Garden Planting 2015

Sunday afternoon we were finally able to get the garden prepped and planted. We have had a lot of rain this spring, and days of sunshine have not worked out well in our schedule so far this year for getting our little truck patch set up and ready to go. Better late than never, and the way we see it, this just means that we will be able to share in a late harvest with family and friends! Plus, the rain has been great for other friends and farmers. Without regular rain, the crops just won't grow.

There is so much meaning in this little square patch of ground. Every year while I was growing up, Dad and Mom would work one or two plots of ground planting a wide variety of vegetables. Through the summer and fall, we would have plenty of food to eat, and my folks would send me around to neighbors with buckets of fresh vegetables to share. Mom would be hard at work in the kitchen canning beans, making sauerkraut, and pickles (among other yummy foods).

Back around the time Mom was in the last rounds of her fight with cancer (which she eventually lost and is now in the presence of her King), I plowed up a little spot in the yard here in Morgantown. I was coming to a realization around that time that my generation was quickly losing its relationship with the land, and we were not maintaining some of the traditional skills that we had witnessed our parents and grandparents participate in regularly. Things like growing food, repairing homes, sewing, cooking, and maintaining home and land seemed to me to be becoming less and less practiced.

So, since 2007 I have planted a garden each year with one exception. Jamie and I gave the land a sabbath after seven years as a reminder that God is our ultimate provider, and just like you and I need rest, the land needs rest as well. Each year, I plant some tomatoes and some peppers and potentially some other yummies, but I always make sure I plant the Three Sisters. Planting the Three Sisters helps me to keep connected to foods my family has always grown, but in a larger scope it is a reminder and a connection to our cultural heritage as Shawnee people.

My ancestors would take time as they planted (planting marked the new year), and they would seek to forgive others and make amends where needed. In fact, it was forbidden to carry a grudge or some form of unforgiveness into the new year. Each year, at the time of planting, everyone would start on a clean slate. I think our world would be a little brighter if more folks today practiced a similar tradition. As I worked the ground and dropped corn, beans, and squash into rows, I also took a little moment to give thanks for the provision of the Creator of the universe who sustains all things. I asked God to bless the crops in the hopes that they would provide me, Jamie, and many of our friends and family meals, sustenance, and that the harvest would be plentiful, and allow us to extend these gifts to others as well.

While our garden is not quite big enough to provide for all of our needs, I believe that it keeps us sharpening skills that farmers the world over employ to make sure their families are fed. It becomes for us not only provision, but also an opportunity to stand in solidarity with our neighbors around the planet who are farmers. And here in the US, it keeps us rooted and connected to the land. Honestly, as we spend time in our little garden, the act itself refreshes our spirits. Personally I feel more alive as I am working this little plot, and the food that comes from this garden tastes WAY BETTER than what folks buy in stores--it's always been that way too.  There's something about having a little dirt under our fingernails as we work the land that is healing and magical.

Not only that, but every day we spend working this little patch, it's a small but poignant reminder that food comes from the good earth and from the provision of the creation. Real food doesn't come from a lab. It doesn't come from a box. It doesn't come in plastic and cardboard packages. It comes from the earth. As we tend and care for the earth, it takes care of us as well. Sometimes I think we forget that truth, and we become users instead of caretakers. We become users of both earth and people, and that leaves our relationships with both fragmented and broken.

Even if you can't plant a little spot on your land, maybe look around for a community supported agriculture (CSA) initiative or a farmers market. Doing so might be a small step of solidarity with farmers, and a good reminder of where our food comes from. It also helps the local economy as well! Here in Morgantown we are part of Mountain Harvest Farms CSA, and we supplement our food needs from time to time with a quick stop to the Morgantown Farmers Market or by making meat and egg purchases from Working H Farms.

May we all be blessed in this Shawnee new year with a greater spirit of forgiveness as well as a stronger relationship with the land that provides so much to us.

WOW! Nuru International CEO Jake Harriman Introduces Former Presidents George W. Bush And Bill Clinton

July 9th at 6PM ET, West Virginia native Jake Harriman gave a speech (starting at 57:30 in the above video) as part of his graduation from the Presidential Leadership Scholars (#PLScholars) Program, and at the conclusion of his speech, he introduced Bill Clinton and George W. Bush for their remarks to the graduating class. Jake is part of the inaugural class of 60 #PLScholars, and over the last few months he and his classmates have been receiving mentorship from these two former Presidents as well as their staff and the staff of former Presidents Lyndon B. Johnson and George H. W. Bush.

