Tag: Obedience

Either Way I Win

In 2019, after almost eighteen years of major health battles and being told on multiple occasions that I only had hours left to live, I experienced a beautiful miracle from God.

At that point in 2019, doctors believed I only had weeks remaining. The situation looked impossible. The circumstances seemed hopeless. Yet Jesus stepped into the middle of the story and reminded me that He always has the final say.

It was a true miracle.

Since that miracle, however, my journey has not been without additional challenges. I have endured multiple serious battles with COVID and also suffered a stroke. Today, my health journey has entered its twenty-fourth year.

Over those years, countless people have prayed for my complete healing. I am deeply grateful for every prayer, every encouraging message, every act of kindness, and every person who has stood beside me during difficult seasons. Those prayers have meant more than I could ever adequately express.

But as I have prayed about my health and spent time talking with Jesus, I have found myself reflecting on this journey from a different perspective.

I think about the many patients I have met over the years.

I think about the hospital rooms.

I think about the waiting rooms.

I think about the difficult conversations.

I think about the opportunities God has given me to pray with people, encourage people, and remind people that they are not alone.

Some Christians have viewed my health journey as something negative. They have looked at the diagnoses, the treatments, the setbacks, and the ongoing battles and wondered why God has not completely removed them.

But I have never viewed my journey that way.

I have always seen it as an opportunity.

An opportunity to share the love of Jesus.

An opportunity to share the hope of Jesus.

An opportunity to remind hurting people that God is still faithful even when life is difficult.

As I think about this, I am reminded of others whom God has used powerfully despite significant challenges.

I think about the Apostle Paul, who prayed for the “removal of his thorn in the flesh”, yet God told him, “My grace is sufficient for you, for My power is made perfect in weakness.” Paul went on to impact the world with the Gospel despite his ongoing struggles. 

I think about Joni Eareckson Tada, whose life and testimony have inspired millions around the world.

I think about Nick Vujicic, who was born without arms and legs yet continues to share the Gospel with millions across the globe.

I think about Billy Graham, who faithfully preached Christ throughout seasons of physical weakness and aging.

I think about Eric LeGrand, whose courage and faith have encouraged countless people through adversity.

None of these individuals allowed their struggles to define them. Instead, they allowed God to use them right where they were. 

Their stories remind us that God’s power is not limited by our circumstances.

Throughout my own health journey, God has repeatedly shown me that my willingness to continue sharing the love and hope of Jesus during difficult seasons has encouraged others who are walking through storms of their own.

Sometimes we assume that our greatest ministry will happen after God removes our struggle.

But what if God wants to use us in the middle of the struggle?

What if the very battle we are asking Him to remove is the place where He is doing some of His greatest work?

What if our pain becomes a platform for His glory?

What if our scars become evidence of His faithfulness?

I still believe Jesus heals.

I still believe miracles happen.

After all, I am living proof that they do.

And maybe Jesus will choose to perform another miracle in my life on this side of Heaven.

Maybe He will completely restore every area of my health.

I certainly welcome the prayers everyone continues to pray for my healing.

But perhaps God is using this season exactly as it is.

Perhaps there are people I can reach because of this journey that I could never reach otherwise.

Perhaps there are conversations that happen because of these challenges that would never happen without them.

Perhaps Jesus has me planted exactly where He wants me.

So if God leads you, please continue praying for my healing.

But also pray that Jesus continues to use me.

Pray that I remain faithful.

Pray that I continue to encourage others.

Pray that I continue sharing His love and hope wherever He opens a door.

Because whether I receive another miracle here on earth or whether God continues to use me in the middle of this battle, my victory is already secure in Christ.

If He heals me completely here on earth, I win.

If He uses my story to bring hope to others, I win.

If He uses my struggles to point people toward Jesus, I win.

And one day, whether through healing here or perfect healing in Heaven, I will stand in the presence of my Savior completely restored.

Either way, I win.

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

And that is a victory no illness can ever take away. ~OC

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Two Questions Every Christian Should Ask Themselves

Today’s a new day! 

