Have you ever felt horrible after a bad race?  After you came into the pits or when you got home, did someone put their arms around you and gave you some words of encouragement?    Did it help to brighten your day that someone else showed that they cared?   Did it help you move on to next week’s race?  

There are many stories about the encouraging words people have shared with others and the difference they can make. Rev. Dan has been by my side since I joined the ministry in 2002 and he has been an encouragement to me. He has been an example of this passage from God’s Word.

Philippians 2:1-2; NLT; Is there any encouragement from belonging to Christ? Any comfort from his love? Any fellowship together in the Spirit? Are your hearts tender and compassionate? Then make me truly happy by agreeing wholeheartedly with each other, loving one another, and working together with one mind and purpose.

Dan shared this story and had some thoughts I want to share with you about encouragement. As I said he has always been there to lift me up when the road gets long and difficult. I am thankful to have him alongside. Listen as Rev. Dan shares his thoughts. 

“I wasn’t around for the Rose Bowl in 1929, but I read about an interesting story about this game.   Just before half time, Roy Riegles was playing defense for UCLA against Georgia Tech.   One of Georgia Tech’s players fumbled the ball and Roy Riegles picked it up and ran.   A good thing right?  Well, not for Roy.  He was running the wrong way!    

Benny Lom, a fellow teammate of Reigles was chasing him while screaming for him to stop and turn around.   Roy wouldn’t listen, so Benny tackled him right around the 2 yard line.   Two yards just before he was going to score for the other team!   UCLA had to punt the ball and it was blocked.   Georgia Tech scored a safety and led 2-0 at half-time.   Roy Reigles was devastated.  

During half-time, UCLA coach Nibs Price told Roy that he was starting the second half.  Roy responded “Coach, I can’t do it.  I’ve ruined you, I’ve ruined myself, I’ve ruined the University of California.  I couldn’t face that crowd to save my life.”    Coach Price responded  “Roy, get up and go back out there – the game is only half over.”   

Coach Price encouraged Roy to hold his head up, get back in there and play.   He did, and from the stories I read, Roy had a great second half.   His team did not win that day, but if Roy was not encouraged by his coach and other teammates, it probably would have devastated him for the rest of his life. 

When we see a racer going through a tough time, take a few moments and give them some encouragement – it’s a God thing and examples of this are in the Bible.  

King Hezekiah, a Godly leader of Jerusalem needed to give some words of encouragement to his people.  King Sennacherib from Assyria was invading Judah.   Hezekiah found out that Jerusalem was next on his hit list.   He got together with his officials and military advisors and they decided to stop the flow of water into the city.   They figured they could weaken King Sennacherib when he came to destroy the city by cutting off the water supply.   Hezekiah then strengthened his defenses by repairing the wall and terraces as well as by building a second wall outside of the first.   He then had extra weapons and shields made to protect themselves. He was getting prepared for battle.    He then gathered his military officers and encouraged them to fight.  These words come from the book of 2 Chronicles 32: 7-8. 

2 Chronicles 32 7-8, “Be strong and courageous! Don’t be afraid of the king of Assyria or his mighty army, for there is a power far greater on our side!  He may have a great army, but they are just men.   We have the Lord our God to help us and to fight our battles for us!”   

These words greatly encouraged the people. King Sennacherib heard about this speech while attacking another city.   He sent some officials with a message for Hezekiah and all the people.    He starting making fun of the people of Jerusalem and asked them why they were trusting their king.   Assyrian kings have had a history of destroying others and their cities.  None of the other gods have helped them before, what makes Jerusalem think that their God can stop him.  He tried to make the people of Jerusalem turn against King Hezekiah and God.   Insult upon insult was heaped upon God and Hezekiah from King Sennacherib.   King Hezekiah had enough – he got together with the prophet Isaiah and they prayed to God.   God sent an angel to destroy the Assyrian Army with all of its commanders and officers.   Sennacherib returned home in disgrace. 

When he went into the temple of his god, some of his own sons killed him with the sword.   The Lord had rescued Hezekiah and the people of Jerusalem from the Assyrian army and they didn’t even have to fight.   It’s a great story, and if you would like, read it for yourself in 2 Chronicles chapter 32.   A little bit of encouragement goes a long way – especially if it’s the right kind. 

I want to encourage you to encourage others.   When you see your teammate down, put your arm around him and pray.   Lift them up.   You would be surprised how it can change someone’s life.   You’d also be surprised at what God can do.  Have an awesome week and God bless you!”

Thanks, Dan, for the encouraging words. They remind me of the passage I shared from 2 Kings 6;

2 Kings 6:16-17; NLT; “Don’t be afraid!” Elisha told him. “For there are more on our side than on theirs!” Then Elisha prayed, “O LORD, open his eyes and let him see!” The LORD opened the young man’s eyes, and when he looked up, he saw that the hillside around Elisha was filled with horses and chariots of fire.

When someone encourages us, it causes us to change our focus, look at things differently. We see things we could not see before. We see what God has for us, hope. We are here to hold each other up, to support one another, to provide encouraging words. Life is not meant to be lived alone, it is meant to be shared. Lift someone up today! 

Run the race in such a way as to win, throw off everything that hinders and focus on Jesus. Until next time, remember God loves you and Jesus is Lord over Auto Racing! God Bless. Remember, that your prayerful support and donations help us continue this ministry. Thank You.

One day I was talking to an engine builder about engine building, not because I wanted to build one, but I wanted some understanding about the process. Before I came to RWJM I worked in manufacturing, I made things work, so I have always been intrigued about engine building. He and I talked about a spec engine or “recipe” engine. If I understand it correctly there is a list of parts you can use and from those parts you build an engine.

To some it sounds easy but he explained that picking the right size parts to go together can make all the difference in the world. Some of the parts, although the same, don’t match up right and wouldn’t work well together. You have to keep the right ones and discard the wrong ones. When you put the right ones together you produce more horsepower and isn’t that what it is all about.

