I’m tired.

That probably doesn’t surprise you if you’ve been following my posts as I ride the rigorous Great Divide Mountain Bike Trail from Jasper, Alberta, Canada, to Mexico. At ages 69 and 70, the miles, climbs, weather and pace we’ve chosen have a way of reminding us that we’re not getting any younger!

But there’s another kind of tired that weighs on me much more.

I’m tired of the relentless reports of youth gun violence.

Recently, an 11-year-old was shot in a drive-by shooting that remains under investigation.

An 11-year-old.

That is unacceptable.

According to the CDC, firearm injuries were the leading cause of death among children and teens ages 1–19 in the United States.

And this issue isn’t just something I read about from a distance.

It’s personal.

Also recently, we lost a 14-year-old young man who had begun participating in Lord’s Gym Ministries’ new boxing program. We didn’t have much time with him, but his loss has stayed with me. It reminds me why this work matters so much—and why we have to keep showing up.

I think about him as I ride.

I think about the 11-year-old who was shot recently.

And I think about the countless young people growing up in circumstances no child should.

As I’ve traveled the Great Divide, I’ve had conversations with people from many different communities. In the more rural areas, people understand that youth gun violence is a serious problem. But many simply don’t experience it in the same way we do in metropolitan communities.

The conversations are usually brief.

But they’ve made me think.

When I get tired while riding, I can stop.

I can get off my bike. I can rest. I can eat something, drink some water and recover before getting back on the trail.

But when I get tired of hearing about another child being shot, another family grieving, another young life changed forever, I can’t simply stop.

I have to bear down.

I have to keep going.

I have to get more people involved. More people talking. More people praying. More people willing to invest in the lives of young people before violence becomes their story.

We can—and must—do better.

In my 25 years with Lord’s Gym Ministries, I’ve learned that meaningful change begins with meaningful relationships.

That’s what we work to build every day in Cincinnati.

Through our staff, coaches, mentors and volunteers, we create safe places where young people can be known, encouraged, challenged and loved. Through athletics, mentoring, education and other activities, we have opportunities to build relationships and speak life into young people.

No one gets turned away.

We know that a boxing program alone won’t solve youth violence. Neither will a basketball league, a tutoring program or a safe place to gather.

But relationships matter.

Showing up matters.

Knowing a young person’s name matters.

Helping them understand that they are loved, valued and created for a purpose matters.

And sometimes, that relationship may be the difference between a young person feeling forgotten and knowing that someone believes in them.

This work is too important to do alone.

I need your help.

Please share this post with someone who needs to hear this message. Pray for the young people and families impacted by violence.

I may be tired from the trail.

But I’m not ready to stop.

Our kids are worth the effort.

Press on. Grow strong. Stand firm.

Scott