Cycling with the Best Christian Gagnieux, Mulhouse, France

Cycling has become a world-wide sport and grown dramatically in popularity over the past few years. It is a sport of total commitment, far more than most people know. Athletes build up their hearts to two times the normal capacity. The top guys have heart rates of forty beats per minute. They achieve levels of stamina that are almost super human.

My father was such a man, and he was well known in the sport. When I was in my teens, it wasn’t long before he noticed that I had natural talent and began to train me. I won the very first race in which I took part. Though my family were "Christians", on Sunday we were always at cycle races. I improved consistently and soon was in national and international races. By the time I was 17, the trainer of a national team told me, "You have the potential to reach the top." From that time on I set my sights on becoming professional.

My father put everything he had into this hope: money, determination, and effort. I really enjoyed it and was generally happy, but I had all but forgotten about God. My life was cycling, and I dreamt of wealth and glory. I did not concern myself with studies or anything else; cycling was simply all there was!

One Sunday morning I was putting my bicycle on the car as usual when my neighbour came by with his Bible under his arm. He said good morning, and then before leaving added, "God bless you!" When I heard his parting comment, something funny happened inside. It was as though someone had pulled the carpet from under me. It was the strangest sensation, and the thought struck me, "If Jesus were to return to earth today, where would you be? You would be lost forever – lost forever..."

On my way to where we were cycling that day, I prayed, "Father God, if it is your will that I give up cycling, You will have to help me because I like what I do. If You want me to be totally committed to you, You have to help me." In that race I fell for the first time. It is totally normal that racers fall from time to time, but it had never happened to me. I was unable to finish the race. The next Sunday I was ready for the next race, fit and with a new bike. Once again something happened and I was unable to finish. Slowly I began to understand that it might have something to do with my prayer, and God was trying to tell me something.

From that day on I was unable to finish another race. Either I was sick, fell, or had a problem with my bicycle, such as a flat tyre. My father was enraged, es pecially when I told him about my prayer. For a long time afterwards he did not even speak to me. There was a heavy tension in our family, and I did not know how to win back my father’s love and respect.

I returned to the church, and Jesus became the most important thing in my life. When everything settled down I came to the realization that I had no education. I only knew that Jesus loved me and that the answer was prayer. In the end I landed a job working in the Peugeot factory. During this same period I received the Baptism of the Holy Spirit.

Things did not go well for me at work. I still had a rebellious heart and constantly had difficulties with other workers and my bosses. Within six months I was finished and longed for the days when I was a top cyclist.

In my frustration I cried out to God, "Where is the blessing? I feel like a slave. I trusted You." This was His answer."How can I use you for great things if you are unable to deal with small things?" In that moment of humility I decided once and for all that no matter where God sent me, I would strive to be the best.

I began to honour others and they soon noticed. It was not long before I had friends. I never dreamt that I could have fun at work. Every day work became a holy commission for me, which I carried out with the same gusto I would have given to a cycle race. It began to frustrate me when we had to do a job that was not done as well as it could have been. The company suggested a training programme for me and once again I found myself in school. I did well.

The men I worked with and I became close friends and, as a result, I was able to talk to them about God. My greatest joy came when a colleague invited Jesus Christ into his life.

Eventually I was put in charge of a section, with 60 workers under me. With God’s help I was able to build the same comradeship with these men as I had had on the assembly line.

In 1989 there was a strike at Peugeot. I was called into the office and was told that over 2,000 people had left their work stations. There was chaos and confusion at the plant. When everything settled down we saw that almost every man in my shift was ready for work and this without threats. The trouble continued for two months.

One morning the factory director came through and greeted us. We had never had contact with him in our work station. An inner voice said, "Relax, you will soon meet that man." Fifteen minutes later I was sent to his office. He wanted to know how I had convinced my team to remain at work. I told him about my faith and that I prayed for my men every morning. He started to laugh, "I am a nuclear physicist and believe that everything has a rational explanation." We spoke about religion for the next hour. That day we became friends. He gave me a rise in pay and a promotion.

To the displeasure of my boss, every morning after that the director would come down from his executive building and invite me to coffee. Later I discovered that the he was telling people throughout the company about the things God was doing in my life.

Once I was put in charge of a "rebellious team". I prayed and prayed about the situation. They sabotaged the work and would not listen to instruction. In one month I lost 10 lb. due to the stress. One day while I was complaining to God about them, the Holy Spirit asked, "Why do you not use my Word?" That same day the head troublemaker came to me in my office. He had come to the end of his rope and I was able to tell him about the love of Jesus. By the time he returned to his work station, he was my friend.

In a few days the whole atmosphere had changed and the team became a blessing to work with. From being the worst team they became the best in the plant. When I was told what a good job I’d done, I was able, once again, to tell them about Jesus. I have learned that no matter what we do, if we do it unto God, even our work places can be a wonderful place to "minister" to others.