THANK YOU'S ALL AROUND

This post is to so “thank you” to a bunch of people concerning my recent bicycle vacation/Missions trip. These are in no particular order.

Thank you to all my church family at Westfair Baptist Church. There are so many people there that encouraged me, kidded me, supported me, helped me financially, made pledges and, most importantly, prayed for me. Some even offered to come get me in Colorado when I was ready to return! My church family truly are family and I love them dearly. Thanks Gracie for collecting all the pledges.

Thank you to my co-workers that filled in for me while I was off and prior to my departure. Thank you to Tim Thomas, Sharon Evans, Rick Conrad and Greg Dickerson. Without them I would not have been able to take this adventure.

Thank you to all the churches that extended hospitality to me along the route. Some offered a place to sleep, food to eat, a shower and protection from the elements. Some were not even on my schedule to visit but still offered me help, such as the Pastor and his family at Liberty Baptist Church in Joes, CO. and the Pastor and his family at the Lutheran Church in Deshler, NE. Some allowed me to sit in on their Bible studies and one, the First Christian Church of Canon City, also let me speak during their morning worship service. Thank you Pastor Carson for that opportunity and for the friendliness of your congregation. God’s hand was in many of these meetings and I know He will bless those who blessed me.

Thank you also to those, other than churches, who opened their homes and treated me so well. One of them was my brother Tom’s family in Quincy IL. I helped make Tom and Harley well known in Colorado Springs. Also, to Tony Stonebarger at King City, MO. for opening up the hunting lodge he manages. He was a great host. To the Diedrich family in Byers, CO., the first place I saw the Rocky Mountains and the last night’s accommodations before I hit Denver. Hope your hand heals soon Dave. And to Randy and Esta Bringman who I love dearly. They will always hold a special place in my heart. I felt so “at home” in their home. And I will never forget the morning church service. It was so special to me.

Thank you to the churches that were ready to host me on my return trip even though I called it off. I regret not being able to meet the pastors and members. But, I am so grateful for their willingness to help. This also includes the Baptist Church in Wray, CO. My schedule was originally going to have me visit them on a Sunday, but later, the schedule changed and it fell on Monday. They were the first church I contacted when I started planning my route. They also have been without a pastor for a couple years and my church and I are praying God will lead His man to them soon.
Also, thank you to the Baptist Church in Ness City, KS. that offered a photo shoot, meal and donation to Bibles For The World. I wish I could have met their pastor Russell King. They would have been an oasis in the middle of a long day.

Thank you also to the churches that were not on my route but knew of my trip and offered up prayers on my behalf anyway. I may never know who you all are but thank you from the bottom of my heart.

Thank you to those of you that I only met in passing, maybe at a Subway restaurant or someone on the street that I visited with. Thank you for visiting my blog and leaving me a note of encouragement and for your prayers.

Thank you to all you dog owners along the route that let your dogs run free. It helped with my conversations with the Lord the days I passed your houses and, definitely, never allowed the day to be boring.

Thank you to Living Waters in California. Danny Goodall sent books out to the pastors on my route that Ray Comfort donated for my trip. Trish Ramos also sent me some Million Dollar tracts that I handed out. Thank you Danny, Ray, Trish and all the staff at Living Waters for partnering with me on my journey. Your donation, prayers and time was most appreciated.

Thank you to my Aunt Sue and Uncle Charles for putting Sam and I up for a couple days. They spoiled us in every way they could. They picked me and my bike up at Watkins and also Sam at the airport. They hauled me to the Palmer Lake Trailhead and took Sam back to the airport. They showed us as many sites as we could possibly work in while there. And thanks Brad for allowing me to use your vehicle to haul the bike. I especially thank them for going to BFTW with us. I’m so glad they could be a part of my journey. We love them dearly and have already decided that we will be vacationing with them again in the future.

Thank you to Bibles For The World. The Pudaite’s and staff were all wonderful. They put out the red carpet for us (me, Sam, Sue & Charles) and invited many of their vendors and friends to share in our visit. I am so thankful for those who came to the celebration that had no idea who I even was! They made us feel most welcome. We are happy to be a part of the ministry work that BFTW does around the world. I want to thank them for the great reception, the gifts, the video welcome, the signs, the building tour, the meal, the birthday cake, the motel room, the evening meal, the phone call to the Pudaite’s in India, the emails, the encouraging messages, the prayers and especially for their love and friendship. Thank you Dr. Ro, Mawii, Pamela, Fred, Julie, Doreen, Darlene, Tiffany, Marlyn, Shiloh, Bethany, Solomon & Gloria. You made this trip such a blessing and I look forward to working with you all in the future for the furtherance of God’s kingdom and His Word.

Thank you to those that Dr. Ro and Mawii encouraged in India to pray for me as I traveled on the road. It was such a blessing to know that, not even here in the U.S., but also, on the other side of the planet prayers were being lifted up for my strength and safety. There was a peace in knowing this that is hard to explain and I am so thankful.

A big thank you to the donors and sponsors of BFTW. I will never know who you are or where you’re from but thank you for your prayers and contributions made on behalf of me and my missions trip.

Thank you to my friends at work and abroad. I received many emails, phone calls and comments (and also concerns) that helped keep me encouraged before, during and after the trip. They meant a lot to me. I just wish some of you could have come along on the road with me.

Thanks to my mom, dad, brother, sisters, aunts, uncles, cousins, brother and sister-in-laws, nieces and nephews. Your prayers, thoughts and support were most appreciated. I’m thankful for all of you.

Thank you to Daisy, the young lady we sponsor in India, and her wonderful family; for their prayers, letters, pictures and being a part of our family and focus for so many years. We love you.

And my biggest thanks go to my immediate family here at home. My wife says she never actually gave me permission to go when I asked her about it two years ago and I still didn’t have it when I left. They sacrificed a lot of time and money to make my dream come true. They did all I asked and were very patient with me. Especially when I said I just needed “one more thing” for the ride. There were a few days when I was unable to talk with any of them due to bad cell signals but I cherished every conversation or email that I could. They took care of my daily chores while away. Their prayers and thoughts kept me going. I could have never attempted or done this trip without them. Thanks again Pat, Samantha, Erin, Justin, Julia, Landon, Heather & Caleb. I love you all.

And thank you to anyone else that I missed. Thanks for viewing my blog and offering up prayers for me. Thanks for supporting Bibles For The World and their work in winning the world for Christ. Please continue to give to this organization on a regular basis. You will be richly blessed.