Devotions on the Beach

by   September 30, 2019 with No Comments

By David Freeze

   My primary task following one of my cycling adventures is to complete the accompanying book. I find writing and editing the latest book to be much harder than cycling the journey.  The draft of my Alaska book and most of the edits were completed a week ago and I needed to do the final read through while totally focused. I decided to go to the beach alone, get the final edit done and take some time to relax.

    I had not been to the South Carolina beaches in four years, and the last time was on my cycling adventure from Maine to Key West. This time, I had an amazing schedule assist that included no events for a weekend. That almost never happens. I left Saturday morning with a place to stay at the south end of Myrtle Beach. For years, that was my favorite beach for several reasons. My family loved the Springmaid Beach complex, I had discounted rates there and the kids had an onsite pool and putt-putt, plus a family cafeteria.

     This time, I went alone and was surprised to see that Hilton Doubletree owns that complex and the family things are all gone. I did get a room close by and explored the old Air Force base where I loved to run. The military things are mostly gone, and condominiums and shops have replaced them. The airport is commercial now. I also did a six mile loop on the streets next to the beach.

     While no longer a military base, occasional military jets and transport planes still took off and climbed over the ocean, a great sight to see and its maybe a better place to run now.  

    Other things are gone too. Long time DJ Ted Bell isn’t on 94.9, the Surf, my favorite beach music station. He passed away last year of brain cancer. The old Wings stores are named other things. The Springmaid Pier was destroyed in a storm and is being rebuilt.

      I had no real plan on how long to stay in that area, so I went to North Myrtle Beach for a couple of days. It had been even longer since I spent any time there. I noticed lots more high-rise motels and condos but still plenty of the old buildings and small houses too.

     While at the beach, I love to walk too. Any time suits me fine. On the first morning at Cherry Grove, I ran six miles and immediately changed shorts, grabbed my radio and walked about three miles on the beach while listening to Christian music. I couldn’t wait to do it again.

      On the second morning, I ran five and then immediately walked four, again with the praise music and some old hymns in my ears. The sunrises were beautiful and so was the weather on both mornings. I felt so close to God and didn’t want it to end.

      Also amazing were the early morning people. Runners ran and walkers walked as the sun came up. Time and again, people were greeting each other with pleasant “Good mornings!” and “Hi’s!” Those that didn’t speak often waved and many did both. I was with my people.

     Back home now, I won’t be able to do my walk with Christian music every morning, but some days will work. For the longest time, my devotions have been an evening thing. I can see that shift to mornings on most days coming soon. Another trip to the beach and more morning walks is just a few weeks away. Morning reflection, devotions and anticipation for the day make a wonderful mix!

ME! ME! ME!

by   September 29, 2019 with No Comments

By Ann Farabee

Every student in school was crammed into the gym for the presentation of the shiny brand new bike that would go to the winner of the grand prize in our fundraiser. Yes, ONE randomly drawn lucky winner!

Estimated 400 students. As a teacher, I prepared myself for the sadness of the 399.

I was a little surprised when the representative yelled to the kids, “WHO WANTS THE BIKE?”

Hysterical children began jumping up and down, climbing on each other, running around in circles, and screaming the same 3 frantic words: ME! ME! ME!

Teachers began to corral the students and get them back to their ‘spot’ on the floor where they had been sitting, as the lone bike awaited its owner.

It became even more difficult when the representative’s microphone once again boomed, “ARE YOU READY?” This was followed by renewed jumping, screaming, and more boisterous shouts begging for the bike, while crying out, “ME! ME! ME!”

Finally, the winner’s name was read! Dead silence. Sighs. Moans. Even tears and some shouts of “Boo! Boo!” This was not going well. Finally, a tiny first grade girl hesitantly went up to accept the huge bike, but not until she whispered into the microphone that she did not know how to ride a bike. She received the free gift, anyway.

400 students? 399 unhappy. Students exited.

While walking back to our classroom, one of my students, who had been particularly expressive in his jumping and screaming, said, “I did everything I could think of to win the bike, but I just couldn’t make it happen!”

