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Miscellaneous » J-Term 2014 » Biking J-Term

Biking J-Term

student devotional reflections

The Bicycling J-Term class met for just one week in January, as students will participate in a four-day, three-night self-contained bike trip in June.

During their week in January, students worked on conditioning, did some trip planning, learned about bicycle maintenance and safety, and learned tips from a professional trainer.

Over the course of the June trip the class plans to cover approximately 225 miles, including biking Michigan's Kal-Haven bike trail from Kalamazoo to South Haven and to the beaches and dunes of Lake Michigan’s eastern shore at Van Buren State Park and Warren Dunes State Park. 

Students also participated in daily devotions in which they considered the interactions between biblical themes, modern society, and the technology of the bicycle. One devotional focused on Pslam 90, which in verse 12 says, “So teach us to count our days that we may gain a wise heart.”

Following are some student reflections to the prompt, “What does it mean to ‘number (your) days’ in a way that is faithful to God? How do you view the time you’ll spend on the bike tour in June?” 

  • “Days are limited so you need to live every day to the fullest. God wants us to enjoy our time on earth and he gave it as a gift.”
  • “My time on the bike tour in June is going to be a time to step away from the busyness of life, to focus on the people around me and have fun without electronics, and to get closer to God through nature.”
  • “Put aside things in your day that are not important, to stop doing the things that push you further away from God, and to devote time in your day to things that bring you closer to God, such as praying, reading the bible, and acts of service.”
  • “The bike trip will be challenging. I won’t be able to afford being distracted or complain because it won’t get me anywhere. I think I will also spend a lot of time on the bike thinking and talking with God. If we have him, he has us.”
  • “Ever since I entered high school I have been acutely aware of how time affects me. How much I’ve lost, how much I have, what I have used it for, what I should have used it for, and most importantly, how shall I use my time before I go to college? To number my days means that each day I should help other people around me and to stay on top of things.”
  • “Numbering my days in a way that is faithful to God is doing things that are meaningful, planning things I want to do and will want to remember in the end. Spending time with my friends and enjoying God’s creation is something that is important.”
  • “When I think about numbering my days for God, I think about the time that I will spend in my life with God. Going to church, worshiping, and singing are all ways that I feel a part of God’s creation. Service and community are also ways that I see and hear God’s call to help others—reaching out and learning more about the people in my community. My hope is that on this trip I will realize God is everywhere I go, that there’s nothing better than being able to spend time with people you enjoy, that God’s creation and beauty in nature is endless, to be thankful what I have—there are others who don't have the same opportunities—and appreciate living simply.”