Tag: Serve

Invitation

Today’s a new day!

As we move through Holy Week and draw closer to Easter, I pray you will look at this sacred time as an invitation into something new. Not just a remembrance of what Jesus has done, but a personal opportunity for new seasons, new opportunities, and new growth in your own life. The journey to the cross reminds us that even in suffering, uncertainty, and waiting, God is always at work—preparing, refining, and restoring. Easter is not only about resurrection in history, but resurrection in our hearts today. It is a reminder that no matter where you’ve been or what you’re facing, new life is always possible through Him.

In this season, I encourage you to fix your eyes on Jesus and remain faithful in the place where He has you planted. It can be easy to compare, rush ahead, or feel restless for change—but there is deep purpose in your present moment. Be obedient in the small things, trust Him with the unseen, and learn to be content right where you are. Growth often happens quietly, beneath the surface, before it ever becomes visible. As you walk through this Holy Week, let your heart be anchored in His presence, your spirit strengthened in obedience, and your mind renewed with hope. God is working, even now, and this season may be the very ground where something beautiful begins. ~OC

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More To Life

Today’s a new day!

Is there more to life than more? It’s a question that cuts through the noise of our everyday lives. We live in a world that constantly tells us to chase after more—more success, more money, more achievements, more recognition. We are taught that if we just keep striving, keep climbing, keep accumulating, then eventually we will arrive at a place of fulfillment. But if we’re honest, many of us have reached milestones we once dreamed of, only to find ourselves still longing, still restless, still asking, “Is this it?”

The truth is, “more” was never meant to satisfy the deepest parts of our souls. That longing inside of us is not a call to gather more things—it’s a call to draw closer to God. Ecclesiastes reminds us that God has set eternity in the human heart. That means there is something within us that this world can never fully satisfy. No matter how much we gain, it will never be enough if we are disconnected from the One who created us with purpose and intention.

So what if the answer isn’t found in speeding up, but in slowing down? What if we paused long enough to allow Jesus to meet us in the quiet? In a culture that celebrates busyness, slowing down can feel uncomfortable, even unproductive. But throughout Scripture, we see Jesus often stepping away from the crowds, withdrawing to quiet places to pray, to commune with the Father. If the Son of God made space for stillness, how much more do we need it?

When we slow down, we begin to notice things we’ve been missing. We become aware of God’s presence in ways that get drowned out by the noise of constant activity. We start to hear His voice more clearly—not because He wasn’t speaking before, but because we were too distracted to listen. In that stillness, Jesus gently begins to reshape our understanding of what truly matters. He shifts our focus from outward success to inward transformation, from temporary gain to eternal purpose.

Jesus invites us into a different kind of life—not one defined by endless striving, but one marked by rest, trust, and relationship with Him. He says, “Come to me, all who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest.” That rest is not just physical—it’s spiritual. It’s the deep, soul-level peace that comes from knowing we are held, known, and loved by God.

So is there more to life than more? Yes—but it’s not the kind of “more” the world offers. It’s more peace, more purpose, more joy, more of God’s presence. And we don’t find it by chasing harder—we find it by surrendering, by slowing down, and by turning our hearts toward Jesus.

Today, you have an invitation. Step out of the rush. Quiet your heart. Make space for Him. Because when you do, you’ll discover that what you’ve been searching for isn’t found in having more—it’s found in knowing Him. ~OC

You can find the Spoken Word version of this at my YouTube channel Todd E. Shoemaker Music.

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Purpose Equals Peace

Today’s a new day! 

For more than two decades, I have walked a road marked by uncertainty, pain, and countless moments where I was told my life might soon end. After hearing over fifty times that I had only hours, weeks, or months to live, I stopped counting. Not out of denial, but out of a quiet realization—life was never meant to be lived under the constant shadow of “what if today is the last day?” Instead, I chose to seek something deeper. In the midst of my storm, I prayed and asked Jesus to show me my purpose within the pain. And He answered.

