Plains Ga

I made it to Plains in fine shape. It turned into a longer ride than expected because I made a wrong turn.....about 80 miles. I am staying in a great Inn! The Historic Inn and Antique Shop. This is the land of Jimmy Carter. I am absolutely amazed that a former President and Nobel Peace Prize Winner lives here, yet is still so quiet. If I were a former President, this is exactly where I would want to live.

Today I am heading to Fort Gaines Georgia which is on a lake. I am staying in State Park Lodge and really looking forward to the pretty scenery. I have once again met some amazing people on this trip. If you are not on Facebook, that is too bad. I am posting video of the trip. I have 6 videos posted. Unfortunately I have not been able to get Blogger to accept my videos. So moral of that story.....JOIN FACEBOOK! Trust me, you will enjoy it.

Today at 5:35pm

Message to all those traveling with me on this journey......I am held up in Warm Springs! It has been POURING all day.

As a result, I am changing course to be able to still get to Florida by Saturday. Tomorrow I head to Plains Georgia instead of Americus. Friday I will be heading to Fort Gaines. Saturday I will be making my way into Florida where I will meet Karen and Meredith. Unfortunately, I have no internet access here to post video but I have lots of video to post when I get the chance.

Thanks for following along........

All Who Wander are NOT Lost!

greg

New Adventure

Well here we go again. It has been several months since my last post. I very much appreciate those who followed my last trip across the Ga/NC mountains. What an adventure! It really set my soul on fire for seeing the world on a bike. Many people wrote me wanting that concluding entry for what I learned on my trip. Truth is....it took me a while to process the event.

I must first confess that I was spiritually in a very dry place during that ride. The ride itself was an attempt to "find myself" so to speak. During the Spring of 08 I had been involved deep inside the belly of the church planting a new worship service in downtown Atlanta at Atlanta First Methodist. I felt burned out and overwhelmed with the business of looking for fruit from our labors. Somewhere in doing God's work I had lost God, and felt very much like those around me had as well. I thought perhaps I might rediscover God on that trip.

In many respects I did rediscover God. Certainly I had some hair raising moments where I relied on His provisions. Certainly I saw Him in the faces of some the people I met along the way. Certainly I saw Him in the natural beauty of the mountains. Yet, somehow I came away from the ride really not taking me to the place I wanted to go spiritually. The experience purely from a cycling stand point was amazing. But I sought something much more profound the pedaling.

But things post ride slowly began to turn. I gave up leadership responsibility for the worship service and began to just show up, play drums and worship. I began not to look for God in the attendance but rather in the faces. I began to grow more comfortable just being, instead of doing. I think the mindset from the ride helped me very much in that regard. Each day during the ride I was forced to just exist on the merits of just that day....no more or no less. I began to apply that attitude to my faith, and really my life as whole. I began to grow more surrendered without expectation and satisfied without frustration....but it was a process.

Recently I heard a friend say, "we are called to look at the vine, not the fruit." That statement became the culmination of months of God bringing me out of the desert....a journey that started, not concluded, on my bike trip.

Tuesday I start a new adventure. This time I will ride the bike to Florida. I suspect the trip will in many respects be quite different from the first. First, it will be flat most of the way. Second, I will be covering more distance in less days. But most of all, I am not riding to find my way out of the desert this time. My walk with God is truly back on track. I don't know exactly what God has in store this time around. Last time I went looking for answers, only to find the trip set off more questions. This time I go looking for nothing other than just being in His grip. I am totally surrendered........watch out......that is usually when He reveals himself in the most powerful ways. Stay tuned in.......we'll share it together.

Final Thoughts

I arrived in Waynesville Friday at 3:30pm. The last day's ride was the most beautiful of all. I crossed Cullowee and Balsam mountains, both much larger mountains than in Georgia. It was good to get to the house and see Karen after a week of being on the road alone.

Saturday was a day of celebration for Karen's 40th birthday. She celebrated it by waking up with a backache. Welcome to 40.....all those over 40 know exactly what I mean. But it was still a great day! It didn't take Satan long to try to break up the mood. I'll leave it at that......

So where did the whole week net out? Well there are some things I can share, and some things best left for private discussion. But those that know me well know that I am not afraid to be transparent under the right circumstances. So maybe you will just have to ask in person.

But here is what I can tell you......I am feeling very humbled, fragile and weak. I see clearly how imperfect I am. I see clearly how my energy is no match for the power and energy of God's creation. I see clearly the goodness of people much less "out there" in the limelight than myself. All in all, I finish this ride with a feeling of I did nothing worthy of note, and all that was done was done so because of God's provision. It really was all His glory......not FOR His glory.......His glory.

Today I write in a state of bokenness for I see just how weak I truly am.......... Which is exactly what I needed to reset my heart to a place of service, simplicity and humility.......a place of clear understanding and appeciation of the Grace, Mercy and Love that God offers each of us..

Thanks for being a part of this adventure. It is my prayer that God uses these words and experiences to in some small way touch your life.

May God bless your life richly,
greg
Sent from my Verizon Wireless BlackBerry

Miracle on the Mountain

Today was the day that I drew closest to God. I left Hiawassee at 9:15 and pedaled back into town to grab breakfast. At 10:00 I headed towards Franklin, NC. For next 4 hours I watched my 2 water bottles dwindle down to nothing as a climbed an 11 mile climb after moving into NC......no drinkable water in sight.

A little education here.....hydration is your life in endurance activity......you run out of water.......you shut down.....that simple.

At the crest of the climb I later discovered is called by the locals "Chunky Gal", a local told me I still had another mountain to go over before I would find water. That is when I began to pray in earnest.

Several miles later as I was asking God for his provision I found this on the side of the road.......see the picture. I picked it and put it in my bag knowing I would survive the second climb.

Although I did not have to use God's gift, I clearly see He was sending me a message of His provision for my needs. Within 2 miles of thie gift, I crested the second long climb, enjoyed 5 mile descent right into the drive of a Fire Station that allowed me to top my water supply for the rest of the journey.

Today, I feel like the Israelites as the mana fell from Heaven. I hope I do better than they did of staying faithful and grateful.

Today I am leaving Franklin for Waynesville.....in essence heading for home......2 big mountains to climb. I will not make the same mistake today. I know these roads and hills well. Yesterday was a miracle on the mountain.
g
Sent from my Verizon Wireless BlackBerry

Alert!!!!

Sent from my Verizon Wireless BlackBerry

OH No!

I just typed in 5 paragraphs and accidently deleted it!!!!!!

It was really profound......talked about how much we stress ourselves trying measure up to standards we put on ourselves, or allow others to impose upon us.

And it talked about how God wants to accept that we are good enough despite our imperctions.......

And it talked about the wonderful people I met at dinner.......

It would have been great, but to retype it all would be to illustrate the very issue I just described.....in my desire to write something profound to meet my own expectations, I would add stress by having to retype the whole thing. SO........I'm going to bed.

Pictures are from an overlook in Helen and Noi......the entertaining fellow that made dinner!

g
Sent from my Verizon Wireless BlackBerry