Testimonies

Email us with your testimony of what God is doing in your life or how you have experienced God at the races. renee@godspeedministry.com

Renee/Gary,

I am sorry I missed you guys at the Nationals in Martin, Michigan. I went Saturday but was not able to get up there until late afternoon. It was really a neat feeling to watch you open the evening session with a word of prayer. I wanted to share two things with you guys:

1) I wore my Godspeed t-shirt to the event. After you gave the prayer, two guys sitting behind me started asking me questions about you folks and I told them what I knew of what you were trying to do with your organization. What ended up happening was I was able to eventually lead one of the young men to Christ. After talking with him a while I went through what some call “Romans road” which is a series of verses that leads through God's plan for salvation. His name is Ron so I am thankful for that opportunity which may not have happened if not for your opening the evening in prayer and creating an interest in Ron’s heart. I may never see him again but God knows where he is.

2) The other thing I wanted to share was what was happening at our local track (Osceola Speedway in Indiana). We now have the day opened with a word of prayer before the Anthem and during the day I have New Testaments and Bible tracks available at my area in the pits. The track at Osceola has also allowed me to purchase sign space for your Godspeed logo so I have paid for that and hopefully it will be up this week. It is a 3X5 sign. I hope you get a lot of responses your way as a result of it. Even though I don’t work for you folks, it has meant a lot to me to know you exist and your organization provides great opportunities to start conversations about God and salvation with folks who ask what the Godspeed logo is all about. So I hope you don’t mind me asking them to advertise your organization. I just wanted to in some small way show gratitude for all you guys do.
Blessings,
Ed Bernhard

The following note was included in an offering from Scooter, Jamie & Cameron Choate. It really touched our hearts (Bill and Renee) to know that even in all their trials, they found joy in giving back to God because of what He has given to them. What a testimony!

Preacher Bill,
I have not been to the races in a while, therefore I have not been able to feed the wooden box you have at the Sunday services lately. As much as the Lord has blessed my family, it gives me joy to be able to do so.
We love you,
Scooter

The Cameron Miracle continues....
At the Pine Valley TX Pro Am event this weekend, July 14 & 15, a donation jar was set out to help the Choate family with Cameron's medical bills. By mid-Sunday afternoon, there was over $3700 in the jar.
Then Tony Gray took it upon himself to issue a challenge to all the race teams to match or beat his donation for Cameron. Texans do things big and they don't back down from a challenge. They rose to the occasion.
Racer after racer began to dig deep. Many of them signed over their winnings to the fund for Cameron. People sought out Preacher Bill to hand him their donations personally.
Some of the children went among their own and collected over $30 in coins. Their collection also included cards and other trinkets to brighten her day.
T-shirts had been printed up as a fund raiser prior to the event. Their sales raised $857 for Cameron.
By the end of the night, the grand total was tallied. The Division 4 racers at Pine Valley had donated $11,210 for Cameron!!!!!
Thanks to Tony Gray for being the catalyst in this awesome out pouring of love for one of our IHRA and God Speed family members.
If you would like to make a donation to help with Cameron's medical bills, you may send to God Speed Ministry, 141 E. A. Bingham Road, Kings Mountain, NC 28086. Write "Cameron" on it and we will forward it to the Choate family.
Godspeed.

DOES GOD EXIST?

A man went to a barbershop to have his hair cut and his beard trimmed. As the barber began to work, they began to have a good conversation. They talked about so many things and various subjects.

When they eventually touched on the subject of God, the barber said: "I don't believe that God exists."

"Why do you say that?" asked the customer.

"Well, you just have to go out in the street to realize that God doesn't exist. Tell me, if God exists, would there be so many sick people? Would there be abandoned children? If God existed, there would be neither suffering nor pain. I can't imagine loving a God who would allow all of these things." The customer thought for a moment, but didn't respond because he didn't want to start an argument.

The barber finished his job and the customer left the shop. Just after he left the barbershop, he saw a man in the street with long, stringy, dirty hair and an untrimmed beard. He looked dirty and un-kept.

The customer turned back and entered the barber shop again and he said to the barber: "You know what? Barbers do not exist."

"How can you say that?" asked the surprised barber. "I am here, and I am a barber. And I just worked on you!"

"No!" the customer exclaimed. "Barbers don't exist because if they did, there would be no people with dirty long hair and untrimmed beards, like that man outside."

"Ah, but barbers DO exist! What happens is, people do not come to me."

"Exactly!"- affirmed the customer. "That's the point! God, too, DOES exist! What happens, is, people don't go to Him and do not look for Him. That's why there's so much pain and suffering in the world."

DARRELL SCOTT TESTIMONY

Darrell Scott, the father of Rachel Scott, a victim of the Columbine High School shootings in Littleton, Colorado, was invited to address the House Judiciary Committee's subcommittee. What he said to our national leaders during this special session of Congress was painfully truthful.

They were not prepared for what he was to say, nor was it received well. It needs to be heard by every parent, every teacher, every politician, every sociologist, every psychologist, and every so-called expert! These courageous words spoken by Darrell Scott are powerful, penetrating, and deeply personal. There is no doubt that God sent this man as a voice crying in the wilderness. The following is a portion of the transcript:

"Since the dawn of creation there has been both good & evil in the hearts of men and women. We all contain the seeds of kindness or the seeds of violence. The death of my wonderful daughter, Rachel Joy Scott, and the deaths of that heroic teacher, and the other eleven children who died must not be in vain. Their blood cries out for answers.

