Waiting

Today’s a new day! As I continue this current hospital stay, there is a lot of waiting around. Waiting for the next test, bloodwork, having my vitals checked and for the doctors to come by. As I wait, I often lean into the words from Galatians 5:22-23 which tells us that “the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control.” This fruit of the Spirit comes from…the Spirit. It’s an obvious statement, but how easy is it to actually believe that joy, peace, and patience come solely from our circumstances or situations?

Throughout my times of waiting, I have learned that true peace is not just a feeling of being happy and calm. True peace does not come from the outcome of a test result, MRI scan, or new diagnosis. No, true peace comes from knowing God and knowing that nothing can separate us from Him and His love (Romans 8:35-39). True peace comes from knowing that God has known and loved me since the very beginning of time (Psalm 139). Sometimes late at night when the fear, anxiety, and what-ifs try creeping into my thoughts, I lean into the truth of God’s word and His promises. There have been times when I had to fight for peace and had to plead with God to help me trust Him. It is a peace that surpasses all understanding (Phillippians 4:6) when we take our anxieties and burdens to God and trust in Him. Oh, what sweet peace it is to live in as I continue to wait. ~OC

July 24, 2025 0

Holy Saturday…We Wait

Today’s a new day! It is Saturday of Holy Week. Yesterday, we reflected on the sacrifice Jesus made on the cross. One temptation on this Holy Saturday is to jump past today right to Easter and celebrate the power of the resurrection. We cannot wait to celebrate the Risen Savior. But on this Saturday we wait.

I believe Holy Saturday is critically important to our spiritual growth. Today is a day of waiting. As Christians, we need to learn how to wait. Although it may seem like God was silent on that Saturday after Good Friday, he was actively at work behind the scenes. Jesus could have raised from the dead on Saturday. Or even within a couple hours after his crucifixion. But Jesus waited to fulfill the promises of scripture. He made his disciples and everyone who loved him wait. Sometimes Jesus makes you and I wait. Most people are not great at waiting. But oftentimes, Jesus uses the waiting period in our lives to prepare our hearts and minds for the plans and purposes he has for each of us. Sometimes, Jesus uses a season of waiting to see if we truly will trust in him.

Holy Saturday is an also a day of grieving. Just imagine what the disciples and those who loved Jesus must have been experiencing on that first Holy Saturday so many years ago. They did not have the hope of Sunday. So we must not jump past the important lessons on this Holy Saturday.

Jesus had been crucified. His body laid in a tomb. The Lamb has been slain. Hope seemed to be lost. But on this Holy Saturday, we cannot forget the words Jesus spoke in Matthew 12:40, “For just as Jonah was three days and three nights in the belly of the great fish, so will the Son of Man be three days and three nights in the heart of the earth.”
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And so on this Holy Saturday we wait…Sunday is coming. ~OC

April 19, 2025 0

The Jesus Way

Today’s a new day! Here’s a little known and rather obscure fact: I have a little scar just below my lower lip. Back in my skateboarding days, I attempted to jump over several garbage cans on my board. I actually make the jump, but instead of landing in the middle of the skateboard, I landed on the back of the board. The skateboard went flying up and the tip of the board hit me in the mouth. I recall there being a good amount of bleeding.

I seldom think about or acknowledge that scar. It’s there and yet I pay absolutely no attention to it. It’s become a faded memory of days gone by.

A few days ago, I happened to notice my scar, and a thought came to my mind: “By his stripes we are healed” (Isaiah 53:5). In that moment, I paused for a second and pictured Jesus and his nail scared hands.

I am confident that, unlike me, Jesus has never forgotten his scars. You see, His scars were chosen. His scars were willingly received. His scars were because of love.

As we are in the middle of Holy Week, I thought I would share a few thoughts as we prepare our hearts for Easter Sunday.

We know that Jesus walked his journey from a place of deep and abiding love.

We remember his dying on Good Friday, and of course we remember his rising on Easter Sunday. But, what about the events leading up to those two life changing events.

Let us not forget Thursday of Holy Week. What was Jesus doing on what we now call Maundy Thursday? He was washing feet. Yes, washing feet.

Jesus said that he came to be a servant to all.

On that Thursday before Good Friday, Jesus washed the feet of each of the disciples as one of his final acts of service before his crucifixion. He left no doubt in the minds of his followers: Humble servanthood is His way.

