ODB: Where Sinners Go
/
1 Comment
My friend was having a conversation with a man who didn’t have much good to say about the Christian faith. My friend knew that if he were to sound too “religious,” he would jeopardize any chance to witness. So, in the middle of their discussion, he said, “Hey, Bob, do you know where sinners go?”“That’s easy,” he replied. “You’re going to tell me they go to hell.”“No,” my
ODJ: clean conscience
According to a 2008 character survey of nearly 30,000 secondary school students, 64 percent of them said they had cheated on a test in the past year, 30 percent had stolen from a shop, 42 percent said they would lie to save money and 83 percent said they had lied to their parents about something significant. One of the more interesting findings of the survey was that 93 percent of the students sur
ODB: Fully Equipped
Karl Elsener, a Swiss designer of surgical equipment in the 19th century, worked for years on perfecting a military knife. Today his Swiss Army Knife is associated with excellence in blades and a variety of utilities. One model includes knife blades, a saw, scissors, a magnifying glass, a can opener, a screwdriver, a ruler, a toothpick, a writing pen, and more—all in one knife! If you are out ca
ODJ: victorious faith
Tukutana, the nonprofit organisation I direct in East Africa, is funding the education of a young lady named Acayo Sarah. She survived one of Africa’s longest running wars in history, but not without wounds. When Sarah was just 13 years old the LRA (Lord’s Resistance Army) rebels attacked her village in northern Uganda. After killing her mother and father in front of her, the ruthless men abdu
ODB: What Is That To You?
When you attend a children’s choir concert, you’re not surprised when the children look everywhere but at the director. They wiggle, squirm, and poke each other. They stand on tiptoes to search for parents in the audience. They raise their hands to wave when they see them. Oh, yes, and they occasionally sing. We smile at their antics. The behavior is cute in children. It’s not so cute when a
ODJ: the shrinking self
My boys like to play tag. For the moment I can still outrun them. One of our favourite spots to play is a place in our neighbourhood. It’s an oddly shaped, grassy area that narrows on both ends. My boys have the habit of running to one of the corners at the field’s edge. They think they’re creating distance from me, but they’re really only putting themselves into a corner. I give them room
ODB: Time Out
El Bulli restaurant, 2 hours north of Barcelona, is so popular that customers must reserve a table 6 months in advance. But noted Spanish chef Ferran Adrià decided to close the doors of his award-winning restaurant for 2 years so he and his staff could have time to think, plan, and innovate. Adrià told Hemispheres Magazine, “If we are winning all the prizes, why change? Working 15 hou
ODJ: turning away
His tears revealed the sincerity of his sorrow. My young friend, a member of the youth group I work with, was torn up inside. For years he had used drugs. Then he began selling them to others. Now, no longer dealing, his heart was broken as he considered the many children and youth that he turned on to drugs. He saw them sinking into self-destruction and he felt terrible.
We talked about the for
ODB: Help Yourself
Recently, I saw a television ad for a restaurant chain that made a dramatic claim. At those restaurants, the ad said you could “Help Yourself to Happiness.” Wouldn’t it be nice if a helping of potatoes or meat or pasta or dessert would be all that was needed to provide happiness? Unfortunately, no restaurant can fulfill that promise.Happiness is an elusive thing—as we can see in almost eve