It's the little ways that God moves...

A few of us from the Hemelgarn team attended Chapel on bump day. After the service we went directly to the pits to set up to run that day. as we were moving tires and laying out air hoses, one of the guys came up to me and pulled me aside. As he starting to weep, he thanked me for inviting him to Chapel that day. He said he "really needed that".

Friends, it can be as simple as an invitation to Chapel that will allow God to work and move in some one's life. Do not hesitate. Reach out. Allow God to work through you!

Indy Practice/Qual Pics

Below are some pics from the practice and qualifications for Buddy Lazier!

Thank God Indy is not our Final Destination

Well, after a very long day on Sunday, Buddy Lazier in the #91 Hemelagrn entry did not make it into the 2009 Indianapolis 500. It wasn't due to the lack of effort. The entire team worked very hard from Thursday to Sunday to get the car up to speed. We went through 22 sets of tires in 4 days!!! Our top speed was just over 220 mph, but we could never get that for a consistent 4 lap qualification run. Technically, we did qualify on Saturday, but by the end of the day, we were bumped out of the field.

Thanks to Dennis, Lee and Gary for giving me the opportunity to work on the team. It was lots of hard work, but it is lots of fun running an Indy car at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway! Also, thanks to Dr. Riina from OrthoIndy, for putting my back together and Andrea from Body One Physical Therapy for training me. The back held up great!

The Indy 500 is a great event, but it does not even come close to the race we will win through faith in Jesus Christ when we reach our final destination with Him in glory!! Jesus said, " you will have trouble in this world, but take heart, I have overcome the world."

Trust Him - nothing else.

We need you back on our side......

While working on the Buddy Lazier car, one of our safety guys came up to me during practice and said, "be careful out here, we need you back on our side (with the IRL Ministry)". I thanked him for the neat comment and prayed with him there for his safety and protection..... Neat stuff....

First Practice, Chapel, & Bible Study ...

We have our first practice on the track tomorrow (weather permitting) with car #91, Buddy Lazier! I will be helping with the tire & pit set up. We have been working since last week getting everything in order! It has been fun and tiring all at the same time. My back is holding up well. There is some aching at night, but it seems to recover well....

We had the first Chapels of the year at Indy last Sunday. It was well attended in both services. I pray that God will continue to speak to those people's hearts.....

We had the Vision Racing bible study today at 7:00 in the morning! We held it in their hospitality tent at the track. We also had a couple of the Hemelgarn Racing guys attend! We had great conversation and I felt like God was honored by our study. Pray that we all learn from what we heard and we act on it!

Thanks for your continued prayers and support!

May is here - with Hemelgarn Racing!

WOW…. OK, so I get a call on Thursday afternoon from the team manager at Vision racing. He said he was told (that day) that he could not add any more personnel and that he has to “make due” with the people they have on staff for the 500…… (he had signed me three weeks ago) that means… I’m out at Vision (for the month of May)!

So, obviously, God did not need me there this month! (I will still be doing the Bible study with them at the track throughout the month) I prayed and made a few phone calls….. Hemelgarn called me back and said that people there had been “praying” that I would work for them! Wow.. I had a meeting with their team manager on Saturday and they hired me that day. I start on Tuesday!

So…. God is always more that faithful….. Pray that I will be an effective witness to those guys!

Root for Buddy Lazier #91 on 5/24!!!!!! Thanks for your support and prayers!

We are not in Kansas anymore!

Great day today! Lots of interactive prayer with the teams and drivers. Two chapels and a mass! Jessica Willey sang for us at both chapel services. What a wonder gift of song God has blessed her with! Thanks Jessica!

I hooked up with the hospitality worker that said he was "too far gone". He did not want to talk about it. I assured him that I (or we) am available whenever he is ready. He said, "I knew that even before we talked". Praise God! That is the type of presence ministry that needs to be evident!

Thanks to all for your support and prayers! I return home tomorrow!

Update from Kansas!

The first couple days have been good here in Kansas. We are currently looking out for tornado's (literally) as a storm is passing through! Peoples lives are full of storms. Some require weather alerts while others require just an umbrella. There are people in this community that are hurting. That are going through storms of life. Pray that we can help them weather those storms!

Made some great connections with many of the team guys the last couple of days. We have talked about everything from how the team is doing to funerals to planning baptisms in May! Pray that these conversations are God led and God honoring.

We have 2 chapels and 2 races tomorrow. Pray these go well and that God is in control of all! In my devotions this morning I read in 2 Timothy 4:2 , that we are to Preach the Word. In season and out of season; correct rebuke and encourage - with great patience and careful instruction. Pray that I do that. I encourage you to do the same. Everyday!

