Tag: Storms

Aren’t You A Christian?

I thought you were a Christian, so…

How do you vote that way?

How come you hang out with those type of people?

How do you know rap lyrics? (Mostly 80’s rap).

How do you listen to non-Christian music?

What makes you struggle and questions today’s Church?

I thought you were a Christian, so…

How can you watch certain shows and movies?

How can you support those movements?

How do you not support certain political candidates or party?

Are you sure your a Christian?

OMG, YES.

I am a whole and imperfect Christian.

Has the church and its people forgotten what that means?

It means I need Jesus in every way possible, because I am a sinner.

It does not mean I have all the answers to life. It does not mean I have life figured out. It does not mean I suddenly like every Christian song or movie ever made.

It means one thing and one thing only:

I am a Christian because I love Jesus.

The truth is, I stray outside of the lines of American Christianity. I do not fit in a neat little perfectly wrapped box. I sometimes can be like that crazy relative we all have.

But that’s exactly what drove me to Jesus in the first place. His grace shines most in my shortcomings.

So if you see me trip up and get a little dirty, don’t assume that I have lost my way.

I am running toward Jesus, but it’s a long, long marathon. I am a Christian who desperately needs Christ.

So how do I respond when people question my faith? When they expect perfection from a deeply flawed individual?

Well, I keep loving Jesus, keep loving others, and keep leaning hard into Grace.

Because I know without a doubt I need Grace every day.

I love Jesus…but I refuse to live in that perfect little box. ~OC

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Where Are You Running?

At some point in this journey called life, we will face a giant. That giant could be a health issue, a financial need, a career decision or a relationship struggle. These giants can hit us out of nowhere. Sometimes we want to wish our giants away. But we know we cannot just wish these giants away.

Each day these giants are staring you in the face. These giants just will not go away. Sometimes these giants can define us. These giants can overshadow all the great things going on in our lives.

The giants can turn a beautiful life into a hopeless and joyless existence. So what do most people do when facing giants? We usually run away from the giants in our lives.

Where are you running to? When Goliath was raising havoc over Israel, the people were running away from this giant. Except for one boy. When David showed up he had a different plan. He decided to face Goliath head on. No running away for David. No, David had a plan. He had a sling shot and five smooth stone. He only needed one. Most importantly, God was standing with David. God had prepared David to take Goliath down. David decided to run towards what everyone else was running from.

Are you running towards your giant or away from the giant in your life? Our journey is not about running away from our giants, but facing them head on. Maybe we do not have a sling shot and stone, but we have to have a plan. When we decide to run towards our giants, we must run with purpose.

After you decide to face your giants, make sure your running towards God. Only through him can we face and defeat our giants. Trust God with the giants in your life. He will give us the tools to defeat every giant that comes our way. God is our safe place. When we are facing our giants, putting our hope and trust in God is the only way. God will give us victory over every giant we face in life. Run towards that victory. ~OC

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Endure the Trials

Life is full of trials. My life has been marked by health issues. I have walked a 18 year journey of multiple life threatening health issues. But I have endured.

During these trials, I have been helped by the truth that Jesus endured his own suffering and trials. Scripture tells us that great joy gripped Jesus when he looked ahead to what his suffering on the Cross would accomplish. Jesus endured all that suffering knowing he was completing the will of his Father. Jesus endured the suffering on the Cross, knowing the joy his resurrection would bring for generations to come. We are still living in the joy of His resurrection in 2021. And most importantly, Jesus endured the pain of the Cross for the joy of one day being able to present his redeemed sons and daughters before his Father.

The suffering Jesus endured on the Cross was not a joyful experience. As we read in scripture, the pain was excruciating. But Jesus was able to endure. When we walk through the trials of life, we can lean into the promises of Jesus and endure. ~OC

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Two Memories. Two Healings.

Two Memories. Two Healings. This morning I ran my 800 mile of 2020. My wife and I have experienced many ups and downs along our crazy beautiful journey. One of those ups was Laura Geddes Paez. Laura P. was more like a little sister to Laura and I. Laura P. and her wonderful husband René walked through many ups and downs with us. In turn, we walked through some major storms with them. I remember when Laura P. got sick, we declared that one day when our bodies recovered from the battles we were facing, we would run a marathon together. We were both looking forward to that day. Last November, I received my healing. Earlier this year, my dear friend received her healing. Not in the way we had hoped. No, my dear sister received the ultimate healing. No more pain or suffering. So when I run, I am not running alone. No, my dear friend Laura P. is running with me. ~OC

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Challenges

Today’s a new day! You will face challenges today. Some will be small, but some will feel overwhelming. I encourage you to overcome those challenges. I encourage you to look at past victories. You have overcome challenges before and you can do it again. It will not be easy, but I believe you can make it. Don’t back down. Don’t give up. Keep believing. Keep pushing forward. God is in control. He will be with you every step of the way. God can turn your challenges into opportunities. Embrace those opportunities. Keep Overcoming! ~OC

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Dream Killers

If God has placed a dream on your heart, do not let anyone or anything try to destroy that dream. Dream Killers can be the the following:

Doubt

Criticism

Comparison

Intimidation

Failure/Discouragement

People

These dream killers can happen everyday. Do not allow them to destroy the dreams God has put on your heart. Step out and trust God. ~OC

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Faith

Today’s a new day! Our faith doesn’t keep us from going through a storm, it gives us the strength to make it through the storm. ~OC

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