There are two questions that have been on my heart recently, and honestly, they are questions I need to ask myself as much as anyone else.

Question #1: When someone looks at your life, would they want to be like you?

Not because we’re perfect.

Not because we have all the answers.

Not because we’ve never failed.

But when people see our lives, do they see something different? Do they see the peace of Christ in the middle of chaos? Do they see grace when others are harsh? Do they see hope when circumstances seem hopeless? Do they see a faith that remains steady when life gets difficult?

The Apostle Paul boldly wrote, “Follow my example, as I follow the example of Christ” (1 Corinthians 11:1).

That is a challenging statement. Could we honestly say the same?

When people watch how we treat our spouses, our children, our neighbors, the cashier at the grocery store, or even those who disagree with us, are they seeing Jesus reflected in us?

The truth is that our lives may be the only Bible some people ever encounter. Every conversation, every action, every response to adversity is an opportunity to point people toward Christ—or away from Him.

None of us get it right all the time. I certainly don’t. But our goal should be to live in such a way that others are drawn not to us, but to the Savior living within us.

Question #2: Do you have a passion to praise and serve Jesus?

Christianity was never meant to be a once-a-week activity.

It was never meant to be a religious checkbox.

It was never meant to be a routine without relationship.

Jesus gave everything for us. He carried our sins to the Cross, conquered death through His resurrection, and offers us eternal life. How can we not respond with passionate praise and wholehearted service?

Praise isn’t just singing songs on Sunday morning. Praise is thanking God when life is good. Praise is trusting Him when life is hard. Praise is lifting His name when the diagnosis comes, when the bills pile up, when the storm refuses to leave.

Service isn’t just what happens inside church walls. Service happens when we encourage someone who is hurting. It happens when we pray for others. It happens when we meet needs, show compassion, and become the hands and feet of Jesus in a broken world.

The question isn’t whether we attend church.

The question is whether our hearts burn with a love for Jesus.

Do we wake up looking for opportunities to honor Him?

Do we seek ways to serve others in His name?

Do we long to know Him more deeply today than we did yesterday?

A Personal Reflection:

As I ask these questions of my fellow brothers and sisters in Christ, I must also ask them of myself.

When people look at my life, do they see Jesus?

Am I living in a way that inspires others to draw closer to Him?

Do I still have a passion to praise Him through every season?

Do I still have a desire to serve Him with whatever time, talents, and opportunities He has given me?

These aren’t questions meant to bring condemnation. They are questions meant to bring reflection and renewal.

Perhaps today is a good day for all of us to pause and ask God to search our hearts.

May our lives be a testimony of His goodness.

May our words point people toward His truth.

May our actions reflect His love.

And may we never lose our passion to praise and serve the One who gave everything for us.

Lord, let my life be a reflection of You. Help me live in such a way that others see Jesus in me. Rekindle my passion to praise You, serve You, and follow You faithfully every day. Amen. ~OC

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Living Out Your Faith At Work

As we start a new week, I wanted to share something that is on my heart: living out your faith at your job.

For many believers, it is easy to think of faith as something that only happens on Sunday mornings. We worship, pray, read our Bibles, and fellowship with other believers. Yet God never intended our faith to be limited to a church building. Our faith is meant to be lived out everywhere we go, including our workplace.

Whether you work in an office, a school, a hospital, a construction site, a retail store, or from your home, your job is a mission field. Every day, God places people in your path who may never step foot inside a church but who can witness the love of Christ through your life.

Living out your faith at work does not always mean preaching a sermon to your coworkers. Sometimes it means showing integrity when no one is watching. It means treating others with kindness when they are difficult to love. It means refusing to participate in gossip, dishonesty, or negativity. It means being dependable, trustworthy, and giving your best effort because you are ultimately working for the Lord.

The Apostle Paul reminds us in Colossians 3:23, “Whatever you do, work heartily, as for the Lord and not for men.” What a powerful perspective! Our work becomes an act of worship when we do it with excellence and gratitude unto God.

