By JIM Rusconi
FROM ASPHALT SOLDIERS TO
DIRT-TRACK WARRIOR suppose it ’ s dangerous when ,
I halfway through an already busy season , the Chapter President starts praying the Prayer of Jabez . At the same time , one of the wives in the chapter starts having visions in her prayers of the chapter bringing whole families into the Kingdom , and the Lord put this verse on your Chaplain ’ s heart :
“ For I am about to do something new .
See , I have already begun ! Do you not see it ?
I will make a pathway through the wilderness .
I will create rivers in the dry wasteland ” ( Isaiah 43:19 , NLT ). That enlarged territory , those families coming to Christ , and that new pathway in the wilderness : welcome to ministry in the world of motocross !
When we show up at a “ regular bike event ,” everyone knows our back patch , our faces , and our mission : bike blessings and the message of salvation . We look like them , ride bikes like them , and enjoy the open road like them .
Since the Holy Spirit put the ministry of motocross events on my heart , I began to seek out windows of opportunity . Having many family members participating in the motocross lifestyle , I came across two local tracks , and we started doing tent events at both . In addition , my grandson ( four years old ) should begin racing in 2023 at those same tracks . God is good that way , now , we can do ministry all day at the track , and I can spend time watching my grandson race .
So last fall , we started showing up at dirt-bike events . Talk about fish out of water ! Nobody knew our back patch , our face , or our mission . We don ’ t dress like them , our bikes look nothing like theirs , we ride the asphalt jungle , not dirt roads thru the wilderness , and they had no idea what a bike blessing was .
As we ventured out on our new pathway , we encountered riders of every age and ability . We approached the parents of young riders first , asking if we could bless their bikes . With their permission , we did , and by the time we blessed their bike and gave them the Gospel message and God ’ s plan of salvation , many times , the whole family ( mother , father , grandparents , and siblings ) were all accepting Jesus . Amazing !
At one point , one of our chapter members , Rocket , was at our tent , and a twelve-year-old girl with tears streaming down her face 10⎪NOVEMBER 2022⎪shop . cmausa . org