7/17/2009
REST WITH JESUS
by
Rev. Don Rivers |
Racing for fun or for a living is stressful. The nature of the deal is that
our life is on the edge. When you are at the track everything seems to run
at 100 miles an hour. It is racing after all. It is supposed to move fast.
Maybe it is a good time to take a rest. Greetings in the name of our Lord
and Savior, Jesus Christ.
Resting with Jesus, sounds like a new name for a ministry? The
racing world does not corner the market on stress and frustration. The world
we live in has been described as a rat race. Did you every find yourself
wondering why you do what you do? Many times in life the thought crosses our
mind concerning our motivation. Why do we do this? Why am I here? When we
get to that point it is good to step back and take a look at things. Take a
step out of your routine and look for a place to rest and collect your
thoughts. Jesus is that place.
Jesus came to save us. From what you ask, from us. We fill our
lives with so much stuff that the stuff starts to win out. We develop a
lifestyle that feeds off itself. We start finding ourselves needing to do
this, this and this in order to maintain our lifestyle. It becomes
overwhelming and we just keep on going trying to stay one-step ahead, for
what? So we can live?
I am not sure many people would classify what they do as living.
They may say surviving, but not living. We all have a vision of what living
is and we are not there yet.
In his poem, The Station, Hastings talks about the vision, “when we
get there”. Where? A new house, car, home, kids through school, promotion,
win a race. We never get there. Our vision is never satisfied. He writes
further to say it is not the destination, but the journey that we must focus
on. That is why Jesus makes this offer in Matthew:
Matthew 11:28-29, nlt, Then
Jesus said, "Come to me, all of you who are weary and carry heavy burdens,
and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you. Let me teach you, because I
am humble and gentle, and you will find rest for your souls.
Is your soul restless? Is your life upside down? Jesus provides for
each one of us the security of a destination. If we accept Him we will be
with him for eternity. Destination settled, now about the journey.
At Thompson Speedway by the handicapper’s shack there is a bench.
It was given to Rev. Pat in honor of his service helping racers on their
journey. The message is simple, come unto me and rest. Park it on the bench,
focus on the journey and not the destination, spend some time with Jesus and
seek His will for your life. When we ask, seek and knock, it will be
provided for us within the will of God. RWJ takes on a new meaning,
Rest with Jesus.
Ask, Seek, Knock
7 "Ask and it will be given to you; seek and you will find;
knock and the door will be opened to you. 8 For everyone who asks
receives; he who seeks finds; and to him who knocks, the door will be
opened.
9 "Which of you, if his son asks for bread, will give him a
stone? 10 Or if he asks for a fish, will give him a snake? 11
If you, then, though you are evil, know how to give good gifts to your
children, how much more will your Father in heaven give good gifts to those
who ask him! 12 So in everything, do to others what you would have
them do to you, for this sums up the Law and the Prophets.
When we take a step back from the challenges of our life and we
realize that we do not have to win the race, our Savior has already won that
race. We can adjust our focus and look around us and participate in the
journey. Along that road we need to reach out and help one another. We need
to guide and direct people to the source of life. We need to, as Jesus said,
be humble and gentle as we demonstrate how to live.
David writes in Psalm twenty-three,
Psalm 23 1-3,nlt, The LORD is my
shepherd; I have everything I need. He lets me rest in green meadows; he
leads me beside peaceful streams. He renews my strength.
In Jesus we have everything we need. Rest in Him, walk with Him and
let Him renew your strength.
THOUGHTS FROM THE ROAD
Had a little R & R last week, Lynda and I had the trip of a
lifetime. After spending some time in Seattle we headed south along the
Pacific Coast to San Francisco . The scenery was awesome and the weather was
fantastic, but as vacations do they come to an end. We headed back to the
east and got ready for some racing.
The schedule had me headed for Williamson , NY and Dan headed for
Thompson. The weather had other ideas. A heavy band of Thundershowers forced
the action at Spencer to be delayed until Sunday. I headed back home to
prepare for Sunday morning while Dan extended his trip and after a quick nap
headed to Spencer to cover the action on Sunday.
I traveled twelve hours and didn’t get to see any racing; I guess
that is the way it goes sometimes. I did get a chance to talk with a few
teams at the stops along the turnpike on the way to the track. In the end
they got the race in on Sunday and we don’t have to reschedule.
The Camping World East Series ran as part of the Full-Fendered
Frenzy at Thompson on Saturday. They beat the weather. Ryan Truex had
success on another track that his brother dominated at and came home with
the win ahead of Steve Park. Park won the pole and had one of his most
successful weekends since coming back to the run the series.
