Ever Feel Ill Prepared to Serve?

            As a devotional thought for this week, I want to share an e-mail received in the Team RFC office from a new chaplain.  His experience is common to each of us…there are those times when we feel inadequate to represent Christ.  But we can draw encouragement from his story; God will work out the details for us too!

Paul Neighbors
Executive Director

I wanted to share my first experience as a Chaplain for Team RFC.  (Another chaplain) called me last week and asked if I could substitute for him at the Summit ET Bracket Final at Sacramento Raceway Park. The week before the event I was a nervous wreck; fear of rejection…what if they ask me questions I can't answer…Satan was trying to discourage me and cast doubts on my abilities to serve God. 

The problem was that my faith was dependent on my skills and abilities— not the power of God.  I asked God for wisdom and strength and to help me with my insecurities. 

Early Saturday morning Lorraine and I went to Carl's Jr. for breakfast.  There was a race car on the trailer in the parking lot.  We went in to order and met the owner of the car and his wife.  We shared that we were chaplains for RFC and we were on our way to the races.  It so happens that Rick, the owner of the car, was the tech inspector for Sacramento Raceway and he was transporting the car for his son to race.  Rick's wife is a Christian and attends a local Church in our area.  Rick’s son, Don, started racing Jr. Dragsters and now bracket races the Camaro.  His father tells me that his son is a believer, but struggles with his faith much like all teenagers. 

When we arrived at the track we started making our rounds and introducing ourselves to the racers.  We noticed Don's Camaro and wandered over to his pit so we might introduce ourselves.  Lorraine and I shared that we had met His mom and dad early that morning and said we would be praying for him to have a safe race.  He said "let's pray right now."   His crew member, Mark, joined us and we held hands and prayed for God's blessings and safety for them throughout the day.  Don shared with me that another chaplain prayed for him when he was younger at a race in Las Vegas, he said his name was Jim something, we said could it be Jim Jack and he said yes. 

Jim planted a seed that a young man never forgot, Lorraine and I watered the seed again on Saturday.  We spoke with his father later in the day and he shared the struggles he has had trying to witness to his son, he was thankful that Team RFC took the time to come and be a part of The Summit ET Series.

Overall we were welcomed and had a very positive experience with our first race as chaplains for Team RFC.  God is so faithful.  "I can do all things through Christ who gives me strength."  (Philippians 4:13) 

Richard Crumley