faithlove617
PR Addict
Wow, this thread is really cool. It's an opportunity to go beyond the scope of our passion for riding/racing. After all this is life and it is real. I appreciate the maturity of all the posts in this thread. This doesn't happen often in this world...a place to be yourself, that's what I feel is one of the great aspects of being involved with riding. Their are some very key thoughts being presented in this forum. As stated before, I desire to express my heartfelt faith in this thread, not to preach, this is not a platform for that.
I stated earlier that God used motocross to save my life and how He changed my heart towards people...I would like to expound on my personal testimony a little.
The bible says "faithful are the honest wounds of a friend, but deceitful are the kisses of the enemy". So as a friend, I will be honest. I desire honest people in my life, even if it means HARD truth! As a friend, I don't desire to tickle your ears, but rather to be honest for love of the truth.
So MOTOCROSS!!! I LOVE THIS SPORT!!!
I am 26 now and have been working at Malvern Racing since I was 14 with a couple years off in between. I started as a caution flagmen, then moved to announcer, then to track prep, then all sorts of things to now where I am a key leader at the track. Which to me is an honor and a major responsibility. I also work the summit indoors, the faircross races and am associated with OIR and promote the Malvern harescramble. It's easier too because I love it so much. I am deeply greatful for the friendships I have been blessed with and the honor of favor with the people, and the kids...the kids are great, they really keep me motivated. They help keep me accountable.
I grew up in Waynesburg, about a 10 minute bicycle ride from the track. My family is screwed up...but I love them very much!!! I am a red-headed step child, hahaha! I watched my my step-dad beat my mom, I watched my parents use us kids as leverage towards the other parent, My dad was a drunk, my parents all used drugs. I lived in a battered womens shelter at one point. My mom left us kids when I was 13 or so, one day she was just gone. Moved in with my step-father, he kicked me out for smoking cigarettes. Then moved in with my dad for the first time and transferred from Sandy Valley to Mckinley. My older brother had just been released from the hospital and moved in with my dad, his girlfriend and I. He was at a party early easter morning 2001, where these two kids got in a fight, he broke it up, and a kid sucker punched him to the ground hitting his head on concrete. He almost died that night, was in a induced coma for a while, then had to learn how to live all over, walking, talking, eating, etc. Nothing really happened to the man that hit him due to no one having the courage to testify. He now has constant migraines, can't physically exert himself very much (he used to ride),and is going blind. I had a step-brother who was shot and killed. An uncle who committed suicide on his son's birthday. My dad then almost died due to drinking in the which when he recovered, told my brother and I that we had to find our own place to live as he, his girlfriend and his dogs were moving into a trailer and couldn't afford to be responsible for us. This was right before I started my senior of high school, and my brother couldn't take care of himself. I moved out on my own, and my brother moved in with my mom (she came back later). I was even the odd ball in my family where they often made fun of me, left me alone, and accused me of being gay because I am a virgin. I had no one in my family to depend on. Furthermore, due to all the craziness at home, I was socially awkward at school which lead to me being accused of being gay and constantly being made fun of for three years straight until I moved to Mckinley which was a fresh start (which was culture shock to say the least). They even put a picture in the yearbook of me with the caption "why does everyone make fun of me" (which I don't understand why the school would even allow something like that). Now out on my own, I made bad decisions, getting involved in drugs (which seemed ok to me being I grew up around it), stealing, lying, cheating, using God's name in vain and just all of the above.
So if someone had the opportunity or reasons to blame God and to go down a completely destructive path, it was me.
BUT God has plans for me just like you...he blessed me with motocross. You see, motocross was the constant through all of this. No matter what was going on...being at Malvern Racing took all my troubles away. That racetrack brought and brings the best out in me with out hesitation. I can whole heartedly say God used Motocross to help save my life. He also always had someone looking after me at every turn in life. I didn't realize any of this until after I received the gospel of Jesus Christ.
As for changing my heart...prior to the unconditional love of Jesus Christ, I hated my family and peers...all except for people that rode and at the track, we understand each other in the passion for motocross. Now I have forgiven my family and peers of the past and anyone now a days. I accept everyone for who they are...unconditional love. God has used me and given me many great opportunities to be a light for Him such as writing in the CRA Racing Paper when Chris Jankovich was around, holding benefit races, leading a memorial service for Tanner Stine, announcing, prayer before races, writing in the Akron Beacon Journal, and most importantly just being able to love people. In fact, the greatest two commandments in short is Love God and Love each other and then hang the rest of the commandments on those two. The catch is, without Christ, we have no hope of being right with God.
My dad was just released from the nursing home (alcohol again, but sober now and hopefully staying that way) this past sunday and he and I moved in together. I am taking care of him now. My brother lives on his own in a little apartment, and although my family isn't really close yet, I have good relationships with each of my family members now and am working on bringing my family together. I am looking forward to working at Malvern and other tracks again, working at Kames Sports, going to school for Fire/Paramedic, and then to Bible College at my church to become a preacher.
The craziest part is...on my best day, I deserve hell for all eternity. By grace through faith are we saved through Jesus Christ!
