Tag: Leadership

Let Me Ask You Something

I don’t know many parents who would embrace and applaud their child making fun of others, bullying people, refusing to take responsibility for their actions, or treating people with disrespect.

Most parents would correct that behavior and teach their children that actions have consequences.

So why do so many people tolerate these very same behaviors from the elected officials they support?

When did political loyalty become more important than character? When did winning become more important than integrity? And when did we decide that behavior we would never accept from our own children was suddenly acceptable in our leaders?

You don’t have to agree with someone’s politics to expect them to demonstrate basic decency, honesty, humility, and accountability.

Character should matter more than party. Integrity should matter more than power. And accountability should apply to everyone.

If we teach our children to take responsibility for their actions, shouldn’t we expect the same from the people entrusted with leading our communities and our country?

Maybe the real question isn’t whether our leaders are setting a good example. Maybe it’s why so many of us have stopped holding them accountable.

Think about that. ~OC

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Lead By Example

Today’s a new day!

True leadership isn’t about asking others to walk a road you’ve never traveled. It’s about being willing to take the hard falls, endure the painful lessons, and face the storms before asking others to follow.

A great leader doesn’t hide the scars. They share the pain, the struggles, and the lessons learned along the way—not to gain sympathy, but to help someone else avoid the same pitfalls.

The greatest leaders don’t just show people the way; they walk the road with them.

You don’t have to be perfect to lead. You just have to be willing to be honest, vulnerable, and courageous enough to say, “I’ve been there. I’ve fallen, I’ve hurt, and I’ve learned. Let me help you keep going.”

And as followers of Jesus, may we always remember that He didn’t simply point us toward the cross. He carried His own cross and showed us what sacrificial love looks like.

Lead with humility. Share your scars. Lift others up.

Because sometimes, the pain you’ve survived becomes the wisdom someone else needs to survive their own storm. ~OC

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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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Remembering President Jimmy Carter: A Life of Character and Service

Today, October 1, 2026, would have been President Jimmy Carter’s 102nd birthday.

Today, we pause to remember a man who represented something that seems increasingly rare in American public life: character, integrity, humility, humanity, and a genuine commitment to serving others.

James Earl Carter Jr. was born on October 1, 1924, in Plains, Georgia. He would go on to become the 39th President of the United States, serving from 1977 to 1981. But his life was about far more than the four years he spent in the White House.

He believed that public service was supposed to be about people—not power.

He believed leadership carried responsibility.

He believed faith should be lived, not simply spoken.

And he believed that every human being possessed dignity and deserved to be treated with compassion.

Those values shaped his life long before the presidency and continued long after he left Washington.

A President From Plains

There was something remarkable about Jimmy Carter’s connection to Plains, Georgia.

He came from a small community, became governor of Georgia, became President of the United States, and then returned home.

He never seemed to believe that occupying the highest office in the land made him more important than the people around him.

After leaving the White House, President Carter and Rosalynn Carter founded The Carter Center in 1982, dedicating themselves to advancing peace, democracy, human rights, health, and humanitarian work around the world.

His post-presidential life became one of the most extraordinary chapters of his story.

He worked for peace.

He fought disease.

He monitored elections.

He advocated for human rights.

He helped build homes through Habitat for Humanity.

He taught Sunday school.

And he continued serving others when there was absolutely no political office left to win.

That matters.

Character When Nobody Is Watching

Perhaps one of the greatest lessons from Jimmy Carter’s life is that character is who you are when the cameras aren’t rolling.

Presidents come and go.

Political parties change.

Campaign slogans disappear.

Headlines fade.

But character remains.

President Carter demonstrated that leadership does not require constant outrage, personal attacks, or a hunger for attention.

It can look like humility.

It can look like listening.

It can look like keeping your word.

It can look like serving people who can do absolutely nothing for you in return.

It can look like choosing peace when division would be easier.

It can look like standing up for human rights even when doing so is politically difficult.

The Carter Center describes his life’s work in three simple words:

Wage peace. Fight disease. Build hope.

What a legacy.

What Washington Could Learn

And perhaps that is why remembering Jimmy Carter feels especially meaningful today.

Our politics can often seem consumed by division, anger, tribalism, personal ambition, and the endless pursuit of power.

