Since 2013 I’ve annually cycled the 5 ferries circuit. Excluding Covid 2019, that made Saturday’s spin 11^th time round. By cycling anti-clockwise you get the roads from Irvine to Wemyss Bay to yourself. In fact, we reached the 8.05 Rothesay ferry an hour early, sailing through ghost town Largs at 6.30. Another advantage to going the less travelled route is you get the steepest and hardest hill done early. The sweaty pant & pech up to the Kyles of Bute viewpoint is a killer, but each went at our own pace, and all reached one of the most beautiful vistas in Scotland knackered, but intact.

Travelling together as a team allows peloton (tightly in line behind each other’s back wheel) stretches, taking turns to lead and allow comrades to get a breather following in the slipstream. Thus, we covered ground quicker, but at the steep hills allowed each other to get in the zone to battle our way to the top, encouraging each other to plod on, despite the pain – “Blessed are the plodders, for they shall be applauded!”

‘Encouragement’ is invaluable in the face of challenge! But how easy it is to shout negative stuff from the pitch side or fail to share a word of encouragement. En Courage literally means to input courage i.e. build up confidence. Put ‘dis’before a word and it drains the positive dry: disincentive removes incentive, disadvantage undercuts advantage, & Discourage empties courage. Younger readers will know, from Black Rapper slang, that ‘to diss’ someone is to disrespectthem, to take away their respect.

“God didn’t set us up for an angry rejection but for salvation by our Master, Jesus Christ. He died for us, a death that triggered life. … So speak encouraging words to one another. Build up hope so you’ll all be together in this, no one left out, no one left behind. I know you’re already doing this; just keep on doing it.”

(1 Thessalonians 5:9-11 / MSG)

There were ‘courage sapping’ spots on the long steep hills when we had to really pound peddles to the top. Were someone to snipe, “You’re going to fail! You’re doomed!” the job would be doubly hard. What made our challenge easier was our togetherness, enjoying the constant comfort and challenge of one another, ever patient with Alistair & my lagging behind.

Here’s a mystery, within God’s being is a team of encouragement, comfort and challenge. When God’s Son Jesus Christ endured excruciating death on our behalf, Father and Spirit were right there feeling the pain together with Christ, bearing the load as One Team, striving together to win our Deliverance and Eternal Life. TEAM was certainly at work then, as it was on our Cycle.

Together

Everyone

Achieves

More.

Some people discourage others to keep them grounded. Not so with God, from the centre of His being overflows encouragement, as Paul says, “Speak encouraging words to one another. Build up hope so you’ll all be together in this, no one left out, no one left behind.” Team God.

And so, we jumped from Rhubodach to Colintraive, pressed on through Tighnabruaich to the Portavadie – Tarbert, Claonig – Lochranza, & Brodick – Ardrossan ferries, grateful for the gentle breeze, calm waters, ferry breaks, cloud cover, and odd chink of blue sky. Approaching Arran from the west gives a glorious angle on Arran’s peaks. A great day of shared blessing, banter & natural beauty, about 88miles all in, made so much easier by team! Teamwork makes the dreamwork!  All Kudos to Team Trinity!