Today’s a new day! Love those around you. Stay true to them. Take time with family and friends. Laugh together. Cry together. Celebrate together. Mourn together. Grow together. Cherish what you have right in front of you. Embrace it all. ~OC
The Church
Today’s a new day! We are the church scattered and sent out. Every believer is a missionary beautifully disguised as a teacher, business person, student, healthcare worker, journalist, first responder, mentor or parent. Be a difference maker wherever God has you planted. ~OC
“Nevertheless, each person should live as a believer in whatever situation the Lord has assigned to them, just as God has called them.” ~1 Corinthians 7:17
Leaning Into The Word…
Today’s a new day! As my health continues to decline, I choose to lean into the word of God and not allow my health issues to become my primary focus. The following are just some scriptures, that have helped me during this crazy beautiful health journey. If you’re currently walking through a season of health issues, I pray these scriptures will bring you hope and comfort. Keep leaning in. ~OC
“My flesh and my heart may fail, but God is the strength of my heart and my portion forever.”
~Psalm 73:26
“Jesus Christ is the same yesterday and today and forever.” ~Hebrews 13:8
“Is anyone among you sick? Let him call for the elders of the church, and let them pray over him, anointing him with oil in the name of the Lord.”
~James 5:14
“Heal me, O Lord, and I shall be healed; save me, and I shall be saved, for you are my praise.”
~Jeremiah 17:14
“Fear not, for I am with you; be not dismayed, for I am your God; I will strengthen you, I will help you, I will uphold you with my righteous right hand.”
~Isaiah 41:10
“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.””
~Revelation 21:4
“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
Resting In God
Today’s a new day!
Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest.” ~ Matthew 11:28
Amid the demands of our daily lives and the constant pursuit of the next “thing” it is essential to consider the profound invitation to rest that Jesus extends to each of us. This call to rest is not just about physical restoration; it’s an opportunity to release our burdens and allow God to work wonders in our lives.
The weight of life’s responsibilities often leads us to tightly grasp control, holding onto worries and fears as if we alone can navigate the challenges of life. However, the wisdom found in Matthew 11:28 challenges us to open our hands, surrender our anxieties, and embrace the rest that God promises.
Resting in God’s work involves more than simply pausing from our labors; it requires trusting in the divine plan that surpasses our understanding. The challenge is to let go of the need for control and acknowledge that God’s ways are higher, His timing is perfect, and His love is unwavering.
Picture in your mind a garden. After the seeds are sown, there’s a season of waiting before the beauty of blooms emerges. Similarly, in the quiet moments of surrender, God’s transformative power begins to unfold. Rest becomes an act of faith, creating space for His purpose to flourish.
So today, challenge yourself to find rest in God’s embrace. It’s not a sign of weakness but a declaration of faith. Release the burdens you’ve been carrying and allow God’s symphony of grace to unfold. In the stillness, you position yourself to witness the beauty of His artistry in your life.
As you embrace divine rest, may you discover the peace that comes from trusting in God’s promises. Let go, so that His work can take center stage in your journey. In the surrender of control, you open the door to the wonders and fulfillment that God has prepared for you. ~OC
Walking Through The Unknown
Today’s a new day! Here is another “Lost Writings of OC.” This was written in 2018. I hope and pray it will bring you some encouragement. ~OC
Have you had moments in life, that you allowed fear to overwhelm you? Those moments where you just crawled under the covers because the fear had become too much for you to handle. I think we have all had moments of fear to some degree.
I remember when my health first started to fail me. Fear decided to pay me a little visit. Even though I do not remember it, my wife Laura shared I started giving some of my possessions away. The one thing I do remember about that period of time is, I opened my Bible and this familiar passage jumped off the pages:
Fear not, for I have redeemed you; I have called you by name, you are mine. When you pass through the waters, I will be with you; and through the rivers, they shall not overwhelm you; when you walk through fire you shall not be burned, and the flame shall not consume you.” (Isaiah 43:1-2)
As I read each word slowly, God showed me something I’d never seen: My fears were like flames and my efforts to protect myself were like gasoline. Every attempt to ease my fears was like dousing fuel on the fire, and now it was consuming me.
Gently, the Holy Spirit reminded me of 2 Timothy 1:7: “For God gave us a spirit not of fear but of power and love and self-control.”
Suddenly, I knew the only way to overcome my fear and walk in faith was to walk through what most of us fear the most. The Unknown. At that time and even today, I have no idea what my future holds health wise, but thankfully I know who holds my future in his hands. I am often reminded of this scripture: “Fear not, for I am with you; be not dismayed, for I am your God; I will strengthen you, I will help you, I will uphold you with my righteous right hand.” (Isaiah 41:10)
I had to make the decision to put fear away and walk through this health journey trusting God, realizing that even if my worst fears came true, He would still be with me.
Obviously, that doesn’t mean I no longer have moments of fear creep into my life. I am human after all. But in those moments, instead of letting fear overwhelm me I open my Bible and allow God’s words to flow over me. I lift my prayers up to God and asked for him to help me overcome whatever fear is trying to steal my peace. As I do these two things, I begin to feel that fear wash away.
In this long crazy beautiful health journey, I have learned that fear loses its power when we actively trust God more than what we fear.
Today, ask God to show you what you are afraid of. What is paralyzing your faith and keeping you from living confidently in His peace and freedom? And then make the choice to allow God to help you walk courageously through your fears, holding God’s hand and trusting His heart to lead, protect and preserve you each step of the way.