Washington can sometimes feel very far removed from the people who are struggling to pay their bills, raise their families, care for aging parents, find affordable housing, afford healthcare, or simply make it through another difficult day.

That is why character still matters.

Integrity still matters.

Humility still matters.

Compassion still matters.

Leadership still matters.

And public service should still mean service to the public.

Jimmy Carter wasn’t perfect. No president is.

His presidency had successes, challenges, and controversies, just like every administration in American history.

But remembering him today isn’t about pretending history was perfect.

It is about recognizing the qualities he brought to public service and the example he continued to demonstrate for decades afterward.

In 2002, Carter received the Nobel Peace Prize for his decades of work pursuing peaceful solutions to conflicts, advancing democracy and human rights, and promoting economic and social development.

His life ultimately became bigger than a presidency.

A Legacy Bigger Than Politics

President Jimmy Carter died on December 29, 2024, at the age of 100, at his home in Plains, Georgia.

But his story didn’t end there.

His example continues.

His work continues through The Carter Center.

His words continue to challenge us.

His life continues to remind us that leadership doesn’t have to be about self-promotion.

It can be about service.

It can be about sacrifice.

It can be about faith.

It can be about peace.

It can be about human dignity.

And it can be about leaving the world a little better than you found it.

Today, I think about Plains, Georgia.

I think about the little hometown that produced a man who would become the 39th President of the United States.

I think about President Carter and his beloved Rosalynn.

I think about Maranatha Baptist Church.

I think about the Carter Center.

And I think about a simple question for all of us:

What kind of legacy are we leaving behind?

Because someday the political arguments will be forgotten.

The campaign signs will be gone.

The television commercials will be forgotten.

The social-media battles will disappear.

But how we treated people?

That will matter.

How we served?

That will matter.

Whether we showed compassion?

That will matter.

Whether we stood for peace, justice, dignity, and humanity?

That will matter.

Today, we celebrate the life and legacy of President Jimmy Carter—the 39th President of the United States, a son of Plains, Georgia, a husband, a public servant, a humanitarian, a man of faith, and a lifelong advocate for peace and human dignity.

Happy 102nd birthday, Mr. President.

Thank you for reminding America that leadership can still be about character over ego, service over power, humility over fame, and humanity over division.

May we never stop learning from your example. Happy Birthday President Carter. ~OC

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Where Is The Leadership?

There is something I keep coming back to, and I believe Americans have every right to ask some hard questions.

What about the people?

Families are struggling.

Groceries are expensive. Gas prices are putting pressure on household budgets. Farmers and truckers are dealing with higher costs. Working Americans are trying to stretch every paycheck a little further, and too many families are being forced to make choices nobody should have to make.

And while Americans are worrying about how they’re going to pay the bills, our government is spending taxpayer dollars on television advertisements promoting the President.

Let that sink in.

Taxpayer money. Television advertisements. Promoting the President.

Recent reporting confirms that the federal government has paid for television advertisements featuring President Donald Trump. One advertisement carried the disclosure, “Paid for by the U.S. Government,” and reporting says the spending expanded into hundreds of thousands of dollars. The White House says these advertisements are public-service announcements and argues that they are not campaign ads. Critics, including lawmakers and former ethics officials, have questioned whether the advertisements cross the legal line prohibiting certain uses of federal funds for “publicity or propaganda.”

That question deserves answers.

Because the issue isn’t simply whether someone likes Donald Trump.

The issue is whether our government should be using money collected from the American people to promote a political figure.

Federal law has long restricted the use of appropriated funds for publicity or propaganda, although the Government Accountability Office has also recognized that the government can use public funds for legitimate communication about government programs and policies. So whether these particular advertisements violate the law is ultimately a legal question that deserves serious scrutiny—not something we should simply declare settled without the appropriate review.

But even beyond the legal question, there is a question of leadership.

Where is the leadership?

Where is the urgency for the family standing in the grocery store calculating what they can afford?

Where is the urgency for the person sitting at the gas pump watching the numbers climb?

Where is the urgency for the farmer wondering whether another season will be financially possible?

Where is the urgency for the trucker paying more to keep America supplied?

Where is the urgency for the American family already struggling to keep a roof over their heads?

