Tag: Endurance

Dear Friend,

Today’s a new day! Here is another “Lost Writings of OC.” This was written in 2019. Sorry it’s a little long. ~OC

Dear Friends,

Several people have reached out to me who are dealing with their own crazy beautiful health journey. So I thought I would share some words that will hopefully bring some encouragement. In the last couple of weeks, my doctors have shared I probably only have months to live. I say this to you, not to discourage you, but to let you know that I am in the trenches with you. These words don’t come from distant memories but from present realities.

The following is a “Battle Plan” of how I am walking through this battle.

1. Recognizing that most of our battles are waged in the mind, I chose to focus on God who is all-powerful and compassionate. The Bible tells us that God’s Name is El Elyon, God Most High, and that nothing can come into our lives that is not first filtered through the fingers of God’s love. God knew before the foundation of the world that we would face different challenges in life and has already provided the resources we need to face them. God’s plan for us in every trial of every size is that we experience victory, never defeat.

2. I chose to view this illness as a gift. Granted, it’s like expecting a new ten-speed bike for Christmas and getting socks, but it is a gift. It is a time to draw near to God, to experience God more fully, to enjoy the simple joys of life, to focus on those things that are truly important. I will thank God every day for this particular gift of health issues.

3. Although my health issues wants to be an all-consuming issue in my life, I refuse to sink within myself. I will reach out to someone else each day with a text, phone call, word of encouragement, act of service or prayer.

4. I will not ignore my emotions (which are currently like a roller coaster on steroids) I will allow myself to experience all the emotions this health journey brings my way, but I will NOT be ruled by them.

5. I will share what is happening to me with others and enlist their support and prayers. I cannot do this alone, and I will not rob others of the blessing they can receive in ministering to me.

6. I will make both short-term and long-term goals in order to have something in the future to look forward to. For example, I plan on continuing to make beautiful memories with my bride through trips and other amazing adventures.

7. I will find some reason to laugh every day.

8. I will remind myself that, in some inexplicable way, the manner in which I conduct myself during this time of struggle does, indeed, impact the spiritual world. The book of Job tells us that humans sometimes get caught up in a cosmic battle between God and Satan, and my actions are key to that struggle. (Jesus Himself told His disciples upon their completion of a missionary journey that God had seen Satan fall from heaven as a result of their actions).

9. I will endeavor to keep my life as “normal” as possible. I will continue my every-day activities and responsibilities as long as I am physically able. This will afford me the comfort of the predictable and common aspects of life as well as helping me not to slide into introspection and self-pity.

Dear friend, who is walking through your own battle, I am praying for you. I am asking that you will be “sincere and blameless” (Philippians 1:10). The word “sincere” is a Greek word that grew out of a poor practice in the marketplace of the day. Everyone in the culture used pottery for many tasks like we use plastic today. It was important that the pots be well made. Most were, but there were some unscrupulous pottery makers who would find a pot with cracks in it. Rather than discarding it, they would fill the crack with wax to cover it up. This would work as long as the pot sold early in the day. But after a longer time of sitting out in the hot Middle Eastern sun, the wax would melt and the cracks would show. Paul prayed that the Philippians would avoid this by being sincere or “sun-tested.” May you, as you face the heat and pressures of this time, find yourself to be, by His grace, without wax.

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Peace and Wisdom

Today’s a new day! As I continue to run this crazy beautiful health journey, I have chosen to live with eternal perspective. This “Lost Writings of OC” was written in March 2023.

During my health journey, I have found peace and wisdom in the Psalms.  In them the steadfast love of God for His people is expressed during great trouble as well as great blessing. When our hearts begin to grasp the character of God as revealed in His Word, our faith and trust in His ways digs deeper into our souls. The benefits and delights of knowing and obeying God’s Word is the theme of Psalm 119. Here are a few “treasures” found in verses 68-93:

“You are good and do good… it is good for me that I was afflicted, that I might learn your statutes… Your hands have made and fashioned me… Those who fear you shall see me and rejoice, because I have hoped in your word… I know, O LORD [Yahweh, God’s personal name], that your rules are righteous, and that in faithfulness you have afflicted me… let your mercy come to me, that I may live; for your law is my delight… In your steadfast love give me life, that I may keep the testimonies of your mouth… you have established the earth, and it stands fast. By your appointment they stand this day, for all things are your servants.”