"The first recorded act of violence was when Cain slew his brother Abel out in the field. The villain was not the club he used.. Neither was it the NCA, the National Club Association. The true killer was Cain, and the reason for the murder could only be found in Cain's heart.

"In the days that followed the Columbine tragedy, I was amazed at how quickly fingers began to be pointed at groups such as the NRA. I am not a member of the NRA. I am not a hunter. I do not even own a gun. I am not here to represent or defend the NRA - because I don't believe that they are responsible for my daughter's death. Therefore I do not believe that they need to be defended. If I believed they had anything to do with Rachel's murder I would be their strongest opponent.

I am here today to declare that Columbine was not just a tragedy -- it was a spiritual event that should be forcing us to look at where the real blame lies! Much of the blame lies here in this room. Much of the blame lies behind the pointing fingers of the accusers themselves. I wrote a poem just four nights ago that expresses my feelings best. This was written way before I knew I would be speaking here today:

Your laws ignore our deepest needs,
Your words are empty air.
You've stripped away our heritage,
You've outlawed simple prayer.
Now gunshots fill our classrooms,
And precious children die.
You seek for answers everywhere,
And ask the question "Why?"
You regulate restrictive laws,
Through legislative creed.
And yet you fail to understand,
That God is what we need!

"Men and women are three-part beings. We all consist of body, mind, and spirit. When we refuse to acknowledge a third part of our make-up, we create a void that allows evil, prejudice, and hatred to rush in and wreak havoc. Spiritual presences were present within our educational
systems for most of our nation's history. Many of our major colleges began as theological seminaries. This is a historical fact. What has happened to us as a nation? We have refused to honor God, and in so doing, we open the doors to hatred and violence. And when something as terrible as Columbine's tragedy occurs -- politicians immediately look for a scapegoat such as the NRA. They immediately seek to pass more restrictive laws that contribute to erode away our personal and private liberties. We do not need more restrictive laws. Eric and Dylan would not have been stopped by metal detectors. No amount of gun laws can stop someone who spends months planning this type of massacre. The real villain lies within our own hearts.

"As my son Craig lay under that table in the school library and saw his two friends murdered before his very eyes, he did not hesitate to pray in school. I defy any law or politician to deny him that right! I challenge every young person in America, and around the world, to realize that on April 20, 1999, at Columbine High School prayer was brought back to our schools. Do not let the many prayers offered by those students be in vain. Dare to move into the new millennium with a sacred disregard for legislation that violates your God-given right to communicate with Him. To those of you who would point your finger at the NRA -- I give to you a sincere challenge. Dare to examine your
own heart before casting the first stone!

My daughter's death will not be in vain! The young people of this country will not allow that to happen!"

Here are pictures of my Geo metro for Jesus! It is not finished, but
I ran out of funds for now. Special thanks to Todd Doty of
www.flairfordesign.com and Rick Wade of www.secondcomingclothing.com for permission to use the graphic.

Short story of car: bought it on eBay, tuned up engine, clutch went
out, replaced clutch, brakes replaced front and back, started
bodywork, added rear window covering. It gets about 39 mpg on
average, but still needs some mechanical work. I drive it to work
daily.

Please reply with comments and ideas for future additions!
Ben

OLD AGE
MEMORY VERSE: My lips shall greatly rejoice when I sing unto thee; and my soul, which thou hast redeemed (Psalm 71:23).
"Let it be our unceasing prayer that as we grow older we may not grow colder in the ways of God," said good George Muller.

Muller lived up into the late nineties -- always bright, full of interest, hopeful, joyful. In his last years, he would often stop in the midst of his conversation to exclaim, "Oh, I am so happy!" And it was not a mannerism, nor was it feigned.

As we advance in years," he had written long before, "let us not decline in spiritual power; but let us see to it that an increase of spiritual vigor and energy be found in us, that our last days may be our best days... Let the remaining days of our pilgrimage be spent in an ever-increasing, earnest consecration to God."

"The devil has no happy old people," it has been said. And that is understandable. How sad to have lived only for these few passing years and the thrills or compensations of them! In that case, old age is like a solemn countdown to the end. Treasures must be left behind. Moments must be drained of all good, for nothing good is expected beyond the grave.

In contrast, the Christian can rejoice in old age. He is still young in the light of eternity and every beat of his heart moves him closer to glory. He is not leaving his treasures but going to them. The end of life is but the end of his limitations. He savors every moment as another opportunity to serve his Lord and to be with loved ones, but he knows that better things are ahead and that a great reunion is coming in heaven.

Whether in church, his home, or in heaven, he can say, My lips shall greatly rejoice when I sing unto thee.

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Too many people have an image of God as someone sitting up in the heavens just waiting for us to mess up so He can strike us down with a lightning bolt out of the blue, a life-threatening disease such as cancer or heart attack, or maybe just a depilating disease such as diabetes.

But the Bible declares that God is good. God seeks to bless us, restore us, save us, love us. He does not seek to harm us. John 3:16-17 says “For God so greatly loved and dearly prized the world that He [even] gave up His only begotten (unique) Son, so that whoever believes in (trusts in, clings to, relies on) Him shall not perish (come to destruction, be lost) but have eternal (everlasting) life. For God did not send the Son into the world in order to judge (to reject, to condemn, to pass sentence on) the world, but that the world might find salvation and be made safe and sound through Him.” (Amplified Bible)

“His love endures forever.” 42 times the Bible states that ‘His love endures forever!’ Endures means “to stay in a given place, state, relation, or expectancy”, “to abide, continue, dwell, endure, be present, remain, stand, tarry”, “to undergo, bear trials, have fortitude, persevere.”