Dear God, help us walk through our fears by facing them instead of being paralyzed by them. We want to take Your hand and trust Your heart with all that is within us. Give us courage today to take the first step. In Jesus’ name we pray. Amen
Let Love Win
Today’s a new day! Don’t you think fear has won often enough in your life? Don’t you think anger has won enough in this world?
What if, just for today, you did absolutely everything in your power to see that love wins for a change? What if your small acts of love spread from community to community and across the world? What if it creates an absolute tidal wave that circles and embraces the entire world?
What if one act of love and kindness from you was the very thing someone needed to restore their faith in humanity or try one more time to keep running their race? To not give up.
What if you are the spark the world is waiting on to shift from a fear-based mindset to a love-based mindset?
Let’s let love win today and see what happens!
Wherever you are on your journey, remember you are awesome! Show some love and kindness today. ~OC
Life’s Journey and Lessons
Today’s a new day! As I continue to walk out this crazy beautiful health journey, I thought I would share some thoughts and lessons learned along this journey. So for the next few days or weeks, I will hopefully share some wisdom and life lessons with you. I pray they will bring encouragement to all that takes the time to read my post.
The next few days or weeks, will be a reflection of the legacy I hope to leave behind for my family, friends and anyone who takes the time to read my post. As I continue to walk this health journey, I cannot control my declining health, but I can control how I deal with it and hopefully the positive impact I can have on others.
As I walk through this life, I want to encourage people to chase your dreams, embrace the challenges of life and to savor every precious moment.
Each day, I want to share a key lesson learned along the journey. Here is the lesson for today:
Embrace the challenges of life and make the most of your time here on earth. As I continue walking this journey, I have decided not to retreat from life, but instead to hopefully encourage others walking through their own life journey.
Finally, I hope and pray by sharing these life lessons, they will encourage you to reflect on your own journey and how you want to live it out. ~OC
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
Still Standing and Thankful
Today’s a new day! I don’t like being in pain and I don’t like having multiple health issues that will probably shorten my life. I would love to grow old with my bride. But I realize that may not be the plans God has for my life. But I know and I trust that He is faithful. God’s plans are the best and do not revolve around me. Acts 13:36 says, “when David had served God’s purpose in his own generation, he fell asleep”. When God has done what he wants through me, I will step into heaven in his perfect timing.
Why has God allowed me to walk this health journey? Maybe it is to help me be a better husband and friend. Maybe it’s an opportunity to share the love of Jesus with more people. Maybe it’s for reasons way beyond my understanding. All I know is that God has given me this gift of health issues to use for his glory. All I know is that I will continue to trust and serve him.
Sometimes it is still hard to comprehend that my life could end at any moment. But isn’t that the case for all of us? As the Bible teaches,
All men are like grass,
and all their glory is like the flowers of the field;
the grass withers and the flowers fall,
but the word of the Lord stands forever. (1 Peter 1:24)
When I received my first diagnosis in August 2002, it was a total shock. I knew I didn’t feel great, but I had no idea how I was so sick. My life at that time involved being a husband, a social worker and volunteer at multiple ministries.
Back then, some doctors shared I might only have five years to live. However, God had other ideas and even though my health journey has been full of twist and turns and multiple life threatening illnesses, I am still standing. Some days my life has felt like a ticking time bomb. My bride has become an expert in dealing with multiple infections,various types of devices being surgically implanted into my body and various treatments to just keep me alive.
As the multiple health issues continue to weaken my body, I am thankfully aware that Jesus is my Lord and Savior in whom I can depend, and that all other ground is sinking sand. I am so grateful to God for everything. I am thankful for who God is, his majesty, his splendour, and his promises. I am thankful for my bride, family, friends and life. I am so thankful to God for the resurrection of Jesus which means I will have victory over death and do not need to fear what my future holds. It is such a comfort to read,
“Death has been swallowed up in victory”
“Where, O death, is your victory?
Where, O death, is your sting?”
The sting of death is sin and the power of sin is the law. But thanks be to God. He gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ. (1 Corinthians 15:54-56)
As my body grows weaker, I am thankful God continues to allow me to truly embrace life. To continue making beautiful memories with my bride. Some dear friends even bought me an electric trike to get around town. Watch out world! I will enjoy the new bike in between my many naps. After years of not being able to sleep, most of my days now involve sleeping most of the day.
What can be hard is coping with chronic pain and deteriorating health while still navigating the physical and emotional challenges of trying to live a “normal life.” Another challenge is not knowing what each day might bring. It is impossible to make plans. Between multiple medical appointments and hospitalizations, it can be difficult to make any plans.
However, I am just so thankful for God’s guidance through his word. The Bible is so clear about what God wants me to do now, even as I grow weaker: “Be joyful always; pray continuously; give thanks in all circumstances; for this is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus (1 Thess 5:16). God is so clear. This is what God wants me to do now. I am thankful he continues to allow me to live an amazing life.
So, I will continue to thank God for this gift of health issues because he is good and he is using it for his purposes. The plans of the Lord are perfect, even if I do not always know the reasons I continue to walk through this crazy beautiful health journey. All I know is that someday, I will be in the loving presence of Jesus. But until then, I will continue to live life and embrace every moment. If you see me out and about on my trike, stop and say hello. Oh, and wake me up if I happen to be asleep. ~OC
