The long arc of the moral universe bends toward justice. Hate will not rule the day. Violence won’t have the final word. That’s what we believe, and that’s why we can’t be discouraged. It’s hard, isn’t it? It’s hard when we’re surrounded by evidence suggesting we’re fools to actually believe and follow Jesus. Love your […]
Continue readingAuthor: Rich
Talk
HAPPY MONDAY! Pope Francis’ visit to America inspired today’s word-of-the-week… TALK I’m challenged by Pope Francis’ efforts to walk his talk. He could easily withdraw into a protected bubble and issue pronouncements about humility, service, and accepting risk. Instead, he does all he can to integrate those values into his life, much to the consternation of […]
Continue readingLeader Of The Pack
I’m not impressed by fancy titles. I’ve been fortunate enough to be close to a few people with big-time titles to realize they’re just regular men and women, with the same issues, struggles, and brokenness as the rest of us. I’ve become skeptical of the notion of positional authority. “Chief Muckety-Muck, PhD” at the top […]
Continue readingSimple
HAPPY MONDAY! Recent experience has me re-visiting a previous word-of-the week… SIMPLE What Jesus asked of us is simple. I need to remember that today. Maybe you do too. He asked us to love with no strings. Sacrificially. Love God. Love others. Love ourselves. That’s it. Of course, it’s not easy. Or safe. Or cheap. But […]
Continue readingWe’re Not #1
Try to picture a team carrying their coach off the field chanting WE’RE NOT #1! Never happen, right? In our culture, second place is just the first loser. If they don’t play We Are The Champions while confetti rains down, the season was a failure. But here’s a hard reality: no matter how hard you […]
Continue readingRipples Of Hope
I’ve always been inspired by Robert F. Kennedy. Recently my friend Claire pointed me to RFK’s 1966 Ripples Of Hope Address delivered at Capetown University, South Africa. Like President Kennedy, he sought to inspire us to reach beyond easy and immediate to follow big dreams and strive for something beyond ourselves. Each time a man […]
Continue readingYoke
HAPPY MONDAY! A favorite verse inspires today’s word-of-the-week… YOKE I feel like I’ve encountered a lot of folks lately who seem like they’re carrying a lot of weight around. “Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I […]
Continue readingFeedback, Critics, And Following Dreams
If you have no heart to change it, you have no right to criticize it. Mark Twain I recently declined a friend’s request for “constructive criticism.” He seemed a little confused when I offered to provide feedback instead. Dreamers need lots of feedback, but they need to learn how to tune out the inevitable critics. […]
Continue readingWhy Are We Standing Around?
Sometimes an event in the bible just makes me laugh. In the first chapter of Acts, Jesus gives His friends some final instructions before He leaves in a remarkable manner. After he said this, he was taken up before their very eyes, and a cloud hid him from their sight. They were looking intently up into […]
Continue readingThings We Didn’t Try
Occasionally a question hits the sweet spot in a particular group. “What do you think you’ll regret more in ten years–your failures or the things you didn’t try?” Man, you could have heard a pin drop in the room across the hallway, that’s how silent it got. You could see the wheels turning for a […]
Continue readingConservative
HAPPY MONDAY! A surprising statement leads me to today’s word-of-the-week… CONSERVATIVE “I always thought Jesus was really conservative.” “Really?” “Yeah. Not politically, but just, you know, quiet and sort of down-the-middle.” “Interesting. Where’d you get that idea?” “I guess from church. That’s pretty much how church was when I was a kid, so I just figured […]
Continue readingAll Those Times We Try To Be God
You and I would never try to take God’s place, right? Except I’ve noticed I do it a lot, and I suspect I’m not alone. It’s not on purpose–I don’t have a throne in my back yard or anything like that. It happened most recently when a friend got in some trouble and I wanted […]
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