Category: Freedom Tour

I ran across a quote recently that’s challenged my thinking. I’ve become comfortable with the idea that empathy means “walking in the other guy’s shoes.” Then here comes the brilliant Dr. Brené Brown. We need to dispel the myth that empathy is walking in someone else’s shoes. Rather than walking in your shoes, I need […]

Ernie’s about 18 months old. Thanks to our talented friend Steve, he’s preparing to be a service dog. People frequently comment on how calm he is – for his age. That calm is part of the training. Left to his instincts, Ernie would react instantly to every squirrel and leaf. He’s learning, slowly, not to […]

I admire pros, people who are really good at what they do. Our friend Richard Flores from H11 Productions is a pro. He creates the sort of video we admire and wonder, “How did he do that?” Richard created this amazing video to tell the FREEDOM TOUR story. Enjoy! (Video will open in new window.) […]

My friend Jon has been writing about Nehemiah’s Great Work. Actually, Jon wrote a whole book about his conversation with Nehemiah. It’s a delightful read that makes you feel like you’re in the room as they talk through Nehemiah’s wisdom, insights, and struggles. Jon’s reminding me that “great work” isn’t about rebuilding the walls of […]

Last time I asked questions. Still seeking answers, oddly by asking another question. What brings us together? We’re a Jesus-centered community, so the obvious answer might be “Jesus.” But we started as a group of folks who like to ride bikes. So maybe it’s the events that bring us together. Maybe – but there are […]

Last time I said Jesus made it simple – a community centered around Him. And I promised to link that to the FREEDOM TOUR. I’ve been thinking a lot about this paraphrased observation from Richard Halverson (U.S. Senate Chaplain 1981 – 95): The church began in Jerusalem as a community centered on the person of […]

Our best teachers are people who thought they were just being our friends. It’s the premise of RELENTLESS GRACE. As I share bits of the story over at 300wordsaday.com, I’m reminded that God sent people instead of lessons. Isn’t that God’s big story? To redeem and heal the world, He didn’t send words. He sent the WORD. […]

I’ve been sharing bits of the RELENTLESS GRACE story over at 300wordsaday.com. Interesting to chop incidents from the book into bite-sized chunks, sort of like an old-time radio show (tune in next week!). As I revisit the manuscript, I find new perspectives and ideas. RELENTLESS GRACE explains how God sent an unlikely string of people […]

We’ve all heard the phrase “voice for the voiceless.” It’s a take on Proverbs 31: Speak up for those who cannot speak for themselves, for the rights of all who are destitute. Speak up and judge fairly; defend the rights of the poor and needy. I’m thinking about the kids at the Home of Hope. I […]

What do I need to learn from this?  I like questions. This is a pretty good one. I wrote last time about the challenges of community. Any time you get a bunch of people together, working hard for a mission, things aren’t going to go exactly as planned. I have this tendency to “awfulize,” to […]

Someone observed that Jesus, by most modern definitions, led a pretty empty life. No romance or children, no property or wealth, nothing we’d call a real career. By most standards, His life seems sort of unfulfilling. One exception: community. Jesus’ human life was filled with authentic friends. They did life together with all its flaws […]