Cycle of Service-My Brothers’ and Sisters’ Keeper

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May 062019
 

Total Raised: $7995  www.cycleofservice.arm-al.org  or text “Give” to 334-459-9366

The last day is the hardest but the finish is within reach. Every cliché imaginable kicks in; I think I can, light at the end of tunnel, etc. By now, your legs feel like all the muscle has been removed and liquid lead has been pumped into them. To flex your quads intending to stretch results in waves of aches and soreness. And then there is that seat you sit in. I’ll just not go there. But if you can imagine. A different level of fatigue sets in. Sometimes you feel sleepy other times it just is this feeling of a depleted energy that only a Rip Van Winkle type of sleep might settle and replenish. Your thirst is unquenchable.

But, at the end of the day it is all good and it feels good. It does not feel good physically at all except that the pain and discomfort is a reminder of how much you have stretched (or not 😊) yourself. Stretched into a deeper goal, a deeper urgency, a deeper faith. Mentally and emotionally, wow…that is where the good feelings come from. We are driven by such a deep purpose of serving Christ by serving our neighbor. Despite the discomfort, our ride will result in comfort to others and that makes the difference.

As I close out this post, I again give a shout out to our cyclists. Being the only girl rider this time, I felt like I was with my older or bigger brothers. They looked out after me; they filled my water bottles, pumped my tires, oiled my chain, and rode alongside me. They even dealt with my moments of snappiness which seemed a bit more prevalent this year. Encouragement, even if couched in a slight quip, was always present. I am grateful to these brothers and how much they do for me and for ARM.

Then there was my mom, Denise Merrill, who once again drove up to be a support driver and keep us safe on the road. I cherish these special moments of getting to be with her. She serves me and she serves others during our journey. What an incredible testament and unique ways we get to honor each other.

Finally, we could not do this without the donors, rest stop supporters, and our church hosts. Many thanks to the corporate sponsors who gave so much!

So, here are a few kudos:

Corporate Sponsors: Sabel Steel, Jimmy’s Car Stereo, Quail Hollow Gardens, Hall’s Wholesale Flowers, Auburn Dermatology, NatureMade Vitamins, and Moore’s Mill Dentistry.

These churches were a huge help: Auburn UMC for the truck and trailer to pull our gear, York Mennonite Church, Livingston UMC, Marion UMC, Memorial UMC, Selma, Aldersgate UMC, Seale UMC, Trinity UMC Phenix City and Epworth UMC in Phenix City. The 122nd Troops Support Command in Selma continues to open their doors as a shower facility-which I am sure many would appreciate!

What are these funds used for? They will provide the construction resources as we continue making homes warm, safe, dry and beautiful. Families in Lee County needing repairs after the tornado will be part of this effort. We live to love. We are made for more! “A chord of three strands is not easily broken.” Ecclesiastes.

Grace and peace!

Day 2- Selma to Tuskegee

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May 052019
 

Today’s total: $7730 towards $25,000. Proceeds help us repair Ms. Middlebrook’s roof in Smiths Station and continued Lee County Tornado recovery.

Faith, hope, and love and the most important is love (1 Cor. 13:13). That is the devotional message my mom shared to our group this evening after a long, grueling ride from Selma to Tuskegee. We got a little bit of everything today; a few showers (which that late one at 4:00pm was refreshing), some bright sun, humidity, and even some short wind gusts. Although, I will say, having the wind at our back has made a difference. Last year, we rode into a strong head wind all three days!

My mom talked about our team and especially our men. She noted their faith, their friendship, their funny jokes and mostly their commitment to service and ministry. I could not say it better. These guys have helped keep this ride going for the past 10 years. I am indebted to them and what they mean to ARM and me personally.

It was great to have Chase Crowson and his dad, Roger, join us. Chase is in the Atlanta area and his dad is from Huntsville. Those guys were rock stars and having a father and son ride together was special. Chase, John Stephenson, and I, were all at the Auburn Wesley Foundation together and Chase and I served in Panama in 1992 for 21 days. He was part of the group that talked about ministry both far and close to home; how ARM came into being. What a special time and reflection with him.

Tomorrow’s final leg is the hilliest part of our ride. Our legs are sore, our hind ends are sore, we are sunburned, and can’t get enough water…and yet, we ride on. We ride because of people who live day in and day out desperately needing repairs to make their homes warm, safe, and dry. We ride because of so many families in Lee County that lost homes, loved ones, and everything that was routine and normal. We ride because of Jesus dying and resurrecting, which we celebrated two weekends ago, and how we are called to be beacons of resurrection and restoration. We ride because we love; because He first loved us. Thank you to all of our supporters, sponsors, and friends!