Now that I think about it that must be why some chocolate chip cookies taste better than others. The ingredients are pretty basic, but some cooks just know how to put the ingredients together in such a way as to make them irresistible. I must confess though, there aren’t too many chocolate chip cookies I don’t like, but I digress.

Our lives are a lot like tending a garden, building a motor or even making chocolate chip cookies, some things are desirable and some things don’t belong. Only the right combination of things produces the desired effect. We can only live a life that honors God when we remove the things that drain our resources and fertilize the things that grow us into the people we need to be. Jesus talked about it in John’s Gospel.

John 15:1-8; “I am the true vine, and my Father is the gardener. He cuts off every branch in me that bears no fruit, while every branch that does bear fruit he prunes so that it will be even more fruitful. You are already clean because of the word I have spoken to you. Remain in me, and I will remain in you. No branch can bear fruit by itself; it must remain in the vine. Neither can you bear fruit unless you remain in me.

“I am the vine; you are the branches. If a man remains in me and I in him, he will bear much fruit; apart from me you can do nothing. If anyone does not remain in me, he is like a branch that is thrown away and withers; such branches are picked up, thrown into the fire and burned. If you remain in me and my words remain in you, ask whatever you wish, and it will be given you. This is to my Father’s glory, that you bear much fruit, showing yourselves to be my disciples.

Gardening is a constant process of pruning, cutting out things that are not useful, so that the things that are useful can grow and flourish. It seems counterproductive but if you let something grow without some pruning it gets unruly and out of control. It really parallels our lives, if we live without someone pruning us and shaping the decisions we make, our lives would become chaotic and unproductive. We would destroy ourselves. No one can live a long and productive life without some maintenance.

While we need to trim some branches, we also have to keep connected to the main vine. Once something is cut from the main vine it loses its source of living power, withers and dies. We need to stay connected to the source of life, true life, Jesus Christ. He provides the life we need and apart from Him we can do nothing, nothing worth doing that is. All we become if we are not connected to God through Jesus is deadwood.

To lead productive lives that honor God a few things have to take place; first we need to be connected to the Father through Jesus. Jesus is the vine that brings to us the essential elements for life. We need to accept Christ and allow him to provide for us the very source of life. He will lead us to the Father.

Second, we must allow God to prune, mold and shape us into the person He created us to be. Let’s face it, that is not a comfortable process, cutting things off, changing things, thinking differently, but it is a process that is necessary if we are going to live an abundant life. Some of the things we think and do are not beneficial to us, they just don’t belong. God will remove those and help us to grow in the right direction.

“A lady studied the art of bonkei: she learned how to place curiously shaped rocks and bonsai plants on a tray spread with sand to create a miniature landscape. But … the final secret eluded her: no matter what she did, her sand never held together in the perfect waves and ripples of the master’s precisely arranged grains. Finally, after many years …she was told the answer. She bowed at the feet of the master, and he spoke. ‘Use glue,’ he said”

Jesus is the glue that holds our life together, he keeps us connected to God. Without that connection we will wither and die. God is the master gardener that shapes our lives into the life He created us to live. God uses the Holy Spirit to communicate to us the things that have to be removed, adjusted and encouraged for our lives to honor Him. Remember that passage?

1Corinthians 10:23 “Everything is permissible”–but not everything is beneficial. “Everything is permissible”–but not everything is constructive.

We sometimes think we can handle it when, in fact, we shouldn’t even try. We need to turn our life over to God and let him prune and shape us into what He created us to be. We need to stay connected to Jesus, without that connection we will wither and die. We need to call on the name of Jesus and seek God while He can still be found.

Run the race in such a way as to win, throw off everything that hinders and focus on Jesus. Until next time, remember God loves you and Jesus is Lord over Auto Racing! God Bless. Remember, that your prayerful support and donations help us continue this ministry. Thank You.

Having just returned from a long journey I find pleasure in sitting still. As I sit here my mind turns to the road I traveled. As with many of our journeys we have a route we plan, an itinerary in mind. My thoughts go to all the detours. 

As I crisscrossed the countryside, I am mindful of where God was going to take me on a detour for His glory. On my recent trip I had the pleasure of meeting Matthew, a tree climber for Samaritan’s Purse Disaster Relief and an emergency room nurse in his home life. An unplanned part of the journey that was a blessing. Remember, in the midst of the journey, God has a blessing for us.

Racing road trips can take on a life of their own. Many times it isn’t a straight line. I am encouraged when I see someone post they are traveling from here to there and if someone needs something delivered or picked up let them know. I have been known to transport racecar parts on some of my journeys. Those little side trips present opportunities to pour out the blessings we have from knowing God.

Think about who has gone out of their way to help make our journey possible. I am sure, if you are like me, the more you think about it the longer the list becomes. Last week we talked about gratitude, this week we return the favor. Consider what was done for you and do the same for someone else.

While we are not there yet, I am glad to say we are closer than where we started. I have watched many of you move closer to God during this season. I have been blessed to be a part of your progress. We have all grown closer and have learned to lean on one another. Our journey together is life changing when we invite Christ to walk along with us. 

The holidays give us the time to reflect and redirect our journey. The fact is there will always be a journey to take and a place to arrive. We need to remember; we are not there yet. The places we arrive at on our journey are just rest stops along the road to building a life that demonstrates our gratitude and thankfulness to God for loving us. 

We have stopped at many places along the road this year, we have visited and spent time with many people along the way; some in passing and some we have taken time to sit and talk with. What have we shared? What have we added? Have we overcome the focus on self to be able to pour into the lives of others? Have we left a sweet aroma in our wake?

Ephesians 5:1-2; NLT; Imitate God, therefore, in everything you do, because you are his dear children. Live a life filled with love, following the example of Christ. He loved us and offered himself as a sacrifice for us, a pleasing aroma to God.

