Today’s a new day! Our wrinkles mean we have laughed and cried in life. The gray hair or lack of hair means we have cared for someone. The scars collected over the years means we have truly lived. Celebrate Living! ~OC
Our Voice
Today’s a new day! Sometimes I think I should stay silent and just keep the peace. But then I think if I choose to stay silent, will I cease to do good. I believe if we adhere to respectful silence, we provide space to those who are pushing forward false and harmful ideas. We create greater opportunity for the voices of error and harm to be heard and believed. God has gifted some of us with prophetic voices, ones that can issue a clarion call to the things that are true and good and pure and right and beautiful. We need to pray for those with this gift and encourage them to be brave and bold, yet marked by grace, love, humility, and kindness as they seek God for how to steward this gift. For others, we can each be loving truth tellers in the relationships and situations in which we have a platform. That may be within our families or our friend groups, within our schools, churches or our work places, and even on social media. No doubt, we will sometimes be met with criticism or rejection, even if we speak prayerfully and intending to speak peaceably. Jesus, who is the ultimate truth (John 14:6), likewise experienced rejection (Isaiah 53:3, 1 Peter 2:4). But if our goal is the well-being of others, then we will lovingly speak truth to them and risk offending them, for true life and blessing only come by way of truth. Edmund Burke said, “The only thing necessary for the triumph of evil is for good men to do nothing.” In keeping silent, we say nothing. And in our silence, perhaps we have ceased doing good. You and I have a voice. We have a platform, be it large or small. May God give us wisdom to know how to use our voices to bring honor to him and to bring good to others with wisdom, love, and kindness. ~OC
Not Your Enemy
Today’s a new day! You may consider me your enemy. But I am not your enemy. I do not hate you. I do not wish you harm. I do not foster harmful designs against you.
At the same time, we may not be able to be friends. If you deny people the right to have their own opinions, to freely share their opinions, attack them when they do, you may not be a safe person for my friends, family or myself to be around and we may not be able to be friends. If you want to deny people the right to freely worship in their own way, you may not be a safe person for my friends, family or myself to be around. We may not be able to be friends. If you want to share hate and spread lies, we may not be able to be friends. I could go on, but hopefully you get the point. These statements do not mean that I wish harm to you. And this doesn’t necessarily mean we can never talk over a meal. If you are willing to engage in good faith, we can try and we will see how things go. We may be able to be acquaintances and perhaps even friendly, but it will take a lot of time and effort before it’s possible for us to be friends.
Even though we may not be able to be friends, I am not your enemy. And so know that If you are hungry or in need, I will do my best to help you find food and have your needs met. I will work for a society where you have access to affordable health care, and a job that pays a living wage. I want you to have access to a good education, and to clean water and air. I want you to have freedom of religion and speech. I want you to read the books you want to read. I do not want you unjustly detained or imprisoned. I do not want you to be harassed when you walk down the street or go into a store. I want you to be able to flourish. I do not wish you harm. I am not your enemy.
If you can manage to not do harm to the people I love and care about; if you can work for these same things for the people I care about, we can begin a relationship. We do not need to agree on exactly how we solve our society’s problems, but we need to be able to speak with respect and kindness. Because I am not your enemy. ~OC
I Was Never Alone
Today’s a new day! Here is another “Lost Writings of OC.” This was dated 4/20/15.
When I was sad, He was sad. When I felt rejected, He felt rejected. And, when I cried, He cried with me. He is in me, and my emotions are connected to His emotions. Everything I have ever felt good or bad God has felt those, too.
And then I realized “I was never alone.”
There is something so tender, no it’s sacred, when God opens Heaven and we realize just how near to us He really is.
It brings something so distant and intangible very close and even touchable – spirit to spirit. It removes the lie that we are as invisible to Him as He is to us. It makes us known to Him and He known to us.
It’s easy to feel alone in this world. It’s easy to forget that Jesus weeps when we weep. It’s easy to believe God doesn’t care, have time, or desire to be involved in our lives. It’s easy because we impose our past experiences with others upon a God that sometimes we treat more like a sidekick than a caring Father.
If you’re going through a tough season in life, can I pray for you? It’s hard to keep going day in and day out when you feel so alone. I may not know your current circumstances, but I understand the feelings. More importantly, God understands your feelings and knows your circumstances. He loves you, and above all He has not abandoned you. He is hurt when someone hurts you. He is sad when a friend walks away. He is heartbroken because you’ve been cast aside, and He cried as you’ve cried. Dear friend, God sees you, and you are not alone.