God is trying to communicate to us that He is good and that His love will continue to dwell, abide, be present with us even though it means He has to bear trials (our disobedience) and have fortitude.

But God does that! He loves us in spite of ourselves. His plans for us are good. He sent Jesus to save us, restore us, provide for us, love us; to give us abundant life. Our part is to believe it, accept it.

John 10:10 states: “The thief comes only in order to steal and kill and destroy. I came that they may have and enjoy life, and have it in abundance (to the full, till it overflows).
If there are things in your life that are being stolen, killed or destroyed, don’t blame God. Give credit where credit is due: the thief – Satan, who is the destroyer. This enemy of God and His people has convinced the world that God is to blame. But Satan is also the ‘father of lies’ and this is one of his biggest lies.

God is good. And His love endures forever! Put that in your mouth and heart until you know it by experience. It will bring forth a harvest of abundance. Your life will overflow with the goodness of God. Then your mouth will overflow with the praise of God: “The LORD is good and His love endures forever!”

It is with a very heavy heart that I write this letter to each of you. My heart is almost to the breaking point.

Gary and I had the opportunity to minister at the Junior Dragster Nationals in Maryland this past weekend. Since it was a national event (for Juniors) we did the Treasure Hunt for the children. Little did I realize what would transpire as the weekend unfolded.

God gave Christy Rice, God Speed Children's Chaplain, the idea for the treasure hunt as a way to introduce God to all kids (spectator and race crew) at IHRA national events. It also gives the children something to do at these 3 day events. These hunts are much like a scavenger hunt, complete with a treasure map and a varying number of clues. The clues are based off of the Bible theme for the weekend: the fruit of the spirit, the colors of faith, the story of creation, the 10 commandments.

This weekend Christy had prepared clues for the 10 commandments. I went trailer to trailer inviting people to church, handing them a bulletin, and telling them about the treasure hunt. Many of the children were very excited. They were told to pick up their maps and first clue at the God Speed display. At the display, we also put out Bibles free to all who will take them. The Bibles were especially geared to pre-teens, teens, and young adults. The Bridge NT has a wonderful color graphic of the way to salvation.

We had 29 at church service at 8:15 a.m. Sunday morning, which was very good an event of this type. 3 children came to collect their treasure packs. One young man gave his heart and life to God.

But then.......
As I stood in my clown makeup and costume (Transforming Love was the title of the sermon) cleaning up after the service, 2 small girls began calling to me, smiling and giggling. I went over to their pit area in response to them. They were thrilled that "Happy" had come to see them. We talked, had pictures taken, etc. Their grandmother came to tell me that they had their treasure hunt clues but were still working on the bonus clues. I went to get their treasure packs and brought them back to them. Their grandmother told me that they had all been trying to fill in the bonus clues at the bottom. "They" turned out to be this grandmother, her two grown children and their spouses, and all their children. 3 generations collectively could not fill in the blank to complete the 10 commandments. They had even sought help from others.

With extreme clarity I realized just how far from God this nation we love has departed from God.

And then.....
Gary was at the motorhome waiting for other children to come collect their treasure packs. Another grandmother brought her grandson to pick up his pack. She told Gary that they had picked up some of the "books" we had out. They had been reading them and really liked what they were reading. She wanted to pay him for them. He told her they were free and prayed that they would continue to enjoy them. She made a donation to the ministry so we could continue providing these "books" for others.

She didn't even know that they were Bibles.

Our hearts are so burdened for people. Gary and I cried on the way home, once the shock of the morning wore away. We both grew up in church from infancy. We have known no other life. Had God not moved us out of the "church" and into the race community, we might have gone on being so blind to the needs and hurts of the people who are so lost without God and have no knowledge of him. We knew and cared about the lost. But now we KNOW! It is personal!

I know alot about foreign missions. I grew up on stories of foreign missionaries. I thrilled to their adventures and the power of God.

But I am here to tell you that America is the hottest mission field and it is right outside our church doors. Gary said it best, "Don't take this wrong but the evangelist and traveling singers don't need to be going into the churches. People outside the walls of the church need to hear. Our churches are missing the greatest opportunity in the history of God's kingdom. Lost people are mostly not in the churches. We were missing that opportunity too. Thank God, he moved us. We have to go. We have to reach as many as we can."

Pray for church's eyes and hearts to be opened. Pray that churches begin to find ministry outlets outside the 4 walls of the church. Pray that we are simply conduits of God's pure love - no pre-conceived ideas of our own. Pray for more workers in God Speed and every avenue. Pray for the lost.
He told them, "The harvest is plentiful, but the workers are few. Ask the Lord of the harvest, therefore, to send out workers into his harvest field. Luke 10:2

Godspeed,
Renee Bingham

Pauley Crashes Rig Outside Madison, GA

In route to the IHRA Divisional Race in Douglas Ga, Ed Pauley misses a near head-on collision with a tractor trailer towing one half of a double wide on US 441 near Madison, Ga. Pauley from Shelby, NC, former IHRA Hot Rod World Champion, competes in Hot Rod and Top Dragster on the IHRA circuit. Normally accompanied by his family, Pauley was traveling alone southbound when he swerved out of his lane to avoid a mailman who abruptly stopped in front of him only to meet up with a tractor trailer traveling in the North-bound lane. Rather than colliding head on, Pauley hit the gas and drove to the left leaving the road. Unfortunately, the tractor trailer could not stop and jackknifed, hitting Pauley’s motor home and enclosed trailer. The trailer and contents including a ’78 Chevette drag car and a ’01 Horton rear engine dragster were totally lost. However, no one at the scene was injured. Pauley was devastated by the crash, but was very thankful no one was hurt.