Long Beach Sunday, Sunday Sunday!!!!!!

It was a long day that began with the alarm going off at 4:30 to get to the track and get set up for the 7:00 AM Chapel! We had American Idol contestant, Brandon Gill, to sing for us today! His worship was heartfelt and we thank him and his wife for sharing their gift with us. We were a bit rushed in pryaing with the Indy Lights guys this morning since the green flag dropped at the same time we started our second Chapel! The mass was delayed due to a drivers meeting and the second Chapel was cut short due to a press conference! The Indy Car prayer on the grid was even a bit rushed and confusing. This was just a lesson that God's timing is perfect and does not necesarily match up with our agenda!

The local Long Beach Salvation Army brought 6 guys and 2 trucks to take the food today! I helped them load the trucks and we ended shoulder to shoulder in prayer! We asked God to bless their efforts and that this food would be used to further the Kingdom of Christ!

The day ended with dinner with Dan and Linda Baker. They are wonderful Christian people that are former board members of the IRL Minstry. They offered me great encouragement this evening during our discussions and prayed for me and the IRL Minsitry (as they always do). Thanks Dan and Linda! Thanks to all who prayed. leave Friday for Kansas. Keep Praying!

Long Beach Update!

Made it safely to Long Beach! This is quite a venue.... A very diverse atmosphere and culture. We're not in Indiana any more!

The local Salvation Army will be taking the food form this weekend! I connected with many of the Indy Car and Indy Lights guys today! We are trying to arrange 2 baptisms in May for a ocuple of guys from the Vision study! Pray those arrangements go well.

It is not our job to push the God's timing. Today was an example of that. I did talk with the hospitality worker I mentioned in previous blogs. He was not ready to discuss God's grace. Keep praying....

I did meet a Christian lady on the plane coming out here that has been through some recent trials in here life that she shared with me. I offered words of encouragement that God gave me. Would you join me in praying for her? Pray she will find God's direction in her life.

Keep praying!!!!

St. Pete Food Donation & Long Beach!!!

4281 pounds!!!!!!!!!! That's how much food was donated from the St. Pete race to the America's Second Harvest of Tampa Bay organization!!

Pray for the trip to Long Beach. Pray that the "seeds that were planted" with the "crew care packs" that were distributed at St. Pete will be watered!! Pray for opportunites to share Christ thi weekend!!!

God Bless!

St. Pete Pics!!!!!!!!

"CREW CARE PACKS" - God's Word DELIVERED!



"CREW CARE PACKS" EVERYWHERE!!!!!


PRAYING "ON THE GRID"

"FEEDING AMERICA" GUYS!

INDY LIGHTS CHAPEL!!!

St. Pete God Report!

We had a great race day! The chapel service went well!! We had country recording artist, Michelle Murray (http://www.myspace.com/michellemurraycom) lead us in worship. Thanks Michelle!

Neat prayer time on the grid for both the Indy Lights and Indy Car race! (pics to come... stay tuned!) Many of the Indy Lights drivers prayed and were excited that prayer was offered! Had some very God orchestrated prayer time with individuals as I was working my way through the grid to pray with the teams! These requested prayer times with individuals are absolutely precious.... God is amazing... The teams were very receptive to prayer on the grid. Some teams were actually excited when I approached the car! Praise God!

It was also very nice to have my wife along with me on this trip! She is a blessing from God!

Next race is Long Beach in two weeks..... Keep praying that God will work thru the crew care packs as people open them and read God's word. Pray also that we will be attentive to those who are searching.. As always, thanks for praying. May the Lord bless you and keep you!

Prayer, Chapel, Bags, Injuries, & Hope

OK... wow... what a busy couple of days in St. Pete! We handed out the rest of the crew care packs (600 total)! We actually ran out before everyone got one. I just prayed that God would just "take care of that" what ever "that" means. We have already had reports of how the contents are being used! One crew member told me that his children went thru the bag and were "fighting" over the contents. The compromise was the older child is now reading to the younger children from the Bible that was in the packs!!!!!! It is unimaginable how far these might reach souls for God's kingdom!

I met with the Feeding America http://feedingamerica.org (formally Second Harvest) people from Tampa. They are picking up the food this weekend and we are trying to establish a national partnership with them for all the tracks! Had a great time of prayer with these brothers that God would use every bit of this food to show his love to the less fortunate.

Chapel today for the Indy Lights series was held at the Tech semi in the garage area. We had a great turnout for the 9:00 AM service! We had great prayer time on the grid prior to today's race. There are many new teams and drivers this year. Most all wanted to pray. I was rejected by two drivers. We are still there, still present, still praying.