There will be days when your patience is tested. There will be moments when coworkers, customers, or supervisors challenge you. In those moments, your response may speak louder than any words you could ever say. The peace you display in the middle of pressure, the grace you extend when others are harsh, and the hope you carry during difficult times can point people directly to Jesus.

Remember, you may be the only Bible some people ever read. Your attitude, your character, and your actions can open doors for conversations about faith that would otherwise never happen.

As this new week begins, ask the Lord to help you shine His light wherever He has planted you. Pray for your coworkers. Pray for your supervisors. Pray for those you serve. Ask God to give you opportunities to encourage someone, to speak life into someone who is struggling, and to represent Christ well in everything you do.

You do not have to stand behind a pulpit to make an eternal impact. God can use your desk, your work truck, your classroom, your job site, or your office as a platform for His glory.

This week, go to work with purpose. Walk in integrity. Serve with excellence. Love people well. And let the light of Jesus shine through you so brightly that others are drawn to Him.

May this be a week where your faith is not just something you believe, but something you boldly and lovingly live out every day.

Be blessed, and have an incredible week serving Jesus wherever He has placed you. ~OC

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Rest Is Not Weakness

Today’s a new day! We live in a world that constantly tells us to do more, achieve more, produce more, and stay busy every moment of every day. Culture often promotes the idea that rest is for the weak and that if we slow down, we will somehow fall behind. Yet that mindset is not only unhealthy—it is unbiblical.

God never designed us to run endlessly without pause. From the very beginning, He established the principle of rest. Even after creation, God rested, not because He was tired, but because He was modeling a rhythm that humanity would need.

One of the enemy’s favorite strategies is not always to get us to quit. Sometimes he knows he cannot stop us, so he convinces us to overdo it. He pushes us to take on more than God intended, to carry burdens we were never meant to carry, and to keep running at a pace that eventually leads to exhaustion.

The danger is that by the time we arrive at the destination we have been striving toward, we are too tired, discouraged, or burned out to enjoy the blessings waiting there. We may reach the goal but lack the strength to reap its benefits.

That is why moments of pause are so important. Rest is not wasted time. It is preparation time. It is in those quiet moments that God refreshes our spirits, renews our minds, and restores our strength. Rest allows us to hear His voice more clearly and regain the perspective we often lose in the busyness of life.

The Christian life was never intended to be a sprint. It is a marathon. Scripture repeatedly calls believers to endure, to remain faithful, and to finish the race. Endurance requires strength, and strength requires renewal.

Jesus Himself often withdrew from the crowds to pray and spend time with the Father. If the Son of God prioritized rest and renewal, how much more should we?

So if you have been feeling guilty for slowing down, don’t. Resting is not weakness. It is wisdom. It is recognizing that you are human and that your strength ultimately comes from God.

Take time to pause. Take time to pray. Take time to recharge. The journey ahead is long, and God wants you to finish well.

Remember: this life is a marathon, not a sprint. Rest today so you can continue running tomorrow.

“Come to Me, all who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest.” — Matthew 11:28

I hope this encourages those who have been running hard for a long season and need permission to embrace God’s gift of rest. ~OC

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Jesus Is Not An Add-On Or An Accessory

In today’s world, accessories are everywhere. We add things to our lives to enhance our appearance, improve our image, or make life a little more comfortable. Accessories are optional. We can put them on when we want and take them off when they become inconvenient.

Unfortunately, many people treat Jesus the same way.

Jesus was never meant to be an add-on to our lives. He is not a spiritual accessory we wear on Sundays and remove on Monday. He is not a good-luck charm we call upon when life gets difficult. He is not a decoration for our social media profiles or a label we attach to ourselves when it is convenient.

Jesus is Lord.

When Jesus called His disciples, He did not invite them to simply add Him to their existing lives. He called them to leave everything and follow Him. Their careers, plans, comforts, and ambitions became secondary to their relationship with Christ. Following Jesus was not a part of their lives—it became their lives.

Too often we try to fit Jesus into our schedules instead of building our schedules around Him. We ask Him to bless our plans rather than surrendering to His plans. We want the benefits of salvation without embracing the daily surrender that discipleship requires.

The Gospel calls us to something deeper.

