Happy Monday! A wonderfully relaxing weekend leads to today’s word-of-the-week… PERFECT I spent the past few days speaking at a retreat in Moab, Utah. It was a perfect weekend. I’m thinking about “perfect” because of a particular scripture passage: “Be perfect, therefore, as your heavenly Father is perfect”. (Matthew 5:48) That seems a bit unrealistic. […]
Continue readingCounting Hidden Costs
Yesterday I asked What’s It Cost? My basic conclusion was to count the cost (Luke 14:28) because following a dream is an all-in deal. After reflecting on my own words (dangerous activity) I’m wondering if I asked the wrong question. Maybe we ought to ask: What’s the cost of NOT following the dream? A dream offers […]
Continue readingWhat’s It Cost?
What’s the cost of following a dream? Dreams aren’t free. You pay to follow a dream. Costs are measured in dollars, time, effort, and emotion. How do you decide if following a dream is “worth it”? Frankly, I don’t know how you answer that question. I suppose you can weigh anticipated risk against predicted reward, […]
Continue readingYouth Group
I’m sharing some excerpts from my in-progress manuscript about Rich’s Ride. You can check out previous posts here. # # # # # After dinner we met in the parking lot of an old warehouse. Bruce and Becky unloaded the trailer while I watched the familiar commotion of teenagers entering the run-down building. Each time […]
Continue readingBikes And Justice
Yesterday I wrote about Slavery. I’m preparing for a bike ride in July that’ll raise awareness and funds for International Justice Mission. I’m riding with a team. We want to advance IJM’s vision: To rescue thousands, protect millions and prove that justice for the poor is possible. It’s a big dream. A DREAM is a […]
Continue readingSlave
Happy Monday! Research for my summer bike ride reveals a difficult word-of-the-week… SLAVE I think of slavery as a historical horror that ended with the U.S. civil war. Sadly, I’m wrong. Around the globe more than 27 million human beings are slaves. How can that be? Today. In 2012. Slaves? Everything in my brain screams […]
Continue readingSecrets
Happy Satruday! I don’t typically think of a secret as a positive thing. This video offers an interesting change in perspective. Can’t see the video? Click here. Have a great weekend.
Continue readingDuty Or Love?
Do you follow or obey Jesus out of a sense of duty or obligation? Duty is only a substitute for love. C. S. Lewis I’ve always had this nagging sense that Jesus never wanted anyone to follow because they felt obligated or compelled. He doesn’t want followers who fear the consequences of not-following. That’s why […]
Continue readingA Fresh Coat Of Paint?
Yesterday my friend Jon Swanson posted anarticle titled How Jesus Fixed Breakfast For Some Losers. Jon’s final line: If you’ve left your nets to follow Jesus, the way forward isn’t going to be by going back. Jon’s got me thinking about how often I “go back.” Jesus addressed it: “No one sews a patch of […]
Continue readingWinning Or Winner?
I’m sharing some excerpts from my in-progress manuscript about Rich’s Ride. You can check out previous posts here. # # # # # One of many remarkable experiences on RICH’S RIDE was addressing a high school soccer team in Carbondale, Illinois. Speaking to a team, especially in a pre-game setting, was a new opportunity. I […]
Continue readingDo I Have To Choose?
Do you not know that in a race all the runners run, but only one gets the prize? Run in such a way as to get the prize. (1 Corinthians 9:24) Which is more important in life—the journey or the destination? Paper or plastic. With us or against us. As I work on writing the […]
Continue readingRegret
Happy Monday! The Easter story reminded me of today’s word-of-the-week… REGRET Yesterday’s story of the first Easter morning prompted me to wonder how I would’ve felt if I’d been part of Jesus’ circle of followers. I missed the entire message. Jesus told me—in person—exactly what was going to happen. I listened, but obviously failed to […]
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