Tag: miracles

What If…

Now to him who is able to do far more abundantly than all that we ask or think, according to the power at work within us, to him be glory in the church and in Christ Jesus throughout all generations, forever and ever. Amen. ~ Ephesians 3:19-20

Today’s a new day! I don’t understand my iPhone. I don’t understand how hundreds of thousands of pieces of information can be embedded in a tiny chip you can barely see. Or, how, at the touch of a finger, push of a button, or verbal command the entire world can be opened before your eyes. I do not know how, I may not understand, but I do know when I learn how to use my phone to its fullest I can do amazing things that almost make me look creative, even smart.

Likewise, there are so many things I don’t understand about my God, this beautiful, amazing, wonderful Triune God I serve and love. And just when I think I know Him and what He will do He surprises me. The Bible says His ways are higher than ours and His thoughts are deeper than ours. I don’t understand how He can know every person on this earth by name, or how He knows the number of hairs on my head. In my case, that’s not a hard one.

I don’t understand how He can create life out of an egg or even nothing at all! I don’t understand how He can touch a body and heal it of cancer, make the paralyzed walk, the blind see, the deaf hear; but He can! All these things God can do, and so much more! I don’t have to understand how, but just trust that He can!

What if today’s verse became our mantra for today and every day? What if, every time we were tempted to worry, or become anxious, or bite our nails, we recalled this important promise? What if we looked at all the things we or a loved one is facing presently and remembered these words? Instead of thinking all is lost or how impossible something is, said to ourselves; …but God can do abundantly more… Prayed to God; Dear God we need you to do exceedingly, abundantly more in this situation than we could dare think, ask, or imagine! What if? ~OC

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Our Health and Living

Today’s a new day! Long-term and terminal illnesses can be a scary road to navigate. It’s hard on one’s body, mind and soul. And everyone that cares for them. How will my body and mind handle today? That’s a question I ask myself on a daily basis. Chronic and terminal illnesses also raises many questions that many people shy away from unless they are faced with it directly. But if we’re listening, many lessons can be learned.

Health issues have a way of reminding people that time is a valuable, non-negotiable, and a non-renewable resource. With that said, how do we look at the bigger picture of life and find out what is truly important? 

Spend Time Focusing on Relationships:

We were not meant to do this life alone. God did not create us to be Lone Rangers. I know of no one who regrets time spent building meaningful relationships regardless of life’s struggles.

Take time to ask yourself the following question: Are you truly making time for your family and friends?

Trim That Fat:

I am not talking about dieting and exercise, but those are important parts of our lives.

No, I am referring to something that a lot of times we do not even notice. I am referring to our home and our lives. We all have a tendency to fill both with clutter and hang on to things we do not need. A life-changing diagnosis can become the catalyst for the housekeeping of our home and heart as we realize what is truly important in our lives. It is also a good time to reflect on our faith.

 “Let us throw off everything that hinders and the sin that so easily entangles. And let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us.” ~Hebrews 12:1-2

Speak your Heart Now:

It is good for all of us to review and consider our relationships. Because we all know relationships can be messy at times. If we love people, why not let them know how much they mean to us. Now! Why wait until it’s too late? If we have hurt someone or offended them in some way, why not seek their forgiveness and do what we can to make it right.

Who are the most important people in your life? Take a moment to think about that. Maybe even say their names out loud or write them down. Then ask yourself this question: Have I honestly shared what each of those individuals truly mean to me?

“A heart at peace gives rest to the body.”   Proverbs 14:30

Set New Goals (Dream!):

It can be easy to wait for a challenging season to be over. “When I get better, then I will take that trip.” “When I get better, then I will _____.” Why not take that trip now? As I have walked through this long journey of health issues, Laura and I have learned to take those trips now. Even though those trips can be tough on my body, the memories are priceless. So go live out that adventure. Experience love, joy and happiness during even the toughest of times. I encourage you to find what brings you happiness and go experience it. Keep dreaming some big dreams, set some goals, and do what you possibly can to make them happen.