Jesus doesn’t want a portion of our hearts; He wants all of our hearts. He doesn’t want to be one voice among many voices competing for our attention. He wants to be the foundation upon which every decision, relationship, and dream is built.

When Christ becomes the center of our lives, everything changes. Our priorities change. Our perspective changes. Our purpose changes. We begin to see our jobs as opportunities to serve Him. Our homes become places of ministry. Our struggles become opportunities to trust Him more deeply. Our victories become reasons to give Him glory.

The truth is that Jesus is either Lord of all, or He is not Lord at all.

This does not mean we live perfectly. We all stumble, fail, and fall short. Yet even in our failures, we continue to run toward Him because our relationship with Jesus is not an accessory we can set aside. He is our Savior, our Shepherd, our King, and our source of life.

As believers, may we examine our hearts and ask an important question: Is Jesus simply a part of my life, or is He the center of it?

The world offers countless accessories to make life look better on the outside. Jesus offers something far greater—He transforms us from the inside out.

Jesus is not an add-on.

He is the way, the truth, and the life.

He is everything. ~OC

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If The Twelve Disciples Applied For Church Membership Today

“Think about this for a moment: the twelve disciples of Jesus could not pass a background check to get into most churches today.”

That statement may sound shocking at first, but take a closer look at the men Jesus chose to change the world.

Peter was impulsive and publicly denied Christ three times.

James and John earned the nickname “Sons of Thunder” because of their fiery tempers and desire to call down judgment on people.

Matthew was a tax collector, viewed by many as a traitor and a sinner.

Thomas struggled with doubt.

Simon the Zealot was associated with a radical political movement.

And Judas would eventually betray Jesus.

If these men submitted applications to many modern churches, some would likely be rejected before ever making it through the front door.

Yet these are the very people Jesus chose.

Jesus did not build His ministry around people with perfect resumes. He built it around people whose lives would be transformed by grace.

The Gospel has never been about finding people who have it all together. It has always been about redeeming people who know they don’t.

Too often, we can be tempted to evaluate people based on their past failures, mistakes, addictions, broken relationships, or reputation. We forget that every saint has a past and every sinner has a future when Christ enters the story.

The church was never meant to be a museum displaying perfect people. It was meant to be a hospital where broken people encounter the healing power of Jesus.

Imagine if Jesus had looked at Peter’s denial before calling him. Imagine if He had focused on Thomas’ doubt instead of his potential. Imagine if He had rejected Matthew because of his profession.

The early church would have looked very different.

Thankfully, Jesus sees beyond our failures. He sees who we can become when His grace takes hold of our lives.

This doesn’t mean sin doesn’t matter. It doesn’t mean character is unimportant. Transformation is real, and discipleship matters deeply. But we must remember that transformation is often a process, not an instant event.

The disciples were not finished products when Jesus called them. They were works in progress.

So are we.

So is everyone who will walk through your church doors. 

The next time you encounter someone whose past makes you uncomfortable, remember the men Jesus chose. Remember that the kingdom of God has always been built by redeemed sinners who encountered extraordinary grace.

After all, if God can use fishermen, doubters, hotheads, tax collectors, and former rebels to turn the world upside down, He can certainly use us.

The church should never become a place where people are judged solely by where they have been. It should be a place where people discover who they can become through Jesus Christ.

Grace saw something in the disciples that the world could not see.

May we learn to see people the same way. ~OC

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What Running Taught Me About The Gospel Of Jesus Christ

Today’s a new day! Back in 2003, while having a cancerous golf ball sized tumor removed from my chest, I had a vision that God wanted me to start running marathons and sharing the Gospel. No, it wasn’t the medications talking. Four months after having my chest cracked open, I laced up my running shoes and began a journey that was about much more than physical exercise. What started out as a God given vision eventually became a living illustration of the Gospel of Jesus Christ. With every mile, every struggle, and every victory, God showed me truths that I had read in Scripture but had never fully experienced until I began running.

The Journey Begins With A Single Step:

No one wakes up one morning and suddenly runs a marathon. Every runner begins with a single step. The same is true in our walk with Christ. Salvation begins when we take that first step of faith and trust Jesus as our Savior.

