This past Sunday, instead of serving with the Legacy Church family, I joined 3,100+ riders in the LiveStrong Austin ride. The combined total of the fundraising for the weekend was over $3.1 million dollars. You can read a news article here.I rode with some Legacy Cyclists but also as a member of Team Family First, members and friends of Jim and Sarah Craig's family, some who came all the way from Seattle to ride.
We rode 45, 65, and the 90 routes in memory of and in honor of those who have battled cancer. While the ride was hard (add hills, humidity, and wind to a ride around Plano), I finished with prayers in my heart for those who have suffered much more than me after 90 miles on the bike in their battle against this wicked disease.I will continue to ride and run as a witness to my core belief that no matter what we face in our human condition, Jesus Christ exhausted evil on the cross, defeated death as our "final enemy," and joins us as a fellow-suffer and supreme victor over whatever we face through the Holy Spirit.
Kim and her friend, Roslyn, volunteered this year! It was wonderful to see Kim at the finish line and hear her cheering voice. This is our first shared event, and I hope we can do more together.I wish I could say my finish was Kim and Roslyn's highlight of the event, but I believe their chance to meet Patrick Dempsey was really the highlight! (Compare the twinkle in their eyes in the photos with me and Dempsey.) He is an avid cyclist, and likes riding near Tyler, Texas, where he owns a ranch.
It was a rewarding and challenging event with friends who share the same passion of cycling and care for those who suffer and battle cancer.Join me in the fight, if you can. (Carl is my first name.) Pray for those you know who are wrestling with this disease.