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 […]
Continue readingA Familiar Figure In An Orange Jump Suit
Do you REALLY believe what you believe? Today I’ll speak to a group of inmates at the Marathon County Detention Center. Yesterday we talked to kids at the Juvenile Detention Center. I’ve addressed similar audiences before, and each time I experience the same haunting impressions. In June, 2009, I shared these thoughts. # # # As […]
Continue readingCan You Laugh At Yourself?
I spoke yesterday at a Rehab Celebration at Gunderson Medical Center in La Crosse. I talked about community, because rehab and recovery aren’t individual efforts. Like most meaningful parts of life, rehab happens in community. I offered three stories, including one I don’t share often. I thought you might appreciate a giggle wrapped around an […]
Continue readingWhere Was The Tipping Point?
Yesterday I spoke to a group of leaders at Dynamic Recycling in La Crosse. During Q&A time, we heard a great question. “On your Mississippi River trip, where was the tipping point? Where was the point when you knew you’d make it?” Interesting notion—where’s the tipping point? Where’s that instant where impossible transforms to inevitable? When […]
Continue readingHope Described
Hope … Knows there’s light when all that’s visible is darkness. Believes in possibility when confronted by impossibility. Expects order to emerge from chaos. Reaches out in the presence of isolation. Seeks joy when surrounded by despair. Accepts freedom even when buried by guilt. Moves forward despite fear. Perceives a remarkable future beyond the immediate […]
Continue readingA People Magnet’s Look At Hope
I think I like Wisconsin. On a lot of our tours Rich rides on roads with traffic. Becky worries about that, but what bothers me is that I don’t get to run with him. When Rich gets ready to ride, I get excited. At home I always get to go along, so it’s really sad […]
Continue readingMine
HAPPY MONDAY! A casual compliment prompts today’s word-of-the-week… MINE When you visit a church with a trailer and an 80 lb. people magnet, a lot of people ask what you’re up to—usually after they pet the dog. After I explained the basics of RICH’S RIDE to one guy he exclaimed, “Your ministry is really cool.” […]
Continue readingDoors: Knocking Down Or Knocking?
I believe God keeps His promises. Jesus said, “Knock and the door will be opened to you.” So yesterday we spent much of the day trying to get through a door we were sure should open, and I was a bit disappointed when it remained firmly shut. Clearly, the gatekeeper didn’t get the memo. In […]
Continue readingWhat’s Hope Look Like?
How do you talk about hope without talking about God? It’s a common question as we travel and tell our story to audiences that aren’t always church-based. How do you tell a faith story without faith words? I think the answer lies in one of my favorite admonitions: Always preach powerful sermons. If absolutely necessary, use […]
Continue readingUnexpected Places, Unexpected People
We encounter some of the nicest people in the coolest places. We met these folks in Elroy at a quaint little converted railroad depot that’s now a bike trail stopover. They listened to our story and talked about friends who have quit trying. This story resonates wherever we go. People respond to the promise of […]
Continue readingA Place Where Messy Is Welcome
We spent Monday evening with the staff and some friends at Bridgepoint Church in Wisconsin Dells. Actually, we met in their newly-opened and still-under-construction coffee house, Bella Goose. It’s located next to their ministry center in a strip mall. They have the unique opportunity to work with more than 4000 international students who descend on […]
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