Dear God, I pray for those that are hurting. Father, thank you that you are with them and remind them they’re not alone. I pray dear God that they feel your nearness in the chaos of their daily life. Reveal yourself to those that feel lost in a way that shows them you are near. Guard their heart as they navigate through this difficult time, and protect their mind, and daily bring your truth to override the lies. We pray all of this in Jesus name. Amen
Wednesday Morning Prayer
A prayer for those dealing with health issues on this Wednesday morning. ~OC
Dear God, as you hear the cries of the needy, I pray you would bring peace, comfort and healing. I pray you would sustain those who feel weak and defeated this morning. I pray they would feel your presence today. Dear Lord, bless them with your strength and wisdom as they navigate through the difficult moments of their health journey. Reveal your purpose and beautiful plan for their lives. I pray all of this in the powerful name of the Healer and Sustainer. Amen
I Can…
Good Morning! Here is another “Lost Writings of OC.” I originally wrote this in 2018. Have a wonderful day.
Today’s a new day! There are a lot of things I cannot control in this world, but there is plenty I can do…
I can choose to pray for people.
I can choose to help feed and shelter the homeless.
I can choose how I treat people.
I can choose to be a mentor.
I can choose to show kindness to everyone I come in contact with.
I can choose to show respect to everyone around me.
I can choose not to judge people.
I can choose not to hate.
I can choose to Love.
There is plenty we can choose to do to help make this a better world. ~OC
Do Not Limit God
Good Morning! I hope you take the time to read and reflect on these words today. I wrote this back in 2010. It does not appear I ever posted it. “Lost Writings from OC.”
Today’s a new day! Welcome to a new week. I pray that everyone had a wonderful and memorable weekend. My challenge for you this week is to Not Limit God!
I must admit there have been times in my spiritual journey that I have limited God. Yes, me. I did not always do this intentionally, but subconsciously I would begin stuffing God into a little box. I was putting limits on Him and not even realizing that I was doing so.
I would go to God with a prayer request and step out on faith that He would see it through. Now when things in the natural didn’t work out according to my plan, I would assume they were not going to work out and move on. But how many people actually realize that God is more than capable of doing exceedingly and wonderful things in every area of our lives? He can do more than we could ever imagine, hope for or ask for… in God’s timing. Not our timing. Did you catch that?
Another way we limit God is by thinking that in order for a blessing to manifest that He has to operate the way we think things should be done. We sometimes forget that our thinking is limited, but God’s is not. We forget how powerful He really is. The scripture says, He is ALMIGHTY GOD. There are no limits on what God can and will do in our lives.
How many of us are guilty of limiting God? Well do not beat yourself up, God is not finished with you yet. We need to remind ourselves daily of who God is. When we spend time studying God’s word, we can be confident that God is able to do all things. But we must acknowledge that we do not have everything under control, but that God is always in control. We must stop limiting God to what we can see in the natural and trust that He can move mountains in the supernatural. Today, let’s live out our faith and know that God is able to blow our minds.
As you face challenges this week, I encourage you to not limit God. I know the medical scan shows one thing, but I double dog dare you to not limit God. I know it looks like your money is gone before the month has ended, but I triple dog dare you to stop limiting God. When we take God out of that box we stuffed Him in, He will expand our faith and take us to new and beautiful heights.
So this week, stop limiting God and watch Him do new and exciting things in your life. Have a great week! ~OC
A Saturday Prayer
Happy Saturday Morning! Let us pray before we start another day. ~OC
Dear God, thank you for another day. Another day filled with challenges and beautiful opportunities. Refresh us this morning. Allow us to live in your presence. Allow us to welcome and encourage every person we encounter today. Allow us to be present in every situation today. Dear God, teach us when to speak and when to listen. When to ponder and when to share. In moments of challenge allow us to lean into the whisperings of your heart. Dear Lord, feel us with the simple gift of your peace today. Allow us to celebrate your joy this day. When our day goes well, may we rejoice. When life grows difficult, surprise us with new possibilities. When life is overwhelming, call us to rest. Dear God, restore your Peace and Harmony in each of our hearts. May our lives reveal your goodness. Dear God, we pray all of this in your precious name. Amen
A Morning Prayer
Good Morning! ~OC
Dear God, Thank you for this beautiful new day. We thank you for your amazing power and work in our lives. Thank you for your goodness and for your blessings and protection over us. Thank you for your great love and care. Thank you for your sacrifice so that we might have freedom and a full life. Forgive us when we do not thank you enough for who you are, for all you do, and for all you have given us. Help us to set our eyes and our hearts on you afresh this morning. Renew our spirits, fill us with your peace and joy. We love you, and we need you, this day and every day. We give you praise and thanks, for You alone are worthy! We pray all of this in the name of Jesus, the only One who can set us free for love’s sake. ~Amen
Facing Challenges
Good Morning! I do not have a date for when I wrote the following. But as I looked it over, I thought it was relevant to what so many of us are facing today. ~OC
Today’s a new day! There will be times in our lives that we will face challenges in life.
