Direction: Signs Between Switchbacks

Glimpse of the Future

¹“If you are not intimidated at the foot of Alpe d’Huez, you never will be. You go through every emotion on that climb...” Robert Millar, Pro Cyclist, one of Britain’s best grimpeurs

Happy New Year! An opportunity for a fresh start should take the best of the past with it. Using your quiet time to ponder what’s peaceful in your cycling, now resolve to apply that peace to discovering a direction that sees you through the next hairpin.

The famous L’Alpe d’Huez climb provides a dramatic illustration. Until you race it for real, it’s impossible to know what makes it so daunting. For me, it wasn’t so much the average gradient of 8% although there are steep pitches in the mix. It was more the combination of being able to see the top again and again bend after bend and feeling like it wasn’t getting much closer. Its thirteen kilometers seem to go on endlessly. Twenty-one hairpin turns are ²marked and numbered indicating many changes of rhythm before the famous finish.

Up d’Huez, you get caught in the contrast between a seductive mountain top and its scornful signposts. You climb to another level and are immediately faced with the distance to the next hurdle. It’s almost cruel at first. About halfway up, I redirected my anaerobic thoughts and made those signs a comfort. Rather than letting the markers mock, I used them as guideposts to remind me what was overcome to arrive that much closer to the goal.

The peace that accompanies sure direction is like the calm interim between switchbacks. It’s a guide that can steady you through the next setback. Even if the summit can only be glimpsed occasionally, use the decisions sought in calm to help you dance your way upward.

Prayer for Direction
“Set up road signs; put up guideposts. Take note of the highway, the road that you take.” ³Jeremiah 31:21

We are thankful to catch sight of what’s ahead. We confess we sometimes crack at the task of getting there, well short of the summit. We ask for indications to plan our course, guidance in the going, and strength for the journey.

Upwards and Onwards!

 

 

Ponder Is my rhythm steady in the right direction? Affirm I can endure immediate trial on the way to completed tasks. Watch those benchmarks between bends noting what’s being done well and knowing more chances are ahead.

^1“Cycling: the Uphill Road to Hell,” by Andrew Longmore published July 13, 1997 in The London Independent, Copyright 1997 Newspaper Publishing PLC 

²For an interactive route map of L’Alpe d’Huez and photos of each sign see http://cycling.ben.uk.net/Road/Frenchalps/Alpedhuez/alpedhuez_interactive.php#

³The Bible, New International Version, Copyright © 1973, 1978, 1984 by International Bible Society

Cyclist of the Year

 

⁴“I remember making up a list…win the junior world championship…win a gold medal…be a professional within a year or two…win the world pro championship…win the Tour de France.” Greg LeMond on his extraordinary goal-setting

Aim at something, that's what you get

Greg’s list is extraordinary not just because of the level of his goals, but because these goals were made with little indication of reality. These were the dreams of a star-struck teenager inside his second or third dozen races! Yet each goal was achieved!

I always ask the dream question when initially helping an athlete set goals. I don’t want an edited version, but a spontaneous confidentiality about desire’s destination. My requirement isn’t that it has a basis in reality, but that it is truly what one dreams of doing. I used to think everyone would have the same answers – aiming at the sport’s pinnacle events. But I was humbled about how wrong I can be; everyone answers differently.

We seem to have an internal mechanism which indicates our destinies. Some adages that apply: as a man thinketh within himself, so is he; aim at nothing, that’s what you get. The key is not what the dream is but that you get at it. Uncovering that ideal which may be hidden under layers of put-downs or discouragement, dusting it off, and putting it back on the shelf like a prized trophy is today’s assignment. If you had your own panel of judges, what would you accomplish which would make you the Cyclist of the Year? It could be as simple as consistent training, as challenging as weight management, or as bombastic as Best All Around Rider. It could be a power to weight ratio figure, an increase in speed at a timed distance, or a particular event. Take some time on a ride this week to let those dreams come to you. Write it down and take aim! Your world championships await…

Prayer for Goal-Setting

“…I’ve got my eye on the goal…I’m off and running, and I’m not turning back.” ⁵Philippians 3:14

We are thankful that we are all given dreams! We confess our age of reason sometimes hinders uninhibited imagination. We ask for reckless internal abandonment to dare to dream again.  

