Rev. O'Connor -

Have you ever found that there is a time in your life when sometimes you feel as if you’re too busy to see what’s happening to you?

Have you ever found that there are times in your life that you spend a lot of time looking at what everybody else is doing instead of seeing where you are in your life?

For every single one of us, there is a moment of accountability in our lives. It’s not about what the other human being thinks about you or thinks should happen in your life. There is a time for every one of us when we stand before God and God will ask, “Are you ready?”

We serve a God who gives second chances. In fact, more than second chances!

When you wake up and get a second chance, it is an opportunity to be able to stop and pause and say, “Lord I thank you!”

“I thank you that I am alive”

“I thank you that in the midst of all that is happening in my life and in the world, I have the opportunity to participate and to share in what life has to offer.”

“God I could have died, but I am still here and I thank you for a second chance.”

Remember to lift your hands and say, “God I thank you, I thank you, I thank you, and I thank you that I have a second chance.”

Second chances are precious blessings because through them, God reminds us that we live on a grace-filled journey which is a journey filled with God's favor, goodness, and mercy.

--

Second chances also are a time for us to reset.

God is saying to all of us right now, “Reset and reimagine your life” because He has bigger plans and purposes for each and every one of us.

Somebody might be saying “God I regret what I have done and I feel like I cannot recover.”

But God gives strength to those who are weak

However, when some people are given second chances they squander them. We don’t realize that the second opportunity is to get you out of yourself so that you can be able to execute and to be able to do what God is calling you to do so that you can take life by the horns and make most of what the possibilities are.

So what would you do with a  second chance?

Rev. Patrick O'Connor - 

With God all things are possible or with God nothing is impossible. As you prepare for Christmas, God is proposing something to you, something that He wants of you and for you. Something that He wants you to be open to because if you are open to it blessings shall come your way. But how open are YOU to God's proposition?

How supportive, present, and real are you when somebody is dealing with something that’s overwhelming and challenging? Are you the kind of person who says “I am here you can trust me, I will help to interpret what’s happening with you?” Have you ever found yourself overwhelmed in 2020? Where you’ve gotten to a point on your journey where the things which are happening are beyond your capacity to deal with or when you’ve hit a wall and you can’t keep going? 

You are an agent of God. Don't make yourself bigger than God. This is a God moment. As you enter the holiday, somebody is needing something from you. God has uniquely gifted you and God has uniquely given you an experience that you can be relevant to somebody who is going through the same thing! 

So let me ask you something. How available are you to be God's instrument so that you can see the right thing, in the right moment and in the right season so that you can uplift somebody who is intimidated and fearful? You’re going to say to them, “No matter what, it is going to be OK because God took me through it so He will carry you through it too.” If God takes you through it, it’s not just for you. It is so that you can be real for somebody else. 

Encouragement is a wonderful thing... when it happens. If you just bring a symbol of Faith, something different would happen in your circumstance(s). 

Rev. Patrick O’Connor -

Some people want to just jump to Christmas, but Advent is about making room. Making room so that God can do what God can do, and what HE wants to do. If you’re not prepared to be inconvenienced or challenged, then you can’t make room for God. Many people in their Faith life want to simply have the easy way. But Jesus constantly says, “If you’re going to follow me you must take up your cross and walk with me.” If God can’t dissect your schedule, finances, or the way you normally want to function, then there’s no room for God in your life. Look at your schedule and ask yourself, “Is this a God schedule or is it my easy schedule?” Look at how you spend your money and ask yourself, “Is this a God budget or is this my budget?” Look at your relationships, who you’re connecting with, and what you do with your connections and ask yourself, “Am I connecting with God, Gods’ will, and Gods’ purpose or is this just what I want? People who excel in making room for God realize that you have to be intentional about it. Are you proud of how you’re doing, what’s happening in your life, what you’re connecting, and how you’re impacting and multiplying on your journey? Leave this world where you’ve done your absolute best and God will be pleased with you because YOU made a difference. As hard as 2020 is, there’s some hard stuff coming in 2021. But if you’re gonna get ready for 2021 you have to be able to say, “My hope is built on nothing than Jesus’ blood and righteousness. I dare not trust my sweetest frame but holy lean on Jesus name on Christ the solid rock.” If you’re going to excel in the year that’s going to come, you have to have the foundation of a strong relationship with Jesus Christ.