What I discovered changed everything. My hospital rooms became mission fields. Waiting rooms turned into places of ministry. Conversations with doctors, nurses, and fellow patients became opportunities to encourage, uplift, and share hope. God didn’t remove my storm, but He gave it meaning. Over the years, He has allowed me to walk alongside others in their darkest moments—offering support, listening ears, and reminders that they are not alone. It has been one of the greatest privileges of my life to be used in this way. And in that purpose, I found something unexpected: peace. A deep, unshakable peace that doesn’t depend on circumstances.

Time and time again, I’ve heard others share a similar testimony. When they begin to understand that God has a purpose even in their suffering, something shifts. The fear loosens its grip. The questions quiet. And peace begins to take root. It doesn’t mean the storm disappears—but it does mean the storm no longer defines them. So today, I want to gently challenge you: what is God revealing to you in your current season? Are you leaning in to listen, or are you overwhelmed by the noise of the storm? Have you allowed your struggle to become your identity, or are you willing to surrender it?

Take a moment today to lay your burdens at the foot of the Cross. In fact, don’t just lay them down—leave them there. Nail your fears, your pain, your questions, and your weariness to the Cross and trust that Jesus will carry what you cannot. I can’t promise that your season of hardship will end quickly, or even in the way you hope. But I can promise this: when you seek God’s purpose in the storm, you will find His peace. Even now, as I continue walking through ongoing health challenges, I do so with hope and a calm assurance that God is not finished.

So the question remains—are you willing to take that first step today? To trust, to seek, and to walk forward in the purpose God has prepared for you? Peace and victory are not found in the absence of storms, but in the presence of Jesus within them. ~OC

You can check out the Spoken Word version at my YouTube channel Todd E. Shoemaker Music.

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Betrayal

Today’s a new day! 

As the Church, we sometimes find it easier to point fingers outward. We blame the culture, the media, politics, or the “world” for betraying Jesus. Yet the truth is more uncomfortable than that. The world cannot betray someone it has never truly known. Betrayal requires relationship. It requires proximity. The people who encountered Jesus in the Gospels—who listened to His teaching, walked the dusty roads beside Him, and still chose power, fear, or self-preservation over truth—were not outsiders. They were the ones closest to the story.

In every generation, the Church must wrestle with this reality. Those who have studied Scripture, preached sermons, and claimed the name of Christ carry a particular responsibility. When worldly influence, political power, or tribal loyalty becomes more important than loving our neighbor, telling the truth, or living with integrity, something sacred is lost. Jesus was clear that love of neighbor sits at the heart of faith, and that character matters more than status. When the Church trades these things for influence or control, it risks repeating the same pattern we see throughout history: choosing the kingdoms of this world over the way of Christ.

This is not a call to shame but a call to reflection. Faithfulness has never been measured by how loudly we condemn the outside world, but by how deeply we embody the teachings of Jesus ourselves. The Church’s witness is strongest not when it seeks dominance, but when it chooses humility, compassion, and truth—even when those choices cost us influence. If betrayal comes from those who knew Him best, then renewal must also begin there—with hearts willing to return to the simple but demanding command Jesus gave: love God, and love your neighbor as yourself. ~OC

***You can find the Spoken Word version of this post at my YouTube channel Todd E. Shoemaker Music.

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Stop Working For God

Today’s a new day! 

Many years ago during my quiet time, I felt God challenging me to stop working for Him and instead truly realize what a gift it was to serve and be in His presence. Here a little of the story.

Because I quit working for God and simply said, “I will join you for the rest of my days,” something in my life began to change. For a long time, my faith felt like a long list of tasks—things to accomplish, prayers to say the right way, expectations to meet. I thought devotion meant striving harder, proving my commitment through effort and discipline. But surrender came quietly when I realized that what Jesus seemed to desire most was not my performance, but my presence. When I stopped trying to impress God and instead chose to walk with Him, faith became less about pressure and more about relationship.