Many facing long term health challenges find that those trials have helped them clarify and simplify their lives.

During my own health journey, I have discovered what’s truly important in life. For me, it’s my faith, my relationship with my bride, relationships with loved ones, encouraging others and truly living out my God-given purpose in life.

What can we learn from this?

Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ,
the Father of compassion and the God of all comfort,
who comforts us in all our troubles,
so that we can comfort those in any trouble
with the comfort we ourselves receive from God. ~2 Corinthians 1:3-4

I hope and pray the words above have brought some comfort and encouragement. Go live your life! ~OC

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Keep Soaring

Today’s a new day! I write this as another hurricane comes through Florida. A good majority of the state is still recovering from another hurricane that hit us just a few weeks ago. These back-to-back hurricanes got me to thinking.

One thing about the storms of life is they do not last forever. They come and go. It is the size of our faith in God that determines how we will make it through each storm we face. Overcoming the storms of life can be overwhelming at times. When going through the storms of life, our faith and focus should be on God, the author and the finisher of our faith, not our problems. Sometimes that is easier said than done. It is during the storms of life when our faith is tested.

The only way to overcome the storm is to face and confront it. Overcomers cannot afford to play hide and seek with challenges, but instead must choose to face and deal with them head on. The challenges we are facing are just for a short time. We can never allow them to rob us of our destiny. We can never give up on life, on our faith, on our family/friends, and on the important things in life. We must face the storms of life and trust God for a brighter future. God did not bring us this far to leave us. He has a purpose for our lives. The word of God says- But those who wait on the Lord shall renew their strength; They shall mount up with wings like eagles, They shall run and not be weary, They shall walk and not faint. ~Isaiah 43:31. I do not know about you, but that gives me hope.

While all the other birds fly away from the storm with fear, an eagle spreads its mighty wings and uses the current to soar to greater heights. An eagle doesn’t run for safety during the storms, but rather, it takes advantage of it to soar to some higher spot. Storms need somebody who will not give up no matter how hard it is. During the storms, take advantage to pray harder and worship like never before. There are times when the storms of life hit us so hard, when the storms threaten to sweep away all that we have. I am talking about times when the storms take away our loved ones, when the storms take away our possessions. Those are the very times we need to stand up and face the storms head on. God is bigger than any storm we will ever face in life. To overcome the storms of life, we have to have faith which is bigger than the storms. Our life is not over until God says it is.

If we are going to overcome the storms of life, we must let go of certain things surrounding our lives. We have to let go of some people who are holding us back. We have to let go of all of our fears and doubts. We have to let go of everything that is weighing us down and soar to a higher spot. Leave gossipers to gossip, leave haters to hate. Overcomers do not have time to confront everyone who speaks against them. Those living without purpose have limited vision, but overcomers see beyond the storms. Your storm will not last forever. Keep soaring! ~OC

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Speak Peace

Dear Jesus, we have seen you calm natural storms and stormy lives.
We are praying you extend your power and grace again,
especially upon those most recent storm victims.

Speak peace and healing over the lives of so many broken by Hurricane Helene.

Jesus, speak peace.

Speak peace and hope over families and communities devastated by the sudden loss caused by Hurricane Helene.

Jesus, speak peace.

Speak peace and unity over diverse groups of people, so they would come together for the greater good and the rebuilding of lives and communities.

Jesus, speak peace.

Speak peace and protection over rescue workers, first responders and all volunteers as they reach out to those who are suffering.

Jesus, speak peace.

Speak calmness over Hurricane Milton as it rages in the open waters. May everyone in its path be safe.

You are the Prince of Peace.
You are the Resurrection and the Life.
You are strong to save and restore.
Our hope and trust are in you. Amen.

