How does an idea grow?
We’re in reflection mode at the FREEDOM TOUR, wrapping up 2016 but already looking at 2017 and beyond. As I wonder where we’re we’re going, I find it helpful to look at where we’ve been.
God seems to mostly operate long-term and big-picture. Events that appear senseless and disconnected in the moment often (not always) assume some sort of order when viewed from a distance. Even when I don’t see it, I trust that He works for good in all things.
You look around, and your immediate situation might not make any sense. You might not be able to see a way forward.
But if you look back prayerfully you may see some patterns in what God’s been up to. And if you take those patterns and project them forward, you just might have an idea of what God’s got in mind.
When Becky and I hung up a sign in 2013 and invited people on a 500-mile bike ride, we weren’t sure what would happen. Looking back at four tours, God’s work is apparent in a number of aspects of this crazy project.
It’s about people, not bikes.
The bike ride is the framework upon which this unlikely story is constructed. The bikes are magnets that attract people into the circle.
Some of the people who are most committed to the project aren’t even cyclists. They’re support team, volunteers, and sponsors. You see some of them in our photos, but some work behind the scenes. It’s not an exaggeration to say that hundreds of people surround this project.
Every single person has a story, and I’m continually amazed at the ways God brings folks to this community. I’m certain only that no one is here by accident and I have no idea how that works.
Expect the unexpected.
Looking all the way back to the 1500-mile Mississippi River ride that started this whole thing, we’ve learned to plan carefully and stay available for the divine appointments God makes for us. The best stories and some of the deepest friendships come from interactions we didn’t anticipate.
Love interrupts. Love intercepts. Love disrupts. Love redirects. Love stands in the way—and smiles. ~ Chris Maxwell, Pause For Moms
It’s tempting to keep eyes on the road and focus on getting to the finish line. We hope we’ll remember to slow down a bit, look around, and try not to miss any of the opportunities God places along our path.
God has blessed our partnership with the HOME OF HOPE.
In 2013 we were amazed when the tour raised a little more than $7,200 to support the kids at the HOME OF HOPE. While we don’t have final 2016 totals yet, the graph shows the dramatic increase in our fundraising.
We’re never going to measure success in terms of dollars, but we know these funds matter. So we’ll continue to work toward our dream goal of raising $100,000 per year, which would completely fund the operation of the HOME OF HOPE.
It’s a goal we’ll always hold loosely.
Small steps, small choices
We tend to look for the big turning points, but this project, like most of life, is built on hundreds or small, ordinary choices made day after day, year after year.
You take all those one-degree turns, those incremental decisions, and stack ’em up, and you get your project, your reputation, or your life. So the idea, going forward, is to aim as many of those one-inch choices in the direction of your vision.
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How about you? What do you see when you look back? What patterns can you see that might reveal God at work in a place you might have missed at the time?
If you see something, how can you project it forward? What small steps can you take, starting today, to move in that direction?