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A bike and the Bible – what I thought – part 3

What I thought this bike ride would be like and what I started to learn about it, differed somewhat. In some ways it reminded me of my initial approach to the Bible.

What I envisioned

Prior to the ride I thought the journey would be pleasant, that I would be fine. I’d seen the downhill path along the side of the road. How hard could it be? It was downhill. The path looked pleasant. I envisioned a boardwalk, promenade, leisurely stroll. You know, those bikes in the movies with a basket full of flowers on the front. Think leisure. Okay, so maybe I was also thinking lazy, effortless, gentle, meandering in a noncommittal way.

A verse or phrase

I like words. When it came to the Bible, I liked Scripture in short batches. A verse or phrase on a journal page or in a picture frame. The 23^rd Psalm on a bookmark. I had time to read that. Not whole chapters or books of the Bible.

In church I heard selections from Scripture. At some point during the worship service a Scripture passage or two would be read. I always experienced Scripture in small segments, not in lengthy installments.

And because I tended to experience information from the Bible in limited quantities, I didn’t try to grasp the bigger picture or even anything beyond a few phrases at a time.

What I thought

My introduction to the bike ride was through posters and brochures. Somehow the images didn’t register. I had kept my own concept in my head of what I thought it was going to be like.

It wasn’t that. Whatever I thought it would be like, it wasn’t. Whatever I had imagined would be my experience. It wasn’t.

Something significant

Not long before the ride I started to read some information about the bike ride, to be better informed. I saw all these comments about a tunnel. By the tone and the telling it seemed to be something significant. I’ve been through a lot of tunnels, in a car. I think I’d ridden through one on a bike. (I’m just now remembering I’ve been through many really long tunnels on a train. I never made that connection until now.)

But back to my experience and recollection prior to the ride. Tunnels were no big deal. You go in, you come out. They’re dark inside but after a short curve you can see the daylight at the other end. End of story. Tunnels were no problem. Why did this one sound like it was going to be a problem?

Question

What were some of your initial experiences with Scripture or what unexpected journey have you faced?

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Catching up?

A bike and the Bible – an adventure – intro – part 1

A bike and the Bible – reservations – part 2

As I considered this trip with a bike and the Bible, I had some reservations.

The idea

“There’s the trail.”

It looked so calm and serene from the comfort of the car, viewed through the closed window. That glass shield which protected me from what was really on the distant path. Not for the faint of heart. Rocky ground. Shaky ground. Fears. Confrontation. I had no clue what was coming.

But that shield couldn’t protect me from the fears I would have to face. That barrier couldn’t hold back the barrage of feelings and emotions, labels, sense of inadequacy that would gush out once I was on that path on a bike.

But I didn’t know any of that. Yet.

The idea of the bike ride was just forming.

Bike ride

My husband knew about this bike ride which follows an old train route. On a trip through Idaho and Montana, he pointed out the path. This section of scenery was out in the open, in nature and inviting. All downhill he said. He wanted to rent bikes sometime and ride the trail. I envisioned a leisurely peaceful downhill coast where I could gaze at the trees and enjoy the outdoors all from the comfort of a bike, stopping along the way for a nice picnic lunch.

That sounded like a pleasant way to spend a day. I was open to the idea.

Gathered info

As we started to make plans for the trip I decided to do a little research. I gathered info about the excursion. The details described a ride that sounded less leisurely than what I had pictured, but the ride still sounded doable, if not peaceful.

I think by this point I was fine with the idea of the bike ride, but not too sure about the ride itself.

The Bible

This idea stage makes me think of the Bible, how it looks lovely on a table or open on an altar. The appearance of it the most engaging aspect of it. But where do our thoughts go when we consider the idea of reading it? Are we still interested at the prospect or do we have reservations about looking inside?

When I worked in a bookstore I saw many people come in looking for Bibles. I know more than one wasn’t so sure how to go about reading it. I could relate.

Reservations

As the date of the bike ride got closer we considered making reservations. Oh I was having reservations all right. Somewhere along the line I had heard reference to a tunnel. The information made it sound a bit ominous. How bad could a tunnel be? It sounded claustrophobic. Was it? Did I have something to be worried about? Something to feel anxious about?

No idea what I was doing

I had no idea what I was doing. It wasn’t my idea. My husband knew all about the ride. He wanted to take the trip. He had read about it and knew the history behind it. He liked trains. He was curious, excited, looking forward to it.

I was doing it because he wanted to. I didn’t know anything about it and what I did know I didn’t like. I hadn’t ridden a bike in ages. Well that wasn’t totally true. I had bought a bike when he had which was the first time I had ridden in years and all that came back was the familiar wobbles and bobbles of an awkward start. Of someone who doesn’t know what they’re doing. Of an amateur, a beginner.

Beginning with the Bible

I remember when I first tried to read the Bible. I didn’t understand what was in it, wasn’t always sure how to read it, and couldn’t remember what I read when I did open it. Can you relate?

I knew people who had read the Bible. You know, those people who get all excited about the Bible and preach, hey, you should read it, but then you open it and you’re like, nope, still boring. Then you close it.

Because I struggled to read it, I thought the Bible was just for serious, studious people. You know, the ones who can sit still for long periods of time. Academics. Students who aced high school, who turned in all their homework on time.

I figured the Bible was for scholarly people. Students good at reading literature books. The ones who had all the answers in English class.

That wasn’t me.

Question

What reservations did you have about reading the Bible or stepping onto an unknown path?

Catching up? Here’s the intro to this series:

A bike and the Bible – an adventure – intro – part 1

Last summer I went for a bike ride and noticed similarities to a bumpy ride through the Bible. I thought I’d revisit the adventure as I recount the discoveries I made along the way, both on the bike and in the Bible. Want to join me?

