Crazy thoughts from Crazy Pete

Location Change!

2011-04-19T10:21:00.000-05:00

To all my loyal followers:

My Blog has moved! I am now writing a blog through camp's new website! How to get there? Go to Camp's new homepage: www.camplebanon.org. On the right hand column, there will be a link to my new blog! Hope you find it!

I am still working out some kinks, but hopefully all will soon be all worked out!

In His service, CrazyPete

Reminders

2011-03-29T10:38:00.000-05:00

Some of you know I keep a small Sheep ornament on my desk to remind me of an experience I had at camp as a counselor. It has served to remind me of God's desire to find us no matter what! I am reading a new book called A Closer Look at the Evidence and the author referenced a poem I want to share with you:

Remember the Rooster
The rooster is mentioned in God's holy book;
He was given a special part.
The Lord used him to remind a man
Of his terribly sinful heart.

Now Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John
All wrote about this bird.
They said the rooster made his sound,
And by Peter it was heard.

Poor Peter was clearly told that he,
Like us, was prone to sin.
How often Christ said, "Without my help,
A sinful person can't win."

With a hear full of pride, Peter replied,
"Your side, I'll never leave."
Jesus then warned him to watch what he said,
For his words would make him grieve.

Late that night, Peter got his chance
To say, "Yes, Jesus I know."
But he failed three times and denied his Lord
When the rooster began to crow.

Let the rooster be both to you and me,
A warning to run from sin.
Let us seek the Lord's help and follow His book,
So the devil cannot win.

What has God put in your live to serve as a reminder of lessons learned?

In His service, CrazyPete

100th Post!

2011-03-25T10:29:00.000-05:00

When I logged on this morning, I noticed this is my 100th time writing on this blog... This past year has seen a lot of changes! I remember starting this blog just under a year ago and trying to think what it would feel like to be here after one year...

I have seen growth in myself and in how I lead camp. I am excited as a another summer approaches, and the team which is being built is looking amazing! I cannot wait to get into summer!

This year has me digging into a lot of Christ's claims about Himself and truth. John 14:6 says, "I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me." John 8:32 says, "You will know the truth, and the truth with set you free." John 18:37 says, "Jesus answered, 'You say that I am a king. In fact, the reason I was born and came into the world is to testify to the truth. Everyone on the side of truth listens to me.'" John 10:10 says, "The thief comes to steal, kill, and destroy; but I have come that they may have life and have it abundantly."

Jesus made claims about truth and Himself which should shatter our ways of life. Truth, freedom, and abundant life all roll into one. The truth of Jesus brings freedom, and the freedom found in Christ leads to abundant life. This is great news! But I find myself not always living abundantly. Whether I am at camp, on a promo, at church, or just sitting around at home, there are times when I don't feel free. What does it mean to be free in Christ? What does it mean to know Jesus as the Truth?

Are these questions you struggle with? Or am I the only one?

In His service, Crazy Pete

Ahh...The Simple Life

2011-03-23T10:54:00.000-05:00

No, I am not referring to the Paris Hilton Reality TV Show...Sorry to dissapoint!

I am talking about this morning. Our power went out at 1am. Becca was up and reading when the event happened. She woke me up and informed me it is my duty as a husband to find candles and the lighter, mind you, I have been asleep since 10pm. If you are not currently in the state, we are getting hammered by a snow storm! (Which caused our power outage)

I woke up at 6 with no power still. It is hard to make coffee with no electricity. Only after a few unsuccessful attempts did I give up trying! As I sat in darkness I was struck by the realization of how much I depend upon modern commodities. Without certain commodities, like electricity and heat, life proves to be difficult; an interesting note though, life is not dependent upon having electricity or a propane powered boiler. The thought continued this morning to my relationship with God. Do I view my relationship with God as a commodity or a necessity?

Is the time I spend with God a sacrifice I make because I can do it, or is it something I do because I need to do it? An honest answer to that question right now is: I do it because I know I should, not because I would fall apart if I did not do it.

