My wife and I have been reading a book entitled The Hole in our Gospel authored by World Vision President, Richard Stearns.  The book has had a lasting impression on us as its message is very convicting.  It is written by the President of the world's largest humanitarian organization, filled with scripture to back up its lofty call to action, and endorsed by celebrities and religious figures, but there is a quote by an anonymous individual that sums up the clout of this book:

 "Sometimes I would like to ask God why He allows poverty, suffering, and injustice when He could do something about it."

"Well, why don't you ask Him?"

"Because I am afraid He would ask me the same question."  Anonymous

That quote has caused quite a stir in my home.  It has absolutely changed the way my wife and I think. What are we doing that really makes a difference to those suffering in the world we live in?

I think we often would argue that we do not have the time, money, authority, or skills to truly make a difference.  I know I have been stuck in that rut.  I have been entrusted with a lofty position at SAMMinistries, and it is much easier for me to think of the reasons I do not deserve to be in this position than the reasons I do.  Lucky for me, I have a great support group in my wife, family, friends and co-workers.

We all serve a purpose in a larger picture.  We may not be able to change the world all by ourselves, but we can change the world of someone we know or meet; we can offer the hope we all need.

Won't you help in eradicating the poverty, suffering, and injustice we are all too accustomed to?

In college, I enjoyed riding my bike from my apartment to campus.  I did it so often that my teammates would yell "Lance!" as they rode by in their cars.  It was an easy ride being that I lived less than a mile from campus, come to think of it, just about everything was within a mile from campus in the small town of Wayne, NE (population 5,583 in 2000).  I would usually hop on my 1984 road bike and ride to class with one of my roommates in the mornings and race back to the apartment after baseball practice.

His grandparents had a one-speed tandem bike sitting in their garage a few miles down the highway.  So, we decided we would pick it up and ride it to campus the next day.  You wouldn't believe the looks we got.  Okay, maybe you can because I can just see the look on your face as I write this!  We decided I would sit in the back and he would steer.  It was the most uncomfortable, awkward bike ride I have ever been on.  I could feel the eyes of the people in passing cars peer into me, I couldn't see where we were going and when I tried to look, we would tumble over from being unbalanced, and my knees kept hitting the handle bars.  On the way back to our apartment, I did the navigating as I sat in the front seat.  This time it wasn't so awkward.  Since I was in the front, I forgot he was behind me, and it felt more like a normal bike ride.  I got to dictate which route we would take, when to go, when to stop, I was making all the decisions, and the handle bars were higher, making the ride less painful!

A few years after that tandem bike ride, I heard Mike Sweeney, former Kansas City Royals baseball player, compare life as a Christian to a tandem bike ride.  We must treat life as a tandem bike ride with God in the front and us in the back.  We must rely on God to navigate our journey as we sit back and pedal, head down, as hard as we can.

I remember thinking how much more enjoyable it is to sit in the front, but God did not call us to live a life focused on our comfort and decisions.  He called us to follow his will, to pedal after it as hard as we can, no questions asked.

I think it is human nature to want control over our own lives, but this is what gets us in trouble.  We constantly try to steer without the real capability to do so, leaving us bruised and scared lying on the pavement.  The time we spend licking our wounds is precious time to God.

Being in charge of the Employment Development Program, it is easy to want to take control and make decisions on what I think is best.  I always pray for God to guide my thoughts and actions, but whether I allow him to is another story.  In the past couple of weeks, I have let stress overcome me because things weren't happening the way I wanted them to and I thought it was my burden to bear.  Lucky for me, my wife, parents, and co-workers were there to help me realize that all I needed to do was hop back on the bike, this time, with my head down trusting my driver.

Happy riding!

Since I began work for this wonderful ministry, many interesting topics of conversation have been discussed in my home.  One of which was wittingly and insightfully covered by Matt Curtis in his blog "Giving Change.  Does it Make Sense?"  In his blog, Matt describes various incidents in which he "helped" some people in need by giving a lady his Butterfinger Blizzard in the middle of Winter and throwing a fist-full of quarters at a man on the corner.  Does this really help?  As Matt states, and I agree, probably not.  It is really an enabling act.  It draws people away from the services in place that have been established to help them overcome their situation of homelessness.  Yes, there are those that are hungry and in need of a meal RIGHT NOW, but there are places for these individuals to get those meals.  This particular topic has been revisited again and again by my wife and I.

Another topic that has been cause for conversation has been recidivism.  SOME of the homeless population has a criminal record, and their record hinders them from finding employment.  However, some convictions are years old and this still keeps them from finding a job.

I understand that these individuals have done wrong, and they need to be held accountable for what they have done.  However, there are some individuals who have done their time, they have had no slip-ups for years and they still cannot find a job because of their record.

Indeed, employers need to keep their assets secure, their employees safe, and their customers happy, but what about a man that has a conviction 15 years ago with no inkling of criminal behavior since that time makes one think he will result back to the behavior that landed him in trouble 15 years ago, especially if that man is willing to live in the circumstance of homelessness instead of a life of crime?

