Tag: Peace

Unity

Today’s a new day! We stand as one, yet we’re fractured, divided

Christians, believers, but our unity’s on the other side

Of racial lines and cultural pride

But God’s got a different plan, a vision to unify

We’re all part of the body, interconnected like limbs

No longer strangers, but family, redeemed by Him

Breaking chains of division, we’re embracing our ties

Unity in Christ, that’s where our hearts arise

No more Jew nor Gentile, no more black or white

In Christ, we’re one, shining with His light

Cultural differences, they’re not erased

But celebrated, as we worship side by side, in His gaze

God’s love is the glue, binding us together

Through Jesus’ sacrifice, we’ve found our tether

No more walls of hostility, we’re breaking free

Unity among Christians, that’s the reality

We’re called to love, to serve, to lay down our pride

Embracing our differences, as we walk side by side

In Christ, we’re united, one body, one heart

Let’s rise up, and let our unity shine. ~OC

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In The Pause

Today’s a new day! In the midst of chaos and noise, it’s easy to get lost in the turmoil. But what if the secret to finding peace and clarity lies in the pause? The Bible reminds us that the Holy Spirit is always present, even in the quietest moments.

In the stillness, I hear Your voice

A gentle whisper, a soothing choice

The Holy Spirit guides me through the night

Leading me to peace, and a heart that’s light

When the world’s loud voice tries to take control

I find solace in the Holy Spirit’s soul

In the pause, I breathe and reflect

Finding calm, and a heart that’s correct

The Holy Spirit’s presence is my peace

A comfort that never leaves, a love that won’t cease

In the silence, I connect with God

And find my strength, in the quiet nod

So I’ll stay in the pause, and listen with care

For the Holy Spirit’s whisper, that’s always there

In the stillness, I’ll find my way

And let God’s love, guide me through each day ~OC

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Not A Performance

“The Lord is near to all who call on Him, to all who call on Him in truth.” — Psalm 145:18 

Today’s a new day! Prayer isn’t a performance. It’s not a speech, a sermon, or a spiritual audition. It’s a conversation — raw, real, and sometimes downright messy. You don’t need a robe, a pulpit, or the perfect words. You just need a moment and faith like a mustard seed. 

God doesn’t wait for you to sound holy. He waits for you to be honest. Whether you’re whispering in a hospital room, shouting in frustration, or mumbling through a mouthful of emotions, He hears you. He’s not grading your grammar — He’s listening to your heart. 

Daniel prayed in danger. Jonah prayed in darkness. Peter prayed while sinking. And you? You can pray in your car, your kitchen, your wheelchair, your recliner or your weakest moment. You can pray with a full plate or an empty stomach. You can pray with tears, laughter, or silence. 

There’s no wrong time to pray. No wrong place. No wrong posture. You can pray standing, sitting, lying down, or leaning on the edge of hope. You can pray in church, at the breakfast table, or as you’re being wheeled into the operating room. 

So stop worrying about sounding like Shakespeare or James Earl Jones. Stop waiting for the perfect moment to pray. Just talk to God. Tell Him about your hopes, frustrations, dreams and hurts. Tell Him what’s funny. Tell Him what you need. And if all you’ve got is “Thank You, Lord,” that’s more than enough. 

Because the power of prayer isn’t in how you say it — it’s in Who you’re saying it to. Can I get an amen? ~OC

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Lessons Being Learned

Today’s a new day! Here are four things that God has been showing me over the past few months. I guess God wanted to remind me of His love, care and purpose for me, even in the midst of this health journey. I pray they encourage you. 

I Am Precious In God’s Eyes:

Isaiah 43: 4 says, ‘You are precious and honoured in my sight, and … I love you.’

As my body and mind continues to be an issue, I need to remind myself continually that God loves me for who I am not what I can do. The Lord has chosen me to be his treasured possession (Deuteronomy 14:2) and I am still precious to him despite my illness. He knows what he is doing and he is good.

If you are feeling that you have no purpose, the Lord wants to tell you differently. He wants you to know that your purpose is being his child, not what you are able to do.

I Am Blessed:

As I continue to walk through this crazy beautiful health journey, I have periods of sadness,  as I mourn the things I am no longer capable of doing. Some days are harder than others and I feel helpless and upset that I am a burden on Laura and others. Yet, God promises that if I lean on him and trust him, he will give me the strength that I need.

I need to ask God daily to help me remember my blessings. I have so much to be thankful for. Each day is a gift to enjoy being with Laura and friends making memories. I cannot allow myself to constantly be distracted by those friends who have decided to walk away, for whatever reason. 

