There are many things in life that we enjoy doing, some more than others.
There are some activities so desirable we are willing to give up other
things to do them? For those activities we are willing to invest or time and
resources. What is it that you want to do more than anything else? Greetings
in the name of our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ.
Racing is something not everyone understands. Racers, true racers,
will sacrifice almost anything to race. Some will sacrifice everything. You
have heard it said; to make a small fortune in racing you need to start with
a big one.
Racing doesn’t corner the market on sacrifice but for us it is one
we understand. What is it that would drive us so much that we would drive
all night, race, and then drive all night to get to another race? Or sleep
twelve people in a room for four. Or head out on Wednesday morning and race,
repair, race, repair, race, repair for several nights in a row without
regard for even the day of the week. Where am I? Stafford, it must be
Friday.
I am reminded of a Dover/Martinsville double headed a few years
back. Dover on Friday then off to Martinsville for Saturday and Sunday, then
back home. We spent a lot of time driving for the opportunity to be with the
racing family. But that is what we have a passion for, a vested interest in
the lives of racers.
Sometimes it all runs together, we lose sight of the day and time,
we are here to race and when this one is done we pack up and head to the
next one. Do you know why the family that races together stays together? If
they don’t they won’t see each other.
There are many out there who have lived their life chasing the
racing schedule. I draw encouragement from the likes of Tomaino, Bouley and
Cole to name a few. I watched as they made the best of what they had. Doing
what they have to do to make the field and not missing too many I might add.
What about us, is our heart in it? Maybe not racing but I am sure
there is something in your life that you are passionate about. Is there
something that will move you to sacrifice? Something that makes you willing
to put everything aside and pursue?
God desires us to serve Him and make that a priority in our lives.
God desires that we would want to demonstrate His love for others more than
anything we do in our lives. He tells us in his word that our mind and our
heart must be committed to this. If we do not have a vested interest in this
effort we will miss the relationship that will save us. Read what the writer
of Romans says:
Romans 10:8-13, But
what does it say? "The word is near you; it is in your mouth and in your
heart,"
that is, the word of faith we are proclaiming: That if you confess with your
mouth, "Jesus is Lord,"
and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be
saved.
For it is with your heart that you believe and are justified, and it is with
your mouth
that you confess and are saved. As the Scripture says, "Anyone who trusts in
him will never be put to shame."
For there is no difference between Jew and Gentile--the same Lord is Lord of
all and richly blesses
all who call on him, for, "Everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will
be saved."
Two components are necessary to
know God, It must be in your heart and you must say it with your mouth. We
say a lot of things with our mouths that we don’t believe in our heart. It
is pretty easy to spot someone who is doing something that their heart isn’t
in. As servants of God that should never be the case. In fact, if our heart
isn’t in it we are not saved.
Did you see the promise contained in these verses? Anyone who calls
on the name of the Lord will not be put to shame and will be richly blessed.
The first part of that blessing is the fact that we are saved. The next part
comes when we tell others. We are given the opportunity to help the lives of
others. Not just participate but have a vested interest to help them find
the abundant life that God offers. The writer goes on to explain;
Romans 10:8-13, How,
then, can they call on the one they have not believed in?
And how can they believe in the one of whom they have not heard?
And how can they hear without someone preaching to them?
And how can they preach unless they are sent?
As it is written, "How beautiful are the feet of those who bring good news!".
When we say it and believe in our
heart then we can share it. If our heart isn’t in it not only do we lose but
other’s lose out also. We have a great responsibility to not only confess
the name of our Lord but to believe it in our heart. Our lives are not the
only ones who depend on it.
It is worth the effort, not only to get our life right with God,
but to reach out and help others do the same. This is something worth
sacrificing for. Put your heart in it and let your life be a blessing to
others. Invest your heart and soul into the lives of others and you will
know the peace of God more that words can explain. Blessed are the feet of
those who bring good news!
THOUGHTS
FROM THE ROAD
TTNT - Thompson got
things rolling this week with hopes of turning their Thursday night program
around. They are making progress toward getting things going with the Mini
Stocks and Limited Late Models drawing good car counts. With the addition of
the Lite Mods this year they hope to build as successful a program as many
other short tracks have done. Let’s hope the changes bring the desired
results.
ONE OF A KIND - After Thompson I was on the road to
Winston-Salem and Bowman Gray Stadium. I have heard all the stories, the eye
witness accounts and even watched the TV show, but as they say; until you
see it with your own eye you don’t know. I am here to say I have seen it,
experienced it and still can’t believe it.
BGS is a one of a kind place, there must be something in the water.
I watched as it seamed the entire police department filed in before the
show. Dan asked one of them if they really needed that many guys here and
the answer was yes, maybe more.
I thought of the two State Police officers at Thompson and I can’t
remember even seeing one at Stafford, but I am sure one is there, but I
stopped counting at twenty. Really?
This place is short track racing in a pressure cooker; when then
crowd gets things going it is hard to maintain you composure. Think of all
the emotions and passion in short track racing, put that on a track where to
pass you need to move someone out of the way, add in several thousand fans
and put them within inches of the track and you have a recipe that will boil
over. As much as I hoped it was all hype I saw it with my own eyes and I
know it is true.
I don’t know what to make of it; I am still digesting what I saw.
My best analogy is full contact racing that I liken to a mixed martial arts
cage battle. It ain’t over until you can’t drive it anymore. I don’t think a
steady diet of this is something I would enjoy, but like I was told, you
just have to go there and see what it is all about.
