Tag: Hope

Why Am I Still Alive?

Today’s a new day!

Twenty-four years. Multiple diagnoses. Countless tests, treatments, surgeries, hospitalizations, and moments when the future looked anything but certain. And somehow, by the grace of God, I am still here.

Sometimes I sit back and ask myself a question that I don’t always know how to answer.

WHY AM I STILL ALIVE?

I’m not asking that question for attention. I’m not asking it because I want people to feel sorry for me. And I’m certainly not asking it because I believe I’m stronger than someone else who didn’t survive their battle.

I’m asking because, after everything my body has endured over the last twenty-four years, there are moments when I honestly don’t understand how I’m still standing.

I’ve lived with multiple life threatening health issues. I have experienced moments when my health has deteriorated so badly that living another day wasn’t something I could take for granted.

I’ve heard the medical predictions. I’ve faced the uncertainty. I’ve endured the pain, the exhaustion, and the frustration of watching my body struggle to do things that once came naturally.

I’ve experienced moments when speaking was difficult, when my body wouldn’t cooperate, and when the future seemed to be slipping away from me.

I’ve spent time in intensive care. I’ve faced hospitalizations when things didn’t look good. I’ve experienced the kind of physical suffering that is difficult to explain to someone who hasn’t walked a similar road.

And through it all, one question continues to follow me.

WHY HAS GOD ALLOWED ME TO LIVE WHEN SO MANY TIMES IT SEEMED LIKE MY STORY SHOULD HAVE ENDED?

I wish I had a simple answer.

I don’t.

But I know this: JESUS. ONLY JESUS.

I’m not claiming that I understand every medical explanation, every close call, or every reason I’ve survived. I’m not suggesting that faith means we never need doctors, medicine, treatments, or the hands of medical professionals. God has worked through many of those people and resources in my life, and I am grateful for them.

I’m also not going to pretend that every day is a victory lap.

Some days hurt. Some nights seem endless. There are moments when the exhaustion runs deeper than words can explain. There are things I miss about the life I once had, and there are battles I never imagined I would have to fight.

My faith doesn’t make me immune to fear, frustration, grief, or questions.

Faith simply gives me somewhere to take those things.

I take them to Jesus.

Sometimes my prayers are long and full of words. Other times, all I can manage is a whisper. And sometimes, when I don’t have the strength to say anything at all, I simply hold on to the truth that He is still there.

I have learned that you don’t have to understand everything God is doing to trust Him with your life.

You don’t have to feel strong to keep believing.

And you don’t have to pretend everything is okay to have genuine faith.

I’M STILL HERE, BUT I’M NOT GOING TO PRETEND I KNOW WHY.

People sometimes talk about surviving as though it automatically makes someone a hero. But I don’t see myself that way.

I’m a husband. I’m a son. I’m a friend. I’m a child of God.

I’m a man who has experienced more medical battles than he ever expected, a man who has had to learn how to live with a body that doesn’t always cooperate, and a man who still has questions about what tomorrow might bring.

I’m not alive because I figured out some secret to beating every illness.

I’m not alive because I never became afraid.

And I’m certainly not alive because I have somehow earned more of God’s favor than someone who lost their battle.

I am still here, and I am deeply grateful for every additional day I have been given.

I believe Jesus has carried me through moments when I didn’t have the strength to carry myself. I believe His presence has sustained me when the circumstances around me offered very little comfort. I believe there is still purpose in loving people, encouraging others, sharing my faith, and telling the truth about what it means to walk through suffering.

But I cannot tell you with certainty why my story continues while someone else’s ended.

I won’t pretend to know God’s complete plan.

What I can tell you is that my survival has made me more aware of how precious life is, how fragile our bodies can be, and how desperately we need grace.

I no longer want to waste my life chasing things that don’t matter.

I want to love my wife well. I want to encourage the brokenhearted. I want to stand beside people who feel forgotten. I want to remind those who are struggling that their diagnoses do not erase their dignity, their value, or their identity.

I want people to see Jesus in the way I live, not simply in the words I write.

If I have another twenty years, I want to use them well.

If I have twenty more days, I want to use them well.

And if tomorrow brings another medical battle, I pray I will face it with the same Savior who has sustained me through the battles behind me.

Because the number of days I have left is not something I can control.

