Day 2 - Belle Isle

I got the musicians for Chapel all hooked up with credentials, etc. We had a safe practice and qualifying session today.

I had a few neat conversations today with team members and support staff. These relations are important to being able to share Christ with them. I pray that my work today was pleasing to God as I shared Christ's love. One of the team guys, Kevin, was notified that his baby daughter has a brain condition that causes one side of her body to function properly. Pray for him and his family as they work through this tough situation....

Detroit Belle Isle Update

Busy day today..... I met with the reps from Detroit Rescue Mission (www.drmm.org). We had a little communication mix up this weekend about the food pickup. So, we literally called these guys today to see if they were available to do the pickup Sunday night. Not only did they say yes, they were at the track within 15 minutes of my call to check out the trailer location and figure out their route into the track. Pray for this mission.... They serve over 1500 meals per day!

Ran into a couple guys from Larry's team. Larry is the crew member who lost his son last weekend. I assured they guys that we are praying for them and Larry. They are still a bit shaken, so keep praying. Please.

This street circuit made from existing streets on the island. It is fan friendly track with lots to see and do. The view of the Detroit and Canada skylines are pretty cool. It is a little tough to do credentials, shuttle people in, and get to our trailer outside the track. Pray that we get the musician logistics worked out tomorrow. This could be a challenge with limited parking, etc.

I am a bit tired. Pray for physical strength and patience working through some of the details of this weekend.... Thanks for your support! More updates tomorrow!

DIZMAS!!!!!!

What an awesome day today! What an awesome God we serve! We had 2 great, well attended Chapel services today with the special music provided by the group DIZMAS (www. dizmas.com). These guys are the real deal. They love Jesus and love to sing his praises. It was a pleasure meeting them today and hanging out a bit. This was their first ever Indy Car race, so they were lovin' every minute! Check these guys out on their website and on You Tube. Pray for these guys as they tour the world singing about Christ's love for all of us!

We had great prayer time with the teams and drivers today. The Indy Lights race was a bit rushed again, but we got to all the drivers before they took off! Most of the prayers were with the drivers in the cockpit.... God always provides a way. The Indy Car prayer time was especially special with the Dreyer Reinbold teams, as we lifted up their teammate who lost his son this week. Continue to pray for these guys....

I also had neat time in prayer with a IRL pit lane official and an ESPN reporter prior to the race. I also sent DISMAS off with a prayer before they traveled back home. We formed a circle in the pits and prayed amidst all the Indy Car engines roaring by.... The next race is Detroit. Pray for me as it will be another short week at my "day job".

God bless you all!!!!!

Sonoma Update - Saturday

Had a good Indy Lights race today. It was a bit hurried before the race, so Bob and I worked our way through the grid praying with the drivers as they were getting in their cars. I prayed with one driver walking down the grid on his way to his car, another driver as she was sitting in her car, and yet another driver as he was putting on his helmet. I had one driver that refused to pray, but all others were eager for the divine help!

We have one Indy Lights and the Indy Car race tomorrow. We have 2 chapels and 1 mass in the morning. People coming in, credentials, etc. Pray that we will stay focused on God's work, not man's. As always, God Bless you all for praying.

God's Plan

Met with the Team Jesus Motorsports (teamjesusmotorsports.net) people today. They will be coordinating the food pick up and delivery this weekend. Special thanks to their help!

We had a tragedy today with one of the Indy Car team members. He was notified this morning that his son had died overnight back in Indianapolis. Bob met with him for a little while after the notification and his team manager immediately made arrangements for him to be flown back to Indy. I drove him from the track back to his hotel and then to the airport to catch his flight. We sometimes never know why some things happen. We need to continually trust God in all situations. Keep the faith. Pray without ceasing. Know that God will never leave us or forsake us.
Pray for this team member that God will provide, heal, comfort, and be present in this difficult time.

