Eric Hanson - The Adventure of Life

An Intimate God

Tue, 1 Sep 2009 00:00:00 GMT

This might be a bit random, and maybe more mushy than normal, but bear with me.

Hypothetical situation: If someone were to offer me two choices. One, I could be given a pencil sketch of my wife. It would be a nice gift. I could see her characteristics, her form, and could tell easily that yes, she is a beautiful woman.

Two: I could be given not a pencil sketch of my wife, but my wife, the real thing.

Seems ridiculous and the choice is obvious. And yet daily I'm presented with the same options with God. I can have the real thing, or a grey sketch of the real thing. How is it that sometimes the first option is what I take?

Intimacy with God is the most prized treasure He offers us. I am asking myself this morning, what treasure do I spend my time seeking? The real thing? Or am I too easily contented with the imitations?

Intimacy implies a deep and personal knowledge, a familiarity with between both sides, it implies pleasure taken and given between one another, it implies a certain romance, it implies joy, and a profound understanding of each other, intimacy implies vulnerability and a trust that the other is not acting selfishly, but seeks to give and care for the other.

In my experience in life, I have found nothing more important, nothing better, and nothing deeper, than the intimacy that God offers us. A true relationship between God and each one of us. I ask myself today, does this characterize my relationship with God?

The Dire Land Of Ire Land!

Sat, 22 Aug 2009 00:00:00 GMT

It seems like I am on track to write one blog every two months or so. I don't feel like I have some big revelation to share, but that's okay.

In keeping with the theme from my last blog, I want to give everyone an update. Dreams are a big part of life. They give us hope, stir us with passion, and drive us in life. I last revealed to you guys a bit about what I wanted in life. That I wanted life to be an adventure, to travel, to do photography, to write, and to serve God with my life.

So, Jenny and I have booked two one way tickets to Dublin, Ireland for next May! We do not really know what is going to happen beyond that, i.e., when we will return, or what exactly we will do. But we have felt heavily that God is leading us to do this. We plan on traveling without plans and intend to travel with the intention to meet people and follow God's leading. Traveling like this is something that Jenny and I are both passionate about. When we were on the World Race, it was during these kinds of travels that we had some of the most significant encounters.

There are a lot of question marks on the horizon for Jenny and I, and to us, that is a little scary, and really exciting. We'll be leaving behind our beautiful home that we have really enjoyed. That means we do not really know where we will come back to. But that is all part of this next thing in life for us. God opened our eyes to so much on the World Race and we feel He will do the same here.

Is there a big lesson here or some grand truth? Not really? Just wanted to share some exciting news with everybody!

What do you want...

Sat, 27 Jun 2009 00:00:00 GMT

Dreams have been on my mind a lot of late. I do not mean what I've been dreaming at night, but the kind of dreams that represent the life I want to live.

Following dreams is hard work. It feels like it requires constantly looking around you to gather your bearings to make sure you are actually on the path you want to be on. It feels so easy to follow after the lure of an easier road in life, a road with a destination nowhere near where you ever dreamed you would end up.

A few nights ago Jenny and I found ourselves sitting under a street lamp in front of our house at two in the morning. We were sitting on the asphalt, the air still humid and sticky despite the late hour, talking with a couple we know, and two guys we had never met before. It was perhaps the most brutally honest conversation I have ever been a part of (although they did most of the talking).

One guy bared his soul. Now in his thirties, he recounted his story. In high school he had been quite the football player. He was a Christian, and even went on a mission trip to Mexico. On this trip, he had a pivotal moment in his life. Something happened. He was handing out prescription glasses to people who never knew what glasses were. An old man approached him, someone whose vision was extremely impaired without correction. When they found the right strength of glasses for the old man, this guy witnessed the old man's transformation and his pure joy of being able to see for the first time in years. Maybe he had forgotten what life was like with good vision. But the old man went away elated.

This guy, now standing under a dim streetlight in Florida, talked about how at that moment he knew this was the life he was meant for. He wanted to help people. He wanted to be a missionary. This all star football player was a kind hearted teddy bear. And he had a dream. He had glimpsed what his life could be like if he followed his dream.

Fifteen years later, his life has taken a different turn. He has a very respectable job no doubt. And he is great at what he does. But he always looks back at what could have been. Life has been a series of disillusionments since he decided against following what he knew to be his dreams for the sake of what seemed normal. He gave up his dreams for a career that really never inspired him in the first place. Since he walked away from his dream, his life melted into something almost unrecognizable even to himself.

I have dreams. Jenny and I have dreams of the life we want to life together. And it seems like most every day, the world around us is trying to bump us off that path in order to follow something less dangerous, and ultimately, less fulfilling. And it seems as though life requires Jenny and I to gather our bearings together nearly every single day to hold each other to the path of our dreams. Its not easy. Our society seems to only applaud dreamers after they have "made it," and then only if it falls into society's standards of "making it." Meanwhile, the world scoffs at those who are in the middle of following a conviction or a dream by laughing at their naivity, or telling them something about how "the real world" works.

My dream? I want to be a story teller. I want to be a photographer and a writer. I want to travel the world. I want to never stop exploring. I want my life to always be an adventure. I want my life to glorify God.

So I ask you the same question Jesus asked the lame man waiting by the pool, "What do you want?"

Gray Makes Green

Tue, 21 Apr 2009 00:00:00 GMT

I know its felt like practically forever since I have blogged. After such a long break, sometimes it feels like writing on here again is impossible, or that I would need to have something really incredible to share that would blow everyone away. But neither is actually true, writing again is not impossible, and I don't really have any mind blowing thing to share either!

Jenny and I have been married for 3 months and 3 days now, and I am happy to report that each day with her is the most wonderful blessing. Each day is better than the last and I am madly, madly in love with her. God has blessed me far beyond anything I could have ever asked for or even comprehended. I thank the Lord for my wonderful wife!

Jenny and I live in a house that is far too good for us and we know it. Im not sure how it all happened, but I won't complain. We have a balcony that overlooks a small wilderness reserve. Jungle green moss covered oaks shade a creek full of yellow and blue flowers and swimming mallards. Sand Hill Cranes, hawks, and owls patrol the skies above. They are magnificent creatures, something about them captivates me when I see them. I have a garden full of tomatoes and peppers and strawberries. I am surprised to feel a real connection to the earth here. I did not expect that out of Florida, but I feel it and I love it.

I love to sit on the balcony and drink coffee, be quiet, read, think, and pray. In the mornings the sun rises behind our house and I sit in the cool shade while I watch the gold of morning illuminate the mossy oaks and their hanging vines. It is truly a sanctuary. This morning the air felt more crisp and fresh than I remember experiencing recently. Yesterday the cool gray clouds draped the sky and masked the sun all day long. A refreshing rain fell gently upon the parched land here. We've been in a drought. Every day has been sunny and beautiful, just like paradise. But I had a thought this morning. Not everyday can be sunny, perfect days like paradise. Eventually the sun dries up the life and you need the gray of rains to restore, to give a new perspective. Today the beauty felt magnified because of yesterday's gloom. Not only did my perspective change, but the dreary day actually brought about more life. Everything actually is more green today.

So just a thought. Sometimes the blue skies of our soul are made richer by the gray rains in life.

A Chrismas Miracle!

Thu, 25 Dec 2008 00:00:00 GMT

Today is Christmas Day. A day to enjoy family and friends. To laugh, to hug, to give oneself, to be joyful. We give gifts to each other and enjoy traditions passed down to us like thread knit into our souls. But it is not just a day to celebrate many blessings and to enjoy. It is also a day to look back and see what God has done.

And not just the obvious, as the day Jesus was born. But to see that we are in the middle of the greatest epic tale ever told. It is happening right now. And Christmas is a symbol that God took a painting that knew no bounds of time, and breathed life into it. This painting has received life from the breathe of the Creator. Today is a day to recognize that we are in the middle of God's great revelation. We celebrate together and praise the Lord for the very romance of His gift and the splendor of the tale He is spinning. You and I are central to this story. The flames of His passion consume us in this tale. Today I reflect and see His great symbol of love and say "thank you."