Many people look at mature believers and assume they have always been strong in their faith. The reality is that every Christian starts at the same place—at the foot of the cross, completely dependent on God’s grace.

Running reminded me that God is not asking us to be perfect overnight. He simply asks us to take the next faithful step.

Endurance Is Built Through Difficulty:

Every runner knows that growth comes through discomfort. There are days when your legs are tired, your lungs are burning, and everything inside you wants to quit. Yet those difficult miles are often the ones that make you stronger.

The Christian life is no different.

Trials, hardships, disappointments, and seasons of suffering are not signs that God has abandoned us. Often they are the very tools He uses to strengthen our faith. Just as endurance is developed on the running trail, spiritual endurance is developed through life’s challenges.

The Gospel does not promise an easy road. It promises that Jesus will walk with us every step of the way.

You Can’t Finish Looking Behind You:

One lesson running taught me quickly is that constantly looking over your shoulder will slow you down.

Spiritually, many believers struggle because they spend their lives staring at past failures, past mistakes, and past regrets. The enemy loves to remind us of who we used to be.

But the Gospel reminds us of who we are in Christ.

Jesus paid for our sins on the cross. Through His grace, we are forgiven, redeemed, and made new. We honor God not by living in guilt but by moving forward in faith.

Runners finish races by focusing on what lies ahead. Christians grow by keeping their eyes fixed on Jesus.

The Race Is Not Against Other People:

One of the biggest mistakes runners make is comparing themselves to everyone else. Someone will always be faster. Someone will always have a better finish time.

The Christian life is not a competition.

God has given each of us a unique calling, a unique testimony, and a unique race to run. The goal is not to be better than someone else. The goal is to be faithful to what God has called us to do.

Comparison steals joy, but gratitude fuels perseverance.

Sometimes You Have to Keep Going Even When You Don’t Feel Like It

Not every run feels amazing. Some days motivation is nowhere to be found. Yet discipline carries you when feelings disappear.

Faith works much the same way.

There are days when we feel close to God and days when we do not. There are seasons when prayer feels effortless and seasons when it feels difficult. There are moments when worship flows naturally and moments when we worship by faith.

The Gospel teaches us that our relationship with God is not based on feelings but on the finished work of Jesus Christ.

We keep praying.
We keep believing.
We keep trusting.
We keep moving forward.

Every Finish Line Points to Something Greater:

Crossing a finish line brings a sense of accomplishment, but every race eventually ends. Another race always waits ahead.

Running taught me that earthly victories are temporary, but the promises of God are eternal.

The greatest finish line is not found at the end of a race course. It is found when we stand before Jesus and hear the words, “Well done, good and faithful servant.”

The Gospel reminds us that this world is not our final destination. We are running toward eternity with Christ.

Final Thoughts:

Running has taught me countless lessons about perseverance, discipline, and determination. Yet the greatest lesson it has taught me is this: the Christian life is not about running perfectly; it is about staying faithful to the One who called us.

When we stumble, Jesus lifts us up.

When we grow weary, Jesus gives us strength.

When we feel like quitting, Jesus reminds us of the hope set before us.

So keep running your race.

Keep walking by faith.

Keep trusting Jesus.

The miles may be long, the hills may be steep, and the journey may be difficult, but the Gospel assures us that we never run alone. Christ is with us every step of the way, and because of Him, the victory is already secured.

I hope this encourages both runners and non-runners to see how everyday experiences can point us back to the life-changing Gospel of Jesus Christ. ~OC

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Watchman On The Wall

Today’s a new day!

There are moments in life when words spoken over you stay buried deep in your spirit for years. Not because they inflate your ego, but because they carry weight. Responsibility. Sobriety. Reverence before God.

Several years ago, during two different conversations with two different men of God about some of my writings, they both shared something with me that I have never forgotten. They each told me they believed I was a watchman, like the watchmen described in the Book of Ezekiel Chapter 33.

