Oda – Pastor:  Oda had a pastor’s heart.  He was a great counselor, and he even made Jeremiah a great counsellor.  He had such compassion and mercy for everyone.  Oda had forgiveness in his heart before he needed it.  When he needed it, it was always there on the ready to forgive and move on.  He loved people.  He saw their need and acted upon it.  He was a worshiper.  He loved to praise and worship his Lord. I would hear him praising and worshiping God at all times of the day.  He was so thankful and grateful for everything the Lord had done for us, what He had provided for us, and how He had walked us through so many trials.  He often referred to our holiday Thanksgiving, as Thanksliving.  Oda was so kind and merciful and jealous over the flock of Jesus.  He prayed and interceded for everyone that called Relevant Faith their home church.  He had a list of every person that attended and prayed over that list weekly.  He was a big card sender.  After he passed, so many people came to me to tell me they had saved his many cards and would get them out and read through them.  What a testimony!

Oda – Author:  Oda wrote the book, Positioned for Blessing.  He realized at a young age the blessings of God.  His family was very poor and he stated in his book that “We were very poor, but we were not raised poorly”.  This book by Oda, lays out the position for blessing from God and how to be a good steward of His blessings.

Oda – Poet:  Oda was a poet, but then again he had a way with words.  He always had a notebook and a sketchbook or just plain lined paper with him.  He was always writing or sketching.  There are many poems written by him that need to be shared.  They are inspiring and heartwarming to the soul!

Oda – Artist:  Oda was an artist in several many mediums.  His main thrust was woodcarving.  He has several pieces in the Owensboro Museum of Fine Art in their private collection.  He won many awards for his sculpting.  He did beautiful pen and ink.  In the early 1980’s, he felt the Lord telling him to lay down his chisels and come closer to him.  I remember that time.  It was hurtful but joyful for Oda.  He grieved his art but rejoiced in the work the Lord was doing in him.  Then, when the Iraq war broke out, during Operation Desert Storm, the Lord released him to carve three pieces.  We were watching the Iraqi Army advancing into Kuwait on television and saw a young woman running with her baby on her hip and a sack on her arm.  Oda immediately sketched it and carved it in walnut.  It was as though he had never laid his chisels down.  It was a gorgeous piece and the Owensboro Museum of Fine Art now owns it in their private collection.  He also (at the same time) did a piece called, “Paul in Prison”.  That piece shows Paul on a seat of stone, with a chain on his ankle chained to the wall.  Oda carved that chain in one piece, not put together.  That piece also is owned by the museum.  He did another piece and then that was it.  There was no more carving.  Oda always said he will sculpt eternity away.  He was assured by his friend, God, that there was a lot more sculpting to do, only at another time.  One more piece the museum owns is a 5 foot tall elderly man carved out of a cedar log with a cane over his arm.  Beautiful!

Oda – The Man Behind the Prophet, Jeremiah:  The Prophet Jeremiah, (cartoon Jeremiah) was actually Oda being philosophical, witty, honest, political, living the daily grind, and loving his friend, God.  Jeremiah often talks to God in conversational style, not what we may think of as ‘prayerful’.  Jeremiah also praised and worshiped.

Jeremiah was living daily listening to God, just like we do, going through all of the difficulties of life.  But – Jeremiah could be very firm as a spokesman for God.

Oda required LOTS of dental work over the years, SO, Jeremiah had dental work, and lots of it!

He had a family and all the family trials that we have.  He had a son and wife and pets.  Oda worked very hard and endless hours at anything he did, so Jeremiah also put in endless hours doing his job.  He puts his family in his cartoons in situations we can all identify with.

Oda loved animals, so Jeremiah loved animals.  Jeremiah had cats and dogs, and ALWAYS the trials that go along with being a pet owner.

Jeremiah was very political.  He spoke his politics boldly without holding back, always telling the truth about situations instead of “spin”.

But, most of all, Jeremiah listened to God and did what he said.  He delivered the message God sent to him, whether it was received or not.  He did not mince words but said it boldly.

We hope you enjoy Jeremiah, the modern day prophet.