Tag: Serve

The Day After Easter

Today’s a new day! It’s the day after Easter. It is easy to get busy with the next thing on our list or start planning for the next holiday on the calendar. But I encourage us all to not forget about Easter and do our best to keep Easter alive.

The magnificent sounds of the trumpets, organ, bagpipes, all the other instruments, and, of course, the choirs, are still ringing faintly in our ears. The colors and aroma of the beautiful Easter flowers are pleasant, but fading, memories. The company has gone home, or perhaps you yourself have returned from visiting friends and family. It was a wonderful, and beautiful weekend. But now it’s Monday and we are exhausted, weary, and perhaps feeling the effects of stress from such a busy weekend. Now it’s time to get back to the grind of another week. So much on the to do list.

It’s only been a few hours since we were together for sunrise service or in a full church service shouting “He is Risen Indeed!” We felt good and confident that, for a few moments, everything in our life seemed to be okay.  Collectively we had a sense that whatever challenges we may face in the next few days, we could come out ahead. God seemed closer and more real than he has in months, if not years.

And now it’s Monday, the day after…
We aren’t sure what the disciples did on the Monday after.  Maybe they stayed together celebrating the news of the resurrection, while keeping a low profile in case soldiers or religious leaders came looking for them. We can’t be sure what they did on the day after Easter except we know that their lives were never the same. The men who had been so timid and fearful were now becoming courageous and brave. Their moments without faith were forgiven and their new mission was becoming very clear. Easter became such a huge part of their lives that nothing would ever be the same again.

For most people the day after Easter will seem like any other day. But it doesn’t have to be that way. You can keep the joy of Easter alive not just today or this week but much, much longer. Let the spirit of God fill you with faith and the certainty that hope and optimism are yours through Jesus Christ.

Do not allow the day after Easter to take away the encouragement and optimism and hope you felt and knew on Easter Sunday. The tomb was empty and as you face whatever challenges that may come your way just go back in your mind to that empty tomb. There is real power and hope and optimism there. ~OC

Why are you cast down, O my soul,
and why are you in turmoil within me?
Hope in God; for I shall again praise him, my salvation and my God. ~Psalm 42:11

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Simply David

Today’s a new day! I wanted to take a few days before responding to the irresponsible comments made by Secretary of Health and Human Services Robert F. Kennedy, Jr. earlier this week.

Laura and I have a wonderful and loving nephew living with autism. I should correct myself and say that David is thriving in life. As a child, the doctors shared David would never talk, or be able to take care of himself. Oh, how wrong they were. Today David is in his mid twenties and will talk all day if you let him. He also works two jobs and pays taxes. David has won multiple Special Olympic Medals. He and his father volunteer weekly at their church. Everyone at church knows and loves our nephew. David is living his best life.

So when Mr. Kennedy stood before the cameras and declared that children like David “will never pay taxes, never hold a job and never write a poem, I looked on with horror. Mr. Kennedy then went on to claim autism is “a preventable disease” and promised a lightning-fast investigation to root out its so-called environmental causes. While we must look at every possible cause of autism, including environmental factors, we cannot ignore the decades of scientific research that has already been conducted.

And remember, this is coming from a man with no real medical background.

This coming from the man responsible for guiding the United States’ national health policy. Let that sink in for just a second.

What Mr. Kennedy did at that podium was spew misinformation. It was a new level of fear-mongering. It was the 21st-century version of a snake oil salesman promoting false promises with no credible science.

Let me share what autism actually looks like.

It looks like David playing tennis or pickle ball. It’s David being so excited to dress up like Spider-Man to bring some enjoyment to others. It looks like David always checking in on me during and after a hospital stay. It looks like David making Auntie Laura a sandwich or bringing her a fresh drink. It looks like David constantly looking for ways to serve others. That’s what autism looks like.

David is not a victim. He does NOT fit any of Mr. Kennedy’s cartoonish depiction of helplessness.

I realize autism looks different for every individual and family. But in my nephew’s case, he is kind, he continues to learn and he is thriving in life. David has already defied every negative prediction made about him when he was a child.

And if I have to listen to Mr. Kennedy or any other politician turn my nephew into a sound bite for political gain, I will keep using the power of my voice and the power of the pen to call out such blatant misinformation. And I will continue to encourage everyone to reject these false narratives by voting against them on election day.

My nephew is not a tragedy. And he is certainly not an epidemic. He is simply David. A young man with hopes and dreams like the rest of us.