Since then, Jesus has continued teaching me in small, ordinary moments. He keeps inviting me into the simple gift of living in the present moment—the place where grace actually happens. The past no longer needs to define me, and the future does not need to be controlled. Instead, I learned to notice the sacred in what was right in front of me: a conversation, a breath of gratitude, a quiet moment of prayer. Following Him was no longer about constantly doing more for God; it was and is about learning to live with God, moment by moment. In that space of companionship, life begins to feel less like a burden to carry and more like a gift to receive. ~OC

You can listen to the Spoken Word version of this post at my YouTube channel Todd E. Shoemaker Music.

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Healing

Today’s a new day! 

Pain changes you. Anyone who has walked through loss, betrayal, disappointment, or hardship knows that suffering leaves a mark on the heart. Scripture never pretends that pain is easy or meaningless. Throughout the Bible we see faithful people—like Job, Esther, David, and the Apostle Paul —who endured seasons of deep sorrow and struggle. Pain has a way of reshaping our thoughts, testing our faith, and revealing what lies deep within us. It can make us guarded, bitter, or fearful. But pain itself does not get the final say in the story of a believer’s life.

Healing does. Through Jesus Christ, God offers restoration that reaches beyond the wound. Healing doesn’t mean pretending the pain never happened; it means allowing God to transform it into something redemptive. When we bring our brokenness before Him, He begins the quiet work of mending our hearts and renewing our perspective. That healing shapes who we become—people marked not by bitterness but by grace, compassion, and resilience.

The truth is that two people can walk through the same kind of pain and become very different individuals. One may carry the hurt like a heavy chain, while another allows God to turn the wound into wisdom. Healing teaches us empathy for others who suffer. It softens our hearts and reminds us of our need for God’s presence daily. In this way, healing becomes a testimony: the pain may have changed us, but God’s love determines who we ultimately become.

If you are in a season where pain feels overwhelming, remember that your story is still unfolding. God is not finished with you. The same Lord who heals the brokenhearted and binds up their wounds is still at work today. Pain may shape the chapter you are in, but healing—God’s healing—will shape the person you are becoming. ~OC

You can listen to the Spoken Word version of this post at my YouTube channel Todd E. Shoemaker Music.

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Jesus Is Not A Republican Or A Democrat

Dear Christian Community,

Jesus is not a Republican or a Democrat. I know that may sound like shocking news to some, but it’s an important truth we need to remember. Sadly, too many Christians have allowed politics to become an idol in their lives. What began as civic participation has, for many, turned into a deep allegiance that rivals their devotion to Christ. This thirst for political power has done little more than divide us and create a constant “them versus us” mentality, both inside and outside the Church. Instead of being known for our love, grace, and unity in Christ, we are too often recognized by the political labels we defend.

Far too many Christians have chosen a political party or a politician over the red letters of the Bible. We passionately defend platforms, candidates, and ideologies while sometimes neglecting the very teachings of Jesus that call us to humility, compassion, forgiveness, and sacrificial love. When our political identity becomes louder than our Christian identity, something has gone out of alignment. The truth is that the Kingdom of God was never meant to fit neatly into earthly political systems. Jesus did not come to build a party—He came to redeem hearts and transform lives.

The reality is that politics is temporary, but the Kingdom of God is eternal. Governments rise and fall, parties shift and change, and cultural battles come and go. Yet the message of the Gospel remains the same yesterday, today, and forever. When we become more emotionally invested in winning political arguments than in sharing the love of Christ, we risk losing sight of our true mission. Our calling is not to conquer opponents but to love our neighbors and represent Christ faithfully in a broken world.

So today, I challenge every Christian reading this to step back for a moment. Spend time in God’s Word. Spend time in prayer. Ask God to search your heart and reveal what truly matters. Ask Him to show you where your priorities may have drifted and where your trust may have shifted from Him to something else. When we sincerely seek God, He has a way of realigning our hearts with what is eternal.

And I can pretty much guarantee you this: when God reveals what is most important in life, an elephant and a donkey will not be at the top of the list. What will matter most is loving God with all your heart, loving your neighbor as yourself, and faithfully living out the Gospel in a world that desperately needs hope. ~OC

***You can listen to the Spoken Word version of this post on YouTube at Todd E. Shoemaker Music .

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Facing Your Giants

Today’s a new day! 