“I am just so grateful my wife and kids weren’t with me. They always go, but they had school, so I just went by myself. I can’t imagine what would have happened to them if they had been with me.” Pauley said.

The accident held up traffic for more than four hours Friday morning as crews worked to clean up the scene. Other racers were in line in traffic, including Bill and Bo Upton who first learned of the accident as they saw the ’78 Chevette being towed on a roll-back down the road beside them. They quickly made some phone calls and walked the mile to the scene to check on Pauley. Soon after, word spread. A call was put in to Pauley’s engine builder, Scott Duggins, owner of PAR race engines in Spartanburg, SC, who immediately stopped work, cleaned out his stacker trailer and rushed with Brian Neal and Jody Putnam to Madison, Ga. They called themselves the recovery team. They came with plastic totes, tools, saws and a generous heart to help load up the wreckage and salvage what pieces and parts were left.

“I don’t know what I would have done with out them. I was overwhelmed at the time and I didn’t even know how to go about picking up the pieces. Then all my friends just started showing up to help. I want to personally thank J.J. Brock and his sister Carrie, Jimmy Raper and Danielle, and Casey Sims. Also Scott Duggins, Jody Putnam, Brian Neal, Steve Furr and Jeff Edmonds. I can’t tell you what it means to have such good friends. I consider my racing friends just like family,” Pauley said.

“I lost what took me and my dad 22 years to build. We’ll lick our wounds and start rebuilding as best we can. It will just take a while,” Pauley added.

Thank you so much for praying for us. I know that God answered my prayers on Thursday night and Friday morning when I asked him to protect Eddie as he drove and keep him safe. When he called me Friday morning at school and told me what happened, he said, "We've lost everything." I immediately answered no we haven't--I still have you. When I got off the phone all I could do was praise Jesus and thank Him. He did exactly what I asked. We were just so blessed. As far as everything goes, we're just a little overwhelmed at the present. We were able to get everything home except the trailer. Ed is going to start tearing down what is left to see what can be salvaged. We have also been overwhelmed by the support of all of our racing friends (family). It has definitely made everything a little easier to deal with. Please continue to pray, Thanks again,
Deanna

"When you do it unto the least of these, you have done it unto me..."

Beth Moore
(For those who don't know, Beth Moore is a well-known women's Bible teacher based in Houston, Texas. She has written several books and does videos of Bible teaching from around the world.)

Knoxville airport all waiting to board planes: I had the Bible on my lap and was very intent upon what I was doing. I'd had a marvelous morning with the Lord. I say that because I want to tell you it is a scary thing to have the Spirit of God really working in you. You could end up doing some things you never would have done otherwise. Life in the Spirit can be dangerous for a thousand reasons not the least of which is your ego...

I tried to keep from staring but he was such a strange sight. Humped over in a wheelchair, he was skin and bones, dressed in clothes that obviously fit when he was at least twenty pounds heavier. His knees protruded from his trousers, and his shoulders looked like the coat hanger was still in his shirt. His hands looked like tangled masses of veins and bones. The strangest part of him was his hair and nails. Stringy grey hair hung well over his shoulders and down part of his back. His fingernails were long. Clean, but strangely out of place on an old man.

I looked down at my Bible as fast as I could, discomfort burning my face. As I tried to imagine what his story might have been, I found myself wondering if I'd just had a Howard Hughes sighting. Then, I remembered reading somewhere that he was dead. So this man in the airport...an impersonator maybe? Was a camera on us somewhere?....

There I sat trying to concentrate on the Word to keep from being concerned about a thin slice of humanity served on a wheelchair only a few seats from me. All the while my heart was growing more and more overwhelmed with a feeling for him. Let's admit it. Curiosity is a heap more comfortable than true concern, and suddenly I was awash with aching emotion for this bizarre-looking old man.

I had walked with God long enough to see the handwriting on the wall. I've learned that when I begin to feel what God feels, something so contrary to my natural feelings, something dramatic is bound to happen. And it may be embarrassing. I immediately began to resist because I could feel God working on my spirit and I started arguing with God in my mind. "Oh no, God please no." I looked up at the ceiling as if I could stare straight through it into heaven and said, " Don't make me witness to this man. Not right here and now. Please. I'll do anything. Put me on the same plane, but don't make me get up here and witness to this man in front of this gawking audience. Please, Lord!"

There I sat in the blue vinyl chair begging His Highness, "Please don't make me witness to this man. Not now. I'll do it on the plane. Then I heard it..."I don't want you to witness to him. I want you to brush his hair."

The words were so clear, my heart leapt into my throat, and my thoughts spun like a top. Do I witness to the man or brush his hair? No brainer. I looked straight back up at the ceiling and said, "God, as I live and breathe, I want you to know I am ready to witness to this man. I'm on this Lord. I'm you're girl! You've never seen a woman witness to a man faster in your life. What difference does it make if his hair is a mess if he is not redeemed? I am on him. I am going to witness to this man."

