How important is happiness? Thomas Jefferson apparently thought it was a big deal. He listed its pursuit, along with life and liberty, as three basic rights with which God endowed us. Yesterday I did a training ride, and frankly it wasn’t a happy experience for several reasons that don’t really matter. I likely would’ve avoided […]
Continue readingAre You Disabled?
“How do you avoid repeating the cycle of despair?” It’s perhaps the most insightful question we heard on our recent tour, and it came up several times. Like most really good questions, I’m not sure I had a simple answer. Makes sense, though. When you describe a journey that resonates with so many folks, a […]
Continue readingHow To Live Out Hope
Hope means we approach God with a sense of expectancy. That’s what the pastor said yesterday at the church where we spoke. I love that notion, the idea that we’re excited to see what God’s up to. (I’m posting this on both blogs today. Apologies to those who received it twice.) RICH’S RIDE is all […]
Continue readingExpectancy
HAPPY MONDAY! A fresh term for a familiar concept is today’s word-of-the-week… EXPECTANCY Hope means we approach God with a sense of expectancy. That’s what the pastor said yesterday at the church where we spoke. I love that notion, the idea that we’re excited to see what God’s up to. RICH’S RIDE is all about […]
Continue readingWhat Happens When Things Get Real?
I love talking to kids about dreams. I love telling them about hope and possibility and being what God made them to be. But yesterday when I looked at a group of eager young faces I had this crazy thought. I’m encouraging them to take risks, step out in faith, avoid taking the safe path. […]
Continue readingWhat Happens When Comfortable Changes?
Monte and I took a morning ride yesterday. Dreams evolve. Yesterday’s risky might be today’s safe. Come along and share some thoughts about what happens when comfortable changes. Can’t see the video? Click here. Please leave a comment here.
Continue readingWhen You Jump To Conclusions
I have this terrible tendency to form on-the-spot judgments. I don’t always engage with grace and an open mind before instantly staking out a position. I believe that’s what they call “being judgmental.” A while back we met a young, energetic leader. In the course of our conversation he made what seemed to be a curious […]
Continue readingHow A Dog Starts Conversations
“That’s a great-looking dog.” You’d be amazed at how many conversations begin like that. So we talked a bit about Labrador Retrievers and dog hair, but this guy in the hotel lobby had deeper questions. It wasn’t long before he asked about the wheelchair, my injury, and the recovery process. He wanted to know about […]
Continue readingYou Find Hope In Unlikely Spots
Yesterday we encountered a small pocket of hope. Becky and I talked over lunch with staff members at Freedom House in Green Bay. Tucked away in an out-of-the-way corner on the edge of the community, this amazing organization is changing lives one family at a time. We see this everywhere we go on our journey […]
Continue readingHave You Tried Farming?
I’ve decided this tour might actually be a farming expedition. I know—bike riding to farming might be something of a mixed metaphor. I’m pondering Jesus’ words. Jesus said, “This is what the kingdom of God is like. A man scatters seed on the ground. Night and day, whether he sleeps or gets up, the seed sprouts and grows, […]
Continue readingResponsibility
HAPPY MONDAY! One particular audience got me thinking about today’s word-of-the-week… RESPONSIBILITY Becky asked how I felt after speaking to a group of men at a county detention center. I realized I felt a huge sense of responsibility. My response surprised me, but as I reflected it made more sense. I spoke to guys desperate […]
Continue readingJuvenile Detention Center: Kids In Jail
Do we really need to put children in jail? Becky and I visited a Juvenile Detention Center yesterday. We talked to boys about hope and dreams. The discussion was no different from dozens of others with kids in schools all across the country. The boys were sometimes distracted and probably more curious about the bike […]
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