As is God’s promise, my meditation upon these words brought instruction and great delight to my soul. I jotted down some observations in my journal:

God is good and His deeds are good. His hands have fashioned everything in my life. Here are some lessons learned during this health journey:

•Learn His statutes (teach me His ways)

•Place my hope firmly in Him, causing believers to rejoice

•Recognize His righteousness in me

•Confirm His faithfulness to me

•Reveal His mercy to me

•Invoke in me a vibrant delight in His word

•Use my life to keep His testimonies

Everything in creation has been established by God and is being sustained by God. All things are subject to God’s purpose and will. “All things are God’s servants.”

The benefit and delight I received from these verses is profound:

My health journey is God’s servant in my life. He is using it in ways He has revealed to me in these verses and in many more I have yet to understand. I can rest knowing that my health battle is under the control of God who is good and does good. ~OC

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New Perspective

Today’s a new day! This crazy beautiful health journey, has opened my eyes to seeing the amazing, ordinary, everyday gifts of life. As my body continues to waste away, inwardly I am being renewed day by day. Experiencing life with new eyes. With a new perspective. ~OC

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It’s Time

Today’s a new day! As we continue to celebrate Black History Month, I wanted to share the following with you. ~OC

Today, It’s our calling to support our friends, colleagues, and family members and to stand against senseless acts of violence and systemic racism. We need each other now more than ever if this nation is to ever truly move forward and heal the broken systems established years ago.

It’s time we stand in solidarity as individuals and communities to change a system that has been filled with racism for way too long.

It’s time we educate ourselves.

It’s time we change our broken systems.

It’s time we respect our black brothers, sisters, and People of Color.

It’s time we demand equal rights for all.

It’s time we allow the destruction for powerful reform to take place.

It’s time to accept and respect each other regardless of our differences.

It’s time we stopped using hate to conquer hate.

It’s time we truly love our black brothers and sisters. And not just for the month of February.

It’s time we bring real change to America and beyond.

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Life

Today’s a new day! Our wrinkles mean we have laughed and cried in life. The gray hair or lack of hair means we have cared for someone. The scars collected over the years means we have truly lived. Celebrate Living! ~OC

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Rise Above It All

Today’s a new day! Tragedy is written into every human story. Not a single one of us will escape it. We will all experience hardships that will test us on this journey called life. People will shock you with their capacity for cruelty. But be sure of this: speaking truth will be most challenging when life is the most difficult. Courage is necessary to remain a faithful witness despite the hardships of life. Cynicism will always be ready to creep into our hearts. But through it all, I encourage you to rise above it. ~OC

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I Was Never Alone

Today’s a new day! Here is another “Lost Writings of OC.” This was dated 4/20/15.

When I was sad, He was sad. When I felt rejected, He felt rejected. And, when I cried, He cried with me. He is in me, and my emotions are connected to His emotions. Everything I have ever felt good or bad God has felt those, too.

And then I realized “I was never alone.”

There is something so tender, no it’s sacred, when God opens Heaven and we realize just how near to us He really is.

It brings something so distant and intangible very close and even touchable – spirit to spirit. It removes the lie that we are as invisible to Him as He is to us. It makes us known to Him and He known to us.

It’s easy to feel alone in this world. It’s easy to forget that Jesus weeps when we weep. It’s easy to believe God doesn’t care, have time, or desire to be involved in our lives. It’s easy because we impose our past experiences with others upon a God that sometimes we treat more like a sidekick than a caring Father.

