Tag Archive for: family
ODJ: we are family
We often say in the church that we’re a family, and we address each other as brothers and sisters in Christ. But what does that really mean? What implications does the word family hold?
We read in Ephesians 2:19, “You Gentiles are no longer strangers and foreigners. You are citizens along with all of God’s holy people. You are members of God’s family.” Note that the word you r
We read in Ephesians 2:19, “You Gentiles are no longer strangers and foreigners. You are citizens along with all of God’s holy people. You are members of God’s family.” Note that the word you r
ODJ: boys to men
Studies of children who grow up in fatherless homesreveal that they often face major challenges in life. The statistics are alarming. Youths who grow up in fatherless homes are twice as likely to end up in jail as those who come from traditional two-parent families. Eighty-five percent of children who exhibit behavioural disorders and ninety percent of homeless and runaway children are from father
ODJ: friends in the fray
Tim Kreider wrote about modern day busyness in a newspaper column. His piece titled “The ‘Busy’ Trap” included a personal experience in which he contacted a friend about getting together. The friend replied that he was busy but might be persuaded to “ditch work for a few hours” if “something was going on”. Kreider didn’t press for a rendezvous. He described his friend’s busynes
ODJ: new kind of father
/
1 Comment
Many people struggle in their daily life due to a poor relationship with their earthly fathers.I’ve counselled some who tend to humanise and view God through the lens of their negative experience. Many believers in Jesus also get tripped up in their relationship with their heavenly Father. If their earthly dads have failed them, it’s hard for them to believe that God won’t do the same.
ODJ: relative peace
A 60 year old man, atop a tractor, charged at his 69 year old brother in law who was harvesting hay astride his own tractor. The collision resulted in a damaged tyre and the tractor-crasher’s arrest. One law enforcement official commented, “We’ve responded on prior occasions to calls because of differences between the families.” While it’s a bit unclear what the man hoped to accomplish b
A Nepali Lady and My Grandmother
As we sat around the fire keeping ourselves warm on a wintry Nepali dawn, my Nepalese friends shared the gospel with the lady who was toasting our breakfast.
ODJ: rabble babble
Many years ago I was counselling at a Christian camp when the programme staff began to struggle. Why? Some of the counsellors didn’t appreciate the way the director was leading, so they started to complain. As the complaints spread, more people joined in. By the end of the week the staff had become polarised and the whole camp had been affected by the tempestuous situation.
When we
When we
ODJ: must see destinations
The title of a 2010 special edition magazine read: “Heaven on Earth: The World’s Must See Destinations.” It contains stunning photography of places such as the Grand Canyon, Alaska’s Denali, Petra in Jordan and Rio de Janeiro.
ODJ: saving little ones
Jenny grew up in a home where both parents engaged in extramarital affairs and were prone to violence. In this setting Jenny soon became emotionally and physically neglected—and vulnerable to others.