Merry Christmas!

A new kind of trust

Sun, 7 Dec 2008 00:00:00 GMT

I am just like an Israelite. I saw incredibly powerful and miraculous signs from the Lord. And now I complain and have a hard time trusting that He will come through.

I know I have had a lot of time to think about this topic, but the idea of faith is still something I am grasping at. I do not mean whether or not I believe in God. I mean dangerous faith that requires stepping into a vague cloud, each step veiled and difficult.

It has been over a year since I have returned home from the World Race. A lot has changed in this year. God has given me an amazing woman whom I will be marrying in a few weeks! I have moved from Scottsdale, AZ to Flagstaff, AZ to Colorado Springs, CO to Sarasota, FL. And I have still wrestled with the meaning of the faith I tasted on the World Race. I saw incredible miracles. I saw God providing in unbelievable ways. God routinely showed up at the last second and wowed me, over and over. I discovered that there was more to this God thing than I had ever experienced before. I was stirred up, woken up, broken down, and lifted up many times over.

I am not sure exactly what I expected from my return to the United States. Honestly I think I believed that my return would somehow mark a drastic change in the lives of those around me. That maybe wherever I went there would be a dramatic revival in peoples hearts. And for whatever reason, the climactic and dramatic never really occurred. People were interested in hearing my stories for a while. But soon that novelty wore out and people were back to their busy lives.

Since then I have kind of been standing around scratching my head. I knew there was something different inside of me. I had been changed. And I have found it difficult to assimilate back into the everyday lifestyle that surrounds me. I have jumped around to new locations, spreckling in a few odd jobs. I worked for AIM, worked for a coffee shop, did some landscaping, have spent months writing and recording all my stories from the World Race. Sometimes earning money and a lot of times not earning money.

I know that I have had really high expectations for what my own faith would look like living in the United States. And for whatever reasons, I have had to deal with feelings of disappointment. Although I have not gone through feelings of doubt about what I experienced, I have seen that a lot of the pizzazz that marked my spiritual life kind of go flat, like a soda left out too long.

My biggest spiritual question, ever since I returned home, became, "So what does this life I want to live LOOK LIKE?" Intangible concepts like "a heart on fire for God" met head on realities like rent money and bills. I could not figure out the difference between living a radical life of faith and running away from responsibilities. The World Race bubble burst rather quickly. Suddenly praying and reading for hours in a day, seeing what God brings to you, asking the Lord, and living by faith went from kosher to irresponsible.

My soon to be wife has been incredible. God has used her in many ways to challenge me and grow me. God has used her to continue pulling down old walls that I never even knew were there. She has helped me grow in spiritual freedom and has given me nudges when I need them. I love her and I see her as a picture of God's blessing to me every day.

But now I am not just responsible for one. I am getting married. That means that a whole lot more is on the line. That makes it that much more difficult to trust God. If He doesn't come through, my wife will have to pay. So I sit here and squirm and wriggle.

And then God speaks to me. "I am doing this for you. Just because your situation has changed, does not mean I have changed. This is all part of you learning to trust me in all things." And for now I see that it was easier for me to trust that God would come through while going into a remote village in Africa than trusting God in finding a job in America. It is like once I came home from the "mission field", I had to trade in my missionary pants for something much more rigid and conforming. The unspoken rules of American life that I so clearly experienced freedom from have been hammered back in around me.

It has been difficult to see that I am living the exact same life. The only difference is that my location is not some distant foreign land that changes every few weeks. So instead of being invigorated by interactions with monks in Cambodia, I need to see the beauty in the seemingly mundane. My faith still needs to be radical. Because it is still not me who is God and I do not want to wrestle those responsibilities out of His hands. If God doesn't come through, I'm sunk. It is the same as if I were eating goat in Mozambique or on the beach in sunny Florida.

I know my thoughts might have meandered a bit. I am still trying to grasp this. The point I am trying to make is this: Trusting in God did not stop once I left the world race. To me is has become more real because it is no longer in the context of a "program." I am learning to trust God every day in life.

A ten month update

Sun, 14 Sep 2008 00:00:00 GMT

I realize it has been a significant amount of time since I have posted anything or had much communication. For that I apologize. But I hope this finds you well. There have been significant changes for me since I have come off the world race. I am sure that most everyone who came back home after something so intense and life changing will have plenty more changes once they return. Some will be foreseen and others will not. But that is the beauty and adventure of it all. Even when you think you know what is to come, it rarely looks like you expect it.

The biggest and most beautiful change for me, my ultimate blessing, has come into my life. The Lord has prepared for me a bride, and soon Jenny Dawson and I will be getting married! For some this is no news, but I realize that many people out there who read many blogs of mine will be fairly clueless.

I must say that the Lord has chosen to bless me far beyond anything I could imagine. Way back when I was in Peru, God spoke the name Jenny to me. I did not really know what that meant at the time. But several months later Jenny Dawson got off the bus in Swaziland and a friendship began. I was still clueless that this could be the Jenny behind the name that God spoke to me. Then a romance began to develop while we were both in Thailand. We continued to talk most every day via email while I was in Cambodia and she remained in Thailand (anyone who remembers my love of the "Blue Pumpkin" might now realize why I loved the internet so much).

When the race ended for me in Hong Kong, I had prayed many hours about and for Jenny. I knew she still had six months left on the race but I felt strongly that I could not just let her go. The day before she left to go into China, where I would painfully not be able to communicate with her for a month, I told her of my feelings and we both decided to give things a try. The next month was very difficult, I missed her so much. But I felt in my heart that God was protecting her and that what we had was a beautiful gift.

Almost six months later, Jenny came home to Florida. The next day, I flew in to see her. Unbeknown to Jenny, God had spoken to me while she was still on the race that this was the woman that God had been preparing for me, and who He had prepared me for. After two weeks in Florida with her wonderful family who never threatened to kill me, Jenny and I flew back to Arizona as she moved to be out in Flagstaff with me.

God told me to wait until August 1 to ask her to marry me. He said we needed at least three months to just be around each other. Wanting to be obedient, but not wanting to waste time, I bought a ring. On July 31st I asked Jenny's dad if I could have his daughter's hand in marriage and he graciously welcomed me into the family. On August 1, Jenny and I went to the beach in her home town of Sarasota and I proposed to her at sunset. She cried (in the good way) and hugged me tighter than anyone has ever hugged me before. It took her five minutes to even look at the ring. Eventually she did say "yes" and I was much relieved. A random man walked by and even offered to take pictures at the exact moment I was proposing, so we happen to have pictures of the surprise proposal. It was a truly beautiful moment! I felt that the Lord set everything up perfectly.

The actual proposal!

We are now in Colorado Springs and happily engaged. We will be getting married in January on the beach in Sarasota.

That is most certainly the biggest news of my life and I am honored to share it with you and I thank you for having spent the time that you did supporting me and praying for me on the world race. There is a whole new set of adventures that the Lord is leading me, and now Jenny Dawson on, together.

With Much Love

Sun, 25 May 2008 00:00:00 GMT

I write this with great humility and gratitude. Life is a funny thing. One minute you think you are right on top of things. Everything is great. You are coasting. And in a minute you can be humbled.

I realize there are a lot of people out there who have been following my journey for a year and a half now. You have read when the times were good, and you prayed for me when things seemed hard. Since the race has ended, I felt I had a grip on things. I felt I had figured a lot of things out. Maybe I thought I had the upper hand on people. If ever that was the case, I repent of that now. I know that God has a lot of things in store for me. And to believe that I am in control of those things is pretty ridiculous. I have no idea what is coming.

I thought I knew what would happen when I came home from the race. Maybe I thought everyone would hail my return. Maybe I thought no one would care. Maybe I thought all the world needed was me to come around and tell them how things are. If ever my pride got in the way of what God was doing, I repent of that now. I thought coming on staff with AIM was the perfect solution. Maybe I thought that was the key to my life. I don't even really know right now.

