I recently had the honor of speaking to my church’s Prime Time group. They’re in the prime of life—past age 55 and eager to deploy their accumulated wisdom and experience in service. I shared a story centered around two images. The first image was a hospital hallway about five weeks after my injury. Therapists loaded […]
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How Did You Know For Sure?
A few months ago I spoke at a high school about following God-sized dreams. In the Q&A time a young lady asked, “How did you know FOR SURE this was what God wanted you to do?” I didn’t have a quick response, but if you’re going to encourage young folks to take risks and follow […]
Continue readingMore TagGiving Away Light
We debriefed the Florida tour with friends a few evenings back and someone asked an interesting question. “How do you keep from getting dragged down by all the pain and need you encounter, especially in the groups you spoke to on this trip?” Good question, and as usual I didn’t have an immediate response. I […]
Continue readingMore TagWhat’s It Look Like When You Don’t Know They’re Watching?
It was an ordinary Monday morning—if there is such a thing—on the RICH’S RIDE Florida tour. I tried to look casual about the awkward process of climbing onto the bike. Monte watched, hoping for an invitation to grab his leash and join the morning run. Becky pumped tires, arranged equipment, and did a million things […]
Continue readingMore TagFinding Friendly Eyes
When I speak to a group, I try to connect with eyes. No matter the size of the audience, I usually find a few sets of eyes that seem responsive and in tune with my message. When I need a little reassurance or a sense of how things are going, those friendly eyes become my […]
Continue readingMore TagFred And Joan
RICH’S RIDE is about people, and we’re blessed to meet interesting folks in a variety of settings. Fred and Joan wondered about the trailer, the dog, and the odd-looking bike. We’d stopped by the beach for a food/water break on day 2 of the Florida tour. Monte was still trying to make sense of the […]
Continue readingMore TagMeet Coach Rick
Even in the sprawling park, the SAINTS weren’t hard to locate. We didn’t have much trouble spotting a hundred kids in yellow t-shirts. As we pulled beside the picnic shelter, a big guy with a broad grin walked toward us with a half dozen munchkins in tow. He stopped to remind them about being safe […]
Continue readingMore TagBetter Than I Expected
One common joke among guys of every age is “we’re trying to figure out what we want to be when we grow up.” The real joke, as any woman will happily tell you, is most of us never actually get to the growing up part. Once in a while I manage to chip away at […]
Continue readingMore TagWhat Do You Learn On The Journey?
A guy takes a bike tour. At the end of the tour he’s learned an important lesson. His story can make a difference. It seems like a bold statement, but he’s pretty sure he has something important to share. That might seem sort of silly for someone who’s been writing and speaking for several years. […]
Continue readingMore TagGod-Opened Doors
Some will see only coincidence. We’re home. The tour’s over, except for some residual effects from the Skunk-Ape attack (click the link if you missed the story). It’s time to reflect. I think I learned from FLORIDA HOPE TOUR 2013. Over the next few days I’ll share what I observed, hoping you’ll find some application […]
Continue readingMore TagHow Do You Begin?
There’s something anticlimactic about the beginning of a long-awaited event. It’s never quite as big as all the work you put into it. We’ve had January 28, 2013 circled on the calendar for a long time. Finally all the planning and imagining’s over, and the sun will rise on another ordinary day. We’ll eat breakfast […]
Continue readingMore TagWhat Are Your Circumstances?
Rich’s Ride has taken us to some special places. One of those is Grace Place, the homeless ministry of Galloway United Methodist Church in downtown Jackson, Mississippi. The people at Grace Place do amazing work, and it’s difficult to explain how warmly they’ve welcomed us into their family. When I’m asked why I do this, […]
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