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hospitality

by mike wittmer on October 11th, 2012 | 5 responses
The disciples went fishing because they were hungry and, frankly, there wasn’t much else to do (John 21:3). Their lives had taken a dramatic turn for the third time in about as many weeks. Jesus’ death had left them in despair, fearful, and filled with guilt. Despair, because their hopes had... read more »

flying

by regina franklin on October 9th, 2012 | 3 responses
“Just at that moment the Lord of the Eagles swept down from above, seized him in his talons, and was gone.”  —from The Hobbit In his tale of an unlikely hero, J. R. R. Tolkien presents a vivid picture of unexpected and ordained rescue. Surrounded by wolves and goblins, Bilbo was certain... read more »

being salt and light

by winn collier on August 26th, 2012 | no responses
Tehal Dosanjh was walking by a bank late one evening, when he found $16,000 in cash outside the bank’s dropbox. The bank was closed, so Dosanjh picked up the pile of bills. “I was shocked,” he said. “I knew what I had to do the next morning, which was to return it.” Remarkably, he did just... read more »

you choose Q: what should I do next?

by an odj community member on August 17th, 2012 | one response
Q: How do I know what to do next in life after having taken care of my Mom for over 24 years?  —Raleigh A: 24 years! You’re to be highly commended for your years of faithful sacrifice on behalf of your mom. At the same time, being a caretaker for so long presents some unique... read more »

give me the hill

by mike wittmer on July 20th, 2012 | 4 responses
I climbed 3 meters up the massive wooden pole and froze in fear. The platform was still 10 meters higher. From the ground, a small crowd was yelling encouragement. “You can do it!” they shouted. “I know I can,” I replied. “I’m just not sure I want to.” But I knew I had to because two... read more »

faith in a box

by regina franklin on June 28th, 2012 | 6 responses
Having purchased fire-escape ladders for our two-story home, we decided to take them out of the box and practice using them before the onset of an emergency. So on a hot summer day our family climbed out of our upstairs windows one at a time. Comical for anyone to watch, the tone of events changed... read more »

ordinary courage

by winn collier on June 24th, 2012 | no responses
Last year, when news of the Oslo bombing broke, a friend phoned Kasper Ilaug and told him that people needed help at Utoya Island, 15 minutes away. Grabbing gear and jumping into his boat, Kasper sped to Utoya and found mayhem. A shooter had begun to fire upon teenage campers and their leaders.... read more »

red barn in the andes

by tim gustafson on June 14th, 2012 | 4 responses
All roads may lead to Rome, but the most dangerous road leads to Coroico, a terminal stop on Bolivia’s El Camino de la Muerte—the Road of Death. The road may be deadly, but it’s also spectacular. Clinging to the sides of the verdant, misty Andes Mountains, the sliver of highway slices through... read more »

security

by mike wittmer on June 9th, 2012 | 2 responses
The 21st century is turning out to be frighteningly unpredictable. As technology scampers ahead at breakneck speed, companies that were toasted yesterday are today simply toast. The Blackberry has given way to the iPhone, “brick and mortar” bookshops have been pushed aside by amazon.com,... read more »

river in the sand

by jennifer benson schuldt on June 4th, 2012 | 6 responses
With our swimsuits on and the sand between our toes, my family and I decided to try a beach experiment. We picked a spot about 20 feet from the shoreline and set to work digging with plastic spades. Our goal was to hollow out a mini riverbed that would extend all the way back down to the sea. After... read more »
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