My husband and I were nearing the end of our weeklong bicycle ride across Iowa on our tandem bicycle. Only one town and sixteen miles stood between us and the end of the route, the Mississippi River. We had already peddled over 480 miles in the week and were ready to cross the finish line. Each year during the last week of July, bicyclists from all over the world descend on our state to participate in what some term the “annual weeklong festival on two wheels”—RAGBRAI (The Register’s Annual Great Bicycle Ride Across Iowa). One thing this ride has taught me is how gratitude equips us to live in the moment.

Especially on this day.

As we slowly climbed one of the toughest hills all week and shared a moment of celebration together at the top, our bike began to wobble. My husband, Bill, steered us to the side of the road just before what sounded like a gunshot. Our front tire blew.

Glancing at each other, then down at the tire, we realized this wasn’t good. The hole was too big to patch. We needed a new tire. But with two miles to go to the next town, where would we find a tire in the middle of nowhere?

Instantly I got upset. I was tired, hot, and hungry. Tears filled my eyes, and when Bill tried to console me, I snapped at him. Our only option was to walk the bike into town. And let me tell you, bicycling shoes aren’t designed for a two-mile walk. This was the worst!

Until I realized it wasn’t.

I quickly understood my attitude needed to change, otherwise this walk would feel much longer than two miles. I silently prayed, “God, You see us. You know what’s happening right now. We need Your help, and we need You. Change my heart and my attitude.“

Immediately I looked up. I noticed the beautiful blue sky above. I felt the warmth of the sun on my back. Then I looked at my husband leading us as we walked. I became fully aware of how his quick action of steering us to the side of the road saved us from a crash when our tire blew.

Consequently, gratitude flooded my mind and my heart. For everything. For God sparing us, for His presence, provision, and protection. Gratitude for the beautiful day, the lovely view, and the opportunity to soak in the moment.

There it was—the lesson I could learn from this.

Gratitude equips us to live in the moment.

To truly embrace every moment. Gratitude is the foundation for staying present. It’s also the building block for fully living an abundant, joy-filled life—the life Jesus came to give us.  

Each moment matters. Each one is priceless—for several reasons. We don’t get to live any moment over. God created each one for us to live abundantly. We can choose to either make the most of each moment or waste it. Each one matters.

Including this one. Including the one when our tire blew. Gratitude equips us to live in the moment and to truly appreciate the gift each one is.

A minute later we heard more than the sound of other bicyclists passing us. A man behind the wheel of a pickup truck pulled up beside us. He asked if we could use a ride to town. (Now, normally we wouldn’t accept a ride from a stranger, but he explained he saw us walking from his local business, and he knew we needed help. Angels really do exist!)

Hallelujah! Bill and the man loaded the tandem in the back of the truck, and we climbed in his cab. I closed my eyes and whispered a grateful, “Thank You, God.” The man drove us to town, we found a bike repair stand, and within forty-five minutes, we were finishing our weeklong bicycle ride.

God truly provides all we need in every moment.

But do we notice? Are we grateful?

Let’s pause right now to fix our gaze on what’s truly important and embrace this right-now moment: “So we don’t look at the troubles we can see now; rather, we fix our gaze on things that cannot be seen. For the things we see now will soon be gone, but the things we cannot see will last forever” (2 Corinthians 4:18 NLT).

Gratitude equips us to do this. Not just today, but every day. This moment is too important to miss.

Meet Julie Lefebure

Where to find her . . .

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Begin Within is a series to inspire a year-round lifestyle of gratitude that will impact not only your own life, but the lives of your neighbors as well. Gratitude is a theme we talk about often around here because it ties so closely into other missional living rhythms. Practicing gratitude reminds to keep our hearts soft and expectant and our eyes open. Therefore, the more we embrace gratitude, the easier it becomes to truly see our neighbors and where we can join what God is already doing in our neighborhoods.

If you would like to contribute to Begin Within, you can find the submission guidelines here.