Category Archives: Inspiration

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10 Things to Do with Your Extra Leap Year Day

It only happens once every four years. Leap year comes around and you get an extra day to do with as you wish. One of my cousins has a wedding anniversary on leap day. It fits the couple’s sense of humor, trust me. They milk the day for all its worth. Every four years they get to celebrate their anniversary and remind people that they’ve only been married a quarter of the time that it seems.

Jump

On the other hand, leap year gives each of us a gift every four years. We get an extra day, an extra twenty-four hours, to even things out and get ahead. We get extra time to do some of the things that we need to accomplish and extra time to do some of the things that we want to accomplish. Leap day is a great day to do a little bit of both. Here are ten suggestions:

  1.  Revisit your goals. Remember those resolutions and goals you made in January? Pull them out again. Take a look at them. If you’ve let them slip it’s not too late to pick them up, dust them off, and lean into them once again.
  2. Start learning a new skill. One of my goals this year is to launch a podcast. I’m going to use part of my extra day to learn Adobe Audition so that I can begin my podcast in the near future. I’d also love to learn Adobe Photoshop so that I can create some of my own graphics.
  3. Begin or finish reading a new book. I’m two-thirds of the way through Launch. It’s a book that teaches how to use the tool of the internet to bring exposure to the things that you create. I hope to use this formula to launch my upcoming book.
  4. Get outside. No matter where you live, whether it’s warm or cold, winter is nearing an end and days are getting longer. Take a walk. Step out the door and run. Ride a bike. If it’s not a habit already, use today to take the first step toward making it one.
  5. Take some sabbath rest. You work hard. You need rest. Leap year gives you an extra day. An extra day can be used both for extra work and extra rest. As the day starts decide how much you will take free from work: an hour, two hours, or the whole day. Go ahead. You deserve it.
  6. Do something nice for someone. It’s great to do something nice for someone every day. But use the excuse of an extra day this year to send flowers, bring a treat to work, write a note, or give a compliment.
  7. Watch a documentary. Netflix has a wonderful six-part series called Chef’s Table. Each episode is a fascinating overview of the life, philosophy, and art of a world renowned chef. Watching these shows fueled my own creativity. It just goes to show that real life is just as fascinating, if not more so, than fiction.
  8. Cook something different. Go to foodandwine.com, find a recipe you’ve never used before, and surprise your family or friends with something completely different. I’ve found the recipes at foodandwine.com to be relatively easy, absolutely delicious, and well worth the time to treat your taste buds.
  9. Get rid of something. Have you heard? There’s a minimalist movement going on. In fact, two men named Joshua Fields Millburn and Ryan Nicodemus teach others how to lead a meaningful life with less. They’re called “The Minimalists.” I’ve got some clothes in my closet that I definitely have to get rid of. What can you get rid of today and lead a more minimal life?
  10. Donate to a worthy cause. Your local church or nonprofit can always use the extra funds. Or if you’re going out to dinner tip the waiter or waitress more than 20%. The fastest way to get money to people who really need it is by leaving a good tip.

Leap year gives us an extra day. Let’s use it wisely.

What suggestion would you give for using our extra day this leap year?

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The Joy of Living Life to the Fullest

Sometimes I feel like I could have written the book, The Top Five Regrets of the Dying. As a pastor I often have the honor and privilege to be with people at the very end of their lives. Sometimes it’s hopeful and peaceful; other times it’s fraught with questions and trouble. Life is a complex web of experiences and emotions. As it nears it’s end, all of that can bubble right up to the surface.

Spider Web

Recently I visited a man in a nursing home who feels hopeless, lost, and filled with questions about life’s choices. Needless to say, it’s an opportunity to bring hope and comfort that only comes in the love, mercy, and forgiveness of Jesus. The Bible teaches that life was never meant to end. It was to go on forever. Jesus has provided a way for that to happen for all who believe in Him. I hope and pray that my friend will trust in that in his final days.