To be accepted as a PLScholar, Jake and his classmates had to go through a rigorous application and interview process, and were charged to identify a key leadership challenge for themselves or for the industries in which they worked. For his challenge, Jake chose to explore what he would need to do to take Nuru into increasingly fragile countries to be able to improve the livelihoods of farmers and their families, and to help make the world a little more secure and safe in the process. Jake has been coming away with a ton of insights that are helping Nuru become a better organization, and helping him to become a better leader. You can read some of those insights here.

And now as Jake graduates from the program, his classmates selected him to give the opening remarks at their graduation and to introduce these two former Presidents. There's an ancient Hebrew proverb that I've been reflecting on a lot lately, "Do you see a man skillful in his work? He will stand before kings; he will not stand before obscure men." Jake has shown himself to be skillful in leading Marines, leading Nuru, and now, he has been given this incredible opportunity to stand before two great leaders.

This is a huge moment for Jake and for Nuru, and of course, it is a moment for pride for West Virginia University, the United States Naval Academy, the United States Marine Corps, and the Stanford Graduate School of Business, but I believe it is also a great moment for the amazing people of our state. Long before Jake had been part of any of those prestigious institutions, he was growing up to be leader, by the grace of God, through the influences of family and community that he was surrounded by in the Mountain State. If you grew up in West Virginia, you grew up hearing the jokes and the slams when traveling to other places. Jake represents a different West Virginia, a West Virginia that is more accurate to the truth of who we are. He grew up on a small farm, and for him and his siblings, they were learning from parents and neighbors the value of service and hard work, just like many of the rest of us from this great state. West Virginians look out for others. And when one of us does something great on a regional, national, or global stage, it is a victory for all of us. I'm incredibly proud of Jake for being a man on whom this kind of honor can be bestowed. I'm incredibly proud of our Nuru team in Kenya, in Ethiopia, and across the states who have helped bring an idea about ending extreme poverty into reality. But, right now, I am beaming with pride as a West Virginian with other fellow West Virginians as we watch one of our own rise up into the spotlight for just a moment to let the world see what our people are really like. Go Jake! Go Nuru! We are all proud of you!

Reflection: Independence Day 2015

92nd Annual Lake Floyd WV July 4th Celebration

 This past weekend, Jamie and I traveled to the place she was raised, Lake Floyd, WV to celebrate July 4^th with her family and friends. At Lake Floyd, the July 4^th celebration is a bit of a throwback to a different era of America. On July 3^rd, the entire community gathers for a covered dish dinner and hot dog roast at the clubhouse (which is for all practical purposes the center of activity for the lakeside community).  I would estimate roughly 150 people came out for the hot dog roast. And the thing is, people come from near and far to be back at Lake Floyd for July 4^th. The atmosphere is similar to a large family reunion or homecoming.

And on July 4^th, the day starts with Irish RoadBowling, then a parade. The parade is comprised almost entirely of all of the kids from the lake community riding in wagons, bicycles, tricycles, and other decorated riding toys. After this comes “the games.” Of course there are fireworks at the end of the evening, but “the games” are not to be missed. Different age groups of boys and girls, men and women compete in three-legged races, obstacle courses, tug-of-wars, wheelbarrow races, and even an egg toss. This was the 92^nd anniversary of the Lake Floyd July 4^th celebration.

Open division wheelbarrow race July 4th

And this year, I was asked to pray to open up the games. For me, it was a big deal because 1) I’m not a member of the community like Jamie and others are and 2) I have witnessed a few of the others who have prayed to open the time, and those men and women were patriarchs and matriarchs in the community. Men and women who were giants of faith, who led lives of service, and who were stalwart champions of goodness in their community. Don’t get me wrong, I’m definitely not trying to place myself in that league—these are the exact reasons why I felt completely out of place standing in that position. At the same time, it made me want to aspire to live a life that could even be a shadow of the one they led.

Jamie rocking a Nuru shirt and getting ready for the parade.

