.
  The Chrome Horn - Racing With Jesus Ministries

   06/08/2012

A VESTED INTEREST
by Rev. Don Rivers

   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 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***

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

 


SourceRev Don Rivers / Racing With Jesus Ministries
Posted: June 8, 2012

©2012 GeeLaw Motorsports/Wolf Pack Ventures, Inc.