To be able to pour out a blessing to others we need to be filled ourselves. Sometimes we don’t slow down enough to fill ourselves up. God promises to fill us with joy and peace. We have to allow him to do that. That is our spiritual journey, much like the ones we travel over the road. Part of the journey is our own growth in our relationship with God.

John 14:26-27; NLT; But when the Father sends the Advocate as my representative—that is, the Holy Spirit—he will teach you everything and will remind you of everything I have told you. “I am leaving you with a gift—peace of mind and heart. And the peace I give is a gift the world cannot give. So don’t be troubled or afraid.

Joy is God’s presence with us, the Holy Spirit that dwells in us, His seal of our relationship. The Holy Spirit reminds us of who God is and that he is with us. Peace becomes ours when we trust God and allow Him to have control over the direction of our journey. As we journey we develop greater joy and peace, we grow deeper in our relationship with God.

I would encourage you to take some time during this holiday season to reflect on your journey with God. Ask yourself, am I full and overflowing with joy and peace? Let Him fill you and then allow that overflowing Spirit to bring hope to those around us.

Sometimes we are not sure how that works, how does the Holy Spirit come to live in my heart? He is available to all but will not force His presence on us. He comes when we invite Him. God provided the gift; we need only accept it.

If we are ready to accept Jesus as our Savior, to invite the Holy Spirit to dwell in us and guide our journey we can do so through a prayer like this: 

Dear God, I am so sorry that I have not been thankful enough for what You have done for me in my life. I want to have the same devotion for You that I have seen others have. I want to accept Jesus’ sacrifice for my sins right now. I trust in His death and resurrection as all I need to cleanse me of my sins and make me perfect in Your sight. I desire to be obedient to your Spirit and to have you with me everywhere I journey in life. Thank You for freeing me from the burdens of my mistakes and giving me peace, in the form of eternal salvation. Help me to make Your love known to others. Amen.”

As we enjoy the holiday season and reflect on where we have been, what a blessing to be able to begin a journey with God.  We start that journey by acknowledging our shortcomings; realizing that we are not able to secure our future without the presence of Christ in our lives.  If you prayed this prayer, please share it with us. We would like the opportunity to pray for you on your new journey. 

Let’s make a commitment to take the time to let God pour into us this holiday. Carve some time out for God and sit quietly before Him and let Him help us see what He has for us each day. His promise in John 10:10 is that He came to give us life, abundant and overflowing. Don’t let the world we live in rob us of the joy and peace that only comes from God. 

Until next time, remember God loves you and Jesus is Lord over Auto Racing! God Bless. Remember, that your prayerful support helps us continue this ministry. Thank You.

We all make choices as to where we race, who we race with and what events we will participate in. We look at the entry list to see how many cars, who is coming, who am I competing against. There are many factors that go into that decision. I wonder if one of them is; who isn’t going to be there.

As fans we decide also; who is putting the race on, what track is it at, who is going to be there. Oh, and what’s the weather going to be like? As fans we are fickle, past experiences dictate whether we will even consider attending a certain event. 

I was surprised as the fans rolled into Lancaster National Speedway with sprinkles still falling from the sky. The mindset of the fans of this area was that the rain would stop and they would run the race and they were going to be there. I’m not sure what the official attendance figure was but the grandstand was full beyond my expectation considering the conditions. The fans in Western NY made their presence known.

There are times when someone’s absence echoes above the noise and is noticed. We wonder where someone is. We wonder what the reasons are for them missing the event. Sometimes that choice is made for us by situations out of our control. We don’t always know the whole story as to why someone is absent. 

James 4:13-14 NLT “Look here, you who say, “Today or tomorrow we are going to a certain town and will stay there a year. We will do business there and make a profit.” How do you know what your life will be like tomorrow? Your life is like the morning fog—it’s here a little while, then it’s gone.”

Chaplain Todd Heft shares these thoughts about going to the races with the absence of someone special. 

“Going to races is more than being with the drivers strapping into the cars. So much goes into a race with so many people doing different jobs.  They all matter to God, so as a chaplain they matter to me. Oftentimes we get to celebrate the highs of racing.  The good results, the wins, the family milestones of weddings, children and life achievements.  We’re also there in the not so good.  The accidents, a difficult medical diagnosis, and the loss of a loved one. Chaplains are knit deeply into the fabric of the community that they serve. 

Today the loss of this young photographer, Evan Canfield, echoes sadness across the entire east coast.  Evan lost his grandfather earlier this year and I was able to spend a few quiet moments (a rare thing at a racetrack) with him in March just days after that loss. It was a chance to just connect and reflect. Today my prayers are with his parents.  Evan’s dad lost a father and son in less than 5 months.  

My family understands what I do in a way I cannot describe.  It is their love and support that allows me to share the love of God with so many people. 

I often play the same song heading on the way to a racetrack.  It’s called Untraveled Road.  Not many want to travel the road in chaplaincy. That’s ok, we are all different parts of the body. 

The lyrics have this that resonate with me:

“When we scream

Our lips don’t make a sound

We march with feet on solid ground

We walk, where no one wants to go

On this untraveled road”

I will continue to proclaim the Gospel of Jesus both with words and actions.  Marching on the solid rock of his birth, death and resurrection. May the peace of Christ that surpasses all understanding be with the entire Canfield family in the coming hours, days, weeks, months and years.”

Thank you Todd. We are not guaranteed tomorrow and all our work, plans and visions won’t make it’s coming any more certain. Don’t lose sight of the present, the here and now.

Ecclesiastes 3:1 NLT “For everything there is a season, a time for every activity under heaven.”

Life comes with the certainty of an end, we don’t welcome it; we would prefer not to have to deal with it. Loss is real, grief is a struggle and absence leaves the heart broken. But, not everything is lost. We don’t lose their inspiration, we don’t lose the memories, we don’t lose their place in our past, the part they filled in our life.

We do lose their presence. We will miss that. Moving forward will always be with a void, there will always be someone missing.

