Hi there!!!

I know it's been awhile and I've missed sharing with you. So much has happened and I look forward to telling you all about it.

In October of 2018, I became the owner of 2018 Indian Dark Horse motorcycle.

I said goodbye to my 2012 Victory Highball which I purchased in 2011 and absolutely adored. Riding my Highball was simply the best. I rode to Canada with the Kingdom Knights, rode west and back for a 1,000 miles in 24 hours Iron Butt Association challenge. Through sun and then stormy weather, my Highball and I made it everywhere and back without a single hiccup. I loved my bike and developed a certain level of loyalty to it. #Victory4life

[CycleWorld.com review of the Victory Highball]

Then I experienced more. I got a taste of abundance.

I knew more existed but I said it wasn't necessary. I said I can do without it.

But I wasn't just doing without it...I was making excuses for not wanting more or striving for better than what I thought I could have. I was giving a higher priority to ownership of a thing than the right to have better. Moving on to better became less of a priority to me. What mattered more was holding on to less. (Have you guessed I'm no longer just talking about the motorcycle?)

My Highball was not classified as a touring bike, which meant it technically wasn't intended for long trips. It didn't come with saddlebags for storage, wind protection and the handlebars were positioned for a hardcore look and not for the comfort of the operator. But since I wanted to take my bike on long trips, I decided to make adjustments, add aftermarket pieces, and modify the design despite the purpose for which this bike was intended. This bike was meant to look good, not ride cross country. Victory actually had a bike for those types of rides. Interestingly enough, one of those bikes was actually called Cross Country.

I am amazed at how much stuff I accumulated over the years since 2011, the year I purchased the Highball. Things used to fill in for, take the place of, or substitute for something I needed but didn't have.

Small bags, big bags, bandannas, bungie cords, jackets big enough to cover seven layers of clothing, etc., things to make up for the things I didn't have. Although there were times when I could have done better, I wasn't prepared to let go of what I was so determined to keep. I made excuses. I idolized the look. I allowed it to define me. I was falling for the same traps I mention in my book Nevertheless: Peace In Spite Of Pain. I had to remember it's okay to grow.

In order to GROW, I had to let GO. I felt like my Highball and I were one. I couldn't imagine letting it go. I think a lot of people go through this in one way or another. Maybe not about a motorcycle but perhaps a house, a job, or a relationship. We substitute, improvise, accommodate, and rig so much simply to hold on to what we've outgrown or should have let go. This includes lack and struggle. Everything has a season. Some things are for a lifetime and some are just for a lesson.

“Regardless of where you find yourself, rely on God’s Word to keep you, knowing when you give Him control in your life, all things work for your good. Failing to do so can create chains of bondage, tying you to the very things that Christ took upon the Cross on your behalf.” (Excerpt from chapter 15, Nevertheless: Peace In Spite Of Pain)

Be sure you have an ear to hear from the Holy Spirit. God has given us access to better, peace, joy, and abundance. Our lives shouldn't be based on the things we have but on what we do with those things to experience His best and to help others do the same.

Since saying farewell to my Highball, I've grown to absolutely love my Dark Horse. It took some getting used to but honestly it was an easy transition. Perhaps this was because it was time to move on. Initially I thought handling a bike that is larger, heavier, wider (and dare I say meaner LOL) than the Highball would be a challenge, but I was wrong. The Dark Horse handles ohhh so well. I recently completed another Iron Butt ride, this time 1,500 miles in 36 hours which took me from Maryland through Georgia to Alabama, then to Florida and North Carolina. There was no comparison between this bike and the one I had before. It is hard to compare something that was designed for a purpose with something that wasn’t. I think I should stop here before this becomes Indian Motorcycle advertisement.

But seriously, what was I waiting for? What was I avoiding all those years? Did I not think I was worth it? My husband said he thought I struggled with believing I deserved nice things. I wonder if he had point.

While I may ride for enjoyment, I also ride as ministry. I decided to use what some view as a negative image (biker) as a way to show God's love to others. As a biker, God has given me a way to experience a version of relaxation and meditation that we call "wind therapy". Now, with my Indian Dark Horse, I am thankful for many, many more comfortable therapy sessions to come.

So, until next time, look for me and my Dark Horse on the open road.

Love,
Sharonda AKA Phoenix

To Grow, Let Go