Believe me, I want to get to the point where my survival through the day is based upon the time I spend with Him. But how do I get there?

What about you? Is your relationship with God something you need every day? Any advice on how to get there?

In His service, CrazyPete

A World Found

2011-03-22T09:52:00.000-05:00

Many of you know I spent all of last week in the Caribbean on a Cruise. Becca and I enjoyed a well-needed vacation! While stopped in Cozumel, the opportunity arose for me to go scuba diving with my Father-in-Law and Brother-in-Law. The picture above is us in the bed of the truck in the middle of Cozumel. I found this situation pretty funny, three white guys in the back of a pick up while our guide was out helping someone find their scooter. We were alone in the street for about 15 minutes, and we began to worry we were abandoned! After those minutes passed, our guide returned and we set out to dive.

For my first time diving, I loved every minute of it! I recommend this experience for anyone!

I was amazed by the world which greeted us! So many colors, and so many different species of fish and aquatic life overwhelmed me. I could not but help think about how God created each and every life form I saw. He created their fins, their colors, their structure. He created ways for them to live together in harmony. We spent a full hour under the waves, and I was blown away by God's creativity.

I returned home to gloomy weather and sleet falling, but I will always remember what I saw under the waves in Cozumel. Those memories will always remind me of God's good creative powers. What reminds you of God's power? Think on it! Reflect on it every day! Don't forget Him!

In His service, Crazy Pete

I Wanna Talk About ME!

2011-03-08T09:34:00.001-06:00

I must confess, I am a country lover. I hope your opinion of me does not change too much! One song I hear on the radio which stands out to me is I Wanna Talk About Me by Toby Keith. (It really is not a good song, but it was on, and has something to do what I read in scripture today) The chorus of the song goes like this:

I wanna talk about me, Wanna talk about I, Wanna talk about number one, Oh my me my , What I think, what I like, what I know, what I want, what I see, I like talking about you you you you, usually, but occasionally, I wanna talk about me!

I was reading in Luke 15 again today and I was struck by the selfishness of the Prodigal Son before he returns. He gets this idea in verses 17-19, “When he came to his senses, he said, ‘How many of my father’s hired servants have food to spare, and here I am starving to death! I will set out and go back to my father and say to him: Father, I have sinned against heaven and against you. I am no longer worthy to be called your son; make me like one of your hired servants.’" His basic premise for returning is so he will not starve; not because he desires to restore the relationship with his father and older brother.

He comes back home to satisfy his need, not to truly make amends for his wrong doings. How many times have I done that? More than I can count. I find myself in sin, and life not going the way I want it to. I crawl back on my knees before God in a false repentance in order to gain something for myself; not out of a desire to turn from what I am doing.

Jesus never finishes the story. He does not tell us how the older son, the community, or the father treats the son a week, a month, a year later. I would like to assume the Prodigal was true in his repentance. This story raises an issue with me though. Do I repent to get something out of it or do I repent to truly be reconciled and restored with those around me? I often find myself in the former as opposed to the later. A true heart change comes when I realize this life is not about me. I am nothing really special. God working in a through me to help others is what makes me special.

What are your thoughts?

In His service, Crazy Pete

I have been a FOOL!

2011-03-07T11:24:00.000-06:00

I have lived my life bound by a lie. This lie permeated every ounce of my being! Only yesterday did I become aware of the effect it had on my life.

For those of you who are close to me, you know I have lost 40 pounds since Christmas. Mainly due to watching what I am eating and exercising. For you who know me really well, I have had body issues my entire life; always seeing myself as big and never believing I could live a healthy lifestyle. I believed this because of a lie. You may also know there are certain sins in my life which play a large factor in my faith journey. The lie was this: I can maintain only one of those areas of life.

I can do well in one area, but I must sacrifice healthy living in the other area. For years I have believed this lie. Believing I would be stuck living in habitual sin, or I would be stuck being bigger for the rest of my life. My self control was limited to one area.