We live in a world where many enter their last days or hours with regrets. These are the top five listed in the book, The Top Five Regrets of the Dying:

  1. I wish I’d had the courage to live a life true to myself, not the life others expected of me.
  2. I wish I hadn’t worked so hard.
  3. I wish I’d had the courage to express my feelings.
  4. I wish I had stayed in touch with my friends.
  5. I wish that I had let myself be happier.

Looking at those, and learning from the ones who have gone through it, we have the opportunity to find joy in living life to the fullest. Here are the five ways we can defy regret and live with joy, passion, and fulfillment:

  1. While you still have your health, work hard to fulfill the dreams of your youth (or even your maturity). Don’t let a day go by without taking at least one small step toward a dream you’ve always had. Have the courage to step out in faith and fulfill the desires of your heart.
  2. Take regular time off of work each day and each week. Be present as you sit across the dinner table from your family. Go out on a date with your spouse. Play baseball with your son. Walk to school with your daughter. Work will always be there and the necessary things will be accomplished.
  3. Be courageous enough to express your feelings when something important is on the line. Holding on to bitterness and resentment can bring on not only emotional difficulties but even physical difficulties. Be true to yourself and get things out in the open. It doesn’t mean that you have to live a life of confrontation. But it does mean that you ought to express your true emotion by using “I” statements like: “I feel hurt that you would….”
  4. Reconnect with friends from the old neighborhood, high school, college, or a previous work place. Recently I had the opportunity to reconnect with an “old” college friend that I hadn’t seen since, well, college. What a wonderful time it was to see where our lives had led, what we are doing today, and how we can move forward supporting and helping one another.
  5. Choose to be happy. That’s right. It’s a choice. Don’t be afraid to joke around at work, to laugh with your friends, to smile when your spouse walks in the door. Making this choice will make a difference that will have immediate results.

Taking a look at life from the perspective of its end will bring about joy and fulfillment for today. When those last hours come you won’t have the regrets that many others have had. You will look back with a smile and know the satisfaction of a life joyfully and well-lived.

It is well within your power to make that happen.

What suggestion do you have to live a life without regrets?

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Here Are 4 New Ideas for Your Time

I’ve been thinking a great deal recently about time. That’s because within this one week alone our daughter turns 27, our son turns 24, and my wife turns…um…well…she’ll always be three years older than I am. Time is something that can never be replaced. Like the old hymn says, it’s “an ever-rolling stream.” That’s why it’s so incredibly important to make the most of it.

Time

Time is such a precious commodity. In fact, it’s more precious than any money, any possession, any home, or any thing other than people. When it’s gone it can’t be earned back. When it’s gone it cannot be regained. When the second hand goes around the clock it will never ever be that very moment again. It’s so precious because once it slips away, it slips away, and it can never be retrieved again.

It seems like just yesterday I held our kids in my arms and now one is married and the other is engaged. They are able to live their lives without relying on me (well…mostly). They are adults who have jobs, lives, loves, and interests that sometimes mirror mine and other times make me wonder from where they came. Just this morning I held a newborn baby in my arms and reminded the parents to enjoy every moment because before they know it that little bundle of joy will be married and having kids of her own.

It’s certainly not my intent to depress you. In fact, there’s a great deal of hope when it comes to this special gift. Time is precious for a reason.

Here are four hopeful things to do with time:

