as if they were the only voice in your ear. Hold us in faithful prayer for our hurting world, for we dare not look away from the suffering of others lest we become callous, deaf and blind to your calling upon our lives. In Jesus’s precious name, AMEN

0

The Battle

Good morning! Here is another post from “The Lost Writings of OC.” This was written in 2019. Have a great day!

I am a Warrior, Fighter, Conqueror and Overcomer. Some people do not like using those terms when talking about their health journey, but I embrace each of them. Because every day that I am blessed to wake up and make it through another day is a Victory. A Battle won.

The words “fighter” and “warrior” are often linked with our response to illness. I think it’s appropriate. I have walked the halls of hospitals, chemo rooms, hospice rooms and believe me each of those individuals were fighting a battle. Waging war against a disease that is trying to destroy every single part of their bodies.

As I have traveled my own crazy beautiful health journey, I have been blessed to meet and become friends with some amazing “Warriors.” I do not think any of us warriors would consider ourselves to be “inspirations.” Even though a lot of people like to put that term on us. No, we are just focused on making it through the tough moments of the day. The weeks. And for some like me, the years. We will leave all the “inspirational” talk to you.

For many the word “fighting” might sound exhausting. And it can be. There are some days I just want a break from this health battle. When this happens, I do not want to be told I’m inspirational and to “just keep going!” or “battle on!” I just want someone to listen. This is where I have found my “people in my boat” to be so helpful. Even though some have never had to walk through a health battle, they have walked through their own battles in life. One of my friends once shared “Just keep swimming, and when you can’t swim, just float.” Some days I just want or need to float for a while.

So I will continue to use terms like Warrior, Overcomer, Fighter and Conqueror. I believe these terms unite those living with chronic health problems. We will fight and overcome together. ~OC

0

Life with Myasthenia Gravis

Good Morning! More writings from the “Lost Writings of OC.” I thought I would share a little bit about my Myasthenia Gravis (MG) experience with you today. I originally wrote this in 2024 and updated it several weeks ago. As I share this with you, my MG is getting much worse.

Today’s a new day! Myasthenia Gravis (MG) is an autoimmune disease that causes muscle weakness. But what exactly does muscle weakness feel like? To understand more, let me walk you through a typical day with MG.

For me it feels like I’ve run out power. In general, I feel it’s a huge effort to move when I’m very weak. When my legs are weak, they feel heavy and unsteady. I feel like I cannot move them or trust them to hold me up. The weaker I get, the closer and closer my steps get to each other, until I have to stop and lean against something or just sit down.

Also, I get pain in my hip flexors – basically my butt. It’s the same kind of pain you get from overdoing a workout: an achy soreness that feels like you have overused the muscles. These days, I deal with hip pain on a constant basis.

When my shoulders are weak, which is most of the time lately, I feel like I just cannot lift my arms. Like there are heavy weights holding them down.

My neck continues to get weaker. I just cannot hold my head up. It falls to the side or down, or I have to prop it up with my hand on my chin and my elbow on a table, or with a U-shaped neck pillow and a high-backed chair. As my neck weakens, I develop achy pain in my upper back from trying to hold my head up. I sometimes get a nauseating gagging sensation from my throat collapsing.

Eating with MG can be a challenge from having to take breaks while eating, to choking on solids and fluids. Sitting down to eat or drink is a major undertaking. I also start to slur my speech, and I get short of breath from minor exertion, or sometimes just sitting still.

I always have muscle weakness, but it gets more severe with heat, exertion, lack of sleep, infections, or other stressors. Summertime can be very challenging. Extreme cold is not my friend either.

Based on my weakened lung muscles, I am unable to take deep breaths. This causes issues on so many different levels. These days, every breath is a struggle.

I have to stay on top of my medications for the Myasthenia Gravis. I have to take one of those medications four times a day. Oh, I better not miss those dosages or things can go down hill pretty quickly.

I try to dress in cool fabrics and wear layers in winter. And I try to protect myself from sickness by keeping my vaccines up to date, wearing a mask when needed , and using hand sanitizer or washing my hands frequently when I am out of the house. I tend to fist bump and avoid shaking hands or hugging.

You know how much I love to walk, but that is getting harder these days. I have added a walking stick to help with my balance. This is a far cry from my marathon days

My medical team continuously tells me I am a one in two billion case with all of the multiple diagnosis. With Myasthenia Gravis, I fall into a small group of people being diagnosed with MG after having their thymus removed. My cancerous thymus was removed in 2003, but I was not diagnosed with MG until 2009. I will not go into what the thymus does, but feel free to research on your own.

How friends loved ones can help

One thing my friends and family do for me that’s immensely helpful is helping to educate themselves on Myasthenia Gravis so they can explain it to others and better understand my daily challenges.

I only have a few people besides my bride, who truly know me and my MG that well, but they are lifesavers. They’re also the ones I’ll talk candidly to when my MG gets me down. I cannot be relentlessly cheerful all the time, but I try.

I hope this gives you a better understanding of what Myasthenia Gravis looks like and how it affects my life on a daily basis. Each day is a struggle, but I continue to push forward and look at all the positives in my life. I encourage you to do the same. Go have a great day! ~OC

Dear God, Sometimes the pain is so great, I cannot think beyond my current struggle. On hard days, please ease my pain and help me focus on Your goodness one day, one hour, one moment at a time. Let Your overwhelming peace wash over me and remind me Your mercies are new every morning (Lamentations 3:22-23). There are days when I beg you to take the pain away. Days I just don’t have the strength. In those desperate times, I ask for Your unending strength to sustain me. I cannot do it alone, but with You all things are possible (Matthew 19:26). Amen

0

My Life With Parkinson’s

Good Morning! I wanted to share a bit of my Parkinson’s experience with you today. I was diagnosed with PD in 2007. The disease is starting to take its toll on me, but I continue to live with an attitude of hope. I originally wrote this in 2019 and updated it the first of 2025.

Today’s a new day! Living with Parkinson’s takes hope, persistence and a strong will to live. Because Parkinson’s never takes a day off. Parkinson’s is a daily battle. In the presence of Parkinson’s, one must have courage, the strength of character, and for me a strong faith.

While there’s life, there’s hope. Each morning when I wake, I do a full-body inventory, thinking ‘Okay body, what awaits us today?’ I remain hopeful that my just-completed sleep has re-fueled my brain and re-stocked my body. Of course that’s on the nights I actually sleep. Cloaked around every fiber of my body is my unwelcome guest named Parkinson’s; however, the day has started anew, and there is much to accomplish. I use hope as an anchor to secure my body and mind against the slowly rising tide from Parkinson’s. There is still time while staying hopeful.

Living with a positive attitude makes a big difference. Before I get out of my recliner, it can be easy to feel sorry for myself. I have Parkinson’s, a progressive neurodegenerative disorder. And that’s the negative mindset Parkinson’s has provided but I try to never allow myself to stay there for very long. There are days that are going to be difficult; yet staying positive and focusing on the plans God has for my life is where I choose to place my focus. I choose to look at my life with a positive attitude. That is completely opposite of how this disease wants me to feel and live.

I have found living this journey and sharing my story has been a privilege of a lifetime. I start each day with a prayer to focus on what plans God would have for me on that particular day. I choose to stay engaged with the everyday activities of life. Things are starting to get much tougher these days, but I make the choice every day to embrace life to its fullest. I remind myself there is much left to accomplish in my life even in the presence of Parkinson’s. I will close with a prayer I lift up to God every morning:

Dear God, thank you for another day. Simply use me today. This is going to be a good day. I remain hopeful not hopeless, positive not negative, happy not sad, and driven not complacent. Thank you for Your strength, wisdom and courage as I walk through this day. Amen. ~OC

0

Some Shocking Truth

Good Morning! As I continue to go through some old journals, I keep finding some old treasures. I guess I can title this collection of writings “The Lost Writings of OC.” This was written in 2017.

Today’s a new day! Here’s some shocking truth for some: Jesus is not an American. Jesus did not come to create a blueprint for Americans to be Americans. But it seems as though our identity as Christians has blended with our identity as Americans, where it is often hard to differentiate what value comes from where.

