Another Teen Addict: Kids Nowadays!
There she stood. Yet another teen addict. Statistics say that about 75% of students under 18 have tried illegal drugs or alcohol. One-third of them show signs of addiction. But she was more than a statistic.
Often, our first thought when we meet someone like her is, “What choices did she make to get her in this position? Kids nowadays! I’m sure she started out dabbing in casual drug use and went too far. She was probably trying to deal with [...]
Gangs in the Church
“Did you see it? Did you see it?” asked the pastor. He had come up to me excitedly and you could sense the combination of thrill and disbelief in his voice.
“See what?” I asked. “The two gangs!” was his response.
I tried to recall the two assembly programs I had done earlier in the day and panned the audience in my mind. “Oh, you mean in the schools?” I asked.
“No, right in front of you in the church while you were [...]
To Be Continued…
Have you ever watched a show on television and really gotten into it? The storyline has you hooked and you can feel the tension mounting in the air. You sense that something epic is about to take place as it builds towards the climax. And just when you think the ending is about to be revealed, the screen goes black. Across the screen are displayed the words, “To be continued…”
I get so frustrated when that happens, especially when I know [...]
Montana’s Tears
Montana skies hold claim to some of the most beautiful sunsets in the world, showing off the splendor of the Creator while giving us a glimpse into His heart. He is an artist that is pursuing us and is in love with us. I love looking into the eyes of people. They radiate beauty as well, and give us a window into their precious souls, much like looking at creation gives us a glimpse into who God is.
Her name was [...]
Lasting Change
It’s not a new story, I guess. Maybe you’ll see that this story is about me presenting school programs during the day and a rally at night and think, “Gee, Bob, you’ve shared about that kind of stuff before.” True. But every time is different. Every time is new and fresh because no teenager is the same. Each one has unique joys, hurts, family situations and life circumstances that make every school, every rally, every city, different.
It was September 19th [...]
Church Bashing
I know the church hasn’t done everything right, and there are often differences that can divide us. But just like when we’re hurt and sinned against by someone in our family, we need to confront it, offer and ask for forgiveness, and pursue reconciliation.
So many people I’ve spoken with on my travels have been hurt by the church, and so many of them talk negatively about it, offering a list of offenses and mistakes. [...]
We Don’t Live in Neverland: Preventing Sex Trafficking Here at Home
I was in Thailand in the Red Light District while on a Compassion trip when I saw a 9 year old girl being sold for a 10 dollar bill for the night.
My heart broke and I don’t think I’ll ever be the same. The image is forever engrained in my mind. It’s heartbreaking to know that 1.2 million children are trafficked like this each year, and that 80% of them are women and young children (International Labor Organization 2007). Are [...]
A Birthday on the Road
If you ask a senior in High School what he wants for his birthday, you’ll likely hear him say, “An iPod. An iPhone 5. An iPad. Maybe even an iTouch.” Face it; the answer usually begins win an “I.” In this “me” culture everything is I, I, I, or me, me, me. At best it may be “we” because of Nintendo.
But for a 6’10″ tall, red-haired basketball player from Shullsburg, WI, none of those things were on his birthday wish [...]
Forgetting Someone on the Road
If it’s ever happened to you, you know how bad it feels. We were driving home from the Milwaukee Zoo with our five kids, my parents and my sister, Lois, in the van. As we drove down the highway, I could have sworn people were looking in the window as though we were a family of monkeys. Some would say we were the zoo.
We stopped for gas and a potty break for all the kids. After I fueled up we [...]
Turn Up The Volume
If today you hear His voice, harden not your hearts. – Hebrews 4:7
“You’re as flat as a board. You sure you’re not a boy? Better check again.”
“I heard you had dyslexia. Are you worshiping “dog” again?”
“You’re so special they have a class just for you. Your name should be Ed. Then you’d be in special Ed. I told you you’re a boy.”
Over and over again. The voices ring in her head. They’re played more than the top 10 songs [...]