"A life filled with love for the Lord and for others is a fulfilling life." Author Unkown
If you read this...thank you. This is very personal for me, and in writing thus, I am reminded of how much God loves each of us and how wicked Satan is.
I stated earlier that God used motocross to save my life and how He changed my heart towards people...I would like to expound on my personal testimony a little.
The bible says "faithful are the honest wounds of a friend, but deceitful are the kisses of the enemy". So as a friend, I will be honest. I desire honest people in my life, even if it means HARD truth! As a friend, I don't desire to tickle your ears, but rather to be honest for love of the truth.
So MOTOCROSS!!! I LOVE THIS SPORT!!!
I am 26 now and have been working at Malvern Racing since I was 14 with a couple years off in between. I started as a caution flagmen, then moved to announcer, then to track prep, then all sorts of things to now where I am a key leader at the track. Which to me is an honor and a major responsibility. I also work the summit indoors, the faircross races and am associated with OIR and promote the Malvern harescramble. It's easier too because I love it so much. I am deeply greatful for the friendships I have been blessed with and the honor of favor with the people, and the kids...the kids are great, they really keep me motivated. They help keep me accountable.
I grew up in Waynesburg, about a 10 minute bicycle ride from the track. My family is screwed up...but I love them very much!!! I am a red-headed step child, hahaha! I watched my my step-dad beat my mom, I watched my parents use us kids as leverage towards the other parent, My dad was a drunk, my parents all used drugs. I lived in a battered womens shelter at one point. My mom left us kids when I was 13 or so, one day she was just gone. Moved in with my step-father, he kicked me out for smoking cigarettes. Then moved in with my dad for the first time and transferred from Sandy Valley to Mckinley. My older brother had just been released from the hospital and moved in with my dad, his girlfriend and I. He was at a party early easter morning 2001, where these two kids got in a fight, he broke it up, and a kid sucker punched him to the ground hitting his head on concrete. He almost died that night, was in a induced coma for a while, then had to learn how to live all over, walking, talking, eating, etc. Nothing really happened to the man that hit him due to no one having the courage to testify. He now has constant migraines, can't physically exert himself very much (he used to ride),and is going blind. I had a step-brother who was shot and killed. An uncle who committed suicide on his son's birthday. My dad then almost died due to drinking in the which when he recovered, told my brother and I that we had to find our own place to live as he, his girlfriend and his dogs were moving into a trailer and couldn't afford to be responsible for us. This was right before I started my senior of high school, and my brother couldn't take care of himself. I moved out on my own, and my brother moved in with my mom (she came back later). I was even the odd ball in my family where they often made fun of me, left me alone, and accused me of being gay because I am a virgin. I had no one in my family to depend on. Furthermore, due to all the craziness at home, I was socially awkward at school which lead to me being accused of being gay and constantly being made fun of for three years straight until I moved to Mckinley which was a fresh start (which was culture shock to say the least). They even put a picture in the yearbook of me with the caption "why does everyone make fun of me" (which I don't understand why the school would even allow something like that). Now out on my own, I made bad decisions, getting involved in drugs (which seemed ok to me being I grew up around it), stealing, lying, cheating, using God's name in vain and just all of the above.
So if someone had the opportunity or reasons to blame God and to go down a completely destructive path, it was me.
BUT God has plans for me just like you...he blessed me with motocross. You see, motocross was the constant through all of this. No matter what was going on...being at Malvern Racing took all my troubles away. That racetrack brought and brings the best out in me with out hesitation. I can whole heartedly say God used Motocross to help save my life. He also always had someone looking after me at every turn in life. I didn't realize any of this until after I received the gospel of Jesus Christ.
As for changing my heart...prior to the unconditional love of Jesus Christ, I hated my family and peers...all except for people that rode and at the track, we understand each other in the passion for motocross. Now I have forgiven my family and peers of the past and anyone now a days. I accept everyone for who they are...unconditional love. God has used me and given me many great opportunities to be a light for Him such as writing in the CRA Racing Paper when Chris Jankovich was around, holding benefit races, leading a memorial service for Tanner Stine, announcing, prayer before races, writing in the Akron Beacon Journal, and most importantly just being able to love people. In fact, the greatest two commandments in short is Love God and Love each other and then hang the rest of the commandments on those two. The catch is, without Christ, we have no hope of being right with God.
My dad was just released from the nursing home (alcohol again, but sober now and hopefully staying that way) this past sunday and he and I moved in together. I am taking care of him now. My brother lives on his own in a little apartment, and although my family isn't really close yet, I have good relationships with each of my family members now and am working on bringing my family together. I am looking forward to working at Malvern and other tracks again, working at Kames Sports, going to school for Fire/Paramedic, and then to Bible College at my church to become a preacher.
The craziest part is...on my best day, I deserve hell for all eternity. By grace through faith are we saved through Jesus Christ!
"A life filled with love for the Lord and for others is a fulfilling life." Author Unkown
If you read this...thank you. This is very personal for me, and in writing thus, I am reminded of how much God loves each of us and how wicked Satan is.