Featured Devotionals

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ODJ: Truly Strong

Mr. Strong, along with all the Mr. Men children’s books written by Roger Hargreaves, is still a firm favorite in our home. Following a makeover in 2008, Mr. Strong is no longer square; he now has has broader shoulders, a narrower waist, and bulging biceps, but he remains the strongest person in the world. The source of his incredible strength? It comes from all the eggs he

ODJ: Style Points

My pastor deftly delivers his sermons with the logical approach of a professor. Going verse by verse through a passage of the Bible, he carefully references other Scriptures to provide historical context. Despite rarely raising his voice, his passion for truth is evident. I sometimes attend another church with a dramatically different service structure. The praise and worship portion lasts 45 minu

ODJ: Certain Goodness

As my sister and I were growing up, our parents taught us about the love of Jesus and to enjoy intimate prayer with Him. As I grew older, sometimes life’s varied challenges pressed hard on me, and my prayers became requests based on need rather than tender dialogues with the One who delights in giving to His children (Matthew 7:11). In other words, my prayers were based on circumstances rath

ODJ: Happiness & Joy

My wife, Merryn, and I spent last Christmas on the Isle of Mull in Scotland. With its snow—capped mountains and vivid landscape, it’s a truly beautiful place! One moment we drove through snowstorms, the next we saw double rainbows appear from end to end. To me, Mull is a place of fairytales. Natural beauty makes me happy. So do long train rides, second—hand bookshops, and the gig

ODJ: Do Something!

When I was a kid, my dad encouraged me to be courageous and not play it safe. He could see how tempted I was to overthink a situation or to hedge my bets. “Do something!” he would say. Then in jest, he would add: “Even if it’s wrong, do something!” We find similar wisdom in Jesus’ parable of the three servants. Before leaving on a trip, the master summo

ODJ: April Fool

April Fool’s Day began in the late 16th century when the Gregorian calendar moved New Year’s Day from April 1 to January 1. Those who kept the old tradition were called fools, which began a new tradition of pulling pranks. A recent prank I’m aware of was the releasing of three pigs into a school building (but not before numbering them 1, 2, and 4). What a surprise for those looki

ODJ: Behold Him

When was the last time you lingered in silence simply to delight in the beauty of God? One Christian artist thinks that “beholding” His beauty is essential in a Christian’s life. Writer Joseph Sunde, in a blog post titled “Beauty on a Bike Ride,” quoted artist Mako Fujimura as saying: “Perhaps the greatest thing we can do as a Christian community is to behold.

ODJ: Not Losing Our Way

A newly elected senator vows to be a new kind of politician, but by the time he runs again he’s in the pocket of special interest groups. An actress goes to Hollywood to star in wholesome movies, but soon she compromises. Both started out trying to reach the world, but instead they lost their way. This was Israel’s problem during the time of the Judges. Israel entered the Pro

ODJ: Hand of God

Lorenzo Quinn’s 900-pound aluminum sculpture called “Hand of God” features a gigantic open hand with a man seated on the highest part of an upturned palm. The man appears to be troubled and his posture reflects deep discouragement. But the hand that holds him up is much larger than he is. Of certain situations, we’ll say, “It’s in God’s hands,” mean