Honestly, I’ve vacillated on what today’s post would be about. This isn’t a website where I expect you to get your cultural commentary. But from where I’ve been and where most of us have been, casting techniques and fly rod reviews just didn’t seem right.

Still, I’m going to focus on the outdoors.

Instead of words, I’m going to share some good deeds. Recently there have been innumerable keyboard strokes with varying degrees of value. Some go beyond social media sentiment and actually do something.

Here are three stories of people and organizations who are doing real, good works. They are promoting love, unity, and opportunity through the joy of being in nature. They are reaching out to the marginalized because it is the right thing to do.

The Mayfly Project and Elevate Youth impact kids from diverse backgrounds with genuine, unconditional compassion. That’s a motive we need today. That’s a motive we all need every day. That’s why these three stories are worth reading:

Elevate Youth: Nature, Fish, & Transformation

“We’re an organization that is committed to facilitating healthy, long-term relationships through outdoors experiences. Close to 90% of the youth we work with, this is the first time they’re doing anything like this. With the support of a positive adult, they get out of their comfort zone and into a learning zone.” Read more here…

The Mayfly Project Mentor Interview: Heather Sees

“I signed up initially to be a part of a Big Brothers Big Sisters fishing event,” Heather recalled. “As a kid getting outside was what I liked, what benefited me. I wanted to share that with kids that never got out of the city.” Shortly after that experience, she came across The Mayfly Project on social media. “I reached out to Jess (Westbrook, TMP founder) and asked if they had anything I could get involved with in Colorado. He said, ‘no – want to start it?’” Read more here…

The Mayfly Project Mentor Interview: Greg Lunsford

Greg explained how it takes some work, though. “Every time you get a child you don’t know what you’re going to get. Often they have walls up. By taking them fly fishing, which is very attention driven, it gets them outside of their situation even if temporarily. They are focusing on casting, on watching their fly. They’ll start to open up. They might be quiet or frustrated, but then they catch a fish and you see them smile.” Read more here…

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If you read Casting Across often, you probably know I’m a pastor. This website isn’t my church or my pulpit. But with everything going on in our world today, I do feel convicted to say this:

Our culture and our world are broken. The fix for brokenness isn’t more worldly brokenness. The only pathway towards healing, reconciliation, and peace is the good news of Jesus Christ.

If you’re feeling lost and hopeless with the solutions the world has to offer, I’m happy to listen. Please reach out.