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Many times in life we question why things happen. The timing of things puzzle us. Why did this happen? Why now? How do we deal with things that we don’t understand. Greetings in the name of our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ.

Events happen in our life that do not follow the plan we have in our head. Think of a race day, how many of them go the way you planned? One thing is guaranteed about race day, it will not go the way you planned. We adapt and get thorough it the best way we can.

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Did you ever say or do something that you later regretted? Many times in life we act first and think later. Let’s take a look at how we can think before we act. Greetings in the name of our Lord and savior Jesus Christ! This is Rev. Dan giving Don a break this week.

There was a fantastic baseball player – in fact one of the best second basemen of his era. I don’t want to mention his name, but many of you might be able figure out who this is. We remember him not because of his playing abilities, but for something he did in the last weekend of the 1996 season. He was upset with a decision by the home plate umpire and he argued the call and ended up spitting in his face. Immediately, he we criticized by the media and fans for what he did. He later apologized to the umpire, and in fact they became friends, but the damage was done. In one uncontrolled moment, his good name was ruined.

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Have you ever thought that you have “it” all under control? At times in our lives we feel that way. We feel like everything is in order. We are at peace. For some of us those times never seen to come. Who’s in control in your life? Greetings in the name of our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ.

The rumor mill, we all are familiar with it. Some of us even contribute to it. Why? Racing is an interesting sport. Most of the information that is available starts as rumors. It has even been said that if you want something to happen, start spreading a rumor about it. If enough people believe it, it just might become a reality.

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It is the time of the year when the anticipation level is high. Things have started to thaw after a long winter. People are coming out of hibernation. We are getting ready to kickoff the 2008 racing season in the Northeast. What are you looking forward to the most this year? What has you all excited with anticipation for the new racing season? Greetings in the name of our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ.

Spring is a wonderful time of year. The grass starts to green up, the trees grow new leaves, the flowers start to bloom and the racetracks open up for business; the smell of burning rubber and race fuel. One of the true indications that spring is here.

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There are many who can talk a good story, but the numbers thin out when the time comes to walk the walk. Actions speak louder than words. As we head toward Easter I wonder if you are ready to stop talking and start walking? Greetings in the name of our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ.

We have all heard them, the talkers, they can tell stories with the best of them. But when it comes to putting your money where your mouth is their performance is less than advertised.

Are we someone others can count on? Do we talk a good game without following through with actions that are consistent with our words? When other people watch the way we live do they see a life that matches what we say we believe?

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Last week we chased a rabbit of sorts, doubt. Doubt is one of those things we can live without. Once we clear out the doubt we can finish the race. As we get back to our study passage we will learn about the provision God makes for us and the blessings He has for us in this life and the next. Greetings in the name of our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ.

No doubt about it, God is true to His Word. That Word doesn’t change, it is and always will be the same, you can depend on it. There are not many things in life that are stable and sure like the promise that God made to us. We search for them only to find that we are let down. Things are not what they seem to be. So as we take the final turn coming to the checkered flag, what does God have in store for us?

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We are pausing in our study this week to address something that creeps into all of our lives, doubt. As we examine Psalm 23 some of us may be doubting if it is real. Dan had given me this column addressing doubt. Are you doubting that God can be counted on to fulfill His promise?  Greetings in the name of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. This is Rev. Dan letting Rev. Don have a break this week from writing;

At Racing with Jesus Ministries, we have a lot of interaction with the drivers on race day. We love to go into Victory Lane to congratulate the winner and their team. We see a celebration filled with joy and happiness. But after that we usually take a long walk through the pits and talk with those drivers as they are loading up that did not end up in Victory Lane. A lot of times we don’t see too much happiness – many times we see wrecked or broken cars and drivers and teams that had a bad race. We see misery and drivers who are very hard on themselves. They tell themselves that they don’t have the right equipment, or that they’ll never win. It’s amazing how when we are discouraged, doubt begins to show up.

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We started digging in to our passage last week and this week we continue the process. There is a certain confidence that comes with having someone walking along side you that knows the way. We see it throughout life; someone with experience mentoring someone who is learning their way. Who do you have beside you to show you the way? Greetings in the name of our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ.

Mike McLaughlin was a good racer in his own right. His nickname, Magic Shoes, indicates that he could peddle with the best of them. Now he spends his time coaching young drivers for Joe Gibbs Racing, helping them learn the ins and outs of driving a racecar. 

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We have taken some broad strokes as we looked at this Winter Bible Study passage, now it is time to dig in. Just like taking a new car to the track, you do some laps, get a feel for it and then the time comes to make it go fast. It is time to take this passage apart, verse by verse and commit to letting it make a difference in our lives. Greetings in the name of our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ.

Before you can go fast in a racecar you have to get comfortable first. You have to get a feel for it and learn what the limits are. The same with Scripture, there is the big picture, a feel for the entire message. Then you take a closer look, like making the fine adjustments to make everything work together for a complete understanding.

