Tag: Storms

Grounded in Hope

Today’s a new day! I am temporarily ending my break from social media and my blog to share the following. ~OC

I was admitted into the hospital this past Monday. After not feeling well for the past few weeks, my medical team shared I was in the middle of a Myasthenic Crisis. This can be very dangerous and deadly for a patient with Myasthenia Gravis. So I am spending the week in the hospital receiving treatments. This week and everything leading up to it have not been easy, but I have found Hope in the midst of the storm. The following is what God has been sharing with me this week.

As we walk through this journey called life, we will face moments on the mountaintop and in the valleys.

We will experience moments of peace and days of trials and tribulations.

There are some things in life we can control, but there are a lot of things in life that are totally out of our control.

I cannot control that my body is being destroyed by multiple health issues, but I can choose to live with Hope as the waves crash around me.

I am not sure what kind of storm you’re currently experiencing, but it does not have the final say. Jesus does. Each day He gives up a Hope that will never fade.

This week as I sit in this hospital room, I am reminded of these beautiful words:

When darkness veils his lovely face
I rest on His unchanging grace
In every high and stormy gale
My anchor holds within the veil

His oath, his covenant, his blood
Supports me in the ‘whelming flood
When all around my soul gives way
He then is all my hope and stay

On Christ the solid rock I stand
All other ground is sinking sand
All other ground is sinking sand

0

Trust in God

Today’s a new day! Here is another writing from the vault. I pray it brings you some encouragement.

I am always amazed and saddened when I hear Christians teach the false doctrine that because we are children of the Most High, that makes us exempt from suffering. This is simply just not true.

Nowhere in scripture do we read where God promised any of us that this life would be easy. But God does make this promise: That He is bigger than any storm we will ever face in life. God does promise He is always working for our good, even during the raging storms when it can be hard to see Him. God does promise to never leave or forsake us, even during the biggest storms of our lives.

Each of our storms may look different, but they each have the opportunity to change us. To make us stronger. To help bring us closer to God. He is the only one that has the power to take the toughest moments of our lives and turn them around for the good. It usually never happens as quickly as we would like, but life lessons and blessing will come from it. The good will eventually shine through the darkest moments of our lives.

As I have walked through this crazy beautiful health journey, I have learned the power of praying God’s words back to Him. The words of God have the ability to soothe our souls and help us rise above the pain and challenges we might be facing.

And even if our circumstances are not immediately changed, God’s word reminds us to set our eyes on Him. To lay our burdens at the foot of the Cross. And believe me when I tell you, that’s the best place for them to be.

So as we walk through whatever storm we’re facing, we can be confident that God sees our pain. He has not forgotten us. God is still at work, through the most difficult moments of our lives. Today, lean into God and place your storms in His hands. Trust in Him. ~OC

0

A Call

Today’s a new day! As I watch tv or scroll through social media, I see so such suffering and injustice. And sadly, I see so many Christians adding to that suffering and injustice. It breaks my heart. More importantly, it breaks God’s heart. During those moments I reflect on the following verse:

“Speak up for those who cannot speak for themselves; ensure justice for those being crushed. Yes, speak up for the poor and helpless, and see that they get justice.” ~Proverbs 31:8-9

As I reflect on those verses, I am thankful that God is different and He desires for those who call Him Father to be radically different.

God loves with a love far greater than any of us could truly ever imagine. He feels our pain and disappointments more deeply than we ever could. God will never force Himself on those who choose to live their lives without Him, even though He longs for those who are hurt and broken to take His hand. But He respects our choices.

But for those who choose to call on His name and call themselves Christians, God expects us to be a reflection of His character. To truly live out the words from Proverbs 31:8-9.

As I reflect on those words, am I truly living out those commands?

In a time where political power seems more important than the Gospel to so many American Christians, is the Christian community any different than the world so many of them like to judge?

As Christian, are we fighting against injustice? Are we speaking up for those with no voice? Are we taking the time to help the helpless? Are we truly seeking justice for those in need or just praying about it? Are we even attempting to be the hands and feet of Jesus?

As I pray and look around, I wonder why so many Christians appear to be just paying lip-service while ignoring the plight of those suffering in America and around the world. Why so many spend more time justifying ungodly prejudices against “others” than helping them. Why are so many American Christians so focused on what makes them comfortable and happy that they turn a blind eye to the suffering of those outside of their safe little bubble? Why are so many Christians walking through life ignoring the scriptures that command us to fight for justice and to love all of our neighbors?

Jesus shared the following warning in Matthew 7:21. “Not everyone who calls out to me, ‘Lord! Lord!’ will enter the Kingdom of Heaven. Only those who actually do the will of my Father in heaven will enter.”

I hope and pray that you do not see this as an attack on American Christianity, but instead a wake up call for Christians in America to step up and actually live out their faith and the scriptures that call us to be loving and radically different.

As I close, I want to pose the following question to my Christian brothers and sisters: Are you breaking God’s heart by calling yourself His child, but refusing to live a life of serving those in need and fighting for justice?