I am reminded that God’s word says that every good and perfect gift comes from God (James 1:17) and I have been able to find much pleasure in the everyday things around me that I had not noticed before.

When you have a serious illness your world becomes much smaller, but in God’s grace even that can be a blessing. God has opened my eyes to see the little things in life and I can pray about them. I have time to see God answering those prayers and to see how he is interested in the tiny little details of our lives. Sometimes, living in the moment is a real privilege. I don’t need to worry about earning money or running a house because I have to trust that God will give others the strength and wisdom to do that. I know I can trust God in the big things because I can see him working in the little things.

I Am Useful:

It has been very hard not being able to get to church services and have fellowship with people. Zoom, text and phone calls are great but they aren’t the real thing. Often, although I know people pray for me and love me from afar, it can feel very lonely away from the church and everyday life. Yet, wherever I am,  I am still part of God’s family. I am still part of life. I really value people visiting and telling me what God is doing in their lives. It is good to be able to serve the Lord by praying for them and with them.

I can encourage others just by continuing to walk out this health journey, and let people see how He continues to move in the midst of the storm. I continue to learn that you don’t always need to be cheerful and smiling to be an encourager. Just sharing your life and your struggles and letting others see how God sustains you even in the midst of pain and darkness can be an encouragement. God continues to show me that Christian fellowship is about sharing your life with others, the ups, the downs, the differences and the bits in between. True fellowship is precious and points us  to Heaven.

Each day I ask God to help me to be content and to make life as easy as possible for those around me. There are times when I struggle with not being fully involved in daily life, but I know life needs to go on around me. I am still a husband, son, friend and I pray that God will make me the best one I can be.

I Am Being Made New:

I continue to learn that God is bigger than all of my health issues. He is good and his ways are perfect. I sometimes wonder why I am here after all these years, but while He allows me to continue living, I know that he will give me the strength to shine for him. I am reminded almost daily, even a weak and tiny flame can bring much light to a darkened room.

Guess what? God doesn’t see my body as decaying. No, my body is being changed for good and when God sees me as ready, he will take me to be with him, forever. I know that I am more than my illness, I am a child of God and I am loved.

Some days, the enemy tries to put fear in my heart. But on those days, I lean on the words of Psalm 23, which states, “Even though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil, for you are with me, your rod and your staff they comfort me.” I know that God will give me the strength to keep going until he calls me home. I continue to learn not to worry about tomorrow, but to be thankful and trust him for today. God knows what is coming and he will be with me when it comes.

I want to encourage you, in whatever storm you might find yourself walking through, that you are precious to the Lord and he will never leave you nor forsake you. ~OC

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Not So Different

Today’s a new day, as I continue to walk this crazy beautiful health journey, my body continues to decline and time is limited

but, a beautiful thing as happened along the way, 

These days, I truly see people for who they really are, 

just folks trying to make it in life like me,

Trying to live in peace, with hope and a chance to dream

In hospitals and waiting rooms, I meet strangers not by chance, but I believe by divine appointments, 

And though our stories differ, our hearts beat with the same dance

We’re all searching for hope, for healing and for peace

And in our shared humanity, our differences release

We’re not so different, you and me

We’re both just trying to live a life full of hopes and dreams, 

We’re all just trying to make our way

Through the noise, through the fray

But still we divide, we separate and we fight

Over opinions and beliefs, we draw lines in the sand,

We let our differences define us, we let them tear us apart

And in the process, we lose the beauty of the human heart

We forget that we’re all in this together, we’re all on the same team

We’re all just trying to live, to love, to dream

We’re all just trying to make a way, to find our place in this world

And in our shared struggles, our hearts can expand 

We’re not so different, you and me

We’re both just trying to live a life full of hopes and dreams,

We’re all just trying to make our way

Through the noise, through the fray

So let’s sit down, let’s talk, let’s share our stories and our fears

Let’s find common ground, let’s wipe away our tears

Let’s look beyond our differences, let’s see the humanity in each other’s eyes

And let’s remember that we’re all in this together, we’re all on the same side

We’re not Us versus Them, we’re just Us, trying to make our way

Through the ups and downs, through the darkness and the gray

We’re all just trying to live, to love, to be

And in our shared humanity, we can find unity.

My hope is that we can learn to see

Beyond the surface level, beyond you and me

My hope is that we can find a way

To come together, to seize the day

To put aside our differences, to lay down our pride

To look into each other’s eyes, and see the other side

To find the common ground, to find the love we share

And to live together, with hearts that truly care. ~OC

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Cancel

How can you cancel someone

that God hasn’t canceled?

You judge with earthly eyes,

but His mercy is boundless.