Jamie’s cousin sang the national anthem (beautifully I might add), and the MC led the gathered crowd in the pledge of allegiance. And as these events transipired, I found myself reflecting as I stepped up to pray before the hundreds of men and women and boys and girls entered the “competition” at the 92^nd annual Lake Floyd July 4^th celebration. What I reflected on was a bit different than what others might have found themselves considering.

I reflected on this. What are we celebrating and highlighting when we come together at gatherings like this on the fourth of July. Are we celebrating our independence? Are we celebrating the freedoms we enjoy in America? Are we celebrating a successful rebellion from a tyrannical England that happened 239 years ago? In a sense we may be celebrating all of those things, but when I think about what values we choose to highlight on Independence Day, I think we are celebrating the fact that freedom imparts to us a need to take responsibility. Freedom means that we are called to serve and look out for the interests for others.

Jamie and her cousin Genevieve speeding past the competition.

As the list of those occupations and careers we typically honor on Independence Day are mentioned or listed they bear one thing in common. They the outflow of lives committed to the service of others. We often take time on Independence Day to pray for and honor the sacrifices of service men and women, first responders, fire-fighters, and police (among others), and these occupations share a common thread. They are careers and occupations when at their best demonstrate an ethic of self-sacrifice for the benefit of others. There is a sense with each of these vocations that their practitioners have come to the conclusion that a life of “freedom” also means a life of “responsibility.”

I have been privileged to be surrounded by others who champion this philosophy that is not uniquely American, but it is a part of America’s roots. Growing up I saw it in my parents and relatives who committed themselves to hard work to make sure there was food on the table for me and my generation, or in my neighbors who were always ready and willing to chip in and share skills to help repair a vehicle or a home. They weren’t living for themselves, but were looking out for the interests of others.

As I grew older, I felt the tensions of an increasingly dominant culture that said that I needed to put myself first, that it was survival of the fittest, that only the strong survive and these principles were in direct contrast to what I had witnessed in my own family and community. As I went off to college, the dominant culture was winning. I was pursuing an education that would line me up for a career where I could make a lot of money and “have all of the toys.” But something kept drawing me back. Among other happenings, during my college years, I became a Christian, and I was part of a community of Christians who were striving earnestly to live out their faith in tangible ways (and I’m grateful to still be part of that community). In addition, I had the opportunity to become more involved with my own tribal community. One of the highest principles among my tribe, is that you are here to serve. And now, I work for an organization in which servant leadership is among the core values.

 

As Martin Luther King, Jr. has said, “Anyone can be great, because anyone can serve.” You want to lead? Serve. You want to be respected by others? Serve. President Kennedy said it this way, “Ask not what your country can do for you, but what you can do for your country.”

So back to Independence Day. I believe that part of what we celebrate on Independence Day is freedom of responsibility. I think what makes America great (among many other attributes) is this. There is a rich tradition of service that has been woven into America. Of course there are ugly patches in this nation’s history, and there is definitely a need for introspection and correction, but while some of these wrongs cannot be righted easily, they can cease to continue if more people commit their lives to the service of others.

Right now, in the faith community of which I am part, we have been studying the letter Paul the Apostle wrote to the church at Philippi. One of the foremost themes of the book is service. Paul holds up multiple examples, including the life and example of Jesus Himself. Service brings out our best, and it actually can bring out the best in those around us too.

And while on various holidays and occasions we often celebrate those who serve, I look around and I see service trending downward. I see people who are caught up in their own interests. They have grabbed hold of an ethos of looking out for number one. They disrespect themselves, they disrespect rules, they disrespect property, and they, as a natural outflow, disrespect others. And yet, this is part of what it means to be free. We are also free to make bad choices. We are free not to take responsibility or expect consequences for our actions, but at some point there will be a reckoning.  My hope is that as a society we can begin to course correct. My hope is that Americans can celebrate not only the sacrifices of past generations that have enabled us to continue as a democracy, but also look to imitate an ethos of service that makes us our communities better, and also makes this entire world a better place for others.

So as we return to our normal rhythms after celebrating Independence Day, I want to encourage you to strive to maintain or develop an ethos of service. Your family will be better off. Your community will be better off. Your country will be better off. And, I believe wholeheartedly this world will be better off.  And this is the great irony, I believe you will be better off as well, because you will be living for a purpose greater than yourself, your bank account, or your own indulgence. There’s something about service that transforms us into a better version of ourselves than we would be otherwise. Will you take steps toward a greater ethos of service in your life by saying yes to others and no to yourself?

