Ride With Purpose--Day 6

We made it home! Our total round trip mileage for the six days was 1651 in all. I can hardly believe we rode that far on two wheels! Well, I might not hardly believe it but I can surely feel it!

What a fun trip we had. I met three new people this week. Loretta and Mike and another Mike. All three were nice people who love the Lord. I knew everyone else with us and the mix of us all turned out very well, I might add.

I'm glad Byron and I went on this trip. When I first heard about it I wasn't too anxious to go. I looked for reasons (read: excuses) not to go. I've been on other very long motorcycle tours but it's been more than ten years since then and it was also on a much larger touring bike, a Honda Gold Wing. I was afraid of going on this trip on our Harley. Although a nice bike, I just hadn't ridden on it much and the thought of many many miles scared the socks off me. But Byron wanted to go--and part of me wanted to go too. I wanted to go have a good time with everyone and having a few days away from regular life could never hurt anyone. Or could it?

I rarely tell anyone that I'm afraid, partly because I'm rarely afraid. The other partly is that I don't see any reason to scare someone else with my fears. I'm sure each person I meet has their own issues to deal with. So, I was scared. Scared of getting hurt. Getting hurt badly. Dying. Well, not so much scared of dying but scared of 'how' I could die. Overdramatic? Probably. But that's how I felt and in spite of it, we went along and I dealt with fear every step of the way.

I know that "Perfect love casts out fear" and that I am loved with the most perfect of love--by the Lord himself. Sure, I struggled with some stuff on this trip especially when it rained on those curvy mountain roads but I also overcame much of my fear with the help of the Lord. He encouraged me. He spoke to my heart. He calmed my fears. He helped me stretch and grow. He also protected us time and time again over the last six days.

We had a few incidents on this trip that could have been serious had it not been for the Lord's hand in our lives. We had a stormy afternoon with lightning and torrential rains on a country road and though we rode through it and though we all got wet, no one wrecked or slid or fell on their bikes. That's the Lord's protection.

Mike and Loretta were following the SUV and Tammy had no choice but to stop short and Mike had to put his bike down. He and Loretta were not hurt and their was no damage to their new bike. That's the hand of the Lord.

Byron and I were riding along the beautiful country roads and I was tired. Too tired. Tired enough that I dozed off for a split second and my head dropped causing Byron to have to slightly correct with the bike. When he asked me what was wrong, I was embarrassed but told him I'd fallen asleep. Not such a smart thing to do on a motorcycle going 70 mph! It could have meant disaster but it didn't. The Lord watches over even me.

While riding along through the beautiful countryside of Tennessee, Byron smacked my hand away from his left side. I didn't know why. I was only holding on lightly as usual. What I didn't know was there was a bee inside his tee shirt and it had stung him. He thought I'd pinched him because of how he was driving the bike--but I hadn't! The bee stung him about the time I'd moved my hand to his side. We pulled over on the side of the road and he took off his shirt and shook out the bee. We were both safe. Shortly after he began riding again he was stung twice again and again, he pulled over and ditched the bees on the side of the road. Stung, but not wrecked. God is so good!

I think the last one is the best of all. We were looking for a hotel in Albany, GA last night and Byron led us to one that we'd stayed in about ten years ago. It was a little rowdy in the area then but we'd stayed there a couple of times with friends and been OK, but last night it seemed even seedier. The area didn't feel right around it. It didn't seem safe. The guys went in to see about rooms anyway but there were only four available and we needed six rooms. We moved along to the other side of town and I breathed a huge sigh of relief. While checking in to a really nice little Jameson Inn we asked the clerk about the other hotel and its area. She told us it was a drug infested area and that a truck driver was recently shot and killed there at the other hotel and that she never goes to that part of town. The Lord protects us even when we may not realize he's doing so. We didn't have bad consequences from any one of the things that happened to us and I know it's because "The Lord protects those whom He loves." Psalm 145:20

I am so grateful for the protecting hand of the Lord. Even when we don't always see Him working, we can know for sure He is taking care of us. How wonderful! How like Him to protect us even when we do not see everything around us. What a mighty God we serve!

Lord, Thank you for your diligence in protecting us, your children. Were it not for your abiding presence in our lives, we would surely die. I love you so very much, dear Jesus. Thank you again for such a wonderful time with all our friends and your guidance and help. I love you.

Suz