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Morning Prayer

Dear Lord, we humbly approach you with hearts overflowing with thankfulness and praise. Your boundless love and mercy and your enduring faithfulness fills us with awe. We are grateful for the precious gift of life; for every breath we take and for every heartbeat. Lord, we thank you for all the blessings you have generously given. We are thankful for the people you have brought into our lives. We are deeply grateful for the precious gift of your son, Jesus Christ. We humbly seek your forgiveness for the times we have fallen short and for the moments we overlook the blessings you have granted us. We commit to follow you with all our hearts, souls, minds, and strength.
Lord, we humbly ask for your healing touch in every aspect of our lives – physically, emotionally, mentally, and spiritually. Heal all illnesses, Lord, all diseases, and all weaknesses in our bodies. Mend every emotional wound and soothe every heartache, and heal every trauma. Lord, renew our minds and transform them through your word and fill us with your peace. We ask for your protection over our lives, and the lives of our loved ones. Lord, shield us from every deception and every trap set by the enemy toward any spirit that enters our lives with intentions to harm, to steal, and to destroy. Provide us, Lord, with your peace and safeguard us in times of turmoil by your grace and mercy. We pray all this in Jesus Name.

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Speaking in Tongues

Today’s a new day! This past weekend, I was watching a prayer gathering online, where I saw someone praying over a woman with cancer. The lady praying asked the woman dealing with cancer if she had the gift of speaking in tongues. The cancer warrior stated she did not. The woman praying then made the comment that maybe that’s the reason this lady fighting cancer had not experienced a healing. My heart broke. This is false teaching! You will not find this teaching anywhere in the Bible.

Sadly, I have been at gatherings like the one above and have seen many Christians manipulate people into speaking in tongues. They have people basically parrot what they’re hearing. This is wrong and definitely not from Jesus. He never did that. No where in scripture, do you ever read where Jesus told anyone to be healed as long as they spoke in tongues. I have been in numerous religious settings where everyone is speaking in tongues and there is no interpreter. That is not Biblical.

I have also been to religious meetings where it taught that speaking in tongues is evidence of the baptism of the Holy Spirit. Once again, the Bible does not support this. We do see in the Bible that sometimes when people received the Holy Spirit that they spoke in tongues (another language).  All believers have the indwelling of the Holy Spirit and are baptized with the Holy Spirit.  All, however, do not speak in tongues.

A point I want to make here is, I believe people have the gift of speaking in tongues. Just like some people have the gift of Serving, Healing, Teaching, Leadership, Evangelism, etc. But not everyone has all the gifts. And that’s okay.

Just like with speaking in tongues, we cannot coach or manipulate someone into having any of spiritual gifts unless the Holy Spirit gives them a particular gift. Some people have been blessed with multiple gifts. And that’s awesome!

Not all Christians need to speak in tongues and not all Christians will. Once again, that’s okay.

My heart is broken, when I see people who are hurting walk away from a religious gathering feeling like they did not measure up or they did not receive a healing because they did not speak in tongues. I believe God will deal with people who preach this false gospel in His own way.

I encourage every Christian to seek a personal and intimate relationship with God. Pursue your dreams and live your life to the fullest. Acknowledge God in whatever you do and he will show you the way you should go.

You do not need to speak in tongues to experience a more effective prayer life. The Bible says that if we pray according to God’s will, then he hears us and will meet our needs. Jesus can heal that person with cancer or some other health issue who does not speak in tongues, just as easily as He can decide to bring that person with cancer who does speak in tongues home to Heaven. There is never a requirement to speak in tongues to get your prayers answered or to experience salvation in Jesus.

So today, walk in the freedom of Jesus and watch Him move in your life. ~OC

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Be Still

Today’s a new day! Do you ever just sit still, with no distractions except your thoughts?

I believe this is one way to truly know God and experience His true peace.

In those quiet times with God, we experience the stress of the world fade away and feel the hopeful peace only He can provide. You may also discover that God uses that time to provide answers to those difficult situations in life.