Congratulations To The Pamunkey Tribe On Becoming Federally Recognized

Early this morning I read a post my friend Bill Sembello shared on Facebook announcing that the Pamunkey Indian Tribe, one of eight state recognized tribes in the Commonwealth of Virginia, recently received federal recognition as an American Indian Tribe. This is an incredibly significant leap forward for the Pamunkey and potentially for other tribes who are not federally recognized.

For most people who read this blog, you might know a little bit about my heritage as a Shawnee, but that doesn't mean you know a ton about Native American law, rights, or recognition in this country. You see, there tons of different agencies that seek to define who is a member of a tribe, who is an American Indian, etc. For instance, there are a number of tribes that are recognized by a state government or agency, and each tribe has distinct criteria for recognizing members. There's some great literature on this for any who are interested, here is a good place to start--the principal chief of my tribe recommended I read that book while I was in college. Being recognized by the federal government allows a tribe to be considered a sovereign nation within a nation, or as Justice Marshall wrote in his Supreme Court Opinion on Cherokee Nation v. Georgia, "domestic dependent states." Regardless of the rights and opportunities conferred upon a tribe when it is federally recognized, there's something more at hand, particularly for the Pamunkey.

The Pamunkey were the first natives that met the English at Jamestown in 1607. Heard of Pocahontas? Her real name was Matoaka, and she is probably the most famous Pamunkey Indian in Western history, and maybe one of the most famous American Indians in the last 400 years. In 1677, the Pamunkey Reservation was formed formally by the Governor of Virginia under the Authority of the King of England. The treaty is actually still honored to this day by members of the tribe bringing a deer to the Virginia Governor's mansion on Thanksgiving Day.

The British recognized the Pamunkey as a tribe. Virginia recognized the Pamunkey as a tribe. But, the United States did not formally recognize the Pamunkey as a tribe until July 2, 2015. The Pamunkey spent decades and more than 2 million dollars fighting for this recognition. They even had to fight against a resort who viewed their sovereignty (and potential for opening a casino) as a financial threat according to a recent article.

According to NPR, Pamunkey Chief Kevin Brown called this a vindication, and remarked that different groups had used "Paper genocide to attempt to erase us from the historic record." Most famously in the Commonwealth, this happened in the early 1900s through a man named Walter Plecker who drafted the Racial Integrity Law of 1924 in Virginia. It required that all births be registered as white or colored and aside from being an incredibly racist law in its most basic form, it also sought to eliminate Virginia Indians from the historical record.

Though many won't have the same level of interest in this decision, I'm personally incredibly excited for the Pamunkey, and for what this decision could potentially mean for the other tribes in Virginia currently seeking to be recognized by the federal government. And I'm also excited for what the recognition of the Pamunkey means for eastern Native people. For many, Indian people either no longer exist, or only exist "out West." In fact, this phenomenon led members of many Virginia tribes to share their stories in this book.

I used to make an annual trip with my Chief to an annual conference hosted by the Virginia Governor's Council On Indians. The people I met there have all been really great people--hard-working, community-oriented, faith-filled, and welcoming, and on the rare occasion I find myself traveling through the Commonwealth, I love getting together and catching up with all the good that is happening in their communities.

Regardless of what it means for other tribal communities, including my own, I am incredibly excited for the 208 members of the Pamunkey tribe. For one of the first tribes to meet European explorers and settlers to have survived and maintained their traditional way of life is a huge feat in and of itself, and honestly, this recognition is long overdue.

Review: Jawbone Up Activity Tracker

As the Apple Watch becomes the latest in a long list of wearable technology, I thought I would write a brief review of the wearable technology I have experimented with, and some pros and cons I see.

I was at a software developer's conference called UberConf in 2013 when I heard one of the speakers, Stuart Halloway, hold up his wrist to display a Jawbone UP activity tracker, and talk briefly about how far we have come in the realm of technology. Stu is an incredibly intelligent dude, a brilliant developer, a compelling communicator, and an avid runner. His display of the UP piqued my curiosity. So, as per usual, I began exploring different trackers and the pros and cons of each. I finally landed on the up band for a few reasons.