⁠It’s the way of Jesus that we so often forget. Think about it. Foot washing was one of the most lowly tasks. Cleaning stinky, nasty feet…that is the Jesus Way.

⁠So on Maundy Thursday, we remember Jesus as a humble servant. This puts a mark on the ways of Jesus shown throughout the Gospels: eating with the “wrong” people…healing on the “wrong” day…serving instead of being served.⁠

⁠A life of humility—this is the Jesus’ way. Not one of power, prestige, fame, or control that we see so many people chasing after these days.

No, we see humility as Jesus washed the feet of his disciples, whom he chose to call brothers.

⁠Humility. Going around the table, one at a time…24 dirty, nasty feet.⁠

⁠What was going through the minds of the disciples?⁠

⁠We know Peter protested. But what about Judas? His thoughts must have been all over the place. Judas had already sold Jesus out. Yet, Jesus still took the time to wash his feet.

⁠That is who Jesus is. Humble. Gentle. Caring. Strong. Capable. Unconditionally loving.⁠

⁠It’s the Jesus Way.⁠

⁠Tomorrow, we will remember Good Friday. It is the day we reflect on the cross and the price paid by our Savior.

What Jesus did on the Cross that Friday so long ago was about relationships. Think about that Friday for just a moment. Truly remember what Jesus did on that cross for you, me and the whole world.

⁠I believe Jesus is the most compelling figure to ever walk this earth. He willingly came down from heaven, to truly experience what it’s like to walk and live a human existence. But then, like he did with everything else, Jesus flipped the script on death and rose from the grave three days later (but let’s not get ahead of ourselves).

⁠Good Friday is the day we remember Jesus expressing his ultimate love for us. And it is the day we remember just how cruel death is. As I write this post, I remember the disciples, Jesus mother and all who loved Him did not know the whole story like we do. At that moment they only knew that it…was…finished.

⁠Where in your life right now does it seem like “it’s finished”? I encourage you to let the crucified Christ be with you in that place. ⁠

⁠Good Friday is the death before the resurrection.⁠ Take a few moments to take in the reality of this deepest kind of love.

In a few days we will come to Holy Saturday. Do not miss out on this important day of Holy Week.

For the disciples and those who loved Jesus, Saturday was a day of tears and mourning. On Friday, they saw Jesus crucified and buried. None of it made sense to them. Jesus, their teacher and friend was gone. The grief. The loss. They must have asked themselves. “What’s next?”

If you are currently walking through a tough season of loss or a stage of waiting, remember Holy Saturday and acknowledge that loss and grieving are real. That your season of waiting is real. But it doesn’t mean things are over.

The disciples and all those that loved Jesus had no clue what they were going to experience on Sunday. They were just living in their grief and loss.

But in 2025, we know the whole story. We know the story did not end with the tomb. We know the tomb could not hold the King of Kings. But for the disciples and all those who loved Jesus, that Saturday must have been a really difficult day. They did not have the promise that Sunday was coming.

Easter Sunday….A day of Rising.

I believe the following scriptures can paint a better picture than what I could write about Easter Sunday:

“But Mary stood weeping outside the tomb, and as she wept she stooped to look into the tomb. And she saw two angels in white, sitting where the body of Jesus had lain, one at the head and one at the feet. They said to her, “Woman, why are you weeping?” She said to them, “They have taken away my Lord, and I do not know where they have laid him.” Having said this, she turned around and saw Jesus standing, but she did not know that it was Jesus. Jesus said to her, “Woman, why are you weeping? Whom are you seeking?” Supposing him to be the gardener, she said to him, “Sir, if you have carried him away, tell me where you have laid him, and I will take him away.” Jesus said to her, “Mary.” She turned and said to him in Aramaic, “Rabboni!” (which means Teacher).” ~ John 20:11-16

“We were buried therefore with him by baptism into death, in order that, just as Christ was raised from the dead by the glory of the Father, we too might walk in newness of life.” ~Romans 6:4

“For I am sure that neither death nor life, nor angels nor rulers, nor things present nor things to come, nor powers, nor height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God in Christ Jesus our Lord.”
~Romans 8:38-39

“If then you have been raised with Christ, seek the things that are above, where Christ is, seated at the right hand of God. Set your minds on things that are above, not on things that are on earth. For you have died, and your life is hidden with Christ in God. When Christ who is your life appears, then you also will appear with him in glory.” ~Colossians 3:1-4

We look forward to hearing the words on Easter Sunday—He is risen! He is Alive! Yes, Jesus has risen indeed and is alive forevermore.