I know I for one, can and must do better. ~OC

0

Hope and Joy

Today’s a new day! The following post is one that I have been writing and rewriting for months. I am not sure it’s exactly everything I want to say, but sometimes you just have to put it out there and not worry about the response.

What if I shared with you that when I look at this crazy beautiful health journey I am on, I do so with hope and joy in my heart?

In the midst of countless hospital visits, treatments, pain and surgeries there has been indescribable hope and joy that has surrounded my every step.

Let me share some truth with you. It has not been my health journey that has that brought me this hope and joy. Far from it. The hope and joy that I live with comes from someone else. You see, as I have experienced my health declining over the years, I have become intimately aware of how fragile life really is. I have become more aware of how short, and how painful our time can be on this journey called life. This has led me to crave for a life that God promised to those who would follow Him. A life where there is no more pain, no more suffering, and no more death. 

As I have run this grueling health journey, I found myself more desperate for God’s word and the peace of heaven. There were days I fixed my eyes on heaven just to get through the day. But then something amazing began to happen. The more I focused on God’s promises and heaven, the more I felt alive and renewed. Even though my body continues to decline, I have experienced more hope in the promises found in the Bible than ever before. I started leaning more into those promises because that’s where I find my hope, peace and strength. I have to make a daily choice to totally embrace God’s promises or allow this health journey to consume me. To become my identity.

I began to see the scriptures in a whole new way. Verses like the following:

“My brothers and sisters, you will face all kinds of trouble. When you do, think of it as pure joy. Your faith will be tested. You know that when this happens it will produce in you the strength to continue. And you must allow this strength to finish its work. Then you will be all you should be. You will have everything you need.”~James 1:2-4

“For I consider that the sufferings of this present time are not worth comparing with the glory that is to be revealed to us.” ~Romans 8:18

“So we do not lose heart. Though our outer self is wasting away, our inner self is being renewed day by day. For this light momentary affliction is preparing for us an eternal weight of glory beyond all comparison, as we look not to the things that are seen but to the things that are unseen. For the things that are seen are transient, but the things that are unseen are eternal.” ~2 Corinthians 4:16-18

I know as some of you read this post, you’re facing major storms in your life. Life seems overwhelming at times. So, when some guy is telling you to “think of it as pure joy”, it might bring out feelings of anger rather than joy. I get it. But just for a second asked yourself, “What if these verses are true?” What if even during the toughest moments of your journey, the cancer diagnosis, the Parkinson’s diagnosis or some other challenge is actually being used to make you perfect and complete, lacking in nothing? And that even the deepest hurt will someday be replaced with insurmountable love, peace, and joy.

The hope and joy I am writing about may not always look like happiness the way we understand it. The hope and joy that comes from following God and focusing on heaven is not the same as what the world defines as joy. I believe it’s far more rewarding.

The world connects joy to a moment, experience or circumstance. So, if life is currently full of sunshine, we have plenty of reasons to celebrate. But the amazing thing about God’s joy is that nothing in our life could be going right, but with God’s help, we can still find the strength within our soul to praise, to help others, and ultimately, still have hope and joy.

The darkest moments of my health journey are filled with hope and joy because I continue to cling to the beautiful promises of God. They are my lifeline. And as I continue to hold onto that hope, my head miraculously stays above the raging seas. The storms that surround me haven’t changed, but I know even the biggest battles in my life cannot take away my most precious gift in life, my relationship with God. And for that, I am forever grateful.

As I close out this post, I want you to hold onto the following truth: The hope and joy that comes from Heaven, far outweighs the trials we will face here on earth. ~OC

0

Truly Living

Today’s a new day! Are you just merely existing in this journey called life?

As I look around me, I see so many people who are just walking through the motions of everyday life, but they are not truly living life. They are not embracing it. For whatever ever reason they have stopped living before their hearts stopped beating. 

As I have walked this crazy beautiful health journey for the past twenty-three years, I have learned that living a meaningful life has nothing to do with how much money you have in the bank or the materialistic things that you may possess. To truly live has nothing to do with your status in life.

To truly live life is to appreciate everything that you are. To live your life being aware of all your shortcomings but still loving yourself. To understand that those imperfections are part of who you are. To realize that you do not need to change anything about yourself to just impress others. Make changes because they make you a better person. To understand that you are far from perfect but you are unique. There is only one of you walking on this earth. To truly live is to be happy with the person that God uniquely created…You.

To truly live life means to take that trip now, instead of waiting for the right time. The right time is now. A lot can happen in life between now and the right time. Choose to embrace adventure now.

To truly live life means to be in the present, to live in the moment and not waste your time dwelling on the past, or what could have been. To let go of what has happened and focus on what you can do right now to live a better life. To be a better person.

To truly live means to appreciate everything around you. To take time to watch the sunrise or sunset, listen to the birds singing, sit by the ocean or call up some friends to get together to just celebrate living.

