Tag: Praise

Unanswered Prayers

Good Morning! Here is another entry from “The Lost Writings of OC.” This was written in 2019.

Today’s a new day! As I reflect back on my life, I am thankful that God said no to some of my prayer request over the years.

In the Garden of Gethsemane, as the cross was getting closer, Jesus prayed to the Father: “He walked away, about a stone’s throw, and knelt down and prayed, “Father, if you are willing, please take this cup of suffering away from me. Yet I want your will to be done, not mine.”(Luke 22:41–42)

Never be afraid to pray the following: Not my will, but Yours be done. By saying that, you are simply saying, God I do not know all the facts. I do not know everything there is to know. My knowledge is limited. My experience is limited. So if what I am praying is outside of Your will for any reason, please graciously, but firmly say no.

I know this can be hard at times. Sometimes we do not understand why God doesn’t give us what we ask for. I am thankful that when I was single, God did not answer my prayers about some of the young ladies I was interested in at the time. If I would have said yes to any of those potential relationships when God was telling me no, I would have missed out on marrying my beautiful bride Laura so many years ago.

As we get a little older, we can look back with 20/20 hindsight, and say, Thank you God for not answering those prayers. Or maybe we can look back and be thankful for all of the prayers He did answer. The point is that God knows what’s best for our lives, even when we do not understand it at the time.

Have you ever forced something to happen? Maybe you even felt that God was saying no to it. You remember how that turned out. . .

Finally, I want to remind you of the words of Jesus and encourage you to remember them: “Your heavenly Father already knows all your needs. Seek the Kingdom of God above all else, and live righteously, and he will give you everything you need” (Matthew 6:32-33). Walk in that truth today. ~OC

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Life with Myasthenia Gravis

Good Morning! More writings from the “Lost Writings of OC.” I thought I would share a little bit about my Myasthenia Gravis (MG) experience with you today. I originally wrote this in 2024 and updated it several weeks ago. As I share this with you, my MG is getting much worse.

Today’s a new day! Myasthenia Gravis (MG) is an autoimmune disease that causes muscle weakness. But what exactly does muscle weakness feel like? To understand more, let me walk you through a typical day with MG.

For me it feels like I’ve run out power. In general, I feel it’s a huge effort to move when I’m very weak. When my legs are weak, they feel heavy and unsteady. I feel like I cannot move them or trust them to hold me up. The weaker I get, the closer and closer my steps get to each other, until I have to stop and lean against something or just sit down.

Also, I get pain in my hip flexors – basically my butt. It’s the same kind of pain you get from overdoing a workout: an achy soreness that feels like you have overused the muscles. These days, I deal with hip pain on a constant basis.

When my shoulders are weak, which is most of the time lately, I feel like I just cannot lift my arms. Like there are heavy weights holding them down.

My neck continues to get weaker. I just cannot hold my head up. It falls to the side or down, or I have to prop it up with my hand on my chin and my elbow on a table, or with a U-shaped neck pillow and a high-backed chair. As my neck weakens, I develop achy pain in my upper back from trying to hold my head up. I sometimes get a nauseating gagging sensation from my throat collapsing.

Eating with MG can be a challenge from having to take breaks while eating, to choking on solids and fluids. Sitting down to eat or drink is a major undertaking. I also start to slur my speech, and I get short of breath from minor exertion, or sometimes just sitting still.

I always have muscle weakness, but it gets more severe with heat, exertion, lack of sleep, infections, or other stressors. Summertime can be very challenging. Extreme cold is not my friend either.

Based on my weakened lung muscles, I am unable to take deep breaths. This causes issues on so many different levels. These days, every breath is a struggle.

I have to stay on top of my medications for the Myasthenia Gravis. I have to take one of those medications four times a day. Oh, I better not miss those dosages or things can go down hill pretty quickly.

I try to dress in cool fabrics and wear layers in winter. And I try to protect myself from sickness by keeping my vaccines up to date, wearing a mask when needed , and using hand sanitizer or washing my hands frequently when I am out of the house. I tend to fist bump and avoid shaking hands or hugging.

You know how much I love to walk, but that is getting harder these days. I have added a walking stick to help with my balance. This is a far cry from my marathon days

My medical team continuously tells me I am a one in two billion case with all of the multiple diagnosis. With Myasthenia Gravis, I fall into a small group of people being diagnosed with MG after having their thymus removed. My cancerous thymus was removed in 2003, but I was not diagnosed with MG until 2009. I will not go into what the thymus does, but feel free to research on your own.

How friends loved ones can help

One thing my friends and family do for me that’s immensely helpful is helping to educate themselves on Myasthenia Gravis so they can explain it to others and better understand my daily challenges.

