ODJ: Oddly Honest

“Do you have a problem with spicy food?” the owner asked as we entered his small neighbourhood restaurant. “No,” we assured him. “Excellent,” he said. “Because if you did”—here he gestured with both hands towards the exit—“there is the door.” You may think it strange that a business owner would invite us to leave the moment he

ODB: You Have Purpose

On a hot day in western Texas, my niece Vania saw a woman standing by a stoplight and holding up a sign. As she drove closer, she tried to read what the sign said, assuming it was a request for food or money. Instead, she was surprised to see these three words:                       &

ODJ: Ox in the Street

Picnics are usually a lot of fun, unless you realise—minutes before you leave—that you’re supposed to bring a dish to share! When this happened to me, I quickly put some meat in a pot, cranked up the heat and left the kitchen to finish other preparations. Several minutes later I smelled something burning. I ran to the kitchen, but of course it was too late to salvage the burnt of

ODB: Strength for the Weary

On a beautiful, sunny day, I was walking in a park and feeling very weary in spirit. It wasn’t just one thing weighing me down—it seemed to be everything. When I stopped to sit on a bench, I noticed a small plaque placed there in loving memory of a “devoted husband, father, brother, and friend.” Also on the plaque were these words, “But they who wait for the

ODJ: The Unhappy Sin

Essayist Joseph Epstein writes, “Of the seven deadly sins, only envy is no fun at all”. He goes on to say that envy makes us look “ungenerous, mean and small-hearted”. There’s plenty of research to back up Epstein’s statement. In fact, psychologists have found that envy decreases life satisfaction and diminishes wellbeing. It’s correlated with depression a

ODB: Lord, Help!

I was so happy for my friend when she told me she was going to be a mum! Together we counted the days until the birth. But when the baby suffered a brain injury during delivery, my heart broke and I didn’t know how to pray. All I knew was who I should pray to—God. He is our Father, and He hears us when we call.I knew that God was capable of miracles. He brought Jairus

ODJ: Coram Deo

Coram Deo. Christians in the 16th century used this simple Latin phrase to capture a profound idea. Coram Deo means “before the face of God”. It says we live before the One who sees all that we are and do. And it says we should act accordingly. Living before the face of God means we walk with integrity under His loving eyes. It means His smile is all that really matte

ODB: Not a Simple Story

Life seems straightforward in the laws of the Old Testament. Obey God and get blessed. Disobey Him and expect trouble. It’s a satisfying theology. But is it that simple?King Asa’s story seems to fit the pattern. He led his people away from false gods and his kingdom thrived (2 Chron. 15:1–19). Then late in his reign, he depended on himself instead of God (16:2–7) and the re

ODJ: Memorials

Early in our marriage, my wife, Kristen, and I hiked a mountain trail. The day was full of colour, with a hot, yellow sun overhead, lush evergreens on each side and copper-coloured soil beneath our feet. We came upon a tree on which numerous hikers had carved their initials. Filled with the joy of our new life together and the beauty of the natural world, we felt like leaving a memorial too. Using