Because in America, we have substituted the freedom that was given to us by God the Father (Galatians 5:1) for false freedom that was established by human fathers. In America, we have substituted the safety and security we have in the hands of God the Father (Psalm 91:1-2) for safety and security found at the hands of human fathers. In America, we have substituted the goal of building the kingdom of God (John 18:36) for building the kingdom of this country. 

Let me be clear: This is not a political post. This is not an anti-America post. But more generally and over the longer term, I’m afraid that our pursuit of what it means to be American has undermined our pursuit of what it means to be Christian.

So the new question I have been asking is, what does it mean to be a Christian in America?

The answer to this question can unlock a freedom that is not found in the question of who is saving America from destruction but rather in the question of who the Savior of my life is (John 8:36). And the answer to this question might actually cause me to lose safety and security for the sake of others finding safety and security in Jesus (Philippians 2:4). Because answering the question of what it means to be a Christian means answering the question of where Jesus is calling me to follow him (Matthew 16:24). 

So for some, this new question will cause us to look at the pain and suffering of those around us with compassion and ask Jesus to guide us in how he is wanting us to engage with lives that look different than ours (Colossians 3:12). For others, this question will cause us to look toward those who have caused us pain with mercy and loving-kindness and ask Jesus to guide us in how he wants us to engage with the lives of those who seemingly oppose us (Ephesians 4:32). But the invitation in asking the question of what it means to be a Christian in America is an invitation to stop looking at policies, people, and parties and to start looking at Jesus.

This American question has divided us, and the world is watching the internal implosion of the Church. But they are also looking for hope. And as long as we are asking the wrong question, we are unable to show them the hope we so desperately desire that they see (Colossians 1:27).

I pray everyone will take the time to reflect on this post. I pray everyone has a beautiful day. ~OC

0

Friendships…

The last few days, I have been going through old journals and finding some old writings. Here is one I wrote back in 2019.

Today’s a new day! So many people kick the terms “best friend,” “best friend forever,” “BFF,” or “bestie” around like a soccer ball , hoping the person they kick it to will kick it back at them.  I have no doubt that for some people, the friends they make in their youth stick with them for a lifetime.  But as we grow older, we realize that true friends are rare.

Some friends are here for only a season of our life – school days, college, young married, a missions trip– and then when the ties that bind them loosen, they slowly (or quickly) exit our lives. I do not think this lessens the value of the relationship.  We need various people to learn from and lean on during the different seasons of our lives.

What can weaken a friendship? Two friends may mature at a different pace, or sometimes interests change.  Distance can have a huge impact, if someone moves, or perhaps there’s a complete change in lifestyle. Are there friendships that can withstand any or all of these conditions?

True friendships withstand the test of time and the changes that can put obstacles in the way of a stress-free relationship. That is, it’s easy to be friends with someone who is available, who you have much in common with, and who you agree with on most issues.

I’ve learned that true friendship does not have much to do with what you have in common, though, of course, commonalities are needed, especially since they bring you together. What holds your friendship together is a deep love and concern for the other person’s well being. You care, so you continue to be there for that person.

Friends show up in times of trouble. During my crazy beautiful health journey, I have found out who my true friends are. Who those 3am friends really are. For those friends that decided to move on, I continue to pray for you and only want the best for you.

True friends are honest with each other, and they accept the other person’s honesty. They do not let petty arguments come between them. They forgive each other. They realize that they don’t always have to agree.

True friends give you the freedom to have other friends. They are secure enough to know that if you are a worthy friend, they do not have to do anything to persuade you to spend time with them. They know you have enough love in your heart for all your friendships.

True friends are not difficult to meet up with, and they aren’t hard to keep in touch with, if they live far away. While we all get busy at times, true friends inform each other that their friendship is still important, and both of them make an effort.

Over the years, I have had some friends who pulled out a calendar and listed a handful of dates over the next few months that they could schedule a time to see me. Hmm, I thought, I’m busy too (dying can take up a lot of one’s time), but it shouldn’t be that difficult to find time to spend together. In contrast, I have multiple friends that a quick phone call or text and we are meeting up within hours to catch up.

