It Should Have Been Easy

August 1, 2014

This is the tenth summer that I’ve been a part of the mission of Youth for Christ/USA.  I’ve come to understand the varied rhythms that reflect the realities of my calendar year.  There are seasons of operational intensity, of mission focus, of leadership development, of fund raising, and of staff communication.  There also is a […]

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A Roundabout Way

July 25, 2014

(As Dan is away from the office, please enjoy this classic Fragment.) It seems to me that when Jesus taught His disciples an important lesson, He rarely took the shortest route. For instance, in Matthew 16 Jesus warns His followers about the teaching of the Pharisees and the Sadducees. It was clear that Jesus was […]

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Be Strong and Courageous

July 18, 2014

(As Dan is away from the office, please enjoy this classic Fragment.) That’s right Joshua. The baton is now in your hand. The Promised Land is in front of you and the emergency brake has been released. The expansive resources of this land are now available… to you and to my people. That’s right Joshua. […]

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Even as the Grinder Blared On

July 11, 2014

Two blocks from our home is a stand of Ponderosa pine trees.  These wonderful trees are esteemed enough to escalate the value of any home that is fortunate enough to share an address with them. As much as homeowners esteem this cohabitation, the trees themselves don’t welcome disruptive intruders.  Over the years I’ve watched as […]

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The Extravagant Promise of Grace

July 3, 2014

In a small Oregon town a 13­-year-­old named “E” recoils from the cascading impact of years of unhealthy relationships. The chasm in her life is relational, but her inability to process any of these feelings takes her to a place of deep disappointment and abandonment. Two weeks after her 14th birthday, E gives birth to […]

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Only in Virginia

June 27, 2014

In the Mesabi Iron Range the town of Virginia, Minnesota looms large.  It’s a town that hit its population prime between 1950 and 1960. It was during this period of time that transplanted Michiganders by the name of Don and Eunice Cargo welcomed their third child into the world, a daughter.  Don was an electrical […]

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There Were Four, Not Three

June 20, 2014

Often, when asked about the “friends of Job” in the Old Testament account of bad advice giving and gridlock, there are three names mentioned.  I confess that under the pressure of a million dollar question on Jeopardy I would have answered incorrectly.  “Three!” In Chapter 32 of the book, we’re introduced to a new character.  […]

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Somebody Else’s Cowbell

June 13, 2014

My ride started innocently enough, but without premeditation, I had merged into the cycling route of a local triathlon.  Saturday at the Aurora Reservoir was a noteworthy adventure, and as I pulled onto east bound Quincy Avenue, I was the fortunate benefactor of a road closed to motor traffic and a sweeping flow of riders. […]

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A Few Changes to the Job Description

June 6, 2014

While walking by the Sea of Galilee, he saw two brothers, Simon (who is called Peter) and Andrew his brother, casting a net into the sea, for they were fishermen. And he said to them, “Follow me, and I will make you fishers of men.” (Matthew 4:18-19) Jesus broke through the focused activities of two […]

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“The World Itself Could Not Contain”

May 23, 2014

An early breakfast at Cracker Barrel in Gas City, Indiana, afforded me the opportunity to listen, learn and savor time with Jay Kesler.  Jay is a trusted friend, a wise advisor, and a man of Godly depth.  I love him.  He served as the President of Youth for Christ/USA from 1973 to 1985, so he […]

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