All this to say that as of now, I am no longer going to have the "staff" position with AIM. I don't think that anything went wrong. And at this point, I'm not exactly sure why I spent only six months on staff. But God does seem to be saying it's okay now to put my hands to what most people do. That is to work hard, love the Lord, support others, and enjoy life.

I am deeply grateful for everyone who has ever supported me in any way. I know it has taken a lot of sacrifice from a lot of people to make possible what has happened in the last year and a half. Many people have shown faithfulness to the Lord and to me through their generosity. Many people have spent hours on their knees on my behalf, covering me with prayer. It is difficult for me to express how appreciative I am of everyone who has been a part of this. Any previous attempts at this have come up short, and do not convey what it has taken for you to be a part of this.

I ask for your continued prayer as I walk with the Lord, not really knowing where He is leading me next. I really don't know what is about to happen. But I trust the Lord. One thing I learned from the World Race is that my Father is worthy to be trusted. Just because I am not in the poorest country in Africa does not mean that I no longer need to trust Him. Every day is a step of faith.

Once again, thank you for walking this journey with me. I pray that the Lord will bless you mightily in the days to come. I love you all and I am humbled by what you all have done for me this year. Thank you.

B.A.H.T. Video Stectacular!

Thu, 10 Apr 2008 00:00:00 GMT

Thank you all for being a part of Team Up, Gear Up: Biking Against Human Trafficking

Here is a video documentary of our travels. It's the thrilling made-for-TV version based on the award winning blog series The Great Bike Adventure part 1, 2, and 3! Grab some popcorn and enjoy!

An Update to Anyone Who Cares!

Thu, 10 Apr 2008 00:00:00 GMT

I have now been working for AIM for about three months. So I feel an update to all my supporters and friends would be appropriate.

First of all, transitioning back into the United States after experiencing the World Race has been a challenging but good experience. I think that most people have felt like they exist in sort of an awkward in-between-state-of-mind. We have experienced something radical and have clearly been changed by it. So to go back to just the same sort of lifestyle before without at least change of mindset about it does not really seem to be an option, at least for myself. And yet it seems to be difficult to really move forward because, again for myself, I don't really know exactly where to go. I feel like I have hundreds of options at my fingertips, many of which seem very good, that it can almost be paralyzing. Maybe there is a fear that whatever I do, it won't be good enough, or radical enough, or worth people's money enough. I think other racers have expressed the same sort of sentiments. "We are changed!... uuuh, now what?"

This process of coming back has been a big learning experience for myself. It has felt like an extremely slow process and has been frustrating at times. But I know that God is in it. And repeatedly, He has told me, "Just keep going. Its okay not to know. It's good not to know. Just dont stop and do nothing." So I have been trying to move forward. And in retrospect, I know that I have. A lot of really good things have happened. And I really am continuing to grow in faith in the same kind of rapid rate that occurred during the race. But I know that I don't have things figured out, not that I am expecting to have my life solved.

In my time working with AIM, I have spoken with churches and groups in Los Angeles, around Phoenix, in Flagstaff, at the Universities. I have had my story told (brilliantly by Jeff Goins) in Relevant Magazine. I have been a part of organizing a bike ride to raise awareness about human trafficking in which we saw several organizations, an author, and leading resources on human trafficking, share on nightly nationwide conference calls. I have had lots of one on one meetings with people interested in serving in missions. I walk around the neighborhoods near me each morning. Through this, I have met quite a few really interesting people. I have been working with a "mobilization team," which essentially like a recruiting type team, focusing on simply telling our stories, and encouraging others to go and have their own type of experience, encouraging people to step outside of their comfort zones while following after God. We have seen an increase in people who are choosing the World Race as an outlet for serving God. So essentially, we have seen good things happening on the way to meeting some of our goals.

A common theme among racers is that life is ministry, and you cannot compartmentalize that into only a certain aspect of life. I guess it has been a big learning experience to take that, which I very much believe in, and translate it into practice.

So I will be moving forward day by day. I still do not really know much about what I will be doing in the future. But I am very thankful to have an amazing group of people walk with me every step of the way. I am extremely grateful for your generosity with your giving, and most certainly for all your prayers. You all mean so very much to me!

The Great Bike Adventure (part 1)

Mon, 7 Apr 2008 00:00:00 GMT

After returning home from the World Race, I enjoyed grabbing my bike and riding up and down the streets around my parents Phoenix home. Part of it was just to get out and be able to think about all the things I had just experienced, all the things I did not want to forget. Through the World Race, I had my eyes opened up to so much. I saw things I never would have imagined I would have seen. Some of which were incredibly beautiful. Miracles, divine providence, pure joy, and natural wonders continually amazed me during my travels. But there were also hardships, pain, natural disasters, things I can not understand. But I believe that the darkness is all part of God's magical creation, making the light stand out ever brighter.

These things were etched into my mind. And as I was riding my bike one day I really felt like God was nudging me. I felt inspired to do something big. And immediately the idea of riding my bike to the Grand Canyon and back came into my mind. I had thought of doing it before, but it never seemed feasible. It was always a little out there. But this time, I really thought it was God behind it.

I have always had a passion for the outdoors. Ever since I was a young boy and my dad would take me out into the wilderness camping, I loved being outside. I even celebrated one of my birthdays by going camping with my family. I think I got a slingshot that year for my birthday. My neighbors never slept easy after that. But I have always felt a strong connection with God while out in the wilderness. There is something about the quiet serenity of nature and the majesty of creation that always made me feel close with God. Before I left on the World Race, I spent 2 weeks traveling to national parks around Arizona, Utah, and Colorado, all by myself. It was a fantastic time to just be with God.

I believe that God wants to use our passions for His glory. That's why I think He wanted me to do this bike ride. But Biking Against Human Trafficking was certainly more than just a bike ride. God took my passion for the outdoors and adventure, and paired it with something. I saw only a part of the horrors of human trafficking, something I simply cannot forget. I wanted to be able to tell the story. And I wanted others to react and be a part of instituting change. He paired that with my desire for my generation to get out and have their own experience with God.

Following after God is rarely done with ease. The bike ride was no exception. I was immediately met with a lack of interest, or maybe doubt, would be a better word here. People's first reaction seemed to be doubt that I could even do it, and maybe doubt that it would actually happen. I'm sure most people figured it was just a passing fancy that would never flesh out. In my mind though, I had decided that even if I were the only one to go, I would still make it happen. But boy I was hoping it wouldn't come to that.

After several weeks of trying to get people on board with this thing, I finally got a response. On the same day, I received calls from both Stephanie Fisk and Clay Massey telling me they wanted to take part. That is when it started to gain some momentum. Stephanie really used her passion for fighting human trafficking to get all sorts of organizations involved. It was really amazing to see her work hard on this and see things fall into place. Clay suddenly became our gear supplier and resident mechanic. All sorts of people were getting excited about this in his home state of New Mexico. He even had churches donate about $3,000 without him ever asking for any. A few weeks later, Eric Retterbush came on board and put together a great website. Each person was taking his own giftings and passions and using them to really make this whole event come together.

But the real challenges came when the rubber actually hit the road and it was time to depart. Not one of us had ever done something like this. Most of us were only able to train beforehand just a few days. Stephanie was unable to ride a single day outside because of all the snow in Iowa. She was not even able to bring her own bike out here, but she had to borrow one from Clay. Eric Retterbush's bike broke two days before we left when his derailer (the thing that changes the gears) busted. The local mechanics refused to do anything with it and told him to buy a new bike. So we threw some road tires on my dad's mountain bike, giving us our four bikes.

