Golf Tournament Blessing Plan Harder, Pray Harder to See Where the Lord Would Take This Vital Fundraiser
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Team RFC® UPDATE News from the Christian Motorsports International, Inc. Family of Ministries Volume 2019, Issue #1 ///C O N T E N T S /// Life on the NHRA Road Steps of Faith by Craig Garland, NHRA National Event Series Director Jill Goodale Being on the road as the NHRA National Event Series Page 2 Director, I have seen a great number of miles and Follow Team RFC milestones. This year marked the 50th anniversary Jackie Powers of the NHRA Gatornationals. What a blessed event Page 2 for all that attended. The “Gator Man”, made a special appearance again at our RFC kids sessions on "Victory Road" Stories Saturday allowing kids to touch and even hold a live Taken from Lee Benton alligator. All in all, it was a very blessed weekend of Page 3 ministry and racing. The Winners Circle As we moved on to the Four-Wide Nationals in Las Page 4 & 5 Vegas, our next stop, we took a detour in St Louis Radio Controlled Cars to visit my brother. While there I had the honor in Texas of meeting a gentleman who retired from the St Chad Howard Louis Cardinals organization. His name was Joe Page 6 Cunningham. Joe played for the Cardinals from 1954 through 1962 before being traded to Chicago. Detroit Autorama Throughout his 12 year career in the major leagues, Mike Oginsky he started in over 1140 games and was an All Star Chaplain Craig Garland prays with Top Fuel Driver Clay Millican at the 2019 NHRA Gatornationals. Page 7 in 1959. Redneck Stress Relief 2 Why am I talking about a major league ball player in a newsletter for Racers For Christ®, you might ask? For one, I love baseball. Bill Blanchette It runs a close 2nd to drag racing. Another reason is what happened after Mr. Cunningham stopped playing ball and moved into Page 8 the office of the Cardinals. Joe became instrumental in heading up a program that helps bring awareness to kids about drugs. He continued to serve the sport he so loved and made an impact throughout the community. //////////////////////// Making a Difference by Eddie Baugher, Executive Director Have you ever thought you had too little to give to God in order to make a difference? The Gospel of John tells of a young boy who knew that very feeling. He had been part of a great crowd of people that had witnessed and been amazed by Jesus’ healing power and followed him as he crossed the Sea of Galilee. Jesus “went up on a mountainside and sat down with his disciples,” John 6:3 NIV. John tells us that there were 5,000 men, not including women and children. Jesus asked Philip, one of his disciples, 5b“’Where shall we buy bread for these people to eat?’ 6He asked this only to test him, for he already had in mind what he was going to do. 7Philip answered him, ‘It would take more than half a year’s wages to buy enough bread for each one to have a bite!’“ Here we have thousands of hungry people and not a McDonalds in sight. Andrew, another of Jesus’ disciples, begins asking people if they have any food to share. Imagine if you were that little boy. You see Andrew slowly moving through the crowd, and one by one people are just shaking their heads. He gets closer and closer. Pretty soon he walks up to you, looks down and sees you holding tightly to a small pouch, and asks if you have any food to share. “What am I going to do? I saw the miracles of Jesus; I heard his teaching. But am I willing to give him what little I have. Will it really make any difference?” You decide to trust Jesus, and give Andrew your small pouch. Andrew then tells Jesus, “9Here is a boy with five small barley loaves and two small fish, but how far will they go among so many?” WOW! Talk about a feeling of inadequacy. Out of the thousands of people that showed up to hear and see Jesus, the only food they could find was one small lunch. I wonder what was going on in this little boy’s mind. Was he thinking how hungry he was, how good his bread and fish would taste? Or maybe, as a child, did he have the kind of faith www.teamrfc.org page 8 www.teamrfc.org VIP Experience Choose a NHRA event and we will make you the VIP of the race! see teamrfc.org for more ★ Tickets ★ Hospitality ★ Behind the Scenes Tour! director's position, God would open those doors and show us. Over the summer Steps of Faith months, as we ministered at Summit Motorsports Park, there were people that By Jill Goodale, Wife of North Central Region came into our lives and confirmed what God was telling us. Director Hugh Goodale Through songs on the radio and people that God put in our path, it was evident This was a new chapter in our lives, a precise that God was and is in control. He had a plan and was going to lead us every step moment when God was leading of the way. It was confirmed over and over again. In September, we us to take steps of faith and we went to Madison, IL to the divisional race at Gateway and met with responded. In February of 2018, my husband, Hugh, shared Eddie Baugher, the Team RFC® Executive Director. We interviewed with our pastors that he was feeling the call to full-time for the position and met a lot of new people involved with racing. ministry. At that point, I wasn't ready for full-time ministry. I was During the time between February and May, I said I wasn’t ready happy with our life and our ministry. I knew if it was God's plan to go back into full-time ministry. I didn’t realize the work God had that He would work everything out. Then, in April, I spoke to done in me until months later, when I felt the excitement and a someone at the home office about Hugh’s desire. She said, “You desire to serve full-time. Why? Because God is faithful and He had never know what God has in store for you.” A month later, we changed my heart. Praise God! Reflecting back on this, I realized got an email from the home office saying that the North Central how selfish I had been, not wanting to share my husband, and God Region Director was stepping back and they were looking for a convicted me. He revealed to me that doing full-time ministry was new director to start in January of 2019. We had already discussed going to give us more time together as a couple. and prayed about where God may be leading us and we knew it God's hand moved in our lives and guided us. We accepted the would be within the racing ministry. position of North Central Region Director in the fall of 2018. We We immediately started praying about this opportunity. The very went to Arizona in November for some training at the home office and next Sunday our pastor had decided to change his sermon to officially started in this position January 1, 2019. God is in control and Jeremiah 29:11. Hugh and I looked at each other, already knowing He has a plan for our lives. God does amazing things - He changed my that verse, “For I know the plans I have for you,” declares the Lord, heart and works in our lives to show us that through Him we can do “plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you anything. So, as we continue to lean on him for guidance, direction, hope and a future.” Later that day, we were listening to the radio strength and wisdom, He is going to lead us every step of the way. and the verse of the day was the same Scripture - Jeremiah 29:11. I praise His holy name! We definitely knew that God had a plan for us! If it was to be the “Absolutely, good can come from social media, if the right content is posted Follow Team RFC (or tweeted).” By Jackie Powers, Social Media Specialist The vision of Team RFC® is, “To see the world of motorsports impacted for Jesus Christ by individuals entering into a personal relationship with Him and One and a half billion growing in those relationships.” There’s no reason this impact cannot continue daily users, and I’m one of on social media! We post and tweet daily Bible verses, interactive questions, them. I'm a Facebook user. quotes, prayer requests and information about who we are and what we do as Lately, I’ve been slightly an organization, all with the goal of encouraging you to love and follow Jesus. discouraged with what has So, if you too are looking to combat the negativity in your feed and for content appeared in my newsfeed. to share hope, peace, purpose and love with your friends and followers, be You see, in between the sure to follow us on Facebook (Racers For Christ) or Twitter (@TeamRFC)! family pictures and life Jackie Powers is both a wife and mother. Since 2018, she is also the Team RFC® announcements from my Social Media Specialist. She creates content and monitors our Facebook and friends and family (the things Twitter feeds.