Justice must be served for those who choose to break the law, but we must also learn to forgive a man for the acts he has committed long ago.  If we don't, aren't we just encouraging him to return to a life of crime as that will be the only way he can provide for himself?  I think we sometimes encourage recidivism with the way we treat criminals.  We want them to clean themselves up and get a job, but what kind of jobs are there for them?  Jobs that will support themselves, their families?  Not enough.

I had the fortunate experience to get to know a man that was convicted of burglary years ago and it has hindered him ever since.  Kenneth was one of the hardest workers in our job-training program at Furniture for a Cause but has been haunted by a mistake he made years ago.  I would have never known about his conviction unless he told me as his actions never indicated anything out of the ordinary.  In the months Kenneth was a the furniture store, he never stole anything, never acted out, never threatened anyone, never caused so much as a fuss.  Kenneth was there to work, he was there to try another path toward getting back on his feet.  Close to 60 years old, he thought there was no hope left that he would ever find a job.

Thanks to a local employer willing to see Kenneth for who he is, not what he has done, Kenneth has found a job, he has found hope again.  You would think Kenneth had won the lottery when he was offered the job!  These are the kind of people I would want to fill my staff with; employees that are excited to be at work, willing to go the extra mile, full of joy.

Congratulations Kenneth!

I extend a big "Thank You!" to all who are willing to see the good in others, willing to help, willing to give a hand-up.  In whatever way and capacity you do this, you are a true blessing to this world!

"A man, woman, or child who loves, feels, and expects nothing but dignity and respect."  This is how Keven Allison, resident of the SAMMinistries men's residential facility on the campus of Haven for Hope described the homeless population.  Why, then, do so many not get the love, dignity, and respect they deserve?

I just finished reading an article about a terribly tragic event in New York City.  In short, a homeless immigrant witnessed a man being physically violent toward a woman and he stepped in to intervene.  Upon helping the woman, the homeless man endured several stab wounds and collapsed to the ground as he chased the man away. 

How many stopped to help this Good Samaritan?  Nobody.  At least seven people, one even turning the man over, walked by the homeless man who, by this time, was unconscious and laying in a pool of blood and offered no help.  Is this what we have become?  Insensitive to violence and unappreciative of human life?

Yes, this man was homeless, but that makes him no less human.  I can almost assure you that if this man had been dressed in new clothes, had a fresh haircut, and a white pair of sneakers, those seven people would have stopped, they would have helped.  Why did they just pass by?  Was it because they thought this homeless man was intoxicated, passed out?  Unfortunately, that was probably their assumption.  Regrettably, that is the assumption of many.  This small population of homeless individuals is the most visible, making them the face of homelessness, but don't they still need help as well?

I know many homeless individuals who are not this way.  They have goals and aspirations; they want to be independent again.  They want to work, have their own place, make their own food, and enjoy all that comes with relying on oneself.

The most upsetting truth to this story is that this man probably saved that woman's life, but no one, NO ONE, had the decency to save his.  He, just like you and me, was a person "who loved, felt, and expected nothing but dignity and respect," but, regrettably, was denied the most basic of human rights.

Please join the fight against the stigmas of homelessness by treating these people as people.

Have you ever been on a merry-go-round?  You know, the playground equipment that spins and spins and spins and, well, you get the idea.  I have been thinking a lot about the merry-go-round lately.  Not because I want to head to the park to make myself dizzy, but I have been thinking about the merry-go-round because it seems to be an analogy for the lives of the individuals I am so privileged to work for.

When on a merry-go-round, you must hang on for dear life, do your best not to let the constant spiral make you sick, and wait to get off until it has finished spinning.  As a kid, I remember losing my grip and flying off the side (I still have the scar), the fright that came before each time my friend, brother, or parents started running to get it going as fast as they could, and the feeling that came over me when the spinning became too much for my stomach to handle.  I think I remember the merry-go-round experiences I had on the playground because they are the experiences that caused the most fear and injury than any other playground equipment when I was a kid.

I see the effects of life's merry-go-round a lot. 

Especially in a competitive job market, employers are always looking for experienced individuals, but how do you obtain that experience without a job?  You start spinning.

The pressure to find a job and the difficulties of unsuccessful attempts make the merry-go-round pick up speed and before you know it, you are holding on for dear life hoping not to fall and scrape yourself up.

This is why job-training is so important.  It gives our residents the opportunity to gain the experience that all employers look for.  We are able to slow the merry-go-round as we gain and enhance the skills necessary for employment.  Lives change when our job-trainees are able to get back on their feet with the responsibility, knowledge, experience, and self esteem that come with work.

I encourage you to contact me at This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it or to pass along any contact information for individuals who would be interested in learning about our Employment Development Program.  Help us in our mission to eliminate the anxieties of life's merry-go-rounds.