| I couldn't wait to get behind the wheel of that car -- even though I was scared to death of it the first time I did.
When I was about 6 or 7 years old, I got into a crash in a quarter-midget car. I hit the wall and flipped upside down. My foot was wedged between the gas pedal and the frame rail, and I thought I broke my ankle. I was screaming. I thought after that day, "I'm never going to get back in a race car."
But racing became my life. It became the one thing I was good at. When I was at the race track, I was in a controlled, comfortable environment. As soon as I left that race track, I was just a timid little boy who didn't seem to excel in anything else.
Even as I grew up and moved on to NASCAR, I was very unsure of myself. It was like I had reached a fork in the road. It was danger this way, and good things the other way. I was thinking, "Hey, I'm on top of the world, I'm racing the Winston Cup, and I'm building a name for myself." Soon, I realized that's not what the good life is all about.
You may be the most successful person there is - or maybe you're struggling. In either case, Christ can strengthen your confidence and give you peace of mind. He gives you the love that's missing in your life. I'm a successful person, but I can tell you that all of that wouldn't mean anything to me if I didn't have God in my life -- someone I can turn to no matter what. I turn to Him to guide me and give me strength to get through a hectic schedule or to guide my decision-making.
My friend Max Helton, founder of Motor Racing Outreach, was instrumental in my becoming a believer in Jesus Christ. The following are his words, which will help you understand how you too can find forgiveness of sins, joy, and purpose in life:
- You can't make up your own rules or ways to get into the race. No one is good enough to rule over God. Romans 3:23 says, "For all have sinned and come short of the glory of God."
- Sin leads us to believe that we can win the race through our own rules. But the Bible says that "the wages of sin is death," (Romans 6:23) and it also tells us that we are saved by grace through faith. It is the gift of God, not of works (Ephesians 2:9).
- You must accept God's way as the only way to enter the race. John 1:12 tells us that if we believe in Jesus Christ, God's Son, and receive Him into our life, we can be saved and have a personal relationship with Him.
You can receive Jesus Christ into your heart and life by praying to Him. Here is a suggested prayer:
Dear God, thank You for reaching out to me. I confess that I am a sinner. Please forgive my sin by the blood of Your Son, Jesus Christ, who died on the cross and rose from the grave. Fill my heart with Your truth and love. I desire to follow You alone. In Jesus' name. Amen.
Reprinted with permission from Sports Spectrum magazine www.sportsspectrum.com
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