I only have a few people besides my bride, who truly know me and my MG that well, but they are lifesavers. They’re also the ones I’ll talk candidly to when my MG gets me down. I cannot be relentlessly cheerful all the time, but I try.

I hope this gives you a better understanding of what Myasthenia Gravis looks like and how it affects my life on a daily basis. Each day is a struggle, but I continue to push forward and look at all the positives in my life. I encourage you to do the same. Go have a great day! ~OC

Dear God, Sometimes the pain is so great, I cannot think beyond my current struggle. On hard days, please ease my pain and help me focus on Your goodness one day, one hour, one moment at a time. Let Your overwhelming peace wash over me and remind me Your mercies are new every morning (Lamentations 3:22-23). There are days when I beg you to take the pain away. Days I just don’t have the strength. In those desperate times, I ask for Your unending strength to sustain me. I cannot do it alone, but with You all things are possible (Matthew 19:26). Amen

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My Life With Parkinson’s

Good Morning! I wanted to share a bit of my Parkinson’s experience with you today. I was diagnosed with PD in 2007. The disease is starting to take its toll on me, but I continue to live with an attitude of hope. I originally wrote this in 2019 and updated it the first of 2025.

Today’s a new day! Living with Parkinson’s takes hope, persistence and a strong will to live. Because Parkinson’s never takes a day off. Parkinson’s is a daily battle. In the presence of Parkinson’s, one must have courage, the strength of character, and for me a strong faith.

While there’s life, there’s hope. Each morning when I wake, I do a full-body inventory, thinking ‘Okay body, what awaits us today?’ I remain hopeful that my just-completed sleep has re-fueled my brain and re-stocked my body. Of course that’s on the nights I actually sleep. Cloaked around every fiber of my body is my unwelcome guest named Parkinson’s; however, the day has started anew, and there is much to accomplish. I use hope as an anchor to secure my body and mind against the slowly rising tide from Parkinson’s. There is still time while staying hopeful.

Living with a positive attitude makes a big difference. Before I get out of my recliner, it can be easy to feel sorry for myself. I have Parkinson’s, a progressive neurodegenerative disorder. And that’s the negative mindset Parkinson’s has provided but I try to never allow myself to stay there for very long. There are days that are going to be difficult; yet staying positive and focusing on the plans God has for my life is where I choose to place my focus. I choose to look at my life with a positive attitude. That is completely opposite of how this disease wants me to feel and live.

I have found living this journey and sharing my story has been a privilege of a lifetime. I start each day with a prayer to focus on what plans God would have for me on that particular day. I choose to stay engaged with the everyday activities of life. Things are starting to get much tougher these days, but I make the choice every day to embrace life to its fullest. I remind myself there is much left to accomplish in my life even in the presence of Parkinson’s. I will close with a prayer I lift up to God every morning:

Dear God, thank you for another day. Simply use me today. This is going to be a good day. I remain hopeful not hopeless, positive not negative, happy not sad, and driven not complacent. Thank you for Your strength, wisdom and courage as I walk through this day. Amen. ~OC

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Peace and Contentment

Good Morning! Life can be full of chaos, but we can still find peace. I hope this “Another Lost Writing from OC” gives you something to think about. This post was written in 2020.

Today’s a new day! The world can often feel chaotic and uncertain. How do you know how to respond to what the world throws at you? Recently, I took a look at Paul’s letter to the Philippians found in the New Testament. This is a letter that Paul wrote while he was in prison. He was living through turbulent times and how he encouraged believers back then directly applies to us still today. In particular, what he wrote in Philippians 4 offers us a beacon of hope today.  

So how can you find peace in these turbulent times? Here are ways Paul encourages us in chapter 4. 

“Rejoice in the Lord always. I will say it again: Rejoice!” – Philippians 4:4

It is easy to rejoice when things are going well, but how about those tough and turbulent times? Paul calls us to rejoice then, too. He invites us to find joy in our relationship with God, regardless of our situation. It is a choice, a practice, and a powerful testimony to the world around us when we can rejoice in God always.

Don’t worry about anything, but in everything, through prayer and petition with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. And the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and minds in Christ Jesus.” – Philippians 4:6-7

Anxiety often stems from feeling out of control with all that is going on around you. When we feel anxious, Paul provides a practical solution: bring everything to God in prayer, coupled with thanksgiving. This practice shifts our focus from our problems to the Problem Solver. The result of this rejoicing, gentleness, and prayer is a peace that defies all human logic. This peace serves as a reminder that God is protecting us from the onslaught of worry and fear when we trust and rely on Him.

“I don’t say this out of need, for I have learned to be content in whatever circumstances I find myself.” – Philippians 4:11

Paul’s secret to contentment wasn’t found in his circumstances. He was content always because he knew that no matter what situation he was facing, he could rely on God’s strength rather than his own resources.