Again as clearly as I've ever heard an audible word, God seemed to write this statement across the wall of my mind. "That is not what I said, Beth. I don't want you to witness to him. I want you to go brush his hair."

I looked up at God and quipped, "I don't have a hairbrush. It's in my suitcase on the plane, How am I suppose to brush his hair without a hairbrush?"

God was so insistent that I almost involuntarily began to walk toward him as these thoughts came to me from God's word: "I will thoroughly finish you unto all good works." (2 Tim 3:7) I stumbled over to the wheelchair thinking I could use one myself. Even as I retell this story my pulse quickens and I feel those same butterflies.

I knelt down in front of the man, and asked as demurely as possible, "Sir, may I have the pleasure of brushing your hair?"

He looked back at me and said, "What did you say?"

"May I have the pleasure of brushing your hair?" To which he responded in volume ten, "Little lady, if you expect me to hear you, you're going to have to talk louder than that.

At this point, I took a deep breath and blurted out, "SIR, MAY I HAVE THE PLEASURE OF BRUSHING YOUR HAIR?" At which point every eye in the place darted right at me. I was the only thing in the room looking more peculiar than old Mr. Longlocks. Face crimson and forehead breaking out in a sweat, I watched him look up at me with absolute shock on his face, and say, "If you really want to."

Are you kidding? OF course I didn't want to. But God didn't seem interested in my personal preference right about then. He pressed on my heart until I could utter the words, "Yes, sir, I would be pleased. But I have one little problem. I don't have a hairbrush."

"I have one in my bag," he responded.

I went around to the back of that wheelchair, and I got on my hands and knees and unzipped the stranger's old carry-on hardly believing what I was doing. I stood up and started brushing the old man's hair. It was perfectly clean, but it was tangled and matted. I don't do many things well, but I must admit I've had notable experience untangling knotted hair mothering two little girls. Like I'd done with either Amanda or Melissa in such a condition, I began brushing at the very bottom of the strands, remembering to take my time not to pull.

A miraculous thing happened to me as I started brushing that old man's hair.... Everybody else in the room disappeared. There was no one alive
or those moments except that old man and me. I brushed and I brushed and I brushed until every tangle was out of that hair. I know this sounds so strange but I've never felt that kind of love for another soul in my entire life. I believe with all my heart, I--for that few minutes--felt a portion of the very love of God. That He had overtaken my heart for a little while like someone renting a room and making Himself at home for a short while. The emotions were so strong and so pure that I knew they had to be God's.

His hair was finally as soft and smooth as an infant's. I slipped the brush back in the bag, went around the chair to face him. I got back down on my knees, put my hands on his knees, and said, "Sir, do you know my Jesus?"

He said, "Yes, I do." Well, that figures.

He explained, "I've known Him since I married my bride. She wouldn't marry me until I got to know the Savior."

He said "You see, the problem is, I haven't seen my bride in months. I've had open-heart surgery, and she's been too ill to come see me. I was sitting here thinking to myself. What a mess I must be for my bride."

Only God knows how often He allows us to be part of a divine moment when we're completely unaware of the significance. This, on the other hand, was one of those rare encounters when I knew God had intervened in details only He could have known. It was a God moment, and I'll never forget it. Our time came to board, and we were not on the same plane. I was deeply ashamed of how I'd acted earlier and would have been so proud to have accompanied him on that aircraft.

I still had a few minutes, and as I gathered my things to board, the airline hostess returned from the corridor, tears streaming down her cheeks. She said, "That old man's sitting on the plane, sobbing. Why did you do that? What made you do that?"

I said "Do you know Jesus? He can be the bossiest thing!" And we got to share.

I learned something about God that day. He knows if you're exhausted because you're hungry, you're serving in the wrong place or it is time to move on but you feel too responsible to budge. He knows if you're hurting or feeling rejected. He knows if you're sick or drowning under a wave of temptation. Or He knows if you just need your hair brushed. He sees you as an individual. Tell Him your need!

I got on my own flight, sobs choking my throat, wondering how many opportunities just like that one had I missed along the way...all because I didn't want people to think I was strange. God didn't send me to that old man. He sent that old man to me.

John 1:14 "The Word became flesh and made his dwelling among us. We have seen his glory, the glory of the One and Only, who came from the Father, full of grace and truth.

Delayed Flight

I sat in my seat of the Boeing 767 waiting for everyone to hurry and stow their carry-ons and grab a seat so we could start what I was sure to be a long, uneventful flight home.

With the huge capacity and slow moving people taking their time to stuff luggage far too big for the overhead and never paying much attention to holding up the growing line behind them, I simply shook my head knowing that this flight was not starting out very well.

I was anxious to get home to see my loved ones so I was focused on my issues and just felt like standing up and yelling for some of these clowns to get their act together.
I knew I couldn't say a word so I just thumbed thru the "Sky Mall" magazine from the seat pocket in front of me. You know it's really getting rough when you resort to the over priced, useless sky mall crap to break the monotony.

With everyone finally seated, we just sat there with the cabin door open and no one in any hurry to get us going although we were well past the scheduled take off time. No wonder the airline industry is in trouble I told myself.

Just then, the attendant came on the intercom to inform us all that we were being delayed. The entire plane let out a collective groan. She resumed speaking to say "We are holding the aircraft for some very special people who are on their way to the plane and the delay shouldn't be more than 5 minutes.
The word came after waiting six times as long as we were promised that I was finally going to be on my way home.