 Rev. Patrick O’Connor -

The year 2020 has been an earthquake year. It has been a year in which our world has been shaken. Can you reflect on your journey this year and think about all the things that have happened in your life that have shaken you and your sense of who you are and what you think the world should be? For a lot of people when their world shakes and there are crises that happen and occur a number of things happen to us. It affects our mental state in a number of ways and some of us are filled with uncertainty. There are a lot of people that walk around not knowing how exactly things are going to play out. Fear, anxiety, and dread get in our way, which changes the way we operate. Sometimes you may feel hopeless and/or helpless. Whenever any human being gets themselves in a position in life where they are hopeless, it takes their energy and causes them to fail. You start to personalize it and think since nothing can be done there’s absolutely nothing you can do.

God says some things cannot be fixed on your own. Yes, you should show up and yes, you should engage, but sometimes you just need the hand of God to part the waters and to say here is a way. God says, “No matter how hard it is those who are hopeful can have the victory.” God is about making the crooked things straight. What’s crooked in your life?  Stop and think “what’s crooked in my life"? Until we take ownership of the things that we are wrestling with, God cannot come and do the mighty work that he needs to do. God's not only making the crooked places straight but the rough places smooth. Get to where God wants you and He will change you for the better. 

Rev Marquis’ -   

Happy New Year! Advent is here.

Our calendar is reset for us Christians. This is the season of expected waiting and preparation.

In the midst of Covid, we have to be amped up!

How is that possible you ask? Because hope has awakened.

It’s a wonderful thing to have some time with Christ.  

Unfortunately too many Christians stop dreaming. 

Some of us think that what is, shall always be 

But don’t give up hope 

You are an important aspect of the plan of God. You are not an afterthought, you are part of God's intention on you.

This is good news for young people because God has always used young people to change the world and that’s a great place to be. 

You see, we live in an uncertain moment, we live in times where we want to change an unjust justice system, but it has to take young men and women to bring about change. 

Our voices are important and God uses us in a mighty way. 

So stay awake, keep awake, and be alert because God is about to do something magnificent in your life. 

Rev. Patrick O’Connor -  

When you examine your life you see how God's hand is at work. When the Lord is on your side He makes a way when there seems to be no way. Sometimes things happen to us and we think it’s because of our own ingenuity and our own brilliance. Sometimes we think we have done it all, but if it wasn’t for God's goodness, kindness, love, and mercy where would you be?  Worship is an opportunity for every single one of us to remember how gracious and how good God is to us.

Have you ever thought about all the things that could have gone wrong? God orchestrates all of life to work for those who love Him and those who are called according to His purpose. Say, “Thank you Lord for your victory, power, goodness, love, and grace. I am thankful for all that you have done and are doing and continue to do in my life.” When God is at work in the lives of human beings, we face adversities, calamities and we face things that should cause us to break apart and crumble, but because God is standing with us we can do all things through Christ who gives us strength. If God is for you who can be against you? What God is doing and what He is about to do is bless you, because He blesses those who rely on Him.

Rev.  Patrick O’Connor - 

There are people or forces in the world that are trying to capture us and once you’re captured it’s hard to be released.

How many people are captured by alcohol? 

How many people are captured by television? How many people are captured by a mindset which says bow down to me and do whatever I want of you?

Those who have faith... Faith doesn’t protect you from peril, harm, or challenges

Commit yourself to something 

Even when something is challenging don’t give up! 

No matter what the circumstances are, stand with God

Those who see a transformation in their journey have to have a foundation 

Stand with God and walk with God 

Ask God to give you the right attitude 

Walk with kindness, goodness, and positivity 

Your attitude is more important than your altitude 

If God be with you He will take you through the fire, the desert, the storm, the challenge, the difficulty, and whatever life brings to you, because God never leaves or forsakes those He loves