Today’s a new day! We cannot pray in love and live in hate and still think we are worshipping God. ~OC
New Book
Today’s a new day! The new book is out. Thanks for all the love and support. This book is 20 years in the making. The majority of the book was written from my hospital room on 4South at Good Samaritan Medical Center. A fun fact. I have written both of my books on my Apple iPhone. I continue to live a blessed life. ~OC
Keep Holding On
Today’s a new day! If you are currently in the middle of a storm, I want to share some good news with you. God is sitting in the boat with you. He has not left or forsaken you. God has the amazing power to calm the storm you are facing. He is not going to let the crashing waves tip your boat over. You may not be able to see the rainbow during the storm, but it’s coming. During times of darkness, I encourage you to continue leaning into the promises of God. The storms of life are preparing you for a testimony. The crashing waves are turning you into an Overcomer. So keep holding on and never give up. ~OC
The Old Is Made New
Today’s a new day! God has already set us free from our past. Today our identity is no longer connected to our past mistakes. Now our identity is connected to what God has done for us. You are now washed, set apart and made right. The old is made new. Walk in that truth. Live out that freedom. ~OC
God and Justice
Today’s a new day! As I study scripture, I have come to the conclusion that faith in God and a desire to do His will goes hand-in-hand with standing for social justice. Honestly, I do not believe you can have one without the other. You cannot fully walk with Christ without serving the the least of these and you cannot fully serve the least of these without an understanding and faith in Christ. Without Christ, you will never fulfill more than the surface-level needs of those you are trying to serve.
This is where Christians needs to take a stand. We should be a fortress for social justice. If we were truly following the scriptures, Christianity would be synonymous with social justice. I think our faith and social justice should be so intertwined they cannot be separated from each other. As Christians, we truly need to be the hands and feet of Jesus. We cannot just talk about the different issues that plague our country and world. We cannot continue to deal with every tragedy by just expressing our thoughts and prayers. No, as Christians we need to stand up for what’s right. Even if that means being challenged by society or other Christians for our beliefs. I believe social justice is close to the heart of God. ~OC
Hope
Today’s a new day! To be honest, there are moments when I would like nothing more than to walk away from battling the storms of life. Walking away can sound so much better than this journey of building endurance, character, and hope. How many storms do I need to face in life? But in those tough moments, hope reminds me that I am not its source. The hope I walk in does not come from me, but from God who is compassionate, loving and faithful.
Opening up my eyes, God encourages me to look at the world with more hope. To look deeper and see more than what is and more of what could be. To hope.
Taking a deeper, more honest look at the realities of a hurting world can also become an act of hope. I believe in the power of love and peace. My hope is in God who is filled with love, mercy and compassion. My faith always leads me back to hope. This hope is real and available to each of us. Today, I encourage you to take a step towards Hope. ~OC
Still Standing
Today’s a new day! I am still standing. On 3/20/09 after having what doctors thought was a cold, my wife Laura was informed she needed to take me to the emergency room. I was having trouble breathing and was extremely weak. My cold actually ended up being Myasthenia Gravis. I was in a Myasthenic Crisis. Some doctors were concerned I would not make it through the the night. Most thought I would not make it through the year. Here we are 14 years later and I am still standing. Still fighting. Still thriving.
This twenty-one year crazy beautiful health journey has not been easy. On more than one occasion, Laura has been told by doctors that my condition was critical and things did not look promising. Throughout this journey, Laura and I have looked to God for guidance, strength and wisdom. He has never failed us. We do not know what the future holds for me health wise, but we know who holds our future. Laura and I will continue to make beautiful memories. We will continue to encourage people with our story. I will continue to fight. After all these years, I am still standing. Still praising God. ~OC
His Hand
Today’s a new day! God offers His hand, holds yours and shelters you under His wing during the storms and crashing waves. ~OC
My Jimmy Carter Experience
In September 2019, doctors had given me just months to live. It was time to knock some things off my bucket list. So Laura and I made our way North to Plains, Georgia, home of the 39th President of the United States. We were not going to experience a political speech by the former President. No, we were going to hear President Carter teach Sunday School at Maranatha Baptist Church. Something the former President has been for close to 50 years.
