
ODB: God of Freedom
President Abraham Lincoln had emancipated people held in slavery two-and-a half-years earlier and the Confederacy had surrendered, yet the state of Texas still hadn’t acknowledged the freedom of enslaved persons.

ODB: Friend to the Lonely
Holly Cooke didn’t have one single friend when she moved to London for a job. Her weekends felt miserable.

ODB: Generous Faith
A few years ago, our church was invited to host refugees fleeing their country after a tumultuous change in political leadership. Entire families came with only what they could fit in a small bag.

ODB: Hope of Healing
A new cause for hope has emerged for people paralyzed by spinal cord injuries. German researchers have discovered a way to stimulate nerve growth to reconnect the neural pathways between the muscles and the brain.

ODB: Heart of Service
When my “uncle” Emory passed away, the tributes were many and varied. Yet all those honors carried a consistent theme—Emory showed his love for God by serving others.

ODB: Dilemmas and Deeper Faith
During a Saturday morning Bible study, a father was perplexed because his beloved, wayward daughter had returned to the city, but he was uncomfortable with her in his home because of her behavior.

ODB: Expecting Jesus
My friend Paul was awaiting the arrival of a technician to repair his refrigerator when he saw a text on his phone from the appliance company.

ODB: God’s Created Masterpiece
Although neuroscience has made great progress in understanding how the brain works, scientists admit they’re still in the early stages of understanding it.

ODB: Shebna’s Grave
Irish poet W. B. Yeats wanted to be buried “Under Ben Bulben,” a stately flat-topped mountain after which he titled one of his last poems.

ODB: Every Moment Counts
When the Titanic hit an iceberg in April 1912, Pastor John Harper secured a spot for his six-year-old daughter in one of the limited number of lifeboats.

ODB: Big-Hearted Giving
At the after-school Bible club where my wife Sue serves once a week, the kids were asked to donate money to help children in the war-torn country of Ukraine.

ODB: House Gods
The men in the Bible study group were nearly eighty years old, so I was surprised to learn they struggled with lust. A battle that had begun in their youth lingered still.

ODB: Joy in Giving
When Keri’s young son was going through yet another surgery related to muscular dystrophy, she wanted to take her mind off her family’s situation by doing something for someone else.

ODB: Give Thanks to God
My friend hurried from her stressful job at the hospital, wondering what she would prepare for dinner before her husband returned from his equally demanding job.