I would encourage everyone to actually do your own research on autism and other health issues and not the words of a man who only cares about pushing his own twisted agenda. Thanks for reading. ~OC

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Good Friday: Through A Different Set Of Eyes

Today’s a new day! On this Good Friday, let us take the time to reflect on Jesus and the Cross. I want to look at it through a different set of eyes. ~OC

On this Friday, my final moments took place on a hill at Golgotha – referred to as the place of the skull. On this day, I am surrounded by pain, some people who are angry, while others are filled with sadness. Death is in the air. I could have never imagined through all this pain and misery, everything would change for me. This place designed for death, would turn into a place of life for me.

My journey is pretty typical. I learned how to pray. I learned God’s word. I sat around and listened to the elders share from God’s word. I celebrated all the religious traditions. But as I look back, I was just going through the motions. As I grew older, I eventually left the faith of my parents. As soon as I was old enough, I left home with a little money my father gave me and never went back.

I recall the first time I ever heard this man named Jesus teach. He was sharing a story to the crowd that was assembled and it sounded like he was talking about me. This man Jesus was talking about a young man who left home with the inheritance from his father to go live his life. This young man ended up making some poor choices and longed for the days of his childhood home. This was story! How could this teacher know my story?

Then this teacher continues to tell how this lost son returned home to his father. But did the father tell the returning son, I told you so? Did this father reject his son? No, as the father saw the son approaching from a distance, he ran to him, embraced him, loved on him and celebrated his return.

But that wasn’t my story. I never could or would return home. I was positive my father would never take me back. And God was certainly angry with me. I had sinned way too much. When the money my father gave me was all gone, I started stealing. Stealing led to other poor choices. I was pretty good at stealing and rarely got caught. On those rare occasions I did get caught, I would promise myself I would never do that again. Until I did. I wanted to change, but I always ended up going back to what I knew. Doing what I needed to do to survive.

My heart became harder. I didn’t care who I hurt. I did not listen to anyone. I was my own man.

I remember the second time I saw this man named Jesus. We both were in Jericho and I witnessed him meeting Zacchaeus. Everyone in Jericho knew and hated Zacchaeus. He was a tax collector who cheated anyone and everyone he could. I watched Jesus carefully from the shadows. No telling what Jesus would do to someone like Zacchaeus. But I knew that whatever Jesus said and did to him, I deserved the same as Zacchaeus – but even worse.

I was blown away when Jesus spoke to Zacchaues and actually broke bread with this evil man. Jesus had to know all the terrible things Zacchaeus had done. Every one did. But then something happened that I could not believe. After spending time with Jesus, Zacchaeus promised to give back everything he had stolen and cheated people out of – times four! What? And then Jesus spoke the strangest thing. I remember it like it was yesterday because I have replayed his words everyday since…“Today salvation has come to this house, because this man, too, is a son of Abraham. For the Son of Man came to seek and to save the lost.” Wait! What in the world is this Jesus guy talking about?

Salvation! Not punishment that Zacchaues deserved. Loving and forgiving the lost and broken instead condemning them. I tried my best to not think about it. There is no way Jesus would ever speak those words over me. Could he maybe? No, I was much worse than Zacchaeus.

I immediately left Jericho after seeing and hearing what Jesus had spoken to Zacchaeus. I wanted to get away from this man named Jesus. He confused me every time I stopped to hear him speak. As much as the words Jesus spoke brought me a sense of hope, I knew there was no hope for me. I had stolen, lied and hurt too many people. This was the life I had chosen for better or worse. I was a lost cause.

Not longer after seeing Jesus in Jericho, my luck ran out. I was arrested once again and this time hurt several people in the process. That’s how I was found guilty and sentenced to death a few days before Passover.

In a strange way I was relieved. I would never have to hear the stories and celebrate God rescuing “his people”out of Egypt and from slavery so many years ago ever again. I almost laughed that here I was sitting in jail, because I had become a slave to a life of stealing, lying and a host of poor choices.

As I sat in this dark, damp prison cell, the quietness of the moment was interrupted by the prisoner sitting across from me. At first I thought it was the ramblings of a drunk person, but then as I listened more closely the words this man was speaking became more clear. This man sitting across from me was repeating the words from Psalms over and over. All the sudden my thoughts went back to my days as a child and hearing my father speaking those same words over me and my brother.

