The days are quickly passing by and the bike ride is right
around the corner. I don’t know how I exactly feel about it. I am extremely
excited but at the same time hoping to get everything finished here in Bowling
Green before it is time to head north. Graduation marks one big step of getting
things done! I will finally be done with this phase of my education and life.
As far as other aspects of training I’ll start with the physical aspect. I have
been trying to accumulate as much biking time as possible – which it is at
times challenging. I daily long to be on my bike and I have to remind myself
that there are still things here that need to be done before leaving and I will
spend plenty of days on my bike in the next few months. I am appreciative of any
amount of time I spend sitting on the bike seat (saddle). That is one of the
most important parts of training I have been focusing on. My goal is to have
biked at least 1500 miles before I leave. I have said this before but I have
been blessed with friends to bike with. I have a variety of styles of riding I
have been trying to balance out. A dear sweet friend of mine who has ridden
across the US about six years ago has helped me to slow down my pace – not only
to just to enjoy the ride and the surroundings, but also to allow me to get
even more saddle time. I have other friends who push me to go a little harder
and get my heart rate up. I have been able to do some long rides including one
century and another one coming up the end of the month. I realized the other
day as I was biking a “Pedal the Park” ride in Mammoth Cave National Park that
through hiking and biking I have done in Kentucky I have seen so much of this
state and appreciate its beauty! I never would have seen this had it not been
for these passions. This makes me excited to know that I will see so much on
this upcoming bike ride of not only the countryside, but also the people!
Mentally and
emotionally I have been trying to prepare myself the best way I can. This is
such a huge part of the ride. All of the day in and day out of biking, working,
meeting, and new people all along the way. At the ride I mentioned in Mammoth
Cave it started out in the pouring rain. It was one of those days that I wasn’t
feeling 100% about biking. I was worn down from the business of the week and
mentally couldn’t encourage myself. Thanks to my buddy Paula and her insistence
of going and doing this ride, I went. I’m so glad I did because yes it was
uncomfortable at first getting soaked and having fun pedaling up the long
grueling uphills and slowly dodging the huge puddles on the downhills. I
thought there are going to be a lot of days that are going to start like this.
Just as I had to experience on the Appalachian Trail – you have to come to a place
where you say, “This is the life I am choosing to live now and I will embrace
whatever comes my way. I’d rather be doing this than something else.” So, I’m
thankful for the uncomfortableness of the beginning of the ride yesterday
because it only helped me mentally prepare for days to come.
Spiritually I am getting more and more excited. I have come
up with a word through a graduation gift that has attached itself to my heart,
becoming my theme and special word for this trip. “FREE SPIRIT.” This word truly signifies what I am longing for on
this ministry adventure. I have joined an amazing small group that has been
great! Through this group I am seeing more and more depth of my relationship
with God. I am praying for a simplistic
mind, inner strength, a deeper bond with God, with other riders, and friends I
will meet along the way. I am also praying for a deep brokenness from God to
allow me to see, to live, to love better than I have ever before. It is scary
to pray for brokenness, but at the same time, through brokenness comes growth. I pray that I can be broken of my need
to be so busy. A busy life has been an idol of mine for a long time. I pray
that I can slow down enough to cherish both big and small moments that I tend
to miss when I rush through life. I want to see Him through everything I do
from pedaling 1000s of miles to swinging hammers, to serving, and to anything
else that needs to be done.
As I was praying and talking with friends about my
fundraising the number “40” was mentioned. As most of you probably know the
number 40 is a very significant number all throughout scripture. It is used over and over to show the
fulfillment of God’s promises. I continually try to have faith that I can not
only complete this journey, but also reach the amount of $3600 I need in order
to be able to complete the ride. With fundraising I have raised $2,000 so far.
I still lack $1600 in order to make the entire ride across the US. As of now I
am covered to bike from Atlantic City, NJ through Souix Falls, SD. So, here
comes the challenge. If 40 friends donate $40.00 I can complete my ride all the
way to Astoria, OR. If you are interested in donating to help me make it the
rest of the way there are several ways you can donate. The Fuller Center is a
5O1(c)(3) organization meaning that donations are tax-deductible. The Fuller
Center will send a receipt and donation recognition for any amount $10 or over.
There are several different ways you can donate.
·
One option is through a check. You can make your
check payable to “The Fuller Center” with “bike – (my name)” in the memo
section of the check. The check can be mailed to:
The
Fuller Center for Housing
Attn:
Bike Adventure
701
S. Martin Luther King Blvd.
Americus,
GA 31709
·
Another option is going to http://www.fullercenter.org/bikeadventure/meettheriders#Leah_Spurlin
. Once you are here you click the orange button that says, “Sponsor her ride.”
This is an easy step to make an online payment where any donations given will
go directly to The Fuller Center.
Some of you have asked how you can stay in touch with me as
I am riding. All the trip riders will rotate in posting to a trip blog that
will be found at www.fullercenter.org/blogs/bikeadventure. I will also be posting as many
personal blogs at leahspurlinblogspot.com.
I will post a message on Facebook whenever I update a blog
I will be leaving Bowling Green on May 28, 2014 to head to
New Jersey. Please continue to pray now throughout the ride for not only me,
but the team and also the families we will be meeting and helping along the
way! I know this experience will be both challenging and amazing! I’m excited
to share this experience with you!
“For every
house is built by someone, but the building of all things is God.”
Hebrews
3:4