I pray everyone will take the time to reflect on Holy Week as we prepare our hearts for Easter Sunday and celebrate the resurrected King. ~OC

April 17, 2025 0

Waiting…..

Waiting. For most of us, waiting is not one of our favorite things. What do you do when life finds you in a state of waiting? When all we can do is wait. Waiting on test results. Waiting on a relationship to be restored. Waiting for a breakthrough. Waiting for a sign from God that it will not always be like this… waiting can be taxing, discouraging and deflating. Waiting can cause us to question our faith. To question God.

But what if waiting is the season God is using to grow us? That there is purpose behind the waiting. God wants us whole and He wants us free, and He will often take us on a journey of discovery before we get to the fulfillment of what we hope for. God has your back and He wants what is best for you. God is for you and will not forsake you, even in the middle of your biggest storm. Even during the waiting. ~OC

September 15, 2024 0

Waiting

Today’s a new day! How many people like to wait? I am sure most do not. We live in a world where we want immediate results. Instant gratification. When we pray we want God to answer our prayers immediately. Sometimes people can get discouraged when they do not receive an immediate response that they stop praying. We tend to be a right now society. But that’s not how God works most of the time. Oftentimes, prayer is an exercise in patience. Today, if you’re waiting on God to answer a prayer, here are four verses to meditate on as you wait.

“I wait for the Lord, my whole being waits,and in his word I put my hope.” ~Psalm 130:5

Sometimes it’s hard to wait. It may feel, as the Psalmist writes, that our “whole being” waits in anguish. Psalm 130 was clearly written by someone walking through the storms of life. But in those tough moments was someone who knew that in God there is love and hope.

“Be patient, then, brothers and sisters, until the Lord’s coming. See how the farmer waits for the land to yield its valuable crop, patiently waiting for the autumn and spring rains. You too, be patient and stand firm, because the Lord’s coming is near.” ~James 5:7-8

James teaches us how to overcome suffering—by remembering that whatever happens, we know that God is coming back to make everything right. To make everything whole and complete. That the storms we face in this life is not the end of the story. Be encouraged that what is coming is more wonderful than we could imagine.

“But do not overlook this one fact, beloved, that with the Lord one day is as a thousand years, and a thousand years as one day. The Lord is not slow to fulfill his promise as some count slowness, but is patient toward you, not wishing that any should perish, but that all should reach repentance.” ~2 Peter 3:8-9

In this scripture, Peter reminds us to be patient because God’s timing is not our timing. What seems like years to us is nothing to God. He is timeless and has amazing plans for us. I encourage you not to lose hope. God always knows what’s best for us.

“Ask and it will be given to you; seek and you will find; knock and the door will be opened to you. For everyone who asks receives; the one who seeks finds; and to the one who knocks, the door will be opened. ~Matthew 7:7-8

In the above word, God encourages us to ask, to seek and keep knocking. To be persistent and faithful in our prayers. To keep lifting our prayers up to Him. God will answer our prayers, but sometimes in a way we never imagined. So keep knocking on the door. God is always faithful.

Waiting can be hard. Especially when you have been waiting for a long time. But by relying on the promises of God and staying in prayer, we can turn frustration into faith. Don’t ever give up! Wait on the Lord, and He will answer you. ~OC

December 18, 2023 0

Waiting

Today’s a new day! Waiting. For most of us, waiting is not one of our favorite things. What do you do when life finds you in a state of waiting? When all you can do is wait. Waiting on test results. Waiting on a relationship to be mended. Waiting for a breakthrough. Waiting for a sign from God that it will not always be like this… waiting can be taxing, discouraging and deflating. Waiting can cause us to question our faith. To question God.

July 31, 2022 0

Waiting

Waiting. For most of us, waiting is not one of our favorite things. What do you do when life finds you in a state of waiting? When all we can do is wait. Waiting on test results. Waiting on a relationship to be mended. Waiting for a breakthrough. Waiting for a sign from God that it will not always be like this… waiting can be taxing, discouraging and deflating. Waiting can cause us to question our faith. To question God.

September 15, 2021 0