But those words were not the only thing I recognized. It took me a few minutes, but I also recognized that voice crying out those words. It was so dark in that jail cell, but I did not need to see his face to know that this was the man they called Jesus. Just then several guards walked by and mocked Jesus. “So this is the King of the Jews” they laughed and continued walking.

In that moment, I remembered Jesus entering Jerusalem a few days earlier as people lined the streets and shouted “Hosanna, Hosanna!” The people talked about the miracles Jesus had performed. This prophet from Nazareth. In that moment I remembered the words I had heard Jesus speak in the past and how they had touched my cold heart.

Just then, I heard the guards coming my way. It was time. Time to carry my cross to the hill called Golgotha. Time to face the punishment I justly deserved. As I walked out of that jail, I was blinded by the bright morning light. Then two other prisoners were brought out carrying their own crosses. One was terribly bloodied from a horrible beating and wore a strange crown upon his head. He looked vaguely familiar, but his face was so badly beaten I could not be sure.

We began the long and brutal walk to Golgotha, surrounded by soldiers. The crowd that had gathered was shouting “Crucify him! Crucify the King of the Jews!!!

King of the Jews? That horribly disfigured face…the crown of thorns…the familiar voice….it was him. It was Jesus.

Finally, we arrived to Golgotha. It seemed like we had been walking for days, yet it was still early on this Friday morning. The other criminal and I were nailed to our crosses and placed on each side of Jesus. Two guilty men who deserved our fate and one innocent man, who did not deserve any of this. The sign above him read, “King of the Jews.”

The crowds passing by, mocking Jesus. “Save yourself! Come down off that cross. He saved others, but he cannot save himself. If he comes down, we will believe in him! If you are truly the son of God,come down from that cross!”

Even the other criminal who hung beside him joined in. “Aren’t you the Christ? Save yourself and save us.”

The crowd motioned that Jesus’ lips were moving, so I turned to listen. The words, “forgive them, for they don’t know what they are doing” flowed out of his mouth.

In that moment, I closed my eyes as Jesus spoke. His words once again pierced my heart. Forgiveness. That seemed to always be his message. Forgiveness. When I opened my eyes the sky had grown dark. How could that be? It was the middle of the day.

The crowd continued to mock Jesus. As I looked out over the crowd, I noticed a woman crying and looking up at Jesus. She was visibly distraught. I wondered if this grieving woman was Jesus’ mother.

In that moment, I was overwhelmed with emotion and reflecting on my life and all the pain I had caused my family and so many others, I turned to this innocent man next me and tearfully asked, “Jesus, please remember me when you come into your Kingdom.”

In that moment, this man who was so badly beaten turned to me with love in his eyes, and shared the following words , “I tell you the truth today, you will be with me in paradise.”

Tears streamed down my face. This man who knew all of my crimes and cruel deeds, had just shared words that would give me eternal life. I would experience no more pain or suffering. I did not deserve those words, but Jesus had nothing but love, compassion and forgiveness for me.

As I looked over to Jesus, still overwhelmed by his love for me, I heard him speak these final words, “It is finished,” Jesus cried out and then gave up his spirit.

“Surely this man was God’s son,” a nearby guard quickly cried out. Yes, I knew that statement to be true. And yes it was finished, at least for me. The years of brokenness, pain and despair had been replaced with joy. In that moment, I remembered those beautiful words Jesus had shared with me just a few minutes prior, “I tell you this today, you will be with me in paradise.” Amen.

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The Jesus Way

Today’s a new day! Here’s a little known and rather obscure fact: I have a little scar just below my lower lip. Back in my skateboarding days, I attempted to jump over several garbage cans on my board. I actually make the jump, but instead of landing in the middle of the skateboard, I landed on the back of the board. The skateboard went flying up and the tip of the board hit me in the mouth. I recall there being a good amount of bleeding.

I seldom think about or acknowledge that scar. It’s there and yet I pay absolutely no attention to it. It’s become a faded memory of days gone by.

A few days ago, I happened to notice my scar, and a thought came to my mind: “By his stripes we are healed” (Isaiah 53:5). In that moment, I paused for a second and pictured Jesus and his nail scared hands.

I am confident that, unlike me, Jesus has never forgotten his scars. You see, His scars were chosen. His scars were willingly received. His scars were because of love.

As we are in the middle of Holy Week, I thought I would share a few thoughts as we prepare our hearts for Easter Sunday.

We know that Jesus walked his journey from a place of deep and abiding love.

We remember his dying on Good Friday, and of course we remember his rising on Easter Sunday. But, what about the events leading up to those two life changing events.