Nothing had worked to improve their chances of winning:

*Drawing attention to themselves to be noticed.

*Being quiet to be noticed.

*Working hard to be noticed.

*Not working at all to be noticed.

*Boasting of their biking skills to be noticed.

*Totally lacking biking skills.

None of that mattered. It was a gift. For one.

As I tried to comfort the student as we walked, I kept thinking about those hundreds of screams of, “ME! ME! ME!” and I realized that I often may do the very same thing. No, I may not yell out, “ME! ME! ME!” but I feel sure I sometimes point to myself – even if in my mind – feeling like the more I do, the better my chances are of winning.

God’s Word points out two clear-cut (and totally different) examples of those choruses of ‘ME!’ as being a problem:

*Acts 5:1-11 tells where Ananias and Sapphira died for lying to God and to God’s people by trying to make themselves seem more generous than they actually were. (This is not one of my favorite Bible stories.)

*Ephesians 2:8-9 says, “For by grace are we saved through faith; not of ourselves: it is the gift of God. Not of works, lest any man should boast.

We are saved by grace through faith – not by works. Acts 16:31 says if we believe on the Lord Jesus Christ, we will be saved.

The good news is that there is a bike for everyone – not just for one!

Oh wait! I mean – there is salvation for everyone – not just for one!

Ann is a speaker and teacher. Contact her at annfarabee@gmail.com or annfarabee.com 

I Got A Job?

by   September 28, 2019 with No Comments

By Doug Creamer

                Someone asked me the other day if I was enjoying retirement. “Are you kidding me? YES!” He laughed, because he knew I would love it. The truth is, I really do love it. But the fact remains that I am going to have to do something. I need something in my life. I tend to be a creature of habit and routine. It would also be nice to make a little spending money.

                Trying to find the right thing, a part-time job, is challenging. Before I retired, I didn’t know about any opportunities. Since I retired, there are lots things that have become options. I am glad that I didn’t have to be in a big hurry to get something. It has afforded me the opportunity to prayerfully consider what God wants me to do.

                It is my biggest desire to please my Father in heaven. The good news about that is that no matter what I do, God still loves me. I am pleasing in HIs sight. I am His son. I also know that there are things that He wants me to do. Like a good son, I want to be about my Father’s business.

                Some might immediately think that the only place we can be about His business is at church. Granted, there are some very important things that need doing in every church and I plan to do more at mine. But it is my firm belief that not everything God wants us to do revolves entirely around the church.

God wants us to be the salt of the earth. In order to be a preservative, salt, we have to be active in our community. We have to be in places that need His presence. Jesus told His disciples to go and win the lost and to make them into disciples. We have to be out where the lost are to win them. 

I believe sometimes God’s plans includes us doing things outside the four walls of the church. God needs people in every profession to be a light in the dark world. I always felt like I was a missionary teaching in the public schools. So if your job is a plumber, imagine how many non-church people you can bring the light of the gospel to in your job. God needs each of us to bring His light into our workplace.

After seeking the Lord, I believe He has guided me to a new adventure. I just completed the process of becoming an online teacher. Granted, that isn’t a big stretch from being a public school teacher. There is a catch…I will be teaching English to Chinese students. The truth is, I am excited about teaching  the students. They will be younger than I am used to teaching and I will have to be a little more energetic and animated to do a good job. The biggest catch for me is that it will be very early in the morning. I mean long before I am used to getting up. I will adjust and I think it will be fun.

The cool thing is that God is opening a door for me to continue to speak into young lives. It will be different, but God has faith in me. I am excited to get started. I have a few more things to do before I see my first student on the computer screen. This is a whole different way of teaching, hopefully proving this old dog can learn some new tricks.

God has good plans for your life and mine. We don’t always know where the adventure will take us, but we can be sure He will be with us. Will everything be perfect because we are following His plan? No. There will be some bumps along the road, but I know that He will help me along the way.

I believe that some of you are heading down a new road. Maybe yours is a new job, a new house, or maybe a new relationship. Whatever your new experience is, God will be with you. The road may be bumpy and curvy, that only keeps the adventure interesting. He wants us to trust Him and to be ready to share an encouraging word and our faith with those we meet along the way.