So as Laura and I walked around the beautiful street of downtown Plains, we met some of the nicest people. As we interacted with people, I kept asking what’s the best time to arrive at the church to hear President Carter? We heard everything from 4pm on Saturday to 6am on Sunday. So, Laura and I headed back to our hotel and decided to get some sleep. Then for some reason, we both woke up around 11pm. Since we could not sleep, we decided to go check out the line at the church. Let the adventure begin!
As we drove to the church, I prayed we would be in the top ten of people arriving and we would meet Mr. George. During our day in Plains, we kept hearing about this guy named Mr. George. Also everyone in town told us to say hello to Mr. George. I was excited to meet the man everyone called Mr. George. Now, let me explain the tickets. As you enter the church parking lot, Mr. George greets you and hands you a ticket. After receiving that ticket, your vehicle is unable to leave the premises. Why is this? Mr. George shared tour buses used to come by, pick up a ticket and then return on Sunday morning with a bus load of people. Definitely not fair to those who hung out in the parking lot all night.
So as we pulled up to get our ticket before midnight, we were able to meet the famous Mr. George. He asked were we were from and welcomed us to the church. Oh by the way, the number on our ticket was number 10. Praise God! As Laura and I settled into our parking spot, I decided I needed to talk with Mr. George. I am so glad I did.
I made my way over to Mr. George and asked if I could sit for awhile. I explained based on my health issues, I did not sleep much. I explained I might be up all night visiting. Not sure Mr. George believed I would make it an hour. Mr. George and I had the best conversations. He shared how he had known President Carter since they were youngsters. We talked about my health and Mr. George prayed over me. He even let me pass out some tickets. Around 4am Sunday morning, Mr. George looked over at me and said you really don’t sleep. Told you Mr. George.
Around 9am. Mrs. Jan, Mr George’s wife gave us instructions about what we could bring into the church and a few rules. I was a little concerned about walking through security. At that time, I had my voice amplifier, my feeding tube and my gastro pacemaker. Would this be an issue? As we got up front, security looked at my fluid from my feeding tube and shared I was good to go.
As we entered the church, Mr. George led us to seats. Third row middle aisle seat. Laura and I were so excited. A few minutes later, part of President Carter’s security detail asked us to come with him. We thought what’s going on? The Secret Service Agent led us to the front row. Are you kidding me! This trip just kept on getting better.
Not long after that President Carter and Mrs. Carter entered the church. President Carter engaged with the large crowd for a few minutes and started his lesson. I am sorry I cannot share word for word what the former President shared, but I do remember he spoke about loving, caring and serving others. Something the former President has truly lived out. After the service, Laura and I were able to say hello to President and Mrs. Carter and take a picture. It was a special moment An experience we still talk about today.
I have to be honest here. Meeting President Carter and Mrs. Carter was a wonderful experience, but I have to say meeting Mr. George and Mrs. Jan was the highlight of the trip for me. A few months after my miracle, Laura and I returned to Plains to see this incredible couple. Mr. George and Mrs. Jan are a special people. We still stay in touch with Mr. George and Mrs. Jan. Hoping to see them again soon. ~OC
Are You Ready For Revival?
As I continue to reflect on my time at the Asbury Revival, the fire for revival in my community as grown stronger. But what does that look like? As I have been praying, here are some things God has placed on my heart.
*Before revival can come to any community, there must be an increase in prayer. You might say a Revival of Prayer. We must make prayer a priority. Stay in prayer.
*We must sacrifice some things in our life. Instead of binge watching a tv series, take that time to pray. Sacrifice some worldly pursuits to truly hear from God. Stay in prayer.
*Make a new commitment to reaching a lost and hurting world. We must be willing to step out of our comfort zone. Lean into Jesus. Stay in prayer
*Ask God to reveal the sin in your life and then truly repent. Stop carrying your sin around like a backpack. Leave your sin at the Cross. Stay in prayer.
*Ask God to transform your life. Seek His purpose for your life. Walk it out. Stay in prayer.
*Stop being so busy with the things of this world. We are easily distracted from praying. Now is the time to pray and hunger after the things of God. Stay in prayer.
*Believe in the power of God. Expect Him to answer your prayers. Believe that God wants to bring revival to your community. Stay in prayer.
*Revival starts with us. It starts in our hearts. Be serious about praying and seeking God’s guidance. God wants to move in his churches and communities. Stay in prayer.
Are You Ready For Revival? ~OC
The Blessed Overcomer 