The uphill and the distance were both challenges that we expected to face. But we met a few foes that we had overlooked or not expected altogether. Hiking the Grand Canyon turned out to be much more difficult than we ever anticipated. We hiked a trail off the beaten path that was much steeper than a normal Grand Canyon hike. For the first half-mile we were forced to pick our way slowly down the trail as it was still covered with snow and ice. Our heavy backpacks and our light tennis shoes made this section of the trail incredibly awkward and even dangerous. A slip on the ice could have us tumbling down the Grand Canyon. At this point, my knees were already hurting from all the repetitious pedaling on my bike. Now I had to hike down 9 very steep miles of trail.

See part two of the adventure!

The Great Bike Adventure (part 2)

Mon, 7 Apr 2008 00:00:00 GMT

But making it to the Colorado River was worth every painful step and each weary pedal of the bike. The beauty at the bottom of the Grand Canyon is unparalleled. The Grand Canyon holds this mysterious quality in which nothing outside of it seems to matter. Time, worries, nothing else is important when you stare off into the vast canyon. Being at the bottom of the Grand Canyon is like being held in God's hand, you are completely enveloped by it, and you feel perfectly at peace.

As I sat by the river and prayed the next morning, God gave me something He knew I would need. I noticed a washed up piece of driftwood that would make a perfect walking stick. With only a matter of hours to enjoy at the bottom of the canyon, we ate breakfast, broke camp, and headed out of the depths. My knees were in serious pain, so I relied heavily upon my newfound best friend of a stick.

The sun beat down on us worse than it had the day before. We were previously in shade all day because of the canyon walls and the late sun. But the wide open rock early in the morning caught all the sun and radiated like an oven. Even in the spring, the earth here was scorched. I moved a stone to try to sit on it under a slight covering of shade. A scorpion scurried out, following the stone as I moved it, and quickly took refuge under the shade. I moved the stone again, and this time the scorpion hid under my fallen Clif Bar wrapper. Even the scorpions knew to stay out of the sun.

Late that afternoon, we found ourselves back on the icy trail near the top of the rim. It is truly amazing the differences held within such a small ecosystem. Oasis at the river, baking desert, and snow-filled pine forest, all engulfed us within a few miles. We wearily clambered out of the canyon and were immediately met with an icy chill of wind. A few hours ago we were nearing heat exhaustion, and here we were bundling up with our winter clothes.

That night we crashed at our campsite without ever starting a fire or doing anything else. We slept a good 12 hours before we got back on our bikes to begin our journey back to Phoenix. The next morning, we were woken by a bitter chill wind. We unexcitedly prepared our bodies and our bikes for the next 60 miles of biking. No one was eager to get back to riding, as we all desperately wanted a day to rest. But the road called to us, and we found ourselves miles away from the canyon within a matter of hours. We all expected our road back home to be filled with many effortless miles cruising down hill with ease, but today the wind would not have it. We faced 20 to 30 mile an hour winds all day. We crawled away from the canyon at a frustratingly slow pace. Late that afternoon we arrived at our campsite just outside of Williams, AZ, high on the Colorado Plateau. We quickly had a fire blazing and food cooking. Even though we had such a difficult day, our spirits were high. We even celebrated by picking up some Fat Tire beer to bring relief to our weary bones.

The wind died down and we stayed up late telling stories around the campfire. We prayed the wind would not come back at all and that we would enjoy the rest of our trip down the mountain back to Phoenix. We each climbed into our own tents happy that night. But around 3 am, the wind came back more violent than ever. I lay in my tent that morning praying that it would go away when the sun came up, but it only got worse. That morning we tried to get warm and stretch to loosen up before getting back on our bikes. But the wind made it impossible to warm up. At 7000 feet, the vicious wind chilled our bones. As soon as we started, we knew the day would be miserable. The wind refused to grant us passage. Even on one of the steepest down hills of the entire trek, we had to pedal to keep going. The wind blew us around like balloons in the wind as trucks whizzed by at 80 miles an hour. We each hoped that as soon as we got down the hill that the wind would die, but that never came. We crawled through each mile as the wind seemingly got worse and worse. We inched our way into the valley between Williams and Prescott, where the wind was absolutely terrible. It was like trying to ride your bike directly into a tornado. Tumbleweeds flew by on the road and we were pelted in the face with blowing dirt and debris. I think I heard the Wicked Witch of the West cackling away. At one point I seriously considered hitching a ride with a man who saw us struggling along and felt compassion on us by offering us a lift. It was not even so much that I was too tired, but I actually feared I would be blown over and into traffic. The narrow shoulder along this stretch seemed like a death trap. At one point I was leaning 30 degrees over to the right side of my bike to avoid being pushed into traffic. I consulted with the other riders if we should hop on the truck to go the rest of the way. But something inside me knew we just had to keep going. I think God was saying, "I've got you. Just keep going."

Read the final installment of the new thriller here!

The Great Bike Adventure (part 3)

Mon, 7 Apr 2008 00:00:00 GMT

Did you read part one and part two?

We made it to Prescott at last and pushed through the last few miserable miles to my friend's house. Her and her husband were waiting for us to arrive and had prepared an amazing barbeque. We gorged that night on beef, showered for the first time in 7 days, and slept peacefully in the warmth of their house.

We woke up to a beautiful morning, and the smell of coffee brewing. The wind fled during the night and showed no signs of coming back, much to our relief. After a delicious home cooked breakfast of pancakes and fruit, we mounted up for our final day. This was the longest day of riding of the entire trip, 95 miles, but was our most enjoyable day by far. The wind was nowhere to be seen, and the long stretches of down hills whisked us quickly back into the valley of the sun. We ate lunch at the bottom of the incredibly steep Yarnell Hill with a man we had met our first day on the way to the canyon. Mike was a local artist, carving intricate murals out of wood for people all over the world. We chatted and shared stories of our travels over the beer he offered us. This place seemed to be a gathering point of interesting characters. I swear Santa Clause himself drove up on a motorcycle with a sidecar that looked like it was from the Cold War. All sorts of men gathered here, the real salt of the earth types. It looked like they worked hard, and loved it. They wore their Carhartt overalls proudly, and firmly shook hands with their dirty, weathered, and beautiful hands.

The sun rose high and showered us with its warmth, which felt good after the icy chill of the previous day. The miles here were flat but quick as we passed through a few more small towns that mark the outskirts of Phoenix. Before long, the sun was at our backs as the traffic of the big city picked up and the traffic lights signaled our journey was coming to a close. Relief that rest was coming soon was met with a sense of sadness that our adventure was coming to a close. The Safeway that was our staging point for our departure greeted us. The unsuspecting shoppers were clueless as to why a small group of cyclists were celebrating in the parking lot. We gave each other high fives, loaded up our gear and all crammed into the truck. We sleepily drove across Phoenix to make it back to my parent's house where we were greeted with much joy, relief, good food, and great beer.

It was not always easy, in fact, it rarely was. But that is what made it an adventure. The painful miles of biking and hiking, the wind laughing at us, the bike problems, were all part of the adventure. I think a life following after God is often like that. It is usually the really difficult parts that were the most defining moments. The challenges are there for us to test our mettle, so that at the end, we have something refined by fire, which is hard to come by these days. I believe life is an adventure, and it should be lived as such.

Good Morning Vietnam!

Wed, 19 Mar 2008 00:00:00 GMT

Yesterday, Stephanie Fisk and I had the opportunity to do a radio interview together. It is about a 45 minute interview, and it was quite fun. I invite you guys to listen to it by clicking on this link. Stephanie and I got to talk about the upcoming bike ride, along with some of our experiences on the World Race... check it out!!!

Some of you might not know that we have also put together a separate website just for the Biking Against Human Trafficking event. Make sure to check that out as well.

We leave in a matter of days to embark on the big bike ride adventure! I am very excited about it!!!

Passion for Life

Tue, 18 Mar 2008 00:00:00 GMT

Passion: a word we might hear a lot of this week. The Passion of Christ, it is all because of Christ's passion that we have life. We cannot live without it.

