As I have said. Cycles 317 is not all about religion but it was founded on my christian beliefs and my quest to find the perfect fit combining my faith and life style. I grew up in a Christian home with the expectation that I would attend church, whether I wanted to or not. Unfortunately, all I gained from the experience of being forced to do something I didn't want to do was the desire to walk down another path, one of my own choosing. The loss of four very close friends in a tragic car accident simply added to that desire by convincing me that the church and God had turned their backs on me.

As a teenager I chose a very destructive lifestyle which included drugs, alcohol, rebellion and things of that nature. Deep down I knew that this was the wrong path to take, but I could not bring myself to stop. All I knew was that I did not want anyone preaching to me or telling me what do, how to do it, or when to do it. I felt that no one had the right to give me their opinion, especially when they'd never taken the time to get to know me for who I was, and most especially because they all appeared to be hypocrites anyway.

During that time I did not realize that there was someone who believed in me, even when I didn't. This special person was my mother and she prayed for me unfailingly for nine years, and I'm sure she wore out several pairs of knee pads doing it! To this day I thank her for not giving up on me.

As my life continued I came to be blessed with a beautiful wife and two wonderful children. And although I'd come back to the church and had become active in youth ministry (dealing with kids who reminded me of myself at that age) it was the example of my own children's faith that caused me to fully embrace my calling. Their faith touched me deeply and I longed for the same experience. Out of this arose the desire to reach beyond the church and the saved, and I became involved with the Christian Riders Motorcycle Club as president for four years. But again I felt God placing another vision in my heart, one that involved reaching out to the entire motorcycle community and their families; this vision is Cycles 317.

My main focus and purpose is to reach the hearts of people, not to force them into faith the way I was as a non-believer. I do not believe in Bible thumping or soap box preaching. I believe that our faith is not about head knowledge, but about unconditional selfless living for others, exactly the way Christ lived.

The verse that I live by and embrace whole heartedly is John 3:17
" For God did not send his Son into the world to be its judge, but to be its savior."

I am thankful that the lord has provided me with close friends who share this vision and who are helping to see it through.

I would be happy to share my experiences and thoughts with anyone that is interested and most importantly, I would be more interested in listening to yours. We gather here at Cycles 317 on Wed. nights in the back lounge to hold an informal meeting to share our thoughts, feelings and concerns. I hope we get the chance to sit and talk sometime.