excuses
by mike wittmer on May 18th, 2012 | 3 responses
Cyclist Tyler Hamilton had steadily advanced through the ranks of the US Postal Service team, and now he was on the verge of being included on the squad that would race in the Tour de France. All he had to do was take EPO, an illegal drug that boosted endurance for the grueling mountain climbs.... read more »
sin management
by tim gustafson on May 1st, 2012 | 2 responses
We once lived across the road from Aman Nature Park, which was wonderful—except for the raccoons. Oh sure, they’re fascinating creatures. But the masklike band of black across their eyes should have alerted us to one vital detail: Raccoons are felons in fur. And the scene of the crime was our... read more »
sin less
by an odj community member on April 27th, 2012 | one response
I don’t know how easy it for us to truly say, “my sins are forgiven.” I know it took me a very long while, and even now I am still learning. Every single time I sin, I tell myself that I am not worth God’s love and forgiveness, but at the same time I’m reminded not to let Satan use... read more »
blurry vision
by an odj community member on April 25th, 2012 | 3 responses
For twenty years I dealt with bad eyesight that worsened a little each year. Then, a few years ago, I was so blessed to be able to undergo lasik eye surgery. I still remember the first time I went swimming after the surgery! I could see underwater! It was incredible.
Since the surgery I have been... read more »
learn from history
by marvin williams on April 25th, 2012 | 9 responses
According to federal education officials, US students are less proficient in their nation’s history than in any other subject. The test revealed that most fourth-graders were unable to say why well-known president Abraham Lincoln was an important figure, and few high school seniors were able to... read more »
bring it
by tom felten on April 22nd, 2012 | 8 responses
In Isaiah 59 the prophet was bringing it! He was not holding back. All around him, he saw people who were not living in truth (Isaiah 59:15). There was a decided lack of justice and righteousness in his world.
Just like you and me, he longed for truth to save the day. Perhaps unlike us, however, he... read more »
hit and run
by jennifer benson schuldt on April 16th, 2012 | 15 responses
One evening, just before midnight, an automobile slammed into the side of our house. I woke up to what sounded like an explosion, but then I heard the muffled noise of a car radio and the squealing of tires as the driver fled the scene.
Satan tried to dismantle Job’s relationship with God (Job... read more »
fear
by roxanne robbins on April 10th, 2012 | 3 responses
During my first 3 years in Uganda, I had occasional contact with blood as I held dying children, helped to dress wounds and open tumors, and sought to comfort AIDS and cancer patients.
My understanding was that as long as there was no exchange of bodily fluids or blood, I was at zero risk for... read more »
gator aid
by tom felten on March 30th, 2012 | one response
When Alexis Dunbar returned home, she received a huge surprise. A living, breathing alligator was lurking in her guest bedroom! The 6-foot gator had crawled out of a pond in her backyard and somehow squeezed through a small, swinging door used by Alexis’ cats. Wildlife crews trapped the wounded... read more »
unaware
by Jeff Olson on March 25th, 2012 | 5 responses
Chuck Colson tells the story of Ron Greer, an ex-convict who was rehabilitated through Colson’s Prison Fellowship ministry. Greer, who became a pastor after serving his time, was once interrupted by a group of gay activists as he was conducting a church service. The activists were disrespectful... read more »













