Priceless Commodities

Advisory:
My thoughts are scrambled and processing through the layers of emotion and realities of what has happened over the last 9 weeks may or may not drive you mad.

As of late I have wondered greatly where my head is when I look back on the conditions and positions I have ridden through, climbed up and held on through the whipping wind.

Just+Hope 2012

Blood, sweat and tears build this life and those who have entered and exited through it mixing into the foundation.


4 months processing my first tour along with processing another side of the world in South Africa. 6 months in preparation. 9 weeks on the road. 2 months playing those plans out while seeing both pieces and chunks thrown out the window as this tour and the vision of it is shaped into how it truly needs to be. Teaching and stretching way more than we ever could have thought.

I went into this ride with knowledge of how previous tours have gone. What went well and what could be changed. Working with those who were in the same brand shoe as me, introducing many others to what we in our minds felt the definition of sacrifice touched upon. Biblical justice and how we could relate it to our "comfortable lives".



Leaders succeed and fail. I learned grace through both this summer and I am grateful for the experience. I was able to step back and see parts of me from last summer in others and how teammates stripped layers of their old selves shedding light upon who God is growing them into.

I have seen the way God hardens and softens hearts. And no matter how godly we may feel, how much Satan still tries to toy and bring judgement out of us. How through the blood,sweat and tears of the heat, headwind and climbs no matter what you do you simply cannot satisfy every single human being.




But at the end of the day I was always still breathless. His presence stealing the air from my lungs and taking the entirety of my attention span on a daily basis with in these views. With in these climbs and vastness into coulee city, WA and the same goes for that unbelievable downhill into white sulpher springs, MT.

White Sulpher Springs, MT

Sitting down to see a magnificently painted sunset in Chambersburg, PA while remembering the mountains that have been moved and courage gained as we spoke of our experiences of the day. We conquered the Appalachian mountains to the top of Tuscarora Summit that day.
And for the faces and celebration in that I am so thankful.

Tuscarora Summit

 Not to mention a stuffed Dino that was discovered before ending the day with free chipotle, donated to us in Chambersburg, PA.





Exhaustion can be understated but as I have mentioned in past entries we must keep running the race:
"Do you not know that in a race all the runners compete, but [only] one receives the prize? So run [your race] that you may lay hold [of the prize] and make it yours." (1 Corinthians 9:24 AMP)

                                                                                   Hebrews says:

Across America Tour 2013

"Such a large crowd of witnesses is all around us! So we must get rid of everything that slows us down, especially the sin that just won't let go. And we must be determined to run the race that is ahead of us." (Hebrews 12:1 CEVUS06)





  Matthew 11:28-29 “…Come to me, all who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you, and learn from me, for I am gentle and lowly in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light.”
So in every sense of the word I have for sure been seeking rest and resting my bones. The day after I was dropped off in Scranton unexpectedly (Gods got it figured out what is needed) and I ended up sleeping for 19 of the 24 hours the day after I got home.

Decompression is a process and in these times I feel extremely restless but there is also a must to allow the time of transition into other seasons. Allowing opportunity for further maturing and understanding or building of faith to trust the lack of understanding for where Gods bringing me next.
The impacts of all of this has gone further than we can see on many levels. If I'm honest I don't know what the next step is. I've never known. There are impacts that have been made that can be completely opposite from what we had thought.
We must be patient in these transitions and remember that for sure God is faithful.
I'm waking up
I feel it in my bones ...

But how do we translate these things? I have always been someone fully devoted to living right in where God has me. I disconnect from other places to bring my full attention to where I am. Practically falling off the face of the earth. Feeling somewhat neglectful to others.

Across America Tour 2013

I can feel that most recently I have been seeing bits of myself from a far. I have been seeing the ways in which I have grown through the growing pains and outbursts of learning my emotions again. I have been seeing this fiery passion that I see so plainly as black in white begin to fade to gray. But it is not completely blurred. I see. I respect others opinions and have gained more control over what I feel I have been loaded with fire in the past. For instance a conversation with
My brother. Neither of us are wrong in conversing. We have different views of what we feel is right, logical and worthy of our time and efforts.

Opinions of lazy woods living VS pointless materialistic living in a city.
Each of these things help to bring better perspective of how each of us have been created for different reasons. I'm sure thi probably seems like rambles. But I am trying to slow down the chewing and mauling I have been doing to try and swallow the realities of what I do and do not understand. And how I ,as always, need to be ok with that.

Not everyone wants what I want. And I must continue to break down the walls that I build to put myself on the outside of what I feel is and isn't worthy or considerate or logical.

Nut shell cracked:
Tour was amazing. This summer and getting to see some of the same faces and places blessed me tremendously. Along with meeting new faces. Again, pushing these bodies to the brink of what God called us to do this summer.

Across America Tour 2013

Along with the experience we raised funds and awareness. Last year we sent 272,000 emergency meals to care point on the Burma/Thailand border. We made a goal to send 1.5 million this year but have already exceeded that and are in the midst of collaborating to raise the number to 1.8 million.

We are trying hard to get as many meals over as possible swing that Venture is one of the only nonprofit based organizations that has been granted a 3year contract to use the port in Thailand as much as we would like. Bringing on more partner opportunities to get more supplies and help to the refugees as possible.

$1=10 meals
It's amazing what is possible with moving legs and hearts that are willing to surrender and go forth to the call of God. Being obedient in what He calls in "inadequate" vessels to do to build upon His kingdom.

I can't thank you enough for your continued support and prayers. You know who you are and those who I have met along the way, I am grateful for you. Keeps checking in for the ripple effects of what's happening in weeks to come.