Reluctant start

What a difference a year makes. I recently wrote my 50^th blog post. That’s 50 more than I thought I would be writing this time last year. I was reluctant to start. Not because of the writing. I enjoy writing. But because of the perceived barriers to get started.

Obstacle

I didn’t convince myself to start blogging until I was in the middle of another obstacle. A lot of unstable ground. Rocks and pebbles on a bicycle path. While I was struggling to stay upright I started to see parallels in my journey to reading the Bible. From a very shaky start to magnificent views.

Here

I don’t think I had any idea when I started blogging last year that I would be here this year. And by here I mean at home. All. The. Time.

Share the discoveries

So I decided this would be a perfect time to revisit that bike ride of one year ago, map back through the journey, and share the discoveries and milestones I experienced on my adventure.

The Bible

It was during that bike ride I started to think about how I could share about my experience with the Bible. How as I rode the trails I reflected on the parallels to my own clunky meanderings through and attempts at reading the Bible. How I could compare the adventures on this bike ride and connect it to my own journey through the pages of Scripture. All the obstacles I ran into, as well as the exhilarating revelations I encountered along the way. And how I would love to share my epiphanies with you.

Along for the ride

So whether you join me on this adventure for the bike or the Bible, I’m happy to have you along for the ride.

Question

What are the barriers you perceive are keeping you from reading your Bible or having the adventure that you want to have?

What’s working – and when it’s enough

During this time of altered schedules and life changes, how to know what’s working – and when it’s enough.

Adapt

In the beginning we had to adapt. Nothing was working. Nothing about the way we had been doing things was going to work going forward. We had to make a lot of adjustments. We experienced losses, both trivial and significant.

Settled

Now I’ve settled. Settled into a pattern, a sense of realistic expectations that keeps me moving forward despite the drastic changes from a few months ago and the reality that for the moment, much is the same.

So where are you in this journey? Are you settled or still struggling to find sure and secure footing?

Solid ground.

I pray that you will find a firm foundation on which to stand.

Self-discovery

This has been a season of self-discovery. Of learning when I write best and when I don’t. Recognizing when I need to take a break and when I can keep pressing forward. I have found I have more perseverance than I realized. That eventually if I keep pressing onward I can push through the place where I’ve stalled or stalled out. I can break through to a breakthrough.

Enough

I’ve also learned to recognize when I need to call it quits for the day. When it’s okay to say I’ve had enough and to peacefully and consciously know it is enough. That I don’t have to keep pushing through to prove that I am enough, because God already sees my worth. Not in my doing, but in my being. As one of His precious children.

What’s working

So in this time of so much disruption and dysfunction may you look around and see what’s working.

In your heart and in your life.

And know that God is still at work in both.

“It is good to praise the Lord
and make music to your name, O Most High,
proclaiming your love in the morning
and your faithfulness at night.” Psalm 92:1-2 NIV

Not normal

I struggled in the beginning. I still have moments. This time we are in right now is not normal. It doesn’t feel normal. This isn’t the way it used to be. The previous patterns have started to fade in the distance. Some of those experiences barely a memory. Oh, remember when we used to… how we used to…

These temporary circumstances don’t feel quite so temporary anymore.

Supposed to be

What if we’re supposed to be doing something with this time? Instead of waiting it out, wading into whatever we thought was supposed to be a brief inconvenience. Stepping into the mess, complexity, and uncertainty of navigating a new way to be in this moment.

New routine

I’ve had to establish a new routine, perspective, way of looking at things, and going about things. The longer I spend in this in between place, the more I sense I’m supposed to grow roots, establish myself where I am.

Growing phase

This is not a passing phase, but a growing phase. A place and time to adapt, grow, learn, and live deeply into our circumstances.

Sustainable

Don’t settle for a passing phase. Make the most of this time and establish new habits and patterns that are sustainable and life-giving.

Establish deeper roots

What if we’re in this place of personal purgatory so God can establish deeper roots in our hearts?

Will we settle into a space to receive more deeply from Jesus?

Will we rest in the Word of God, let it enter our hearts and develop roots, and grow deeply into our being?

Improve

Maybe we’re not supposed to settle for getting by but to improve.

Become better.

How would we look at this time if that were our goal?

A new normal. Finding a pattern, a path, a plan in the midst of unstable ground.

Is the ground unstable or is my view of it unstable?

Settle in

When God sent the Israelites into exile in a foreign land He didn’t tell them to stand in the corner until the time out was over. He told them to get to work about setting up and settling in.

^“This is what the Lord of heaven’s armies, the God of Israel, says to all those people he sent away from Jerusalem as captives to Babylon:

‘Build houses and settle in the land. Plant gardens and eat the food you grow.’” Jeremiah 29:4-5 ICB

What are you feeding yourself? What are you filling up on?

Establish good habits

God wanted the people to establish roots in their lives, both literally and figuratively. Create sustainability. This was not going to be a temporary holding pattern. The people under these circumstances were to go about their lives under their new normal conditions.

In these patterns they were to establish good habits. Peace-building habits.

^“Also do good things for the city where I sent you as captives. Pray to the Lord for the city where you are living. If there is peace in that city, you will have peace also.” Jeremiah 29:7 ICB

So in this season when so much is on hold, postponed, or delayed, don’t delay in establishing patterns of peace, prayer, and doing good things.

A few recent posts about peace and priorities:

Finding peace and priority in the presence of Jesus

In between – the place we find Jesus

In the middle – where to focus in the midst of change