Why the hoopla over "these" folks? I was expecting some celebrity or sport figure to be the reason for the hold up ......Just get in their seats and let's hit the gas I thought.
The attendant came back on the speaker to announce in a loud and excited voice that we were being joined by several U.S. Marines returning home from Iraq!!!

Just as they walked on board, the entire plane erupted into applause. The men were a bit taken by surprise by the 340 people cheering for them as they searched for their seats. They were having their hands shook and touched by almost everyone who was within an arm's distance of them as they passed down the aisle. One elderly woman kissed the hand of one of the Marines as he passed by her. The applause, whistles and cheering didn't stop for a long time.

When we were finally airborne, I was not the only civilian checking his conscience as to the delays in "me" getting home, finding my easy chair, a cold cola and the remote in my hand.

These men had done for all of us and I had been complaining silently about "me" and "my" issues I took for granted the everyday freedoms I enjoy and the conveniences of the American way of life. I took for granted that others had paid the price for my ability to moan and complain about a few minutes delay to "me" while those Heroes were going home to their loved ones.

I attempted to get my selfish outlook back in order and minutes before we landed, I suggested to the attendant that she announce over the speaker a request for everyone to remain in their seats until our heroes were allowed to gather their things and be first off the plane. The cheers and applause continued until the last Marine stepped off and we all rose to go about our too often taken for granted everyday freedoms.

I felt proud of them. I felt it an honor and a privilege to be among the first to welcome them home and say "Thank You for a job well done."

I vowed that I will never forget that flight nor the lesson learned. I can't say it enough, THANK YOU to those Veterans and active service men and women who may read this and a prayer for those who cannot because they are no longer with us.

TESTIMONY OF GOD USING MEMBERS OF HIS BODY TO ACCOMPLISH HIS WILL

Earlier this year, an article on God Speed Ministry appeared in Christian Motorsports Illustrated. That article was also in the sister magazine, Prison Victory. Letters began to arrive from prisoners. Following is the communications and results initiated from those letters.

Hello Everyone,

For many years Ben Stein has written a biweekly column called "Monday Night At Morton's." (Morton's is a famous chain of Steakhouses known to be frequented by movie stars and famous people from around the globe.) Now, Ben is terminating the column to move on to other things in his life. Reading his final column is worth a few minutes of your time.

Ben Stein's Last Column...
============================================
How Can Someone Who Lives in Insane Luxury Be a Star in Today's World?

As I begin to write this, I "slug" it, as we writers say, which means I put a heading on top of the document to identify it. This heading is "eonlineFINAL," and it gives me a shiver to write it. I have been doing this column for so long that I cannot even recall when I started. I loved writing this column so much for so long I came to believe it would never end.

It worked well for a long time, but gradually, my changing as a person and the world's change have overtaken it. On a small scale, Morton's, while better than ever, no longer attracts as many stars as it used to. It still brings in the rich people in droves and definitely some stars. I saw Samuel L. Jackson there a few days ago, and we had a nice visit, and right before that, I saw and had a splendid talk with Warren Beatty in an elevator, in which we agreed that Splendor in the Grass was a super movie. But Morton's is not the star galaxy it once was, though it probably will be again.

Beyond that, a bigger change has happened. I no longer think Hollywood stars are terribly important. They are uniformly pleasant, friendly people, and they treat me better than I deserve to be treated. But a man or woman who makes a huge wage for memorizing lines and reciting them in front of a camera is no longer my idea of a shining star we should all look up to.

How can a man or woman who makes an eight-figure wage and lives in insane luxury really be a star in today's world, if by a "star" we mean someone bright and powerful and attractive as a role model? Real stars are not riding around in the backs of limousines or in Porsches or getting trained in yoga or Pilates and eating only raw fruit while they have Vietnamese girls do their nails.

They can be interesting, nice people, but they are not heroes to me any longer.
A real star is the soldier of the 4th Infantry Division who poked his head into a hole on a farm near Tikrit, Iraq. He could have been met by a bomb or a hail of AK-47 bullets. Instead, he faced an abject Saddam Hussein and the gratitude of all of the decent people of the world.

A real star is the U.S. soldier who was sent to disarm a bomb next to a road north of Baghdad. He approached it, and the bomb went off and killed him.

A real star, the kind who haunts my memory night and day, is the U.S. soldier in Baghdad who saw a little girl playing with a piece of unexploded ordnance on a street near where he was guarding a station. He pushed her aside and threw himself on it just as it exploded. He left a family desolate in California and a little girl alive in Baghdad.

The stars who deserve media attention are not the ones who have lavish weddings on TV but the ones who patrol the streets of Mosul even after two of their buddies were murdered and their bodies battered and stripped for the sin of trying to protect Iraqis from terrorists.

We put couples with incomes of $100 million a year on the covers of our magazines. The noncoms and officers who barely scrape by on military pay but stand on guard in Afghanistan and Iraq and on ships and in submarines and near the Arctic Circle are anonymous as they live and die.

I am no longer comfortable being a part of the system that has such poor values, and I do not want to perpetuate those values by pretending that who is eating at Morton's is a big subject.

There are plenty of other stars in the American firmament...the policemen and women who go off on patrol in South Central and have no idea if they will return alive; the orderlies and paramedics who bring in people who have been in terrible accidents and prepare them for surgery; the teachers and nurses who throw their whole spirits into caring for autistic children; the kind men and women who work in hospices and in cancer wards.

Think of each and every fireman who was running up the stairs at the World Trade Center as the towers began to collapse. Now you have my idea of a real hero.