Let us not forget Thursday of Holy Week. What was Jesus doing on what we now call Maundy Thursday? He was washing feet. Yes, washing feet.

Jesus said that he came to be a servant to all.

On that Thursday before Good Friday, Jesus washed the feet of each of the disciples as one of his final acts of service before his crucifixion. He left no doubt in the minds of his followers: Humble servanthood is His way.

⁠It’s the way of Jesus that we so often forget. Think about it. Foot washing was one of the most lowly tasks. Cleaning stinky, nasty feet…that is the Jesus Way.

⁠So on Maundy Thursday, we remember Jesus as a humble servant. This puts a mark on the ways of Jesus shown throughout the Gospels: eating with the “wrong” people…healing on the “wrong” day…serving instead of being served.⁠

⁠A life of humility—this is the Jesus’ way. Not one of power, prestige, fame, or control that we see so many people chasing after these days.

No, we see humility as Jesus washed the feet of his disciples, whom he chose to call brothers.

⁠Humility. Going around the table, one at a time…24 dirty, nasty feet.⁠

⁠What was going through the minds of the disciples?⁠

⁠We know Peter protested. But what about Judas? His thoughts must have been all over the place. Judas had already sold Jesus out. Yet, Jesus still took the time to wash his feet.

⁠That is who Jesus is. Humble. Gentle. Caring. Strong. Capable. Unconditionally loving.⁠

⁠It’s the Jesus Way.⁠

⁠Tomorrow, we will remember Good Friday. It is the day we reflect on the cross and the price paid by our Savior.

What Jesus did on the Cross that Friday so long ago was about relationships. Think about that Friday for just a moment. Truly remember what Jesus did on that cross for you, me and the whole world.

⁠I believe Jesus is the most compelling figure to ever walk this earth. He willingly came down from heaven, to truly experience what it’s like to walk and live a human existence. But then, like he did with everything else, Jesus flipped the script on death and rose from the grave three days later (but let’s not get ahead of ourselves).

⁠Good Friday is the day we remember Jesus expressing his ultimate love for us. And it is the day we remember just how cruel death is. As I write this post, I remember the disciples, Jesus mother and all who loved Him did not know the whole story like we do. At that moment they only knew that it…was…finished.

⁠Where in your life right now does it seem like “it’s finished”? I encourage you to let the crucified Christ be with you in that place. ⁠

⁠Good Friday is the death before the resurrection.⁠ Take a few moments to take in the reality of this deepest kind of love.

In a few days we will come to Holy Saturday. Do not miss out on this important day of Holy Week.

For the disciples and those who loved Jesus, Saturday was a day of tears and mourning. On Friday, they saw Jesus crucified and buried. None of it made sense to them. Jesus, their teacher and friend was gone. The grief. The loss. They must have asked themselves. “What’s next?”

If you are currently walking through a tough season of loss or a stage of waiting, remember Holy Saturday and acknowledge that loss and grieving are real. That your season of waiting is real. But it doesn’t mean things are over.

The disciples and all those that loved Jesus had no clue what they were going to experience on Sunday. They were just living in their grief and loss.

But in 2025, we know the whole story. We know the story did not end with the tomb. We know the tomb could not hold the King of Kings. But for the disciples and all those who loved Jesus, that Saturday must have been a really difficult day. They did not have the promise that Sunday was coming.

Easter Sunday….A day of Rising.

I believe the following scriptures can paint a better picture than what I could write about Easter Sunday:

“But Mary stood weeping outside the tomb, and as she wept she stooped to look into the tomb. And she saw two angels in white, sitting where the body of Jesus had lain, one at the head and one at the feet. They said to her, “Woman, why are you weeping?” She said to them, “They have taken away my Lord, and I do not know where they have laid him.” Having said this, she turned around and saw Jesus standing, but she did not know that it was Jesus. Jesus said to her, “Woman, why are you weeping? Whom are you seeking?” Supposing him to be the gardener, she said to him, “Sir, if you have carried him away, tell me where you have laid him, and I will take him away.” Jesus said to her, “Mary.” She turned and said to him in Aramaic, “Rabboni!” (which means Teacher).” ~ John 20:11-16

“We were buried therefore with him by baptism into death, in order that, just as Christ was raised from the dead by the glory of the Father, we too might walk in newness of life.” ~Romans 6:4

“For I am sure that neither death nor life, nor angels nor rulers, nor things present nor things to come, nor powers, nor height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God in Christ Jesus our Lord.”
~Romans 8:38-39

“If then you have been raised with Christ, seek the things that are above, where Christ is, seated at the right hand of God. Set your minds on things that are above, not on things that are on earth. For you have died, and your life is hidden with Christ in God. When Christ who is your life appears, then you also will appear with him in glory.” ~Colossians 3:1-4

We look forward to hearing the words on Easter Sunday—He is risen! He is Alive! Yes, Jesus has risen indeed and is alive forevermore.