Psalms 34:17-18 NLT “The Lord hears his people when they call to him for help. He rescues them from all their troubles. The Lord is close to the brokenhearted; he rescues those whose spirits are crushed.”

Where do we find comfort? We find it in God’s presence. He enables each of us to have the potential to provide comfort, grace and mercy. When we do we show the love that God has for us.

Life is precious and all our plans, hopes and dreams won’t make tomorrow any more certain. The greatest gift we can give is our time. There will always be another achievement to pursue but there may not be time. When we use the time we have been given to make a difference in the lives of others it is not wasted. We are never at a loss when building relationships is our goal. Even in our absence our presence will be felt.

Romans 12:16-18 NLT “Live in harmony with each other. Don’t be too proud to enjoy the company of ordinary people. And don’t think you know it all! Never pay back evil with more evil. Do things in such a way that everyone can see you are honorable. Do all that you can to live in peace with everyone.”

Until next time, remember God loves you and Jesus is Lord over Auto Racing! God Bless. Remember, that your prayerful support and donations helps us continue this ministry. Thank You.

We are not truly independent? I think if we look at history what happened on Independence Day, a group of people banded together and relied on each other for the strength to declare their independence from British rule. What does it take to be independent? You must divorce yourself from everyone and everything. In the society we live in we have a term for that type of person, a loner. I am not sure that is how God created us to be.

Last week I talked about pursuits and quoted from the Declaration of Independence. Let’s continue on with the next couple of lines and see if that helps us with our understanding of independence.

“…That to secure these rights, Governments are instituted among Men, deriving their just powers from the consent of the governed, –That whenever any Form of Government becomes destructive of these ends, it is the Right of the People to alter or to abolish it, and to institute new Government, laying its foundation on such principles and organizing its powers in such form, as to them shall seem most likely to effect their Safety and Happiness.”

The key word is people, not an individual, but the people. We declare our independence as a group of people, not individuals. To take that a step further, the common view held today that I can do what I want is not the foundation this country was built on. We have drifted away from the understanding that we serve one another to maintain the freedoms we enjoy. While we have individual rights they should be exercised for the common good.

There are only a few things in life we do alone, most everything we do we do with someone else. God designed the family in that way. When members of a family focus on their own interests instead of the needs of the family there is stress, strain and destruction.

Look at our race teams. How many of us could race without a team? I don’t think there is one of us who could. You would at least need a gopher. Take a look around the shop and the pit area. Write a list of all the things that need to be done. There is no way anyone could go it alone. 

Look at our lives. How many of us spend our time completely alone? We don’t. We spend it with family and/or friends. If we don’t have any we go out and look for some. We spend a large part of our time searching for people to be with. I think we are people who enjoy being around other people.

We surround ourselves with people. We enjoy their company. We cannot live without it. One of the secrets to life is our interdependence on each other. The Body of Christ, those who belong to Christ through the acceptance of His sacrifice, is made up of people who depend on each other. 

1 Corinthians 12:12-20; The body is a unit, though it is made up of many parts; and though all its parts are many, they form one body. So it is with Christ. For we were all baptized by one Spirit into one body—whether Jews or Greeks, slave or free—and we were all given the one Spirit to drink. Now the body is not made up of one part but of many. If the foot should say, “Because I am not a hand, I do not belong to the body,” it would not for that reason cease to be part of the body. And if the ear should say, “Because I am not an eye, I do not belong to the body,” it would not for that reason cease to be part of the body. If the whole body were an eye, where would the sense of hearing be? If the whole body were an ear, where would the sense of smell be? But in fact God has arranged the parts in the body, every one of them, just as he wanted them to be. If they were all one part, where would the body be? As it is, there are many parts, but one body. 

Our lives are enhanced when we share them with others. When we work together we can build a life that reflects the love that God has for each of us. The question might be asked, how does this affect me? How does my life affect those around me? Am I a functioning part of the body or do I need some physical therapy to straighten things out? 

Let me suggest first looking around at the people you spend your time with. Do you add or subtract from the relationship? Are people better for knowing you or do they run the other way when they see you coming? Do people seek you out when they need help for support in their lives? 

Jesus lived a life as an example for us. People sought Him out because they knew their life would be better if they listened to Him. If you examine Scripture no one who sought Jesus out was turned away. It didn’t matter what their social or economic situation was, Jesus made time for them. In Scripture we learn that when people came face to face with the living God they never left the same way they came. Jesus changed them both spiritually and physically. 

We must ask ourselves, do people see Jesus in us? If they do, they will seek us out when their lives are not what they should be. It is in this process where we become interdependent. Our lives depend on those around us and their lives depend on us. So much is riding on the way we live; we should live in a way that is right. Paul writes in Philippians 2:5 that our attitude should be the same as Jesus.

That is a great goal, but most of us fall short. We give in to our selfish desires and put the concerns of others secondary to what we want. To overcome this we need to be accountable to someone. Who are you accountable to? Find yourself a faithful friend, one you can trust. One who cares enough about you to tell you the truth. With such a friend you can improve your walk tremendously. We will succeed more than we fail. And when we fail we will have someone there to stand beside us and help us get back on track.

Ecclesiastes 4:9-10,12; “Two are better than one, because they have a good return for their work: If one falls down, his friend can help him up. But pity the man who falls and has no one to help him up! …. Though one may be overpowered, two can defend themselves. A cord of three strands is not quickly broken.

It is good to be dependent on someone and have someone depend on you. It is the basis on which strong fulfilling lives are built. Build your life on the foundation that will not only help you, but will help those who depend on you. Learn to depend on God, he will enable you to be dependable.

Until next time, remember God loves you and Jesus is Lord over Auto Racing! God Bless. Remember, that your prayerful support and donations helps us continue this ministry. Thank You.