What I do with the day I’ve been given is something I can choose.

JESUS NEVER PROMISED ME AN EASY ROAD.

One of the hardest lessons I’ve learned is that following Jesus doesn’t mean we get to skip suffering.

Faithful people get sick.

Faithful people experience pain.

Faithful people sit beside hospital beds, receive devastating diagnoses, and sometimes bury the people they prayed would be healed.

And sometimes, despite our most desperate prayers, the outcome isn’t what we hoped for.

I believe in miracles. I’ve experienced moments in my own journey that I can only describe as miraculous. I believe God can heal, restore, strengthen, and do things beyond our understanding.

But I also believe that Jesus is worthy of our trust when healing doesn’t come the way we prayed it would.

My faith cannot depend entirely on whether my body gets better.

If I make physical healing the only evidence of God’s goodness, what happens on the days when my symptoms worsen? What happens when another diagnosis arrives? What happens when I wake up hurting?

Does that mean God has abandoned me?

No.

My circumstances may change. My physical abilities may change. My future may look different from the one I imagined.

But my identity in Christ does not depend on the condition of my body.

Paul wrote in 2 Corinthians 12:9 that God’s grace is sufficient and that His power is made perfect in weakness.

That Scripture means something different to me now than it did before I became seriously ill.

I understand that weakness isn’t always something we overcome in the way we hoped. Sometimes weakness is something we learn to live with while discovering that God’s grace is still sufficient.

Sometimes overcoming means getting out of bed.

Sometimes it means enduring another treatment.

Sometimes it means asking for help when our pride tells us not to.

Sometimes it means crying, praying, and getting through one more difficult day.

And sometimes, overcoming simply means refusing to believe that our suffering has made our lives meaningless.

I AM STILL AN OVERCOMER, EVEN ON THE DAYS WHEN I FEEL OVERWHELMED.

Not because I always win the battles I fight, but because my identity is rooted in the One who holds me through them.

SO, WHY AM I STILL ALIVE?

After twenty-four years of health battles, I could give you a dozen answers.

Medical professionals have treated me. My wife, Laura, has stood beside me through more than most people could imagine. Family and friends have prayed for me. People have encouraged me when I needed encouragement.

I am grateful for every single one of them.

But when I look back over the moments when I wondered whether I would survive, when I think about the times I had almost nothing left to give, and when I consider how much of this journey has been beyond my control, I keep coming back to the same place.

JESUS.

Not because I can explain every moment.

Not because I know what tomorrow holds.

Not because I believe I am guaranteed another miracle.

But because, in the middle of all my unanswered questions, He remains the foundation of my faith.

I don’t know how many more years I have.

I don’t know what the next diagnosis, treatment, or hospitalization might bring.

I don’t know whether the hardest part of my journey is behind me or still ahead.

But I know I don’t want to spend whatever time I have left living in fear of what might happen.

I want to live with purpose.

I want to love deeply.

I want to forgive freely.

I want to encourage relentlessly.

I want to tell people about the hope I’ve found in Jesus without pretending that following Him makes life easy.

And I want to remind people who are fighting battles of their own that they are more than the worst thing that has happened to them.

You are more than your diagnosis.

You are more than your mistakes.

You are more than the opinions of people who don’t understand your journey.

And you are not forgotten simply because your life looks different from the one you imagined.

I cannot promise you that everything will work out the way you want it to. I cannot promise that every prayer will be answered in the way you hope.

But I can tell you that you do not have to walk through your suffering alone.

Jesus meets us in the broken places. He gives us grace for the moments when we have none left to give ourselves. And He reminds us that our worth was never determined by our strength, our health, or our ability to keep everything together.

I am still here. I am still fighting. I am still believing. And I am still trusting Jesus.

Not because I have all the answers.

But because I know where to turn when I don’t.

Twenty-four years ago, I could never have imagined the road I would travel. I never would have chosen it. I would never wish these battles on anyone.

But I am here.

And as long as I am here, I want my life to point beyond me.

I want people to see more than a man with multiple medical diagnoses. I want them to see a husband who loves his wife, a friend who cares about people, a man who still believes in the power of prayer, and a child of God who is learning to trust Jesus one day at a time.

I don’t need to understand every chapter to be grateful that my story is still being written.

And I don’t need to know how many pages remain to make the next one count.

