I just got back from a 360-mile, 5.5-day bicycle trip from Pittsburgh to Washington DC. I know there are easier ways to get there – like cars, airplanes, horses, jetpacks. But I set a goal and wanted to accomplish something beyond the normal – at least for me.

I learned a bunch of things on this trip. Like at 59, I can’t ride and talk at the same time as my much younger riding pals could. At times, I needed all my breath to just keep breathing. Conversing was very optional.

I learned that even in August, in some places the temperature can drop below 60 at night and that one single flannel sheet is not good enough to get a good night sleep on such nights. I also learned that Walmart sells a Happy Camper sleeping bag for $19.95 that works just fine. But they only come in one color – peach. Good thing we were remote. Also, it’s for sale if anyone needs a sleeping bag for their 4-year-old.

You can make certain discoveries about yourself on trips like these – well, really any time that you push yourself physically or mentally beyond your normal levels. I discovered in a new way how important it is to refuel. I didn’t get enough calories during lunch one day. The moment I realized it was when the pavement was rising to meet me with every pedal and my balance was way off. We stopped for a bit and I refueled and recalibrated. That was just my own negligence at lunch time.

I also discovered the toll that the road surface can take on a rider. Cinder and packed dirt were so smooth – even delightful. But when the road turned to mudpuddles or rocks, eventually my legs protested. Every slide in the mud was like the ground grabbing my tires to slow me down. After miles of rocky roads, my legs could feel every rock rumble and steal a little energy away. (I’ll never enjoy another rocky road ice cream cone again).

OK, I must admit. I wasn’t in as good a shape as I wanted to be. But the embedded boulders that jumped in the way to surprise me? I felt them all the way through my arms to my neck. And the loose rocks dancing all over the place? They weren’t treating my tires very nicely.

Refueling my legs and my mind weren’t preferences. They were priorities. Whether it was from negligence or from the road surface I had no choice over, refueling was a priority.

The trail from Pittsburgh to the Eastern Continental Divide was all uphill – 125 miles uphill. Now the grade wasn’t too bad; but our legs knew there was no coasting for two days. But the next 25 miles were all downhill. Downhill fast.

Our lives reflect that trail. We have seasons where it is uphill for a very, very long time. They can discourage us and steal our strength. We also go through seasons that are just 25 milers downhill, fast and easy. And those times can deceive us into thinking everything is and always will be a breeze.

I learned uphill or downhill – it doesn’t matter – make sure you refuel. It doesn’t matter if it’s by negligence or necessity. Refuel.

To refuel my spirit, I get to a quiet spot and listen to what God says to me through the Bible. I have tons of reasons why I use the Bible. Here is one reason:

“Every part of Scripture is God-breathed and useful one way or another—showing us truth, exposing our rebellion, correcting our mistakes, training us to live God’s way. Through the Word we are put together and shaped up for the tasks God has for us.” (2 Timothy 3:16-17 in the Message paraphrase of the Bible)

I need to understand what is true and right. I need to know when my heart is off-center. I need a place of forgiveness for my mistakes. I need training to live God’s way in my world. That’s refueling for me.

So I will get a quiet spot and read some of the Bible. I can give you places to start if you want. Then I’ll ask God to speak to me and start reading with four questions in mind:

• What does this say about God?
• What does this say about people?
• What does this say about God’s plan?
• What does this say to me?

The library called “The Bible” has been meticulously, miraculously preserved for us. Sometime, I’ll have to do a podcast comparing the preservation of the texts of the Bible’s books with other books of antiquity. It will blow your mind when you realize from an academic textual and critical analysis how the Bible stands head and shoulders above any other document of antiquity, religious or secular. If you are really interested and maybe questioning the veracity of the Biblical material, go to my website, LifeisBestWhen.com and grab the link from the Episode 9 post and follow the research. It’s intense. Here’s the link:  https://www.josh.org/wp-content/uploads/Bibliographical-Test-Update-08.13.14.pdf

So I pray, then read and then ask these four questions. What does this say about God? What does this say about people? What does this say about God’s plan? What does this say to me?

And God speaks to my spirit as He will to yours. Just like I need to pour calories into my body, I need God to pour His word into my spirit. That’s the fuel I get for the adventure of every day life – uphill or downhill as it may go. And listen, God wants to speak to you. He cares about you and the trail you’re on right now.

That’s why I have other resources below for you if you want to go a step further. Click on the +NextStep or the +DeepDive buttons below. I’d love to see you try it out.

I would also love your feedback. You can leave comments below. And/or you can always email me at dave@lifeisbestwhen.com. Yup. It’s that simple: dave@lifeisbestwhen.com. And that comes right to me and no one else!

So as we hang up our gear for this week’s podcast, I want you to remember a couple of things…Number One: Remember Life is Best- when we refuel with God’s voice to our spirits. And the second thing: Remember, I have a gently used Happy Camper Sleeping Bag for sale. And it’s clean.

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For a personal guide, click on the +NEXT STEP below. For a deeper study guide, click on the +DEEP DIVE below. You can also have either of these guides sent to you weekly by signing up with the buttons on the right.