Easter is less than a week away. The day after Easter, a few of us will be biking from Phoenix to the Grand Canyon and back. We are doing it because of passion. If you read any of Stephanie Fisk's blogs, you would know that she is very passionate for this issue of human trafficking. She has been touched in a very personal way by her experiences. God has pricked something in her heart that makes her want to reach out to these people stuck in human trafficking. It really has been amazing to see the way in which she is going hard in this battle for the freedom of people she has never met.

I have been greatly moved by what I saw in Thailand and Cambodia as well. But I have been even more moved by the way I see a large percentage of people in the United States live without hope. Many commit their lives to jobs that do nothing for them. Many wonder about their purpose in life. Many chase after the wind because they have not found what gives them satisfaction.

This is not about missions. This is about living a vibrant life full of passion.

I am just a guy who is grabbing a bike (it's not even my own bike) to encourage other people to find what it is they are passionate about. I want to see people in the United States really follow after their dreams. If God has put something on your heart, you need to go for it. Do it for God, and for you. God receives a lot of glory when His children live lives that are full of passion, or as John Eldridge puts it, "fully alive."

What is something that is deep within you that you just cannot shake? Is it compassion for homeless? Is it to fight for those trapped in slavery? Is it for people stuck in addictions? Or even a love of the outdoors? A love of adventure? Sports? Art? What is it that God has ingrained in you like a fingerprint? Our lives reflect the glory of God when we pursue after the things that God has made us passionate for.

I want to encourage people to follow after these things, and to do it in such a way where Christ is at the center of it all. Is there a dream you have had that you put on hold? Did you forget it altogether? Go back to it and dust it off. Look deep into it. God is delighted when His children are delighted in Him.

Check out the Biking Against Human Trafficking website!

A Viking Biking for Another's Liking

Fri, 7 Mar 2008 00:00:00 GMT

An article for Burnside Writers Collective

Cycling for Freedom: World Travelers ride their bikes to fight slavery

How could you possibly react when a monster as terrifying as human trafficking first confronts you? You cannot simply look the other way. The problem is all around, even in our own backyard. Yet it lies in the shadows, behind closed doors. It stays quiet. It remains more of a whisper of evil that most people will never hear. But must not be allowed to continue to destroy lives in secret. It is estimated that human trafficking is a 30 billion dollar a year industry, second only to drugs and firearms. An estimated 27 million people are lost in the hopelessness, forced into horrible conditions where they lose their identity and their humanity. How do you tackle an issue this large?

Team Up, Gear Up: Biking Against Trafficking is shedding light onto one of the darkest and often overlooked issues of our day. I have had the idea that I wanted to ride my bike from Phoenix to the Grand Canyon for several years now. And after I returned from the World Race, when I traveled to 13 impoverished countries, I felt compelled to act. While traveling to these countries, I saw firsthand the horrors of extreme poverty, natural disasters, war torn lives, and people bought and sold into slavery. I felt sucker punched by these issues. How can people live like this in the 21st century? It is more survival than living.

Several times I was offered "boom boom" while in Cambodia. I learned later that that is slang for having sex with little boys. In Thailand, many of the girls on my team developed relationships with girls who would "work" for up to a dozen men a day. The situation was truly heartbreaking. Many of my teammates are still dealing with the things they saw. But a heart moved to compassion can be a more powerful force than even the most wicked of evils.

I will be joined by several others cycling for change, some of them were companions of mine during the year spent around the world. Stephanie Fisk spent time in Thailand, a place well known for the rampant sex industry. She worked directly with some of these girls. She also spent time in Northern Thailand, where many of these girls come from. Families often sell their children into these working conditions, with the dream of a better life. But the dream is quickly turned into a nightmare when they realize what has happened. These are vulnerable people, their lives often at risk if they try to escape. The fact that millions of people all over the world are being forced into dehumanizing working conditions is horrifying.

Stephanie says, "I will never forget their eyes. They are no longer the nameless and faceless. Their stories are etched on my heart and into my mind."

Now that I have returned home, my most difficult decision is where to go for coffee, or what movie to rent from Netflix. But something inside of me has been disturbed. How can I go back to living an ordinary American life? I feel like I am being held accountable to the things I have seen. I can't go back. I have to do something about these issues. Others must know as well.

Beginning March 24th, I will be joined by a group that will cycle 450 miles from Phoenix to the Grand Canyon and back. We will also hike down and out of the canyon. This expedition will take eight days to complete. And we are hoping that others will be able to join us, even if just for one leg of the journey.

Several organizations are joining this campaign. Not For Sale, ALERT, Make Way Partners, Innocence Atlanta, The Well, and others will each be sharing in a nightly nationwide conference call. A representative will share what they are doing and give testimonies, followed by a time of Q and A, and corporate prayer.

The hope of Team Up, Gear Up is to bring awareness and to arouse a response. I believe that there are many young people who truly desire to serve others, live outside of themselves, and be a part of something big. The next generation of believers has an activist spirit, wanting to incorporate change. My goal is to challenge others, encouraging them to live radical lives of love and compassion. Together we can bring love and light to those trapped in darkness.

Biking Against Trafficking is my way of fighting for people who have been robbed of their voice. It is my way of saying we can all live in a way that gives people hope. If you want to be a part of Team Up, Gear Up: Biking Against Trafficking, call in to 1-218-486-1600 followed by the access code 472085# at 8 pm CST March 23rd through the 31st. Listen to testimonies and pray for those who are trapped in human trafficking. Find out more about Biking Against Trafficking by visiting Stephanie's blog. Want to join the ride, but are nowhere near Phoenix? Saturday, March 29th, I am challenging others to get on their bikes and ride. Tell others, grab your bike, and ride for freedom!

Eric Hanson and Stephanie Fisk both work on staff for Adventures In Missions.

For more information, contact Eric Hanson at erichanson@adventures.org
Or call 602-316-4449

Poodle Bones!

Mon, 3 Mar 2008 00:00:00 GMT

What does a life of ministry actually look like? Can you even separate this idea of ministry from life?

I have been in the thick of processing what this last year has meant for me. I have come back home with a tangled mess of the most life altering, beautiful experiences, and some of the most difficult things I have ever had to deal with. I have been trying to untangle all these thoughts into something I can actually put into practice.

Stephanie wrote a great blog about coming home and the transformation process that takes place while on the World Race. Check it out here.

It is not really possible to be able to compartmentalize our lives. This possible thought could creep into our minds: "The World Race is over = my ministry is over. Now I have to find a new ministry." The idea that you can separate ministry and life is like trying to separate baseball and beer. No wait, lets try again. Its like separating loving your spouse and marriage. The two have to go together for it to work (baseball and beer do need to go together as well).

Last week I was down in Sedona where it was nice and warm training for the upcoming "Biking Against Trafficking" bike ride. I ran into a group of people sitting on some rocks overlooking the marvelous fire red canyon as the sun was going down. We began talking about what each of us were doing. They were in a band traveling from Miami, Florida all the way to Washington. There band was named "Poodle Bones," and judging by their hippie-like appearance, I was not that surprised. I happened to talk about an experience I had in Cambodia, and one of the guy's ears pricked up. "I might be going to Cambodia soon for a missions trip." he interjects. I had not mentioned that I was doing any sort of mission trip before.

From here I got to share much more in depth about my experiences around the world, they had a few questions, and we just chatted. This guy, Micah, looked like he was very deep in thought now. After talking with him for an hour, I asked if I could pray for him. He said "Yes." without deliberating.

After I prayed, he looked at me with tears in his eyes, saying, "Thank you so much Eric. I definitely believe that this was God's way of telling me I have to go to Cambodia."

I said goodbye to the rest of Poodle Bones who were very appreciative of my tips on what trail to go hike on for to enjoy the rest of the sunset. I waved at Micah as he turned down the dirt path and walked out of sight.

Ministry is as simple as life. It is loving others in everything we do. And in everything we do we do with a Christ centered mentality. There are no compartments. There is not work, school, relationships, social gatherings, and then Jesus at certain times. There is life, and Jesus is at the center of it all.

