May 14, 2014-Lisa says I am always taking her on some adventure.  I always smile at that, because the Queen of my life  lives for adventure. You have prayed for us on a number of our adventures over the years to the four corners of the earth. We need it now in more ways than one. We are leaving in the morning for Portsmouth, NH and on Sunday will launch a bike ride across North America with my brother Alan and a good friend Craig Avery. Our wives, Lisa, Sheryl and Dori are partnering with us out of love and support. Without them this is not happening.

For Lisa and me this trip is more than about a bike ride across North America. In fact, I am not sure we would even start it if it were simply for the joy of biking. I can assure you a week or so in, my butt and my body will be wondering why on earth are we doing this?  We are riding because we’re passionate about the Next Generation not just in the US, but around the world, and for what God will accomplish through them to make this a better world to live in. Our delight is about pouring into this generation in the vocation of their calling so they may live a fully integrated life, being the best they can be, where they live, work, and play.

Along the way, we will meet up with people from all walks of life; strangers, friends and family.  We expect to give gifts away. We have been so blessed with gifts over the years: spiritual, relationships, physical, intellectual, and financial.  As led, our heart’s desire is to give these gifts away during our journey: gifts of encouragement, exhortation, and prayer.

How did this all come about? The genesis occurred almost two years ago sitting in our family room at home in Inman Park.  I was having a chat with a friend in his 40’s who knew he needed to get in physical shape, but was at wit’s end about how to do it.  A coaching conversation ensued.  At one point I asked  if a big hairy audacious goal like riding across the country would get him back on the bike he used to love to ride in his youthful years.  At that his voice elevated a notch: “Now that would get me interested!”  Then out of my mouth flowed the challenge, “let’s do it!”  At the time, I was incredulous that my lips had mouthed those words, but as the next few days wore on, a desire to do this welled up within. You have to know that the extent of my biking experience heretofore was riding 5-10 miles around the neighborhood with  Lisa on hybrid bikes. Certainly nothing to prepare me for a long distance jaunt like this.  But as the spoken words became my dream I begin to realize how this could motivate me to get in better shape, but also serve a broader more important purpose.  Little did I know then that there would be other friends sign up for the real deal.  About a week or so after this dream germinated in my heart, I was on the phone with my friend from Lexington, Craig. In the midst of our conversation, he asked me what I was up to next. As I shared my latest idea about riding across the country, he responded in his Kentucky draw: “Christopher, you are crazy!” I laughed. A couple days later I got a text message from Craig that he had ridden 40+ miles on his bike that morning. Over the next several months it became clear that Craig had caught the bug. I guess birds of a feather do flock together.   Speaking of crazy, my younger brother Alan decided to join us on the journey. I am not exactly sure when he caught the bug, but he has it. I am glad that we get to journey together for that has been a desire of my heart.  Three of us will indeed be better than one.

After investing in getting in shape (sort of) with the help of “the best trainer in Atlanta” (a shout out to you Bobby Fournier), buying a serious road bike, and beginning to learn the ropes of road riding for dummies, I began to ponder the purpose of this ride.  Why?  Friends and clients naturally seemed to assume this was on my bucket list. Let me assure you, this was not a dream from my younger years nor was it on my bucket list. Sure, the words were spoken by me, yet I knew they weren’t mine.  So, one day in the shower about a year ago I am praying: “Lord, what is the purpose of this ride?”   The words “Next Generation” wafted through my mind. This really resonated with my heart and with Lisa’s.  Let me share why.  We both desire to pass on what we have seen and heard about Jesus in our walk in life to those who want to learn and teach others also. Further, I have been passionate these past several years in coaching and mentoring emerging leaders in their 20’s, 30’s and 40’s within the A/E/C industry through our for-profit business,  Jholdas.  Nothing gives me more joy than to see men and women equipped in the vocation of their calling to have significant impact in their spheres of influence whether it be life to life, innovating new products, providing stellar client service or growing their business profitably. Through IMED, I have had the privilege of journeying with many co-laborers to help entrepreneurs in Nepal, Egypt, Jordan and Kyrgyzstan launch micro-enterprises with a Kingdom purpose to change life in their communities. Many of the hundreds of nationals I have been blessed to work with are the Next Generation. Finally, we have three sons and a daughter-in-love who are in their 20’s with a whole slew of their friends whom we love and think so much of.  We believe they are going to change the world for the better. Five of these 20-something guys have lived in our home this past year finishing their college careers and launching the next stage of their journey in life together as community. It looks and smells like family to Lisa and me. We love this Next Generation of family, friends, neighbors, our network in the A/E/C Industry, and the nations. We are riding for them, the blessing they have been given, and for the future that will be because of them.

Recently, we launched a non-profit 501-C3 Integrated Life Mentoring, Inc. The purpose is to help the next generation of entrepreneurs and their families in the inner city and third world countries launch businesses and live an integrated life. Our goal for this bike ride, as an afterthought, is to raise $100,000 to fund micro-enterprises and support coaching  and mentoring for their families in an integrated life. Many of you know through IMED that I have been engaged in a similar type of work in Egypt, Jordan, Kyrgyzstan, and Nepal for the past decade or more.

Ranjana of Pokhara, Nepal is one of my personal favorites. As a 20’s something lady with a big smile that lit up the room and a heart for people, Ranjana was  coached through microenterprise training in 2005. She ultimately received a $2000 loan to start a seamtress shop for ladies clothing. Her husband is handicapped and confined to a wheelchair.  Six years later, I visited Ranjana in her clothing shop. Beautiful dresses adorned the walls of her small shop (about the size of an average kitchen in the US). Several ladies were making sewing machines hum. After a warm greeting, Ranjana shared how difficult it was to satisfy her customers early on, but when she figured out that aspect, her business began to grow and prosper. She now fully supports her family and has impacted the community far beyond the economy. She befriended a young girl who lived on the street as a drug addict. She fed her, gave her a place to sleep, loved her and taught her to be a seamstress. This young lady is free of addiction today.  Furthermore, Ranjana also taught six other women to make women’s clothing and helped them get their own businesses started in Pokhara. Think about that for a minute: six competitors launched. Where does that happen?  This young woman epitomizes our heart’s desire to see impact in a local community. There is an incredible multiplying effect when one person uses their gifts in the vocation of their calling and is willing to pass on what they have seen, heard and learned to others.

If you are interested in donating to this work to enable funding for 50-100 Ranjana’s in our potential target areas in western Nepal, northern Africa or the Middle East please send a check made out to Integrated Life Mentoring, Inc. at the following address:

Integrated Life Mentoring, Inc. 393 North Highland Avenue Atlanta, Georgia 30307

In the near future, you may also donate online through paypal at www.integratedlifementoring.org.

Funding for initial entrepreneurs will be provided as a loan and paid back to local national overseers who will be using the repayments to fund other businesses in the community. Your seed funding will be multiplied.

Back to the bike trip- for those inclined to pray here are the big three:

• Safety
• Unity in community with our team of Craig, Dori, Alan, Sheryl, Lisa and Gary
• Seeds of encouragement, love and exhortation planted in our hearts and the hearts of the many people we meet would fruitful and multiply one hundred fold

Stay tuned this weekend for the launch of the ride with pics and a story from Portsmouth! I don’t know what it is yet, but I am sure there will be one.