Tag: Prayer

Significant Life

Today’s a new day! What is a “significant life?” That is a question many will be asking as we move into a new year. I believe a significant life can be measured by having great worth and value–forged by carefully chosen crossroads leading to the sum of a life well lived. It is a life whose moments are not wasted on the material or ordinary, but excavates the ordinary as sacred because God is there.

I am eternally grateful for meeting God at a early age; that He pulled me close and began to open my eyes to eternal matters–but I regret the times I’ve wandered through the “ordinary” days grumbling and complaining as I waded through the difficult days, and frivolously moved carefree through seasons which could have been spent with more purpose.

As five decades of life are closely coming to a close, the brevity of life as described in Psalm 90 bears heavy on my heart and one thing I know: All that matters is living for Christ.

I do not want to waste another single day of my life. I desire to truly live my life for God until I breathe my last breath. I desire to live all out for His glory–whatever that may look like in this journey called life.

As a young man, I am not sure I took seriously the warnings of the wise men of God, “Don’t miss out on God’s will for your life!” I wasn’t exactly sure what His will was for me, and I am sure at times I missed it. Now that I’m older, His will seems more clear, single-focused, and less complicated. I can sum it up in three words: Simply Glorify Him.

The driving passion of my life is expressed by God in Numbers 14:21:

Indeed, as I live, all the earth will be filled with the glory of the Lord.


But what does that look like? For me, I believe Jesus gives us the answer in John 15:8 “My Father is glorified by this, that you bear much fruit, and so prove to be my disciples.”


As I write this post, emotions are swirling all around me. Tears, Missed Opportunities and Regret to name a few. But one emotion burst through like a ray of sunshine… Hope. That deep down hope that feels me with peace and promises for a great and exciting life. A hope that sustains me through the toughest storms

I want to challenge you to stop what you are doing right now and consider these questions:

Is my life significant?

Am I wasting my God given gifts and talents?

Am I bearing fruit?

What is the driving passion in my life?

How can I best use my remaining days to live out the purpose God has created for me in the remaining time I have on earth to bring Him glory?

I believe the answer to those six questions can lead us to living a significant life. ~OC

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Happy New Year!

Today’s a new day! Happy New Year! Welcome to 2025. Not sure about you, but I look forward with great excitement, wondering what God has planned for me this coming new year. What new opportunities will reveal themselves? What new lessons will present themselves? A new year is full of endless possibilities.

As we gear up for a new year, I believe it’s important to take a little time to reflect on the past year. Doing this I believe helps to view each year as a season, understanding that God is Sovereign and has new seasons of experiences and growth to make us more like Him. I can testify 2024 was full of many different emotions. There were moments of grief, but there were also times of joy and happiness. A year filled with many memories and lessons.

As we take some time to reflect back on 2024, it helps us to remember that God is in total control and that we are constantly growing as His children and that He knows the plans He has for each of us. Plans of new wisdom, insight and understanding that He wants to impart to us, if we will allow Him to.

It also gives us an exciting and fresh new outlook of the coming year and enables us to leave the past where it belongs. Not that we forget the past but learn from it and move forward into our present future with open hearts and minds to receive whatever God has for us.

With that said, here are some ways we can look forward to in 2025.

New Beginnings: Start out 2025 with a fresh point of view of new experiences, opportunities, memories and blessings. Have an open mind and heart to where ever God may want to take you with full assurance and confidence that He is always with you. (Matthew 28:19-20)

New Possibilities: There are no limit to what God can do in your life and nothing is impossible with God. God opens doors that no one can shut and also closes doors that no one can open. The possibilities are endless with God. (Philippians 4:13)

New Plans: We walk into 2025 like a blank canvas. Be in prayer for what God has planned for you and be willing to walk by faith in obedience as you follow His leading. Remember that His plans are always for good and not for evil to give you a future and a Hope. (Jeremiah 29:11-13)

New Purpose: As you look ahead, God always has a plan and a purpose for what you will go through and experience. Remember that God always has a reason for what He allows in your life and through it you can trust Him completely. (Proverbs 1:3-5)

New Provisions: The Bible says to not worry about tomorrow for tomorrow has enough worries of its own. In 2025, trust in God who knows everything you need. He is our Hope and our Provider. God is faithful and He will do it. (Matthew 6:1-33)

New Growth: When we are willing to let go and let God work in and through us, He will always stretch us and grow us. It is an important part of the growth process. I pray we will all continue to grow in our relationship with God and in His Word. In 2025, allow God to mold you and make you pliable in the potters hand and then watch the master craftsman work in your life in amazing ways.

