Pain is weakness leaving the body, right?

That's what those "No Fear" shirts everybody in wore in the 90's said.

Well, last night my wife and I entered the world of new mountain bike owners. We didn't go overboard...in fact the opposite because anyone I've talked to that does the bike thing all seem to agree on one thing, don't buy a Wal-mart bike. Which is what we did. I rode home from the store last night (about four miles) and I woke up this morning and tooled around to the tune of another 6 miles. And I HURT.

I don't understand. I used to ride a bike everywhere all day and never get tired. what happened over the last 14 years to make this so tough? I've tried to get more healthy lately. I switched from Coke to Coke Zero about a month ago.
In any case, the guy at the bike shop I stopped at this morning (because my one of my cheap plastic pedals broke very first thing his morning, don't buy a Wal-mart bike) assured me that it would actually not take long to get used to riding again. I hope he's right.

As I rode around this afternoon I began to do my usual thing...looking for the spiritual truth that the current situation and I got this. The call to radical discipleship (as I'm reading Brennen Manning's Signature of Jesus which centers on that topic) is not a gentle walk or a ride in the car but more of the 4th mile of a 6 mile bike ride. The hills get high and tough at times. And sometimes you can't go any further and you have to jump off and walk the bike up the hill. But stopping doesn't help and going back is no longer an option so you just have to keep going and trust that God can and will give you the strength if you keep moving forward. And since I've been concentrating on James 1 this seemed to speak to the situation.


Consider it pure joy, my brothers, whenever you face trials of many kinds, because you know that the testing of your faith develops perseverance. Perseverance must finish its work so that you may be mature and complete, not lacking anything.
-James 1:2-4 NIV

And because I didn't stop or give up that last downhill streach just before the apartment complex was a wonderful feeling. I hope that my perseverance in my realationship with Christ will bring about the same elation as Jesus calls me home one day....

See Ya.