Every morning on this crazy, beautiful health journey, I’m faced with a decision. I can wake up and allow the giants called my health issues to define me and dictate the direction of my day, or I can choose something greater. I can face those giants head on by placing them in God’s hands and trusting that His plan is bigger than my fears, my pain, and my uncertainty. Some days the giants feel loud and overwhelming, but faith reminds me that they are never bigger than the God who walks beside me.

So today, I choose to fight. I choose to be the warrior Jesus created me to be. I refuse to live like a person who is dying when God has filled me with life, purpose, and strength. I am a person very much alive, with a lot of fight left in me. Every step forward—no matter how small—is a declaration that hope is still winning. God didn’t create us to surrender to fear; He created us to stand firm in faith and trust Him in the battle.

As you face your own giants today—whether they are health struggles, fear, loss, or uncertainty—I pray you will place them in God’s hands and let Him fight for you. You don’t have to carry every burden alone. When we release our battles to Him, we find strength we didn’t know we had and peace that only He can provide. Stay focused on His promises. Stay strong in your faith. And keep running your race knowing that through Him, you are running in victory. ~OC

***You can listen to the Spoken Word of post on my YouTube channel at Todd E. Shoemaker Music.

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Reflect Jesus

Dear Christian Brothers and Sisters,

Jesus can use broken people. If you truly study scripture, you will read that God often chose the weary, the wounded, and the overlooked to display His glory. From the suffering faith of Job to the thorn that humbled Paul the Apostle,  we are reminded that God’s power is not limited to perfect circumstances or pain-free lives. Some receive miraculous healing on this side of Heaven. Others pray with the same faith, the same tears, and the same surrender—and continue walking through illness or hardship. And there are those who once experienced a miracle,  only to find themselves facing another battle.This does not mean they lost their miracle.  It does not mean they have unresolved sin.  It does not mean they lack faith. It means they are human, living in a fallen world where suffering is still part of the journey.

We must stop spreading false doctrine that wounds the already hurting. When we imply that someone’s continued struggle is the result of weak faith or hidden sin, we misrepresent the heart of Christ. God never shamed the suffering;  He drew near to them.  He wept with them.  He touched the untouchable and sat with the rejected. The same Savior who healed bodies also carried a cross. He understands both deliverance and endurance. Jesus loves those who receive beautiful healings on earth just as much as He loves those who will receive their ultimate healing in Heaven. Our calling is not to judge or diagnose someone else’s spiritual condition, but to reflect God’s love, kindness, and compassion. Let us be people who comfort rather than condemn, who encourage rather than accuse, and who walk alongside the suffering with grace that looks like Jesus. ~OC

***You can check out the Spoken Word version at my YouTube channel Todd E. Shoemaker Music.

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Even In The ICU

As I sit here in ICU, my body is struggling. It’s tired from such a long battle. Every breath feels heavier than it used to. The steady rhythm of the beeping machines reminds me just how fragile this earthly body can be. And yet, in the middle of all of it, I feel a peace — a peace that surpasses all understanding, like the kind described in Philippians 4:6–7. 

My journey doesn’t make sense by human standards. Circumstances say fear. The monitors say concern. The weakness says exhaustion. But my spirit says peace. Jesus is here in this room, and that changes everything.

I do not totally understand why God chose me to walk this crazy, beautiful health journey… but He did. And because He did, I can trust that He has purpose in it. In my weakness, I turn to Him for strength. In my uncertainty, I turn to Him for guidance. If He can use these words written from an ICU bed to encourage even one person, then it’s worth it. 

My desire is simply to be a humble servant. I don’t crave a platform. I have no desire to be a social influencer. I’m not chasing fame or recognition. My only desire is to serve Jesus and to love and serve others well. If that service happens from a hospital room in Intensive Care, then I humbly accept the assignment. 

Whether standing on a stage or lying in a hospital bed, my calling remains the same: to reflect His love. This body may be weary, but my spirit is willing. And as long as there is breath in my lungs, I will continue to point people to the One who gives true hope and peace — even in the ICU. ~OC

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