Looking forward to another day and opportunity to raise funds and awareness to help families repair their homes and find holistic recovery.

Grace and peace,

lisa

Day 1-May 3

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May 042019
 

Total for May 1: $4368

Yesterday marks two months since the tornado went through Lee County, Alabama. Thousands of volunteers poured into the areas, many from outside of Lee County and many from within the community. We tarped roofs, ran chainsaws, and loved on people broken, hurting, confused and incredibly resilient.

This is not the first time we have ridden to raise funds and awareness for tornado survivors. With this being ride number 10 and starting in 2010, we were riding in 2011 after the tornadoes in West and North Alabama.

This year’s team is a little smaller but still incredibly fun, full of energy and great sports! I love these guys! My mom came up from Daytona to be a support driver and it is awesome being joined by Chase Crowson who has ridden with us over the past couple of years.

Today’s first leg of 86 miles was uneventful in that we all made it safely and no one was hurt. What has made this special is the focus. I have a deep appreciation for just doing one thing. Over the course of this year, I have found myself juggling multiple responsibilities. Some I have control over and some not so much. This included completing my first year of War College, the transition of staff, decisions around Hurricane Michael and now more recently the tornado in Lee County. The pressure and demands have been challenging. So, although it was 86 miles of cycling…to only be able to do that one thing has been so refreshing.

Doing one thing well, pushing away the distractions, and allowing God to speak is the difference maker. I am grateful today for the 4mph tailwind that felt like a small push and the periodic clouds that pushed away the sun. I am grateful for friends who ride with you and make long miles feel like nothing.

Looking forward to another day and opportunity to raise funds and awareness to help families repair their homes and find holistic recover.

Grace and peace,

lisa

Registration for the 10th Annual Cycle of Service opens January 15, 2019

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Dec 142018
 

Save the Date May 3-5, 2019- the only supported ride across Alabama opens in one month! Don’t let the cold weather stop you from doing what you love! Packets were mailed to bike shops and cycling groups in the neighboring states and our planning team has been working hard to get organized. Here are a few thoughts to help you get ready:

  1. Save the date-We depart on a Thursday evening, May 2nd and shuttle to West Alabama. Our ride ends back in East Alabama by 2:00pm Sunday afternoon. You only budget a day or maybe two off of work.
  2. Train: Whether you use a trainer during these cold, wet months, or brave the cold-get to where you can ride consistently for 40-60 miles. It’s more about being in the saddle that long. We have different ability groups and the average is 15mph.
  3. Think of ways you will help with our fundraising. We make it super easy. When you register, you’ll have the opportunity to set up a personal fund raising platform. We’ll also send you a letter template for local corporate sponsors that can help you.
  4.  Pray-yep, praying is so good. This ride serves families in Alabama whose  home needs significant repair to keep families warm, safe, and dry. You are a part of this solution.

Stay tuned and share with us your training strategies and stories!

See you on the ride!

lisa

Spin Competition of Cycle of Service Wraps Up

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May 242018
 

Way to go! You helped us raise $25,282!

One month ago, we completed our tour across Alabama. Traversing 245 miles against the wind over 3 days, we developed close friendships as we pulled each other across the state. Yesterday, 10 cyclists using their spin bikes at their gym classes, completed their six week competition. Moore’s Mill Fitness Club (Auburn) and Opelika Sports Plex participated in this competition.

Each week the spin leaders would send in the updated miles of their gyms. Like our traditional cyclists, their miles and the funds they raised work directly in purchasing tools and materials for our homeowners.

Here are the final totals:

Moore’s Mill Fitness Club: 2180.5 miles  Funds raised: $140

Opelika Sports Plex: 1084.7 Miles            Funds raised: $175

We are eager as we continue serving with our families in home repair and complete our veterans house in Tuskegee. We could not have done this without our cyclists and spinners doing so much!

To see the miles logged and the individual mileage, see the page link:

http://cycleofservice.arm-al.org/?page_id=49

…Better Than One- Day 3

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Apr 242018
 

Flocks of geese have a familiar “V” pattern we all know. Each bird flies slightly above the bird in front of him, resulting in a reduction of wind resistance. This pattern allows them to navigate and when the lead goose gets tired, it drops out, takes another place in the formation and the head of the “V” becomes a fresh goose. Flying this way helps the geese conserve energy.

When you have nine cyclists riding into a fierce sustained head wind at 11-12 mph each day, you must work as a team, like a flock of geese. Pedaling more than 80 miles each day into the wind is grueling when alone and would rapidly tire even the most seasoned cyclist. I would quit…

You cannot see the wind, but its effects are real. When against you, it’s like an invisible hand crushing your momentum and when by yourself, your spirit. I wonder if this is what poverty is like. When your income level is so strained that your choices are severely limited. Do I fix the leaking roof or buy food? Do I pay the power bill or cut my medication in half for the month? My tire blows out and I miss work. These feel like a head wind killing any attempt to sustain much less get ahead. And when you are alone it can nearly crush you.