Not until yesterday morning was this lie revealed to me. I have been meditating on Psalm 87:11 which says, "Teach me your holy ways Oh Lord, that I may walk in your truth." Every day, John 10:10 came to mind and I never knew why until yesterday. John 10:10 says, "The thief comes only to steal, kill, and destroy; but I have come that they may have abundant life."

I was not living an abundant life. I was not living life to the fullest. I was satisfied with a mediocre relationship with God, with those around me, and with myself. I now know I can live a pure life, and maintain a healthy diet. I do not have to choose one over the other. I can have both; that is the abundant life God has promised me!

What about you? Are you allowing an area of your life to be stolen, killed, or destroyed? Are you living abundantly?

In His service, Crazy Pete

Unassuming message...

2011-03-04T09:46:00.000-06:00

Have you ever been to a church and not really expected to hear a good sermon? I travel to a lot of churches this time of year and I hear a lot of different pastors and speakers. My experience at smaller churches is the preaching usually is not very good. Two weekends however, proved me wrong! I traveled up to First Baptist Church in Detroit Lakes. This is a small church with a RICH history of ministering in the area, and partnering with Camp. The pastor is Jim Hinson. Like I said, I was not expecting to hear anything spectacular or life changing, yet Becca and I were really surprised by what Jim spoke about.

Jim opened with the question, For what reason did the son of man come into the world? He asked us to answer out loud what we thought the answer was. My first thought was, "The Son of Man came to seek and save the lost," Luke 19:10. I thought I had it! This was not the direction the sermon went though. There were shouts of other ideas, but none seemed to satisfy the pastor. He answered the question for us from John 18:37, "Jesus answered, 'You say that I am a king. In fact, the reason I was born and came into the world is to testify to the truth. Everyone on the side of truth listens to me.'"

Jesus came to testify to the truth. His point in giving this sermon was there is ONE truth. Anything opposed to that truth or not in full agreement with that truth is a lie, and therefore untruth. At the end of the sermon, Jim referenced quite a few verses testifying to the truth.

What is the truth? The truth is: We are a sinful people who can never attain holiness apart from God. Only through Jesus will we ever be able to be reconciled fully with God. Without Jesus, there is no hope. Jesus is the way, the truth, and the life.

Plain and simple. Jesus is truth, NO ONE ELSE.

In His service, Crazy Pete

Running Music...

2011-02-23T09:47:00.000-06:00

Many of you know I am planning on running two marathons this year. I am really looking forward to both of them! In order to make it to the finish line of both of those races, I need to train, and training started for me last Monday. Today I ran 3 miles. When I run, I have time to think, and listen to music. Most of the time I listen to a workout mix full of upbeat and energetic songs. This morning was different though. One of Casting Crowns songs from their Altar and the Door album came on. I want to share with you the chorus to that song:

Just how close can I get. Lord, to my surrender without losing all control?

Fearless warriors in a picket fence, reckless abandon wrapped in common sense, deep water faith in the shallow end and we are caught in the middle. With eyes wide open to the differences, the God we want and the God who is, but will we trade our dreams for His or are we caught in the middle?

Usually I just listen and run to the beat of the song. For some reason, the words of this song stood out to me. A few posts ago, I wrote about surrendering to Christ, and not just committing to Him. This theme has really stuck out to me lately. There is something radical coming in my life. I don't quite know what yet, and this is not an announcement about anything, but I know my life will change soon. I want to be radical. I want to be a fierce warrior who takes risks, I want to follow Him even when it seems crazy to, I want to jump head first into the deep end. But when the time comes, will I have the courage to follow? I hope and pray I do!

What about you? Does this chorus categorize your life?

In His service, Crazy Pete

God Loves You

2011-02-15T11:15:00.003-06:00

Meet Isaac! As a member of our Junior Staff team this past summer, I became well acquainted with him. Today's post is titled because of him! Every day when Isaac saw me, he never failed to tell me, "God loves you." He told me so often, I became really frustrated. Almost to the point of telling him to stop telling me I am loved by God. A little ridiculous huh? This past weekend, Issac attended one of our winter retreats, and without skipping a beat, he told me, "God loves you." My attitude however, has changed significantly!