It was one of the first activity trackers developed and it worked well with older smart phones at the time (iPhone 4 and beyond), and I had an older phone. I thought the fact that I could plug it into my headphone jack to upload data to its partner app was pretty cool. It also seemed to have a less "tech device" look to it compared to other devices.

Now why was I interested in a tracker in the first place? Well, for starters, roughly from the beginning of Nuru, I had developed a habit of getting 4.5-6 hours of sleep a night instead of the recommended 7.5-8. I thought that a device that sort of "held me accountable" and helped me track toward a goal of a normal sleep pattern would be helpful. In addition, Jamie and I were training for our first marathon, and I also had a goal of mobility each day. The UP has a cool app that tracks sleep patterns as well as running and walking, and it syncs up with other apps I like such as Runtastic and My Fitness Pal. For folks who want to track things like drinking at least eight glasses of water, or keeping a digital food journal, the UP is helpful as well. In addition, you can set smart alarms, so if you have been staring at your computer too long, binge watching netflix, or just plain lounging, it will vibrate and remind you to not sit still. More and more studies are showing that a sedentary lifestyle is incredibly unhealthy.

So what were the results of my UP? Well, I was able to become more disciplined about sleep. I started getting the recommended amount of sleep, and I was able to develop a habit of 7.5-8 hours a night. The UP was incredibly helpful. I was also able to track steps taken, whether I was walking or running, and that helped me cultivate greater discipline in being active. Additionally, a few of my friends also had UP bands along with the app, so we could encourage each other when we hit our goals. Finally, the app provides articles related to health, motivational quotes, and a really cool visual display of activity and sleep patterns. I would highly recommend the UP for anyone who needs a kickstart to a healthy lifestyle.

But, I don't wear an UP or any other wearable tech these days. Why not? Well, my UP started "warping" (The rubber exterior came unglued from the device) a few months after purchase. Warping caused the button on the UP to not be able to be pushed, and I couldn't charge my UP or upload data to my phone. This happened to me twice in my first year of owning the UP. When it happened a third time this spring, I was 1) outside of warranty and 2) the version of UP band I had was no longer being produced. The folks at Jawbone were really nice and sent me a discount code for purchasing a new product, but I haven't been able to bring myself to purchase another. I had hoped Jawbone would produce a water-proof device--my wife is a swimmer, and I thought it might be a cool gift, and we could both have one.

But then I had this realization. The UP band had been an accountability partner, a coach, and a tool to get me moving and more disciplined with regard to my health, but now I had developed better habits. I didn't need the extra nudge for sleeping eight hours because I knew how great it felt to get enough sleep. I didn't need to to know how many steps I took during a day, because I knew I was being consistent with moving. So the activity tracker had served its purpose. In addition, activity trackers are not cheap, and if I just don't know if it is worth replacing one of these devices every 1-2 years, unless, you need the accountability and the nudge. Then, these devices are WAY cheaper than a personal trainer or something similar. Of course I am still a fan of the UP band, and super impressed with Jawbone's willingness to replace my band twice, and I would recommend their device to anyone in the market for an activity tracker.

Are you looking to push yourself toward a health or wellness goal? Maybe the UP or another tracker would be a good device to get you started. Regardless, may you rest well and get out and move toward a healthier life.

Home and Hospitality

For four straight weekends (and even some weekdays) Jamie and I have had an incredible privilege of hosting friends and family in Morgantown. We LOVE it when people come to visit, and we have had some pretty wonderful times with friends and family dropping in so far this year. We also love staying with friends and making new friends as we travel sharing Nuru throughout the year. There is just something really special and restful about having guests or being the guest of others. Whether crashing on a couch, floor, or bed, having a guest or being a guest allows us to enjoy and practice hospitality, which may be becoming a forgotten art in a frenetically paced world.

A few years back, I read a book by Henri Nouwen, called Reaching Out. Nouwen was a Dutch Catholic priest and a professor at Notre Dame, Yale, and Harvard at different points in his career. Reaching Out was not a large book, but it was packed with wisdom. Among the pieces that have stuck to me over the years was an interesting thought around hospitality. Nouwen also considered hospitality to be an art that was on its way to being forgotten. I cannot recall his exact phrasing, but he said something like this. When we practice hospitality, we are actually creating a space where people are free to be themselves and engage in meaningful conversation about things that matter. Not only that, but hospitality allows us to cultivate service toward others as a more central part of our lives.

