South Africa

I'm in the process of preparing for my trip to South Africa at the end of this month. I will tour Robben Island and go inside Mr. Mandela's prison cell where he was incarcerated for 27 years; I will tour Soweto and meet historic freedom fighters there; we will be certified and trained in non-violence by Mr. Gandhi's granddaughter in Durban; and very prayerfully I will be able to meet Mr. Mandela personally and thank him for the way he is still impacting inmates and troubled teens in our program here in America... So much to do! If you would like to help sponsor me on this life changing trip, please visit www.ThePowerofPeace.org and you can help (all donations are tax deductable) BE the Peace!

Forgiveness

It occurred to me this morning that I have a great many friends now in the Department of Corrections across a growing number of states-- an interesting group to call my family, and in a strange way they have actually become my church... These good friends of mine may very well be some dangerous men who have made some terrible mistakes and costly choices; but some of them are the strongest and most courageous men I've ever known, who are trying to make heroic and historic changes-- and do their very BEST to clean up the mess they've made... Can YOU forgive them? Loving these hated men has set me free.

In His Hands

This morning as I studied, one of my dogs wouldn't stop barking. Finally, I had to go out and make her stop. I walked down the steps to my patio and went over to reprimand her. As I walked back, I almost stepped on this beautiful, large Copperhead-- pictured below-- by the way, he lost his head... I have no idea how I didn't step on it when I came by the first time (I literally had to step right where it was to get where I was going). It didn't move a muscle-- who knows, maybe it was told to "freeze" on my behalf... Keep in mind that HE has you in His hands today, and evil cannot strike in His presence, without His permission. I need to go easier on my dog-- that's what she was barking at.

It's a Wonderful Life

I had a wonderful experience this week... Walking out of an event that I had just finished speaking at, an older man followed me out. He could've been my grandfather: 6 foot 4, thin and healthy, he was probably about 72... With tears in his eyes he explained how God had told him to come, but until that moment he didn't know why. Then he said he believed we were supposed to do a great work together. At that very moment, a little chipmunk ran up to us and stood right in front of me staring for several moments, as if to say "are you listening?"... I stood there speechless as if God were standing right there with us. I will be honored to work with this sweet, gentle, much wiser, elder man... (God is up to something)