I remember an event that Thompson ran some years ago when Steve
Park and Michael Waltrip came to town to run modifieds in a match race.
Michael had an issue with the walls and never really got on track, but the
event was a fan favorite and continued for a few years. I think it would be
great for them to renew the event.
Sunday saw Dan headed to upstate New York to cover the Sunday
action that had been held over from Saturday at Spencer. I am thankful that
Dan could make the trip. He saw history as Erick Rudolf became the youngest
winner on the Whelen Modified Tour. Roughly four months younger than Ryan
Preece when he won last year at Martinsville . The finish was extended for a
green, white, checker finish and the top three fit under a blanket. Erick
was followed home by Todd Szegedy and Chuck Hossfeld.
Look for the action to get closer in a few weeks when we visit the
tight confines of Riverhead Raceway.
CHUCK’S DAD GOES HOME - It with a sad heart that I share
with you our Midwest Coordinator’s Dad has passed away. Chuck welcomed
moving out to Indianapolis to be close to his dad. He was able to spend some
additional time with his dad during these last few months. Please keep the
entire McNeil family in your thoughts and prayers.
Don R. McNeil, of Madisonville, Tenn, passed away Thursday, July
9th 2009 at St Mary's Hospice. Don was a UT graduate of the School of
Journalism and worked for many years as Executive Secretary of the Tennessee
Press Service, Inc. Don is survived by wife, Heidi; son Charles McNeil
(Kelly); daughters Jan Newman (Jim); Kimberly Huffman (Jeff); Terri McNeil;
mother Ercie McNeil; sisters Glenda McMillan (Dick); Joy McNeil.
Grandchildren: Courtney, Meghan, Katie, Will, Hunter, Hannah, Zach, Josh,
and Jenna; many nieces and nephews; and 3 great-grandchildren: Parker,
Braxton, and Tyler. His "12" friends for life; and his beloved dogs Maggie,
Max, and Millie; and cats MissKitty and Sweetiepie.
Special thank you to Dr. Wahid Hanna and Kimberly, and all of his
staff at Turkey Creek; Dr. James Shamiyeh; caregivers, Denise, Melissa,
Daniel, Edna, Sheila, and Pam.
In lieu of flowers, memorials may be made to the American Cancer
Society; Monroe County Animal Shelter, 170 Kefauver Lane, Madisonville, Tn
37354; Young Williams Animal Center, 3201 Division Street, Knoxville, Tn.
Memorial service to be held at Church of the Good Shepherd, 5337
Jacksboro Pike, Knoxville, with Father Charles Fels officiating, on Saturday
July 18th at 2:00 PM.
We have a little break in the schedule until August 1 when both
divisions get back into action. Dan will be at Adirondack and I will be
headed to Long Island . Until then the break will allow me to get out and
take in some local action. I hope to see you out 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 16
KEITH AND DEBBIE KRODEL - These former Jan Leaty NASCAR WMT team members
now living in Pensacola, FL have their 16th anniversary.
July 17
MARK & STELLA BURNS - This New Hampshire SuperModified team owners have
their 25th anniversary.
July 21
JERRY & LINDA SOLOMITO - It is 23 laps together for this Long Island
driver and wife.
***HAPPY BIRTHDAYS***
July 15
LARRY MURDOCK - "Urkel" is 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.
ANTHONY MARVIN - son of Sunoco Modified driver Bert Marvin.
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.
July 18
STEPHEN LEATY - Jan's next son.
RON CORNELL - Westport, MA AARN columnist and candle maker.
MAGGIE WOODS - The daughter of Tammy and Woody who works for Evernham
Racing R&D, living in Mooresville, NC turns 8.
July 20
PETE HAMILTON - Retired Massachusetts driver for Richard Petty won the
Daytona 500 in the 70's.
DAVE WHEELER - Lisbon, CT former LM driver.
DAVE SHIPPEE - Former writing partner of New London, CT 's John
Brouwer Sr. now retired in NH.
MIKE MONNETT - Owego, NY writer.
HAROLD K. DAUNCEY - Son of NJ asphalt Mod driver Harold and wife
Barbara is 16.
July 21
BOBBY WILKINS - Milford, DE Dirt Modified driver.
TIM McCAULEY - Huntington Beach, CA NASCAR West driver.
SHARE YOUR SPECIAL OCCASIONS WITH YOUR RACING FAMILY.
SEND THEM TO:
RACING WITH JESUS MINISTRIES
PO Box 586
Tolland, CT, 06084
TheChromeHorn RWJM Archives
Racing With Jesus Ministries Website
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Source: Rev
Don Rivers / Racing With Jesus Ministries
Posted: July
17, 2009 |
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