After the bike ride – Installment Seven

After the bike ride – Installment Seven

       On Sunday morning, Terri and I got up early enough to get to the Focus campus for the Sunday service at the chapel. It was not a very large room and so we were close to the people at the pulpit.   I had written up a letter to Dr. Dobson about my part of the ride and even told about my first impressions of Ryan and how wrong I had been about him and how important this ride had been for me.  I told him how important Focus on the Family had been to me over the years and thanked him for his ministry.  The worship service was very moving.  The guest speaker was author Bruce Wilkinson who wrote the book The  Prayer of Jabez .  He talked about that prayer which is found in:

 I Chronicles 4:9-10 Jabez called on the God of Israel, saying, Oh that you would bless me indeed, and enlarge my border, and that your hand might be with me, and that you would keep me from evil, that it not be to my sorrow! God granted him that which he requested

In the book, Wilkinson encourages Christians to invoke this prayer for themselves on a daily basis:

        After speaking, we had wonderful uplifting music performed byChristian singers Matthew Ward and Kim Hill.   Then, a very interesting thing happened which I know was not planned.  Dr. Dobson spoke.  I have no idea what he said except I'm sure he was thanking the Lord and everyone who participated in the eighteen months of bike rides.  He mentioned something that I had heard him say on his radio show.  He said that his dad had died at an early age and he didn't know how long he would be with us.   At that point, Bruce Wilkinson stood up and walked to the podium, interrupting Dr. Dobson.  I cannot quote exactly what he said, but it went something like this:

      Jim (Dobson), we have heard you say that so many times and we are sick and tired of hearing it.  You will be with us as long as the Lord has decided and we don't want to hear you say that any more."

        We were probably all a little shocked and wondering what Dr. Dobson's reaction would be.  I think that Dr. Dobson was quite shocked as well and there was a pause then he agreed with Bruce and said that he would not say it anymore.

         After the service, many people walked up on the stage and surrounded Dr. Dobson.  I could see that it would be a very long time before I could get close to him, so I gave the letter to John Fuller (no relation that I know of) and asked him to please give it to Dr. Dobson when things quieted down.  He agreed to give him the letter.

        We checked out of our room, bought lunch and toured the campus again.  We had a date in a small town outside of Denver for that evening.  I'll talk about it Tuesday.