Friday ride to Taylors Falls

Friday was a scorcher with temperatures over 100 degrees and a heat index around 110.  We weren’t planning to ride because of the holiday week but for consistency ended up going anyway.  There were very dark clouds to the ESE and forecasts for heavy thunderstorms later in the evening.  But it was clear in Brooklyn Park so six bikes with ten riders took off with a plan to go north on 169 to St Francis then turn east toward Taylors Falls, MN which is on the MN/WI border of the St Croix river near St Croix Falls. 

It was a nice hour and a half route through the countryside, farmland and lakes NE of Minneapolis to Taylors Falls.  Our plan was to stop at another well known local root beer stand/drive.  It was amazing how quickly it cooled down after just about 15 minutes north.  One of the ladies on the back of a bike said she shivered most of the way, but I was comfortable in a t-shirt. 

The Drive-In Restaurant was unique enough to be on the TV show Diners, Drive-ins and Dives.  It had a big ol root beer mug on the roof, a mini-golf course out back and ponds with fountains in the outdoor dining area.  Although it seemed like a great family place, it really wasn’t too busy when we got there, which was a good thing since we all decided to get burgers, fries and root beer. 

I had a nice conversation with one of the guys about his RV trips to FL and out west.  He was nice enough to buy everyone’s dinner.  I didn’t really notice anyone to share the gospel with until after dinner when we were getting up to leave.  There were three teens, two guys and a girl with motorcycle helmets at their table and two crotch rockets (street/sport motorcycles) so I thought it was the perfect opening.  They said they were from Afton which is just downriver and near one of my favorite childhood ski hills, Afton Alps.  They had just come from jumping off a local 40 foot cliff and said there was a 100 foot cliff that they never did get to.  I had to tell them about the 60 foot cliff I jumped off.  Of course, I didn’t mention that it was probably 25 years ago on Lake Ten Killer in OK during college days.  A 100 footer sounds like a real heart pumper.  One of the guys said he was going to a military academy in the fall in MD (I think) so they must have been just out of HS. 

They were all very open and prayed a prayer of salvation but since the group was getting ready to go, I didn’t have time to talk much more after that.  Praise God for His faithfulness.  It always amazes me that I dont have to say anything eloquent, but the Holy Spirit always does the work in their heart.

The ride home was interesting because it was threatening rain the whole way with lots of lightning but in answer to our prayer before we left, we never did get wet.  It was really cool because at one point when we were going by a lake a huge orange circle of fireworks exploded above the horizon just in front of us.  It started to sprinkle right after I got home and then after that it really stormed.  It was another blessed and fun Friday night ride with the Chariots of Light.

A Friday Evening Ride and Ministry

I am in the process of joining the Christian Motorcycle Ministry, or as Peggy says earn my scout patch.  Our North Central Chapter is made up of members from our church and one of our Pastors, DuWayne Petersen, is the leader of our chapter.  We have regular Friday night rides which are just casual rides with a stop for a drink or snack.  We are planning a couple of rides that will be for the purpose of ministry as well.  One is down the Mississippi River to Iowa and another is to the infamous Sturgis bike week. 

The following pictures are from the Chariots of Light National web site.  They were taken during a South Dakota trip in June 2011.  This is Paster DuWayne.  As you can see, he knows a cool bike when he sees one and also knows how to dream big!

They also know how to have fun - and come back to reality.

So anyway Friday night is usually the night I go witnessing with our street ministry team at my church and since our club meets at the church I ran into the street ministry team on their way out and had to tell them I was going to ride my bike to Stillwater and get ice cream.  Of course I felt a little silly and selfish, but didn’t let it get to me too much because I had just gone to the bus station on Thursday with the street ministry team. 

It was a nice size group with about 10 or 12 bikes and the route wound through the country side and lakes such as Lino Lakes, White Bear Lake and finally along the MN/WI border of the Chippewa River. 

Stillwater is a quiet little town on the Chippewa River so we rode right to Nelson’s Ice Cream.  I was warned that they serve extremely large portions and most of the group was planning to get the kiddy size, but I considered it a challenge to get the adult small.  It was piled at least 5 inches above a 12 oz cup so it had to be at least 2 quarts for a reasonable price.  So you can imagine on a beautiful Friday evening in the summer it was packed with people.  There were lots of families as well as kids.  

So, after I got my ice cream I thought it would be a great opportunity to share the gospel with some folks.  I sat down at a table with a group of three teens, a boy and two girls who were immediately receptive to pray a prayer of salvation.  I then walked over to two younger guys by their bicycles and made a comment about peddle power and that I was with a Christian bike club.  They too were open as were a small group of kids that were sitting on the grass eating their ice cream.  The line started to grow out the door and I had a chance to share with a few more groups of kids and all prayed but one, who wouldn’t look at me so the Lord must have been working in her heart.  It was really fun sharing with a group of six high school boys who had just come from a baseball game.  They said they were from a Catholic school and one confidently said, “Yes, I know I am going to heaven for sure”, but when I asked him if Jesus asked him why he should let him into heaven he said, “Well, I would have to think about that”.  So, unless someone says something like they have asked Jesus to come into their heart and forgive them of their sins, it is an opportunity to say, “well let’s just say this prayer to make sure” and most people will.  All six enthusiastically said the prayer in front of everyone in line for ice cream.

There was one family whose younger boy had just finished a little league game that prayed but several other adults weren’t quite as open.  One couple in their thirties said that after being educated in Science they didn’t believe.  I replied that I think both science and nature attest to the reality of God, but just left them with Romans 10:9, a smile and God loves you.  Later they both gave me a friendly wave from their car as they drove away.  So, as the Word says, if they receive you they have received Me.  Finally, I sat down with a family of four.  They daughter was very receptive and the dad said something like, we are as sure as anyone can reasonably be and then began to tell me about the Joseph Smith story.  Just then my biker group that began gathering for departure and I just replied my message is just a simple God loves you and has a wonderful plan for your life.  It was a very exciting blessing to pray with 24 people for salvation that night at Nelsons.  I managed to pause from eating my ice cream while praying but continued to eat excitedly the whole time and almost finished the whole thing by the time we left.  What a great night.

The scripture I share with everyone is Romans 10:9,10:

9that if you confess with your mouth Jesus as Lord, and believe in your heart that God raised Him from the dead, you will be saved ; 10 for with the heart a person believes, resulting in righteousness, and with the mouth he confesses, resulting in salvation.

The prayer that I use from LWCC street ministry is:

“Heavenly Father, I know that I am a sinner and I need your help.  I believe in my heart that Jesus is your son, that He died on the cross for my sins and God raised Him from the dead.  So Jesus right now I open my heart and invite you to come in.  Make yourself real to me.  Keep me from evil.  Take control of my life and make me the person you want me to be.  Jesus, be my Lord and Savior.”