I did my first outdoor ride of 2020 yesterday. Felt good to remember the sense of fresh breeze, warm sunshine, and straining muscles. After a long winter, after weeks of upheaval, cruising beside a river beginning to swell with spring runoff felt safe and familiar. So much has changed. It’s easy to wonder if life […]
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Who We Are
Human trafficking didn’t shut down. No surprise, perhaps, that those who prey upon the weak and marginalized don’t observe niceties like social distancing. Ruthless criminals exploit vulnerability wherever they find it. No surprise, either, that those already rescued and living in shelters and safe houses are struggling during this crisis. As lock downs limit access […]
Continue readingOverstating “Everything”
“Everything’s changed.” Maybe you’ve heard it, or said it. When suddenly it seems like we can’t depend on anything, it’s good to remember an eternal truth: Jesus Christ is the same yesterday and today and forever. “Everything” has not changed. Our plans changed, because plans are based on what we knew when we made them. […]
Continue readingNoisemakers
Principles written on paper aren’t worth much. Unless, of course, they’re backed up with action. High-sounding honor codes mean nothing if they’re not reflected in tough choices. It’s the behavior that’s matters. I’ve told you before that in later years my classroom operated on a single principle: Everyone (including the teacher) gets treated with dignity […]
Continue readingI Don’t Know
I thought I’d talk to you about all the things I don’t know, and a few things I’m sure about. Can’t see the video? Click here.
Continue readingHelpless?
No, we’re not. But maybe that’s how it feels. When we’re confronted with big numbers, when the message isn’t clear, when an invisible boogeyman lurks around every corner, it’s easy to default to helpless. Helpless happens when we feel like we’ve lost control. Of course, what we really lose is the illusion that we were […]
Continue readingAbout Going Viral
Most people don’t really understand the math of exponential growth. Right now there’s a lot of talk about a virus spreading “exponentially.” I don’t want to talk about illness, but lots of other things spread exponentially. Generosity, for example. Let’s imagine ten people committed to a cause like a bike ride to support kids rescued […]
Continue readingIt’s Not Fair!
If life’s a baseball game, I was born on second base. A white male with a stable two-parent family in middle-class America, access to quality public K-12 education and very low-cost, world-class university. I got an undeniable head start in a culture that’s allowed me to maintain and amplify my lead with less effort than […]
Continue readingPriceless
We spend a lot of time taking pictures. Posed group pictures. Action photos. Scenery. Video. On our Photo Site you can see hundreds of pictures and videos from our rides. If you didn’t know better you’d think capturing images was the whole point. Memories matter. Joshua placed an alter of 12 stones at the place […]
Continue reading“Real” Belief
Do you really believe what you believe? If you think it’s an odd question, here’s a story. A man stretched a cable about 6 feet off the ground between two tall buildings on opposite sides of the street. As a small crowd of curious onlookers gathered, the man walked from one end to the other […]
Continue readingThe Squiggle
What do you see in this image? Mostly it’s a white background, but if you’re like me you focused on the little black squiqqle. So, you’ve got this crazy dream. You’re beginning a new project, a new week, a new decade, and you’re ready to follow Jesus. You’re ready to take the next step, to […]
Continue readingWouldn’t It Be Better?
Ever hear about “speaking up for the voiceless”? It’s sort of odd, because those “voiceless” people really have the same voices as you and me. Their voices are beautiful. And capable. And worth hearing. Those voices are intentionally, systematically silenced and repressed. Or they’re simply ignored out of convenience and privilege, because their words and […]
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