There is only one Bowman Gray Stadium.
DON LING’S PASSING - I received a call from Jamie Tomaino
this week letting me know that Don Ling had passed away. The Ling name is
entrenched in the racing scene in New Jersey, both asphalt and dirt, and Don
had an important hand in keeping many facilities and drivers going. I have
heard from many how much his efforts made a difference in their racing
endeavors. Our thoughts and prayers go out to his family and the extended
racing family. We have lost a great friend, Rest in Peace.
HEADED TO ATLANTA - This week the dynamic duo heads to
Gresham Motorsports Park to take in the next race on the K&N schedule. This
is another new track for me and from what I hear it is a great facility. I
am looking forward to it.
Until next time, be a witness for our Lord with the ministry decals
and apparel. See them at the Show Your Faith Apparel Store at
http://www.rwjm.com/store. Send us your prayer and counseling needs no matter
what part of our racing family you are in, or give us a call. 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
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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
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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***
June 6
SCOTT & LISA JAMES- This couple from Canterbury, CT who helped lead this
ministry in the past have their 19th anniversary
LLOYD & LINDA MOORE- This Unity, ME driver and wife have their 39th
anniversary.
June 7
REV. DON AND LYNDA RIVERS- The RWJM President and WMT Pastor and wife
celebrate their 32nd anniversary.
June 10
MARCEL & LYNN L'ETOILE- This retired driver and proud parents of
Massachusetts ProStock driver Frank, share their 44th anniversary.
June 11
BILL & BETH RUMINAS- This couple from Ramsonville, NY who work with RWJM
celebrate their 18th wedding anniversary.
***HAPPY BIRTHDAYS***
June 6
RANDY PORTER- Greenville, SC NNS and Greenville Pickens Speedway LMSC
driver.
JIM HAILEY, JR.- Winston-Salem, NC Tri-County and Caraway Speedways LMSC
driver; son of Richard Childress Show Car Team Manager Jim, Sr.
BILL "TIGER" PERRY- Seekonk Speedway Sportsman driver.
WENDELL & CAROL KILCOLLINS- This husband and wife from Stafford Springs both
celebrate. Wendell is a retired Modified driver.
KATY COLSON- Daughter of Leominster, MA ProStock driver Fran and wife
Doreen.
VICTORIA ACKERLY- The daughter of Orange County Fairgrounds Speedway
Modified driver Ray.
June 7
DENNIS DEMERS- Shelburne, VT NASCAR KNPSE driver.
RAY HORNER- New Jersey asphalt Modified driver.
TIM DAMIANI- Pennsy Modified driver.
ANTHONY DAMIANI- A son of Tim's.
JIM BOARDMAN- Maynard, MA LM/NASCAR KNPSE driver.
MIKE SWAIM- Archdale, NC LMSC driver.
CHUCK MONTVILLE- Crewman on the Ralph Solhem's NASCAR WMT team.
LESLIE LaJOIE- Wife of two time NNS champion driver Randy.
MARTIN SCHIFF- Wayland, MA proprietor of Sponsor Development of Reston, Ent.,
husband of Wayland Travel's Jane.
JOEL MARTIN- Son of Concord, NC NSC photographers Gary and Judy.
BRIDGETT JIVANELLI- Daughter of Riverhead Raceway driver Dan.
KELSEY BABB- Daughter of Beech Ridge Speedway LM driver Bobby and wife
Carla.
ZACHARY D'ALESSANDRO- Agawam, MA son of Ingrid and former Modified driver
Ron.
SARAH SAVAGE, Daughter of Satch and Karen Savage from N.J. now in N.C.
June 8
JOE BUCHEK- Binghamton, NY retired Modified driver; We-Go Racing Fan Club
activist.
SHARON MOORE- Horseshoe, NC wife of Gary.
KRISTEN LABONTE- Daughter of NSCS driver Terry and wife Kim.
JON MAYLOTT- Enfield, CT Lebanon Valley Speedway fan, hockey coach and CT
District Commissioner for
Youth Hockey.
June 9
BILLY BIGLEY, JR.- Naples, FL All Pro Series driver.
RON D'ALESSANDRO- Agawam, MA former Mod No. 124 owner/driver at the now
closed Riverside Park Speedway.
TY BERGER- A past Advertising Director for "National Speed Sport News" from
1969 to 1978 and always involved in racing from Kutztown, PA.
June 10
JOHN SNEAD- Oxford, MA former Modified driver.
STEVE DARNE- Woodbridge, VA LMSC driver.
NICOLE MICHILOWSKI- Daughter of Lebanon Valley driver Mark and wife Robin.
ASHLEY DUNAY- Daughter of Stafford SKMod crew member Joe.
THOMAS DUNAY- Son of Stafford SKMod crew member Joe.
June 11
KENNY TROYER- Rochester, NY asphalt Modified driver.
KRISTA HOWARD- Daughter of Waterford Speedbowl faithful Tom and wife Carol.
June 12
BRAD LEIGHTON- Center Harbor, NH NASCAR KNPSE/ACT driver.
LEE SHERWOOD- Waverly, NY NASCAR KNPSE/Modified driver.
SCOTT WOLF- From Freeport, NY a Riverhead Raceway driver.
MITCH POOLE- Lebanon Valley Modified driver.
PAT FEZZA- Riverhead Raceway Tech. Inspector.
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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