Last night I asked God what he wanted me to learn on this ride-what spiritual lesson he wanted to teach me. The verse that came to mind was Philippians 2:5ff, "Your attitude should be the same as that of Christ Jesus, who did not consider equality with God something to be grasped, but made himself nothing..."
Great text! What's the application? I decided God does not want me to try to learn anything, or try to grow in any direction; I heard God telling me, "Just bike!" Let go of the desire for profound thoughts and insightful observations. Let go of the quest for more faith and a deeper surrender. Stop trying to make meaningful relationships. "Just ride" and let the other stuff happen or not happen while I do the most important thing-riding my bike from Sea to Sea.
Today's ride was excellent! Short, 50 miles, but fun. I rode with Anne M. a Canadian speed skater, who just left her job of coaching Canadian speedskaters. Anne holds several Canadian records at the Master's level. We did a lot of story telling as we road-it made the one uphill segment fly by. She appreciates athletics and could resonate with the stories of David's and Michael's comebacks.
The ride was through a valley. It took 20 miles to get to the climb, 10 miles to make the climb, and 20 fairly flat miles to get to Baker City. We pushed each other and discovered that each of us thought we were holding the other one back. That means we're good partners.
When we arrived at Baker City, the gear truck was not yet there, so we lounged around under a giant sycamore tree at the front of the school, ate the lunches we had packed that morning and talked with other riders who came in.
I had a meaningful conversation with George, whose daughter-in-law had died of breast cancer after a 7 years struggle. I told him about Carol and as I described the last week of her life, could not get the words out that conclude the story, "She died on Friday morning."
I haven't cried about Carol in a long time; something about all this physical motion releases other emotions.
"Just bike" said the Lord-and I feel things I haven't felt in a long time. Tricky God.
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6 comments:
Jim,
It's good to see your blog updated. We continue to pray daily for you and the other bikers.Hope your trip to Huntington goes well tomorrow.
Linda and Randy
Jim,
You don't know me from Eve or Adam, but after hearing you speak at the send-off service (my husband John & I were there for our brother Randy De Wolde and our Pastor, Bert Slofstra), I was so moved by your message (which made me weep) I began to follow your blog.
And I continue to be inspired and touched by your genuiness and raw honesty you are willing to share with us. I praise God for His gift in your journaling on the blog.
Thank YOU! And...just bike!!!
Blessings,
Esther De Wolde, Abbotsford, BC
Wow! Jim Holwerda is actually doing something without seeking the deeper meaning!! :) Hope you're enjoying your new found freedom. What is it they say?..."let the game come to you".
Praying for you everyday.
Lin
Tricky God, indeed.
Just bike . . . and just laugh, just cry, just talk, just be silent.
You are loved.
Jim,
We got that "Just Bike" message ourselves. You defined it well. We rode 104 miles today just to see if we could do it. When your butt hurts, you're hot, tired, hungry, and your private thoughts get a little boring, I started asking myself, WHY? The message I got was "Shut-up and keep biking." You got to get there so "JUST BIKE". We're eagerly looking forward to joining you on August 18.
Thanks for your Insights.
Phil & Jan
Jim, what an incredible journey you are experiencing - mentally, emotionally, spiritually & physically - all exhausting & exhilarating. It's so amazing all the ways God uses to talk to us. Whether that be through a fellow biker, the beauty & diversity you see all around you or God's all-powerful silence. Thank-you for sharing your deepest thoughts with us. It helps us feel like we are riding right beside you, experiencing your journey with you.
Blessings,
Nancy
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