It seems everyone in racing has a radio tuned into something. There are so many voices that come over the radio it is a wonder we can distinguish one from another. I thought about the drivers and the voices in their head; Spotter, Crew Chief, Crew Members, Race Director, oh and don’t forget their own thoughts. How do they figure out which one to listen to? How do they filter them out and pick the right voice?

I travel many miles and there are times I prefer silence. I make the car as quiet as possible. I try to tune out anything and everything. Why; so that I can focus on my thoughts and prayers to God and listen for His response. I spend many miles in prayer, communicating and listening to God. Prayer is less about our physical posture and location; kneeling in church and saying some preset words and more about the condition of our heart. Prayer is a conversation with God, any conversation.

I think we pray more than we think. I think we solicit God’s intervention in our lives more than we are aware. How much do we talk to God? What do we hope to hear from Him? How will His voice influence us and the decisions we make? We need to start a conversation.

Talking with God has a few parts to it. First we need to do it, develop a daily plan and talk with God. Much like we talk with our family and friends. We also need to look at content, what do we pray for. We can get caught up thinking God is just there to grant our requests. That is false and a prayer life that is just asking for things will not be much benefit.

That doesn’t mean God doesn’t answer prayers, but the purpose of the conversation is to listen to God’s direction and wisdom. We sometimes forget God has a plan for us and it is good, it will provide hope and a future.

Jeramiah 29:11-13; NLT; For I know the plans I have for you,” says the Lord. “They are plans for good and not for disaster, to give you a future and a hope. In those days when you pray, I will listen. If you look for me wholeheartedly, you will find me.

Are we seeking God wholeheartedly? Many times we are distracted by the things around us, the circumstances of life. We can get so caught up in trying to figure out what’s going on we never make a connection with God. When we become aware of it we offer up a quick prayer and then move along. The problem is, no connection was made.

I heard it put this way once; Some of our prayer lives are like picking up our cell phone and just talking into it, not dialing a number, thinking we just talked to someone, thinking they heard us. We have to make the connection. We have to make the connection with God. Is there someone on the other end?   

The good thing with God is we don’t have to worry where we are or how good our service is, God is always available to connect with. He is waiting for us to reach out to him. I’m going to date myself here, but I remember the old phone company tagline, reach out and touch someone. If there is no connection, there is no conversation.

The content of our prayer doesn’t have to conform to any formula, although Jesus gave us an example in the Lord’s Prayer. Our prayers can be short, long, anything that may be weighing on our shoulders at any given time. The main component that is important is we have to acknowledge who God is and who we are. We are there mostly to listen, not to dictate.

Sometimes we pray to help us get out of things, rather than get through things. Like we are banging on the door “get me out” instead of God “get me through.” There are times we don’t hear an answer and we think God is not listening to us. Remember the cartoon the Flintstones when Fred was locked out, banging on the door yelling “Wilma”! Does your prayer feel like that sometimes?   

Take a step back for a moment, reflect on what we have been burdened with, make that connection with God, then listen. God isn’t ignoring our prayers, he is answering, but we may be looking for a different answer. We need to allow God to lead us to His response, a response that will be beneficial to us.  

God does not provide answers to our prayers that are second best He provides the best. We need to listen and wait for His answer. We wait for many things in life, checkered flags, traffic lights, paydays, well, why not wait for God’s answers to our prayers. 

He will provide the answer, guidance and direction in his time. The timing that will be the best for us. We need to stop trying to find our own answer, or get aggravated because you think He isn’t listening to us.   

Mathew 7:7-8; NLT; “Keep on asking, and you will receive what you ask for. Keep on seeking, and you will find. Keep on knocking, and the door will be opened to you. For everyone who asks, receives. Everyone who seeks, finds. And to everyone who knocks, the door will be opened.

We think God isn’t going to listen to us because of the way we live our life, the mistakes we make. That is not true, He is waiting to hear from us. If you wonder about how to start your prayer, acknowledge Him as Lord and ask for His forgiveness. This is a perfect way to start praying right now; ask God for forgiveness for past things, let him know you’re ready for a relationship with Him.   

I talk with God many times during my day, especially as I’m driving. I pray about so many things. We don’t have to be standing still, wherever we are God is ready to listen. Here’s a way to get the family involved as well. When you gather to eat, before you begin eating ask around is there something we need to pray about today?   

Having that connection with God, listening to Him and following His guidance will change the direction of our lives. He will lead us to people and places we would never go ourselves. I remember a testimony of such a prayer.

A young boy came over to one of our chaplains in the garage area and asked if we would pray with his mother in the stands. As they were walking he shared that his mom has cancer and doesn’t have long to live. As they approached the woman, the woman in the stands broke down in tears. She has been trying to get her son back to church and didn’t think her son believed any longer. Her son knew the importance of prayer that it would help comfort his mom, and God knew her son’s request for prayer would relieve her burden. 

These are the moments in our travels that we see God working in many lives. How a prayer can bring comfort in someone’s life in just a few moments. Don’t hesitate to go to God in prayer, God is listening. Let God bless your day!

Until next time, remember God loves you and Jesus is Lord over Auto Racing! God Bless. Remember, that your prayerful support and donations helps us continue this ministry. Thank You.

We have all had the challenge of having to fix something. The things we are familiar with aren’t the problem, it is when we have to tackle something we know nothing about. The go to these days is YouTube. They have a video for everything. While it is great to listen and watch as someone walks us through, I think firsthand experience is best. I always like to find someone who has actually figured it out and knows. Being connected to the right person can make all the difference. As they say; “it’s not what you know but who you know.”

We find that in many places in racing, many smaller teams have connections with larger teams and they share information. We see it on the setup side also. Most car builders test and compile information to share with their customers to help them learn the adjustments needed to improve the performance of the car. Being connected with that information can make all the difference.

It is not an uncommon discussion to hear in the garage area between teams about how their car is doing. Sometimes the information is shared freely. Sometimes it is closely guarded and hidden. It depends on who you are and what connections you have as to whether or not you can get the information you are searching for.