Ponder What pumps me up? What is my dream in cycling? Affirm I am in wonder about how my bicycle can transport me toward accomplishments arranged for me.  Watch those fantasies turn into a well-ordered to-do list.

⁴“Inside Cycling with John Wilcockson: The exceptionally gifted LeMond,” By John Wilcockson
VeloNews editorial director filed September 23, 2005. Produced by: Inside Communications on www.velonews.com

 ⁵The Message, Copyright © 1993, 1994, 1995, 1996, 2000, 2001, 2002 by Eugene H. Peterson.

Cycling and Peace

Lean, Serene, Cycling Keen

⁸⁷“Before a major bicycle race the riders are supposed to be, if not at one of the seven levels of serenity, at least calm and purposeful…”  Samuel Abt, Cycling Writer 

Peace on bicycle earth

As we reflect upon this demising year, take an overview of your cycling purpose. While you choose your favorite from the holiday goody tray, what was your specific cycling pleasure of the year? Your enjoyments show as much as your disappointments. In fact, career counselors say pay attention to any strong emotions as indicators of your particular problem to solve, your unique assignment. Cycling evokes your passion alright, or you would dread to experience these daily inspirations about it.

We get so winded in our seasons of competitions and comparisons, our calm is smothered. Countless times I’ve counseled racers in bad form, financial ruin, and relational distress who, ready to let it go, still had a conviction that something was not yet completed. Indeed there was work to do in each case: learning resourcefulness on a strict budget; patience while physiological adaptations finally take hold; reuniting separate lives through communication; taking a dream as far as reality permitted.

For others the new year may bring a downsizing or shifting of cycling’s place: learning how life is without training as your profession; transitioning to a different role or team; living out a suspension.

Resuscitate your excitement by remembering why it draws you. This may be an extrinsic reason, such as prize money or praise; but think a little harder and figure out what’s behind it all. From the same cup as joy comes peace, an inner surrender to your life on this road because… [your heart’s answer.]

It’s as if we’re called like clergyman to this sport because it demands so much of us and is more than a job or a past-time. Celebrate this calling and breathe new faith, hope, and joy into it for this coming year. The peace of knowing its meaning for you will drive you to finish strong in your destined race.

Prayer for Peace

“A heart at peace gives life to the body, but envy rots the bones.” ⁸⁸Proverbs 14:30 

We are thankful that we’ve been called to cycling for some special purpose. We confess we entangle this within the destinies of others. We ask for peace to show us our own clear road. 

Ponder Is my cycling troubled; how can I change course? Affirm I am at peace with my direction and duties. Watch peace be a road map which gives clear signs for my designated route, even with switchbacks ahead.

⁸⁷“Tale of a Cyclist in Need of Victory,” by Samuel Abt, Sports Editor, International Herald Tribune, published April 7, 1998 on www.iht.com

Author Samuel Abt, associate editor for the International Herald Tribune, is based in Paris and has written about bicycle racing for over two decades. His Tour de France reports are published regularly in major periodicals, and he’s produced a shelf of books about cycling.

⁸⁸The Bible, New International Version, Copyright © 1973, 1978, 1984 by International Bible Society
 

Testing & Physiologists

Conconi, Wingate, Schoberer & Co.⁶ 

⁷“… start you off at 100 watts and ramp you up 30 watts every 3 minutes. So really the test is easy then you are suffering and then it’s over for the most part.” Stu Cycling blog on LT testing

Me as lab rat

Yet another set of tests establish benchmarks for physiological adaptation and training efficacy. One of the measurements of talent in the lab determines amount and time to adaptation – with champions often showing a greater training effect in a shorter training cycle than average performers. These tests can measure maximum potential while also revealing the starting points for the new season’s training.

While VO2_max is the be-all, end-all figure for measuring pulmonary potential, it’s important to remember that one data point does not always give a true picture since VO2_max can change. ⁸Studies indicate even this gold standard of endurance performance can be trained for greater uptake. The new standard for performance potential is power at Lactate Threshold. Also known by other monikers such as maximum steady state, it is the hardest one can go for about an hour.

For serious competitors, ⁹it’s important to discover the new season’s training zones simultaneously measuring these performance indicators: power at LT, VO2 max, heart rate; along with Rate of Perceived Exertion to understand the feel within each range of intensity. Many other indicators can be useful to track all aspects of training efficacy and responsiveness. One can employ field testing protocols simply by using a watch, RPE and the same course; a stationary trainer, a friend with a clipboard, and a heart rate monitor as in the Conconi method; a Powermeter; or use lab protocols that provide specialized equipment and a physiologist.

