It’s interesting to talk to people about what’s hard. My friend Jim Haywood says riding a bike 500 miles for a worthy cause really isn’t a big deal. What’s hard for Jim is taking time away from his family. Some folks look at our 500-mile route and decide it’s impossible. Others think they could do […]
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Light In Dark Places
We’re putting finishing touches on the 2016 FREEDOM TOUR jersey. It’s turning out really cool, I think. A lot goes into planning and designing all the details. It’s surprising how many parts make up the final product. For example, here’s one of the two side panels. The message isn’t as prominent as what appears on […]
Continue readingMore TagAn Artist’s Canvas
Anybody can upload a video to Youtube. Anybody can purchase professional editing software and a camera and do a decent job of producing better quality amateur videos. We shouldn’t allow “lack of training” to keep us from doing our best to spread our message. But it’s easy to recognize the touch of a talented artist. […]
Continue readingMore TagWhy Not?
If you have the opportunity to make an impact, why wouldn’t you do it? Our culture tells us impact is all about power and control, or at least fame and flash. Most folks, I think, would like to make an impact, but they’re unlikely to do something outrageous like riding a bike around the world. The truth is […]
Continue readingMore TagI Didn’t Know
I thought I knew a lot about school. I taught in schools for thirty-five years. With all that practice, in some pretty divergent environments, I figured I knew about schools and kids. About three years ago I learned about a Christian school called Life Center Academy in New Delhi, India. Math, science, bible classes. It’s […]
Continue readingMore TagWe’re Not Trying
We’re not trying to be the biggest bike tour. We’re not trying to be the fastest bike tour. Or the most efficient. Or the most diverse. Seth Godin pointed out that you ought to be prepared to invest your heart and soul into the thing you’re trying to be. So you should know what that […]
Continue readingMore TagHow Passion Seeks Justice
“Where did you get your passion for this cause?” Great question. Like a lot of mission commitments, our involvement with the kids at the HOME OF HOPE has a back story that starts with a tug on the heart strings. In 2012 Becky and I did a bike tour from Cincinnati to Washington DC to […]
Continue readingMore TagThe World’s Most Influential Story
Is the story you tell yourself. It’s influential because, after all, it’s right. You know it’s right, because you invented it. You’re the storyteller. You’re the main character in your own story. So you can give your character a big pile of unforgivable guilt and shame to haul around. You can make her too young, […]
Continue readingMore TagIs It Time to Leap?
Happy Leap Year! Usually I’m all about training and continuous, incremental improvement. Keep riding, running, walking, talking to God, day by day, and over the long term big changes happen. Yesterday, on Leap Day, I looked back at my life and noticed a few points at which the move from Point A to Point B required […]
Continue readingMore TagWhen It’s Worth The Risk
Stepping out in faith is risky. “Faith is taking the first step even when you don’t see the whole staircase.” Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Trusting God to commit to the climb without knowing where it leads–that’s a risk. Actually climbing the staircase probably isn’t that hard. On the other hand, a well-marked, well-planned climb to the […]
Continue readingMore TagWhy It’s Never That Simple
“My life is over.” When doctors told me the reality of my injury–spinal cord damage and paralysis–I absolutely knew my life was over. I couldn’t walk, run, ride a bike, or do any of the things thirty-six-year-old men were supposed to do. I’d lost everything, and my life was over. It’s easy to understand my immediate […]
Continue readingMore TagYou Will Get Tired
“Didn’t you get tired?” I told the story of my 1500-mile Mississippi River handcycle ride to a group of men earlier this week, and I guess I glossed over the hard parts. When you talk about a big dream, it’s easy to recall sunshine and smooth roads. I did get tired. A lot. And here’s a funny […]
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