If you’re going through a tough season in life, can I pray for you? It’s hard to keep going day in and day out when you feel so alone. I may not know your current circumstances, but I understand the feelings. More importantly, God understands your feelings and knows your circumstances. He loves you, and above all He has not abandoned you. He is hurt when someone hurts you. He is sad when a friend walks away. He is heartbroken because you’ve been cast aside, and He cried as you’ve cried. Dear friend, God sees you, and you are not alone.

Dear God, I pray for those that are hurting. Father, thank you that you are with them and remind them they’re not alone. I pray dear God that they feel your nearness in the chaos of their daily life. Reveal yourself to those that feel lost in a way that shows them you are near. Guard their heart as they navigate through this difficult time, and protect their mind, and daily bring your truth to override the lies. We pray all of this in Jesus name. Amen

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Truth and Justice

I remember when Russia invaded Ukraine in 2022, so many people including Christians and churches in America were so supportive of Ukraine and everything the citizens of the country were going through. Many Americans and churches held fundraisers and welcomed the Ukrainian people into America who had to flee their homeland. Fast forward to yesterday and the comments from the current President and now so many of those same people are turning their backs on Ukraine. Sadly, this is just another example of how the actions of so many Christians and churches across America are causing a great multitude of believers and unbelievers to turn their backs on the church and faith. I can only imagine the tears filling God’s eyes as he watches all of this transpire. I personally will continue to pray for peace and healing over the people of Ukraine. I will also continue to pray for my fellow believers and churches in American that appear so willing to compromise so much for the sake of power.

Once again, these are my thoughts and opinions. Some may asked why I share the things I do on social media? Yes, they can be hard to read and many people would rather I just share positive and uplifting post. I hear many friends tell me to “Stay away from the negative and challenging post. Just stick with sharing your story and uplifting post.” But I am sharing my story. I believe in truth and justice. That is who I am. So when I see things that are unjust and wrong, I must speak up. I do not enjoy posting things like this on my pages, but I have to be honest with myself and I cannot ignore everything that’s going on around me. Even if that means being attacked or unfriended. So, I will continue to share when I feel God leading me to share my thoughts online. I hope you will to. Even if we have different opinions. Let Love Rule. ~OC

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Do Not Limit God

Good Morning! I hope you take the time to read and reflect on these words today. I wrote this back in 2010. It does not appear I ever posted it. “Lost Writings from OC.”

Today’s a new day! Welcome to a new week. I pray that everyone had a wonderful and memorable weekend. My challenge for you this week is to Not Limit God!

I must admit there have been times in my spiritual journey that I have limited God.  Yes, me. I did not always do this intentionally, but subconsciously I would begin stuffing God into a little box. I was putting limits on Him and not even realizing that I was doing so.

I would go to God with a prayer request and step out on faith that He would see it through.  Now when things in the natural didn’t work out according to my plan, I would assume they were not going to work out and move on. But how many people actually realize that God is more than capable of doing exceedingly and wonderful things in every area of our lives? He can do more than we could ever imagine, hope for or ask for… in God’s timing. Not our timing. Did you catch that?

Another way we limit God is by thinking that in order for a blessing to manifest that He has to operate the way we think things should be done.  We sometimes forget that our thinking is limited, but God’s is not.  We forget how powerful He really is.  The scripture says, He is ALMIGHTY GOD.  There are no limits on what God can and will do in our lives. 

How many of us are guilty of limiting God? Well do not beat yourself up, God is not finished with you yet. We need to remind ourselves daily of who God is. When we spend time studying God’s word, we can be confident that God is able to do all things.  But we must acknowledge that we do not have everything under control, but that God is always in control. We must stop limiting God to what we can see in the natural and trust that He can move mountains in the supernatural.  Today, let’s live out our faith and know that God is able to blow our minds.

As you face challenges this week, I encourage you to not limit God.  I know the medical scan shows one thing, but I double dog dare you to not limit God.  I know it looks like your money is gone before the month has ended, but I triple dog dare you to stop limiting God. When we take God out of that box we stuffed Him in, He will expand our faith and take us to new and beautiful heights.

So this week, stop limiting God and watch Him do new and exciting things in your life. Have a great week! ~OC

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