Lab tests such as the ¹⁰Wingate measures anaerobic capacity.  In the “firm” of field and lab testing procedures, a host of name-worthy “associates” are available to measure your suffering and determine its physiological meaning!

 

Prayer for Performance Testing, Sports Physiologists

“In his hand is the life of every creature and the breath of all mankind.” ¹¹Job 12:10

We are thankful for methods to track training progress. We confess we sometimes idolize results rather than use them as strict self-comparison; or are intimidated by their realism. We ask to know our personal profile of testing standards and for blessing on cycling’s exercise scientists.

 

Ponder Do I know my range of numbers? Affirm I can collect data that compares where I am with where I’m going. Watch those indicators to know what smart training is for you.

⁹“Before participating in strenuous exercise or before beginning to exercise after a layoff from regular physical activity…it is ideal to have VO2 max and  heart rate measured simultaneously.” Quoted in Serious Training for Endurance Athletes by Rob Sleamaker, Ray Browning published by Human Kinetics 1988. To this we now add, power at LT and always Rate of Perceived Exertion. If all equipment fails and to race without distraction, one still has to know how hard to go by feel.

¹⁰There is no standard for measuring anaerobic capacity, and physiologists disagree about the proper testing method for it. In road racing situations, the real test is what one has left to reach the finish line first; however, improving anaerobic capabilities has a positive affect upon aerobic performance.

¹¹The Holy Bible, English Standard Version Copyright © 2001 by Crossway Bibles, a division of Good News Publishers

Training Programs & Coaches

Live Chat

¹“…experience will tell the coach what is physically realistic and… [the coach] needs that subjectivity to balance the non-organic objectivity of science.” Erin Hartwell, Track Coach, Olympic Medalist

 

Teaching is a big part of Coaching

 

For road cyclists, now is the time to begin laying a firm foundation for future fitness and performance. After rest and focus on other aspects of life and exercise, getting back to the bike even in wintry conditions is welcomed. Now is the time to re-set in several areas: gather current data, set up new parameters, start a fresh approach to training.

Without exception, everybody needs advice in this community. We seek wise counsel for everything from blood work to bike clubs. The riding itself especially needs an experienced guide. Today’s good coach is both scientist and artist, who evaluates all currently known measures and applies them in consideration of personal experience, the myriads of variables associated with the pursuit of cycling, as well as you – its unique participant.

To produce the Training Plan is a small part of coaching. What seems like black and white in a training journal is in fact a textured, living masterpiece in an interactive coach-athlete relationship. This master plan needs to be an organic work in progress. Ultimate success for the soundest regimen is dependent in large part on mutual trust between rider and advisors. Building rapport is the first step in taking responsibility for another’s welfare, and the best relationships start with agreement about what’s to be accomplished. The twin privileges of objective correction and subjective insight can then be exchanged between rider and coach melding fact and feeling to craft beautiful works-in-progress and even winning performances.

 

Prayer for Training Program, Coaches
“Without consultation, plans are frustrated, but with many counselors they succeed.” ²Proverbs 15:22

We are thankful for the abundant resources for smart training that exist today. We confess we are sometimes either confused by what seems like conflicting methods or are stubborn in admitting that we need directions to find the best approaches to successful form. We ask for wise counsel and blessing on coaches and training programs.

Ponder Am I seeking advice from experts for fitness improvements? Affirm I can make steady gains with the right advice. Watch how straight a crooked road becomes with an expert ally to guide and affirm your accomplishments.

¹Erin Hartwell is a multiple Olympic and World Champion medalist on the track. As a coach, he is quoted here on www.wenzelcoaching.com, one of many coaching associations in America. Perhaps the best known of these groups is Carmichael Training Systems www.trainright.com due to founder Chris Carmichael’s affiliation with Lance Armstrong. Hunter Allen’s Peaks Coaching Group also is producing a stable of performers and is an innovator for applied Powermeter data, www.peakscoachinggroup.com. Or look me up at www.bethleasure.com

²New American Standard Bible (NASB) Copyright © 1960, 1962, 1963, 1968, 1971, 1972, 1973, 1975, 1977, 1995 by The Lockman Foundation

