ODJ: finding our identity
If you imagine that enemies captured you and forced you to change your diet, your education and your name, which one would hurt the most? Daniel accepted his new name, Belteshazzar, even though it invoked a pagan god. He accepted his new education “in the language and literature of Babylon,” even though it meant he had to study pagan creation myths (Daniel 1:4).But he refused to eat th
ODJ: no worries
How often do you find yourself worrying about something? We worry about tomorrow, the economy, our jobs and friendships. We worry about our kids, our parents and our health.One thing that life and more than 2 decades of counselling individuals has taught me is that people often feel anxious. Personally, I know I’m often caught in the clutches of fear and worry. Some of us have the tendency t
ODJ: rules and grace
Firefighters recently chose not to take action as a man was drowning in the San Francisco Bay. According to the interim fire chief overseeing the responding team, one of the things that prevented them from taking action was a regulation that prevents firefighters from entering into the water. The rescue workers were frustrated because they desperately wanted to take action, but they were prevented
ODJ: dangerous friends
One of our sons has endured bullies on his school bus. Two weeks ago, he walked into the kitchen after school and with a quivering lip said, “I don’t want to ride the bus anymore.” It’s been hard for him to learn how to protect himself while also staying open to forgiveness (if the bullies show repentance) and the possibility of extending friendship to them.In a parable, Je
ODJ: a calling
I never wanted to be the pastor of a church. So when I was approached by the elders of my congregation and asked to consider the role, I immediately refused—telling them quite clearly that being a minister was not my calling. There was no doubt in my mind that I would be no good at it. The whole idea didn’t appeal to me, and so—in my mind—God would certainly not require me
ODJ: why disobey?
Why should I obey this commandment from God? I pondered. Is it because the consequences of disobeying Him would be bad? Hmm, but is that all? Ah, I see it now—my thinking was turned around. I should have asked, “Why would I disobey?”For Noah and Abraham, obedience was their default mode. They believed in God and did what He said. Noah had the task of building a
ODJ: alone in the dark
The film Gravity tells the story of Dr. Ryan Stone—a brilliant biomedical engineer on her first space shuttle mission. Her partner for the journey is veteran astronaut Matt Kowalski. During a seemingly routine spacewalk, disaster strikes. The shuttle is destroyed, leaving Stone and Kowalski completely alone, tethered to nothing but each other, and ominously spiralling out into black
ODJ: first love
Growing communities, rooted in God’s love and story, reaching out and restoring lives.This vision statement was crafted last year by the elders of our local church. They recognised that certain practices and traditions were holding our congregation back from true spiritual vitality in Jesus. The statement has helped guide the elders as they’ve made changes they believe will en
ODJ: true beauty
Beauty isn’t skin deep—not for the believer or for those who don’t know Jesus. A movement to see beauty in women of all shapes and sizes and the call to reject the false standards of entertainment and advertising continues to grow. From marketing campaigns using larger-sized models to local groups teaching young girls to be confident without wearing makeup, the message is clear: