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 […]
Continue readingChurch
HAPPY MONDAY! We’re on the road for today’s word-of-the-week… CHURCH We spoke at a church yesterday—at least they said it was a church. It used to be a house, before it was an office. The address? First building south of the gas station. We had to ask for directions. No pews, no stage, no fancy […]
Continue readingWill You Be An Ironman?
We were honored to speak on Friday to a roomful of folks preparing for Sunday’s Ironman Triathlon. These people are following a God-sized dream. On Sunday we watched as they hit the water at 7:00 am for a 2.6 mile swim, followed by a 112 mile bike ride and a 26.2 mile run. The first […]
Continue readingWhen You Do The Simple Stuff
Some problems are complex. Want to end world hunger, stop human trafficking, or wipe out poverty? I wouldn’t know where to begin. But feeding a hungry child? That’s pretty simple—you provide some food. Hal Donaldson, co-founder of Convoy Of Hope, tells of meeting Mother Teresa in the early 1990’s. She asked him what he’d done […]
Continue readingHow Many Showed Up?
How do you measure success? For many speakers, lots of people = success and two people = not so much success. Yesterday we scheduled a speaking gig, sort of last-minute, at Crossroads Coffee House in Cross Plains. Everyone was invited, and we spent the evening with the owner and one of her baristas. Failure, right? […]
Continue readingDo You Need A Big Audience?
(I’m posting this on both blogs today. Apologies to those who received it twice.) How do you measure success? For many speakers, lots of people = success and two people = not so much success. Yesterday we scheduled a speaking gig, sort of last-minute, at Crossroads Coffee House in Cross Plains. Everyone was invited, and […]
Continue readingYou Can’t Plan Friends
Most people begin a bike ride by riding a bike. So today we begin Wisconsin Hope Tour with two speaking engagements. Bikes will have to wait until Thursday, unless we sneak in an early morning ride today. # # # Yesterday we remembered the balance we need between planning and trusting. When we did our […]
Continue readingHow Do You View A Limited Horizon?
Nothing lasts forever. This week we begin a new ride. Wisconsin Hope Tour offers a fresh canvas, a blank expanse of road stretching out in front of us. Each time we begin a tour I’m excited to see what God has in store for us just beyond that hill. This time, though, there’s another level […]
Continue readingWrite
HAPPY MONDAY! A game of tag prompted today’s word-of-the-week… WRITE Jon Swanson explained why he writes. Then he said, “Tag, you’re ‘it’” and asked me to consider the same question. So I took a couple of long bike rides, which is where I think about stuff, and wondered why I write. I’d like to say […]
Continue readingDon’t Forget To Celebrate
I think when I ride. Yesterday I realized I’ve been focused a lot on the future. A big part of this year has been about anticipating the next project, and I sense that perhaps I’ve been missing a lot of moments. We’re about to hit the road for Wisconsin Hope Tour 2014. Another stretch of open, […]
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