WHY AM I STILL ALIVE?

I don’t know the complete answer.

But I know who I am trusting with the question.

His name is Jesus.

And until He calls me home, I will keep loving, keep serving, keep believing, keep encouraging, and keep overcoming.

Not perfectly.

Not without pain.

Not without questions.

But by His grace, one day at a time.

ONLY JESUS KNOWS WHY I’M STILL HERE. SO, JESUS, WHILE I’M HERE, PLEASE HELP ME MAKE MY LIFE COUNT.

“For to me, to live is Christ, and to die is gain.” — Philippians 1:21

KEEP FIGHTING. KEEP BELIEVING. KEEP LOVING. KEEP OVERCOMING.

Your health issues may be part of your story, but they do not get to define the entirety of your life. Your story is still about the person you love, the people you encourage, the grace you extend, and the Jesus you follow.

— A Blessed Overcomer, still walking by faith. ~OC

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Who Is Your Tribe?

When the storms of life hit, who will still be standing beside you?

Let me ask you a few questions.

Who is your tribe? Who is your 3 a.m. phone call? Who are the people you can count on when life falls apart?

Not the people who show up when everything is going well. Not the people who celebrate your victories, enjoy your success, or want to be around when life is easy.

I’m talking about the people who show up when the diagnosis comes. When the phone rings with bad news. When the bills pile up, the tears won’t stop, your faith is being tested, and you don’t know how you’re going to make it through another day.

WHO ARE YOUR PEOPLE?

Life has a way of revealing who truly belongs in your tribe. Sometimes, it takes a storm to discover who is willing to stand with you in the rain.

Some people will pray for you from a distance. Others will get down in the trenches and pray beside you. Some will tell you they’re there for you, while others will quietly show up and prove it.

And sometimes, the greatest gift someone can give you isn’t advice, a Bible verse, or a promise that everything will be okay.

Sometimes, it’s simply their presence.

It’s the person who answers the phone at 3 a.m. It’s the friend who sits with you in a hospital room. It’s the person who checks on you when everyone else has moved on. It’s the one who reminds you of God’s faithfulness when you’re struggling to remember it yourself.

Those people are precious. Love them. Appreciate them. Thank God for them.

Ecclesiastes 4:9–10 reminds us that two are better than one because when one falls, the other can help them up.

That’s what community looks like. That’s what friendship looks like. That’s what being the hands and feet of Jesus looks like.

But here’s something else we need to remember.

While we’re asking who our tribe is, we also need to ask ourselves a difficult question:

ARE WE SOMEBODY ELSE’S TRIBE?

Are we the person who answers the phone when someone is hurting? Are we willing to sit beside someone in their darkest hour without trying to fix everything? Are we checking on the people who always say they’re fine but might be falling apart inside?

It’s easy to say, “I’m praying for you.”

It’s harder to show up, stay present, and walk beside someone through a storm that might last months or even years.

Jesus never promised us a life without storms. But He showed us what love looks like in the middle of them.

And sometimes, God answers our prayers for help through the people He places in our lives.

I’ve learned that life isn’t about how many people know your name, how many friends you have on social media, or how many people celebrate your victories.

It’s about the people who love you when you have nothing to offer them except your brokenness.

So today, take a moment to think about your tribe.

Who can you call at 3 a.m.?

Who will stand beside you when the storms come?

Who will pray with you when you can’t find the words to pray for yourself?

And just as importantly, whose name would appear on their phone if they needed someone at 3 a.m.?

If you have those people, thank God for them. Don’t take them for granted.

If you’re still searching for your tribe, don’t give up hope. Keep showing up. Keep loving people. Keep building genuine relationships. Sometimes, the family God gives us is the family we find along the way.

And if you know someone who is walking through a storm alone, don’t wait for them to ask for help. Reach out. Make the call. Send the text. Show up.

BE SOMEBODY’S 3 A.M. PHONE CALL. BE SOMEBODY’S TRIBE. BE THE REASON SOMEONE REMEMBERS THAT THEY ARE NOT ALONE.

Because when the storms of life come, we don’t need more spectators.

We need people willing to stand in the storm with us.

And church, isn’t that what we’re called to do?

To love one another. To carry one another’s burdens. To encourage the weary. To stand beside the brokenhearted.

Let’s stop being a church that simply tells people to have faith and become a church that demonstrates faith through action.