One of the IRL crew members was injured today in the garage area. After his brief stay at the infield care center, I transported him back to his garage. I had a neat time of prayer with him for his injuries.

Lastly, I was hanging up flyers for our Sunday Chapel services in the hospitality area today. One of the guys I met last year said to me, " there is no hope for me, I am too far gone". I replied that nobody is too far gone. That Christ will forgive the worst of sins. He said when he stands before God, that God will say "not this one". I told him that that is exactly why Jesus died on that cross for your sins. I said that if you trust Jesus, then He will say to God, "no, this one is OK, he is covered by my blood......... He did not say a word.... I gave him a couple of devotionals I had for him to read. I also told him, at the proper time, I wanted to talk further about his concerns. He agreed. Please pray. Please.

Tomorrow there are two races, a chapel and a catholic mass. There will be countless opportunities to exhibit Christ's love. Pray I do that.

This why I am here. To share Christ. Nothing else. Pray.

Over 500 crew care packs handed out today at St. Pete!

Wow.. The day began when the alarm went off at 3:00AM to catch an early morning flight out of Indy to St. Pete. At 10:00PM we got to our hotel room! It was a great day!!! Bob, me, Deatra, and Harriett (an IRLM helper) handed out backpacks full of God's word to crew members, officials, drivers, and hospitality workers! Some rejected the packs, but the majority were REALLY excited to get a free gift..... most did not know that inside that bag is truly a free gift.... God's grace through faith in Christ!

Some opened them up right away and looked at all the contents. Some asked who paid for them. Some were just thankful that we were giving them a gift.

Now its time to pray! Pray that the seeds get watered. That the soil will be fertile. That they will open the bags and read. That God will open their eyes..... Pray... Thanks to all.... more from the track tomorrow!

Front Wing Presented to ICCC

It was a great day at Indian Creek again today! The IRL Ministry presented Gary Johnson and the staff of ICCC a front Indy Car wing in appreciation for "The Creek's" support of me and the Indy Racing League Ministry.

Thanks to all of you for your support and prayers! The motor coach is on its way to St.Pete now! I will be flying down on Thursday, April 2nd. The crew care packs will be distributed on that Thursday and Friday. Pray they will be well received. Pray God will move! Pray!

Is This a Hobby?

So, I was off site at a company today for my "full time" engineering job with JDSU...... We got to talking about racing and the IRL Ministry. These guys said "so you don't get paid for the time you spend traveling to all the races?" I told them my expenses are covered, but I do not get paid. They commented that that was "some hobby".... In response, I simply said, "it's more than a hobby".

That comment hit me hard...... Friends, is Christianity "just a hobby" for you? We are serving the Almighty God of the universe. We are giving praise to Jesus Christ, the Saviour of the world. Our God knows and understands our every thought. We have been commanded by Christ Himself to go unto the world to spread the Good News.

It's more than a "hobby" to me....... how bout you?

WOW!!! - 100 boxes packed

THANK YOU ALL and THANKS BE TO GOD! We, members of Indian Creek Christian Church, and friends of the IRL Ministry, packed over 580 crew care packs in to 100 boxes today! In addition, every box was prayed over, that God would use they packs to reveal the Good News of the Gospel of Christ to the Indy Racing League crew members and officials. The boxes are already in the IRL Ministry trailer and ready for the trip to St. Petersburg for the April 5th race. These care packs will be distributed on April 2nd when the guys are working on their cars! Pray they will be well received and God would work in a might and powerful way!

Thanks again for all your prayers, help and support!

God working at the Vision Study!

We finished the Joe Gibbs book "Racing to Win" today in our study. After lots of good discussion, we got on the topic of baptism. We talked thru what baptism means and the example Jesus set for us. Bottom line..... There are 2 or 3 guys that are considering being baptized! Praise God!

We need to be there. We need to encourage. We need to go. We need to follow where Jesus is leading. Without hesitation....... Go.... spread the Good News!

IRL Ministry Crew Care Pack - Packing Party March 15th!

Shipments are coming in, almost daily, to my garage that is now being used as a "Christian Warehouse" of sorts.... God has been unbelievable through this entire process in providing for this project. I want to thank Him, first of all, for sending all of you and the different businesses that have donated items and money for this project. Thanks be to God! And thank all of you! Below is the flyer that will be placed in each pack acknowledging the different companie's involvement.


We are having the packing party at Indian Creek Christian Church on Sunday, March 15th at 12:30 in the Family Life Center. Pizza will be provided! We are going to pack all 600 backpacks with the Bibles, etc. and pray over them before we box them up for the trip to St. Pete on April 5th for the first IRL race!

Please pray that these Crew Care Packs with be received well. I hope to see you all there!