My World Race Video Blogs

Fri, 29 Feb 2008 00:00:00 GMT

What is the World Race?

This video gives you a glimpse of what we did for the past year while traveling around the world. The following videos are just an overview of some of my experiences in 2007. To watch them in chronological order, you'll need to go to the bottom of the screen and scroll up. For more on the World Race, visit the website.

A day-in-the-life of my time in Cambodia where I was supposed to be teaching monks English, but ended up learning a lot about life, culture, and God in the process.

Video from our time in Mozambique, where we did flood relief and saw the blind, deaf, and lame healed by the power of God. Read my blog about Sebastiana for more on this incredible time in Africa.

Race day in South Africa. We did this sort of thing about once a month, when we were traveling to a new location.

A "man excursion" in Peru. Sometimes, the guys just need to get away.

"Harvest" video from the incredible fruit we saw while working with church plants in Peru.
The music is from my friend Cody Kimmel's band Eliot Fitzgerald

Race day in Lima, Peru.

The story of Jose, the lonely man we met in Costa Rica whom God rescued from darkness.

Traveling from Nicaragua to Costa Rica.

"Why I'm going on the World Race," featuring Seth Barnes, Gary Black, and Tom Davis... and me!

(part of) The Challenge of Jesus

Thu, 21 Feb 2008 00:00:00 GMT

There is something more to life that what we see directly around ourselves. There is more to life than the things that so easily preoccupy us. Whether it is a job, a relationship, the pursuit of achievements, seeking a comfortable lifestyle, these things ultimately lead to an empty self-centeredness.

I spent this last week visiting my brother in Los Angeles. I was invited to speak with the Junior High, High School, and young adult groups. I really felt a strong connection with the young adult group, "The Movement". The group mostly consists of college age to 30-ish year olds. And they are at a place in life when they are making major decisions as to where they want their lives to go.

I spoke with several of the people who are in a place where they have gained some life experience. Several of them are married and are working, and have been living that lifestyle for several years. Although their lives are good, they can see that there seems to be something lacking. This is a group of believers who have been living a life that is pretty common to people just out of college. But yet there remains something hidden underneath the surface, something that is nudging them. They can feel it.

The opportunity to step out in faith beckons to them. But there are so many obstacles in the way. Legitimate questions, such as, "What do we do with our house?" or "How will we pay the bills?" stand looming overhead. I do not discount the fact that those are very real and very scary questions. But should something like that really hold you back from following your dream? Will those obstacles deny you the ability to follow after God's beckoning in your life?

I just got back from meeting a friend of mine at a coffee shop. We were talking about how people know that there is something more, yet often never go find out what it is. He told me the story of someone close to him who was receiving very clear signs from God that he was supposed to go Fiji with his wife. Repeatedly God put very obvious signs that they should go. They were convicted to go, they were talking about going, but all the "what-ifs" muddled the whole thing. They never went. Instead, they dedicated their lives to buying the next new car, or having the coolest new toy. Although God has still used them in some capacity where they are at, their lives are so self-centered that it is essentially choking them. It is not leading them to a fulfilling life. They are lacking a purpose that is bigger than themselves. We commented about how sad of a story that really is, even though it is probably more common than I could imagine.

Not every one is in a place where they could do something like the World Race. A year is a long time and a big commitment. But there are ways to step out in faith, to put your life in a position to trust God. Maybe this means spending a week in Mexico, living with and investing in the lives of the locals. Maybe it is getting to know people at a homeless shelter. What is God prompting you to do? Through it, you begin to taste and see that God designs us for a bigger purpose than just satisfying our desire to be comfortable. But through serving others, as Jesus came to do, we are able to see that life is a lot bigger than the world immediately around us.

California Rocks!

Mon, 18 Feb 2008 00:00:00 GMT

My brother Dave has been living in Los Angeles for the last 4 years. He has been involved with the various youth ministries, everywhere from Junior High kids to people in their thirties. Yesterday I was given the chance to talk with them all. I came out to LA on Wednesday night. In my time here, I have been speaking with the Junior High group, High School group, and the young adults group. With that, I have also been able to just hang out with my brother.

I love catching up with Dave. We have always had a good friendship. God has truly blessed me with a brother I can joke around with and feel comfortable with. It has been great to see the people that Dave has been investing in for the last 4 years. It was a lot of fun to meet with them and share with them a few of my many stories from last year. I love how stories from a year ago can still be having a profound impact on people. I do pray that people were genuinely encouraged by what they heard. I do pray that people will be challenged to live a life of pursuing hard after Jesus. It is rarely easy, but it is all we can do as followers of Christ. He deserves that we give our lives back to Him, so that He can transform out lives. He wants the raw materials of our lives. With simple materials, God can mold us into something beautiful.

I face the challenge each day of stepping out in faith, following God often into new and challenging territory. I encourage each of you to continue taking steps of faith, pushing yourselves out of your comfort zones, to rely upon our Father to come through when we need Him. He loves to show up right when we can no longer do it on our own.

Biking for Jesus, the Ultimate Hippie

Tue, 12 Feb 2008 00:00:00 GMT

I am continually being refreshed each day. I think God intends it that way. God has a blessing for us each and every day. Yesterday's blessing was for that day, and today He has given me a new blessing.

I must admit to you, the process of coming back into the United States to be on the path God has set before me has been a difficult one. I have felt alone without the community I was surrounded with. I have felt discouraged that my efforts have been fruitless or that I simply have not done enough with my time. I have questioned whether or not I was in the right place.

But I praise God. I knew that this transition of life back into the United States would not be easy, so why was I so surprised when it actually became difficult? I feel like God has been pointing out to me the things that He wants me to do here. And He has continually encouraged me in what I am doing. I know that I am where I am supposed to be. Since I moved up to Flagstaff, I have felt God pouring refreshment into my soul, washing away the discouragement that I was clearly brought down by. I have been able to go on prayer walks around my neighborhood each day. And God is giving me new vision and direction, and He has been opening doors of opportunity as well.

For several years now, I have had this desire to ride my bike from the Phoenix to the Grand Canyon and back. Well this desire came back to me a few months back while I was riding my bike around Phoenix. I have been unsure of whether or not this was just something that I wanted to do, or if it was an opportunity to do something that would open doors to share what God has done and is doing around the world. I spent a good deal of time praying for confirmation to step forward in making this endeavor happen.

Last Friday, I met with a staff member of one of the larger campus ministry groups at Northern Arizona University. We were talking about the direction that ministry was going. It came up that they are uniting the campus ministries, joining up with International Justice Mission (a fantastic ministry that works towards freeing people caught in human trafficking), and are pushing for God in global issues. Right there both our interests were sparked because I felt God nudging me. I shared with him my idea do this bike ride in order to share the stories of what God is doing around the world and letting people know how much need there is for help.

Now this idea for a bike ride is moving forward and becoming a reality. It appears that I will be joined by two others, Stephanie Fisk from the World Race, and Clay Massey, a long time friend of mine. Together we will be riding from Phoenix to the Grand Canyon, where we will backpack down to the river and back out, then ride our bikes back to Phoenix. It will be approximately 450 miles of biking and 20 miles of hiking over the course of 8 days. Sounds intense huh? Well through this, we are going to be speaking at churches and working directly with the campus ministries at NAU to tell our own stories of God working in our lives. To tell the world what is happening around the world, and to call people into a life of adventure following after Jesus.

So my friends, with this, I am asking for your help. If you know of any groups, churches, or anybody who would be interested in this story, please contact me. I am praying that this would be an event that would push other people out of their comfort zone, as I certainly will not be comfortable stuck on that bike seat for 8 days.

Side note: I started training on Saturday, riding my bike 44 miles. I was plenty sore, and I couldn't sit down for the next day. But I am truly excited about some of the opportunities that are coming up to share with my generation.

a little news

Mon, 11 Feb 2008 00:00:00 GMT

Hello my dear friends
I apologize that my posts since returning from the race have been few and far between. I will try to be more consistent with my updates.