When we share lodging, we are inviting others into our world, and being invited into theirs at the same time. We all, host and guest, change our rhythms and slow down. We spend time catching up, and we make the people we are with a priority, and to me, that protects us. It protects us from being possessed by our possessions--they become gifts for sharing just like we were taught as children. It also helps divert our attention and our focus away from ourselves, and toward others. When we are guests or hosts, we shift our rhythms and become better participants in community.

May we all make the spaces we inhabit, whether our physical homes, or even the coffee shop, or the bus stop, spaces where people feel free to be themselves and engage in meaningful conversation, and may we grow in our abilities to divert our focus from ourselves to the needs, the joys, and the trials of others. Personally, I think the more we create a space for hospitality, the more beauty we will see and cultivate in this world.

Let’s Help Jake Harriman Win The John C. Maxwell Leadership Award

Hey West Virginia! Hey USNA! Hey Marines! Hey Stanford Peeps! Hey Nuru Crew!

Earlier this year, Jake was nominated to receive the John C. Maxwell Leadership Award, and he has made it to the Top 30 finalists. This week, he and the other Top 30 are being interviewed by a representative of the John C. Maxwell team, but they are also trying to assess the leadership of candidates like Jake by hearing from people who know these leaders.

"Please help us learn more about each of these candidates by sharing your positive leadership stories and how one of them have impacted and influenced you and your leadership."

Do you know Jake? Have you been inspired by his leadership, his drive, and his passion? Whether it was in the heat of battle, the tranquility of a faith community, or the passionate effort to see the end of extreme poverty, post your story on the Maxwell website.

If you know Jake, you know he is a pretty humble guy, and he really doesn’t like to talk about himself and his accolades. That’s why I’m asking YOU to share why he is the perfect candidate for the John C. Maxwell Leadership Award. Will you help me? It only takes about five minutes to share a story. You don’t have to be Shakespeare to do this either! Click this link to make a comment and share a story. 

Also, if it is helpful, here’s what I posted. J

When I think about Jake and his leadership, I think about the fact that he is “all-in” with whatever he commits himself to. I first met him during our freshman year of college at WVU.  As a freshman, he was incredibly committed to his faith, and offered to make his room available for a Bible study to anyone who was interested on his residence hall floor. Jake’s room  became a crowded space because I think people have always been interested in getting involved with whatever he is a part of because he is committed and he follows through, and honestly, people want to be part of what he is doing..

After two years at WVU, Jake was stirred by a passion to serve. That led him to not only to explore an opportunity to serve in the military, but also to pursue an appointment to the United States Naval Academy. Jake  attended the academy and graduated in the top percentile of his class while also becoming a Rhodes Scholar semi-finalist as well as captain of Navy’s rugby team. His pathway has inspired many other Midshipmen, and his graduating class (USNA 98) actually organized a campaign to raise funds to support Nuru where they raised more than $110,000 as part of their 15 year reunion. In addition Jake and his passion has inspired a group of current Midshipmen to run marathons and compete in triathlons to raise funds and awareness for Nuru. Jake's dedication to service inspires other people to serve.

As a Marine, Jake served as a platoon commander in infantry and in a special operations unit called Force Reconnaissance. I did not serve in the military with Jake, but in my conversations with those who did, and those who became part of Force Recon after Jake left to start Nuru, their comments are always filled with respect for what Jake has been able to do through Nuru and appreciation for him as a servant leader. Jake led his Marines on four operational deployments, including two combat tours in Iraq and disaster relief operations in Indonesia and Sri Lanka after the Asian tsunami. He was awarded the Bronze Star for actions in combat during his second tour in Iraq.  Jake's successes as a Marine leader were built on the trust of his peers. 

When Jake was confronted with the issue of extreme poverty and the desperation it causes, he dedicated himself to studying humanitarian development and enrolled in the Stanford Graduate School of Business. While there, he involved more than 30 of his classmates and a half dozen professors in helping him build the first iteration of the Nuru model, and graduated with his degree and a well thought out business plan for addressing extreme poverty in June 2008. By September of 2008, he had recruited his initial team at Nuru and inserted to begin testing this model to address extreme poverty. Jake mobilizes those around him to get engaged and contribute their time and talents to solve a problem.

