Meet Rich

A Spiritual Journey

Do you think there’s an easy path to Jesus?

If there is, I missed the signs. Despite growing up in church and Sunday school, I mostly ignored God for thirty years. I wandered without focus until a series of events demanded my attention.

First my Mom died after a bitter battle with cancer. Buried under the weight of depression, I impulsively quit my job and ran away to “start a new life” in Colorado. Of course the unresolved issues tagged along, and I found myself alone and lost in a strange city. God used my loneliness and brokenness to guide me to a small church. I met the pastor and some amazing people who began my introduction to Jesus.

Though I learned about Jesus, I still didn’t understand my personal relationship with Him. God was preparing me, laying a foundation on which He could re-build a shattered life.

In December, 1987 I fell from a roof while installing Christmas lights and damaged my spinal cord. I returned home five months later in a wheelchair.

A Sudden Turn

Permanent paralysis has a way of shifting your awareness. The injury highlighted my missing sense of “true-north,” but rather than fighting to re-orient my life I simply quit. I wasted a decade in self-pity, convinced that nothing useful remained.

For ten years I wandered in darkness, convinced not even God could find me—that’s a pretty good working definition of “hopeless.” I became so accustomed to the darkness that I believed I’d never see light again.

My only wish was death and an end to the pain. I tried to run away, but God pursued me relentlessly and refused to let me throw away the life He gave me.

He worked through a series of inspirational individuals to gradually reveal His plan for a life filled with meaning and purpose. He used the horrors of my injury to highlight the guideposts I’d missed for so long, and in the midst of tragedy He showed me the reality of Romans 8:28. Where I saw only chaos and pain, God patiently fashioned something wonderful.

It wasn’t fast (ten years!) and it certainly wasn’t easy, but the evidence of relentless, loving grace was unmistakable. I deserved only my self-constructed prison built from the rubble of accident, mistakes, failures, and bad decisions, but Jesus’ sacrificial love unlocked the door. Because of God’s grace I can go forward in freedom.

I finally understood what it meant to truly invite Jesus into my life as Lord.

A New Chapter

Along the way, a personal journal revealed patterns in a seemingly chaotic and senseless journey. The signs along the path began to make sense. Over several years the journal became a story, and the story became a book titled Relentless Grace.

I retired from a thirty-five year career as a math teacher and opened a new chapter in a most unlikely journey. Now I write and speak from my wheelchair about hope, possibilities, and new beginnings.

I’ve learned a simple, powerful lesson: With God, hopeless is a lie.

Well, I’ve actually learned an even more powerful lesson: Jesus loves me.

What’s Next?

I’m excited about my new opportunities as a writer and motivational speaker It’s been an odd transition from thirty-five years as a mathematics teacher, but I’m learning that God constructs the most improbable opportunities from the most unlikely situations. Check out my bio and the spiritual journey that brought me to this point. Have you ever felt overwhelmed and discouraged? I have. A life-altering accident and a series of unfortunate choices left me alone, empty and hopeless. I couldn’t see a way out, but God refused to let me give up. He offers you and me an opportunity to begin again. He invites us to give hope another chance.

My first book, RELENTLESS GRACE: God’s Invitation To Give Hope Another Chance, was released In November 2008.

A Message Of Hope

My message is simple: HOPE CHANGES WHAT’S POSSIBLE. In fact, that’s the subtitle of my second book, RICH’S RIDE, released in December, 2012. My goal is to share God’s message of unending hope in the midst of hopelessness.

I believe that life ought to be fun, challenging, and interesting. I wish to approach important issues carefully and thoughtfully, but I also think we often take ourselves a bit too seriously. I want to explore the boundary and balance between critical analysis and appropriate laughter.

Whether I’m speaking or writing, I sincerely try to communicate my passion for Jesus, my conviction that life is good, and my gratitude for God’s perfect faithfulness in the face of my own incessant lack of faith.

I also try to have fun and enjoy the good gifts with which God has blessed me. Prior to my accident, I could do ten thousand things. Now I can do only eight thousand. I try to focus on the eight thousand that remain rather than the two thousand I lost.

Christopher Reeve said, “When you choose hope, anything’s possible.” Let’s choose hope and explore the possibilities.

We’ve all experienced pain and loss. Join me in celebrating the incredible joy we experience when we give God’s hope another chance.

If your group is seeking an inspirational speaker, please contact me.

Here’s my family. As you can clearly see, I married way over my head.

When I don’t have my nose buried in a computer screen, I love cranking my hand cycle.

Becky, Monte, and I live in the beautiful city of Fort Collins, Colorado.

 

A Brief Bio

I entered the world in the picturesque little town of Deer Lodge, Montana. As a kid my family lived in Montana (twice), Chicago (three times), Milwaukee, and Philadelphia before finally settling in Iowa, where I graduated from high school and college and began my teaching career.

I’ve lived in Fort Collins, Colorado since 1981.

Professional Career

I’ve been a public school mathematics teacher for thirty five years, along with a three-year stint as a high school counselor. I retired in 2009, and now pursue RICH’S RIDE along with writing and inspirational speaking.

I’ve also done construction work and operated my own general contracting company for five years.

Family

Becky and I have been married since 2002. We live in Fort Collins with Monte, a wonderful Labrador Retriever who’s also a specially-trained service dog and my constant companion.

Hobbies

I love to ride my hand cycle. I crank more than two thousand miles each year. Monte and I frequent the extensive bike trail system in Fort Collins (check out the photo). I’m also a devoted fan of the Rockies and Yankees, spend too much time (according to Becky) with my computer, and I find great pleasure in writing.

Education

B.S. in Mathematics, M.S. in Counseling (Iowa State University) GO CYCLONES!

Church

Becky, Monte, and I have found an incredibly fulfilling church home at Timberline Church in Fort Collins.