I want to encourage you to look at your life and circumstances through God’s eyes. God needs you to shine brightly. Be ready, because sometimes He will move you to a new place where you can let His light shine through you. One thing I know, it never gets boring  with God. Grab ahold of Him, the ride will be a great adventure.  

By Doug Creamer – PO Box 777, Faith, NC 28041 or doug@dougcreamer.com

Walk Worthy

by   September 24, 2019 with No Comments

By Lynna Clark

We really enjoy watching the Atlanta Braves play. In fact we’ve been fans long enough to remember the days of Andrew Jones, Javy Lopez, John Smoltz, and long before that Dale Murphy. Now we appreciate all the new guys. I think what makes it so enjoyable is that the team is having a good time. They joke with the opposing fans and players. They laugh at each other and make fun of their own mistakes. I kinda love it. Plus all the winning is fun too.

The other night something terrible happened. One of our favorite players, Charlie Culberson, got hit in the head with a ninety-one mile an hour fastball. He immediately went down. As Charlie lay bleeding in the dirt, we waited… and prayed.

The third base coach, Ron Washington is a seasoned veteran who tends to treat each player as a son. As Charlie suffered, Papa Wash, as David dubbed him, kneeled in the dirt beside him. While medics attended his head, gently he patted Charlie’s leg as if soothing his son.

Eventually the medical staff was able to get our wounded player onto a cart. As they drove away Charlie lifted his head to search out the National’s pitcher Fernando Rodney. The men exchanged a moment of grace when Charlie simply gave him a thumbs up. Rodney was visibly shaken and struggled to maintain control when later he continued pitching.

A fastball to the head is serious. Most likely Charlie is out for the rest of this season. If bones are crushed near the eye socket his entire career could be over. I remember years ago when a player was hit with a similar pitch. Because of a shift in the position of the bones around the eye, the man no longer had the depth perception he needed to play. I’m sure both men were aware of the severity of the injury. Yet one simple gesture said in essence,

“It’s okay. I know the ball just got away from you.” 

I felt almost as sorry for the pitcher as I did for Charlie. I wanted to hug him and usher him away from the field. Like Papa Wash I wanted to kneel in the dirt by Charlie. Like the man on the cart holding a towel on Charlie’s head I wanted to put an arm around his shoulder and tell him I’m proud of his reaction toward Rodney. Had I been there I would have tipped my cap and saluted the Washington fans for the silence they gave to the moment and later for their standing ovation as Charlie was carted away.

The Braves announcers were so sickened by the moment that Jeff Francoeur could hardly continue. Chip Caray chose his words wisely and promised us updates. He too expressed sympathy for the pitcher and even the manager of the opposing team.

I know.

None of them are perfect. But I love the Braves. They reminded me of something valuable. People are hurting all around us. May we kneel in the dirt, pat someone on the back, or gently speak a word of grace.

No matter where life takes us, may we do our best to walk worthy of our calling.

You Couldn’t Do That!

by   September 23, 2019 with No Comments

By David Freeze

    One of my favorite stories, often recounted for motivation of my fitness and wellness clients, happened about 40 years ago. I heard the other day about a book that had all the references to can’t and negativity cut out of it. Not much was left of the book. Here’s a story of nearly all positives. I hope you enjoy it.

     Back in 1979, I had the occasion to watch the New York City Marathon on TV. It wasn’t intended, but that TV show went a long way toward changing my life for the next 40 years. My wife at the time and I had a bad habit. She worked at Revco Drug, the forerunner to CVS of today. A couple of times a week, one of her responsibilities was to clear the out of date candy from the store. She didn’t throw it away and usually brought it home. On those days, I couldn’t wait to dig into the candy bag. We sat around and ate until we both fell asleep in our chairs, having developed a regular pattern.

    While that sounds very bad, we were both athletes. I was playing up to 100 games of softball every summer and in a basketball league during the winter. She was an outstanding shortstop for her women’s softball team. We both gained weight and soon I had an extra 30 pounds going that I didn’t like.