Three little words carry so much meaning. The creator of the universe, who holds all of creation in His hands, is absolutely head over heels in love with me. He cannot stop thinking about me, I am constantly on His mind. And the best part...SO ARE YOU! I love when Isaac now tells me I am loved. A simple reminder my creator thinks I am the greatest thing since sliced bread.

Today I second what Isaac tells me, God loves you. Reader, God loves you!

I have been super busy lately with retreats, promotions, recruiting, interviewing, staffing, and a whole bunch of other stuff! I have actually worked the past 10 days straight! I am taking some time off the next few days, and turning off my phone, or at least ignoring it until Sunday! Monday I will pick up writing a little more consistently! Sorry for the sporadic blogging so far!

In His service, Crazy Pete

Committed

2011-01-31T09:49:00.000-06:00

A few weeks ago Bill gave the Lebanon team an article to read about commitment to Christ. This article recorded an interview between an American pastor and a Middle Eastern Professor. The pastor asked this professor what he thought of committed Christians. The professor's response surprised me a little bit. The professor ragged on American culture. He spoke about how us as Americans like to choose what we serve and what we are committed to. He gave the example of a robbery. When a person holds a gun to your back and says, "Hands up!" The appropriate response, in most cases, is to surrender and put your hands up. What would happen if you were to tell the person robbing you, "I am committed to putting up my hands" but do not follow through? Chances are you will not walk out of that situation without a mark! When a person holds a gun to me and tells me, "Hands up!" I surrender and put my hands up!

Sometimes I get a little control hungry in my walk with Jesus. I want to choose where I go and what I do when I get there. Very seldom do I surrender to His will. Take this morning for example: In my quiet time, I wrote in my journal, "I surrender my day to you." There is a difference though if I were to say, "I surrender my life to you." I like to say, "I am committed to you." But that still implies I will be able to choose to not to commit to Jesus. My life needs to be characterized by my daily surrender to Him.

What about you? Are you a committed Christian or are you living a surrendered life?

In His service, CrazyPete

A case of the Mondays...

2011-01-26T08:59:00.000-06:00

Whew, it has been a while since I last posted! Not from a lack of want, but from a lack of time! The past few weeks have been absolutely crazy! I have been recruiting staff, visiting churches, interviewing staff, planning for retreats, running retreats, and promoting summer camp, not to mention taking a class which has me reading almost 150 pages a night just to stay on pace with the lectures!. Last week, I was out of the office all week, except Friday (and I had a retreat last weekend!)

Coming into this week, I thought I would see a little bit of a break. My plan was to come in the office on Monday early, do some prep work for the week, then hit the road and visit some churches. There was a different plan for me though, I think I missed the memo! On my way to work, I ended up in the ditch. As you can imagine, it threw my whole day for a loop! I had to cancel all my appointments and reschedule them. For those of you who know me, I do not do well with unexpected plan changes. I was upset to say the least!

It was not until I came home that afternoon when I realized the blessing being in the ditch was. I had a little bit of time to myself! It was so needed! I have been so busy getting ready for camp I forgot to take time for me. God had to throw me into the ditch to remind me it is OK to take time to rest. It is so important for me to rest, especially since I am in ministry. But, I think rest is important for all of us. God did create the sabbath for us. I know I need at least one day a week to rest and relax. This week, I have nothing scheduled for Saturday; and I am SO looking forward to rest!

How about you? Do you take time for yourself?

In His service, CrazyPete

Daily Reading

2011-01-05T10:16:00.000-06:00

This past Sunday in church, our Connections Pastor preached on Luke 5. It is the passage where Jesus talks to the Pharisees about new wine skins verses old wine skins. During the sermon, our pastor mentioned it is OK if we are unable to maintain a daily reading schedule. This comment did not sit well with me...at all. In my role here at camp, I get many excuses as to why people are unable to read daily. I hear, "It is too complicated, I don't understand it," or, "It is not applicable to my life," and my favorite, "I don't have enough time to read it." When I hear those comments or others, internally, I challenge it, and get frustrated with them. I respond this way because I know if something is important to me, I will make time to do it. If you have these responses when someone tells you to read scripture daily, ask yourself how important is my spiritual growth? Do I value learning from those who have gone in the faith before me?