In conclusion, life can be complex and we live in turbulent times. However, may we take these lessons from Philippians 4 to heart. Let’s choose joy, practice gentleness, pray instead of worry, and find our strength in Christ. In doing so, we may discover a peace and contentment that truly passes all understanding. ~OC

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Leave Your Burdens

Good Morning! Here is another writing from the “Lost Writings of OC.” I wrote this back in 2019.

Today’s a new day! As many get ready to start our day, some are filled with various burdens. Maybe it’s a personal thing in our life. Maybe it’s a strained relationship. Maybe your world has been rocked by a devastating loss. But at this moment, your life is burdened by the heaviness you are carrying.

It seems that these burdens are just too big to handle. In Psalm 55 we read, “Cast your care upon the LORD, who will give you support. He will never allow the righteous to stumble.”

Life seems overwhelming at this moment, but has we wake up on this Sunday morning, today is the best day to cast your fears, burdens, pain, anger, resentment, to the Lord. It’s time to “let go, and Let God.”

There is no better time to leave all your burdens at the feet of Jesus. It is time to release those burdens to the One who will never allow us to stumble. It’s time to unburden ourselves of these problems that have eaten away at us for far too long.

Let today be the day, that you release all of your problems, cares and burdens to the Lord, realizing that you cannot handle them by yourself. Whether at a church or the comfort of your home, make the life changing decisions to release everything to God.

Today, let’s let go and let God. Let’s lay our burdens at the foot of the cross. Take my heart, loving Father as I put it in your hands. Today, I release all my burdens and trust in You. ~OC

“Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God. And the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.” ~Philippians 4:6-7

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Avoid the Distractions

Good Morning! I guess I should start calling these the “Lost Writings.” Here is one written back in 2021.

Today’s a new day! As Christians, we can argue, debate, and dispute with one another whose beliefs and convictions do not align with our own.

We can also choose to strive to stay so busy working for the Kingdom of God that we will not have the time to remain distracted.

Instead of walking through life angry about everything, we can take that time to not only reach for, but wrap our arms around those walking through the storms of life. To love and serve those who are just barely hanging on.

We can reach out to those who have lost all hope and purpose and are struggling to just take their next breath.

We can create a safe place for those who have experienced trauma, whether mentally, emotionally, physically, spiritually or sexually.

We can strive to encourage those who cannot seem to shake an addiction, that they can overcome it and do not have to live in shame.

We can get out of our comfort zones. We can choose to love people so hard that it makes them want to experience the same God we serve. Teach them. Explain the word of God, and utilize it to explain why you believe how you believe. Disciple them and challenge them.

And let us not get distracted from doing just that. ~OC

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Look What I Found…

As I was going through some social media post, this post came up from January 18, 2011. As I read through it, I thought I would share it with you. I did tweak it just a bit. Even back then, I was writing long post. Here we go…

A few years ago, as this health journey consumed more of my life, someone asked me what my “Life Message” was. I did not even know how to answer that question at the time. But after taking some time to think about it, I think I know. My life message is sharing the beauty and love of Jesus.

I want people to experience the amazing beauty of Jesus in a way that makes their hearts come alive with love for Him and reveals the amazing purpose He has for their lives.

First, here’s what I mean by the beauty of Jesus. The Bible repeatedly refers to this idea of beauty and here are a few scriptures that reveal God’s beauty:

“One thing have I asked of the Lord, that will I seek after: that I may dwell in the house of the Lord all the days of my life, to gaze upon the beauty of the Lord and to inquire in his temple.”

~Psalm 27:4

“You are the most handsome of the sons of men; grace is poured upon your lips; therefore God has blessed you forever.” ~ Psalm 45:2

“Your eyes will behold the king in his beauty; they will see a land that stretches afar.” ~Isaiah 33:17

The beauty of Jesus is mostly the beauty–the excellence–of His personality. I used to think of Jesus beauty as only the visual aspects of light and glory described in passages such as Revelation 4 and 5. While those are certainly a part of Jesus’ beauty, the full truth is so much deeper than that. Jesus is beautiful because of who He is. Every single facet of His character is gloriously beautiful. His love, joy, sense of humor, fierceness, humility, honesty, cleverness, justice, dedication, wisdom, faithfulness, and a thousand other traits you want to add, are what make Him stunning. As mere humans, we can never be all of these things as fully as we wish we could be, and no person in our lives could fulfill all of these needs for us. But Jesus possesses all of these characteristics to their fullest possible extreme, all at once.

I believe there are four things that the beauty of Jesus draws us into. 1). Relationship, 2). Worship, 3). Discipleship, and 4). Partnership.

Relationship: Jesus desires to have a personal relationship with each and every one of us.No matter where you’re standing in life this very moment, Jesus wants to connect with us in the middle of our messiness.

