Admittedly it has been a while since I posted an appreciation post. Sometimes the day to day blogging and documenting work load gets overwhelming. Mostly the purpose of this post is for myself to remember and not take for granted all the amazing support I have received along this journey.
Typically an appreciation post is a collection of Facebook messages that I have collected over a period of time. The one unfortunate thing about Facebook is posts very quickly get buried in a thousand of other posts and all those amazing comments get lost at the same time.
I have always been intentional to acknowledge or respond to all my comments and messages. Whenever I come across particularly special or meaningful comment I take a screen shot of the comment and then it eventually makes it into an appreciation post like this.
I want to thank everyone who takes the time to comment, support and pray for me. And a special thank you to those who message me privately.
These are some of my favorite Facebook comments over the last bunch of months.
Christine Gulliver-Gamble – I love it. Thanks to these wonderful people you can have a hot shower and a warm bed. See you are so loved. Thanks for sharing as this is the first thing I do when I get up is check on you and your journey.
John Maybon – Stay safe and thanks for sharing your adventure. You inspire me to want to take up my own adventure.
Cynthia Voortman – I’m often struck with the things you write and choose to share and how similar we are. But go easy, you are not too much or too anything….these are all gifts. We think we are “too much” because others have either said or implied so, or tried to have us fit into different selves.
Who you are is who God created you to be. When you live into His fullness of you, you can live into the fullness of His dreams for you too. You are enough.
Glen McClure – Arie what you have accomplished in just a short time takes some people a life time to accomplish. Health and safety as you venture on.
Lewis Hinks – Let the ride evolve Arie…It is an amazing adventure and personally I am loving the acts of kindness and generosity being shown to you. It shows that in this age of 24/7 negative news that there is still way more good in this world than bad! RIDE ON!!
Rae Fullerton – You have such an immense journey yet ahead of you. Whatever strength, warmth and love you can absorb from all those wanting to support you and your journey/adventure, do so with Canadian pride. Some of us are living vicariously through you and your experiences. Safe journey Arie.
Craig Wehrli – Arie, I feel I have had a part of your journey because I have been following your blog and Facebook posts for many weeks now and feel privileged to hear about your trip. Yours is a story of adventure, discovery and relationships (usually short interactions with strangers) germinated from the spirit of good will and a desire to help a brother succeed. I’m sure you feel blessed with all the hospitality and gifts you have received but the hosts have been blessed to since they’ve had the privilege od opening their hearts. Ride on brother!!! Praying for you every day.
Jen McClure – This ride is yours. I had people tell me I was crazy and not to take this route or that route or I stayed in too many hotels. Go kick butt you crazy cyclist! And have a blast!!! Oh ya…stay safe!!!
Jonathan Calcagni – Hey Arie. Just wanted to drop you a line and say thanks for the effort that you put forward into sharing your ride. Heard you on Bike Tour Adventures and felt that your story makes bike touring seem like something that anyone can do. Keep up the great work!
Paul Schiebel – Great article. Lots of great notions in there. More importantly, you are really putting a human face on cycling. This kind of positive media coverage is just what we need to get drivers to treat riders as human beings.
When I tour, I just go. Like I’m on some kind of mission to get her done. I’ll chat briefly with the hotel clerks, waitresses, etc I meet along the way. But you’re doing MUCH more than that. On behalf of all riders – Thank you Arie!
Margaret Yeldon – Omg you must be in Thunder Bay – one day I hope our paths can cross as you are my inspiration. Once upon a time I had that wanderlust and travelled the world and that defined my life but I took a different turn in the road eventually and I’m happy but a small part of me wants to be free again so your posts are so important to me. Stay safe.
Cynthia Voortman – I love this. My hope and prayer is that you discover, over the next thousands of kilometers, provinces, states and nations that “the unbelievable” is the norm.
I find myself believing it! Turn off the news – tune into actual human beings and you will find more love than hate. More harmony than divisiveness, maybe even more joy than sorrow!
Arie, this is an Heavenly ambassadorship you are in! People are good, God is kind and yes, beer really is good.