    We watched that marathon together and loved ABC’s coverage of 15,000 runners in the streets and boroughs of the greatest city in the world. I don’t remember much about the winners, but I do remember what they said about the training required to complete 26.2 miles. I was mesmerized and didn’t miss any of the four hours of coverage.

      At the end, we both were sitting on the couch and I said, “I think I would like to do that, run the New York City Marathon.” My wife said, “There is no way that you could ever do anything like that!” She started laughing and rolled off the couch to emphasize how funny she though the idea was. Nothing more was said.

     That night, for the first time in my life, I ran a mile because I wanted to. It was horrid and I struggled in my Converse basketball shoes. But I finished the mile, and somehow managed to make myself climb three steps into the house. I was worn out and certainly didn’t like the experience.

    The next night, I did it again. Running that second mile was just a tad easier. Two weeks later, I ran a 5K (3.1 miles) and promised God if he would just let me finish, I wouldn’t try it again. The last uphill mile was torture.

    But I lied, a few weeks later, I ran an 8K (4.97 miles) and finished 49th out of 50 runners. Again, miserable would have been too nice of a word. I was not very good at this running thing, but my weight was starting to fall, and I felt more alert. I stopped eating the candy and soon it was given to others at the store. No more of those bags of chocolate came home.

     You have probably guessed by now, but I kept training. I ran to my softball games and ran during weekend tournaments between games. I was hooked.

     When April rolled around, I secretly applied to get in the New York City Marathon. After acceptance into the event (about a third of applicants got in), serious training to complete 26.2 miles began. Still not sure that I could run the distance, I kept quiet for a time.

       Training went well and when the 1980 New York City Marathon cannon blast started the runners, I was in the field. A long 26.2 miles later, I crossed the finish line in Central Park to complete my first marathon, one year from the day that I set a goal. My wife was there and saw my finish.

     Goals are meant to be challenging, yet reachable. Dreams go well with goals. Set yours today.

That Heavy Load

by   September 22, 2019 with No Comments

By Ann Farabee

Laptop, notebook, snacks, clothes, and an excess of needed items from home. One backpack and three additional bags – filled. I was set to spend the day at the hospital with my son, who was scheduled for surgery.

6am. Arrived in parking deck. Too much concrete and darkness in there for me.

I hurriedly grabbed my ‘stuff’ and my journey began. Goodness, what a heavy load I was carrying! I was not sure I could make it!

The first part of the trek was slightly uphill. I whispered my most often said prayer, “Lord, help me.” It all felt so hopeless – maybe I should turn around and leave some ‘stuff’ in the car.

But, I saw the entrance up ahead. There was no reason to turn back. I had come too far to stop now…

When I got inside the hospital, I put my bags down and began struggling to re-adjust my backpack. As I fumbled with it, someone stopped to help me lift it to a better carrying position on my back. It was still a heavy load, but felt much better! I grabbed my other bags, and continued, while still wondering if I could make it to the elevator.

Feeling a little overwhelmed with the load – and the day ahead – I looked down as someone passed me from the opposite direction. Even though I wasn’t looking at them, they cheerfully called out, “Good morning.” I felt obligated to look up from my heaviness – and respond.

Then, I guess I decided to keep looking up – and I started to notice all that was around me.

A bouquet of flowers on a table.

How pretty!

Artwork on the walls.

How beautiful!

A row of rocking chairs.

How comforting!

People smiling – and saying hello.

How nice of them!

A little girl in a frilly pink dress, speaking excitedly in Spanish, while carrying a vase with the biggest sunflower ever!

I had to smile… in spite of my heavy load.

As I stepped onto the elevator, there was a lady with some bags that appeared even more cumbersome than mine. We both laughed, as she said, “Looks like we are having a contest to see who can carry the most stuff!”

That is when I realized that somewhere along the way, my load had begun to feel lighter.

How was the rest of my day? The surgery was cancelled. The doctor decided it was not needed.

As I gathered up my ‘stuff’ to head home later, my son said, “How did you carry that heavy load in here by yourself?”