I came to realize that life lived to help others is the only one that matters.
This is my highest and best use as a human. I can put it another way. Years ago, I realized I could never be as great an actor as Olivier or as good a comic as Steve Martin...or Martin Mull or Fred Willard--or as good an economist as Samuelson or Friedman or as good a writer as Fitzgerald. Or even remotely close to any of them.

But I could be a devoted father to my son, husband to my wife and, above all, a good son to the parents who had done so much for me. This came to be my main task in life. I did it moderately well with my son, pretty well with my wife and well indeed with my parents (with my sister's help). I cared for and paid attention to them in their declining years.

I stayed with my father as he got sick, went into extremis and then into a coma and then entered immortality with my sister and me reading him the Psalms.

This was the only point at which my life touched the lives of the soldiers in Iraq or the firefighters in New York. I came to realize that life lived to help others is the only one that matters and that it is my duty, in return for the lavish life God has devolved upon me, to help others He has placed in my path.
This is my highest and best use as a human.

Faith is not believing that God can. It is knowing that God will.

By Ben Stein

My name is Jeremy and I race a UMP Modified around the Michigan area. My purpose for driving a race car is not to win races but to tell people about the salvation that can be found in Jesus Christ. On the side of my car is the text "Jesus died" in front of my number "4u". I also had some autograph cards printed with a picture of the car in front and a simple outline of the gospel on the back and we gave away several hundred last year.

At the end of last year I started having some health problems and I'm not sure if I will be able to race this year. Please pray that God will make me physically (and spiritually) able to spread the gospel though my driving.

thank you,
Jeremy Ferguson

P.s. enclosed is a picture of me and my car.

“Therefore I despise myself and repent in dust and ashes.” Job 42:6

OUT OF THE ASHES JAN 2005

In the late 80’s, Wayne County Speed Shop in cooperation with Koffel’s Place and some funding from the Dodge Division of Chrysler Corp fielded the first Mopar Pro Stocker in many years. It took a couple of years to get the bugs worked out but eventually Darrell Alderman in the Wayne County/Koffel’s Place Pro Stocker dominated that class against all challengers.

However Cinderella stories don’t always have rosy endings and in this case Alderman was set up in a phony drug bust scam. Scott Geoffrion took over driving chores as Alderman was suspended by the NHRA for one year. Upon Alderman’s return, he and Geoffrion, in separate cars, dominated NHRA ProStock for two solid seasons. In the early spring of ‘93 there was a break-in at the Wayne County ProStock skunk works, the entire project was sabotaged and the whole program was in the toilet never to be the same again.

Meanwhile Koffel was working on a new cylinder head that would revolutionize the pro stock package and it was code named the “Phoenix.” The Phoenix was an Egyptian legend-a bird that emerged from the ashes of disaster. Susie Koffel, an ardent supporter of the race program and retired literature teacher, appropriately named the new head.

We’ve been dealing with issues around our house recently and I finally had to put my foot down in respect to one of our children when I said, “We’ve all been through divorce, death, loss and devastation! God has given us a new family out of that devastation. Either get on the bus or get off the road because we’re not sitting in our pity pot any longer!”

As I pondered this message for entering 2005-The Year of Overflow-the Phoenix story took me to Job and how he too emerged out of the ashes to even greater wealth and honor and victory than he had before.

“After Job had prayed for his friends, the Lord made him prosperous and gave him twice as much as he had before.” Job 42:10

Dove and I have both been through more tragedy and disappointments than two people should ever have to face. But in God’s infinite wisdom, He has brought us together for healing, help, encouragement and even greater works than we ever imagined. He hasn’t done anything by accident. So as we enter the New Year, let us all give thanks for our blessings, not pine over our problems.

By the time you read this, we will have logged nearly 100,000 ministry miles since the Lord put us together at the end of 2003. I was doing a story for the January ’04 issue of CMI featuring Bear & Dove as biker preachers, (posthumously on Bear as he had graduated to heaven in September ‘03.) Dove and I were introduced through that story and became fast friends during the process. God didn’t waste any time. He immediately put Dove and I into action doing prison, motorsports and biker ministry together.

We were married Valentines Day and immediately embarked on a new level of ministry as a result of the Elijah-double-portion-on-Elisha anointing. We have stopped long enough to come up for air here at our PA facility but we know we’re being prepared for some really huge things in the not too distant future.

In all due respect to partner communications, we see the Lord doing things His way-a way that doesn’t always line up with the way that you or I would do something. One of the things that He’s changing is how we perceive ministry and more specifically service to His people. I have been in motorsports ministry since 1993 and I’ve seen some tremendous miracles as well as changes in those 12 years. I’ve seen chapel services encouraged and embraced when they used to chase us away. I’ve seen thousands (yes thousands) of new chaplains come into the motorsports arena; from NASCAR to lawnmower racing.

Now what I’m seeing is how God is using the motorsports magazine to go into places including the racetracks in an even greater way. We’re now sending more magazines to public schools and prisons than to subscribers. I’m going into public schools every day. Last Friday I had four schools want me the same day. I’ve had to learn not to question God on what He does or how He does it. As the Nike ad says, “Just Do It!

What I am asking is that you continue to support this ministry in the ways that the Lord has called you to. He has shifted gears on magazine production… We’re now doing two magazines-Christian Motorsports and Prison Victory and at the same time we’re in the schools every day. We schedule magazine production when we can-in between schools-and as the Lord directs our time. Please be patient with the Lord as He inspires help to come alongside us in the production and financing categories.