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You’ve seen it before, something for sale for the price, “make an offer”. In other words, what’s it worth to you? The value of something is determined not by what we feel it is worth but what it is worth to someone else. Take a look in a pawn shop you’ll see what I mean. What do you think your life is worth? Greetings in the name of our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ.

Race cars, parts and tools make the circuit. They change hands, reused, rebuilt, with the hope that they will yield the final piece of the victory puzzle. Racers will go to great lengths for that elusive piece that makes their car better. What is it worth? It is worth whatever someone is willing to pay. Given the right circumstances something can be of greater value because of a greater need.

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In our lives many of the things we appreciate most are the things that we had to work the hardest to attain. The things that are handed to us sometimes are taken for granted and their true value is never truly appreciated until they are gone. Taking a look back through our lives identifies some challenging times that we have overcome. Who delivered us through those times? Greetings in the name of our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ.

A young guy stopped by the booth at Motorsports 2008 and was admiring the Tour Modified we had parked there. He asked a simple question, “How much are the tires on these cars?” I gave him a ballpark figure and he seemed surprised at the cost. He explained that he was thinking about running on the tour and wondered how much it would cost. He soon realized that the tires were the least of his concerns.

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Have you ever taken the time to look back on your life and reflect on those people that had an influence on you and what you have attained? I think if we take the time to do that we would see the tremendous blessings God has provided for us. We would see that God’s hand has been on our lives. Greetings in the name of our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ.

I have a little test for you this week. It is of the closed book variety, no looking. The following is the philosophy of Charles Schultz, the creator of the “Peanuts” comic strip. Spend a few minutes reviewing the following questions.

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Wasn’t it just a few years ago when the Y2K scare had us all wondering what the New Year would bring? Now eight years later it seems just a distant memory. Time flies when you are having fun. What does the New Year have in store for you? Greetings in the name of our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ.

With the the change on the calendar comes the opportunity to begin fresh. We look at the clean slate that 2008 presents and wonder what the new year holds for us. We all have hopes and dreams, wants and needs, desires and wishes. We want to accomplish everything. We see unlimited potential.

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One of my favorite Christmas specials is “A Charlie Brown Christmas.” I like it because Charles Schultz chooses to quote the Scriptural story of Christmas found in the Gospel of Luke, Chapter 2. I still can see Linus reading the story and the attention of all being drawn to God’s word. I have put the story here, take time and read it this Christmas season. Sit down with your friends and family and truly embrace the gift that God sent to us. Greetings in the name of our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ.

Luke 2: 1-20, NIV

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As the Christmas season gets into full swing, we are bombarded by planning and preparing. This is not unlike preparing for the racing season where the right preparation can make the difference between success and failure. What will make our Christmas season a success? What are the priorities we need to have so that we will understand the true meaning of Christmas? Greetings in the name of our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ.

I want to thank my wife, Lynda, for filling in last week as I recovered from an injury. What a difference a week makes. I am on the mend but have a few more procedures that need to be done before everything is 100%. Thank you for your prayers.

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I am not able to be here this week due to an injury, Lynda, my wife has stepped in to share. Enjoy her thoughts. Greetings in the name of our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ.

It’s that time of year again. The time for mistletoe and holly along with the sound of bells ringing, carols and everyone bustling around while feeling jolly. Feeling jolly? Truthfully, if we really admit it deep down we feel this sense of dread about the Christmas season. Shopping to do but how much do we have to spend, guests coming over but how will we get ready for them and is there room in the inn?

Everywhere we look the days are being counted down for us and we feel like we are in a race. Many of us are speeding down the road, cutting each other off to get our errands done, stealing the space at the mall from the guy coming down the lane across from us and grumbling to the shop clerks that we can’t wait for it all to be over.

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Thanksgiving is one of the biggest holiday weekends that we celebrate. It is a time where we gather with one another and share about the years that have gone by. I think we can get too busy in life and forget the simple joy of gathering together. I hope you took the time this past weekend to turn the clock off and just relax with Family, Friends and Food. Greetings in the name of our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ.

One of the things that we are reminded of this time of year is how busy we have been. How crazy our lives have gotten. How caught up in the rat race we have been. We get so involved in things that we forget about how much joy we get from just gathering together.

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Thanksgiving is a time of reflection. A time to look at all we have and humble ourselves before a gracious God. We don’t always get what we want and we don’t always understand the plans God has for us, but we can be confident that he loves and cares for us. How has God cared for you this past year? Greetings, in the name of our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ.

Thanksgiving is a time for sharing. I see it in the lives of others as they give of themselves to help those less fortunate. As I helped out in the coffee shop on Saturday, a family; husband, wife, son and daughter picked up some hot drinks and muffins for the road. They were headed to pack up their Suburban and deliver Thanksgiving baskets to those in need. It’s not what it seems.

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With the crisp fall air comes the reminder that the holidays are not far behind. The plans for spending time together around a Thanksgiving Day feast come to mind. The smells and sounds of the season start to echo in your mind. What does this time of year mean to you? Greetings in the name of our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ.