There will be times when we see blatant disregard for God’s Word even within the Christian community.
There will be a time when some Christians will choose political power over the Gospel of Jesus Christ.
There will be a time when Christians will be put in a position to stand for what’s right or choose to be guided by the allure of power.
There will be a time when Christians will need to step up for what’s right. Even if that means standing alone.
Sometimes, we will find ourselves in situations where we will need to decide if we will obey God or “follow the crowd”. Our decision will either glorify God or give the enemies of God an opportunity to scorn Him. It is very important to stand for what you believe in (especially if your conviction is coming from what God has clearly said); even when others have a different opinion or thought.
It Takes Courage
The truth is, standing alone requires courage.
It is important to know that courage is not the absence of fear; it is confidence in something or someone greater than the emotions of fear.
To stand alone, one must have confidence that obedience to God and His word will ultimately result in a superior outcome. We can always stand alone for truth, if we have this confidence in God and His Word.
Standing alone can definitely be hard, but certainly not impossible.
There are several examples of people in the Bible who towed this path.
In Hebrews 11:7, we see where Noah chose to believe God. God told Noah about bad things that would happen. Nobody could see what would happen, but Noah believed God’s message. He was careful to do exactly what God told him. He built a large ship to save his family. As a result of his faith, Noah showed that everyone else in the world was wrong. Noah himself became one of those people that God accepted as right with him.
Just imagine. It was only Noah and his family on God’s side against all of the naysayers on the other side.
But Noah did it. And if he did it, then we can too.
God’s Word Is Our Fortress:
When it comes to standing for what one believes in, it all starts and ends with what the Lord is saying – either through His revealed word or His spoken word directly to us.
God’s Word is the believer’s most powerful weapon against evil and it is his most potent fortress when it comes to standing alone.
Scripture is no doubt a deep source of strength. It has been my anchor in overwhelming situations that have required me to stand alone. I am a living, breathing testimony that standing alone with God is the best because you will always win.
Remember that when Satan tempted Jesus in the wilderness, He defeated Satan by quoting the Scriptures. In His response to the enemy’s first temptation, Jesus emphasized the necessity of knowing God’s Word, pointing out that our need for God’s Word is even more critical than our need for physical sustenance.
“But Jesus told him, “No! The Scriptures say, ‘People do not live by bread alone, but by every word that comes from the mouth of God.’ ~Matthew 4:4
We must know the Word of God in order to stand alone for truth.
You Are Not Alone
When you are standing for what God says – which you have come to believe in, it may seem like you are all alone. But the truth is, you are never truly alone because God is standing with you. He promised to never leave us (Isaiah 43:1-5; Matthew 28:20)
Knowing this, we need to always turn to God for the grace and strength to face whatever may come.
Stand Strong! God is with us. I pray the following scriptures will give you hope:
Be on guard. Stand firm in the faith. Be courageous. Be strong. And do everything with love. ~1 Corinthians 16:13
Be strong. Take courage. Don’t be intimidated. Don’t give them a second thought because God, your God, is striding ahead of you. He’s right there with you. He won’t let you down; he won’t leave you. ~Deuteronomy 31:6
Keep and protect me, O God, for in You I have placed my trust and found refuge. ~Psalms 16:1
This is what I told them: ‘Obey me, and I will be your God, and you will be my people. Do everything as I say, and all will be well!” ~ Jeremiah 7:23
“Don’t be afraid, for I am with you. Don’t be discouraged, for I am your God. I will strengthen you and help you. I will hold you up with my victorious right hand.” ~Isaiah 41:10
Dear God, we have chosen to obey you by standing alone for the truth, please help us to be courageous. Grant us grace and strength to face whatever may come and at the end Lord, please give us victory to the glory of your holy name. Amen.
The Blessed Overcomer 