what to do?
You might be in one of those times in life where you’re not sure what to do. Do I go to school? Do I get a job or pursue another career? In his book The Way I Was Made, songwriter Chris Tomlin writes, “Right now, the God who made you knows your heart, knows your desires, your strengths, your limitations . . . and this God has only good in mind for your future.” Chris points to Jeremiah 29:11 which reveals that God has good plans for us.
was it worth it?
In the movie Field of Dreams, miraculous things start to happen after Ray Kinsella builds a baseball field in the middle of his Iowa cornfield. One by one, major league baseball players from years past begin miraculously emerging from the surrounding cornstalks and begin to “play ball.”
multi-hat syndrome
A pastor recently listed 36 different “hats” he might wear. The roles included community activist, theologian, financial advisor, and life coach. These roles evolved from the different needs of churchgoers. While it’s important for all of us to respond to others’ needs, if the demands consume us, we may begin to serve people instead of serving God.
a prize awaits
How do I decide what to write in my ODJ article? Each month, I move down the list of 66 books in the Bible, and pick a passage from three books to write on. But sometimes I’ll write on the passage that I’m currently studying. Interestingly, I’ve noticed that quite a number of my articles are on Christian service. So I wondered: How many ODJ readers are actively serving God?
not mine to do
The idea was his, but he didn’t receive the credit. He drew the plans. He designed the furniture. He collected the materials. He made all the arrangements (1 Chronicles 22:1-6). But God didn’t respect David’s copyright. The first temple built in Jerusalem is known as Solomon’s temple.
King David’s desire to honor God is commendable, but the Lord said, “You…
riches
“Volunteers don’t get paid, not because they’re worthless, but because they’re priceless.” —Sherry Anderson
How would you like to enjoy astonishing riches? The best way to do just that is to volunteer. The unlimited supply of delightful joy this brings is immeasurable. I spent ten years of volunteering in Hospitals in Ontario. Those truly were the best years of my life.…
building personal altars
Every Friday night a group of us get together to share what's going on in our lives, read the Bible, and pray. We're a diverse bunch, with a mathematician, a musician, a lawyer, a public speaker, and even an amateur political activist in the ranks.
Recently we read the Tower of Babel account and were struck by the builders' motivation.…
3 questions
The one thing I desire in ministry is to give God the best that I’ve got. I don’t always succeed, but I aspire to give him my best. How can we be sure that we are giving God the best we’ve got? Based on 1 Corinthians 3:10-15, here are three very important questions that can help us to achieve maximum…
being otherly
John and Bessie Gonleh needed help. They had already endured John being gunned down by rebels in their native Liberia (he barely survived), years of disease-ridden refugee camps, and the death of three of their children due to regional warfare.
A fellow believer, businessman Bruce Beakley, was returning to the United States from hip replacement surgery in Belgium when he…
it’s not all about you
Prior to moving to East Africa, I lived in Washington, DC, just a few miles away from Walter Reed Hospital. This is the treatment facility for the American soldiers who have been most severely wounded while serving in the Iraq War.
Three friends and I were invited to visit Walter Reed on a semi-regular basis to offer encouragement to the…