I pray everyone will take the time to reflect on Holy Week as we prepare our hearts for Easter Sunday and celebrate the resurrected King. ~OC

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The Ultimate Betrayal

Today’s a new day! On this Wednesday of Holy Week, we remember how one of Jesus disciples Judas Iscariot betrayed Him. The same Judas who had walked with Jesus and the other disciples and who Jesus loved. How could Judas betray Jesus? Let’s take a closer look.

Ultimately It was Judas’ choice to betray Jesus, but it wasn’t just one bad choice, it was a series of bad decisions. The first decision was to confer with the chief priests. The second was agreeing to their terms. And then he had to intentionally seek an opportunity to betray Jesus. 

But isn’t that how life works? One bad decision, can lead to another bad decision and before we know it, we become someone we do not recognize.

Let me stop before I end up writing a different post and let’s continue unpacking Judas betrayal of Jesus.

What did Judas get out of this betrayal? Thirty pieces of silver. In Biblical times, that was equivalent to four months wages. It was the exact price paid to a master if his slave died by an ox (Exodus 21:32). That’s all the chief priest, the elders and Judas considered Jesus to be worth. Thirty pieces of silver. While it was not an insignificant amount, it certainly wasn’t a get rich quick scheme. But did Judas really do it for the money?

As I have studied Judas betrayal of Jesus, I came across some interesting opinions. Many scholars and historians believe Judas became disenchanted when Jesus didn’t prove to be the political leader he had hoped. Judas was caught up in the narrative of overthrowing the Roman Empire. Other scholars and historians believe that the Jewish authorities viewed a rebellion as potentially dangerous for the Jewish people. Could Judas have handed Jesus over in order to prevent a larger rebellion?

While we may never completely understand Judas’ motives, we know he regretted his actions. Fulfilling Zechariah’s prophecy, he gave the silver to the temple and later hung himself in the field they purchased with the blood money. The guilt and regret was too much for Judas to handle.

While it’s easy to sit around and vilify Judas, remember, Judas isn’t responsible for Christ’s death. It was our sins that held Jesus on that cross. We are all guilty of condemning Jesus to death. I hope Judas’ shocking betrayal will remind us to question our own motives and consider where our loyalties lie. Just because someone is in ministry or serving others does not mean they love Jesus. If someone who followed Jesus so closely could turn his back on him, we must guard our hearts and minds from loving the things of this world more than we love Jesus. Popularity. Money. Political Ideology. Religious Denominations. Nothing should come before Jesus.

And let us not forget, after agreeing to betray Jesus, Judas returned to Jesus to partake in the Last Supper and have his feet washed by Jesus. Just waiting for the perfect moment to hand Jesus over in the ultimate betrayal.

So on this Spy Wednesday, let us remember how quickly things can change when we take our eyes off of Jesus and put them on the material things of this world. ~OC

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Jesus and the Cross

Today’s a new day! As we walk through Holy Week, I have been reflecting on Jesus and the Cross.

The cross is where we see Jesus at his most human, but also at his most divine. My heart breaks reading about his anguish, even though I know the triumph to come. This in itself is something Jesus understood – when his friend Lazarus had died (John 11:38-44), Jesus wept even though he knew that in a moment he would raise him to life again.

It’s emotional to read the account of Jesus‘ arrest, beating and crucifixion. My heart breaks for him when he struggles with God’s will and yet accepts it. Even when an angel appears and strengthens him, Jesus is still in anguish and “he prayed more earnestly, and his sweat was like drops of blood falling to the ground.” (Luke 22:42-44).

And Jesus went through all of this for you and I. While we were yet still sinners, Christ died for us (Romans 5:8). This is what the cross means. This is what Jesus’ suffering means. His anguish, his pain, his fear, his sorrow – Yet He took our place.

Even though I know what happened next, I still feel the sting of shame that it was my sin that put Jesus on that Cross.