Don't forget to check out the next adventurous effort I'm apart of here : Shasta

- Keep adventuring.

Branches In Pavement Cracks

In this life and on these journeys I have found that as the grips of this world begin to harden around me, those that The Lord puts in my life and in the trials and expeditions, He calls me forth on, He continues to grow me even in the most suffocating of seasons. He grows me up through the ruble and brings color and contrast to the dark and broken parts.




And even in the darkest of times there is patience and triumph as we wait for the pavement to crack and grow up through struggle of scratching the surface. I learned a while ago that God pushes me to be uncomfortable. He grows my comfort zones so that I grow more into the person He has called upon me to be. I could choose to ignore it and avoid it or I could answer, obey, embrace and pursue the truth of the expectations that God has for me because He created me with these things in mind.




Some are drawn to certain parts of the world. Certain cultures or struggles. I feel it is crucial to mix these passions in certain settings of adventure based ministry. To be pushed out of our shells. Working with personal and physical reaction and sacrifice. I am called out to be made uncomfortable at times because I learn and grow from things that are not of the norm. I in return am forced to sit, dwell and learn more about myself, my focus and Gods provision and lessons for me.




When I am stripped of comforts I am made raw and therefore lean on The Lord all the more. Not people (I have found that the battle with myself is constant). I am stripped, an open wound mending. In these moments, these treks surrounded by His creation and things that lurk with in it bring me perspective.
I could ride 90 miles on my bicycle and come around a bend, see a wall of a hill and call the van to come back and pick me up to bring me over this "wall". OR I could complain for 7 seconds (because I'm human) about the realities of how I feel then look at that wall again and say, "OK".
I'm certainly not climbing these mountains for self enjoyment. I don't climb these mountains because my heart is into one part of the world than another or one specific cause. I climb because I know that each pedal stroke delivers hope. I climb and battle head wind and dance for joy at state lines because God is using me as a tool to build His kingdom. Either for our neighbors in Southeast Asia or my teammate struggling on a 103 mile ride next to me. These missions grow people. The physical and mental sacrifice of our bodies and time open eyes everywhere we go and Gods timing for those who we meet in towns we pass are equally inspiring and encouraging. That brings a ripple effect to this life that helps lead us down the narrow path.




Ministry is dead unless the leaders are growing too. These experiences and treks strip us of what the world layers us with. Opens eyes, sheds light and teaches us directions that should be taken or avoided. Leaders are never the best they can be at any point in their walk. There is no finish line crossed while we are still here. We learn to finish strong no matter what until we are called home.
My passion is to help and encourage anyway that I can. The majority of these ways is through my body. Through biking, hiking and showing creation to others. Being stripped by the elements of this earth, lessons of this life: put in the example, the possibilities are endless.
So when this cross country tour finishes, the tour that I thought was a once in a life time opportunity that happened twice, I will be embracing with yet another community that needs help.
The community of Adventure Leadership International (ALI) an organization that ministers to leaders to help them grow so that their own communities may grow and be strengthened. They provide training and deciple opportunities that help with glorifying God in His creation in the midst of physical sacrifice and self awakening for participants that partake.




Andrew Underwood, the founder of this organization and an amazing brother, has been working hard in getting these trainings rolling in the states for leaders in Ecuador and has plans in the making to begin leadership training this Fall.
In the midst of all of this in order for anything to be fruitful, seed must be spread, nurtured and tended to. With this on mind, Andrew, myself and a team will be summiting Mt. Shasta in .... California on August 24th along with many other teams who will be summiting 54 mountains in Colorado that are fourteen thousand feet. ALI will be teaming up with the organization that helps to make these opportunities possible. the project is called Project 54. Through this project, funding and awareness can be raised to help provide leadership training for ministries all over the world.
Self sacrifice. Time, physical and mental. These are tangible things that when pushed and stretched can create new perspective mixed with white flags. Allowing God to fight our battles knowing He will protect us and prosper. We learn, grow and teach. There for it spreads more seed and the process continues. We are tilling the earth with His love and mighty truth.




We have all been called upon to peruse different things. Instilled with different passions.
What's in you?
If you would like to find out more information about Andrews mission and what ALI is all about please visit ALI "Blazing the trail"
And to see our team for Mt. Shasta's progress or to donate please visit: ALI Mt. Shasta team
Keep Adventuring

Steady Feet

I'm sitting in one of a million Starbucks found in side of a slice of cultural fruit that seems to swarm with hustle and bustle of different direction and destination.
Important meeting and catching
Up. There are parts of me that wonder if I will randomly run into someone I know simply because Gods got humor like that.
But now I am "home" a place I have somehow been so homesick for in the past and now feel so relived to be back and taking rest to a whole new level...
I have not been scarred into silence. I have been weened and seasoned into listening more and speaking less. Reflecting these layers of senses and emotion.




Sinking into these comforts that are my feet on crooked sidewalks from roots of trees reclaiming ground while the smell of coal lingers in this electric city. I see lights but am hesitant to step into it. Fearful that this step will cause me to sink deep into what I had thought this place always was. A black hole of despair.
But no. God has shown me a new light to this. I don't know how it will work out. Possessions are worthless with the surpassing of know Christ Jesus my Lord. I consider it ALL rubbish.
I will not let scars define me. Nor will I let echoes of Satan discourage and make me believe that I am unworthy of these adventures. That I am not good at adventuring. That this all will end if I leave the majestic woods.
If I travel back to where I once was, how it will be nothing but mediocracy and monotony. But these things, through them, we must be diligent in seeking them through and through. To rediscover adventure at its finest, the unknown.
- Keep adventuring.