Life since joining on AIM staff has been a good but hard transition. I am in a process of asking what it means to now be a missionary in the United States. It feels very different now as compared to life on the race. An obvious difference is location. I am no longer traveling to wild and exotic foreign lands every other week. I am now surrounded by all the things I had always faced in life, the simplicities of life at home, the complications, the distractions, the good, and the bad. I spent two months living at home. Just in the last two weeks, I moved up to Flagstaff, Arizona, where I went to college. I am living with an old friend of mine, and right across the street from me are several other good friends. I believe that having community around me will be critical in moving forward. I am very pleased to be back in the high country. I was immediately welcomed by about 2 feet of snow (yes this is still Arizona).

I think that the process of learning how to live and figuring out what it means to be a "missionary" back in the United States is one of the hardest parts of reentering my homeland. It most certainly has not all be easy, but it is still good. I thank all of you for your continued support. People have already committed to support me in this new ministry and direction. I am deeply grateful for every one of you.

The New Mexico Adventure

Wed, 23 Jan 2008 00:00:00 GMT

This weekend marked the first World Race reunion event for the January 07 racers. Several of us drove out or flew out to New Mexico where Ginger Cupit lives. She invited a whole bunch of people to come and have some mountainous fun. Unfortunately only a handful of people were able to make it. But it was still a blast. Most of my time consisted of playing on some of the big, heavy toys that Ginger has. So I have made a short video to entertain the masses with what I was doing this weekend. It stars fellow wild man (non World Race alum) Clay Massey, my friend from college and partner in crime. Enjoy the video! X Games are next!

A whole lot of Jacobs

Wed, 23 Jan 2008 00:00:00 GMT

Sometimes as a World Racer, and especially now as an alumnus, it feels like we are supposed to have everything figured out. I know that people do not actually believe that we have everything mapped out, but sometimes that is my perception of what they are thinking.

Since I have come home from China, I have discovered that this has been a difficult year for a whole lot of people. Yes, my year had a lot of ups and downs, but overall, it was a truly fantastic year. I came home with a lot of wind in my sails. I knew that I would be entering some stormy seas when I came home, but to actually be experiencing it is a bit different than to know it is coming. There are many others who have had a good year as well, but a lot of people close to me have had a really tough year.

What happens when the things you think you can rely on give out. What happens when the people you trusted fail you? What happens when the God you believe in, doesn't seem to be so real anymore?

These have been some of the questions swirling around various people around me since I have returned. The weird thing is, none of it was like this before I left. But this year has left a lot of question marks in people's minds. Who is God really? And what does He even mean in my life? Does God even exist?

Many times, Christians tend to answer these questions with statements like "you just gotta have faith." or "you just need to read your Bible, and pray about it." or sometimes "so your not a Christian anymore?" Saying something like that doesn't really seem to help the situation any.

I think that many Christians are afraid to ask the tough questions. I know I have had that sentiment before. "What happens if I don't like the answer I get?"

But in fact, by failing to ask those tough questions that are deep within us, we deny ourselves the opportunity to truly know who God is. If we always just gloss over the shortcomings in the answers we have been given, we allow ourselves to become very pretty, but very unstable Christians. If one more block gets taken out of our Jenga tower of life, then everything about us is shattered.

I believe that God is the one who keeps pulling those Jenga (that game where you keep trying to take one more block out of the tower without making it fall) blocks out of us.

The men in the Bible, classics like David especially, often questioned God. They wondered where God was. They even got pissed at God. And most times people now think that is a bad thing. But I believe that it is through wrestling with God and asking tough questions, that we will ever grow closer to God.

Don't be afraid to ask those deep questions. God is big enough to be able to handle those toughies.

Onward and Upward!

Mon, 7 Jan 2008 00:00:00 GMT

Sorry for the silence. I know that I have kept everyone in great anticipation over the holidays. It has been a great time for me to be home and be with my family since the World Race has come to an end. I have greatly enjoyed sleeping in my own bed (for prolonged periods of time), showering in a clean shower, not having to wear sandals into the bathroom, flushing toilet paper, eating those frozen pizzas you just throw in the oven, having free wireless internet at my every whim, free coffee (not instant!), every morning, and watching more live sporting events + hours of ESPN reruns than anyone should be allowed. Yes it is been a great time to get some rest at home. But now the itch is kickin in big time. I have had more than enough down time. Now it is time to get back up again. So, "what are you gonna do now?" you may ask, as everyone else has done.

I am officially coming on AIM staff now! I will be starting as soon as all the details of the paperwork get finalized, which should be this week. So I will be working with Chad and several others as part of the Mobilization team, spreading the word and getting other youngish people off their tookuses (however you spell the word that means butt) and out into the enormous and wonderful world that God has given to us. I will be working to go to college campuses, churches, old fashioned tent revivals, small Bible studies, anywhere really, to raise people up who want to experience God in a new and beautiful way.

Another task I will be working closely with is to get a training center up and running in Spain. Andrew Shearman has a vision to place a training center near Barcelona in order to continue to raise up leaders from the younger generation. This center would provide a spiritual and theological education, as well as a practical side of ministering in Spain. The hope is to have several of these centers set up around the world to be a place that world race alum, as well as others, can continue their spiritual journey.

New Years Eve Camp out in Arizona

There are still hundreds of unknowns about this next year, which is all part of the fun. I am sure that as this year progresses, my work will change and adapt according to the needs. So I do not have everything "figured out," but this life sure wouldn't be any fun if everything was figured out.

A big part of this next year, by coming on staff, will be to continue to raise support. I have been so blessed by many people who have been so generous with their money and their time to pray for me. My intentions for the next phase of my life are much more long term than when I originally signed up for the World Race. I want to be a part of the World Race as it develops and grows for years to come. I thank every person who prayed for me, supported me with money, or simply browsed a few blogs. You are all part of this movement. If you supported me this past year, I ask you to consider continuing your support this next year as well. It has been such a blessing to have a strong support group of people who love what God is doing through the World Race. Let us continue onward for the Kingdom!

International Man of Ministry

Tue, 27 Nov 2007 00:00:00 GMT

I know that technically I have written a blog that acted as a summary of the year, kind of wrapping things up all nice and pretty. I also know that most of you probably have no idea what actually happened in China, or at least I never told you. So here is a retroactive blog. And just so you know, my story continues on past the race, and I would love for you all to continue to be a part of my story.

There were major cultural barriers looming directly in front of us as we entered into China. As you all know, Communist China is less than friendly towards Evangelical Christians. They basically do not want us there at all. So we were unwelcome guests in their country. I felt kind of like James Bond, or better yet, Austin Powers...International Man of Ministry, going all undercover to bring the gospel to a hungry nation. So we went to an undisclosed destination high up in the mountains. Our team was based at 10,000 feet in a very beautiful mountainous region. It was in the mountains of China that we met out contacts, our "M's", who were actually from Peru and Mexico. So I had to revert back to my role as a translator, speaking Spanish deep in China.

Now with the language barriers, our contacts spoke only little Chinese, and I could only say hello and thank you, our ability to establish relationships with people was extremely difficult. And if people did ask us questions as to why we were there, we had to be very round about with our answers, usually being very vague and mysterious.

Our main ministry was prayer and the encouragement of the long term missionaries that were established in China. Prayer was our most effective tool for ministry here. And I frequently journeyed out into the surrounding mountains in order to find a quiet place to pray. It was a fantastic place, incredible beauty, and God spoke to me clearly while I went to those lonely places to pray. One of my favorite experiences of the entire month was on one such hike to solitude. I referenced it in my last blog, but I was led by the Lord to withdraw and pray. I had been quite unsettled about the impending future, the unknown of returning home and the comfort (really?!) that the race brings was coming to a close. I went for what I thought would be a short jaunt up a hill to pray. But God kept telling me to go further and higher. Tired, I felt like I had gone far enough, but God kept drawing me further, "I have something for you." He kept saying. So on I went. Onward and upward, until I was just about at the top of the highest point possible, when an enormous bird flew overhead. It must have had a 7 foot wingspan. In the shadow of its wings, I distinctly felt the presence of something very powerful overwhelm me. And it was then that God whispered to me, "That was just for you. You are exactly where I want you to be."