Who are we connected to? Who do we learn from? As we continue to look ahead to Easter we find ourselves around the dinner table, listening to the conversation between Jesus and His disciples. The subject of connections came up. Jesus shared with them about the connection that existed between Him and The Father. We read in John’s Gospel chapter 14;

John 14:9b-10; NLT; Anyone who has seen me has seen the Father! So why are you asking me to show him to you? Don’t you believe that I am in the Father and the Father is in me? The words I speak are not my own, but my Father who lives in me does his work through me.

Jesus was connected to the Father, they were one in the same. He went on to explain how things work through that connection.

John 15:1-2: NLT; “I am the true grapevine, and my Father is the gardener. He cuts off every branch of mine that doesn’t produce fruit, and he prunes the branches that do bear fruit so they will produce even more.

Jesus uses the analogy of a grapevine, some branches are not productive and need to be removed. Some are productive but they need to be trimmed to be more productive. What he is saying is to do the Will of God we need to be connected to the vine.

John 15:4-5: NLT; Remain in me, and I will remain in you. For a branch cannot produce fruit if it is severed from the vine, and you cannot be fruitful unless you remain in me. “Yes, I am the vine; you are the branches. Those who remain in me, and I in them, will produce much fruit. For apart from me you can do nothing.

Jesus is the connection we need to be connected to the Father. We cannot produce fruit, that is to say, do the work of the Father, if we are not connected to Jesus. We also cannot experience the blessings of the Father if we do not have that connection. Through that connection we have life and can bear much fruit. Apart from Christ we can do nothing. 

John 15:6: NLT; Anyone who does not remain in me is thrown away like a useless branch and withers. Such branches are gathered into a pile to be burned.

Jesus goes on to say that those branches who are unproductive will be cut off, wither and thrown into the fire.

What his message to the disciples is; is to stay connected to the source of life, me. When you depart from me you will not be able to do anything. We understand that as it relates to being in the will of God. When we give our lives over to God through Christ we have a desire in our heart to do the things that bring honor and praise to His name. That desire competes with our own selfish desire to please ourselves.  Jesus helps us understand that we must be connected to God through him to be able to do things that please God.

The desire to please ourselves is strong. Many live their life with that as their sole focus. In the end that will not lead us to where we think it will. When we are consumed with a desire to please ourselves we are not connected to God. 

God offers His presence to us through the sacrifice Christ made for us. He desires that we know him and are connected to Him. Our selfish desires separate us from Him. He offers a way for us to be reconciled to Him, a gift to be received by our choice. Making that connection makes all the difference in life. We become children of God.

John 3:16-17; NIV; For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life. For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but to save the world through him.

I would encourage you to get connected with God through Jesus. We are here to help you with that. Do not hesitate to ask, we are available to help you make that connection. 

Until next time, remember God loves you and Jesus is Lord over Auto Racing! God Bless. Remember, that your prayerful support and donations helps us continue this ministry. Thank You.

One of my favorite stories to tell is about an old friend named Manny. Manny was never lost. He didn’t always know where he was, but he figured he would find his way. When it became apparent to him he wasn’t familiar with his surroundings he would stop and fill the gas tank. 

“As long as I have a full tank of gas, I’m never lost”

Life is a little more complex than that, most times when we realize we are lost we have expended most of our energy to get there. There aren’t too many filling stations on the road to lost. How do we find our way? Who do we turn to for direction?

There is a new racing season ahead. This past week the SMART Tour had their first race and the New Jersey connection teamed up; Jimmy Blewett drove Jamie Tomaino’s #99. After the race Jimmy commented that they would get better, they were taking notes and learning. They are learning which adjustments they need to make to move forward.

Life isn’t so different, we make decisions, we experience the results of those decisions and we decide if we are going to continue on that path or make adjustments. The process of decisions, learning and adjustments determines the direction our life goes.

Sometimes we find ourselves in a place we don’t want to be and question how we got there. If we look back at the series of decisions, lessons, and adjustments we may see the reason for the situation we find ourselves in, if we are honest with ourselves. 

As we prepare for the upcoming Easter Holiday, the death and resurrection of our Savior, Jesus Christ, he provided some lessons and guidance for His Disciples before he left. Not unlike the list you may leave for your children when you are going to be away. Jesus knew there would be difficult times ahead and they would need direction and encouragement.

The time had come for Christ to fulfill the Will of His Father. On the Jewish Calendar was the Feast of Passover. Passover is celebrated to remember what God did for the Hebrews to deliver them from slavery in Egypt. While the nation of Israel was enslaved in the land of Egypt, God sent Moses to ask the Pharaoh for their release. When Pharaoh refused, God sent seven plagues, the last of which was darkness and death of all firstborn children. The Israelites were instructed to sacrifice a perfect lamb and place the blood of the lamb on the lintels and door posts of their homes. If they did this the angel of death would Passover their home. This was a prophecy as to the sacrifice Christ would make for us.

Jesus assembled His disciples to celebrate the Feast of Passover; you may have heard of The Last Supper? This is it. At this meal Jesus would explain to His Disciples who he was, what he was going to endure and directions on how to move forward in His absence. Much of the context of this is contained in the Gospel of John starting in chapter 13. We’ll be taking some excerpts from John’s Gospel as we reflect on the directions Christ gave His disciples.

John 13:1-2a, 3-5; NLT; Before the Passover celebration, Jesus knew that his hour had come to leave this world and return to his Father. He had loved his disciples during his ministry on earth, and now he loved them to the very end. It was time for supper… Jesus knew that the Father had given him authority over everything and that he had come from God and would return to God. So he got up from the table, took off his robe, wrapped a towel around his waist, and poured water into a basin. Then he began to wash the disciples’ feet, drying them with the towel he had around him.

In the example Jesus set for His disciples he demonstrated a few directives they would need to remember. A testimony to his love for His disciples, His humility as a servant, a symbolic spiritual washing and an example to follow. 

