ODJ: the danger of complacency
Complacency is one of the biggest dangers for people with severe allergies. I’m a prime example. It had been 10 long years since a severe latex allergy had seriously threatened to end my life. Believe me, it’s terrifying when you suddenly swell up like a balloon and can’t breathe. But then years rolled by and I forgot just how serious an allergic reaction can be.It didn’t s
ODB: A Letter from the Battlefield
For more than two decades, Andrew Carroll has been urging people not to throw away the letters written by family members or friends during a time of war. Carroll, director of the Center for American War Letters at Chapman University in California, considers them an irreplaceable link to tie families together and open a door of understanding. “Younger generations are reading these letters,&rd
ODJ: rather odd . . .
Apart from Me, you can do nothing.When I read John 15:5 the other day, the words of Jesus struck me as rather odd: “Those who remain in me, and I in them, will produce much fruit. For apart from me you can do nothing.” I then wondered how these words might have struck the disciples when they heard them. Did they think of Jesus as a dictator, a type of control freak who wanted to keep
ODB: Fiery Conversation
Where I come from in northern Ghana, bush fires are regular occurrences in the dry season between December and March. I’ve witnessed many acres of farmland set ablaze when the winds carried tiny embers from fireplaces or from cigarette butts carelessly thrown by the roadside. With the dry grassland vegetation, all that is needed to start a devastating fire is a little spark.That is how James
ODJ: after the apocalypse
Popular films like The Hunger Games and Divergent explore what the world might be like on the other side of the apocalypse. These gritty films try to imagine how those who have suffered through a cosmic catastrophe could pick up the pieces and rebuild their lives.The Jews faced a similar problem when they returned from captivity: the temple was in ruins. The young people shouted for joy when they
ODB: Raise Your Hand
The St. Olaf Choir from Northfield, Minnesota, is renowned for making beautiful music. One reason for its excellence is the selection process. Applicants are chosen based not only on how well they sing but also on how they sound as part of the whole. Another reason is that all members agree to make the choir their first priority and commit to a rigorous rehearsal and performance schedule.One of th
ODJ: unfair
Which of these two questions causes you to squirm the most: Why do seemingly honourable people suffer? or Why do the people who do bad things prosper? I wrestle with both of them. For instance, it makes we wonder why people who strike unethical deals and cheat on their contracts seem to get away with their schemes and even prosper, while people who are seeking to live for Jesus s
ODB: Christ the Redeemer
The famous statue Christ the Redeemer overlooks the city of Rio de Janeiro. The statue is a model of Christ with His arms extended so that His body forms the shape of a cross. Brazilian architect Heitor da Silva Costa designed the figure. He imagined that the city’s residents would see it as the first image to emerge from the darkness at dawn. At dusk, he hoped the city dwellers wou
ODJ: what are you afraid of?
One of my jobs, being a rock-climbing instructor, includes helping people overcome their fear of heights. I explain to them that the real issue isn’t falling, but hitting the ground. Then I remind my clients that they have the proper safety equipment and good anchor points—making it impossible for them to drop. One thing they need to grasp is that their mind is actually lying to them,