Before I get too ahead of myself, I am not saying scripture is the only way to connect with God. I am not putting Him in a box. BUT, daily scripture reading needs to be a part of your routine; it can be a lone verse you want to dwell on, or it can be an entire book in one sitting. It can look like just about anything, but it is a necessary part of your tools here on earth.

This topic came up from Sunday, but also after reading a friend's blog: http://lifeandprimenumbers.blogspot.com/2011/01/ill-have-isaiah-with-side-of-carrots.html

Thanks Eva!

As you go about this new year, making resolutions, how will you grow in your relationship with God?

In His service, Crazy Pete

Reflections on a Yuletide Season...

2011-01-03T10:42:00.000-06:00

Many blogs read this past season include ranting and ravings about how materialistic our society is (and how we need to stop), or they reference remembering the reason for the season (in keeping Jesus first this Holiday season); yet many authors neglect to share their own reflections on this season. My desire is to show what Jesus means to me, and especially how He has been reveled to me over the past two weeks.

If you know me, the item at the top of my Christmas list this year was an iPad. I did not receive one though. In years past, I would lament, and complain. I would look upon this Christmas as a bad Christmas because I did not get everything on my list. I did however receive something I was not expecting for Christmas.

I was blessed to have the last two weeks of December off from work. These two weeks were incredible! I saw a new picture of purity come to realization, I saw a husband and wife remember what it means to play together, and I have set out to run 2 races this next year totally 52.4 miles.

Before I left for break, I wrote a few posts about young men's purity. In writing them, I had no idea what ride I was in for this break. Becca and I ended up throwing out 10 movies, and tightening my belt on what I would consider to be hints of immorality in my life.

For Christmas, I received the game 'Settlers of Catan.' Becca and I played it over 12 times, and enjoyed playing a game together. Being around her just playing was entirely refreshing; reminding me it is important to take time for my wife, and it is OK to play together!

I also will be running two marathons this year: Grandma's in Duluth and the Chicago Marathon. Both races are challenging, but I will not be running them alone. Staying disciplined with running and eating right will be difficult for the summer, but with a goal in mind, I will accomplish them!

2010 was full of challenges, and 2011 will present its own as well. If the year pans out similar to the past few weeks, it will not be a bad year after all.

How about you? How has God renewed you this season?

In His service, Crazy Pete

...and Found

2010-12-17T11:40:00.000-06:00

The summer before my freshman year of high school I traveled with my youth group to CHIC 2K in Tennessee. The conference was awesome! I made really good friends that week, in fact, several of them turned out to be life-long friends. Lost and Found played for the conference. They were a little weird, but tons of fun to listen to! At the time, I did not know how much the name of their band would change my life!

The concept of being found is very prevalent in Luke 15. In my last post, I mentioned when a word or phrase is repeated in scripture, it means the word/phrase is an important one. The word "found" occurs just as many times as the word "lost" in this chapter. What strikes me the most about this concept of being found is in the verb tense of the word.

When a person or thing becomes found, the person or thing lost has no power over it. Being found means the subject is passive through the process. I have no control over when or in what state I am found in. Within Luke 15, I am struck by the passive meaning behind the finding of the Prodigal Son. Before this in depth study of the chapter, I always assumed the son played a role in his being found. As I read deeper though, I find the son is still lost even as he approaches the home of his father. I believe the son does not realize he has been found until he is met by the father. When the Prodigal is in the foreign land, feeding pigs, he comes to a decision about how he can restore his relationship with his father. When the two meet however, the father has a different plan in mind. The father immediately restores his son; no strings attached. In this moment, I believe the son has been found.