Worship: Jesus’ beauty is directly tied to His Holiness. Part of what this means is that His every characteristic is higher and more pure and perfect than its earthly equivalent.

Jesus’ beauty shines in every single facet of his character, including His love and mercy as well as His wrath and justice. Think about that for just a second. Every justice system on earth is guaranteed to make a mistake at some point. Human justice will always be imperfect, no matter how hard we try to refine the system, because no person can really see into the heart of another. But Jesus’ justice is completely perfect. Every single time.

Discipleship: The more I see and read about the beauty of Jesus’ character, the more I want to be like Him. I want to experience a heart transformation through my relationship with Jesus. I want to captivated by the beauty of those characteristics in Him.

The more clearly we see Jesus, the more we are empowered to become like Him–and in fact, the more we want to become like Him.

Partnership: My relationship with Jesus drives everything I do in my life. I want Him to have what He so deeply desires, because I know that He is beautiful and worthy, and because I know the things He wants are beautiful and worthy. His desires are perfectly pure and holy. The more clearly I see His sense of justice, the more I want to see justice done in the earth–because I have connected with the beauty of true justice in the heart of Jesus.

There is truly no one like Jesus. He is truly worthy of all of our worship and all of our trust and all of our lives lived completely for His glory– because the extravagant beauty of His character actually deserves such an extravagant response.

I hope you enjoyed this walk down memory lane. I am sure if I thought about the question what is my “Life Message” these days, my post would probably sound a little different. But I would still want people to experience the beauty and love of Jesus. ~OC

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My Last Post

Today’s a new day! I am going to let you in on a little secret. A lot of the post I share daily, were written months or even years ago. I had a series of writings I had put together over the years. On the post that were new, it could take me hours to write down my thoughts in a way that people could hopefully understand. Why am I sharing all this with you this morning?

Well, I come to the end of all the writings I had not shared with you over the last few years. And as my neurological issues have become worse, it has become harder to put my thoughts in order. Which can be very frustrating. So today is my last post of Today’s a New Day!

I have enjoyed sharing my thoughts with you over the years. I have enjoyed the conversations some of my writings have created over the years. I have enjoyed sharing my thoughts and life experiences with you since 2019. But as I mentioned above, with my health declining, it has become increasingly frustrating for me to write. I will not rule out sharing some of my writings in the future if my health allows and God puts something on my heart. But for now, it’s time to step away. Thanks again for all of the support over the years. Go share your story with others. Go make a difference in your part of the world. Blessings. ~OC

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A New Day. A New Year. A New Perspective.

Today’s a new day! As we walk into a new week and are still navigating a new year, I want to share the following thoughts with you. Peace and blessings to each of you. ~OC

“Peter said to them, “Repent, and each of you be baptized in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins; and you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit.” -Acts 2:38

Today the Holy Spirit is calling you. He is saying, “I am here my child. I am the Resurrection and the Life. I want to appear Myself to you today in a way you never have encountered me before. I want there to be a collision between Heaven and your world.”

Maybe you are disappointed with church, with pastors, the world or even with God. Maybe you have prayed and nothing changed. Maybe you used to be in love with God but things happened and now you are disappointed, discouraged, and angry. Maybe you had a bad church experience or were hurt by a person who misrepresented God’s heart to you. Forgive them.  The Holy Spirit is calling you today. Return to the Lord with all your heart. He longs for there to be a collision where everything in your life crashes with God’s Kingdom and you are forever changed. You will never be the same. I encourage you to pray this dangerous prayer today and mean it if you want all of God: 

“Holy Spirit, today I surrender my life totally to Jesus Christ. I am done running and living life for myself. I make a fresh decision to follow hard after You. I give you all of my life. I receive forgiveness for my sins and I release forgiveness to those who have hurt me and betrayed me. Heal my heart. Today, show me Your truth. Break every stronghold and addiction. Flood my life with your power and presence so that I will never ever be the same. Fill me with a fresh touch from You. I want to draw nearer to you with all I am. In Jesus name Amen”

“He saved us, not on the basis of deeds which we have done in righteousness, but according to His mercy, by the washing of regeneration and renewing by the Holy Spirit “-Titus 3:15

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Celebrity Mentality

Today’s a new day! Dear Pastors and Ministry Leaders, you were not called to be celebrities. You were called to help the broken, the hurting, and the lost. Your job is not to build a ministry (let God handle that). You are called to build up disciples to go out into their respective communities and serve and love others. The celebrity mentality of the American Church will never usher in revival; it will only repel it.

I share this not as judgement, but as a challenge to remember why you felt called into ministry. I am just a simple man who loves Jesus and the Church. I will be praying for each of you today. Go make an eternal impact for the Kingdom. ~OC

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