ODJ: the source


For the past 2 years I’ve served in a church in the urban heart of a large city. It’s a difficult ministrythat requires me to have deep compassion and an open heart for others—things that don’t come naturally to me. I often feel woefully unqualified and wonder how I can be the person of grace and compassion that I need to be.


It’s good to remember that there was someone e

ODB: Memory Loss

Sometimes when we face times of trouble, we may get spiritual amnesia and forget the grace of God. But a good way of reestablishing a thankful heart is to set aside undistracted time and deliberately remember God’s past provisions for us and give thanks.When the children of Israel found themselves in a barren, hot desert, they developed memory loss about the grace of God. They began to wish they

ODJ: staying alert


Writer and media consultant Phil Cooke was on a business trip to Calgary, Canada. More than a thousand miles from home, he thought he was walking around in total anonymity until someone tapped him on the shoulder and asked, “Aren’t you Phil Cooke?” The man who made the inquiry had read Cooke’s books and followed him through social media. Phil wasn’t doing anything that could have damaged

ODB: Keeping Darkness At Bay

In J. R. R. Tolkien’s book The Hobbit, the wizard Gandalf explains why he has selected a small hobbit like Bilbo to accompany the dwarves to fight the enemy. He says, “Saruman believes it is only great power that can hold evil in check, but that is not what I have found. I found it is the small everyday deeds of ordinary folk that keep the darkness at bay. Small acts of kindness and

ODJ: the tale of three men


Once there were three men who served in the same community—Gaius, Diotrephes and Demetrius. 


Gaius was “Mr. Nice Guy”. But that doesn’t mean he was a pushover, as some movies portray nice guys. He rightly discerned who needed help and faithfully cared for those who served God—even if they were strangers (3 John 1:5). He was a man of integrity (v.3), but that wasn’t his be

ODB: Live In Love

In the African country where my friend Roxanne lives, water is a precious commodity. People often have to travel long distances to collect water from small, contaminated creeks—leading to sickness and death. It’s difficult for organizations like orphanages and churches to serve the people because of a lack of water. But that’s beginning to change.Through Roxanne’s leadership and the unself

ODJ: the long wait


Forty years ago, as the violence in Vietnam rained down on his village, an explosion killed Ho Van Thanh’s wife and two of his children. In fear and desperation, Thanh scooped up his infant son, Ho Van Lang, and fled into the jungle. For 4 decades, father and son lived far from civilisation, carving a rudimentary life out of the land. Recently, villagers exploring some 25 miles from their homes

ODB: A Word For The Struggler

There is an old adage that says, “Don’t bite off more than you can chew.” It’s wise not to take on more responsibilities than we can handle. At some time, however, we will likely feel overwhelmed by the size and difficulty of a task we have agreed to do.This can happen even in our walk of faith in Christ when our commitment to God seems too much to bear. But the Lord has an encouraging wor

ODJ: don’t judge?


Do not judge others” may be the most popular verse in the world. It’s the one phrase from the Bible that everyone seems to know—and often misapply. A former politician continued to text inappropriate photos of himself to strangers even after he apologised and resigned in disgrace. He angrily told a disgusted voter that he had no right to judge him. Pope Francis, when asked about gay priests,