And where is the urgency when American military personnel are being placed in harm’s way?

The United States is engaged in a military conflict with Iran, and rising fuel costs have been linked by analysts and administration officials to the conflict and its effects on global energy markets.

I believe we should be asking whether this conflict is necessary, what the objectives are, what the exit strategy is, what it will cost American taxpayers, and—most importantly—how many more American lives could be placed at risk.

Those aren’t radical questions. They’re the questions citizens are supposed to ask.

We cannot allow political loyalty to replace accountability.

We cannot allow party affiliation to become more important than the American people.

And we certainly shouldn’t accept the idea that government exists to promote politicians rather than serve citizens.

Leadership isn’t about producing another television commercial.

Leadership is sitting down with the hard problems and solving them.

Leadership is looking at an American family and saying:

“How can we make your life better?”

Leadership is demanding accountability for every taxpayer dollar.

Leadership is being transparent about military action and its costs.

Leadership is protecting the men and women who serve our country.

Leadership is listening when Americans say:

“We’re hurting.”

America doesn’t need more political theater.

America needs honesty.

America needs accountability.

America needs leaders willing to put the people ahead of their own image.

And every elected official—Republican, Democrat, independent, conservative, liberal, or otherwise—should remember one simple truth:

Those taxpayer dollars don’t belong to them.

They belong to the American people.

So yes, ask the questions.

Demand the receipts.

Demand transparency.

Demand that the law be followed.

And demand leadership.

Because while politicians argue about who gets the credit, real people are trying to survive.

And the question remains:

WHERE IS THE LEADERSHIP?

America deserves an answer. ~OC

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Lack of Leadership

There is something deeply troubling about what we are seeing within our United States military.

The men and women who volunteer to serve our nation deserve better than political distractions, culture-war battles, and leadership that seems more interested in appearances than in the people entrusted to its care.

What happens in an organization is often a reflection of its leadership—from the head down.

When leadership loses sight of the mission, the people eventually pay the price.

Our military exists to defend this nation. It exists to protect Americans, deter our enemies, respond to threats, and ensure that the United States remains capable of defending itself in an increasingly dangerous world.

That should be the priority.

So when military leadership appears more focused on debates over the color or gender of our soldiers than on their readiness, morale, training, equipment, mental wellbeing, and ability to accomplish the mission, I believe we have a serious leadership problem.

And when tragic incidents occur aboard ships such as the USS Abraham Lincoln, we should be asking hard questions.

Not partisan questions.

Not political questions.

Leadership questions.

Are our sailors adequately trained?

Do they have the resources they need?

Are maintenance and readiness being taken seriously?

Are commanders being held accountable?

Are we listening to the people actually serving aboard these ships?

Are we spending our defense dollars where they will make the greatest difference?

Those questions matter far more to me than whatever political culture war happens to dominate the headlines this week.

Our service members don’t need Washington to constantly find another distraction.

They need leadership.

They need leaders who understand that behind every uniform is a human being—a son, daughter, husband, wife, father, mother, brother, sister, friend, and fellow American.

They deserve leaders who will fight for their wellbeing as fiercely as they expect those service members to fight for our country.

And this isn’t an argument against sports, entertainment, or morale events. Our troops deserve opportunities to relax and enjoy themselves. They deserve camaraderie and moments of fun.

But there is a difference between supporting morale and allowing distractions to become substitutes for leadership.

Dear military leadership: let’s spend more time and money addressing the problems that are actually affecting our military and less time chasing political headlines, building extravagant ballrooms, or putting the spotlight on MMA fights.

Let’s invest in readiness.

Let’s invest in maintenance.

Let’s invest in training.

Let’s invest in our sailors, soldiers, Marines, airmen, guardians, and Coast Guard members.

Let’s make sure they have the equipment, resources, leadership, and support they need to come home safely.

And let’s remember something incredibly important:

The military does not belong to a political party.

It belongs to the American people.

The uniform doesn’t belong to Republicans or Democrats. It belongs to the men and women who raised their right hand and swore an oath to defend the Constitution.

They deserve leadership that takes that oath as seriously as they do.

America doesn’t need leaders who are constantly looking for the next culture war to fight.