True friendships are those that bring out the best in you. Your friend should give you energy – not drain it.  How many times have we stayed in relationships simply because the person was present, but deep down we know they aren’t good for us? When possible we should clear our lives of people who drain us and leave space to foster relationships that fill us up with hope and make us a better person.

I believe the mark of a true friendship is intimacy – your friends know and wants to know what is happening in your life. On some level, they stay involved in your life. Indeed, that’s the mark of a true friend.

It goes without saying that to have true friends, we must work at being a good friend.Even after fifty plus years, I am still learning how to be a better friend. I desire to have more friendships that can last the ups and downs of this journey called life. ~OC

0

Thank You, MLK

Good Morning! I could not let this special day go by without sharing something. I have spent the last few days working on this, so I hope it will convey what’s in my heart.

Today we celebrate the life and legacy of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. whose life and words continue to inspire and make a difference today.

As I continue running this crazy beautiful health journey, one of my prayers over the years is that this journey would encourage and inspire at least one person.

I mean truly inspire: to provide real hope where none previously existed and help turn that hope into positive action, maybe even positive change, that may otherwise never happen.

It’s so much harder than it sounds.

What, then, do we say about a man who inspired not just one person, but an entire generation of people?

And generations beyond that?

And who will inspire generations beyond this?

On this day, we say thank you … to Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., whose dreams, words, and actions remain as inspiring today as they were almost six decades ago.

Today we celebrate that legacy, the legacy that Dr. King left behind without ever fully leaving.

For he was true to what he said on paper, and he was true to what he said out loud. And so his words live on, some of the most meaningful in history. An everlasting testament to one of the most meaningful and inspirational lives that has ever been lived. Thank you Dr. King. ~OC

0

Look What I Found…

As I was going through some social media post, this post came up from January 18, 2011. As I read through it, I thought I would share it with you. I did tweak it just a bit. Even back then, I was writing long post. Here we go…

A few years ago, as this health journey consumed more of my life, someone asked me what my “Life Message” was. I did not even know how to answer that question at the time. But after taking some time to think about it, I think I know. My life message is sharing the beauty and love of Jesus.

I want people to experience the amazing beauty of Jesus in a way that makes their hearts come alive with love for Him and reveals the amazing purpose He has for their lives.

First, here’s what I mean by the beauty of Jesus. The Bible repeatedly refers to this idea of beauty and here are a few scriptures that reveal God’s beauty:

“One thing have I asked of the Lord, that will I seek after: that I may dwell in the house of the Lord all the days of my life, to gaze upon the beauty of the Lord and to inquire in his temple.”

~Psalm 27:4

“You are the most handsome of the sons of men; grace is poured upon your lips; therefore God has blessed you forever.” ~ Psalm 45:2

“Your eyes will behold the king in his beauty; they will see a land that stretches afar.” ~Isaiah 33:17

The beauty of Jesus is mostly the beauty–the excellence–of His personality. I used to think of Jesus beauty as only the visual aspects of light and glory described in passages such as Revelation 4 and 5. While those are certainly a part of Jesus’ beauty, the full truth is so much deeper than that. Jesus is beautiful because of who He is. Every single facet of His character is gloriously beautiful. His love, joy, sense of humor, fierceness, humility, honesty, cleverness, justice, dedication, wisdom, faithfulness, and a thousand other traits you want to add, are what make Him stunning. As mere humans, we can never be all of these things as fully as we wish we could be, and no person in our lives could fulfill all of these needs for us. But Jesus possesses all of these characteristics to their fullest possible extreme, all at once.

I believe there are four things that the beauty of Jesus draws us into. 1). Relationship, 2). Worship, 3). Discipleship, and 4). Partnership.

Relationship: Jesus desires to have a personal relationship with each and every one of us.No matter where you’re standing in life this very moment, Jesus wants to connect with us in the middle of our messiness.

Worship: Jesus’ beauty is directly tied to His Holiness. Part of what this means is that His every characteristic is higher and more pure and perfect than its earthly equivalent.