Seven years later, Jake continues to inspire individuals to address the issue of extreme poverty. Thousands of people have been impacted by Nuru’s efforts in Kenya and Ethiopia, and a growing number of people in the US and around the world have chosen to support Jake in his leadership and his efforts to address extreme poverty, and who are in turn leading and inviting others to join these efforts. 

In fact, earlier this year, Jake was named an inaugural Presidential Leadership Scholar, and has been benefitting from mentorship from former US Presidents and their staff including Lyndon B. Johnson, George H. W. Bush, Bill Clinton, and George W. Bush. As the program draws to a close, his fellow scholars and faculty chose him to give remarks at the graduation ceremony for the scholars. Through the time of this program, Jake demonstrated leadership by winning the respect of his peers. 

Jake embodies servant leadership and the principles and practices that John C. Maxwell and his team encourage. In addition, Jake has helped me and countless others to live our lives with a greater sense of purpose, and a willingness to keep pushing ourselves because the world around us deserves us bringing our very best to whatever we do, and it needs more people who are ‘all-in’ for serving and inspiring others.

Morning Mileage

As spring transitions to summer, our miles are steadily increasing. For the third year in a row, Jamie and I committed to running the Marine Corps Marathon for Nuru International. In 2013, I can remember making the decision to sign up, more because I believe in Nuru than because I wanted to run 26.2 miles, and then, once I signed up, I knew I had to get serious about training. I had not been exercising consistently (beyond walking Jamie to and from work), and I couldn't really remember the last time I had run. So I went out that same evening, and tried to run as far as I could, but very slowly. I think I ran about 5 miles at a 13.5 minute pace. My feet hurt, and I was utterly exhausted.

Steadily as the summer progressed, my body began to wake from its slumber, and by the day of the race, I felt ready to run 26.2 miles. What helped me get ready was having an amazing training partner. Jamie and I ran together. We trained together. We prepared together, and we ran 26.2 miles. We didn't set a world record, but we did enjoy every moment of encouraging each other on those days when one or the other of us didn't feel like running. AND, we enjoyed being able to celebrate with approximately 30,000 other people (and about 30 Nuru runners), the discipline and determination that led us to running a marathon.

There are a wide variety of activities we can fill our limited time with, and not all of them are good. For me and Jamie, the last three years of running have been a really good thing. We get quality time together, we can pray together for friends and family, and we both feel like we are becoming more healthy as a result of going after the goal of a marathon. Even on mornings where we had to get up before daylight to beat the heat, we found we had more energy and were able to enjoy the rest of the day more than anticipated after waking up at 430AM. Before 2013, I never had aspirations of running a marathon. I wasn't sure if I could be disciplined enough to do it. But I could. And likely, so could you.

You see that's the really crazy thing to me. For most people, what it comes down to is self-discipline. You must be willing and able to plan and take steps toward achieving the goal. Most people, even serious athletes, probably can't just run out the door and crank out 26.2 miles without getting hurt. As Jamie and I were running recently, we were talking about the fact that many of our friends probably consider us runners because, well, we run. But when I think about runners, I think about people like my sister and brother-in-law. I think they run six days a week--they enter races at least twice a month. Jamie and I focus on three days of running each week--just enough to be able to build up to run a marathon.

It takes discipline to get there, but there are little rewards along the way, especially if you can run with your spouse or a close friend. Aside from that reward, there's the reward of quiet and an opportunity to explore and appreciate the world around you in ways you might not if you were sitting in a car (or a house). I took the photo at the top of this blog while running on the rail trail in Morgantown West Virginia. There was nobody out there. We saw deer, rabbits, and chipmunks, and we were also able to listen to a variety of birds. We were between a major roadway and the river, and all we could see was the path ahead, and the beauty of creation. I don't mind seeing people along the way too, but there was something nice about being out early with Jamie, carrying a Camelbak filled with three liters of water, and seeing nothing but the trail extending beyond us.

May we take the time to wake up early and get out there and move. Our body, mind, and spirit will thank us for making the time.

