Freedom is a funny thing, each one of us wants it but we are not sure
what it is. We want to be able to do anything we want whenever we want,
but we still need something to hold our lives together. What is holding
your life together? Are you truly free? Greetings in the name of our
Lord and savior, Jesus Christ.
In racing having the freedom to race wherever we want,
whenever we want is great ideal. The fact of the matter is we need a
little help. If we run down the list it starts with a car, we first have
to have a car to race and unless you have your own machine and body
shop, someone has to make the parts and someone has to build the car.
Let’s say we got that far, now we need a place to race. We know they
won’t let us do it on the street. I know we have tried along with
everyone else who built a racecar, but the fact is they are not going to
let thirty of us go out and race around the block for 100 laps on
Saturday night.
What does it take for someone to provide a place for us to
race? It takes more than I think we consider sometimes. Facility,
personnel, insurance, permits, safety workers and don’t forget the fans.
Now we have a car and a track but we need a reason to race, a
promoter. Someone has to create enough interest in our race for people
to want to see it. You might ask why. The reason being, without the
promotion there wouldn’t be any incentive, money, to race for. We would
get pretty tired of racing just for fun.
We also need rules, who is going to decide what is good and
what it bad. In comes the Sanctioning body, someone who assumes
responsibility for making sure the cars are safe, the rules are
enforced, the race is run fairly and all the racers are safe.
I am sure I overlooked some things, but as you can see none
of us are truly free to race where and when we want. Our ability to race
is dependent on someone else providing the opportunity. At times, we
need to give and take to continue to make the opportunity to race
available for the future. I think we lose sight of what it takes to be
free to race wherever and whenever we choose. We need to see the big
picture and learn how to give and take to make it all work.
This also has something to do with life, we are not
independent we are interdependent. Just like we need all the necessary
elements to come together to race we need the same things to come
together for us to truly live. Galatians 5:1 tells us it is for freedom
that Christ set us free. Christ is like a sanctioning body and covered
the risk of living for us. He provided the way for us to have a
relationship with God. Listen to what he says in John 14:1-6;
John 14:1-6, "Do not let your hearts be troubled.
Trust in God; trust also in me. In my Father's house are many rooms; if
it were not so, I would have told you. I am going there to prepare a
place for you. And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come back
and take you to be with me that you also may be where I am. You know the
way to the place where I am going."
Thomas said to him, "Lord, we don't know where you are going,
so how can we know the way?"
Jesus answered, "I am the way and the truth and the life. No
one comes to the Father except through me.
Jesus is the way we get to God. He provides that for us.
Without His provision we would not have any hope. We have the freedom to
choose His provision or not. When we do we receive a special gift,
forgiveness of sins. He erases the penalty for us making the wrong
choice. He covers it.
Jesus said in John 10:10 that the thief comes to steal, kill
and destroy, but I have come so that you might have life and have it
abundantly. What that tells us is that if we choose to live our own way
and not accept the freedom to screw up that Christ gives us then we are
bound by the one who steals, kills and destroys. The choice is ours.
The freedom that Christ offers us comes with no strings
attached, we are free to do whatever we please. We soon learn that
whatever pleases us changes when we accept Christ’s offer. We find
ourselves being satisfied by things other than we thought. We start to
see the true meaning of life and how to live it. That is because Christ
provided us with additional help in using this freedom, The Holy Spirit.
The Holy Spirit helps us to see things correctly. Listen to what Paul
said about this Freedom;
1Corinthians 10:23-24, 31-33, "Everything is
permissible"--but not everything is beneficial. "Everything is
permissible"--but not everything is constructive. Nobody should seek his
own good, but the good of others.
So whether you eat or drink or whatever you do, do it all for
the glory of God. Do not cause anyone to stumble, whether Jews, Greeks
or the church of God-- even as I try to please everybody in every way.
For I am not seeking my own good but the good of many, so that they may
be saved.
Paul helps us to understand that we are free to anything, but
not everything is beneficial to our lives. We need to be motivated to
help others before we help ourselves. Basically we are free to do for
others and God will take care of us. Our lives are full when we serve
others without regard for what is in it for us.
That concept is strange to us, most times we spend our life
trying to look out for number one, us. We will not be truly free until
we change that perspective. We will not experience the freedom that
Christ offers until we trust in Him and let the Holy Spirit guide our
actions. When that happens we are free, free from paying the price for
our mistakes. As Jesus said in John’s Gospel, trust in God, trust also
in me.
THOUGHTS FROM THE ROAD
This week was a vacation week for the most part. We came home
from Maine and pretty much just took the rest of the week off. Rev. Rick
and his son Phillip covered the local tracks this week and I wanted to
thank them for giving me a little extra time off. I hope your Forth of
July holiday went well and at some point you took time to pause and
reflect on what it truly cost for our freedom. I also hope you took time
to say thank you.
Back to work, the second Flash Race was held at Twin States
Speedway in New Hampshire Sunday night. Both Dan and I took in the show
and what a show it was. The best Mod race of the year was in New
Hampshire but it wasn’t at NHIS it was at Twin State . Side by side
racing at its best. Mike Stefanik had the best car but was shuffled back
a few times and it was great to see him come charging through the field.
It won’t show on the score card but he easily passed the most cars. This
wasn’t the wreckfest that some had predicted, it was a great Modified
racing. James Civali and Matt Hirschman dueled for 30+ laps to see who
would come out on top. James won, Matt followed and Ronnie Silk
completed his pole winning day with a third place finish. It worked out
to be a good show and the fans enjoyed it. I hope it doesn’t take 23
more years to make the return trip.