I looked around to see if God was in the room, putting those words into his mouth, because they were so perfect.

“I wasn’t by myself,” I responded. “Not by myself at all.”

Ann is a speaker and teacher. Contact her at annfarabee@gmail.com or https://www.annfarabee.com/

We Need Rain

by   September 21, 2019 with No Comments

By Doug Creamer

            I make the daily trek to get the mail. Normally, there is some kind of catalog, some junk mail, and a few bills. I know the catalog count is going to increase, especially as we enter the holiday season. No one can stop the monthly bills. I did think about inventing a recycle box to connect to the mailbox so the mailman could toss all the junk mail in automatically for me. I think that it’s a million-dollar idea.

            I opened the water bill the other day and almost passed out. It was sky high. How could the water bill be higher than the electric bill?  It’s been a hot month and I know the air conditioner has been running a lot.

            All I have to do is walk around my house and I quickly realize why the water bill is so high. We love our outdoor spaces and they are covered in beautiful plants…plants that require watering. Then, there is the vegetable garden, which has a few things going. And I can’t forget the red raspberries, which are producing a wonderful fall crop for me. I love going out every other day and picking some for my cereal.

            Several weeks ago we were getting some pretty regular rain showers but it has stopped again. I think the recent hurricanes off the coast zap all the energy that might give us a shower or two up our way. Whatever the cause, we have been dry. When it is dry, I need to keep things watered, and that watering leads to higher water bills.

            It won’t be long now and we will start to get some fronts coming through the area. Actually, I am looking forward to some cooler weather. It’s been a hot, dry summer and I am looking forward to the change in seasons. I have lots of work that I want to do outside, but I am waiting on the change in the weather.

            Some nice fall rain would be welcome, not that I am asking for the remnants of a tropical system to come our way. I would prefer the cooling fronts from Canada. The main thing is, I believe we could use some rain. In fact, I am praying for some rain. The prayers have become a cry not only for the natural rain, but I am also asking for some spiritual rain.

            I hear stories of churches that are closing. I see that many people are doing other things on Sunday besides going to church. There hasn’t been a decrease in our population, so why are churches closing and why is church attendance down?

            I know I live in the Bible belt. In the south, it seems our faith has always been a part of our hallmark. We are believers. The trouble is not church buildings. There are plenty of those around. There is a church in every town to meet every style. Some churches work hard at reaching out, while others could do a little more. I really don’t think that is the problem.

            I think we have a spiritual apathy in our society. It’s not unusual; there were plenty of times in the Bible where the children of God became apathetic. Look around, people have filled their lives with all kinds of things. God isn’t one of them. They would rather do other things besides seek God’s face.

            That’s why we need some heavenly rain. We need a visitation of God’s Spirit to awaken the disconnected. We need renewal within our churches and revival for those who are lost and not seeking the Lord. Every one of us knows people who don’t attend church and who do not seek a relationship with their Heavenly Father.

            People need the Lord. He is the author of hope, mercy, forgiveness, the peace that goes beyond understanding, and the One who provides a purpose for our lives. Jesus is the answer. People are seeking the answer through material possessions, drugs, alcohol, and worldly pleasure. The answer is seeking the Lord and knowing who we are in His eyes. We are His children and He is our Father. He loves us beyond words.

            I want to encourage you to join me in praying for some spiritual rain. Pray that the lost will receive their sight and see their Savior. Pray that the broken-hearted will find comfort in their Father’s arms. Pray that the hungry and thirsty will find their satisfaction in the Spirit of God. Pray for heavenly rain, the kind that will renew our hearts and bring the lost home.

Contact Doug Creamer at PO Box 777, Faith, NC 28041or doug@dougcreamer.com

Knowing My Purpose

by   September 14, 2019 with No Comments

By Doug Creamer

            I have been sitting here reflecting on what I did last week. That’s how I always begin a column, what happened and how that impacted my faith. I am not sure I want to admit how much time I spent last week following Hurricane Dorian. I follow any major weather story that could affect me. It could take months for officials to figure out all the damage from Dorian.