As I have been reading the accounts of Jesus death the last few days, something stood out to me. Something I really had not given much thought to, but on this Holy Week it caught my eye. Or maybe my heart. Jesus, on the road to his own crucifixion, having accepted the will of God, even though his body was broken, was forced to accept the suffering of another on his account.

As we read in scripture, a man named Simon of Cyrene was ordered to help carry the cross as Jesus was struggling (Luke 23:26). No easy task. The crossbar of the cross is estimated to have weighed around 70-90 pounds and the whole cross weighed between 220-300 pounds. Even carrying the crossbar would have been a struggle for this man named Simon on a long journey through jeering crowds along hot dusty roads to the crucifixion site – but the whole cross had to be so much more of a struggle. And Simon must have tripped and strained and stumbled his way behind Jesus. And Jesus, walking in front, knew this man Simon was there. And knew he must have been suffering.

If I was Jesus, I probably would have felt some shame. Shame for the pain Simon was enduring after being randomly picked out of the crowd and forced to suffer because of me.

But this is where again we remember that Jesus was fully human. He felt what I feel when I contemplate the cross. He knows and understands us and our emotions so well – because he felt them.

And this is where I remember not to stay in my shame. You see, shame can be a catalyst to change the heart. Shame is never a place we should live. But because I am aware of my sin, I feel shame. That shame should give me the initiative to breathe life into my faith with deeds – deeds of gratitude and obedience to the one who saved me, the one who gave everything for me.

This shame should lead us to a gratitude deeper than any ocean. Jesus hung on that Cross for me – for all of us – while we were still sinners. While we didn’t know him, while we ignored him, while we held him on the cross with our sins. The expanse of God’s mercy is breathtaking.

Jesus, our Savior. So human. So divine. It’s unfathomable. And yet we can see these little glimpses in the gospels of the state of his heart, which in turn helps us to understand the glory of his divinity.

I encourage everyone to spend some time reading the accounts of Jesus crucifixion this Holy Week. Truly hear his words. Feel his pain. And remember his glory. Because Jesus actions are about the glory, not about the shame. Let your shame lead you to gratitude, as we celebrate Easter this coming Sunday. Let us bow down and worship at Jesus feet, because He deserves our everything. ~OC

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New Set of Clothing

Today’s a new day! As we walk into a new week, I want to share a little bit with you.

I encourage everyone this week to put on a new set of clothing. Instead of judgment, try on forgiveness… instead of hate, try on love… instead of retribution, try on grace… instead of war, try on peace… instead of following the crowd, why not lean into the promises of Jesus. Today’s world is so polarized and broken and it breaks my heart. The older I have gotten, the more I have come to realize what is important in life. What is important in life is how you live… to live with an attitude of love… to follow the words of the prophet Micah: do justice, love mercy, and walk humbly with God… and, of course to love God with all of our heart, mind, soul, and strength while also loving our neighbor (all of them, even those who are difficult to love) as ourself. Have a blessed Holy Week. ~OC

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Hold On And Lean In

Hello. Here is another “Lost Writing from OC.” I wrote this one back in 2019.

Today’s a new day! As we walk through this journey called life, Jesus told us pain and suffering would be a part of our lives:

“I have told you all this so that you may have peace in me. Here on earth you will have many trials and sorrows. But take heart, because I have overcome the world.” ~John 16:33

I love that Jesus did not simply say we’ll have trials and sorrow and then leaves it to us to figure out. No, He promises peace and reminds us that he has overcome the world, meaning the tough times we face in life are not without purpose.

Our pain and suffering often sets us up to see God supernaturally working in our lives.

Regardless of what pain and suffering we might currently be walking through or what challenges we might face in the future, here are some lessons God as taught me as I have walked out my own crazy beautiful health journey:

Bring Your Pain To God, Do Not Run From Him

When we run from God in seasons of challenge, all we’re left with is our own limited ability to cope with what we’re walking through. On the other hand, God invites us to draw near to him that we might experience his peace, healing, and closeness and this is what Scripture points us towards.

 “The Lord is close to the brokenhearted; he rescues those whose spirits are crushed.” ~Psalm 34:18

“He heals the brokenhearted and binds up their wounds.” ~Psalm 147:3

Like our need for a surgeon to address physical wounds to our body, God desires to conduct divine surgery on our soul which results in supernatural healing despite how difficult our challenge.

When we bring our pain to God we recognize that there is a purpose and in time the One who loves us unconditionally will reveal his divine purpose through it.