  1. Value it. Show yourself and others that time is greater than gold. Don’t waste it. At least once in a while, turn off the TV; shut down Facebook; forget binge watching the latest Netflix series. Instead do something productive and valuable: read a book; make some art; have a conversation; call an old friend; send a handwritten note in the mail; learn something new.
  2. Celebrate it. At the end of each day throw a little party in your head and say a prayer thanking the Author of time that He has given you another day. It’s a precious gift. Do the same in the morning when you wake up. The night of rest that just passed was also given as a gift. As one child said, “I love sleeping; it’s like a time machine that takes me straight to breakfast.”
  3. Utilize it. In order to really utilize it you need to do something that will stretch you. Use the time you’re given to do something you’ve always wanted to do. I learned this lesson last year as I wrote the first draft of my book. It had been a lifelong goal of mine to do so. I have accomplished it. I admit that I didn’t always utilize time in the best possible way because I probably could have finished the first draft in a far shorter period of time than I did. But I proved to myself that when minutes, hours, and days are utilized well extraordinary things can happen.
  4. Make the most of it. The best way to make the most of it is to spend it (…do you notice that we use the word “spend” when we talk about using time? It really is a precious commodity…) with those you love the most. That’s why I have always appreciated my friend, Brian’s, advice when he says it’s better to spend money on experiences than on things. Stuff breaks, fades away, and becomes less valuable as we move into the future. On the other hand, we will always remember most the precious experiences we have with those we love: eating dinner at a candlelit restaurant; riding bikes on an unknown trail; traveling overseas; watching the sun set on Annamaria Island; exploring a city.

Birthdays are a great time to appreciate the value of the most precious gift of time. Give them the celebration they deserve. They are a reminder of the fullness of time for one specific person up to that very moment. As the birthday person blows out the candles, make a little promise to yourself that you will value, celebrate, utilize, and make the most of time.

What ideas do you have for making the most of time?

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Why Courage is the Secret Ingredient

When you’re trying something new there’s a secret ingredient that will propel you forward. I have a secret ingredient for my guacamole, but I’m not giving it to you here. The secret ingredient I’m talking about is something that most everyone has if they just dig down deeply inside of themselves. You have it, too. The secret ingredient that will propel you forward when you try something new is courage.

Jumping

I saw courage take center stage as someone I know recently took the leap into something new. She gave up on her old job because the organization she worked for wasn’t giving her the due respect and honor she deserved after providing decades of her time and dedication. So she stepped down and decided to do something brand new. It happened to be a bit out of her comfort zone, but she knew it was the right decision.

Courage became part of the game when she was getting ready to proceed with her new gig. She was about to do her first presentation working for a new company. It had to do with instructing educators in a method of teaching called Differentiated Instruction. So she took the courageous step of asking a number of her friends to sit through and participate in her presentation.

The courage came in asking for honest feedback about her performance. She introduced her topic. Showed us what Differentiated Instruction is by involving us all in a lesson she taught. Then concluded by reviewing what we had learned. After she was finished we all had the opportunity to provide feedback and help shape and improve her presentation. She really put herself out there. We were honest in our assessment, shared things she could improve, applauded the things that went well, and suggested ways she could engage her audience in an even better way.

Those of us gathered at the presentation pooled our opinions and gave her feedback. The feedback we gave will most certainly help her draw people into her presentation, keep them interested, and encourage them to engage in her services. It took courage for her to take the risk and ask us to be open and honest in our feedback. We most certainly were.

Here’s a word of encouragement to muster the courage to leap into discomfort when you try something new. Don’t be afraid to practice. Don’t be afraid to do something in front of others and ask for feedback. Don’t be afraid to listen to the tough constructive criticism. Here’s what your courage will do for you:

  • It will give you confidence. Practice may not make perfect, but it will certainly start you heading in that direction. It takes courage to practice right out there in front of other people.
  • It will help you improve. No one ever got anywhere worth going without working hard on getting better. It takes courage to listen to difficult things about ourselves.
  • It will put you ahead of the competition. When you work hard and listen better than the ones with whom you compete you will find yourself important steps ahead of them. It takes courage to know that you’ll have to work harder than others.
  • It will take you places you never thought you’d go. When you take the courage to leap into the unknown you will find yourself in unexpected places, and that’s always an educational experience. It takes courage to take the path less trodden.

Courage is the secret ingredient that will give you confidence, help you improve, put you ahead, and take you to places yet unknown. What are you waiting for? Take the leap!

How have you seen courage bring improvement to your life?