He sees the heart, the soul,

the deepest, darkest night

and still He chooses love,

still He holds on tight.

Your opinion is but a whisper

in the winds of time

but His voice thunders loudly,

‘You are mine, you are mine.’

So let us not pretend

to be the righteous few

for we are all broken,

and He is still renewing.

How can you cancel someone

that God hasn’t canceled?

Let us love like He loves,

without condition, without fail. ~OC

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A Crazy Beautiful Health Journey: Finding Intimacy With Jesus In The Midst of Suffering

Today’s a new day! I want to share the following with you. I may share some more in the future.

As I continue on this unpredictable, yet beautiful health journey, I’m compelled to share the incredible ways Jesus is revealing Himself to me. Despite the increasing challenges, I’ve never felt closer to Him. His love is surrounding me in ways I never thought possible, and His sovereignty is a constant reminder that He’s in control. The pain and suffering may be intensifying, but I’m experiencing a peace that surpasses all understanding. It’s a peace that’s hard to put into words, but it’s a peace that’s anchored in the hope of eternity.

In the midst of this journey, Jesus is teaching me to see people beyond their masks and facades. He’s opening my eyes to the beauty of Scripture in ways I never thought possible. He’s giving me the privilege of sharing the Gospel with thousands of people, and He’s allowing me to have meaningful conversations with loved ones. These moments are priceless, and I wouldn’t trade them for anything. Yes, there have been sleepless nights, hospital stays, and surgeries, but Jesus has been with me every step of the way. He’s never forsaken me, and I’m grateful for the opportunity to serve Him and others. If I’m honest, I wouldn’t want a “do over” in life. The moments Jesus has allowed me to experience have been too precious, and I’m confident that everything I’m enduring is temporary. I’ll continue to fight the good fight, serve Him, and push forward, trusting that He’ll allow me to encourage at least one more person along the way.

Dear Jesus…continue to use me in this journey. ~OC

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Peace and Hope

Today’s a new day! I choose to hold space in my heart for those whose spirits are tired, whose thoughts feel foggy, whose hopes are whispering instead of loudly singing.

I pray for those walking through the quiet weight of sadness, for the ones who cannot explain what hurts, but carry it all the same while trying to make a positive impact in their part of the world.

May the gentle hand of God, find them where words fall short. May they be reminded that even in their valley moment, they are not alone, not forgotten, not beyond grace. Not beyond hope.

And may this day — however shaky it feels — place one small, steady breath of peace and hope back into their lungs, to help them keep moving forward. ~OC

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A New Year

Today’s a new day! This new year arrived quietly for some, not with fireworks or fresh ambition, but with tired bones and a heart still heavy from all that was poured out in twenty-twenty-five. While the world seems busy reinventing itself, certain souls are simply trying to stand steady against the storms of life. Last year, left invisible footprints — of effort, of giving, of showing up, of holding everything together when it mattered most. And when the noise finally fades, what remains is often an exhaustion no New Year can reset or erase.

There is a kind of pressure in the air the first month of any new year. There is an unspoken demand to rise, improve, conquer, to shine. But not all of us begin from the same place. Some of us step into this new year carrying the weight of overextended emotions, stretched resources, and the quiet ache of having given more than we had. The body remembers. The heart remembers. And sometimes all it asks for is stillness. For a chance to rest.

As we start this new year, your spirit may feel low. That does not mean you are broken — it means you are human and deeply alive. Deeply loved.

Let yourself rest in the stillness for a while. Let the world rush ahead if it must. You are allowed to pause. You are allowed to heal quietly. You are allowed to face your mountain one small step at a time, or simply sit beside it and gather strength. You do not need to be anything more than you are in this moment.

And that is enough. ~OC

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New Year’s Prayer

Dear God,

As we start a brand new year, we come before you with hearts full of hope and minds full of dreams. We pray for a world where love conquers fear, kindness triumphs over cruelty, and compassion heals the wounds of division.

May this year bring us closer to your vision of peace, justice, and harmony. May we strive to be the change we wish to see, to lift each other up, and to make a difference in the lives of those around us.

May our leaders be guided by wisdom, integrity, and a deep commitment to the common good. May our communities be strengthened by diversity, and a spirit of belonging.

May this year bring us joy, laughter, and adventure. May we find happiness in the simple things, and may our hearts be filled with gratitude for the blessings we enjoy.

And when the road ahead seems uncertain, may we draw strength from your promise to be with us always. May we trust in your goodness, your mercy, and your love.

In the spirit of hope and renewal, we offer this prayer, dear God. May your will be done, and may your kingdom come on earth as it is in heaven….Amen ~OC

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