To truly live life is to be okay expressing your feelings. To accept that sometimes we need to laugh, cry or scream. To allow yourself to grieve and heal.

To truly live life is to appreciate each moment. To find awesomeness and wander in every day life. To make the choice to get up every day and try to make the best of every day because you don’t know if you’ll be here tomorrow. To try and learn something from each of your life experiences.

To truly live life is to spend time with friends and loved ones. To surround yourself with those that encourage, challenge and inspire you to live your best life.

To truly live life is to find your purpose and live it out. To chase after your hopes and dreams and then go out and accomplish them. To never give up!

To truly live life is to be kind and respectful to others. To buy breakfast for the person in line behind you. To reach out to family and friends to let them know how much they mean to you. To smile at a stranger. To take time to do one selfless act, big or small, on a regular basis. To truly live is to try to make a difference in your part of the world. 

To truly live life is to make the world a better place for the next generation. This one life is a beautiful gift. Embrace it! ~OC

0

God Knows Our Future

Today’s a new day! We don’t know our future, but God does. He not only knows it, but God has carefully planned and designed it and has full control over it. From this point of view, our future, although different from what we may have imagined, it is in the most secure place: in God’s hands.

Whenever we feel scared and confused, we must remember that we know the One who knows our future and everything about us. God is the One who knows us on the most intimate level and knows our earthly life from our first breath to our very last one. ~OC

0

A Flicker

Today’s a new day! As this crazy beautiful health journey gets a little tougher each day, I want to take some time to share a few lessons I have learned along the way. The following has been written over a series of weeks and months. I hope it brings a time of reflection as you walk out your own journey.

  • Do not waste your time on things that you don’t enjoy. I have learned it’s hard to succeed in something that you don’t like. Patience, passion, and dedication come more easily when you love what you do.
  • Do not be concerned over other people’s opinions. Being caught up in others opinions can weaken and paralyze you. If you let it, it can grow worse and worse every day until there is nothing left of you, but a empty shell of yourself. Listen to God’s voice and go with it. Some people may call you crazy, but many may be encouraged by your choices.
  • Do not allow any person or situation to control your life. Take full responsibility for your actions. Limit bad habits and try to lead a healthier lifestyle. Find a hobby that makes you happy. Most of all, do not procrastinate. Make the most of each day. Let your life be shaped by the decisions you make not by the ones you didn’t.
  • Do not be so busy, that life slips past you. Appreciate the people around you. May your friends and family always be a source of strength and love. Never take them for granted.

It is difficult for me to fully express my feelings about the importance of these simple realizations, but I hope that you will listen to someone who has experienced how valuable time is.

I am not upset or scared about what lies ahead because this health journey has helped bring meaning and purpose to my life. Each day is a beautiful gift to be celebrated. So every day, I take some time to take it all in. Time is truly a beautiful gift.

As I continue to run this health journey, I have learned that everyone has potential. But potential means nothing without the courage to realize it. To believe that God has given each of us purpose in this life. To turn that purpose into amazing opportunities.

We can move through a life created by circumstances, missed moments and opportunities or we can strive for what we believe in and write the amazing story of our life. I hope you will make the right choice.

I pray you will leave a positive mark on this world. That your life will be filled with hope and meaning. Life is a beautiful playground, where dreams are possible. Yet, we are not here forever. Our life is a short spark in this beautiful world that flies by with incredible speed. So, live your life with meaning and passion. Embrace every moment. Make it spectacular. Make it count! ~OC

0

We Can Never Forget

Today’s a new day!

“Terrible things are happening outside. Poor helpless people are being dragged out of their homes. Families are torn apart. Men, women and children are separated. Children come home from school to find their parents have disappeared.” ~Diary of Ann Frank, January 13, 1943

It’s important to reflect on the words of Anne Frank from her diary in 1943 as we face the challenges of this world in 2025.

These words, though written during one of the darkest periods in human history, echo eerily in the stories we see and read about across the country in today’s current state. Stories of displacement, family separations, and the marginalization of the vulnerable persist, reminding us of the importance of empathy, advocacy, and action in the face of injustice.

The entries in Anne Frank’s diary serve as an enduring reminder of the consequences of indifference and the necessity of standing up for humanity. It calls on us to reflect on how we treat one another and to ensure that history does not repeat itself. It is our responsibility to build a society rooted in compassion, love, understanding, and unity. We can never forget. ~OC

0

Timeless

Today’s a new day! Being a cancer survivor and dealing with multiple health issues forever changes your relationship with time. It seems to pass so quickly, and there’s always a question about how much of it you’re going to get. At times it can be overwhelming. But maybe that’s why I always loved running. A 5K, 13.1 or 26.2 run can feel timeless if you’re embracing every moment of the journey.

Before I had to quit running a number of years ago, running almost made me forget my health issues. As I continue running this crazy beautiful health journey, I realize time marches on whether we are ready or not. I am as ready as I’ll ever be. Let’s go! ~OC

0

Blog at WordPress.com.

Up ↑