            Someone asked me if I follow the Weather Channel. I go straight to the models. There are several websites that make the major models and the famous spaghetti models available. I watch them closely to make my own determinations about possible paths for the storm. I also follow a weather blogger and vlogger out of Florida whom I find entertaining and informing. To say that I am obsessed might be an understatement.

            I also spent quite a bit of time last week considering and preparing for a new job. I know that I just retired, but I am too young to do nothing for the rest of my life. Don’t misunderstand, I am enjoying the extra time. But the job I have been looking into is teaching children in China how to speak English.

            My sister has been doing this for a while now and she loves teaching the kids. It’s like tutoring children, but they are on the computer, not sitting right beside you. I have watched a lot of videos about how it works. It looks very interesting and rewarding. The only catch is the hours. You have to teach late at night or very early in the morning.

After lots of thought, prayers, and consideration, I think I am going to go through with it. Some of my time last week was spent setting up my virtual classroom. I have been thinking about what the student will see when I am on camera. Also, I have been spending some time practicing videotaping myself. Even though I have made a number of YouTubes, this is very different. It makes me feel very self-conscious. Thankfully, I have a few more weeks until I finish the hiring process and have my first students.

If it works out, I will still get to do something that I am passionate about…teaching. It will also help to keep our budget on track. But the most important thing is that it will still allow me to have more free time. That in turn will cause me to seek the Lord for how He wants me to use that time to further His purposes in my generation.

            I want to serve God and I want to give my life to fulfill His purposes. From a business standpoint, I want to make investments that will pay off in eternity. Having more time gives me an opportunity to seek His face, to get to know my Heavenly Father better. I hope to learn more about Him and how I can invest my talents, skills, and abilities into His purposes.

            Many people struggle to figure out their purpose in life. Our purpose is to know God, love His Son, and welcome His Holy Spirit into our lives. What we do with the time we have here on earth depends highly on what He shows us. God needs people in every occupation, in every place, to be light in the darkness. He may send us to places we don’t understand, but He may be trying to reach someone and we are the perfect person for the job.

            If I go and do everything He tells me, will life be easy? Absolutely not. God will put challenges in front of us to make us grow and become more dependent on Him. How can we trust God if we haven’t proven that He is faithful? You can’t grow muscles (physical or spiritual) until you stretch and tear them. God will allow things that will cause you to run back to Him so He can and will meet your needs. He wants you to know Him as Father, Daddy, the one who loves and protects, the one who leads you and grows you into the man or woman of God that He made you to be.

            I want to encourage you to consider your God-given purpose. He made you and He delights in you. You make Him smile and laugh. He can’t wait until you wake up each morning. He wants to spend time with you. He wants you to get to know Him because He already knows everything about you. Open your heart and discover who you are and your purpose in His eyes.

Contact Doug Creamer at PO Box 777, Faith, NC 28041or doug@dougcreamer.com

A Good Time Was Had by All

by   September 13, 2019 with No Comments

By Lynna Clark

Did you hear about the incident at the East Rowan Library? It was all about me. Yeah… apparently I am a big deal. My friend Brittney who works there invited me to speak about my vast experience in writing. The media got wind of it. A crowd gathered. Authorities were called. As we approached the venue with great anticipation, emergency lights flashed in the distance. David pulled our vehicle to the right side of the road so they could lead us through the mob. Evidently Rockwell paparazzi can get pretty rowdy. I guess I need to get used to it. The life of a famous writer can be rather intense.

Did I mention that I write fiction?

So what really happened was…

A few friends shared the event on Facebook. As we traveled toward Rockwell the person in front of us drove at the rate of 25 mph the entire way. But that’s perfectly understandable since he was busy texting. The joy I’d claimed earlier in the day turned to a fervent, heartfelt prayer.

“Lord Jesus, please help me not cuss…”

Apparently someone keeled over at one of the fast food joints and needed emergency personnel. As lights flashed in our direction we pulled to the right. Though I encouraged my beloved to pass the dude in front of us as soon as the ambulance cleared, he is not that guy. David does not bend the rules of the highway. The man is so righteous that he slams on breaks for caution lights. It’s a wonder our marriage has lasted so long.