America needs leaders willing to fight for the people who actually fight for America.

Our service members deserve nothing less. ~OC

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Racial Violence. Death. Hanging. Silence.

Tasia Fortune was found hanging.

I do not believe it was suicide.

But if you believe this was a suicide, then you should still demand that every question be answered. If there are circumstances that raise questions about whether her death was truly a suicide, then those questions deserve a real, independent investigation—not dismissal, not silence, and not another case quietly filed away.

Mississippi has a painful history of Black people dying under circumstances that have left families and communities demanding answers. For decades, deaths involving trees, ropes, and hanging have carried the horrifying shadow of America’s history of racial terror.

And now, in 2026, we are still having these conversations.

That should disturb every one of us.

Dear White Community: silence is not neutrality when people are demanding justice.

You don’t have to know every fact to demand that the facts be uncovered.

You don’t have to have all the answers to stand beside a grieving family.

And you don’t have to wait until something happens to someone you love before you decide that every human life deserves the same level of scrutiny, dignity, and protection.

Demand a real investigation.

Demand independent oversight.

Demand federal review when circumstances warrant it.

Demand transparency.

And demand that our laws be strong enough that justice is never dependent upon someone’s race, wealth, power, ZIP code, or political connections.

This isn’t about jumping to conclusions.

It’s about refusing to accept unanswered questions when a human being is dead.

It’s about refusing to let history repeat itself in silence.

It’s about making sure that when a Black person dies under suspicious or disputed circumstances, the response isn’t:

“Move along. Nothing to see here.”

No!

We have something to see.

We have questions to ask.

We have families to hear.

We have institutions to hold accountable.

And we have a moral obligation to insist that  every death deserves the truth.

Because justice delayed is painful.

Justice denied is devastating.

But justice ignored is a choice.

And silence is a choice, too.

Choose to speak.
Choose to ask questions.
Choose to demand the truth. ~OC

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True Difference-Makers

Today’s a new day!

We live in a culture that often celebrates the loudest voices, the biggest platforms, and the wealthiest people. Every day we are bombarded with stories of people chasing power, fame, influence, and money, as though those things alone define a successful life.

But I have discovered something far more inspiring.

There are still people quietly changing the world.

They may or may not trend on social media. They may or may not become household names. They may or may not receive the recognition they deserve. Yet every single day they choose compassion and truth over applause, service over status, and people over personal gain.

I wanted to take a moment to recognize just a few individuals whose lives have encouraged me.

Ricky Aiken- Inner City Innovators:

Ricky Aiken has dedicated his life to investing in young people and underserved communities through Inner City Innovators (https://innercityinnovators.org/). Rather than asking, “How can I become successful?” he asks, “How can I help someone else succeed?”

His work is about creating opportunities where others see obstacles, building hope where many only see despair, and reminding people that every life has value.

That kind of leadership isn’t built on ego.

It’s built on love.

Bryan Stevenson-Equal Justice Initiative:

Bryan Stevenson has spent decades standing beside people whom much of society has forgotten. Through the Equal Justice Initiative (https://eji.org/), he has become a powerful voice for justice, mercy, and human dignity.

One of his most memorable statements is this:

“Each of us is more than the worst thing we’ve ever done.”

Those words reflect a truth Christians 

understand well. Every one of us stands in need of grace. Every one of us has been offered redemption through Christ.

Justice without compassion becomes cold.

Compassion without justice becomes incomplete.

Bryan Stevenson reminds us that both matter.

Benjamin R. Cremer:

Benjamin Cremer (https://benjaminrcremer.substack.com/ ), consistently challenges Christians to look more like Jesus than like the culture around us.

His writing encourages believers to choose humility over arrogance, love over outrage, and faithfulness over political power.

In a time when Christianity is too often associated with division, Benjamin continually points people back to the heart of Jesus.

Not everyone agrees with him.

That isn’t the point.

His willingness to speak with humility, compassion, and conviction is something our world desperately needs.

Suleika Jaouad:

Suleika Jaouad (https://www.suleikajaouad.com/), has shared her deeply personal journey through illness, uncertainty, hope, and resilience with remarkable honesty.

Instead of allowing suffering to define her, she has used it to connect with countless others walking through their own difficult seasons.