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Doing Rebuilding the Right Way

I don’t know yet if it’s the right way, but my Milwaukee Brewers are in the rebuilding process. If you’re not a sports fan, stick with me for a moment as I make an analogy that might be helpful in your own life. When it became blatantly evident after a quarter of last year’s season that the Milwaukee Brewers weren’t going to be anything near contenders, their General Manager started a massive rebuilding project. He fired the manager and brought in a new one. He started making trades one by one. And then even he stepped into retirement and the team hired a new General Manager.

Construction

Since then, the new general manager, David Stearns, has made no less than nine trades. Almost all of them have sent experienced players to other teams in return for young, well-regarded prospects. The Brewers hope that these young prospects will soon make it to the major leagues and have such an impact that the team will become a contender once again.

I began to think about how that is being mirrored in an interesting way at the church I serve as pastor. You could say we’re in a rebuilding process of sorts. Last year our attendance took a significant downturn as:

  • we had numerous funerals of noteworthy, “pillar” type people in the congregation;
  • a number of students went away to college;
  • attendance patterns of some members, while regular, was not consistent;
  • a few families moved away;
  • some high school students’ attendance became pretty spotty.

Now it’s time to do some rebuilding, and we hope we’re doing it the right way. We have engaged in some things that feel like a baseball team in them midst of a rebuilding effort:

  • We are encouraging our members to turn their gaze outside of our congregation and its own needs to the eternal needs of others;
  • We are asking people to stand on the shoulders and fill the shoes of those “pillars” who have gone before (kind of like trading veterans for prospects);
  • We are reenergizing our base by creating teams that bring joy and community through fun, service, and study;
  • We are highlighting the things that are going well;
  • We are communicating all of the above through media and social channels, both online and offline;

There are times in every life when there is a need to rebuild. It might be after a failed relationship, or a family move, or the loss of a job. Here’s what we can learn from baseball teams and churches that are going through rebuilding right now:

  • Focus on the things you can control. Baseball teams can’t control the exact number of wins they’ll have each year, and churches can’t control the number of people in the pews each week. But they can control the people they put on the field and the people they place into leadership positions. When you are rebuilding, make sure you are doing it surrounded by people who have your best interest in mind and people who can help when help is really needed.
  • Focus on the positive. Though the Milwaukee Brewers will not win as many games as they’d like this year, they have an opportunity to learn about the players they have acquired, and move pieces around as needed. In the church there is always the positive focus of the Gospel. In your life, negativity will set you back, but positivity will be the fuel that moves you forward.
  • Focus on good communication. The Milwaukee Brewers have communicated to their fans that they are in the middle of a rebuilding process and that there may not be as many wins as fans would like. Our church is communicating ways to help people see opportunities to show and share their faith. Communication will help you make networking connections and emotional connections that will help you when you’re tempted to feel down or are in need of specific advice.

Rebuilding is not a bad thing. In most instances it is a good thing. It provides opportunities to learn, to grow, and to be stretched. Embrace rebuilding opportunities, and help others when you see them going through their own rebuilding.

What advice would you give to someone who’s in the process of rebuilding?

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When Cutting Things Out Actually Adds to Your Life

Sometimes cutting things out is the way to add great value to your life. I recently discovered that simply by driving in my car. As a pastor I spend a great deal of time in my car. I drive to work. I drive to people’s homes. I drive to meetings. I drive to hospitals.

Car Radio

As I would drive I would listen mainly to sports talk radio. I listened on my car radio to Mike and Mike in the Morning on the way to work. At midday I would use the Tunein Radio app to listen to my favorite Milwaukee area sports radio station. And on my way home I would listen to Steve “the Homer” True on the same station. Anyone who knows me knows that I am a rabid (ahem!) Green Bay Packers and Milwaukee Brewers fan. I ate up everything I could about sports in general and my teams specifically.

I began to learn that the more I listened to these stations the more they brought stress into my life. Sports talk radio is in the business of hype. They do what they can to generate interest in games that are to come and reflect on games that are past. So they do what they can to generate controversy. The more I listened the more I my blood pressure would go up. Not only that, but sports talk radio is filled with commercial breaks. It’s become worse and worse in recent years. It’s so incredibly frustrating: Just when a conversation is heating up in breaks a commercial.

