A Story about a Unicycle
When I was 10 years old I remember wanting a Unicycle for Christmas. As a parent, I really wonder what you think when your kid asks for a Unicycle. Little did they know it would forever change my life.
I remember that year I got it I was so excited. I went out and shoveled off the deck of the snow to clear a runway for the new toy. I ended up realizing how hard it was within the first 3 seconds. I decided to use the railing for balance and slowly but surly I would make my way from one end of the deck to to the other.
As I got more confident I began to hold the rail less and less. I then realized I couldn’t get on it without something to hold on to, so I decided to accomplish that task next. I put a log under the wheel so when I pushed down on the peddle it wouldn’t move on me- I watched this tip on a video. It worked well, but overall it still took so much time to learn.
Once I was able to get on it by myself and peddle it was only a matter of seconds before I would fall off. It was seriously incredible how many times I have fallen off. I guess you just learn to fall the right way- whether that’s on your feet or on your butt.
I eventually moved off the deck because it was too short. I then brought the unicycle to the church and tried to ride it down the long hallway and in the gym. I realized really quick that it is way easier to go straight than it is to turn. Every time I would turn I fell off. This was a constant process of trial and error. However, with every new task there was failure over and over again before there was success.
Eventually I became proficient enough to ride and turn without falling off. I began catching footballs and trying to juggle on the unicycle. It is still a work in progress, but I stuck with it and because of the persistence and patients it is a skill I have today that I will never forget.
The lesson of persistence and patients can be applied to many walks of life. Whether it is relationships or sales you eventually learn what works and what doesn’t but the failure shouldn’t stop us from trying again! Just because it is hard doesn’t mean you shouldn’t do it!
When I was in college I was randomly walking through the halls of the dorms and I saw a unicycle! What happened next was about to change my life. There was a group of people laughing because they were trying to ride it but couldn’t- they thought it was impossible. To the best of my knowledge I remember asking the group, “whose unicycle is this?” A new friend Amber answered, “it’s mine.” I found out pretty quick that Amber could ride the unicycle well.
From that moment we talked about unicycles and actually started a club on campus. Yes, I started a unicycle club in college with a desire to help students learn and just have fun. Over the course of the next year Amber told me she was going on the World Race. I remember asking what the World Race was and that forever changed my thinking on our purpose as believers.
I was challenged by a comment that Amber made to me one day when the subject of missions came up. “I am going to tell people about Jesus where the name of Jesus hasn’t been heard” she said. She told to me about the unreached (The people in this world who have no access to the Gospel or a way to hear about Jesus) and I was shocked. Why didn’t I hear about this growing up? It challenged me to broaden my perspective and go on a missions trip.
I signed up with a short-term trip over spring break to go to San Diego, California. Before we left of the trip we got a missions training. This forever changed my life! Some of the verses I hold deeply in my heart to this day. I began seeing purpose in reaching the unreached and seeing the world impacted with the GOOD NEWS! Little did I know I would go on the World Race 3 years after Amber. The story continues as Amber is now living as a full-time missionary in Thailand.
I can’t help but see God’s hand all over this unicycle! If it we’re not for a desire to ride a unicycle when I was 10 years old, I would not have met Amber, I would not have heard about the unreached and I would not have gone on my first missions trip. I don’t think I would have ever gone on the World Race and I would be in a completely different place spiritually. Ultimately, I am grateful for God’s hand in orchestrating each step and desire I have whether it works out how I think it will or whether I fail again and again! God uses failure for a purpose in our lives and changes us in the process!