In my life I have tried to restore my relationship with God on my own. I have come up with plans, and I have failed in most, actually all, of those plans. Until I accepted God's unconditional love for me and accepted His desire to have a relationship with me, I was never found.

How about you? Are you allowing yourself to be found this Christmas season, or are you trying to restore your relationships your way?

In His service, Crazy Pete

Lost

2010-12-15T11:05:00.000-06:00

I will bet when you read this posts you were thinking, "Great...another post about that weird TV show!" Well, sorry to disappoint, but this is not a post of the TV series! This post is about Luke 15.

The word lost occurs about 15 times in this chapter. Every Bible class I have ever taken informs me when things repeat in scripture, they are important!

I once heard a student describe this chapter as God's Lost and Found department. I could not agree more! Every week here at camp, we gather articles of clothing we find at the end of every week. My favorite occurrences are when the staff 'model' a piece of clothing; and upon that modeling a camper recognizes the item as theirs! They do not even realize they have lost something until it is displayed for all of camp to see.

This started a train of thought in my head about my lost-ness. I wonder if there have been times when I have gone astray and have not realized, and what changed in me; or if I am still lost in my day to day life. How will I recognize my own lost-ness? Being male, I tend to not ask for directions and plug in the address to my Garmin. But what about my spiritual life? How do I know if I am lost in following God?

Sometimes it is tricky to follow God. I can be doing one thing, and thinking it is great, but He wants me to do another thing. For example, I was on a mission trip to Mexico the summer before my senior year. On this mission trip, I really felt God calling me into full time Children's Ministry. When I arrived back in Minnesota, I claimed God called me into Youth Ministry, not Children's Ministry. Children's Ministry, in my eyes, was a job for women, not for me! Little did I know God would later call me into camping ministry ministering to primarily children!

For me, staying found has become a journey all in its own of daily Bible reading and challenging those around me to do the same. I also pray and invite God into all areas of my day.

How about you? What do you do to stay found?

In His service, Crazy Pete

Value

2010-12-10T09:12:00.000-06:00

I have an apology to make! The last few blog entries written are rather lame, and not at all interesting. When I started this blog, I made a commitment to myself never to write for the sake of writing. Your time is important, and I am honored you would spend it reading what I have to say. Today, ironically, the idea of value stands out to me in Luke 15.

I want to share with you one of my favorite speeches from one of my favorite movies. Colonel Lawrence Chamberlain gives this speech in the movie 'Gettysburg:'

"This is a different kind of army. If you look back through history, you'll see men fighting for pay..for women, for some other kind of loot. They fight for land, power, or because a king leads them, or just because they like killing. We are here for something new. This has not happened much in the history of the world. We are an army out to set other men free. America should be free ground. All of it. Not divided by a line between slave state and free. All the way, from here to the Pacific Ocean. No man has to bow. No man born to royalty. Here we judge you by what you do, not by who your father was. Here you can be something. Here is the place to build a home. But it's not the land. There's always more land. It's the idea that we all have value. You and me. What we're fighting for, in the end, we're fighting for each other."

We all have value. This nation was formed on this premise. Each of us is intrinsically valuable. Luke 15 speaks to this idea of value too! But in a different way. Everything lost in this chapter has some value; the sheep, coin, and the son. What is interesting to me is the value of two of those three items can be lessened. For instance, the sheep could die, become damaged, contaminated, or sick. The son can also lose value; in the eyes of the father, the older son, and/or the community. The coin is the only item which does not lose its value. This means it does not matter what the situation is, or where I end up finding myself; I will always be worth someone looking for me. I am a valuable person! I have worth! I have value!

Some of you know this, but I have struggled with my own self-worth quite a bit in my life. There have been many days when I have woken up and not wanted to do anything! This morning was one of those days! I place a lot of my worth on the jobs I do, and how well I perform them. I have been receiving news from churches who I thought were committed to coming to Winter Retreats that states they will no longer be able to make it. It is only one or two churches, but it is devastating to me. I take this almost as a personal attack and that these groups do not find what I am trying to do for them as worth it. In my eyes, this does reflect upon my worth and my ability to plan a retreat. It is in these times though when I must remember my worth is in God and what He thinks of me; not what others think about me. My goal for today is to remember I have value in God's eyes. He will bring the students to the retreats. All I can do is be faithful!