Riding in a pace line and taking on the wind as a cycling team framed a powerful metaphor for me. The longer the pace line, the more rested you could feel. Even alternating with 2-3 people made a massive difference. Partnering with families and helping them repair their homes is the proverbial pace line. It is the flock of geese working together to reach their destination.

In Ecclesiastes, Solomon writes that two is greater than one and a cord of three strands is not easily broken. Jesus says there where 2 or 3 are gathered in his name and request of him anything, it will be answered. There is great power in numbers and God never intended us to work or be alone. I could write a whole other piece on how our ideology of rugged individualism is actually killing us…but another time.

We rode as a pace line for three days against the wind strengthening as a team and a family with every pedal stroke. When helping people make repairs, the pace line is a combination of the family, volunteers, donors, ministry teams, and the Holy Spirit all working together. If we ever want to break cycles of poverty and help families and people rise above systemic financial limitations, we must cast off an expectation that they must do it alone and rescue themselves-to face the headwind alone. Instead, we form a pace line working together with each taking a “pull” and dropping to the back when our energy is spent. In that way, we always maintain our momentum. It may take us a little longer to get to our destination, but we will achieve it together and will grow stronger and closer as we do so. I know for this year, I grew closer to this team because of the challenges we faced together. May we continue to serve our neighbor this way and realize we are all in this together, two really is better than one.

Grace and peace,

lisa

No Holding Back-Day 2

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Apr 222018
 

Tonight is short-I will elaborate more.

  • We had a wonderful night’s sleep and breakfast at Memorial UMC and love Rev. Steve Kopp and friends! They have been hosting us for several years!
  • Jim joined us for our ride today. He lives in Opelika, is a photographer and rode with us last year for a one day century!
  • Once again, we faced strong headwinds. They just seem to rob you of any momentum. To combat them, we had to cycle as a team; taking turns “pulling” in a pace line and then dropping to the back after a mile or so. This kept everyone fresh while allowing us to all share in the work.
  • Aldersgate UMC supplied us with an incredible chicken spaghetti, fruit, gatorade, and some snacks for lunch. This gave us the extra push for the final 40 miles to Tuskegee.
  • The narrative was the wind and a few State Troopers….but that is another story! The Tuskegee parsonage was a welcome sight and we made it in around 5:30…and we started at 8:30 am. 9 hours tells it all.
  • The highlight of our night was a visit from Ms. Andrea, dinner from Country’s BBQ with the hospitality of Patricia Stevenson and Lindsey Middleton, and a moving devotion shared by Caroline on prayer and our connection to God.
  • We are going to try to beat the storm tomorrow so going to bed early so we can have an early morning start at 7:00am…

With that-signing off!

lisa

Against the Wind- Day 1

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Apr 212018
 

Against the wind…that was how this 9th Annual Cycle of Service will be remembered. Instead of a tail wind giving us a little push we face a strong 10mph headwind slowing us down and making the journey more challenging than it already is. And we still ride.

Day 1 of COS is in the books and we successfully made it to Selma with no issues. Sore, wind burned, but in great spirits.

One story from today was at our very first rest stop in Bellamy. Stopping at a little service station, it is the only gas station between Cuba, AL. and Demopolis therefore fairly busy. A gentlemen began asking several questions about what we are doing. He commented that he recalls seeing a group like us last year-which we told him it could have been us. After a few more questions, we discovered he was a student at Alabama State in 1971 and working in the area locally. Learning his degree was in Psychology,  we asked him if he thought we were just a little crazy 😊. His laughter was warm as he inquired about the ministry of ARM and why we would make such a commitment. These are the moments I love so much.

As he prepared to leave, with genuine enthusiasm, he said he would be praying for us-from roof rack to our tires 😊. Taking it a step further, I asked if he would pray over our group. Excitement exploded over his face and he boldly stepped over and began praying. Beautiful. His prayer captured the essence of the protection, encouragement, and joy we needed to succeed. He recognized the power the wind was playing upon us and asked God to ease it-yes, much appreciated. Radiating with warmth, it just felt good for this servant who seemed like a random stranger was actually a member of God’s family.

What great joy!

We are so grateful for the outpouring of hospitality we received- the incredible breakfast from the Mennonites, lunch provide by Demopolis UMC, a rest stop sponsor by Marion UMC, the 122nd Troop Support Group out of Selma who allowed us to use their showers, and our long time friends at Memorial UMC who fed us and gave us a place to sleep. It is a special joy and we could not do this without or partners.