She reminds us that healing isn’t always about becoming who we once were.

Sometimes healing is becoming someone entirely new.

As someone who has spent many years navigating serious health challenges, I deeply appreciate voices that speak honestly about pain while refusing to surrender hope.

A Different Kind of Legacy

These four people come from different backgrounds.

They may have different beliefs.

They may serve in different ways.

Yet they share something that seems increasingly rare.

They have chosen to live for something bigger than themselves.

They remind us that changing the world doesn’t always happen from a stage.

Sometimes it happens in a courtroom.

Sometimes it happens in forgotten neighborhoods.

Sometimes it happens through honest conversations.

Sometimes it happens one person at a time.

What Will Be Said About Us?

When our lives are over, people probably won’t remember how many followers we had.

They won’t remember how much money we accumulated.

They won’t remember how famous we became.

They will remember how we treated people.

Did we lift others up?

Did we stand beside those who were hurting?

Did we speak truth with grace?

Did we leave the world more compassionate than we found it?

Jesus never told His followers to seek fame.

He told us to love our neighbors.

He never instructed us to chase power.

He taught us to become servants.

He never measured success by influence.

He measured it by faithfulness.

Perhaps that’s the kind of legacy worth pursuing.

In a world obsessed with being noticed, may we become people who quietly notice others.

Because those are often the people who change the world the most. ~OC

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What I Look For In A Leader

Today’s a new day!

As followers of Jesus, we are called to pray for those in authority (1 Timothy 2:1–2). We are also called to exercise wisdom and discernment when evaluating the character of those who seek to lead.

When I consider a political candidate, my first question isn’t, “What party do they belong to?” My question is, “What kind of person are they becoming?”

These are some of the qualities I look for.

I look for a joyful heart. Not a manufactured smile for the cameras, but a genuine joy that reflects gratitude, humility, and hope. Scripture reminds us that “the joy of the Lord is your strength” (Nehemiah 8:10). A joyful heart often points to a soul that isn’t driven solely by fear, anger, or resentment.

I look for a clear mind that produces clear thoughts and the ability to express those thoughts with maturity. Leadership requires wisdom. Decisions affect millions of lives, and words have the power to unite or divide. Mature communication matters.

I look for self-restraint. In a culture that rewards outrage and impulsive reactions, self-control is becoming increasingly rare. Yet Scripture calls self-control one of the fruits of the Spirit (Galatians 5:22–23). A leader who cannot govern themselves will struggle to govern wisely.

I look for someone who values people more than power. Power should never become the goal; it should be a tool used to serve others. Jesus, the greatest leader who ever lived, washed the feet of His disciples instead of demanding they serve Him. That is the model of leadership I admire.

I look for someone who respects people—even those who disagree with them. We don’t have to agree with everyone to treat them with dignity. Every person bears the image of God. Civility is not weakness; it is evidence of maturity.

I look for someone who can receive constructive criticism. None of us has all the answers. Wise leaders surround themselves with truth-tellers instead of yes-men. Humility allows correction to become growth instead of offense.

Finally, I look for a heart that produces both kindness and strength. Kindness without conviction can become compromise. Strength without kindness can become cruelty. Jesus embodied both perfectly. He stood firmly for truth while extending extraordinary compassion to people who were hurting.

As I look across today’s political landscape, I find myself longing to see these qualities displayed more consistently in our leaders. That longing isn’t about one party or another. It reflects a desire for leadership that more closely resembles the character Scripture commends.

Perhaps the greatest challenge isn’t simply asking whether our leaders possess these qualities.

Perhaps it’s asking whether we do.

Are we joyful?

Are we self-controlled?

Do we value people over winning arguments?

Do we listen well?

Do we show kindness without abandoning truth?

The Church should be known for these qualities long before we expect them from Washington, our state capitals, or city halls.

Our ultimate hope has never rested in a president, governor, senator, or political party. Our hope rests in Jesus Christ—the King whose kingdom cannot be shaken.

So let us pray for our leaders. Let us vote with wisdom. Let us speak with grace. And above all, let us live in such a way that the character of Christ shines through us, regardless of who occupies positions of earthly authority.

Because while elections shape nations, transformed hearts change the world. ~OC

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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

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