Jesus’ beauty shines in every single facet of his character, including His love and mercy as well as His wrath and justice. Think about that for just a second. Every justice system on earth is guaranteed to make a mistake at some point. Human justice will always be imperfect, no matter how hard we try to refine the system, because no person can really see into the heart of another. But Jesus’ justice is completely perfect. Every single time.

Discipleship: The more I see and read about the beauty of Jesus’ character, the more I want to be like Him. I want to experience a heart transformation through my relationship with Jesus. I want to captivated by the beauty of those characteristics in Him.

The more clearly we see Jesus, the more we are empowered to become like Him–and in fact, the more we want to become like Him.

Partnership: My relationship with Jesus drives everything I do in my life. I want Him to have what He so deeply desires, because I know that He is beautiful and worthy, and because I know the things He wants are beautiful and worthy. His desires are perfectly pure and holy. The more clearly I see His sense of justice, the more I want to see justice done in the earth–because I have connected with the beauty of true justice in the heart of Jesus.

There is truly no one like Jesus. He is truly worthy of all of our worship and all of our trust and all of our lives lived completely for His glory– because the extravagant beauty of His character actually deserves such an extravagant response.

I hope you enjoyed this walk down memory lane. I am sure if I thought about the question what is my “Life Message” these days, my post would probably sound a little different. But I would still want people to experience the beauty and love of Jesus. ~OC

0

My Last Post

Today’s a new day! I am going to let you in on a little secret. A lot of the post I share daily, were written months or even years ago. I had a series of writings I had put together over the years. On the post that were new, it could take me hours to write down my thoughts in a way that people could hopefully understand. Why am I sharing all this with you this morning?

Well, I come to the end of all the writings I had not shared with you over the last few years. And as my neurological issues have become worse, it has become harder to put my thoughts in order. Which can be very frustrating. So today is my last post of Today’s a New Day!

I have enjoyed sharing my thoughts with you over the years. I have enjoyed the conversations some of my writings have created over the years. I have enjoyed sharing my thoughts and life experiences with you since 2019. But as I mentioned above, with my health declining, it has become increasingly frustrating for me to write. I will not rule out sharing some of my writings in the future if my health allows and God puts something on my heart. But for now, it’s time to step away. Thanks again for all of the support over the years. Go share your story with others. Go make a difference in your part of the world. Blessings. ~OC

4

A New Day. A New Year. A New Perspective.

Today’s a new day! As we walk into a new week and are still navigating a new year, I want to share the following thoughts with you. Peace and blessings to each of you. ~OC

“Peter said to them, “Repent, and each of you be baptized in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins; and you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit.” -Acts 2:38

Today the Holy Spirit is calling you. He is saying, “I am here my child. I am the Resurrection and the Life. I want to appear Myself to you today in a way you never have encountered me before. I want there to be a collision between Heaven and your world.”

Maybe you are disappointed with church, with pastors, the world or even with God. Maybe you have prayed and nothing changed. Maybe you used to be in love with God but things happened and now you are disappointed, discouraged, and angry. Maybe you had a bad church experience or were hurt by a person who misrepresented God’s heart to you. Forgive them.  The Holy Spirit is calling you today. Return to the Lord with all your heart. He longs for there to be a collision where everything in your life crashes with God’s Kingdom and you are forever changed. You will never be the same. I encourage you to pray this dangerous prayer today and mean it if you want all of God: 

“Holy Spirit, today I surrender my life totally to Jesus Christ. I am done running and living life for myself. I make a fresh decision to follow hard after You. I give you all of my life. I receive forgiveness for my sins and I release forgiveness to those who have hurt me and betrayed me. Heal my heart. Today, show me Your truth. Break every stronghold and addiction. Flood my life with your power and presence so that I will never ever be the same. Fill me with a fresh touch from You. I want to draw nearer to you with all I am. In Jesus name Amen”

“He saved us, not on the basis of deeds which we have done in righteousness, but according to His mercy, by the washing of regeneration and renewing by the Holy Spirit “-Titus 3:15

0

Blog at WordPress.com.

Up ↑