Race Mechanics

Wrenches, Wenches and Trenches

²³“…Bring me your bike with an attitude of entitlement, and I’ll put my greasy fingers all over your new white bar tape.” Merlyn Townley, Race Mechanic

Mechanics ought to get Podium girls too

 

If the bike doesn’t work, you can’t ride it. The meaning of work becomes more highly defined the more elite you become in the racing world. Simple mechanisms that drive movement become high-tech proving grounds for aerodynamics, lightness, and safety. One of the most important persons in your world is your mechanic. If you take this for granted, you’ll number yourself with those people who think they don’t need anyone to succeed, and that is a great myth. Racers define our community, sponsors fund it, but it’s the mechanics that keep it running smoothly.

On a pro team, this is the person who works the longest hours, probably knows the most about you, and usually says the least. I’ve ridden their last minute improvisations that a rocket scientist would envy. Chances are the mechanic will be the first to reach you in a racing accident. I’ve been a fallen woman in a ditch pulled out by the caring team wrench and put on a stretcher. I’ve experienced them tending my wounds miles from any hospital, then making my bike sing again. I’ve seen them wash blood off top tubes. When a comrade took a fatal spill, the neutral support mechanic covered the bike with a blanket away from public scrutiny. I’ve watched them squirm in anxiety from the team car while watching their riders battle it out and whoop the loudest when their rider crossed the finish line first. I’ve witnessed them weeping with fatigue and stagger without praise.

This person is not the one you take for granted; on the road especially, this person IS your mama, the behind-the-scenes nurturer who puts life in your wheels.

 

Prayer for Race Mechanics
“Bless all his skills, O LORD, and be pleased with the work of his hands…” ²⁴Deuteronomy 33:11

We confess we need others to keep life moving. We are thankful for the bicycle artisans who regularly sacrifice in their lifestyles on the road with us.  We pray for the provision of this unrepresented guild. We ask for timely assistance and awareness to give them praise.

Ponder What can I do to help my mechanic? Have I been appreciative for all their hard work? Affirm I say thank you when appropriate. Watch your mechanic light up when you bring them…anything clean.

²³Conversations with Merlyn Townley, who has helped me out of many a diva’s conundrum with bicycle repair. This statement was made to a cyclist with an attitude of entitlement when the mechanic was doing him a favor and was in no way officially working for that rider’s team.

²⁴The Bible, New International Version, Copyright © 1973, 1978, 1984 by International Bible Society

Race Officials

Riders Ready…

²⁰“If outside of rolling enclosure please obey traffic laws, do NOT run stop signs. We have enough memorial races.”  Beth Wrenn-Estes, Race Official

Happiness is Room with a View

Cycling is full of mysterious groups, and we are a clan-like people. We form little tribes in order to battle with other tribes and celebrate our peculiar subculture. It’s a “we versus them” viewpoint, and our universe may only be as large as a local group ride.

In this rebellious environ, authority is viewed with suspicion. I’d been racing a while before I noticed an official without looking through him and only then because he’d addressed me by name startling me out of my racing stupor-superiority complex. It was much later as a team director, when I realized that I was now in some kind of parallel plane with these strange figures who wore uniforms and carried clipboards and often looked grim. It was no longer we versus them; now they were necessary to help me clarify details, gather information, and guide others. Imagine, these are people who love rules, remember details, and can spot numbers faster than a speeding bullet!

With an expanding spirit, I now appreciate the value of this skill-set and its protection of my riders and their results. Suddenly, the guy in stripes barking from a motorcycle seems justified to me because he was thinking about rider safety. Appreciation turned into admiration when I started to remember their names, learn about their lives, and realize many of them are former racers. Take a ride in ²¹Com One and you get it: they are our biggest fans in many ways, rarely forget what we do, and are racing along with us. They have a face, and while it may look a bit dour whilst scrawling figures quickly on a notepad, at dinner after the races – they’re laughing and swapping tales just like racers do.

Prayer for Race Officials
“Respect the authorities, whatever their level…Exercise your freedom by serving God, not by breaking the rules. Treat everyone you meet with dignity.” ²²1 Peter 2:12-14 

We are glad for the authorities who protect our riding freedoms through order. We recognize our defensive, arrogant bent to protest/rationalize. We pray for graceful interaction if we differ, for their keen observation and fair judgment and ask blessing upon officials.