New Wisdom: With new experiences and new lessons comes new wisdom and insight. Always make it a priority to seek out wisdom as hidden treasure or fine gold. In Proverbs it says that it will be like a garland of grace around your neck and honor you and present you with a crown of splendor. (Proverbs 4:7-9)

Renewed Peace: As you go through new experiences and new adventures whether they are good or bad, my encouragement is to keep your eyes fixed on God and He will give you rest and peace, because He is our peace and loves us and cares for each of us deeply. (John 16:33)

As we spend some time in reflection about 2024, let us give thanks to God for getting us through another year as we look forward to what He has for us in 2025 and praise Him that He is faithful and worthy to be praised. ~OC

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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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My Mother in Law

Today’s a new day! Yesterday, would have been my late mother in law’s 80th birthday. Hard to believe she would have been 80 years old. Sadly, we lost Carmen Maria West way too early in 2006. Still hard to believe it’s been eighteen years.

From the very beginning, when I first met Mom West in 1999, I was totally accepted.  Mom made me feel right at home…in fact, I honestly don’t remember ever going through an awkward transition from being a stranger to being the son-in-law. One of mom’s favorite place in the home was sitting around the kitchen table and hearing about her family and friends life. Besides her faith, family and friends were so important to her. She loved to have a full house. It was during those times that I really got to know Mom.

She was really passionate about her family. Much time was spent in loving and providing for her family, in providing a clean and comfortable environment for them, and in tending her garden. Oh, how Mom West loved her garden. She also loved to get in the car and travel. It didn’t matter where. She loved experiencing new places and meeting new people. She had a great spirit of adventure. She would have been right at home on a cruise ship.

Mom West was someone who truly lived out her faith. I am so happy she passed down her love for Jesus to her three children. I am honored that I was able to call Carmen Maria West my mother in law. My life is better for having known her. She was a beautiful blessing and is deeply missed every day. ~OC

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Find Those 3am Friendships

Today’s a new day! Life is full of wonderful and difficult moments. That is why it’s so important to surround yourself with people who will encourage and support you. Those who will step up in not only the good times, but more importantly those who step in during the toughest moments in life. Those moments when we find it difficult to breathe. We each deserve to have people who will walk alongside us to support us in every season of life. To help us become better people.

Each of us is worthy of deep and meaningful friendships. We have much to share with others as we walk through this journey called life. If you are in a place where you do not feel valued or supported, if you haven’t found your “3am friendships”, I pray you will spend some time seeking out those important relationships. Warning! You might have to step out of your comfort zone to find those life changing friendships. Do not neglect the opportunities God has placed before you to find those friendships. There will be moments in life when you may feel that no one understands you. There will also be moments when God sets you apart, in order to grow you and reveal something fresh in your life. But there will also be moments for you to dive into community and friendships. A time to find your “3am folks.” Do not miss those amazing opportunities. ~OC

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Don’t Fall For The Lies

Today’s a new day! As a chronically ill Christian, the enemy often tries to sell me the following lie: “My illness and God’s goodness cannot coexist.”

Over the past twenty-two years, multiple life threatening health disease have been my “thorn.”  My body has been attacked on many fronts. Many times early on in my health battle, I remember trying to reconcile my suffering with God’s purpose.

As I pondered my place in God’s eyes, questions of doubt polluted my mind:

What did I do to deserve this illness?

If God actually loves me, why doesn’t he heal me?

How could a broken body fit into God’s plans?

By worldly standards, my value depended on what I could do, instead of what God already did.  For someone who has lived in and out of the hospital for the last two decades, a meaningful life might seem to be an unattainable dream.

Unrooted in God’s word, the presence of my health issues seemed to indicate an absence of His affection.

