Growing up, we did not have a lot of spare time. Between school, house chores, church nightly, it was a rare occasion that we had free time. What we did with that time was, how can I say this….very selective.

I was always looking for something to try that I found interesting and something I had never done. This particular time, I didn’t put a lot of thought into what my next adventure would entail! I didn’t count the cost, and I got myself in a “mess of trouble,” as old-timers used to say!

SO MY CHURCH (BRAT) STORY begins:

When I was 15 or 16, I wanted a 10-Speed bike when they first came out, or at least when I first saw it! I couldn’t quit talking about it. I loved the sleek look! I loved the two huge tires! But, what I admired most about this beautiful machine was the handles that curve and that the brakes were on the handles!

I saw people riding these bikes, and they were leaned over in an aerodynamic way to help with the speed, and they looked like a bullet! The helmet they always had on when they rode was odd to me, but I admired how it looked and felt like it made them soar! I wanted to be aerodynamic! I wanted to look like a bullet! I wanted to soar! It looked easy enough! But, was it????

It is important to know that my mom and dad where putting an addition to the house. They had just put it up. It was new. It was put in the part of the yard that I was used to being an open space. The inside wasn’t done, but the outside had walls and plywood (or whatever it was lol) up. They had just finished putting it up a couple days before my adventure!

I thought about the bike often. Then one day, I couldn’t believe my eyes! I looked in the yard, and there a glorious 10-Speed bike! I do not know where it came from, but sure enough, there was a 10-Speed bike!!! It was gleaming and begging for me to ride it! It was red and black. So gorgeous! I had the time and the desire, so that bike was in for an adventure with me!!

What I didn’t count on was that the bike was a boy’s bike. As you know, boy’s bikes are made completely different than a girl’s bike. The boy’s bike had a bar connected from the seat to the front. A girl’s bike was curved so you could be more ladylike getting off and on. I didn’t care! I had to ride this bike!

Another thing I didn’t count on was riding this bike with a long (maxi) skirt on! It was just a way of life for me to wear them, and I did everything else in them, so it never crossed my mind that this could be a problem!

I remember my mom was working in the beauty shop. My sisters were doing their own thing, and I am sure Jay was somewhere occupying himself with something productive! But, me, I was going to ride a 10 Speed bike without a helmet and unsupervised!!!!!

I knew just where I was going to ride it, too!

Behind our house, a driveway led up to the neighbor’s house on the hill, and it intersected with our driveway. It was the perfect hill to try out this bike! I would see these other people riding down hills, and it looked fun! I had the perfect plan that was going to work out wonderfully! I would be aerodynamic, I would look like a bullet, and I was going to soar!!!!! So exciting!

I walked the bike up on the hill and hopped on! I was trembling with excitement! I got on the bike and realized my skirt would be a problem, but it was a problem I could solve. I took bottom of the skirt and tucked it around the bar of the bike. I thought it was a brilliant idea, well, at the time it seemed like one! I couldn’t believe I was really going to do this.

I was tucked and ready to go. I wobbled a bit. It was a different seat and ride for sure! I got familiar with the brakes on the handles and squeezed them to make sure they worked.

I took off. I mean really took off. Immediately I was out of control going down that hill! Something felt wrong – so wrong! I started frantically pedaling backwards to use my brakes. Totally forgetting that the brakes were on the handles.

My skirt had “untucked” itself and was way too close to the sprocket chain and tires. So, me being me, I was looking down, watching in horror as my skirt started getting tangled up in the bike’s mechanism. I tried to pull at it to get it out of the tires! I pulled a little too hard, the skirt ripped and the bike started to go sideways! I realized what was happening! I was flying! I was coming down that hill so fast; everything was a blur. I looked like I was speeding bullet, alright!

I thought, “Ok, Wendy, just turn into the yard in a spot where there isn’t anything you can run into and kill yourself!” I turned into the yard, and bam! I ran right into the side of the house where the new addition was! I hit that wall, and it popped like a gunshot! I bounced off of that bike like a volleyball and started rolling. My poor skirt was torn and almost coming off. I just knew I had broken something. I wanted to cry, but I thought my sisters would make fun of me for crying if I did. I tried to keep from crying as I got myself up off the ground. Shew, thankfully, no one was around. I was scratched up and bleeding on my knees, elbows, and arms, but nothing was broken.

As I was examining myself, my two oldest sisters came out, and they were laughing so hard, I am pretty sure I saw tears! They had seen the whole thing! They saw me walk the bike up the hill, tuck my skirt in, wobbling and almost falling off the bike. Do you think they tried to stop me? Noooooooo!

They also saw me struggling with my skirt, not watching where I was going and how fast the bike was going down the hill. And yes, they saw me run into the new room and get slung off the bike and stop, drop and roll! Now, I was crying!

Needless to say, I didn’t live that down for a long time!!!! They called me “Speedy!” I didn’t think it was very nice of them lol.

WHAT’S ON MY MIND?  GLAD YOU ASKED

As I was reliving that day, it made me think. I didn’t ask anyone else if they thought it was a good idea. I just jumped in with both feet with false confidence! How many times have I gotten myself in trouble, even though I had thought it through?

It is crucial, and even necessary, to have a Godly accountability person. Someone we can trust and will give us Biblical advice. Someone that will point us back to the Word and prayer. Someone that will remind us that just because we think it is a good idea, it may not be.

James 5:16

Therefore confess your sins to each other and pray for each other so that you may be healed. The prayer of a righteous person is powerful and effective

If I had talked to someone, they might have pointed out the obvious things I missed. 

Things like:

• Please don’t start on a hill; try it out on a safer, flatter place
• Your skirt is going to be a problem
• You do not have a helmet
• You are not used to the brakes on the handles. You need to a practice run to use them properly

Hebrews 10:24-25

And let us consider how we may spur one another on toward love and good deeds, not giving up meeting together, as some are in the habit of doing, but encouraging one another-and all the more as you see the day approaching.

When we only have ourselves, we only have ourselves to measure against. Another input can make us see things we wouldn’t have on our own. God has designed us to need each other. That is part of His plan. Love God, love each other.

1 Peter 4:10 GW

“Each of you as a good manager must use the gift that God has given you to serve others”

A few things to remember when you find your accountability person:

• Be careful who you trust. You cannot trust everyone, but you have to trust someone
• This accountability person should be a Godly person. A mature Christian that has a record of living a life for Jesus
• A person who can discern the voice of God and pray with you for direction

It may seem like a good idea, but is it really????

As we begin our prayer time today, get in a quiet place. Remember, you are never alone. We have Jesus that will never leave us.

PRAY THIS WITH ME TODAY (in your own words)

Jesus

I am so grateful for your Presence. I am thankful that you allow us to enter into the throne room where You are. Your death and resurrection gave me that privilege.

I pray Jesus that You would break my pride and that I will allow a person that You have in mind to speak into my life. Jesus when I am not following You in the way I should be, I need this person that YOU picked for me to help me back to You. I am thankful that You care for us and You gave us the ability to show that same kind of love and care to each other!

Lord, let me be that person that you can use in this capacity. I want to know You, hear You and be like You so I can help others to You. As Paul proclaimed, Follow me as I follow Christ, Lord, I too want to live the life that others can see their way to You through our lives.