Life is hard. Storms are real. And none of us was meant to walk through this life alone.

Keep loving. Keep showing up. Keep praying. Keep overcoming.

And never underestimate what God can do through one person who refuses to walk away when everyone else does.

A PRAYER FOR OUR TRIBES

Lord Jesus, thank You for the people You place in our lives who stand beside us when the storms come. Help us recognize those relationships, nurture them, and never take them for granted. Teach us to be the kind of friends who answer the call, carry one another’s burdens, and love without conditions. Show us who might be hurting in silence and give us the courage to reach out. May we become Your hands and feet to a world that desperately needs to know it isn’t alone. In the powerful and precious name of Jesus. Amen.

ONE LAST QUESTION: WHO IS YOUR TRIBE, AND MORE IMPORTANTLY, WHOSE TRIBE ARE YOU? ~OC

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Faith And The American Flag

Dear Christian Community,

Please stop wrapping yourselves in the American flag while forgetting to wrap yourselves in the teachings of Jesus.

There is nothing wrong with loving your country. There is nothing wrong with honoring those who have sacrificed for our freedoms. But when our patriotism becomes more visible than our faith, perhaps it’s time to examine our hearts.

The American flag represents a nation. The cross represents a Savior.

One can make you feel good about the country you love. The other can radically transform the life you live.

Jesus didn’t tell us to love only our fellow Americans. He told us to love our neighbors as ourselves, pray for our enemies, care for the poor, welcome the stranger, and serve the least among us.

He didn’t ask us to make America look more Christian. He called us to become more like Christ.

So, before you wave that flag, ask yourself: Am I living out the values Jesus taught? Am I loving people who disagree with me? Am I standing up for the vulnerable? Am I extending grace to those society would rather ignore?

You can love America and still challenge America. You can honor your country without worshiping it. And you can be patriotic without confusing the kingdom of God with the politics of a nation.

Church, our first allegiance must be to Jesus Christ—not a political party, not a president, and not a flag.

America doesn’t need a church that simply makes people feel patriotic. It needs a church that makes people encounter the radical, transforming love of Jesus.

Wave your flag if you choose. But never let it fly higher in your heart than the cross.

Because in the end, Jesus won’t ask how loudly we proclaimed our patriotism. He will ask how faithfully we loved. ~OC

“Seek first the kingdom of God and his righteousness.” ~Matthew 6:33

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A Prayer For Ukraine

Heavenly Father,


We lift up the people of Ukraine into Your loving hands. Bring peace where there is war, hope where there is despair, healing where there is pain, and comfort to those who have lost loved ones. Protect the innocent, strengthen the weary, and give courage to those fighting for freedom.

Lord, help us never to grow indifferent to the suffering of others. Teach us to love our Ukrainian brothers and sisters, to stand with them in prayer, and to support them with compassion and generosity. May Your Church rise above politics and borders to be the hands and feet of Jesus.

May Ukraine know freedom, peace, and the unshakable love of God. Remind us that when one part of humanity suffers, we all have a responsibility to care.

In Jesus’ name, Amen.

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Reclaim. Reimagine. Restart.

It’s Not Too Late to Fulfill Your God-Given Purpose!

Sometimes life knocks us down. Sometimes we make mistakes, lose our way, experience heartbreaking disappointments, or find ourselves in circumstances we never imagined. But here’s the beautiful truth: Your past does not define your future, your failures do not determine your worth, and your circumstances do not cancel your God-given purpose.

It’s time to RECLAIM your life. Reclaim your faith, your hope, your identity in Christ, and the dreams God has placed in your heart. Stop allowing yesterday’s failures, other people’s opinions, or today’s struggles to steal what God may have for you tomorrow.

It’s time to REIMAGINE your future. What if the season you’re walking through isn’t the end of your story? What if God wants to use your pain to develop compassion, your struggles to strengthen your faith, and your experiences to encourage someone else? God’s plans for your life may look different from what you imagined, but different doesn’t mean defeated!

It’s time to RESTART. You don’t have to have everything figured out. You don’t need everyone’s approval. You simply need the courage to take the next step in obedience to God. A restart doesn’t mean erasing your past; it means allowing God to use your past as preparation for what comes next.

Remember, Moses had a past. David had failures. Peter denied Jesus. Yet God wasn’t finished with any of them!