We have raised $19,787 towards our goal of $25,000

Looking forward to what we will learn on Day 2!

Final preparations

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Apr 192018
 

Bike rack-check. Riding shorts-check. Riding shoes-check. Bottle of Aleve-check.

The final packing today as we make final preparations to ride across Alabama for the 9th time. It is hard to believe. Last night at our church dinner, there was a table decked out with yellow caution tape, bike gear and a few fun pictures. We griped about the direction of the wind…we ride from west to east and a majority of the time the wind comes from west giving a little push. Not this year. Winds are out of the east at 10-11mph all three days…that adds another challenge. But rarely is anything ever fully convenient.

I love riding with this team. We have been meeting together all year, praying, planning, raising money, and laughing at all the other crazy things from previous years. What stories will we tell this year? What memories will be made?

And then there is the real reason we ride. For the wonderful families who live quiet lives trusting in Jesus, praying for us, and working with us as we help repair their homes. For Ms. Sanford whose roof had total water damage. For Ms. Blount who needed a safe porch and wheelchair ramp. She had unstable concrete steps at the back of her mobile home with no landing or railing. Losing her balance, she tumbled down seven, concrete steps and had to undergo surgery and a long, grueling physical therapy. Finally, there is Ms. Morris who was widowed last year. Her house is extremely large and old making maintenance more than she can handle on her own. Several joists had rotted in her kitchen rendering it dangerous of collapse and creating leaks in her roof. We have completed these major repairs and will be finishing her home by installing a walk-in and handicap accessible shower. There are so many more stories! And every bit that we raise helps us not only extend God’s unconditional love and grace but make their homes sustainable-making it warm, safe, dry and yes, even beautiful.

The other piece are all the co-laborers! Disciples and followers of Jesus who do these repairs, who pray with the families, who share stories. It feels like the Kingdom. It feels like Jesus telling us to love our neighbor. It feels very good and enriches our lives!

We will be sharing some of these stories and pictures as we ride. Please feel free to help us spread the word about how people can help! Pray for us!

Use #cos18 if you like to use Twitter and Instagram!

Thanks so much!

lisa

Church humor…

A legacy cyclist shares his thoughts

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Apr 172018
 

Why?

I get asked this question a lot.  Why do you ride your bicycle for three days across Alabama?

The simple answer is: “to raise money for Alabama Rural Ministry to repair homes in Sumter, Macon and Lee Counties”.

But let’s dig deeper.  Did you know that one in three families in Sumter and Macon County lives below the poverty line?   If you are a homeowner, chances are at some point you are going to need repairs done to your home.  The roof leaks, the plumbing stops working, the home isn’t insulated for those cold eight week winters that Alabamians forget about every year.  Those types of repairs just won’t get done if you are on a monthly income that requires you to make a choice between buying enough food for you or your family, paying for your utilities and maybe even your medical bills.

The more complex answer as to why I ride my bicycle across Alabama other than to raise money to repair homes is also to build relationships.

I build relationships with my fellow cyclists.  Let’s face it.  You are going to easily spend 20 to 30 hours over three days on your bicycle.  You get to know your fellow cyclists pretty well.  You make new friends.  You catch up with old friends. Maybe find out that the cyclist has a skill set or connection that could partner or promote Alabama Rural Ministry.  You learn who is a morning person.  Who isn’t a morning person?  What their dietary habits might be.  Which side (left or right) looks better in spandex (FYI-there is no good side).

You are also strengthening relationships with your family, your friends and your sponsors.  I can’t tell how much it means to get a text, an email or to see people cheering for you on the side of the road.   Whether it is at the start, the middle or the end, the affirmation for the “cause” validates the sore muscles, the odd tan lines and the raccoon eyes.

But the most important relationship you build is the one you are creating with the families whose homes will be repaired.  The money raised can now winterize Ms. Ethel’s house.  Maybe it is repairing a roof at Ms. Sanford’s home or damaged ceilings at Ms. Turk’s house.

So riding across the state of Alabama is more than just pedaling 245 miles.  It’s about raising awareness that we have brothers and sisters who are in real immediate need.  It’s about shifting the statistic to an actual face that has a name and is a child of God.

So this week, I ask that you pray for the riders.  Pray that we have the strength to complete the ride.  Pray that the cyclists will make wise decisions on the road (no Pilates while riding).  Pray that we achieve our goal so that families can have a warm, safe and dry home to live in.  I also ask, if you feel led, to donate.  No amount is too small and you can donate by using this link: https://arm-al.networkforgood.com/projects/50458-scott-middleton-s-fundraiser

Scott Middleton

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