What a joy it is to just rest in the peace of God. It reminds me of the beautiful scripture Psalm 46:10, “Be still, and know that I am God. I will be exalted among the nations, I will be exalted in the earth!”

I believe that it’s vital for us to rest in the presence of God. Life is crazy with family, careers, phones that never stop buzzing , a world filled with constant distractions and countless decisions to make on a daily basis.

These are not necessarily bad things, and they are all a part of the world in which we live today. But, it can be difficult to tap the brakes and slow down when we try to spend quiet time with God. So many times we rush through a short passage of scripture and our list of prayer requests, keeping one eye on our phone to make sure we don’t miss that text or social media post.

I think it’s awesome if you’re spending time in the Bible and lifting your prayers up to God, but I would encourage you to spend more time being still and truly listening to the voice of God.

I believe God wants us to share our praises, struggles and victories in life with Him, but I also believe God wants us to move beyond that and into a place where we simply sit with Him, resting in His presence. In His peace.

As we begin to do this, I believe we will find the stress and distractions of the world diminishing in the hopeful peace of God who saves, and we might just discover that He uses that quite time to provide answers to the difficult moments in our lives. ~OC

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Growing In God

Today’s a new day! As I continue to walk through this crazy beautiful health journey, God continues to share amazing lessons with me. I wanted to share some of those lessons with you.

During times of pain, aches, fear and the brokenness, God has been and continues to stay near (Psalm 34:18).

God continues to teach me the value of slowing down. The importance of saying no. The importance of patience. The importance of truly being present.
The importance of doing one thing at a time. (Because I used to pride myself in multi-tasking, something I am not great at these days).
The importance of being okay with not being okay.

God continues to teach me the importance of being silent.
The importance of excepting help from others. The importance of caring and unselfish family and friends. The importance of genuine friendships. The importance of embracing the miracles of daily courage.

God continues to teach me the importance of pausing long enough to have meaningful and life-giving conversations. The beauty of observing life at a slower pace. The importance of just laughing with loved ones and sometimes shedding some tears.The blessing of having a bride who shows kindness and demonstrates what in sickness and in health really looks like.

God continues to teach me how to be kind and compassionate to others and myself.

Do I want to continue struggling with the effects of my health issues? Absolutely not! Do I want to continue experiencing the goodness of God as I take refuge in Him? Absolutely! (Psalm 34:8)

As we prepare to say goodbye to 2023 and say hello to a New Year, I have no idea what 2024 will bring. None of us do. I want to continue encouraging and serving others. I want to be a better husband and friend. I want to continue to grow. What I do know is that my heart desires to continue praising God at all times; His praise will continually be on my lips this new year. (Psalm 34:1). ~OC

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Selfless Love on 9/11

Today, we remember that Tuesday morning twenty-two years ago. Hard to believe, it has been twenty-two years since we watched in horror as the tragedies of that day unfolded. There was a lot of hate perpetrated that day. Hate that not only changed the lives of many families, but the life of a nation. But as we reflect back on that Tuesday morning, I hope we will remember there was a lot of love happening that day.

The Man In The Red Bandana: Welles Crowther, a 24-year old equities trader is credited with helping at least a dozen people get out of the South Tower of the World Trade Center. This young man gave his life helping complete strangers.

Let’s Roll: A group of strangers came together to take back United Flight 93, preventing further mass destruction.

Put Back On The Uniform: Retired US Marines, Jason Thomas and David Karnes were complete strangers at the beginning of that Tuesday in September. But as they watched in horror what was transpiring at the World Trade Center, they put their uniforms back on and headed into the chaos. They are credited with saving two survivors.

More Than a Tour Guide: Army Specialist Beau Doboszenski was working as a tour guide at the Pentagon on 9/11. He gave medical aid to the injured outside and rushed into the Pentagon to help others trapped inside.

These are just a few stories of heroism from that Tuesday in September. As we remember and pay respect to all the victims of the 9/11 tragedy, let us not forget there was a lot of selfless love happening on that tragic day. ~OC

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