Squash Blossom 2015

Summer is officially here, and I haven't been able to put a garden in yet, but I received this gift growing from a pile of compost near the edge of the garden. Apparently, a squash seed was able to germinate in the middle of the compost. As long as I have been planting a garden, I have been enthralled by the beautiful flowers produced by the squash. My ancestors were also pretty fascinated by these squash blossoms and included representations of them in quill work and other designs. Each year, as the blossoms begin to bloom, I've attempted to document with a photo, to meditate and to reflect.

This year is no different, except for one change I have noticed trickling into my routines. I feel like it has been hard for me to slow down. I am not sure if the world is speeding up, or if I'm not giving myself "margins" to rest and reflect, but I am definitely taking notice of it, and being proactive to change.

This year, the lessons of the squash blossom are causing me to come back to some simple truths that I have learned, known, and forgotten. As I look at this simple yellow flower, it's almost like a megaphone booming loudly these truths that in our modern world of efficiency are easy to forget.

One of the foremost is this. There is beauty all around us if we slow down to look. We really just need to open our senses and take it in. Beauty is healing. Dostoyevsky once wrote, "Beauty will save the world." I agree. It puts us in touch with our humanity, with our relationship with the created world. Sometimes we need to stop and soak it in.

And this particular beauty, the beauty from this squash blossom, is coming from a compost heap. The Creator of the universe brings beauty out of waste and refuse. He takes ordinary dirt and seeds and crafts something that causes wonder to stir in our hearts.

We place a lot of emphasis on efficiency in this modern era. By efficiency, I mean doing the most activity in the least amount of time. I wonder if we are missing out on the beauty that can be created by 'wasting' time by sitting quietly, away from our gadgets, and away from the tyranny of urgent and often times unimportant activity.

As I write this, I find myself wanting to take more time to sit and observe, and I am grateful (and I hope you are as well) for the little treasures that are strewn about our path that nudge us toward a pause and a reflection.

Happy 152nd Birthday West Virginia, You Are Amazing!

WV Flag and Seal

Today is a very special day. Not only is it the 152nd birthday of the 35th state, but it is also the last day of spring. Every year I spend here in almost heaven, I find more and more reasons to love this state. From its people to its amazing natural beauty, there is much to cherish. West Virginia joined the union by Presidential decree on June 20, 1863, and it is the only state created by that process. Thank you Mr. Lincoln!

Germany Valley view from Seneca Rocks

 And thank you God, for letting me be born in a place with so much natural beauty. My parents instilled a love for the created world from a young age, and I still think back fondly to trips we took to places like Cass Scenic Railroad, Blackwater Falls, and many journeys to the summit of Seneca Rocks to look down on the Germany Valley as the sun slowly made its way behind these majestic West Virginia hills.

Hallé enjoying the Morgantown Farmer's Market

For me, West Virginia is not only a celebration of this great state, but also I've been able to make some additional memories tied to this day. For one, it's my friend Hallé Zakowski's birthday too. Hallé grew up in Ohio, but being born on June 20th, I think it must have been fated that she and her family would have so much love for West Virginia. She actually drove to Morgantown this weekend to ensure that she was celebrating her birthday on the terra firma of West Virginia.
The most important West Virginia Day memory I can remember happened in 2010. It was Father's Day, I had just shared a message at a friend of mine's church about Nuru and why I decided to join the fight to end extreme poverty. After church, I drove to Lake Floyd, West Virginia, and proceeded to row a boat to the middle of the lake, dropped on a knee and asked Jamie to marry me. Thankfully she said yes!

Me and Jamie at Harper's Ferry visiting friends in 2011.

And now, as I write and think back to all that has happened in our lives, I'm filled with gratitude. Gratitude that we get to explore this state together. Grateful that we have stood atop Spruce Knob (highest point) as well as Harper's Ferry (lowest point), and watched the sun rise and set on West Virginia's hills and rivers from many vantage points. We have cheered on the Mountaineers, hiked along trails and sought to cherish every moment we have with each other in this amazing place.
Montani semper liberi! Thank you, West Virginia, for the memories you have given to us and to all who take the time to sit, hike, run, walk, bike, or relax for a spell in these majestic and grand West Virginia hills.

May we always treasure our mountain home, the memories we make, and the best aspects of our heritage as Appalachian people.

Mountaineer Field and the Pride of West Virginia, the Mountaineer Marching Band

If you are so fortunate as to live in West Virginia, make sure you get out and celebrate. And, if not, come visit sometime, but make sure you care well for our home among these hills.