At the time, I did not fully know what to do with those words. Honestly, part of me still wrestles with them. The title itself is not something I ever desired for attention or recognition. If anything, it humbled me and drove me into deeper prayer. But since those two separate conversations, I received multiple confirmations from God.

Because when you read Ezekiel 33, being a watchman is not about status. It is not about building a platform, gaining followers, or becoming spiritually important. It is about accountability before God.

The watchman in Ezekiel was called to stand alert, to discern danger, and to faithfully speak what God was saying whether people wanted to hear it or not. The responsibility was not to control outcomes, but to remain faithful in delivering the warning, the truth, and the call to repentance.

That is a sobering assignment.

As I have replayed those two specific conversations, I have become more humbled and do not take them lightly.

In a generation where compromise is often celebrated and truth is sometimes watered down to avoid discomfort, I believe the Church desperately needs voices that will speak with both conviction and compassion. Not voices fueled by anger, pride, or political obsession, but voices broken before God. Voices willing to grieve over sin rather than weaponize it. Voices willing to speak the whole counsel of God, even when it costs something.

A true watchman does not stand above the people. He stands among them, fully aware of his own need for mercy and grace.

That is where I find myself.

I do not claim perfection. I do not claim to have every answer. I am still learning, still growing, still being refined by the Holy Spirit daily. But one thing I know is this: I want to honor Jesus with whatever calling He has placed on my life.

As I have received more confirmation about this calling, I pray daily that God gives me the courage to remain faithful in this assignment.

Faithful when it is unpopular.
Faithful when culture shifts.
Faithful when the Church grows distracted.
Faithful when speaking truth costs comfort.
Faithful to warn.
Faithful to encourage.
Faithful to point people back to Christ.

Because the heart of a watchman is not condemnation. It is love.

A watchman warns because they care.
A watchman speaks because eternity matters.
A watchman refuses to stay silent because souls matter to God.

More than ever, I believe we are living in critical times. The Church must awaken from complacency. We cannot afford to drift spiritually asleep while darkness grows louder around us. Yet even in the middle of shaking, confusion, and moral compromise, I still have hope. Jesus is still building His Church. The Holy Spirit is still moving. Revival is still possible.

And so I continue to write.
I continue to pray.
I continue to seek the heart of God.

Not to build my own name, but to faithfully steward whatever assignment Heaven has entrusted to me.

If God truly has called me to stand as a watchman in this hour, then my prayer is simple:

“Lord, keep my heart pure, my spirit humble, and my voice faithful to You until the very end.”

I continue to pray for each and every one of you, as you walk through this day. May your day be filled with God’s peace, wisdom and healing. Blessings. ~OC

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I Cried Out

There are moments in the life of a believer when words fail, when sermons feel too small, and when the only honest response left is tears. Recently, I found myself bowed low on my knees before God, overwhelmed by a grief so deep it felt impossible to fully explain. It was not grief over politics, culture, or the chaos of the world alone. It was grief over the condition of the global Church, especially here in America.

As I prayed, tears streamed down my face. Not tears of hopelessness, but tears of burden. Tears born from the realization that we are living in a critical hour, yet so many believers seem spiritually asleep.

The Church in America has more platforms, more buildings, more resources, and more influence than many generations before us ever dreamed of. Yet somehow, in the middle of abundance, we have often lost our hunger for the presence of God. We have mastered performance while neglecting prayer. We have learned how to build crowds while forgetting how to carry the cross. We have polished the image of Christianity while starving for genuine holiness.

And still, God is calling.

Even now, Heaven is extending mercy.

Even now, the Spirit of God is crying out to awaken His people.

I believe we are standing at a crossroads. One path leads toward comfort, compromise, and spiritual numbness. The other leads toward repentance, purification, surrender, and revival. The frightening reality is that many do not realize the urgency of the moment we are living in. Time is moving quickly. Eternity is drawing near. The hour is late.

The world does not need another watered-down gospel designed to entertain people while leaving them unchanged. The world needs a Church burning with holiness, truth, compassion, humility, and power. It needs believers who are not ashamed of Jesus. It needs disciples willing to pray when nobody is watching, obey when it is unpopular, and love when it costs something.

