Our second banquet last night was for the second graders, who finished third in the basketball league!

 It was a night of good camaraderie where we all celebrated their accomplishments together and ended up playing parents against players. It was a fun way to end a great season.

 Melissa, a parent of one of the basketball players, said the leauge helped her son so much. She made her way to practices and games from Covington throughout the season.

 “Where we live, there’s not an opportunity to play for younger kids at school,” she said. “We found out about the Lord’s Gym through their aunt and have been involved with football and now basketball. It really has been great for my son. He has a lot of energy he needs to burn off and this is a postive and productive way to do that.”

 She also appreciates the lessons that go beyond the game… like the talks about God and prayer. The coaches, she said, have also been a great influence.

 “Their love and care is so appreciated,” she said. “I just can’t put into words how grateful I am for these programs.”

 One young player said he loves the game and enjoyed the season.

 “I liked learning about basketball and about God,” he said. “I also learned to keep going and to never give up.”

 Coach Jeff said he grealy enjoyed the season despite the challenges at first.

“So many of these kids hadn’t played the game constructively before,” he said. “And they ended the season thrid in the league! I really enjoyed working with the kids and their parents. They welcomed me into their lives and it’s just been a grea experience.”

This young man is one of my leaders in our cycling ministry as well as other Lord’s Gym Ministries Panther sports. He and other youth meet with me twice a month during the winter to learn the fundamentals of bicycle maintenance. He and his friends repaired 9 inner tube tires from last season of which 8 were successful thus saving about $40.00 in equipment costs. He, and a select few, will assist the adult riders in guiding about 20 young riders on the the Ohio to Erie bike trail in June. It is a 326 mile adventure across Ohio. We will camp at each night. (Sound familiar?) I have started to raise awareness and funding for the ride with this post. To learn more go to www.YRAdventure.com. Share this with your friends and church too please. Message me for particulars. Consider giving at www.LordsGymMinistries.org/donate. Thank you in advance and stay tuned for more updates. 

In the summer of 2021, I had the opportunity to ride my bicycle across the United States along the TransAmerica Bike Trail. It was an exhilarating and life changing experience to complete the 4,427-mile trek. The scenic views, the people met, and the life lessons (also known as my take-a-ways) made for some great memories.

I also rode to bring attention to the Lord’s Gym Ministries of the Greater Cincinnati Tri-State Area and youth addiction through our Youth Resiliency Adventure. This year, the adventure for the Lord’s Gym Youth continues using cycling to help our youth develop greater resilience and grow stronger in the Lord. In 2022, a total of 21 young people will ride 326 miles across Ohio with the Lord’s Gym Ministries’ Resiliency Ride.

Resiliency is the ability to recover from setbacks, adapt well to change, and keep going in the face of adversity. It is an ability that we all need to acquire and nurture. Deep purpose and values are core qualities that fuel our resiliency. At the Lord’s Gym, we rely upon the Word of God to reveal purpose and instill values. Long daily bike rides over the course of one week, laden with responsibility and fun, provide the environment to exercise the seven personal attributes of becoming more resilient.

June 18 we will depart from downtown Cincinnati (1211 York St) to embark on one of Ohio’s greatest treasures – the Ohio2Erie Bike Trail. Over the course of the 6 days, we will cycle our way across Ohio (Cincinnati, Columbus, Akron, and Cleveland) while camping each night. Accompanied by adult riders and crew, the workload will be shared and enjoyed by all. I have cycled the route two times, and I have accompanied our youth on bicycle rides from Cincinnati to Niagara Falls with City Gospel Mission two times.

One of my favorite experiences is to see the satisfaction on the faces of both youths and adults as they accomplish such a lofty goal by riding hundreds of miles. Does it make a difference? Yes! I remember the experience of one young man, who was living with my wife at the time we made the ride to Niagara Falls. After the ride, one morning he was getting ready for school and did not feel well. I asked him if he wanted to stay home from school. To my surprise, he said – “No”! He told me it was like riding to Niagara Falls. I was shocked. Explain what you mean I asked him. He reminded me it was like mid-week of the journey. You are tired and sore, but you aren’t going to get there unless you get back on the bike and keep pedaling.  Exactly.

We will begin training in May and use the winter months to work on the bikes and finalize details. Our youth are already getting excited. I encourage you to get involved too to help me see these kids accomplish this goal by helping me to raise $18,600 dollars. That is $600 each or $1.84 per mile per rider. Such an investment in helping a child to recover from setbacks will pay dividends in the years to come. I invite you to monitor our progress on this website, or www.LordsGymMinistries.org, our weekly blog, or social media outlets.

Please feel free to contact me at SBowers@LordsGymMinistries.org, if you have any questions, would like to donate equipment or resources, volunteer, or be part of this (or other) trips.

Stand firm.

Scott

P.S. To learn more about the work being done at Lord’s Gym Ministries, please visit our home page and check out our introductory video.

We all want to have an impact in this world. We want to make a difference. We want that difference to have a lasting effect, even after we have gone home to be with the Lord.

You can accomplish this by making a difference though Lord’s Gym Ministries, an organization whose mission you are deeply passionate about. This can be done with a gift from your estate. It simply requires some forethought and communication with us and making your wishes known via your estate planning, which is usually done via the “Last Will and Testament” or naming Lord’s Gym as a beneficiary.

We strongly urge our partners to consult their Estate Planning Attorneys and Financial Advisors to make their wishes known. Leaving a Legacy does not have to be complicated, and it is something you can take great joy, now.

Dec. 8: What a game the second graders played !!!The kids played spectacularly, game was decided in the last minute, we won 11-8. Congratulations to the players and the coaches!!!!

Let’s go Panthers!

Vamos Panthers!f

Dec. 9 Our sixth graders players had a tough match yesterday against an experienced team. The kids played very well and were exposed to another experience that will help them do better and face the challenges of this life with a good attitude!

Go Panthers!!!

Vamos Panthers!!!

“Let us fix our eyes on Jesus, the Author and Pefecter of our faith, who for the joy set before Him endured the cross, scorning its shame, and sat down at the right hand of the throne of God.” Hebrews 12:2

“Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, the new creation has come: The old has gone, the new is here!” 1 Corinthians 5:17

“Sing to the Lord a new song, for He has done marvelous things; His right hand and His holy arm have worked salvation for Him.” Psalm 98:1

“See, I am doing a new thing! Now it springs up, do you no perceive it? I am making a way in the wilderness and streams in the wasteland.” Isaiah 43:19

“’For I know the plans I have for you,’ declares the Lord. ‘Plans to prosper you and hot to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.” Jerimiah 29:11