Sand and Motorcycles

Sand. Here's the spot where we took a dip in the dirt on the first day of our ride to meet up with William and Kerri last week. We nearly gave it all up and considered limping home, throwing everything in a car, and joining them closer in.

But we got up and moved ahead, and fell five more times in a section of 15 kilometers of road. Thankfully we didn't fall any more after that. This morning it made me think about all the times in live when we just need to get up - again, and again, and ride on.

The Bible talks about "pressing on for the prize of the high calling of God." Missionaries and all people often get tired, discouraged and consider quitting. We've had some rough patches along the way. Some ask, how have you made it through thirty years of missionary service - just getting up one tumble at a time.

After few of the six falls, I just laid on the sand and looked at the clouds! It was okay, there was no traffic! Just three cowboys who kept catching up to us! Another life lesson, you can take your time, but press on, get back up.

I should say that protective motorcycle gear saved us from great harm. Prayer and active Bible reading are the gear we need in our spiritual trek. Can't ride without them. I feel naked and vulnerable now on short rides in just jeans.

I'm so glad we drove on to meet our amazing motorcycle duo of Stravig ADV. There were many life lessons. They fell much than we did during their 72 days through 12 countries and each time they got up.

Can't wait for more of their story! Stay tuned for more chapters about our 2,500 km trip soon!

You can see more about our son and daughter-in-laws journey on their Facebook and Instagram accounts:

Stravig ADV Facebook

Stravig ADV Instagram

Comments

The Sun is Not Yet Set

Byron, the guy in the white helmet, turns 61 today. That's our son, Byron the Third in the black helmet. He'll be 30 on his next birthday at the end of the year. My husband and I were close to thirty ourselves when we had our first son. Lately it seems that every other day or so someone wants to know "When we are going to retire?" Sometimes it feels more like, "When are you going to leave" is the real question, but that's a story for another post sometime. Has the sunset on our work and ministry in Brazil? Is it time to hang our hats and pack it all up. Are we too old? Too old for what? Too old to tell others about the love of God? Too old to preach and teach? Too old to ride a motorcycle on dirt roads? Okay, you may have us on that last one! It took a few days to recover from our 8 days of motorcycle travel with our oldest and his wife last month. It took a few weeks to recover from all the bumps and aches of our ...

My Promise Verse

Job 23:10 But he knoweth the way that I take: when he hath tried me, I shall come forth as gold. This verse has been a favorite of mine since I was a teenager. When I was a high school senior at a Christian school in Virginia, Job 23:10 was chosen as our class theme verse. At our graduation commencement, the valedictorian and saludatorian in their addresses that day divided the verse in its two natural parts as a basis for the core of each one's address. I was the salutatorian of my senior class that year. I chose to speak of how God would one day reward our faithfulness and thus, we should always strive to remain true. For many years though, the first part of the verse haunted me in a way. As a missionary especially when times were lonely or difficult, I assumed it was my "trial" or "test," and as such must be accepted in all humility. As I have grown older, I have begun to look more toward the pearly gates and have reconsidered the thr...

Old Film, Same Message

A missionary colleague recently uploaded some old films made about the work in Brazil by Baptist Mid-Missions many years ago in the 1950's. Yesterday I was able to watch the first of the series. All I can say is "Wow! Things haven't changed much in Brazil. And things haven't changed too much with the work of missions in Brazil either!" There are still donkey carts in the street. They have better wheels nowadays! There are still people who live in grass huts and high apartment buildings, too. Bicycles are still many people's only means of transportation, if they are that lucky! Many roads in the interior towns are still paved with cobblestones, if they are paved at all. And yes, chickens are everywhere, even in big cities. Brazil still needs missionaries! That's right, Brazil is not evangelized and in no need of foreign missionaries today. It still needs workers to spread the Good News of the Gospel and the Risen Saviour! Sadly that part of t...

Cactus Flower

Search This Blog