But friend, this thinking is simply unbiblical.  Let’s dispel this lie by replacing it with God’s truth and equip ourselves with biblical instruction for endurance.

Maybe you don’t struggle with a chronic illness, but we all struggle with chronic issues. Whether you’re dealing with multiple health issues, the scars of life that still plague your mind or the same addiction continues creeping into your life, God tells us that no trial can separate us from His Love. ~Romans 8:35

In fact, our trials might be the very tool God uses to strengthen our relationship with Him.  So, as we think about chronic illness, let’s redirect our thoughts from asking “what could I have done differently to prevent my health issues”, to instead asking, “God, how can you work through my current health issues?”

Two words come to mind when I consider how God can work through our challenges to refine our faith: Reliance and Glory.

1. RELIANCE – God can use our current life challenges to encourage us to rely more fully on Him.

For those struggling to understand why God allows hardship to ensue, the book of Job is a masterpiece written just for us. The Bible describes Job as a faithful man with many blessings.  To test whether Job will still praise God’s name even when his life crumbles, God allows the enemy to wreak havoc on Job’s life – striking his flesh and bones with sickness, infecting him with skin boils, and turning his family away (Job 1:4-9).  Job is not only chronically ill, but also chronically lonely, as his loved ones tell him to just give up and curse His Creator.

Let’s pause right here.  God allows the enemy to test Job.  Now, why would God do this? Among many reasons, God uses suffering as a tool to refine Job’s faith. God knows that it is in the valleys that we are encouraged to truly rely on Him.

Amid adversity, Job’s mind is a battlefield much like our own; his thoughts go between wanting God to leave Him alone and begging for God’s support.  In the end, through his wrestle with God, Job remains faithful that God’s promises are true. He trusts that God loves him in his struggles and is working all things together for good.

As we learn in Job, sometimes God allows for challenges, not to punish us, but to strengthen our relationship with Him.When storms arise, may we trust that God’s plans are purposeful.  This means that whether we are battling a seasonal cold or fighting for our lives after tragedy strikes, God’s loving hand is in everything.

2. HIS GLORY – The contrast of our weakness with His Power emphasizes our need for God.

In 2 Corinthians 12, Paul describes pleading with the Lord to remove a “thorn in his flesh” (2 Corinthians 12:7).  In my own life, my “thorn” represents my health battle.

Jesus addresses Paul’s request by equipping him with endurance and explaining that his struggle has a purpose.  Jesus answers, “My grace is sufficient for you, for My Power is perfected in weakness” (2 Corinthians 12:9).  In this story, Paul’s struggle serves as a reminder of his inherent inadequacy to our all-powerful God, ultimately pointing to his need for a Savior.

Though God denies Paul’s request for healing, He assures him that His grace will help him endure.  Paul is not blessed with healing, but instead, with a more valuable and versatile blessing: the ability to see God’s light in the darkness of his valley.  God doesn’t leave us to dwell in our struggles, He helps us endure.

God’s response gives hope to those whose prayers seemingly go unanswered.  Next time you ask God to remove your “thorn”, may you remember that a lack of an answer is not evidence of a distant God.  God always responds to our requests; His responses just might differ from what we planned.  No matter the response, if we trust God with our lives, we can be sure that He is working for our good and His glory (Romans 8:28).

As we learn from Paul’s interaction with God, some of our wounds will only heal once we go home to Heaven, but we can trust that our struggles are a part of a beautiful redemption story.

Let’s look at another example of how God can work through our pain to reveal His Power.  In John 9, Jesus is walking around town with His disciples when they spot a man who is blind from birth.  Jesus’ disciples ask him a question that might sound like one you’ve asked yourself before: “who sinned, this man or his parents, that he was born blind?” (John 9:2).  Sound familiar? The disciples mistakenly assume that this man’s disability is due to his personal sin.

Jesus corrects the disciples, responding, “neither this man nor his parents sinned…This came about so that God’s works might be displayed in him” (John 9:3).  With this declaration, Jesus dispels the lie that the only purpose for our trials is punishment, and He communicates that our trials can be used to display God’s power.

Jesus then heals the blind man, confirming his belief and establishing an eternal relationship.