Foot washing was for the servant of the house when guests entered because your feet got dirty walking around in sandals all day. It wasn’t considered a job for the head of the house, yet Jesus took it upon himself to wash His Disciple’s feet. When we truly love someone we will do the ‘not so nice tasks’ of keeping them clean. Think of caring for a sick child or an elderly parent. We are not too important to take care of the ones we love. The washing was also symbolic in that his sacrifice on the cross would cleanse us of our transgressions. He gave us an example to follow.

From there he comforted his disciples and let them know that he would prepare a place for them with God for eternity. 

John 14:1-6; NLT; “Don’t let your hearts be troubled. Trust in God, and trust also in me. There is more than enough room in my Father’s home. If this were not so, would I have told you that I am going to prepare a place for you? When everything is ready, I will come and get you, so that you will always be with me where I am. And you know the way to where I am going.”

“No, we don’t know, Lord,” Thomas said. “We have no idea where you are going, so how can we know the way?”

Jesus told him, “I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one can come to the Father except through me.

As Christ prepared for the most difficult task he would face on Earth His heart was tuned to the ones he loved, His disciples. He showed he cared for them, prepared a place for them, and provided directions they could follow to be with Him.

Jesus is the way to the Father, there is no other way. He is also the truth. We can corrupt, twist it, manipulate anything until we have justified the things we say and do, until we can live with ourselves. That will not result in peace for our soul. Jesus is the truth and the only way to be at peace with God is to follow that truth. The benefit, Life, eternal life in heaven. 

John 10:10; NLT; (Jesus said), The thief’s purpose is to steal and kill and destroy. My purpose is to give them a rich and satisfying life.

Stay tuned as we sit around the table and listen to some supper talk. Until next time, remember God loves you and Jesus is Lord over Auto Racing! God Bless. Remember, that your prayerful support and donations helps us continue this ministry. Thank You.

We jumped right in and learned that as we live we need to live differently. We read the words to describe the life we should live; holy and sacrifice. Live a life that is set apart, different. A life that puts the consideration of others above our own, sacrifice. The writer reminds us that we are accountable to God. This life he talks about must be acceptable to God.

We then learned that we not only need to live differently, we need to think differently. God is the only one who can transform the way we think. We don’t see or understand all things. Only God has a complete picture and if we allow him to, He will guide us, He will transform us.

God promises we will have what we need. He will not guide us in a direction He hasn’t already equipped us for. He will provide the faith and knowledge we need to walk the path He has prepared for us. Don’t buy into the lie that we know it all.

This week we add the concept of teamwork to our understanding. In the same way as knowledge and the fact that we don’t know everything helps us learn to let God guide us; the reality that we cannot do everything ourselves prompts us to let others join us on the journey.

I have seen many try to do things on their own. They think they somehow can accomplish more individually than together. I think that desire stems from wanting the recognition when the job is complete. Look at what I did, instead of look at what we accomplished.

Romans 12:4-8; NLT; 4 Just as our bodies have many parts and each part has a special function, 5 so it is with Christ’s body. We are many parts of one body, and we all belong to each other.

6 In his grace, God has given us different gifts for doing certain things well. So if God has given you the ability to prophesy, speak out with as much faith as God has given you. 7 If your gift is serving others, serve them well. If you are a teacher, teach well. 8 If your gift is to encourage others, be encouraging. If it is giving, give generously. If God has given you leadership ability, take the responsibility seriously. And if you have a gift for showing kindness to others, do it gladly.

Anyone who has been part of a team knows each member has specific responsibilities that when performed in unison accomplish the task much more efficiently than an individual could. Why is it we have trouble sharing the spotlight? The main reason is we have and continue to be conditioned by the world around us that we are the focus of everything, we are the center of the universe. The individual is celebrated. I contend that no one person, even Jesus, accomplished anything on their own. 

Have you seen a NASCAR pit stop? Back in the day we had some pretty lengthy pit stops, minutes not seconds. Then one day the Wood Brothers put their thinking cap on and thought it through. Let’s have a team of guys that have a single task but they perform it at the same time. If we cut down the time in the pit we can gain on the track. The modern-day pitstop was born. 

We now have coaches, designated pitstop teams, choreographed movements, training, strength and conditioning, all looking to carve a few tenths of a second off the time spent in the pits. Stockcar pitstops are fast, but the fastest belong to F1. They have a 4-tire change and adjustments down under 2 seconds. The choreography of the team is amazing to watch. Search YouTube and check it out, it is amazing. 

Let’s apply that to our lives and how to live. The message is, include others. No matter how talented an individual we are, we cannot do everything. We should look for ways to include others and develop the relationships necessary to reach more people with the Good News. Think about the way Christ went about building the Church, His Church.

First he included Mary and Joseph, entering the world as a newborn baby, surrendering his Godly attributes and allowing two humans to raise him. When the time came to begin His ministry he assembled a team, The Dream Team! No, not quite, he called some tax collectors, fisherman, a zealot and a few women. He even called a religious leader, Nicodemus, but he didn’t have the faith to leave it all behind and follow Christ, after all, what would people say.

You see each one called added something to the team, they didn’t know it, but God did. You see, God put the abilities in us, He is the one that equips us to do the things He has prepared in advance for us to do. Read that again, God calls us, equips us and places us where He wants us to be for His purpose.

Therein lies the rub, we think we get to decide what we do, we decide what training we want and what aspect of our abilities we want to develop. That is where we lose connection with God. Each of us has things we can do, some of us better than others. That doesn’t mean that is what God has called you to do.

Let me explain. This young man was a football player, one of the best offensive linemen in the world. From college he was placed on a NFL team and in his rookie season went to the Super Bowl. His future was bright, the potential for fame and fortune was great. You have never heard of him because that is not what God called him to do. After the Super Bowl he refused a big contract and left football to serve as a Youth Pastor in his church. He followed God and serves Him. 

