Today’s a new day! We are influenced by the people we spend time with. We also influence those we hang around regularly. Scripture tells us to guard our hearts. Be careful who you bring into your inner circle. Each person will have an impact on who you are, how you live and what you believe. ~OC
Power of Hope
When we wake up and are still facing the storms of life, we need to reach up to God and grab onto the hand of hope. The bigger the waves, the worries and troubles, the more the stage is set for God to move mightily in calming the waves. God cares about our storms.
One of the lessons God wants to teach us during the storms of life, is to fully trust in Him and not lose hope. Hope is a life changing word. No matter how many tears have filled the boat, how many prayers seemingly unanswered, or how fear grips us there is hope. We can cling into that hope during the worst storms. God will always be by our side as the crashing waves try to take us out. Plant your feet in the beautiful hope of God. ~OC
Healing Prayers
Good morning! As we pray for those that are sick, here are a few prayers I wanted to share with you. Remember, our words themselves have no power. But when we speak these words with the 🔥 of The Holy Spirit in us, beautiful healings occur.
Healing Prayer for Someone
Sweet Jesus, your Word speaks promises of healing and restoration and we thank you for the miracles you still perform today. This very moment we claim those powerful promises over …. We believe in the healing power of faith and prayer and ask you to begin your mighty work in the life of … Please reach down and surround …. with supernatural peace and strength and give …. the faith to believe that all things are possible for you. Protect … from the lies and discouragement from the enemy and let your miraculous healing begin. We pray …. would begin to walk in their amazing healing this very moment in Jesus name. Amen!
Healing Prayer Over Yourself
Loving Jesus, I pray that you will fill me with peace and comfort me during my suffering journey. Bless the hands that pray over me. May those hands be cleansed by the powerful Blood of Jesus. Allow those blessed hands to be used for the complete healing of every area of my body. Bless me with your confidence and the power of your sweet grace, that even when I am scared, I will lay everything at your feet. Let me surrender all I am to you. I pray all this in the powerful and beautiful name of Jesus. Amen.
I hope these prayers will encourage you, as you pray for others and yourself. ~OC
Conversation With God
Hello. As I walk through this crazy beautiful health journey, God has been sharing and teaching me a lot. I thought I would share some of the lessons and conversations with God.
*I will not experience healing on this side of heaven. Yes, God clearly shared that with me during one of our morning conversations. I am at such peace. There is no fear, worry or anger. Just the sweet peace of God flowing through my life. Do you have that kind of peace?
*Healing comes in many different forms. We get caught up in the miracles we can see with our eyes. Those are beautiful! But God is performing miracles daily that we cannot see with our eyes. Those healings and miracles are just as real as the ones we can see.
*Keep sharing the story God has given me. The thorn in my side is health issues. Still God is using my health issues to minister to a broken world. A broken world that needs the beautiful light of God. A world that needs encouragement.
*Be bold in sharing the true gospel. A lot of false theology being pushed in the Christian community.
*I did nothing to lose my miracle from 2019. My current health battle is not from sin in my life or an evil spirit living in me. That healing from 2019 was real and from God.
*God shared he owes us nothing. Everything He does in our lives is a beautiful gift. A gift of love, forgiveness and grace.
*God will not always answer our prayers the way we want them to be answered, but He will always walk with us through the journey. We have to learn to be okay with His plans for our lives and the lives of our loved ones. Also every trial will produce lessons. We learn more in the valley than on the mountaintop.
*Then Jesus asked me a question. I did not hear the audible voice of Jesus. He asked me “Who has suffered more than me?” Jesus shared he suffered most of his life. Suffering is part of the journey. But as Christians we never want to walk that journey. But by choosing not to embrace the journey of suffering, we are missing out on some incredible lessons Jesus has for us and others.
I pray these words bring you comfort today. Keep your eyes on Jesus. Stay Focused. Finish Strong. ~OC
Love Over Hate
As I scroll through social media, I see a lot of Christians who share hateful and mean post. This breaks my heart. As I pray for these misguided people, God brought some things to my mind.
*You can not truly love Jesus if hate is living inside your heart. Look at his life. He had every reason to have hate in his life. But the life and death of Jesus was all about love.
*If you hate someone or something, that means you hate God’s creation. This world was built on love. We the people of this world ruined that beautiful creation. But with the love of Jesus we can build up and encourage a broken world.
*We have to be willing to show grace and forgiveness to others. Look what Jesus has done in our lives.
*We cannot show the love of Jesus with nasty rotten fruit. Where are you planting your seeds? Are spending time planting good seeds?
I will always choose love over hate. I hope you will join me. Share Love. ~OC
Stop Gossiping
Have you ever been outside watering your lawn and a neighbor comes rushing a across the street to share the latest neighborhood gossip? Or worse, you are in church and a group of folks call you over to share the latest church gossip. We have all been there. How do you react when someone wants to share the latest 411 on somebody. Here are some tips I hope help in the fight against gossip.
* Confront the person sharing the gossip. This can be difficult, but is necessary to stop hurtful gossip.
*Shut it down. Do not even let the person get the words out of their mouth. Once again, not easy but necessary.
*Totally surprise the gossiper and say something positive about the person they are sharing dirt on. You may have to pick them off the floor.
*Remind them that somebody is probably gossiping about them. Check out the look on their face with that one.
*Share true facts about the situation if you have been given permission to do so. Sadly, a gossiper really doesn’t want to hear the truth. Where’s the fun in that? I am kidding of course.
*Turn gossip into a time of prayer. Instead of getting caught up in the gossip, take time to pray for the person or situation.
This is just a small list. Take a moment and come up with additional ways to shut down gossip. ~OC
When We Suffer
I have been asked many times why I have dealt with so much physical suffering in my life? I am not 100% sure, but I know God has taught me many lessons during my health journey. Beautiful lessons I would never trade. Here are a few lessons I have learned about suffering during my medical journey.
Suffering prepares us to help others. I have been blessed with the opportunity to walk with many people during their health journey.
Suffering helps us grow in our walk with God. My relationship with God has grown so much during my health journey.
Suffering can bring relationships closer. My wife Laura and I have watched our marriage grow during my health journey. I am a better husband.
Suffering conforms us into God’s image. When people are suffering, the encouraging words from someone who has dealt with suffering can bring beautiful hope.
Remember, if we seek God through His word and prayer, we will find Him. God understands our pain because he too suffered. ~OC
Angels Among Us
In an earlier post, I shared about the four angels God assigned me. Here is a little update.
On September 15, 2022, I suffered a stroke. I spent some time in the hospital after having the stroke. Every night as I rested in my hospital room, there were four angels surrounding my room. Those angels were protecting me as I dealt with this new medical experience. I was completely filled with peace. There was no fear, as I dealt with the unknown of having a stroke. Those angels gave me strength in the middle of the night. I thought back to that early morning walk in August, when God prepared me for a new journey. I never thought that new journey would include a stroke, but I am excited to see how God uses this new adventure. I will stay focused and finish strong. ~OC
Miracles
Today’s a new day! Some of God’s greatest miracles often come from what we consider insignificant. ~OC
Let’s Get United!
When you carry your Bible…the enemy gets concerned
When you open up your Bible… he gets nervous
When the enemy sees you reading your Bible… he gets angry
When he sees you living out the scriptures… he trembles
When he sees God’s people truly United… he flees
Let’s Get United! ~OC
The Blessed Overcomer 