I finally decided that cutting things like this out of my life would be in my best interest. For the past few months I’ve been watching the games on TV but cutting out all the radio hype. Man, it feels good. The games still stress me out. But my overall stress level now rapidly declines between games.

That’s the least of it. In place of sports talk radio I have begun listening to podcasts that have enriched my life beyond measure. Since I have started listening to podcasts I have learned more about myself, more about leadership, more about goals, and moving forward, and entrepreneurship, and ministry, and art than I ever could have listening to silly sports talk radio.

Cutting out sports talk radio in the car has immeasurably added to my life. I have been enriched by these and other podcasts:

Cutting out stress generators and time wasters is a great way to get things done that you never thought you could before. They add the value of education and sometimes restore wasted time. Instead of heading home and sitting in front of the TV create something of value; generate some art; learn something new. Respect the value of time. It slips away far too quickly.

When has cutting things out added value to your life?

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How Coaching Can Take You from Good to Great

When was the last time you considered coaching to move you forward? The other day I had the privilege of enjoying an informal meeting with a professional pastoral coach. I wanted to learn more about what a professional coach does and how coaching could help people. The coach with whom I spoke made it pretty clear that coaching is a bit different from counseling. He said that counseling takes you from a bad spot and brings you to a better spot. But coaching is an intentional way to take you from good to great.

Stadium

I’ve had some interesting coaches in my life. I’ve spent time on swim teams, football teams, tennis teams, and track teams. I’ve even had golf coaches. Each coach I’ve had takes a different approach. Some come alongside you and gently show you what you’re doing wrong. Others are literally right in your face barking instructions, pointing out flaws, and even praising your accomplishments.

One coach in particular stands out in my mind. My freshman football coach used every ounce of energy and fire within him to push me as a new player. I had never played tackle football before, but had enjoyed some success on our grade school flag football team. Our freshman football coach wanted to make real football players out of us. So he lined us up, held a big blocking pad in front of his chest, and told us to hit him as hard as he could. He meant it.

So I wound up and hit him just like he told me: as hard as I could. I nearly knocked him over. I’ll never forget his response. He regained his balance, roared with approval, and slapped me on the back. “That’s what I mean,” he shouted to the rest of the team. “Hit me like that!”

I will never say that I was a great football player. But my coach stretched me to a level as a football player that I had never known before. He used both fear and encouragement. He helped me to reach deep down inside of myself and find something I had never known before. I never knew I could hit as hard as I did that day. It paved the way for me to be a blocking back for my fellow running back who was far faster than I could ever be. I found my niche as a football player.

That’s all well and good for football, but what about your career or calling? My professional coaching friend made it clear that he wants to help good pastors become great pastors. He gave me some examples of how he walked pastors through issues, or programs, or simply a standstill in their ministry. He admitted that it was immensely satisfying to see his clients move forward both personally and professionally.

The key, he said, was asking questions that stretch his clients. He learned this skill by taking classes and becoming certified in his profession. In other words, he knows the right questions to ask. He doesn’t necessarily give advice. He knows how to enable his clients to move forward by coming to their own conclusions and accomplishing their own specific goals.

Have you ever considered hiring a coach? If you’re feeling stuck, or lacking motivation, or needing a nudge, it might be the right decision for you. A small investment now could make a world of difference in your life or career and take you from good to great. You will be stretched in ways that you never could be on your own. You could find your niche in your career and gain respect as a leader.

How has a coach had an impact on your life?

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Recapturing a Childlike Spirit to Fuel Creativity

Every adult would love to recapture a childlike spirit. I was reminded of this when I went out on a run the other day. As I rounded a corner about five little boys were running between houses, hopping on scooters, and riding bikes. Later on in my run I saw them playing football in an open field near our house. Immediately my mind raced back to Tacoma Street in Milwaukee and my friend Louie.