I have an address for cards and letters to Greg Narducci,
send them to him at Greg Narducci, 351 Mariners Gate Drive , Edgewater ,
FL 32141 .
Gregzie also sent this message along,
“Hi Everyone, Thanks for all your thoughts and prayers over
the last week. I'm feeling much better and there is some talk about
being released some time next week. Can't wait to see everyone really
soon. Gregzie”
Greg should be released sometime this week providing his
condition remains stable or improves. See you soon Gregzie.
Joe Larsen, WMT official, continues to recover from recent
surgery. Heard from him this week and he hopes to be back for the race
at Riverhead on August 4th. Continue to keep his rehab in your prayers.
This week has the Busch East joining the PASS tour at
Thompson for a special Saturday show. We are looking forward to catching
up with some former Busch drivers who are now running the PASS tour.
Hope to see you there.
Be a witness for our Lord with the ministry decals and
apparel. See them at the Online Apparel Store at
www.RWJM.org. Call us
with your prayer and counseling needs and list all your prayer needs, no
matter what part of our racing family you are in, with the Racing Family
Prayer Request Page
www.rwjm.org/page/prayers.php also send your prayer
request by mail. Until next time, remember that God loves you, we love
you and
Jesus is Lord over Auto Racing. GOD BLESS.
Mail reaches us at Racing with Jesus Ministries, PO Box 586,
Tolland, CT 06084. Check our weekly printed pages in "Area Auto Racing
News", the East Coast’s largest weekly racing paper" See our on-line
Apparel Store for subscription information. Check our home page
www.rwjm.org for past articles. We invite you to input your thoughts as
you sign our Guest Book. Please remember, we can only do what we do
because of your prayerful financial support.
Numbers 6:24-26 "The Lord bless you and keep you; the
Lord make his face shine upon you and be gracious to you; the Lord turn
his face toward you and give you peace."
May God always Bless you, everyday in everyway. Rev. Don
CHECKERED CHEERS
***WEDDING ANNIVERSARIES***
July 11
BILL & PHYLLIS BALSER - The Norton, MA photographer and wife have
their 55th anniversary.
July 16
KEITH AND DEBBIE KRODEL - These former Jan Leaty NASCAR WMT team
members now living in Pensacola, FL have their 13th anniversary.
July 17
MARK & STELLA BURNS - This New Hampshire SuperModified team owners
have their 23rd anniversary.
***HAPPY BIRTHDAYS***
July 11
BOBBY DOTTER - Chicago, IL NCTS driver.
JOE BEAN - San Diego, CA NASCAR West driver.
DONNA LITTLE - Wife of former NNC driver Chad.
KYLE BELMONT - Langhorne, PA ARCA driver Andy and wife Sue's
youngest is 12.
July 12
TOM CAREY - Former New Salem, MA NASCAR BES driver/crew cheif now
Charlotte based fabricator.
KRISTA ROEHRIG - The lady is the best friend and wife of former
Big Diamond Speedway owner/promoter Fritz.
ED SPENCER II - Berwick, PA former Crew Chief for Jim Spencer in
his Modified days.
BILLY STEBBINS - Former Jim Broderick Modified Crew Chief, now
living in NH.
TOM BALDWIN III - Grandson of the late NASCAR WMT driver Tom and
son of NNC Crew Chief Tom II.
MENA FELTENBERGER - Wife of Grandview/Big Diamond flgamn/photographer
Mike.
July 13
BOBBY BABB - Maine based LM driver.
JEAN DEBOIS - Mom of Pam Krause, wife of AARN Ass't
Editor/Columnist, Earl.
July 14
RICH SENDZIK - NJ asphalt Modified driver.
BOB NORTHRUP - D.I.R.T. Modified driver.
MIKE EDDY- Veteran ASA driver.
BOBBY MASON - Former Riverhead Raceway Figure 8 driver.
WARREN KUHLTHAU - Point Pleasant Beach, NJ Ryan Seamon Busch
North Series driver team supporter and former Wally D crewman.
KAREN TURBUSH - Long Island Hut Stricklin fan.
BILL HUNEKE - Auto Sports columnist for the New Brunswick, NJ
"Home News/Tribune."
CAROL WEISS - Fiance of Don Szerencits, Northampton, PA AARN
Field Subscription Rep.
MICHELE CONWAY - Newfoundland, PA Micro Sprint driver at Lake
Moc-A-Tek Speedway.
AUSTIN GLEN BREHIO - Son of NASCAR BES driver Glen and wife Teri
is 9.
July 15
LARRY MURDOCK - "Urkel" was a crew member on the Late Model #14 Team,
driven by Mike Mortimer, at Riverhead Raceway.
JOHN GEORGIADES, JR. - CT based ProStock driver.
CARRIE SHUBA - From Syracuse, NY, she was the 1997 Ms Miller
Motorsports.
July 16
"BOOTS" TOMAINO - The mother of WMT career driver Jamie Tomaino.
MIKE FIELDS - The Publisher/Editor of
www.LONGISLANDMOTORSPORTS.com from Long Beach, NY and close friend of
the ministry has his day.
WAYNE ANDERSON - Wildwood, FL NASCAR Modified driver.
July 17
DOUG WOLCOTT - NJ asphalt Modified driver.
BRANDON ASH - Umpqua, OR NASCAR West driver.
ERNIE COPE - Spanaway, WA NASCAR West driver.
MICHAEL LEATY - Mod Tour Jan's adult son.
SHARE YOUR SPECIAL OCCASIONS WITH YOUR RACING FAMILY.
SEND THEM TO
RACING WITH JESUS MINISTRIES AT
PO BOX 586, Tolland, CT, 06084
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Racing With Jesus Ministries Website
