Have you ever been at a place where you thought you just couldn’t keep going? I was cranking up a long hill last week. I felt hot and tired and thirsty, and the shade from that big tree looked awfully inviting. It felt like I couldn’t possibly make it to the top without stopping. Internal […]
Continue readingMechanics
I can’t say it enough—dreams don’t happen through the efforts of one or two people. In our media-intensive culture, we frequently don’t look beneath the surface. Too often we place credit or blame on whoever happens to be in front of a camera. When you listen to athletes reflect on their careers, most of them […]
Continue readingOpening
Happy Monday! Today I have the perfect Monday word-of-the-week… OPENING Last week I heard something that really struck me. I don’t have the exact words, but it was a statement attributed to C. S. Lewis that went something like this: When we stand before God, we will realize that all that’s happened is simply the […]
Continue readingA Remarkable Circle
Planning a project like this is a pretty humbling experience. It’s really amazing to feel the power of a community forming around a dream. People are stepping into the circle from all directions, asking how they can help, and running with their ideas. I’ll do some short posts this week to offer some insight about […]
Continue readingMy Hand Cycle And My Best Friend
I’d like to tell you a story about my closest friend. It’s been on my mind a lot lately because it’s directly related to RICH’S RIDE. In March of 1999 I wanted to try hand cycling; Wayne went along to help. I got on the demo bike and tottered along like a little kid riding for the […]
Continue readingTrain Your Brain
How much do you read? Want to consider a staggering statistic? One-third of high school graduates never read another book in their entire lives, along with 42% of college graduates. Wow. We can’t get enough reality TV. Sports are not only broadcast but analyzed in paralyzing detail. And when the real games aren’t sufficient, there’s fantasy sports. Video […]
Continue readingSpiritual Junk Food
How much do you think about what you eat? Today I want to link two apparently unrelated topics. Topic #1 I’m typically not good about eating healthy. I’m desperately searching for a dietician who’ll endorse my belief that Oreos should be a basic food group. So far, no luck. However, as I train for a […]
Continue readingTension
Happy Monday! The sun’s rising on a new set of seven days. Today I’m caught in a word-of-the-week … TENSION When you pull on opposite ends of a rope, you create tension. Same thing with life. Tension’s mostly a good thing. In my experience, a lot of bad events occur when life gets out of […]
Continue readingThanks For Joining Us
If you’re one of the folks who joined our little circle in the past few days, welcome. The ride begins in six weeks! We’re busy doing what feels like a million things at once to get ready. One major task, of course, is getting my old muscles in shape for the adventure. I did a […]
Continue readingWho’s First?
Happy Saturday! I admire Tony Dungy. In the world of big-time, big-money sports, he’s one guy who’s kept his priorities in order. Here’s coach Dungy talking about adversity. (If you can’t see the video, click here.) http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kL7QV8UNm58 Have a great weekend!
Continue readingDoes God Want Me To Be Comfortable?
How often do you ask God to make you comfortable? My bike ride today was tough. I’ve done four long rides in a row this week. I guess today was the low-energy point. I stopped for a snack and found myself wondering why there have to be difficult days. I’d bet I’m not alone in […]
Continue readingDo Worship Styles Matter?
How much do you think about worship styles? I’m frequently amazed by my church’s worship. I always thought church meant a narrow set of traditional elements. Every church I ever attended had hymnals and organ music, with an occasional quiet guitar tossed in. There were almost always choir robes, and ministers wore robes or conservative […]
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