Children Playing

I remembered those crisp fall days when I was Bart Starr and Louie was Max Mcgee. I could feel the crisp fall air and the smell of the fallen leaves. Who needed a coat? We’d run so hard we’d be sweaty in mere moments. After school was out we’d run out our doors and meet down at the corner between our houses. The only care in the world was whether we would win our imaginary football game. We’d be out until the streetlights came on and then dutifully marched toward our glowing homes where we would settle down, watch some TV, and go to bed.

This trip down memory lane got me to thinking how I could recapture that childlike spirit as an adult. Now it seems like there are so many more cares, so much more pressure, so many adult worries. It can be tough to be an adult. Sometimes it would be nice to be like those kids down the street from our house, or like me and my friend Louie. It would be great to burst out the door, run down the street, and play a game of pick up football.

Maybe we can’t have that back completely. But what if we could recapture it temporarily, even for one day, or an evening? Think of the ways a childlike spirit could fuel an energetic creativity in our work and home life.

I brainstormed some ideas to do just that and here’s what I came up with:

  • Reserve a Saturday morning for a hike on a local trail
  • Invite a friend to ride bikes to a nearby ice cream shop
  • Invest in an adult coloring book
  • Get out some watercolor paints use them…better yet, find your local “wine and paint” event
  • Write a silly poem or make up a haiku
  • Spend some time on a college campus and just observe the students (in the 13 years I taught on a college campus I always marveled at the creative energy)
  • Get the neighborhood together for a game of touch football and pretend you’re Bart Starr

I guarantee that when you complete any of these activities you will recapture your childlike spirit and fuel your creative energy. Who doesn’t want to feel like a kid again, if just for a little while?

What would you do to recapture a childlike spirit?

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Accountability is the Free Gift That Moves You Forward

Accountability is a free gift that is certain to move you forward. I’ve always known that. But I’ve come to know it even more acutely ever since my wife, Tammy, has taken up running. The two of us spent significant time this January setting goals by following Michael Hyatt’s Best Year Ever. One of the goals we both set had to do with our health and fitness. Tammy decided that she would be more committed to her running schedule, and would use the 7-Minute Workout app on her phone to do some strength training.

New York Runner

I gave up running years ago when I found it much more efficient and pleasant to get exercise on my bike. But when things turned “colder” here in Florida for a significant period of time, I decided to give running another try. Not only that, but I also committed to doing the 7-Minute Workout to supplement my non-existent strength training.

In order to accomplish all this I needed some accountability. Accountability is a free yet valuable gift. I built two kinds of accountability into my health and fitness goal for 2016:

  1. I put together a checklist. My checklist helps me track at least four cardio workouts each week, and at least three 7-Minute Workout strength training workouts per week.
  2. I used my wife’s activity to motivate my own. I’m competitive by nature, and every time I see her step out the door I have to do it myself. I have to keep up. I have to make sure I’m doing what she’s doing.

So how’s it going? I have begun to regain my (very slow) running form. I’m finding that running/jogging is a great cool weather activity. I also feel like, in a shorter period of time, I’m getting better exercise than I get on my bike. But don’t think I’m going to give up my bike any time soon. My running regimen has given me better cardiovascular strength when I’m on my bike. Even more, the 7-Minute Workout has made me stronger in muscles I don’t use on my bike, and it’s helping strengthen my core. That’s a key for my (sometimes) bad back, and for better biking.

An accountability partner in any goal is a free gift that keeps on giving. When someone else holds you accountable it’s much more difficult to give up when the going gets tough. In fact, a friend came into my office today after she committed to a year’s worth of good health as she follows the direction of a personal trainer. She said, “I told my daughter that if I ever don’t want to go to the gym, force me out the door.”

When you’re setting your goals, make sure to build in some kind of accountability. You will be much more likely to achieve what it is you set out to do. An accountability partner will provide help, motivation, and inspiration. And you, in turn, may just be providing motivation to the one who’s doing the same for you.

What provides accountability for you as you strive toward your goals?

