Anniversaries offer opportunities to look back and project forward.
My first handcycle ride happened eighteen years ago this month. Two blocks in 30 minutes…let’s just say it wasn’t the smashing success I imagined. If you’re interested you can catch the story of Exordio Somnii and The First Ride from previous posts.
Here’s Tom and me during that initial summer. My first bike looks incredibly primitive by today’s standards. I purchased it from Jody, a paraplegic with an incredible attitude. One day I went to his shop to ask about some adjustments. The wind made opening the door a bit tricky. When I finally managed to get inside I complained, “It’s not easy to get in here today.”
Jody didn’t even look up from the equipment he was assembling. “C’mon, Rich. It’s not always about being easy.”
It’s not always about being easy
I can’t imagine how many times I’ve thought about that statement. In a culture where everything seems oriented toward comfort and convenience, the things that matter are not about being easy.
Right now we’re talking to people about joining FREEDOM TOUR. Somewhere in the conversation we always encounter “I’m not sure I can do it” or “this sounds hard.” Sometimes it’s the ride itself, the physical act of cranking 60-70 miles per day for eight days. Sometimes it’s joining a new community, sleeping and eating in churches with strangers. Maybe it’s sacrificing an entire week, or perhaps it’s fundraising and talking to people about the ride and the cause.
The FREEDOM TOUR is a mission trip. You don’t do it because it’s easy. In fact, it’s worth doing precisely because it’s hard.
You do it because you want to find out if you can do it.
Can I do the training? Can I raise the funds? Can I face the fear, trust God, step out of my comfort zone, follow a God-sized dream?
Can I make the sacrifice required to become part of a story bigger than myself?
If I wanted easy I’d stay home with my recliner and TV remote. Things that matter aren’t always about being easy.
(Adapted from a post that first appeared March 15, 2015)