I probably won’t reach my HOPE & FREEDOM CHALLENGE goal.
I committed to ride 2000 miles, and I’m not going to get there by August 31. So, I failed, right?
Goals matter. Goals motivate and inspire. Goals provide a finish line, a chance to celebrate, reflect, reset. But the goal isn’t the point.
We change lives by pursuing a worthy goal, not by achieving it.
Change happens along the route. It’s about the sacrifice, the relationships, the hard work and generosity and struggle that’s part of pursuing the goal.
HOPE & FREEDOM CHALLENGE created a community of people who wanted to cycle, walk, and run to bring hope and freedom to kids rescued from human trafficking. When we began we set a crazy aspirational goal of 50,000 miles.
Will we get there? Not sure. Does it matter? Of course, or we wouldn’t bother keeping track. But the goal isn’t a big deal to the kids at the HOME OF HOPE.
They watched all summer as the numbers grew. Every mile tells them they’re important, that we care about them, that their hopes and dreams matter. For kids who were born into a system that said they could be bought, sold, and discarded, every mile affirmed their worth as precious children of God.
If you’re part of the challenge, maybe you’ll reach your goal, or maybe you’ll blast through it and keep going – like Becky who’s done 3,600 miles (goal = 3,000 miles) since May 1. If so, I hope you’ll celebrate, have a party, post pics with #hopeandfreedomchallenge and #projectrescue.
Or maybe, like me, you’ll fall a bit short. It’s okay. I plan to keep going, and I hope you will as well. Goals have arbitrary deadlines, but worthwhile journeys don’t.
If you haven’t joined us yet, it’s not too late. Click here and ride, run, or walk to encourage the kids at the HOME OF HOPE.
And…there’s a REALLY exciting announcement coming soon.