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How Humans of New York Is Teaching Freedom from Weakness, Fear, and Need

Humans of New York is the brainchild of Brandon Stanton, a photographer who moved to New York City and began taking pictures of people, interviewing them, and posting it all on social media. Humans of New York is a revealing slice of the human condition. In the daily posts you can see the good, the bad, the beautiful, and the ugly. It’s a way to understand people, sympathize with them, and even question them. As a pastor, I can tell you that Humans of New York is not only fodder for sermons, it also helps me in the important work of understanding our culture and the way people live and think.

Recently the focus has moved from the streets of New York to prisons and prisoners. As the prisoners are interviewed it becomes clear that people don’t often set out to be criminals. They are often imprisoned before they even get to jail. Many find themselves captive to weakness, fear, and various kinds of need. Just listen to their words:

Humans of New York Prisoner

“I tried to make some money the honest way as a kid. I tried shoveling snow. I tried a newspaper route. I stuck with it for awhile, but one day I was collecting money on my route and these older kids robbed me. There were three of them. They were 16 or 17. I fought hard. I told them: ‘I worked hard for this money.’ But they held me down and took it anyway. It was $27. And that made me feel so powerless. And I remembered that I knew someone with a knife. And I thought: ‘I’m going to steal that knife and deal with this firmly.’ I found those boys at an arcade. Nobody got killed. But I hurt them. I wouldn’t say that I felt proud after stabbing them, but I felt like they got what they deserved. I felt vindicated. Even today, I have trouble sympathizing with them. It’s funny how that works. When someone wrongs us, we want the maximum amount of punishment. But when we do wrong, we want the maximum amount of understanding and forgiveness.”

Humans of New York Prisoner 2

“I was working at a nightclub in Honduras, making $4 a night, and some guy tells me that I can make $6,000 in twelve days just by working on a boat. There weren’t any jobs in Honduras. We didn’t have government benefits like you have here. It’s really tough to say ‘no’ when there are no other options for money. So I agreed. They put me on a small fishing boat. We transported cocaine from Colombia to Honduras. My job was to maintain the vessel and help load the cargo. I’ve never done drugs in my life. On our fourth trip, we were stopped in international waters by the US coastguard. We had 986 kilograms of cocaine. That was ten years ago.”

Humans of New York Prisoner 3

“My mom was a single mom and there were nine of us. All of the kids worked in the fields. I started when I was twelve. We picked cucumbers, apples, corn, strawberries, all of it. None of us went to school. Nobody cared– if you move around a lot, the system loses track of you. Whenever the harvest was done, we’d go somewhere else. We always signed a contract. The farmers would give us a place to live and a little bit of money, and we worked in their fields. But there was never any money left when we finished. One day when I was eighteen, a friend of mine asked me to hide some marijuana in our trailer. He gave me a little money. I gave it to my mom. And that’s how it all began.”

There’s no question about it: these people features on Humans of New York have committed crimes and deserve the punishment that comes as a result. They show us where weakness, fear, and great need can lead. It’s a warning for all of us just how easy it can be to slip into the wrong places, become part of the wrong crowd, and fall to our own evil desires. But the other side of the story is that in some sense, they are victims of weakness, fear, and need.

The old saying is, “There but by the grace of God go I.” And it truly is God’s grace that keeps many of us from failing and falling, from making mistakes that could destroy us, from leading us down a path that puts us in either a literal or figurative prison.

More than that, these Humans of New York stories give me the desire to do things that will prevent these tragedies from happening in more lives. Here are some ideas I have:

  • Encourage kids to remain connected to church. Youth pastors are willing and able to pour their hearts and lives into young people.
  • Volunteer at a homeless shelter, and show that you care.
  • Donate (new!) items to those who really need them.
  • If you’re a business owner, give under-qualified people training that will help them qualify for well-paying jobs.
  • Show love to someone who really needs it.

I’m not saying any of these things would have prevented the above Humans of New Yor stories. But maybe, just maybe, they would prevent one person from living behind bars, making poor choices, or leading an unloved life.

What suggestions do you have?