Words: Kevin Lillard
Photos: Bryce Hudson and S. Parkinson

Hey, I am Kevin Lillard; as some of you may know, I injured my ankle a few months back and I am currently in the middle of physical therapy to get back to being able to ride again. I have an upper ankle sprain (common in football players), which is caused by a severe impact causing the talus bone to press the tibia and fibula bones apart damaging the tissues, tendons and muscles involved with holding those two bones together. Basically my doctor and physical therapist told me I would have been better off breaking a bone in my leg or foot; it would have healed twice as fast. So 3 months off the old dirtscooter gives you a lot of free time to think and in my case spend some time in Gods word and figure some things out.

I wanted to share a little bit about what God has been speaking to me about. Those of you that ride with me on a regular basis have probably noticed that I've been rather frustrated with my riding. I have been blaming this or that: my bike handles like junk, I don't have the talent, I'm too tall (well I am, but we won't go there haha), and so forth. I remember in my frustration thinking, “God why can't I just ride good.”  I was comparing myself to others around me and coming up short (some times literally, thus the sprained ankle).  It consumed me, all I cared about was the fact I wanted to ride good. My focus was on riding and not so much the Lord.  Then right at the perfect moment God gave me a reality check, an injury. At first I was so frustrated, but as I started to heal I came to a realization and asked myself, “What have I been doing?” God gave me this incredible opportunity; I ride motocross, something I have wanted to do for as long as I can remember, I have been given the opportunity to move to southern California, and I am currently part of a Christian Motocross Ministry … all things I am passionate about. However, I feel that I have been blowing it.

I came across a song last week I had not heard in a long time “use me here” by Everybody Duck. It helped me realize I need to stop praying that God will change His will and pray that I will have the strength and devotion to DO His will…  

The Chorus of the song goes as follows:
Use me here, where I am
Not going to pray anymore that you'll change your plans
Despite my fear I place my life in your hands
The future can wait
Tomorrow might be too late
So Jesus use me here…”

I realized that all this time I had been riding for MYSELF and not for GOD.  It's hard to get over the want to look and feel like a Rockstar on the track, but I had to take a step back and ask, “Is this what God wants?”  Romans 12:3-6 states, “ For by the grace given me I say to every one of you: Do not think of yourself more highly than you ought, but rather think of yourself with sober judgment, in accordance with the measure of faith God has given you. Just as each of us has one body with many members, and these members do not all have the same function, so in Christ we who are many form one body, and each member belongs to all the others. We have different gifts, according to the grace given us.”

Moreover, 1 Corinthians 12:4 states, “ There are different kinds of gifts, but the same Spirit. There are different kinds of service, but the same Lord. There are different kinds of working, but the same God works all of them in all men.”

So my gift may not be the fastest motocross rider or even the most talented. The fact is very few are. I have realized coming back from this injury I need to start fresh. I need to get back to why I started riding to begin with … and that was because it was fun. I need to enjoy riding for what it is: an awesome sport unlike any other, an opportunity to meet people and share Gods love with them.  At this point in my life I'm still trying to figure out what God is calling me to do. But putting the Lord first I believe is a step in the right direction. Allowing God to work through my riding and hanging out at the track.

So I ask this, next time you're at the track will you ask Jesus to “use me here?”

See you at the track
Kevin Lillard #511
Factory PanicREV – doing it for JESUS!