Fill Your Life With God’s Word and God’s People

How we respond to pain and suffering is vital to how we process what’s happening and how healing will take place. If we treat physical sickness with the the wrong medication, not only will our illness continue, but it could possibly become much worse.

Also if we fill our minds with wrong thoughts: God is mad at me, God is not good, worse things are going to happen, etc., we will struggle to experience the peace of God he promises to us in scripture. Check out Philippians 4:7.

But when we choose to fill our lives with God’s Word and surround ourselves with people who speak hope and encouragement into our lives, we will experience more peace as we walk out the tough moments in life.

“How sweet your words taste to me; they are sweeter than honey.” ~Psalm 119:103

When we fill our minds with God’s Word, we are reminding ourselves of who our God is, what he’s like, and we replace the lies of the enemy with the truth of our good God.

Do Not Be Filled With Worry, Allow Your Life To Overflow With Worship

Powerful things begin to happens when we actively choose to worship God through our suffering. This is not denying the reality of the situation, it’s simply redirecting our efforts from one of worry to one of worship.

Worship changes our perspective. Worship speaks about where our confidence and hope resides. Worship redirects our thinking. Worship places the results in God’s hands. Not ours.

Regardless of where our pain and suffering come from, when we begin to worship God through our struggles, spiritual chains begin to break so that we are not ruled by our current circumstance but we set our eyes on something higher.

Believe That God Will Take Our Sorrow And Turn It Into Great Joy

As we walk through the storms of life, we must remember God can take our worst moments and turn them into something good. Of course it’s not always easy to see that when we’re being knocked around by the crashing seas. When we think about Jesus’ greatest sorrow – suffering the shame, punishment, and death for our sin, the result was great joy – the redemption of humanity and the opportunity for a relationship with the living God.

When I reflect on my own health challenges which has brought great pain, I see how God has used this season of discomfort to strengthen and encourage others which has resulted in my own comfort and joy through this crazy beautiful health journey.

Paul writes in 2 Corinthians 1:4, “He comforts us in all our troubles so that we can comfort others. When they are troubled, we will be able to give them the same comfort God has given us.”

Jesus willingly suffered the greatest pain because he knew the end of the story, and so do we. The words in Revelations 21:4 should bring us great comfort:

“He will wipe away every tear from their eyes, and death shall be no more, neither shall there be mourning, nor crying, nor pain anymore, for the former things have passed away.”

Also as we walk through pain and suffering of this world remember these words of Jesus:

“I am leaving you with a gift—peace of mind and heart. And the peace I give is a gift the world cannot give. So don’t be troubled or afraid.” ~ John 14:27

“And be sure of this: I am with you always, even to the end of the age.” ~Matthew 28:20

I pray this post brings you encouragement as you walk through a tough season of life. Keep holding on and leaning into the promises of God. ~OC

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Live On Mission

Today’s a new day! Several weeks ago, someone online asked me with everything going on with my health, what keeps me motivated to keep writing and trying to be a positive influence?

Living out this crazy beautiful health journey is not easy. The journey has been full of twist and turns. Whether it’s multiple doctor appointments, test after test and too many hospital visits to count. As I have run this race, God has allowed me to share this health journey with multiple people and groups. Whether that’s through having one on one conversations, people reading our books, watching the documentary He used to share our story, this blog or by my postings on social media. I take the things God has called me to do seriously because it is my act of worship and service to Him. Since I started dealing with these health issues so many years ago, God has allowed me to share this journey with so many people. It has been a true pleasure, but also a major responsibility. A responsibility to not make this story about me. Most days, I am dealing with a lot of pain and discomfort as I write and share what’s on my heart. Also these days because of the diagnosis of Early Onset Dementia, finding the time and the words is becoming much harder. Plus, based on my health declining, I find myself sleeping much more these days. So creating new content is much harder than I expected it to be. Plus it takes a lot out of energy and vulnerability to share about everything that life brings me each day. It’s not always pretty. I spend a lot of time praying about what I should share and post. I create and write to encourage others and point people to God. That is one of my great desires.

What keeps me motivated is not about gaining followers or affirmation because those things will fade away and are not reliable motivations. The answer to the question posed to me several weeks ago can be found in John 3:30, “He must increase, but I must decrease.” Because when I try to run this health journey or write on my own, I end up in a crazy mess of pride, but when I live and write for Him, life is much fuller and sweeter.

