Rich Dixon is getting ready to ride this weekend!

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Last time, Jon said I read Nehemiah.

A secret? I think I learn more from Jon’s conversations with Nehemiah. Anyway, last Thursday Jon listed the final two steps in Nehemiah’s preparation to rebuild the walls.

4. A specific plan of how to proceed.

5. A commitment to act on the plan.

Let’s talk through this related to our approach to the first FREEDOM TOUR. Perhaps we’ll all learn something about how to approach our own Great Work.

Like Nehemiah, we were all over #5. Becky and I were (and are) absolutely committed to this simple mission of riding bikes together, following Jesus, and supporting kids rescued from human trafficking.

As Jon and Nehemiah said, faith and plans aren’t much good unless you do stuff.

About #4, I’ve told you that 3 months out we had no specific plan. Looking back, in light of Nehemiah’s story, I wonder if I was using “leap of faith” as a religious-sounding excuse to avoid the hard work of planning.

Nehemiah and Jon (and 12 years of experience) teach me the importance of detailed plans. There’s nothing “faithful” about being intentionally disorganized or unprepared.

These days a group of 5 dedicated friends spends the entire year organizing every possible detail of our events.

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This Saturday, 165 cyclists and an army of volunteers and will gather to support 22 kids rescued from human trafficking. We’re excited and as prepared as possible.

I wonder about something.

Do you think God ever interrupted Nehemiah’s plans? Do you think he wondered, “Is this God, or some silly distraction?” How did he know?

What happens when that perfect schedule didn’t account for Jesus showing up? He has a way, I think, of appearing at inconvenient times and places, of looking like inconvenient people. Is it really Him, or some silly distraction? How do we know?

Here are links if you’d like to know more about the FREEDOM TOUR or donate to support our kids.