Joy in Motion: WEEK THREE

Joy in Motion: When the Journey Gets Personal

This week’s Joy in Motion reflection is lovingly dedicated to the memory of our dear friend, Brian Doerksen.

For most of the year, the Joyful Living Joyful Giving Foundation quietly goes about its work. But every few years, we prayerfully set something bigger in motion: the 2022 Ride for Hope, the 2024 Ride for Rwanda and now, our 2026 Joy in Motion campaign.

Each initiative has reflected our mission to make joyful living and generous giving contagious, while carrying forward Ray’s final dream: that we would continue showing up for families, especially children who simply do not stand a chance without someone stepping in.

But I have noticed something. Whenever we set the wheels in motion for something significant, opposition seems to follow. And sometimes, it gets personal.

During the Ride for Hope, I was involved in an accident on the Trans-Canada Highway in Prince Edward Island. During the Ride for Rwanda, Marlene and I struggled to keep pace with the group in the Netherlands. Now, a ruptured Baker’s cyst has limited my ability to walk, ride and lead the Joy in Motion charge as I had imagined (in this moment) – I plan to be mobile within the week.

At the same time, Kristen Meindertsma, co-founder of Cycle 5 to Survive, was injured in a crash just days into her ride across Africa. This happened immediately after an extraordinary week in Ethiopia with Hope for Korah, one of the organizations she and P.L. are riding for, and we are supporting them through this campaign.  (You can find a link at the end of this post to hear from Kristen).

Yesterday, my long-time friend and prayer warrior, Tarra, came for coffee. She reminded me that whenever I take on something big, something always seems to come along and try to take me out.

“But you need to keep going,” she said.

This morning, during Lectio, I was reminded that the goals we prayerfully set are not ones we are expected to accomplish on our own.

When we set our goal of $10,000 and 10,000 kilometres, I had no idea people would be walking, cycling, paddling, and doing this all over the place... Langley, Abbotsford, Calgary, Edmonton, Spokane, St. Thomas, Vietnam, Thailand, and even Rome! The kilometres continue to come in... WOW! Thank you, Kate, Marlene, Jaana, Eden, Jesse, Kat, Dez, Jolene, Alena, Lisa, Angie, Greg, Pam, Ingrid, Russel, Alyssa, and Josh. Thanks for registering – and hey, if you haven’t joined us yet, you can still register and start logging your own kilometres! CLICK HERE to Register.

Jesus colours outside the lines. He uses all of us together. When one person must slow down, others keep moving. When one becomes discouraged, someone else arrives with encouragement.

Joy in Motion was never really about the kilometres or the dollars. It is about living and giving generously so that children in the Himalayas, Ethiopia, Colombia and beyond can experience freedom, dignity, hope and the life they were created for.

To everyone who has joined us, donated, prayed, encouraged or decided to move: thank you.

This was never meant to be one person’s journey. It is all of us moving together, trusting God to redeem every part of the story.

Brian Doerksen left us this week, joining Ray, John, and many others who have gone before. Before Brian went Home, he left us a beautiful reminder in his recently released song (take a listen) to Shelter. “From our genesis to that final breath, you’re redeeming all our trials and sorrows. Every tear that falls, you collect them all, then you heal us with your love and mercy." 

Isn’t this what it is all about?

Ray inspired his family and friends to keep living and giving generously. It is no coincidence that his dream, the foundation, received its charitable status on the morning of October 23, 2017, and later that evening, Ray crossed the threshold. John Affleck's final words to his family were to live life without any regrets; those words have now been shared with many friends over the years. Now, Brian has left us music that will continue to uplift, comfort, and encourage us along the way.

Each of these Christ followers left behind something that inspires the rest of us to persevere, even when the journey becomes personal and the road gets difficult.

Thank you to everyone who is part of this Joy in Motion journey. This is so much bigger than any one of us. Together, we will keep moving forward, continue giving, and trust God with every part of the story.

PS: Enjoy the random captures of some of our Joy in Motion movers and shakers ☺