Ponder Am I knowledgeable of rules and teachable when my actions are questioned? Affirm I am strong even when silent. I am kind even when I disagree. Watch how others treat you when you treat others with respect.

²⁰Pre-race instructions about warming up before a time trial by Beth Wrenn Estes at a race in Colorado, sometime in the 1990s. Beth Wrenn-Estes is one of the first officials granted UCI status in America. She has officiated all over the world, and was Competition Director for Cycling at the 1996 Olympic Games in Atlanta. A female in a male-dominated sport, she has been creative and resourceful in contributing to cycling’s future.

²¹Com 1 is the lead vehicle who transports the Chief Judge or Race Commissaire. It’s arguably the best view of the peloton and its action, short of racing in it.

²²The Message, Copyright © 1993, 1994, 1995, 1996, 2000, 2001, 2002 by Eugene H. Peterson

Internal Health: Feed or Fast?

Clean It Up

¹²“He is able to eat solid food again, as the other end of his digestive tract is now working properly. ‘It’s nice to be able to poo again.’”         Jan Rehula, Czech Olympian

 

A little forced but you get the idea

 

 

Resting sometimes means withdrawing from the structure of an elite racer’s spartan diet by feeding the body what it wants and what is withheld during competition. This can bring some emotional comfort or possibly nutritional restoration after a depleting season. Or sometimes resting the body can mean withholding some food for a time. The timing can vary for these off-season nutritional journeys – whether forays into indulgent treating or respites for fasting and cleansing – both in moderation. For instance, one could indulge during the holidays or when reconnecting with friends and family but set aside some time for cleansing or a fast.

Sometimes a fast is forced due to injury, surgery, or rehabilitation. The body works efficiently when cleansed internally; it can be like a fuel-efficient high octane performance machine when digestion is unhindered. ¹³Studies show that fasting combined with feeding can spark an increased performance effect, but changes in diet should be done as trials when not training hard or racing.

Fasting works best when combined with lots of rest and minimum amounts of stress. It’s best to perform a fast or cleanse with some oversight and expert advice in the off-season. Even with this advice, question ingredients for any supplemental cleanses and check the ¹⁴WADA list for banned substances. Check it out, and then after you do, release into the benefits of a cleanse or fast. It can lead to clarity, vision-casting, and experiencing life with the refreshed senses of a different season. 

 

Prayer for Internal Health

“Don’t you see that whatever enters the mouth goes into the stomach and then out of the body?” ¹⁵Matthew 15:17

 

Our bodies are wonderfully made and responsive. We are grateful that we can work hard and that healthy eating and digestion are available to us! We are grateful for advances in nutrition. We pray for internal healing and for the sparkling insight cleansing may yield.

 

Ponder What habits can be changed for greater health and who can you ask to help you with this? Affirm I have a purpose which requires strength and internal fortitude. Watch how purification affects your energy physically and spiritually.

 

 

^12“Rehula on the mend,” cyclingnews.com, News for February 10, 2001. “Czech triathlete and Olympic bronze medalist Jan Rehula….after a second operation to repair the extensive damage to his nether regions, Rehula told Cyclingnews he was recovering rapidly.”

 ^13“Effects of 24-hour fast on cycling endurance time at two different intensities,” by S. F. Loy, R. K. Conlee, W. W. Winder, A. G. Nelson, D. A. Arnall and A. G. Fisher. Journal of Applied Physiology, Vol 61, Issue 2 654-659, Copyright © 1986 by American Physiological Society. “…the 24-h fast had no effect on resting muscle glycogen stores but significantly increased plasma free fatty acid (FFA) levels. Despite the increased FFA availability, time to fatigue was reduced in the fasted groups.” 

¹⁴World Anti-Doping Agency banned list is at www.wada-ama.org

¹⁵The Bible, New International Version, Copyright © 1973, 1978, 1984 by International Bible Society

Off-Season: Let It Go

Time for enjoyable eats too

 

⁹“It’s the off-season – time to sit on my couch and eat ¹⁰Cheetos®.”         Dave Harr, weekend warrior 

Bike riding often attracts lovers of solitude, whose familiarity with isolation grows into fondness for its refuge. Many hours spent training alone, while beloved and protected – sometimes fiercely fought for – are then managed with many more hours seeking and absorbing the approval of many. This pendulum that swings between disciplined singular hardships and short-term public affirmations takes its toll after a long, even successful race season.

