Peace Like a River

As a 97-year-old friend and I discussed Horatio Spafford’s classic hymn, “It Is Well with My Soul,” she said the first line gives her reason to pause.

ODB: Sticks, Bricks, and God

After praying about what God was calling them to do in the next phase of their lives, Mark and Nina determined that moving to the urban core of the city was what they needed to do. They purchased a vacant house and renovation was well underway—then came the storm. Mark wrote in a text message to me: “We had a surprise this morning. The tornado that came through Jefferson City, took out

Happy Endings

The 1995 movie Apollo 13 contains two famous radio transmissions. Together, these two messages form the bookends to the real-life drama of NASA’s struggle to bring three astronauts safely back to earth.

ODB: Everyone Needs a Mentor

As I walked into my new supervisor’s office, I was feeling wary and emotionally raw. My old supervisor had run our department with harshness and condescension, often leaving me (and others) in tears. Now I wondered, What would my new boss be like? Soon after I stepped into my new boss’ office, I felt my fears dissipate as he welcomed me warmly and asked me to share about

Trapped

There was a time, deep into my walk with Jesus, when life became extremely difficult.

ODB: A Truck Driver’s Hands

The news came as a shock. Having already survived prostate cancer, my father had now been diagnosed with pancreatic cancer. To complicate matters, my father is my mother’s full-time caregiver, attending to her own chronic illnesses. With both parents needing care, there would be some difficult days ahead.After flying home to be with them, I visited my parents’ church one Sunday. There,

History's Steady Tune

George Jellinek, former host of The Vocal Scene radio program, says “the history of a people is found in its songs.”

ODB: Who’s It For?

The picture made me laugh out loud. Crowds had lined a Mexican avenue, waving flags and throwing confetti as they waited for the pope. Down the middle of the street strolled a stray puppy, appearing to grin as if the cheering was entirely for him. Yes! Every dog should have its day, and it should look like this.It’s cute when a puppy “steals the show,” but hijacking another&rsquo

Foretastes of the Kingdom

Baskin-Robbins let its patrons sample their different flavors of ice cream with their iconic pink taste-testing spoons. These provided small but yummy samples of what was to come if you ordered a full scoop or two.