The Blessed Overcomer – The Blessed Overcomer

Happy Father’s Day! I want to take a moment to recognize you.

Thank you to all the men who have stepped up and embraced the responsibility of being a father. In a world that often celebrates self-interest and personal comfort, you have chosen sacrifice, commitment, and love. You have chosen to put the needs of others before your own, and that deserves to be honored.

Thank you for the early mornings, the late nights, the hard work, the prayers, the guidance, and the countless unseen sacrifices that come with raising children. Thank you for being present when it would have been easier to walk away. Thank you for choosing faithfulness when the road became difficult.

I also want to offer a special thank you to the men who are raising children who do not share their DNA. Biology may make someone a father, but love, commitment, and sacrifice make someone a dad. There are countless men who have opened their hearts and homes to children who needed someone to believe in them, protect them, encourage them, and love them. Your impact reaches far beyond what you may ever fully realize.

Throughout Scripture, we see examples of men who stepped up when God called them. Men like Joseph, who faithfully raised Jesus even though he was not his biological son, remind us that fatherhood is about far more than genetics. It is about obedience, character, and love.

Our world desperately needs godly fathers and father figures. We need men who are willing to lead with humility, love with compassion, stand for truth, and point the next generation toward Jesus. We need men who understand that true strength is not found in power or position, but in serving others.

To every father, stepfather, adoptive father, grandfather, foster father, mentor, coach, teacher, and father figure who has invested in the lives of children and young people: thank you. You are making a difference, even on the days when it may not feel like it.

Your words matter. Your example matters. Your prayers matter. Your presence matters.

Today, we celebrate you and thank God for you.

May the Lord continue to strengthen you, encourage you, and bless you as you fulfill the incredible calling He has placed on your life. May you continue to be a bright light in a world that often feels dark, showing the love of Christ through your actions, your character, and your faith.

Happy Father’s Day to all the men who have stepped up, stood firm, and loved well.

Thank you for making a difference. I pray you each have a wonderful Father’s Day. ~OC

I have been fighting multiple life threatening health issues for the past 17 years and my wife Laura has the toughest job. That’s right. You see, Laura has been a Caregiver for 17 of our almost 20 years of marriage. She has definitely lived out the “In Sickness and Health” vow. A lot of people like to call me a Rockstar, but Laura is the real Rockstar in this crazy beautiful journey.

As a patient, I know what I need to do. I have my checklist of things to do each day. The caregiver does not have a checklist. They do not have a treatment plan. Most of the time the caregiver is trying to figure things out on the fly. Hoping what they say and do is correct. Also, the caregiver tends to get lost along the way. Everyone is always asking about the patient, but we need to make sure we never forget to check in on the caregiver. How can we do that? Here is a few things Laura and I have learned over the years.

Take Time to Laugh. I know it sounds simple, but humor has helped Laura and I deal with some of the toughest moments we have faced in this crazy beautiful journey. Plus one of my wedding vows was I would make her laugh everyday.

Have Your Own Team. I often talk about the great team I have around me. The caregiver also needs to have a great team around them. Over the years, Laura has been blessed with a wonderful team of people to help her walk this journey. Do not do it alone.

Take Time for Yourself. The caregiver must take time for themselves during the journey. That could mean taking a walk by yourself or taking a trip. During our journey, I have always encouraged Laura to get away with friends and not become consumed with taking care of me. This is where The Team comes into play. When Laura is away getting recharged, our team steps up to take care of me. Thank goodness I am still able to do a lot for myself, but it’s nice to have that team available to help.

Let People Help. A lot of times when people are dealing with the storms of life, they try and do everything by themselves. Laura tried to do everything herself at the beginning of our journey. That was not healthy or fair to her. People truly want to help, we just have to ask. Let me give you an example. I am no longer able to drive. That can be tough when you have multiple doctors appointments a week. Laura used to take me to my appointments/treatments and then pick me up afterwards. That meant she had to work around her work schedule. A friend found out about this and decided to set up rides for me. Guess what? People actually fight over (in a nice way), who gets to take me to and from my appointments. This has taken so much pressure off of Laura. Plus I get to hang out with some amazing people.

Rest. Taking care of someone can be overwhelming. Can I get an Amen from all the caregivers out there? So it is important to get some rest. In the early days of my hospital stays, Laura would stay with me all day. Not leaving the hospital until late at night. If anyone has spent any time in the hospital, you know how exhausting that can be. Today, I make sure Laura leaves the hospital early and comes in later in the morning or afternoon. That gives her time to get the proper rest.

Stop Comparing Yourself. Your journey as a caregiver is unique. Please do not compare your caregiving skills with someone else. Your doing a great job!

Take Time to Eat Properly. A lot of times the caregiver is running from one appointment to another. It is easy to stop at a drive-thru and get to the next appointment or hospital visit. Sometimes a caregiver gets so busy, they forget to eat. Please take the time to sit down and have a nice meal. That is part of taking care of yourself.

Don’t Forget Your Health Needs. It is so easy for the caregiver to forget about their own health needs. I am constantly checking with Laura about her health needs. That is also where Team can help. Make sure the caregivers in your life is taking care of their physical, mental and emotional health needs.

Community Resources. There are so many resources out there for caregivers. Do not be afraid to check them out. They can make this journey so much easier.

Write Things Down. As a caregiver, you are being bombarded with a lot of information. That can be overwhelming. Over the years, Laura has created a medical sheet for me. It has all my vital information on it. It includes my list of medications, the names and phone numbers of my doctors, a list of my past procedures, all my implants and the medications I am allergic to. This sheet has been a blessing. So many of our medical team have mentioned how helpful it is for them, especially during an Emergency Room visit. Laura has my information saved on her computer, so she can easily update it.

Know Your Limitations. I know most caregivers are superheroes, but know your limitations. You do not have to do everything on your own. Be willing to except help. People genuinely want to help. Asking for help does not make you a failure. It makes you human,

Learn to Say No. A caregiver takes on many roles. That can be exhausting. So I want to encourage all caregivers out there, it is okay to say No. Being able to say no can be so freeing. It frees you up to say Yes to the really important things in life.

These are just a few lessons Laura and I have learned during our crazy beautiful journey. In our book, “The Blessed Overcomer”, Laura shares about her journey as a caregiver. I am so thankful she shared her part of our story. We have received some amazing feedback from other caregivers. Caregivers are heroes, but they are still human. Please check in on the caregivers in your life. Do not allow them to walk their crazy beautiful journey alone. ~OC

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What About The Caregiver