Beyond the physical need for rest, an emotional change is necessary that moves from responsiveness and approval to deliberation and self-acceptance. The racing lifestyle is about moving, travel, transport, staying in uncertain circumstances for varying amounts of time, keeping things fast, loose, and in the air – ready for dreams to be met and opportunities to unfold on the fly, in the moment, and spontaneously. Risk-takers are rewarded. The successful speculators soar in these spring and summer breezes. Yet even freedom-loving eagles have nests and must land at times. Digging in to re-group and ground one’s heart in stillness, predictability, and privacy during the autumn and winter gives annual balance. Even the trees are stretching in anticipation of a winter break to release their unnecessary burdens for those months.

Let the shedding leaves be your signal to let it go, let it go. Let past expectations and results fall away and land upon new refreshing ground. This is unshakeable ground that knows that everything has its time, and its efforts are the reward.

Prayer for Release

“There’s an opportune time to do things, a right time for everything on the earth…

A right time to hold on and another to let go…” ¹¹Ecclesiastes 3:1, 5

We acknowledge that we are an insecure group of athletes. We are performance-driven and need regular recognition. We are grateful that our completion comes in being, not just doing. We pray for relaxation and for release from expectations.

Ponder little. Enjoy some delicious moments just as they are! Who can share these gentle times with you? Who can you refresh with quietness? Affirm I am loved even when I’m still. I am worthy even when I’m not achieving extrinsically – rather when my efforts are within. Watch how well the world greets you while you smile at it.

 

 

⁹Outspok’n is the newsletter of the International Christian Cycling, circa 1994. Quote by Dave Harr, Club President at that time

¹⁰Cheetos® are a registered trademark of the Frito-Lay Corporation. This product’s motto is, “It’s not easy being cheesy!” Definitely atypical cycling nutrition for an atypical time of year in the life of a pro cyclist.

¹¹The Message, Copyright © 1993, 1994, 1995, 1996, 2000, 2001, 2002 by Eugene H. Peterson

Off-Season: Repair

⁷“During heavy exercise, the membranes of muscle fibers, the connective tissues surrounding them, and the actin and myosin filaments of your muscles are damaged…your muscles require time and nutrients for repair…”  Edmund Burke, Exercise Scientist

Just as race season training intensifies, so off-season takes rest to another level, a micro-fiber respite. Physiologically-speaking, now is the time for rest at the cellular level. Sure you may feel antsy after days off, but a simple test will demonstrate that more recovery is needed. It’s best to recover until a deep tissue massage feels enjoyable rather than tolerable. This may mean weeks off the bike.

What does a cyclist do during these weeks? Things you cannot imagine most of the year. Reacquaint yourself with sedentary activities or movement that is lightly active. Finish projects from last year’s off-season, begin ones to complete next year. Take a trip to a place that isn’t cycling-related, like a beach or a canyon hike – or even a tourist attraction (can you believe it?) or stay home for once!

Pursue a new interest. Remind your legs that they were made for non-circular types of movements also – but restfully. Be prepared that a mind accustomed to frequent exercise-induced pleasure will also be affected. A real sense of loss may occur, but remember it’s partly because you’re not triggering that brain chemistry in quite the same way during these weeks. This is guilt-free unstructured living while accomplishing the important work of losing fitness to improve fitness, thereby increasing your gains annually. Caring for your muscle fibers in this way is honoring and practical.

Prayer for a Restored Body
“After all, no one ever hated his own body, but he feeds and cares for it…” ⁸Ephesians 5:29 

 

We honor the principle of physiology where rest is as necessary as stress. We are grateful for seasons, transitions, and changes and ask for guidance about how best to utilize our energies during this time! We seek encouragement in this transition. We pray for ways to return the privileges that fitness and health give.

Ponder What interests or responsibilities have been shelved during the busy race season? Have I made any promises to others that haven’t been completed? Affirm I am a person with many gifts. Watch how doing other things contributes to your cycling as well as your life!

⁷Optimal Muscle Performance and Recovery, by Edmund Burke, Ph.D. Copyright © 1999, 2003, Avery Books, Penguin Putnam Inc.

⁸The Bible, New International Version, Copyright © 1973, 1978, 1984 by International Bible Society