Before his healing, we can’t be sure of how this man’s disability affected his self-esteem, but he might have believed some of the same lies that often ravage our minds.  When measuring himself against societal standards, he very well could have attributed his disability to a distant God.  However, when Jesus enters the scene, it becomes clear that this man’s disability was the very tool God utilized to strengthen his relationship with Him. 

As we reflect on these stories, the Word illuminates God’s heart for the chronically ill: God has a purpose for our pain, His love does not waver, and He will work all things together for good, even the messy parts of our lives.

God does not promise to remove our thorns, but He does promise to help us endure.  Whatever your thorn looks like, may you remember that God provides a peace that surpasses understanding (Philippians 4:6-7).

Throughout my battle with multiple health issues, medical mysteries, and shattered plans, one verse has sparked hope in my soul: “We do not give up. Even though our outer person is being destroyed, our inner person is being renewed day by day” (2 Corinthians 4:12).

Friend, however deep your thorns dig, may you never give up. Keep overcoming and finish strong. ~OC

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A Day In The Life

Today’s a new day! Ever wondered what a day living with chronic illness and health challenges looks like? Today I will take you on a journey into the twist and turns of a day living with long-term health issues.

From the moment I wake up, I’m already facing barriers. My chronic illnesses make it difficult to get going. For those not aware, based on my health issues, I have slept in a recliner for about the past twenty years. It’s just too hard to get in and out of a bed. Every day is a balancing act where I have to be mindful of my energy levels and make sure that I’m taking time to rest. 

An Introduction To My Health Journey:

In 2002, I was diagnosed with multiple forms of arthritis. That year was filled with a lot of experimental treatments. Then in 2003, I was diagnosed with cancer. Thankfully I was able to have surgery to remove the tumor and never had to walk through the struggle of chemo and radiation. Let’s speed things up. From 2007-2024, I have been diagnosed with Parkinson’s, Myasthenia Gravis, Gastroparesis, Type 2 Diabetes based on all the steroids, had a stroke, diagnosed with cluster headaches and just a few months ago was diagnosed with early onset dementia. That’s my rap sheet!

What My Night and Morning Looks Like :

Based on my neurological issues, I am up and down most of the night. So I never wake up feeling rested. I wake up stiff, so I need to move around and take a host of medications in the morning. Of course meds have side effects, so that can be difficult.

Since I deal with gastroparesis, eating has been a major issue for many years. That makes taking in fluids and food a huge and painful task. So every meal, every day is an adventure.

My mornings are dedicated to spending time with God, journaling and trying to exercise. For me, walking is the best type of exercise for me. I never know how many laps I will be able to get in. I have to be careful not to overdo it. If I do overdo it, my body will pay for it the rest of the day. I spend some time each day for reflecting on life and looking at how I can hopefully encourage others as I continue running this journey. These days, I tend to take a lot of short cat naps. Over the last year, the pain has increased, so that’s a daily struggle. Unfortunately, pain meds and gastroparesis do not really care for each other. So most days, I just live with the pain.

One thing I choose to do everyday is get dressed. I never lay around in my sleeping clothes. It makes me feel good to get cleaned up and get dressed.

My favorite part of any day is spending time with my bride and friends that choose to reach out. Spending time with loved ones is very important to me. I love sitting around and enjoying great conversations. Also, I try to read every day. My love for reading has been challenging the last few years, since it’s hard to stay concentrated. I also spend time listening to music each day. Music can make everything a little bit better.

In the evening, Laura and I like to talk about our day and possibly watch a little television. Based on my day, my bedtime varies. But since I sleep in my recliner, I can fall asleep anytime my body and brain allows me to. Every night is an adventure.

What I consider a daily self-care must do:

Writing about what I’m grateful for in my journal helps me remember the positives, even on those really hard days. Living with long-term health conditions can be exhausting and can be very negative if you allow it to get on top of you. 

Several people have asked if I had one day without pain and could step away from my health journey what would I do?

I would lace up my running shoes and go for a very long run. For those new to my journey, in my healthier days I was blessed to complete 350 marathons.

Another question people asked me a lot: Is there anything I would like to share about daily living with chronic illness and life challenges?