God is not looking for perfect people. He is looking for surrendered people.

Throughout Scripture, awakening always began the same way: with brokenness. Before revival came repentance. Before restoration came humility. Before God moved publicly, His people first wept privately.

Perhaps that is why the burden feels so heavy right now.

Because deep down, many believers sense that we cannot continue playing games with God. We cannot keep treating the holy things of Heaven casually. We cannot keep building our own kingdoms while neglecting His. We cannot keep blending in with a dying world while claiming to carry the light of Christ.

Jesus did not call us to cultural Christianity. He called us to die to ourselves and follow Him fully.

This is the hour for the Church to return to prayer.

Return to holiness.

Return to the Word of God.

Return to compassion.

Return to reverence.

Return to the secret place.

Return to our first love.

I believe God is shaking everything that can be shaken, not to destroy His people, but to awaken them. Some trust in personalities, platforms, politics, or programs, but none of those things can save us. Our hope has never been in human strength. Our hope is and always will be Jesus Christ.

The answer for America is not found in louder opinions. The answer is repentance and revival. 

The answer is the Church becoming the Church again.

So today, I continue to pray through tears:

“Lord, awaken us again. Purify Your Bride. Burn away every distraction, every idol, every compromise, and every counterfeit thing living inside of us. Teach us to fear You again. Teach us to love what You love. Refocus our hearts on eternity. Let revival begin in us first.”

May we not waste this hour.

May we not sleep through this moment.

May we not stand before God one day realizing we were too distracted by temporary things to pursue what mattered most.

Time is running out.

But the mercy of God is still calling His people home. ~OC

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Not In The Storm

Today’s a new day!

There comes a moment in life when you realize the journey is not about pretending to be strong every second of every day. It is about learning how to walk honestly with God through both the beautiful moments and the painful ones. As I continue walking this crazy beautiful health journey, I am jumping into the deep end of life.  I am choosing to live fully, love deeply, and embrace every moment God places in front of me. I am taking trips with my bride, cherishing the laughter, the quiet moments, and the memories we are building together. I am having deep and meaningful conversations about real life, real struggles, real faith, and real hope. No sugar coating. No masks. Just honesty wrapped in grace.

Some days are incredibly good. Some days feel light, hopeful, and full of strength. Then there are days that are really tough. Days where the storm feels loud and exhausting. But through every high and every low, I refuse to let the storm become my identity. My diagnosis is not my identity. My struggles are not my identity. My difficult moments are not my identity. My identity is found completely in Christ, and that is the only identity that truly matters.

The world often tries to define people by what they are going through.   God defines us by who we belong to. We belong to Him. We are loved by Him. We are redeemed by Him. We are sustained by Him. Storms may shape parts of our story, but they do not get to name us. Jesus does.

What this journey has taught me more than anything is this: life is too precious to spend buried under fear, hesitation, or regret. Too many people are waiting for “someday” to start living. Someday they will take the dream trip. Someday they will say “I love you.” Someday they will forgive. Someday they will have the hard but healing conversation. Someday they will step out in faith and pursue what God placed in their heart. But someday is never promised.

So my encouragement to everyone reading this is simple: live life to the fullest. Trust God enough to truly live. Take the trip. Make the phone call. Sit down and have the real conversation. Laugh loudly. Love deeply. Pray boldly. Stop allowing fear to keep you trapped in a life of “I wish I would have.” The storm may still rage around you, but there is a way to live beyond the storm.

Living beyond the storm does not mean pretending the storm is not real. It means refusing to let the storm steal your joy, your purpose, your faith, or your ability to truly live. It means understanding that even in the middle of pain, God is still writing beautiful chapters. It means choosing to see every breath as a gift and every day as an opportunity to love God and love people well.

At the end of our lives, most people will not regret loving too much, believing too much, or trusting God too deeply. They will regret the moments fear kept them from fully living. So live courageously. Live gratefully. Live authentically. And no matter what storm comes your way, never forget who you are.

Your identity is not in the storm.

Your identity is in Christ. ~OC

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