God gave me complete peace that day about my future and what I would be doing, even though I did not really know what that would be. So here I am at home now, looking eagerly toward the future. I have quite a few ideas and some things that I am excited about, all of which I will reveal to you in due time. But for now I thank all of you for joining me in this incredible journey around the world. Your support, your prayers, and your encouragement through all of this has meant more to me than you can imagine. So many lives have been impacted throughout this year. And my very own life, has been radically changed. Thank you for being a part of God's transformation in my life. And may you continue on seeking the Lord in your own lives and being continually renewed and transformed in Christ. My blessing goes out to you all!

When Falling in Love Becomes an Obsession

Thu, 15 Nov 2007 00:00:00 GMT

I wrote the following on October 31st

When falling in love becomes an obsession.
Every day, I receive the opportunity to fall more deeply in love with the creator of the universe. Such has been this journey through His creations. I have set my feet upon 5 continents over the course of this year. I have seen the wonders of the world, those widely recognized, but many more that only few on this earth have ever seen. And every time I look around myself, I wonder, Is this really my life? Could I really be so lucky to be here right now? It is just not normal for people to be able to do these kinds of things. But God has chosen me, and He loves me. And He has spent eternity preparing this earth to woo me closer to Him. Everything in the earth is His, and He is in everything. And I see Him every day. It is a realization that the Lord loves to impress, to inspire, and to even romance those whom He loves. Four days ago I was hiking on top of a ridge when a bird that was bigger than me flew silently, effortlessly, proudly, directly overhead. With the Lord whispering in the wind, That was just for you. Yesterday I was standing on top of some snowy peak I do not know the name of, overlooking mountain range after mountain range, struck by awe. How do I explain the gifts that the Lord has for me, other than to say that they are precious, and just for me? I have learned countless things this year. But the most beautiful revelation has been that God is desperate to be intimate with me. Not that God wants to know everyone on earth, which of course is true, but more importantly, that God loves meME!

I have seen miracles. I have seen the unexplainable. I have eaten food that should not have fed 3 or 4 people, yet strangely fed 11, with enough for seconds. I have had nowhere to sleep at night one minute, and the next, holding the keys to a house. I have walked in to a village where there were no believers, and left with 25 new brothers and sisters. I have seen people who have not eaten in a week, erupt into dancing and laughter. I have seen the joy in the eyes of a teenage boy whose one eye did not work only minutes before. I have heard the shouts of praise of a woman who had lain on a mat, no one knows for how long, who could throw her mat away because her legs could now walk. I have entered a monastery and left a month later, with a dozen new friends who I laughed with every day. I have seen a young boy, left alone by his father, receive hope and healing for wounds unimaginable. I have seen an old man, whos heart had hardened from 60 years of rejection, melt because of the love of a few strangers, and the One who died for him. I have been a part of the story of a man who had a terminally ill wife, who lived just long enough to hear the Good News, then pass away 3 days later. I have spent a week with a man, who a few months before had been a drug addict and a criminal, have an encounter with the living God, leave behind all the lies that tied him down and decide to rebuild his crumbling marriage. I have loved an orphan who had been abused and abandoned, but rescued and adopted into a new family. I have seen the obedience of a young man and his wife entirely transform a community in the jungle. I have worshiped in secret where it is illegal, lifting up praises so that only my Father can hear. But more importantly than all of these things, I have had my own encounter with the Living God, and realized that God cares more about my heart than if a womans legs function. And that every day, every single day, I have the extreme privilege to see the Lord in a new way, and be brought closer, and closer, and closer to Him, because He knows my name.

Its not about the World Race, its not about locations or vocations. Its about opening your eyes and embracing the love that El Shaddai has for you. And then you turn around, and share that same love with the next person in front of you.

Back from the Main Land

Tue, 13 Nov 2007 00:00:00 GMT

I have made it safely back to Hong Kong after spending several weeks on mainland China. I had a great time up in the mountains. My team was joined by Ryan from L.O. team to work in a restuarant alongside several missionaries, along with doing several backpacking trips out into the mountains. Being a short term missionary who is unfamiliar with the language, coupled with the danger of openly sharing one's faith, our teams focus was much more bent upon prayer than anything else. So we served in the restuarant and hiked, camped, and prayed a lot. It was actually a good way to spend the final month, allowing for a bit of personal time to spend on reflecting on what we had just experienced. Granted I still have months of processing what it was that I just experienced here overall. But it was great to be able to sit, think, and pray, more than it was possible in most other countries.

So there are some stories that I will share with you all, but for right now I wanted you to know that the World Race is essentially over for me. There are a few more days that we will spend here in Hong Kong to wrap everything up. I am having a great time with the rest of the racers as we celebrate finishing up this incredible experience! I love you all and thank you guys so much for following me on this journey!

Dont worry, this is not my last post.

We went to the Great Wall of China, where we just so happened to find ourselves on a model shoot.

Off to China!

Thu, 11 Oct 2007 00:00:00 GMT

Hello to all my friends. I am currently at the airport in Bangkok and realized that I forgot to inform you all of what is coming next. So unless you have been reading other people's blogs, this might be new. I will be arriving in Hong Kong later this afternoon, thus beginning my phase of not really having much communication. We are technically not supposed to be doing what we are about to do in China, as Christianity is illegal and is greatly persecuted. So we will not be releasing any clear information over the internet to protect ourselves, but more importantly, the missionaries who live full time out there. They are taking a great risk by taking in a short term team. So we are doing everything we can to protect them. Details are still unsure for us, as we have not been able to receive specifics via email from our setup team, as the government keeps tabs on everything going on the internet. So there is a good possibility that I will not update any blogs and will have limited email for the next month.
We are officially on our last leg, entering our final country of this amazing journey. Thank you all so much for following me, supporting me, and praying for me. It has meant so much and has changed me forever. Please pray for our team's safety as we enter the closed country. Thank you all so much. See you on the other side!

Throwback photo from Peru

Not All Who Wander Are Lost...But I am

Fri, 5 Oct 2007 00:00:00 GMT

Where does my path lie from here? I have less than 2 months left on the World Race, and we are about to head to our final destination of China. I must say, it feels like an odd place to be. Soon I will be back home, just in time for Thanksgiving and Christmas. It is perfect timing to be able to put back on a few pounds after eating some interesting food for a year. Looking forward to real burgers, chips and salsa, and American sized portions! But the tough thing is that everything is so up in the air for what I will do after the race. I have many options floating around in my head and some of them are very tempting. Since Thailand, it has been the major topic running through my head, "Where do I go from here?" Maybe some of you can relate? My friend and fellow racer wrote this in an email to me earlier this week. "If you are where God wants you to be today, there is a pretty good chance you will be in the right place tomorrow." I instantly felt peace about the upcoming decisions to be made, knowing and trusting that God has me in His palm and will not let go of me. But this decision faces us all every day. "How can I glorify you today God?" You see, throughout this year, I have been shown repeatedly how amazing God is. And it would be impossible for me to go back to a life where I could live for myself alone. But life is obviously so much bigger than that. I am faced with the decision to build my kingdom or God's Kingdom. My kingdom is fleeting, and in the end passes away like a breath of air. I could surround myself with wealth, friends, and have respect from others. I could build an empire. I could even be one of history's greatest men. But if I do it all for myself, none of it matters. It is all striving after the wind. So I have decided that my life will be dedicated to building the one thing that will last for eternity. God's Kingdom will never fail, it will never pass away. God has already told me that I can do whatever my heart desires, and He will bless it. So I will do whatever that may be, and I will do it for the glory of Him. He is the only thing worth living for.