In 2011, near the end of our 1500-mile Mississippi River bike ride, we were invited to visit the small community of Rolling Fork, Mississippi. The wonderful people we met there have always been a special memory. So our hearts were broken by images of the horrific storm that devastated Rolling Fork last week. Like so […]
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Accountable Or Responsible
Lots of conversation these days about accountability. To me, though, most of this “accountability” is just about pointing fingers and blaming. There’s nothing wrong with holding people accountable when they’ve done something wrong, but I think we confuse it with a bigger idea. What we really want, I think, is for people to take responsibility. […]
Continue readingService And Perspective
I believe we were created to serve. God. Other people. The Creation. When we serve, we’re being Christ-like. “The world looks vastly different when on one’s knees washing someone’s feet. I think that is why Jesus chose this for the disciples’ final group act before the cross. Is there a relationship in your life where […]
Continue readingI Don’t Wanna
“I have to do this,” I’ll say. Becky’s response: “No, you get to do this.” It’s a half-serious, half-joking conversation that runs on a loop in our house. I suppose we could write it off as background noise, but I think there’s more to it. I’m pretty privileged. There are some things I have to […]
Continue readingMake Disciples
Last time I talked about the idea that it might take 300 touches, 300 impressions or interactions, for some people to really encounter Jesus. It got me thinking about the great commission, Jesus’ commandment to go and make disciples. And it seems like we’ve turned that into an entire industry of mission trips and church […]
Continue readingQuid Pro Quo
We’re sort of conditioned into a quid pro quo idea of generosity. Want great service? Tip generously. It’s odd, because the link implies there’s no point to giving generously if we don’t get something in return. At the FREEDOM TOUR, we’re surrounded by one-way generosity, by people who give time, talent, and money – expecting […]
Continue readingLet’s Go!
What if you could stand against injustice simply by walking, running, or riding your bike? What if every mile raised a dollar, and what if you were part of a community accumulating miles and dollars that change the lives of kids rescued from human trafficking? We would like to invite you to join the HOPE […]
Continue readingFirst Things
I don’t do resolutions, but I ran across an idea that might make for a good thought to begin 2023. Honesty, without empathy, is cruelty. I always strive for honesty – as I write, as I lead the FREEDOM TOUR. But I hope I never hurl truth at people without listening first, without doing my […]
Continue readingJohn 3:16
“For God so loved the world that He gave His one and only Son…” They’re among the Bible’s most familiar words. As we approach Christmas, as we give and receive gifts, I wonder: What sort of perspective might be gained if we focused some attention each day on this greatest of all gifts?
Continue readingWe’re In!
For me, this week marks an anniversary. The occasion recalled a question. More than 40 years ago, a pastor asked if Jesus welcomed outcasts and embraced untouchables to make them acceptable to God. His answer: a resounding NO! He did it to show them, and everyone else, that God had already accepted them. To a […]
Continue readingWhich Cost To Pay?
Occasionally a sentence stops me in my tracks. “There is a cost to silence and a cost to using your voice, and every day I wake up and decide which bill I’m going to pay.” Easy to see the investment involved in speaking up and getting involved. Might be time, or money, or social standing. […]
Continue readingAbout Belief
What do I believe? I think about that question a lot. It’s good, I think, to keep turning over the soil and making sure I really believe what I believe. I haven’t thought this through completely, but I’m wondering if we can determine our beliefs more by our actions than by our statements. Is it […]
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