Sunny in Sonoma

Made it safely to Sonoma. It is beautiful country that God made out here! A little more hilly that Indiana! The ministry motorcoach is not here this weekend (due to fuel prices). So we are a bit out of our element. I believe God will provide everything we need this weekend. Pray that we can focus on the people and not on "stuff". Tomorrow we are meeting with the track's Raceway Ministries that will be coordinating the food pick up and they are going to let us borrow a golf cart! Keep prayin'!

New Speakers - Thanks William!

Thanks to William Guice of the People's Church in Franklin, TN, the IRL Ministry now has new Yamaha speakers for our sound system! As you recall, William sang for us in Nashville. When we were doing his sound check, he asked what that buzzing noise was.... Well, it was our speakers! He replied, "I can take care of that!"

He showed up to sing for us again in Kentucky and had a new set of speakers complete with cords and mounting brackets! They are 300 watts of awesome sound!

Thanks again William. It is greatly appreciated! God provides!!!!

Wow.....

OK, so in all my humanness, I'm all worried about logistics of the weekend. Why do we worry about anything when we trust God.... we shouldn't.....

Had a great day in Kentucky yesterday... William Guice from the Peoples Church in Nashville drove up from Tennessee to sing for our Chapel services. We also worked with John Roberts, the track Chaplain from Kentucky Speedway, to help with their Raceway Ministries Chapel service at 9:00 AM. William also sang for their service. Those guys do a great job ministering to the fans outside the track.

Our Chapel services were well attended and went well. We had Mike Mankel and his wife Beth as guests of the ministry this weekend. Mike is the Regional Manager for KLOVE/Air1 radio. They followed me along with my son Tyler on the grid to pray with the drivers. God was present as we had great reception from most of the teams. Beth hugged me after we had finished praying, with tears in her eyes, and thanked me. She said that was better than a church service! The Holy Spirit was obviously moving in a mighty way.

I had two unique opportunities to pray with people that don't normally get the chance..... As we were making our way thru the grid, two IRL pit safety worked were preparing for the race. I offered prayer and they accepted! Also, there was a group of Firestone pit workers talking before the race. They also were open to prayer before the race!

God was moving.... God was working. I am just humbled that I am being used by God in this capacity. Trust God. Obey God.

Answered Prayer in Kentucky

Every single day in ministry is vastly different. I thank God today for answered prayer today. Our devotion this morning discussed the right as a child of God to be in prayer with our Father and bringing honor to our Father by how we pray to him.

Our prayer today was just that..... that we would not get caught up in the details, but minister in the midst of the details. I believe God answered that prayer today. Many great connections were made and details for tomorrow just fell into place... Why do we ever worry... What a waste of time.... Praise God..... Trust God....

Set up at Kentucky!

Got setup at Kentucky today! Met with a few of the team guys worked through some logistics for the weekend. Will be meeting with the track Chaplain, John Roberts tomorrow.

With all the IRL Ministry visitors this weekend (including Mike from KLOVE), pray that we can work through the technical aspects of credentials, etc. and not let these get in the way of ministry!

Kentucky Tomorrow!

Heading to Kentucky tomorrow for the Saturday night race! Tyler, my oldest son, will be accompanying me this weekend!

Pray that God will work through the IRL Ministry staff this weekend and that we will represent Christ well!

"Winners Circle" kicked off at Vision Racing!

Last Wednesday, Bob and I had a meeting at Vision Racing to introduce the "Winners Circle". This will be a weekly Christian study that will encourage the team emotional and spiritually. This study will be started using Coach Tony Dungy's book, "Quiet Strength". (http://www.coachdungy.com/)

We had a great turnout of about 10-11 team members at the lunch meeting. We are going to buy them all books and study guides. This will be a weekly study held at the shop over their lunch hour.

Please pray that this will be a Holy Spirit led study and that those who need to hear from God will show up. Also pray that the enthusiasm that was shown at the initial meeting will continue as we meet weekly!