As I continue to run this health journey, I want to spend my time and energy making much of Jesus and living in the fullness of His presence. I do this by using the gifts and passions He has given me to create writings that will hopefully encourage others and help them as they walk through their own life journey and to begin seeking a stronger relationship with God. I believe this quote by Francis Chan sums it up pretty well, “Our greatest fear should not be of failure but of succeeding at things in life that don’t really matter.” I want the things that God allows me to share to outlive me. I want my life to make an eternal difference.

When I look at the life of Jesus, I see a life on mission. He came and lived out a purpose driven life. Nothing distracted Him from His mission, and through the cross, He invites us to live on mission right where we are. Though most of my days are spent living with various health concerns, I want to meet with Him through it all. I do not want to waste the precious moments I have been given dreaming and wishing my journey looked different – I want to do all that I can with what God has given me. I want to use the time, energy, talents, and dreams God has placed in my heart to bring Him glory.

When I get to the end of each day, I want to be able to say “Lord, I did all I could to be your hands and feet. I want my legs to be tired, my body to be spent, and my mind to be at peace knowing that I am living for Him and not the temporary. Even if it means I have to get a little uncomfortable, or show some vulnerability, I want my words to be His tools with a purpose. More Jesus, less me, is my motivation to write, create and share my crazy beautiful health journey with others. I want to live on mission. ~OC

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Thoughts About Palm Sunday

Today’s a new day! This coming Sunday, we remember Jesus’ triumphal entry into Jerusalem. Depending on your tradition, it is usually referred to as Palm or Passion Sunday. All four gospels record this significant and prophetic event. As we prepare our hearts for this coming Sunday, I highly recommend you read Matthew 21:1-11; Mark 11:1-11; Luke 19:28-44; and John 12:12-19. As I reread each account myself here are four things that stick out about this historic event that we still commemorate all these years later.

Jesus Fulfilled Prophecy

Not only was Jesus the long awaited King, which the Jewish people had been longing for, but his very entry into Jerusalem was just how it had been prophesied over 500 years earlier.

Zechariah 9:9 says:

Rejoice greatly, O daughter of Zion! Shout aloud, O daughter of Jerusalem! Behold, your king is coming to you; righteous and having salvation is he, humble and mounted on a donkey, on a colt, the foal of a donkey.”

What’s with the Palms?

The imagery of palms was a part of the Jewish culture and often reflected honor and nobility. In 1 Kings 6 and 7 we read how Solomon had them as part of the sacred carvings of the temple. In Mark’s account of Jesus entry, people are spreading palm branches out on the ground along with their cloaks. To me, it sounds like a sort of ancient red carpet as people were celebrating the arrival of Jesus.

The significance of this honor paid to Jesus also foreshadows what is to come. In Revelation 7:9 there’s an incredible description of worship that – you guessed it – includes palm branches. So we see that Jesus is fulfilling the prophecy of Zechariah and also pointing forward to an even greater scene of worship that is to come.

What is the meaning behind Hosanna?

Chances are pretty good that at some point in your life, you have sung a song at church, ministry event or in the quietness of your own home with the word ‘Hosanna’ in it. As Jesus made his entry there was definitely worship going on but what does Hosanna actually mean?

Hosanna was a desperate cry from an oppressed people living under Roman rule that meant ‘Oh save’ or ‘Save us now’.  Jesus would certainly save them but not quite how they imagined.

Where’s the Victory?

The Jewish people had been waiting and their King was finally here! Sure he was riding on a baby donkey and didn’t have a sword, armor, or an army but he was there nonetheless. As the shouts of Hosanna went out, everyone anticipated what this long awaited Kings next move would be. How would he save them? Would he be like David and his mighty men? Would he be like Solomon with wisdom and riches? “Save us now,” they cried out!

One week later, many of those same people who had shouted ‘Hosanna’ would be shouting “Barabbas.” They would trade their long awaited King for a thief and a murderer. Jesus hadn’t fulfilled their image of a King or brought about their idea of salvation and so they turned on him.

But God, in his sovereign grace, had a plan that included a vastly different idea of what salvation was to look like. This is what we celebrate during this season.

I’ll leave you with these words from Revelation 7:9-10:

After this I looked, and behold, a great multitude that no one could number, from every nation, from all tribes and peoples and languages, standing before the throne and before the Lamb, clothed in white robes, with palm branches in their hands, and crying out with a loud voice, ” Salvation belongs to our God who sits on the throne, and to the Lamb!”

That’s my King! Do you know Him? ~OC

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