Dear Christian, listen up! You are never too broken for God’s grace, too old for His calling, or too far behind to take another step of faith.

Stop waiting for perfect circumstances. Stop believing the lie that your best days are behind you. Stop disqualifying yourself from the very purpose God has placed before you.

You still have a life to live, people to love, hope to share, and a purpose to fulfill.

RECLAIM your identity. REIMAGINE your possibilities. RESTART with faith.

Let God lead the way, and take the next step!

“For I know the plans I have for you,” declares the Lord. — Jeremiah 29:11

YOUR STORY ISN’T OVER. YOUR PURPOSE STILL MATTERS. NOW GET UP, TRUST GOD, AND KEEP MOVING FORWARD!

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When Did We Start Accepting School Shootings As Normal In America?

Let that question sink in for a moment.

Why has it become acceptable for children to walk into their classrooms wondering whether they will make it home alive? Why do parents have to hug their children goodbye while wondering if it might be the last time? Why have active shooter drills become part of the school experience?

WHEN DID WE LOSE OUR MINDS?

Our children should be worrying about homework, friendships, school dances, and their futures—not bullets, bloodshed, and whether their classrooms are safe.

We offer thoughts and prayers after another tragedy. We mourn the innocent. We hug our children a little tighter. We change our profile pictures. Then, far too often, we move on until the next shooting.

How many more children must die before we decide that enough is enough?

This isn’t about political parties. It’s about human lives. It’s about parents who deserve peace of mind, teachers who deserve safe workplaces, and children who deserve to grow up without the fear of being gunned down at school.

We can disagree about solutions. We can debate policies. But we should never disagree about the value of a child’s life.

As a Christian, I believe every child is created in the image of God. Every child matters. Every life is precious. And protecting the most vulnerable among us should never be a partisan issue.

PRAY, YES. BUT DON’T STOP AT PRAYER.

Let our prayers move us to action. Let our grief move us to demand meaningful solutions. Let our love for our children become greater than our unwillingness to have difficult conversations.

America, our children are watching us.

What are we teaching them when we accept a world where going to school can cost them their lives?

School shootings should never be considered normal. Fear should never be the price of an education. And the deaths of innocent children should never become just another headline.

OUR CHILDREN DESERVE BETTER. OUR TEACHERS DESERVE BETTER. AMERICA MUST DO BETTER. ~OC

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Healing Prayer For Cancer Patients

Dear Heavenly Father,

Today, I lift up every person fighting cancer. Lord, surround them with Your healing presence, strengthen their weary bodies, calm their anxious minds, and fill their hearts with hope when fear tries to take hold.

Father, guide the hands of their doctors, bless their treatments, and give wisdom to everyone caring for them. When the journey feels overwhelming, remind them that they are never alone. Wrap Your loving arms around their families and give them strength for each new day.

Lord Jesus, we ask for healing, for miracles, and for the peace that surpasses all understanding. Even in the darkest valley, remind them that Your light still shines, Your love never fails, and hope is never out of reach.

May their faith be stronger than their fear, their hope greater than their pain, and their hearts filled with the assurance that they are deeply loved by You.

In the mighty name of Jesus, we pray.

Amen!

“But I will restore you to health and heal your wounds,” declares the Lord. — Jeremiah 30:17

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Hope Refuses To Give Up

Hope is not wishful thinking that somehow everything will work out. Hope is the unshakable conviction that injustice will not win, death will not have the final word, and darkness will never overcome the light.

But hope is more than something we believe. It’s something we live.

Hope prays when the answers don’t come. Hope peacefully protests when injustice prevails. Hope weeps when hearts are broken. Hope keeps showing up when walking away would be easier.

Hope refuses to accept that the way things are is the way things must always be.

As Christians, our hope is rooted in Jesus Christ. We serve a Savior who conquered the grave, defeated death, and reminds us that even when the world looks hopeless, God is not finished writing the story.

So don’t just talk about hope. Live it. Fight for justice. Stand with the hurting. Love your neighbor. Speak truth. Keep showing up.

Hope is not passive waiting. Hope is active persistence. And as long as God gives us another day, we have another opportunity to make a difference.

