A message from Chaplain Brandon...

“I just keep telling myself, I can do it”! – Markieta, 13 years old

I really fell in love with biking two years ago when I began to train for the Tour de Falls trip. It was a 525-mile trip from Cincinnati to Niagara Falls with Lord’s Gym, City Gospel Mission and a group of youth from the communities we serve. What I really enjoy about getting youth involved in long-distant cycling is how it creates teachable moments that translate into relatable life skills such as goal setting, mental fortitude and reward for hard work.

It was the first youth bike outing of 2020 and the kids were excited to get on the bike trail. As we ate pizza, we shared a devotion with the youth and went over safety guidelines. One of the girls asked, “how in the world did you ride your bike from Cincinnati to Niagara Falls?”

Scott Bowers shared the importance of mental fortitude, tackling challenges you face on the road with a can-do mindset so that you finish strong.  About 10 miles in on our 11-mile ride I look over to Markieta and ask, “How are you doing? she replied, “I just keep telling myself, I can do it”.  She finished strong and the youth felt proud of meeting the challenge, best of all they had a great time doing it!

When I think of the challenges young people are facing today as well as the added challenges the youth we serve face, it’s moments like these that make me aware of how the Lord is shaping and preparing our youth for future success.

Proverbs 23:7 “As a man thinketh in his heart, so is he.”