Texting dude slowly made his way back onto the road, making the star of the show late. Well, not actually late. I guess I should say later than I wanted to be. David always leaves early enough to account for such aggravation.

When finally we got there, the place was packed! We had to park across the way in the gravel lot by the dentist. There were at least thirteen people there… if you count me and David… and the two librarians who hosted… plus my best friend and her husband… and the two who walked out during my riveting presentation.

Dang Millennials. Hey… old people know stuff!

Annyyywayyy… a good time was had by all. I got to meet Michael, who I called Matthew several times. I met Judy and Brenda and Brooke the hugger. My friend Vickie stopped by even though she had groceries in the car. Randall asked good questions which sounded pre-planned, except that I didn’t have answers. But I will next time.

Did I say next time? What I meant was… if I can work another event into my very busy schedule. I’m kind of a big deal.

Someday I’m going to invent a sarcasm font. Folks with my warped sense of humor would certainly benefit.

PS:

The next big event is this Saturday in Lexington, NC. Missions Pottery and More is hosting my new book release from 9am – 4pm. I’ll bring copies of all my books. No pre-order necessary. I’d love to meet you!

Why Fear Shouldn’t Win?

by   September 9, 2019 with No Comments

By David Freeze

   After my recent bike trip to Canada and Alaska, most conversations get around to that adventure pretty quick, especially if I had not seen the other person in several months. It won’t be long until I will hopefully have a steady schedule of speaking engagements to talk about the most recent trip. One of the most interesting things for me is how often the word fear comes up in questions. Why does this happen?

   A good many of my talks are done in churches. One of the first times, with my presentation done, I was taking questions. One lady said, “What kind of gun do you take along!” Even on the rides themselves, I get asked the same question by other cyclists. And this time, when crossing into Canada, the customs officer was adamant that I must have one.

     Having now cycled in 49 states, I can’t think of a single time that I was genuinely afraid. Even on the last trip, when I was told that a grizzly bear was running after me, I was not worried. When riding through some of the worst parts of the several big cities, I feel confident. In times of the worst traffic, low on water or food, with many miles to go before the next town, I know that I will be OK.

     On the very first day that I ever rode a bicycle on one of my long trips, I was waiting for my bike to be reassembled in Astoria, Oregon so that I could ride across the country. The bike shop owner told me two things. He said, “You’ll need a bike lock. It looks like you don’t have one.” He was right that I hadn’t even considered getting a bike lock. The owner showed me what he had and said I should get a thick cabled combination lock, one that weighed almost two pounds. I bought it, almost immediately dreading the fact that I did.

     Once the bike was ready, the owner wanted me to go try out the bike. He said, “Ride around a little bit and make sure you go up the hill.” I found Coxcomb Hill, the only one in this coastal town and 595 feet in elevation. I rode the bike up the hill, struggled mightily and stopped to rest once. I wondered if I could in fact make this ride because there were mountains in the Rockies on my route, one at almost 12,000 feet. Was I afraid to go on the ride because of the challenges ahead?

      On that first day in Astoria, after leaving the bike shop, I rode to my motel to load my gear on the bike. Remembering that I had struggled on the hill, I was now adding another 45 pounds to the weight that I had pedal up the rest of the hills.

     The biggest challenge of my life was about to begin. Should I be afraid to ride over 4,000 miles all alone? Should I be afraid enough to need a gun or a big and heavy lock? Did fear have a place? Should I let fear keep me from attempting this huge event?

     After loading the bike, already a couple hours later than I had planned to start riding, I sat down in the motel room and prayed. It was a special prayer whose words linger to this day. I said, “Lord, ride with me today!” Not a single day since, before mounting the bike, will I leave for the first pedal strokes of the ride without saying the same words. The most amazing peace rides with those words.

     I never bought a gun and I mailed the bike lock home, totally confident that I had all the protection I needed in those five words. Put together your own comforting words and don’t let fear limit you. Plan something that you’ve been afraid to do and go be fearless!

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