I taught kids for thirty-five years. I thought I knew something about schools and children. Today I learned about a private academy in New Delhi, India. Twenty-two of this academy’s students are children of women enslaved in the sex trade. They live in rented houses with missionaries who work to rescue them, and their mothers, from […]
Continue readingGot A Clean Uniform?
When I was a kid, cheering for a sports team was simpler. You knew and cheered for the players on your team. There were no free agents and really good players were rarely traded. That all changed in the mid-70’s. Now, team rosters vary drastically every season. Last year’s villains might be this season’s beloved […]
Continue readingWe Have A Team!
Our team is set. On June 22, ten cyclists will roll off on the inaugural stage of Front Range FREEDOM Tour 2013. During the next week we’ll crank along the gorgeous Colorado Rocky Mountain Front Range from Wyoming to New Mexico. On our backs we’ll proclaim our commitment to STOP HUMAN TRAFFICKING. As we continue […]
Continue readingJersey
I’m excited about today’s word-of-the-week… JERSEY Team jerseys are cool and fun. There’s a real sense of belonging, being part of something bigger than yourself, that goes with wearing a jersey. I’m thinking about jerseys because we just finalized our team for this summer’s Front Range FREEDOM Tour 2013. It’s interesting, and a little scary, […]
Continue readingRemember Grace?
Last time I told you my friend Jim’s vision of Jesus’ actions as mediator. Several readers sent notes saying how touched they were by the statement, “It’s okay. He’s with me.” Jim clearly isn’t worried his encounter with God. He knows Jesus has him covered. I wonder if those who follow Jesus often miss this […]
Continue readingHe’s With Me
My friend Jim has an incredible way of verbalizing his faith using simple, profound stories. We’ve been together in a small group for a number of years. We’ll be immersed in some tangled discussion, and Jim steps in and offers a word picture that leaves everyone saying things like “Wow” and “Very cool.” The other […]
Continue readingCan I Do This?
I confronted a curious, somewhat humbling internal dilemma this weekend. Becky and I spent several hours in our church lobby talking to people about Front Range FREEDOM Tour 2013. Did I mention that May 15th is the deadline to sign up or order a jersey? A young lady walked up and looked at our display. […]
Continue readingBuild Your Own Bike Tour
As the May 15th signup deadline approaches, we’re excited to finalize the team roster for Front Range FREEDOM Tour 2013. We’re also excited to know how many of you are passionate about fighting human trafficking and would like to do the tour, but it’s just logistically not possible. You’re in a different part of the […]
Continue readingAction
HAPPY MONDAY! A random note inspires today’s word-of-the-week… ACTION I ran across a note last week that seemed worth recording on an electronic index card and sticking on my virtual bulletin board. how to change the world Start where you are Use what you have Do what you can This note seemed like a good […]
Continue readingNot Today
I don’t worry much about things like “unwritten” rules, but one blogging rule has always made sense to me: Don’t recommend a book you haven’t read or a movie you haven’t seen. Today, I’m breaking that rule. NOT TODAY opens May 24th in Fort Collins. Becky and I will be there, and if you’re in Northern Colorado I […]
Continue readingRich’s Ride As Artwork?
Earlier this week I got to do one of my favorite things. The staff at Lesher Middle School invited me to talk to their kids about hope and dreams. This event included a unique element. Graphic recorder Karina Mullen from ConverSketch was also invited to interpret my message. Karina had what seemed to me to […]
Continue readingEver Been Challenged Over Coffee?
Last weekend I was drinking coffee in our church lobby when a guy named Brett walked up and introduced himself. First he asked why Monte wasn’t with me. Then he wanted to talk about my “crazy bike ride.” I struggled to get past the fact that my identity at church is now apparently defined by […]
Continue reading