All that to say that we all need to be flexible but focused on hearing Him and His directives in each of our daily walks. Ministry is the constant awareness of who, what and where it is we are to minister. And don’t you know that that is constantly changing and we must be yielded. I expected to be called next to motorsports super-star ministry but instead I’m in the public schools in a different classroom almost every day.

Most importantly, we need your prayers-that we would stay centered on His will and in His direction for this ministry. Those prayers really count. We pray each day for our partners and as our prayers go up, they are a sweet aroma and song unto our Lord. Our marching orders come as a direct result of drawing near to Him...to hearing His heart and then reaching out to His people.

Christian Motorsports/Loving Hearts Ministries, PO Box 129, Mansfield, PA 16933 dove@loving-hearts.org

When I say "I am a Christian" I'm not shouting "I AM SAVED!"
I'm whispering "I was lost". That's why I chose this way.

When I say "I am a Christian" I don't speak of this with pride.
I confess that I stumble and need someone to be my guide.

When I say "I am a Christian" I'm not trying to be strong.
I'm professing that I'm weak and pray for strength to carry on.

When I say "I am a Christian" I'm not bragging of success.
I'm admitting I have failed and can never pay the debt.

When I say "I am a Christian" I'm not claiming to be perfect.
My flaws are too visible, but God believes I am worth it.

When I say "I am a Christian" I still feel the sting of pain.
I have my share of heartaches, which is why I speak His name.

When I say "I am a Christian" I do not wish to judge.
I have no authority; I only know I am loved.

"I’m part of the fellowship of the unashamed. The die has been cast. I have stepped over the line. The decision has been made. I’m a disciple of Jesus Christ. I won’t look back, let up, slow down, back away, or be still.

"My past is redeemed, my present makes sense, my future is secure. I’m finished and done with low living, sight walking, small planning, smooth knees, colorless dreams, tamed visions, chintzy giving, and dwarfed goals.

"I no longer need pre-eminence, prosperity, position, promotions, plaudits, or popularity. I now live by presence, lean by faith, love by patience, lift by prayer, and labor by power. My pace is set, my gait is fast, my goal is Heaven, my road is narrow, my way is rough, my companions few, my Guide reliable, my mission clear. I cannot be bought, compromised, deterred, lured away, turned back, diluted, or delayed.

"I won’t give up, shut up, let up, until I have stayed up, stored up, prayed up, paid up, preached up for the cause of Christ. I am a disciple of Jesus. I must go till He comes, give till I drop, preach till all know, and work till He stops me. And when he comes for His own, He will have no problem recognizing me — my banner will be clear!

“Therefore I despise myself and repent in dust and ashes.” Job 42:6

OUT OF THE ASHES JAN 2005

When I say "I am a Christian" I'm not shouting "I AM SAVED!"
I'm whispering "I was lost". That's why I chose this way.

When I say "I am a Christian" I don't speak of this with pride.
I confess that I stumble and need someone to be my guide.

When I say "I am a Christian" I'm not trying to be strong.
I'm professing that I'm weak and pray for strength to carry on.

When I say "I am a Christian" I'm not bragging of success.
I'm admitting I have failed and can never pay the debt.

When I say "I am a Christian" I'm not claiming to be perfect.
My flaws are too visible, but God believes I am worth it.

When I say "I am a Christian" I still feel the sting of pain.
I have my share of heartaches, which is why I speak His name.

When I say "I am a Christian" I do not wish to judge.
I have no authority; I only know I am loved.

Send mail to renee@godspeedministry.com with questions or comments about this web site.
Last modified: 04/23/08

“Therefore I despise myself and repent in dust and ashes.” Job 42:6

OUT OF THE ASHES JAN 2005

When I say "I am a Christian" I'm not shouting "I AM SAVED!" I'm whispering "I was lost". That's why I chose this way.

When I say "I am a Christian" I don't speak of this with pride. I confess that I stumble and need someone to be my guide.

When I say "I am a Christian" I'm not trying to be strong. I'm professing that I'm weak and pray for strength to carry on.

When I say "I am a Christian" I'm not bragging of success. I'm admitting I have failed and can never pay the debt.

When I say "I am a Christian" I'm not claiming to be perfect. My flaws are too visible, but God believes I am worth it.

When I say "I am a Christian" I still feel the sting of pain. I have my share of heartaches, which is why I speak His name.

When I say "I am a Christian" I do not wish to judge. I have no authority; I only know I am loved.

Send mail to renee@godspeedministry.com with questions or comments about this web site. Last modified: 04/23/08

When I say "I am a Christian" I'm not shouting "I AM SAVED!"
I'm whispering "I was lost". That's why I chose this way.

When I say "I am a Christian" I don't speak of this with pride.
I confess that I stumble and need someone to be my guide.

When I say "I am a Christian" I'm not trying to be strong.
I'm professing that I'm weak and pray for strength to carry on.

When I say "I am a Christian" I'm not bragging of success.
I'm admitting I have failed and can never pay the debt.

When I say "I am a Christian" I'm not claiming to be perfect.
My flaws are too visible, but God believes I am worth it.

When I say "I am a Christian" I still feel the sting of pain.
I have my share of heartaches, which is why I speak His name.

When I say "I am a Christian" I do not wish to judge.
I have no authority; I only know I am loved.

Send mail to renee@godspeedministry.com with questions or comments about this web site.
Last modified: 04/23/08