Why? Because that is where true satisfaction and fulfilment come from. When we do what God has called us to do and equipped us to do then and only then do we feel like we fit. God prepared each of us to have a certain spot on His team. He equips us to accomplish the task he prepared for us. He offers us the satisfaction and fulfilment that comes from being in His will. The blessing of God is realized when we are in the place that God wants us, not the place we think we want to be.

Romans 12:4-8; NLT; 4 Just as our bodies have many parts and each part has a special function, 5 so it is with Christ’s body. We are many parts of one body, and we all belong to each other.

6 In his grace, God has given us different gifts for doing certain things well. So if God has given you the ability to prophesy, speak out with as much faith as God has given you. 7 If your gift is serving others, serve them well. If you are a teacher, teach well. 8 If your gift is to encourage others, be encouraging. If it is giving, give generously. If God has given you leadership ability, take the responsibility seriously. And if you have a gift for showing kindness to others, do it gladly.

Until next time, remember God loves you and Jesus is Lord over Auto Racing! God Bless. Remember, that your prayerful support and donations helps us continue this ministry. Thank You.

Let me ask a question; are we genuine or imitation? Many times people say the right things, act the right way and fool us into thinking they really care for us. When in fact they are only motivated by what is in it for them. It is difficult to recognize a wolf in sheep’s clothing. I wonder if we have fallen into the trap of Hollywood, making things appear to be something they are not and have fooled those around us.

I am pleased that for the most part the teams and officials we travel with are genuine and real. The racing family is made up of some pretty unique people, the kind you won’t find just anywhere. For the most part, aside from the creative rule of interpretation, racers are genuine; actual, real, true: not false or fake; sincere and honest. That doesn’t mean we will always agree, but you will always know where someone stands.

They feel for one another and care about each other, not only on the track but away from the track as well. I see this in their actions when the racing family has difficult times and needs support and encouragement to make it through; they are there; genuine friends to help in a time of need. I am reminded of a story in the Bible about some friends who demonstrated this.

Mark 2:1-12; A few days later, when Jesus again entered Capernaum, the people heard that he had come home. So many gathered that there was no room left, not even outside the door, and he preached the word to them. Some men came, bringing to him a paralytic, carried by four of them. Since they could not get him to Jesus because of the crowd, they made an opening in the roof above Jesus and, after digging through it, lowered the mat the paralyzed man was lying on. When Jesus saw their faith, he said to the paralytic, “Son, your sins are forgiven.” Now some teachers of the law were sitting there, thinking to themselves,”Why does this fellow talk like that? He’s blaspheming! Who can forgive sins but God alone?” Immediately Jesus knew in his spirit that this was what they were thinking in their hearts, and he said to them, “Why are you thinking these things? Which is easier: to say to the paralytic, `Your sins are forgiven,’ or to say, `Get up, take your mat and walk’? But that you may know that the Son of Man has authority on earth to forgive sins . . . .” He said to the paralytic, “I tell you, get up, take your mat and go home.” He got up, took his mat and walked out in full view of them all. This amazed everyone and they praised God, saying, “We have never seen anything like this!” 

Take a look at what these friends were willing to do; they knew their friend needed help. They also knew that Jesus was the one who could help. They carried their friend to Jesus. Regardless of what it cost them personally or financially, someone had to repair the roof, they wanted their friend to get what he needed. 

Jesus, seeing the faith of the friends, provided what the man truly needed, forgiveness of his sins. The problem came when others questioned if anything really happened, after all who can see forgiveness of sins. 

That wasn’t good enough for those who were watching, they didn’t have the faith to worship what had been done for this man. They didn’t understand the transaction that Jesus made in that man’s soul.  They challenged Jesus about his authority to forgive. Jesus responded in a way that left no doubt, Get up and walk and the crippled man stood up and walked.

Let’s take a closer look at the scene. Jesus was visiting this town and so many people wanted to see him they crowded into the room, they left no room. They weren’t concerned about who may need what Jesus had to offer. In reality, they all needed what Jesus offered. Their focus was on themselves and the questions they had. When someone was brought to Jesus that had a true need they were unable to get to him because of the crowd. 

We face obstacles that get in the way of bringing people to Jesus. How we handle them reveals our own faith. These friends had faith and knew they had to bring their friend to Jesus. So they did whatever they could to get him there. They cut a hole in the roof, lowered him down in front of the crowd at Jesus’ feet. 

Who were the genuine friends? Who were the ones willing to sacrifice for the benefit of someone else? Too many times we are crowded out, or we crowd others out of getting the help needed. We can be the crowd that blocks the way. We can be so focused on what we want we fail to look around and see what others need. 

Genuine friends are sensitive to the needs of others. Not only that but they are willing to set aside their own lives to help provide for a friend in need. Which one are we? Are we the crowd that obstructs others from finding Jesus or are we the ones who, at all cost, will carry those in need to Jesus? 

As we look back and reflect on this past racing season we need to honestly look at our actions. We need to determine if our actions brought people to Jesus or kept them away. Our actions reveal where our faith lies. My hope and prayer would be that we act in a way that reveals our hope is in Christ.

We are called to be the light that shows the way to Jesus, have we been lighting the proper path? Are we genuine or imitation?

Isaiah 40:3-5; Listen! It’s the voice of someone shouting, “Clear the way through the wilderness for the Lord! Make a straight highway through the wasteland for our God! Fill in the valleys, and level the mountains and hills. Straighten the curves, and smooth out the rough places. Then the glory of the Lord will be revealed, and all people will see it together. The Lord has spoken!”

Isaiah reminds us there is work to be done, making a highway isn’t done overnight. We have to fill in some holes, smooth out the hills, straighten a few things out and smooth out the rough spots. We may even have to cut a hole in the roof! It is worth the effort.

Until next time, remember God loves you and Jesus is Lord over Auto Racing! God Bless. Remember, that your prayerful support and donations helps us continue this ministry. Thank You.