“Let us not grow weary in doing good.” — Galatians 6:9

KEEP HOPING. KEEP STANDING. KEEP SHOWING UP. THE STORY ISN’T OVER! ~OC

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Too Liberal. Too Conservative.

Today’s a new day!

People often ask me about my political beliefs and what political party I belong to. My answer is pretty simple:

I’m too liberal for Republicans and too conservative for Democrats.

And honestly? I’m perfectly okay with that.

I’ve never believed that a political party should dictate my values, determine my convictions, or tell me what to think. I’ve never believed in blindly supporting a candidate simply because there’s an R or a D next to their name.

I believe in thinking for myself. I believe in standing up for what I believe is right, even when it makes people on BOTH sides uncomfortable.

I’m a Christian before I’m a Republican, Democrat, or Independent. My faith isn’t supposed to fit neatly into a political platform, and Jesus doesn’t need my political party’s permission to love people, defend the vulnerable, welcome the stranger, or speak out against injustice.

I’m not interested in pledging allegiance to a political party. I’m interested in standing for principles.

Will I always get it right? No. Will everyone agree with me? Absolutely not.

But I’d rather be criticized for thinking independently than celebrated for blindly following the crowd.

At the end of the day, my identity isn’t found in a political party, a candidate, or an election. It’s found in Jesus Christ.

So, if that makes me too liberal for some and too conservative for others, so be it.

I’d rather stand on my convictions than surrender them for the sake of political acceptance.

Because my allegiance isn’t to a political party.

MY ALLEGIANCE IS TO JESUS. ~OC

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One Day, The Polls Won’t Matter

The midterm elections are three weeks away. Politicians are campaigning across the country. Polls are being watched, approval ratings are being analyzed, and everyone is wondering what will happen on Election Day.

But I want to remind you of something.

There will come a day when none of it will matter.

There will come a day when approval ratings won’t matter. Poll numbers won’t matter. Popularity won’t matter. The number of elections you won, the number of followers you have on social media, and the number of people who applaud your words will mean absolutely nothing.

One day, we will stand before Jesus, and the questions that matter most will have nothing to do with politics.

Did you love your neighbors, even the ones who disagreed with you? Did you love your perceived enemies? Did you stand up against injustice, even when it was uncomfortable? Did you serve those who could offer you nothing in return? Did you show grace when others showed hatred? Did you forgive when you had every reason to hold a grudge? Did you truly love others?

Those are the questions we should be asking ourselves today.

Jesus didn’t tell us to love only those who vote like us, think like us, believe everything we believe, or belong to our political party. He commanded us to love our neighbors and even our enemies.

In Matthew 25, Jesus reminds us that how we treat the hungry, the thirsty, the stranger, the sick, and those in need matters deeply to Him.

Yet somewhere along the way, too many people have become more concerned about winning arguments than loving people, defending political leaders than defending the vulnerable, and protecting their political identity than living out their identity in Christ.

CHURCH, WE NEED TO WAKE UP!

Your political party cannot save you. Your popularity cannot define you. Your accomplishments cannot replace a life surrendered to Jesus.

You can win an election and still lose sight of what matters most. You can have thousands of followers and still fail to show compassion to the person standing right in front of you. You can know all the right Scriptures and still fail to practice the love those Scriptures teach.

So, as we approach another Election Day, by all means, be engaged. Be informed. Stand for what you believe is right. Exercise your right to vote.

But don’t allow politics to become more important than people, and never allow your political allegiance to become more important than your allegiance to Jesus.

Because one day, the campaigns will end. The signs will come down. The polls will be forgotten. The political arguments will fade into history.

And what will remain is the life you lived and the love you showed.

When that day comes, will the way you treated people reflect the Jesus you profess to follow?

That is a question worth answering today, not someday.

“By this everyone will know that you are my disciples, if you love one another.” — John 13:35

LET THAT SINK IN. THE WORLD DOESN’T NEED MORE PEOPLE WHO KNOW HOW TO WIN POLITICAL ARGUMENTS. IT NEEDS MORE PEOPLE WHO KNOW HOW TO LOVE LIKE JESUS. ~OC

Dear God, examine our hearts. Help us love beyond our differences, stand against injustice, extend grace, practice forgiveness, and serve those who need us most. May our lives reflect Your love in a world that desperately needs it. When people look at us, may they see less of our pride and more of Your presence. In Jesus’ name, Amen.

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