There’s a lot, but I do not want to make this post any longer than it already is. One of my hopes is, people will realise that we never know what someone else is really going through. So be kind and respectful. It doesn’t help when people tell me how I should be living out my health journey. Just be supportive and walk through this journey with me.

By sharing what my day to day life is like, I hope I can raise awareness of the bigger picture as people only see snippets of my journey online or see me on my best days in person. I am not sharing this for pity or sympathy and I am not complaining. I just want to give you some insight into this crazy beautiful health journey.

The Takeaway:

Writing about my day living with chronic health issues has been quite eye opening to me to see how much life has changed over the years. I have a strong need to celebrate the love and support I have received over the years from family and friends. Writing this post has let me see how faithful God has been to me, as I continue to run this beautiful journey.

I hope that you have found this post to be a helpful insight into life with with long-term health issues. There are so many people walking through a tougher battle than me. So if you know someone dealing with chronic illness, take the time to reach out to them and support them on their journey. ~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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Merry Christmas

Today’s a new day! Merry Christmas!!!

Finding the real joy of Christmas comes not in the hurrying and the scurrying to get more done. We find the real joy of Christmas when we make Jesus the focus of the season. Born in a simple stable, cradled in a manger, He came forth from Heaven to live on earth as a common man and to establish the kingdom of God. His glorious Gospel reshaped the thinking of the world. He lived for us, and He died for us. What can we, in return, give to Him?

Our lives! May our hearts be full of peace, love, grace and forgiveness on this Christmas Day…. and every other day. May our lives be one of service to others.

May we all remember the true meaning of Christmas and celebrate today in a way that pays tribute to Jesus and the sacrifice He made for all of us. 

I want to wish each of you a very, Merry Christmas full of love and laughter and family and friends and wrapping paper, presents, good food, and a day full of happiness and joy. I pray each of you experience whatever Christmas miracle you have been praying for. And may we all remember the person whose birth we celebrate today, Jesus Christ. ~OC

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That First Christmas…

Today’s a new day! I love the Christmas season. The songs, the lights and everything bright and merry. As I was listening to the classic “ I’ll Be Home For Christmas”, I started reflecting on that first Christmas so many years ago.

Joseph and Mary were not at home. They were not surrounded by family and friends.

That first Christmas was not beautiful to behold when viewed from a human eyes. There were no fun holiday parties to attend with friends and family. No prizes for the best Ugly Christmas Sweater. There were no merry songs “making spirits bright.”

That first Christmas was a dark, musty barn with little more to offer than a manger with some straw. It was strangers—smelly, dirty strangers—visiting instead of the faces of familiar loved ones. It was feeling far away, lonely, and no doubt afraid and anxious because of the unknown.

That is what “Joy To The World” first looked like.

That first Christmas was about a young couple who followed an unseen God on a journey that was impossible to understand—a journey that led them into a dark, lonely, and humble place so that The Light could break forth in an unexpected and glorious way.

Joseph and Mary would not have chosen to script their story the way it unfolded. If they had, there wouldn’t have been a virgin birth. There wouldn’t have been a stable visited by shepherds. They wouldn’t have chosen to leave their loved ones to travel so far from their comfortable home at such a delicate time. Joseph wouldn’t have chosen to face the utterly disappointing words “There’s no room at the Inn”, for his needy bride. Had they chosen to write their own story, it would have looked better to the human eye.

But . . .because they chose to let God write their story, it was beyond beautiful. Because they accepted God’s story for their lives, their arms were the first to embrace the human form of The One who had held them and carried them to this point. In the midst of obscure details and overwhelming circumstances, Joseph and Mary went. There they were rewarded by the physical presence of the Almighty God. Joseph and Mary went, but Jesus came. 

He came! That is why we can sing “Joy To The World” with such happiness this Christmas season.

The story of Jesus is that He came. He came in the form of a precious baby. Jesus came to change lives. He came to bring great tidings of comfort and joy. Jesus came to bring peace on earth. The world forever changed on that first Christmas night.

Emmanuel, God With Us, still comes. That’s His story. That’s our story.

When we throw ourselves into accepting and loving and living out His Story without reservation, we find out what an overwhelming, beautiful story and gift it really is. Merry Christmas! ~OC

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