mr. right
In an online forum, one woman wrote: “I’m single, over 30, and under pressure from parents, friends, and just about everyone around me to get married. Haven’t met the right guy, but still praying to. I’m really looking for ways to cope with this and would really appreciate sound advice.”
December 30, 2013
As the New Year begins, what are you most looking forward to?
“Christ” offends people
A few years ago, a prominent Christian group removed the word Christ from its organization’s name. The organization defended its name change, citing research which revealed that 20 percent of non-Christians were alienated and offended by the name of Christ. So they stated that they were merely looking for a name that would make the organization more effective in sharing the gospel.
remember
Last week I took my adopted son and his buddy (whom my friends adopted from Ethiopia) to the beach where I grew up in Florida. Watching the boys as they splashed in the gulf, played in the sand, and curiously poked at a dead jellyfish that had washed up on the shore, I marveled at God’s work in their lives.
stressed
More than “another day, another dollar,” work for the believer is an opportunity to live out our God-given talents. At the same time, our jobs can be a significant source of stress. As we’re responding to different personalities or economic challenges in the workplace, our responsibility as believers is the same regardless of location or job description: Love and reflect Jesus well.
shea butter promises
Pastor Kofi has helped to plant 25 churches in Ghana and Burkina Faso, as well as a home for orphans and a school with 1,000 students. But he doesn’t have much money to manage all this.
silent night
During the final home court basketball game in December, Taylor University basketball fans practice a tradition they call “Silent Night.” Once the game starts, the crowd stays completely silent. All that’s heard are the echoes of the basketball bouncing on the court, the squeak of the players’ shoes, and the occasional chatter among players and coaches. The gymnasium stays quiet until Taylor scores its tenth point. Once that happens—the fans cut loose and the place erupts!
the soul’s worth
O Holy Night” is a Christmas hymn we need to sing loudly. We need to sing it during Advent and Christmas—and if I had my way, we’d belt it out every month of the year. These lines tell us a deep truth:
December 23, 2013
Merry Christmas from the whole ODJ team! How have you grown in your faith with ODJ since last Christmas?
saved by a compass
During World War II, Waldemar Semenov (a retired merchant seaman) was serving as a junior engineer aboard the SS Alcoa Guide when a German submarine surfaced and opened fire on the ship. The US merchant ship was hit, caught fire, and began to sink. Three hundred miles off the coast of North Carolina, Semenov and the other sailors lowered lifeboats into the water. Fortunately, the lifeboats were equipped with a compass. Semenov and his crew used the compass to sail west by northwest toward the shipping lanes. After three days, a patrol plane spotted Semenov’s lifeboat and the USS Broome rescued the men the next day. Thanks to that compass, Semenov and 26 other crewmembers were saved.
the touch of love
A hug is a powerful thing. Picture a sobbing mother and father clutching each other as they stagger in grief. A third person walks up, a pastor or close friend, and throws his arms around both of them. Their sorrow is too much for words, but his touch says enough and all that should be said.
no other gods
Jason is dead serious about his studies. He’s striving to gain an overseas scholarship that will allow him to pursue a doctorate degree in mathematics. So he makes sure that he does well in all his required classes. He’s also gone beyond the basics to take higher-level classes. He eats, drinks, and sleeps math!
