Anxiety and doubt plague many NASCAR drivers during SPEEDWEEKS.  Lying awake at night they toss and turn wondering what trouble will befall them as the big Daytona 500 approaches.

But Michael Waltrip knew he had a good car for the race.  Winning the first Gatorade Duel Thursday increased his confidence that his #15 NAPA Chevrolet had a shot to win the big one on Sunday.

By Saturday Michael had emerged as a favorite ? again.  The DEI driver liked his chances of winning and he was ready to race his way into Victory Lane on Sunday.  And for the first 160 laps the dream of being a 3-time Daytona
500 winner came closer and closer.  The NAPA chevy was right where he wanted to be ? up front.  It was obvious Waltrip was . . .

"?Does it mean He no longer loves us if we have trouble?No, despite all these things, overwhelming victory is ours through Christ, who loved us.
Romans 8:35,37 (NLT)

Anxiety and doubt plague many NASCAR drivers during SPEEDWEEKS.  Lying awake at night they toss and turn wondering what trouble will befall them as the big Daytona 500 approaches.

But Michael Waltrip knew he had a good car for the race.  Winning the first Gatorade Duel Thursday increased his confidence that his #15 NAPA Chevrolet had a shot to win the big one on Sunday.

By Saturday Michael had emerged as a favorite ? again.  The DEI driver liked his chances of winning and he was ready to race his way into Victory Lane on Sunday.  And for the first 160 laps the dream of being a 3-time Daytona
500 winner came closer and closer.  The NAPA chevy was right where he wanted to be ? up front.  It was obvious Waltrip was ready to make a late charge and end up in the lead when the checkered flag flew.

It didn?t happen.

Suddenly there was a blown engine and he found himself in the garage with 40 laps to go.  His wife Buffy, with head down, could be seen making her way to their coach.  When interviewed by a pit row reporter, the pain was obvious as Michael talked about his bitterly disappointing result to the 2005 Daytona 500.  He tried with words to comfort the crew and his new crew chief Tony Eury, Jr., who had worked tirelessly for months putting together one of the top three cars in the race.

Perhaps you are facing a hardship in your life.  Sometimes illness, death, divorce or persecution causes us to want to give up and fear that we have been abandoned by Christ.  But suffering should never drive us away from God.  No matter what happens to us, we can never be separated from His wonderful love.  His death on the cross is proof of His unconquerable love.

Crew chief Tony Eury, Jr.  knows they have a good car for Michael and they will be back next Sunday at Fontana.
You, too, must allow God to heal you and get you back in to the race of life again.  Be totally secure in God?s overwhelming assurances that nothing can separate you from His love.

Melva Cooper, Copyright 2005
Used with permission.
For permission to republish this story please email the author through her site.
You can read more of Melva Cooper's items at www.melvacooper.com

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