Ah, the holidays, a time to sit back and relax. Well we should but we get caught up in the wrapping and forget what the real heart of the season is all about. In a couple of weeks we will sit down and reflect on all God has blessed us with. We will be with family and friends and enjoy relaxing and spending time with them.

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We spend many hours of our life preoccupied by things. Thoughts fill our mind and we dwell on them. When we take the time to really analyze them we find that most times we are worrying about nothing. Try to use this standard, if it is going to matter in 300 years worry about it, if not don’t sweat it. Greetings in the name of our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ.

Race day is filled with things to do. The schedule is posted in everyone’s trailer. We all live by it. We all plan our activity around driver’s meeting, tech line opening, on line for qualifying, on line for the race. On race day these are some of the important things we have to keep track of. For some, chapel also falls into that category. Of course, I think it should have a higher priority but I understand.

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We begin that part on the season reserved for open all-star events. They usually take place in warmer climates and entice us to extend our season just a little bit longer. I remember the movie about some surfers who just followed the sun around the world looking for another place to surf, Endless Summer. Can we be consumed by the pursuit of another checkered flag? Greetings in the name of our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ.

It is easy to get obsessed with racing, anywhere, anytime, any type of car. When we are trying to make a name for ourselves and get people to notice we can extend ourselves too far and do more harm than good. I think it is important to take a step back and honestly evaluate the direction we need to go. God should be a part of that process. We need to seek His guidance and direction for our career as we explore the options the future holds. Dan and I have been talking about making decision and trusting God with you for the last few weeks. It is not the easiest thing to do, I know, I can get so caught up in getting there that I forget to enjoy the ride. I have to remind myself, “I am here because I am not all there.”

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How many of us trust our spotters during the middle of a race? This is Rev. Dan, giving Rev. Don a much needed break this week. Greetings in the name of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.

Spotters, they see things that the drivers cannot see. They usually sit high above the racetrack and can see a lot more of what is going on during the race. They tell us to go high or go low. There is trouble in turn 3; slow down. Car 5 is on the outside; keep your line. All clear, give it all you got. These are some of the ways that the spotters can help the drivers stay out of trouble and win the race. Spotters see things that we don’t see, and we have to put our full faith and trust in him or her.

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How did your season go? Did it unfold the way you expected? Most times when we take a moment and look back, we see things in a different light. Let us look back and see if we can see the blessings we have received. Greetings in the name of our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ.

I sent the word out this week wanting to hear from our local chaplains. As I receive their reports I’ll share them. This week we hear from Chuck McNeil out at Anderson Speedway in Indiana. Chuck took over from Carlos Stapleton who moved to Charlotte. Thanks for the hard work Chuck.

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Have you ever done something wrong? Seems like a simple question with a simple answer, but why is it we forget that when it comes time to forgive someone else from a mistake they made? Forgiveness is something we want to receive but many times are not as willing to give. Greetings in the name of our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ.

Let me set the record straight, we all make mistakes. We all make choices that seem right at the time but in retrospect they were not the correct ones. That being said why have we become a society that has developed a less forgiving attitude? Zero tolerance is not the right way to deal with mistakes.

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We have all heard the excuse about having good intentions. We want to do the right thing. We have every intention of doing the right thing. We just, for some reason, don’t follow through. When we set out to do what is right it will take courage to accomplish the task. How are we doing in following through on our intentions? Greetings in the name of our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ.

I have heard it said that the road to hell is paved with good intentions. Do you know why that is true? It is true because we don’t follow through. Somewhere along the line our actions create a different result than our intentions.

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One thing NHIS brings to our attention is family. More times than not we see entire families come to enjoy racing and compete as families. We even bring our families to minister and help us out during the four-day event each summer and fall. The question came to mind this weekend, how are we teaching our families, specifically our children, the right way to conduct themselves and handle themselves? Greetings in the name of our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ.

You do not have to look too far to see how the racing tradition has been handed down from generation to generation. Many times there is as many as three generations of family represented at the track. In a few cases that climbs to four! Grandfathers, grandmothers, fathers, mothers, husbands, wives, children, grandchildren, great-grandchildren, Think about that for a moment, four generations of a family enjoying the same sport at the same time in the same place. We are not only a racing family but we are families racing. It makes me feel good to walk down pit road and see grandmothers rooting their grandchildren on.

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When we face challenges in life we need to remember that we don’t travel that road alone. Each one of us has to deal with challenges that push us beyond what we think we can take. At those times we need to remember that God is with us and will help us through. Greetings in the name of our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ.

Do you remember your parents using the line “this is for your own good.” It was usually used to motivate us to do something we really didn’t want to do. There were many things we had to do to grow up that we really didn’t want to do.

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When the things we place our trust in are suddenly taken away we find ourselves searching for an answer. We have a difficult time trusting again. We need to have something or someone who, no matter what, will never leave us or forsake us. Christ is the answer. Greetings in the name of our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ.

Have you ever wanted someone to accept you with all your flaws? Have you ever wished that people could look past all the things you didn’t do well to find the things you did do well? Have you ever wanted someone to love you just for who you are and not want to change you? We all do.

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