I am also committing to write entries with more value from here on out! Thanks for reading!

In His service, CrazyPete

Hero Training

2010-12-07T15:45:00.000-06:00

I have recently begun to read a book by Fred and Jasen Stoeker called Hero. This is a story Jasen Stoeker, Fred Steoker's son. You may know who Fred Stoeker is; he has helped to co-author the Every Man's Series with Steve Arterburn. This book is the third installment in a trilogy of books. The first is Every Young Man's Battle, and the second is Tactics. I have read the first and cannot wait to get into the second. So far, I have really enjoyed reading this book. My last post came as a result of reading!

Basically, this book challenges men of every age to take charge of their purity and create boundaries; calling the young men in the church to stand up and take a stand against the sin in our society. We have become too sensitized to what is going on around us.

I know many people look at this issue and say it does not effect me much. My response to that is Baloney! What we allow into our heads and minds does effect us. I have come to ask three questions of the media I allow into my house: 1) Would I feel comfortable watching this with Becca? 2) Would I feel comfortable watching this with a 13 year old? 3) Would I feel comfortable watching this with Jesus?

I know it is a bit cliche to ask that last one, but there is no greater test. If I answer 'No' to any of them, I will not watch them. What do you think?

In His service, CrazyPete

Shhh...Do you smell that?

2010-12-03T09:30:00.000-06:00

Many of you know that two weeks ago, I was on a retreat with my youth group. On that retreat I had the privilege of talking to the young men in the group about how we treat women. I used the verse in Ephesians 5 where Paul talks about getting rid of every hint of sexual immorality among us. I have been wrestling with this verse and how it applies in my life since that retreat.

About a year ago, Becca and I decided to get rid of our cable. We got rid of it primarily because we would not interact with each other when we came home at night. We would come home, get dinner ready, turn on the TV, eat while watching, then sit on the couch the rest of the night. We did not talk at all! As a result of this decision, we chose a few shows to purchase seasons of for those times when we became incredibly bored. One of those shows is 'Bones.' The plot of the show revolves around catching murderers and other criminals. However, the show is laced with sexual tension between the two main characters. They have chosen to abstain, but the tension still remains high. Other characters though have not chosen to abstain. While the show does not show explicit sexual content, it does not shy away from allowing us a taste of what these characters are involved in or with whom they are involved with.

These two thoughts conflict in my head! I desire to live a pure life, but yet I watch a TV show that promotes premarital sex, and degrades marriage. The show has its good points too, but are those good points enough to keep this in my movie cabinet? I wonder what in my life is a hint of sexual immorality? And by keeping it around am I allowing a foothold in my life? Or is this just my way of staying connected to the outside world?

At what point do I take a stand and say no more?

Am I too conservative to have this thought of getting rid of Bones?

I am curious to know what you all think!

In His service, CrazyPete

Staff Retreat, and other life occurances!

2010-12-02T11:06:00.001-06:00

It has been a while! Life has proven to be eventful!

First of all, on Friday, November 19, my future Step Mom was in a pretty major car accident. She was admitted to Regions Hospital in St Paul, where she spent some time in the ICU. She is currently on a Rehab floor and is doing quite well. You can visit her Caring Bridge site at http://www.caringbridge.org/visit/debwalker for further details.

This past week we had our staff retreat at Green Lake Bible Camp in Spicer. It was really good for us as a team to get together and talk about this past year, and the year to come. We spent some good time laughing, and playing together as well as getting work done! This retreat reminded me of the importance of laughter. At camp, all of the staff have their own areas of expertise and it is quite common for me to have tunnel vision as I go through my day. I may not even see other staff members because I am busy or have my tasks to do. This retreat served as a good reminder for a team to laugh together.

If you are in a work setting when you are reading this, take time to engage your coworkers. Laugh together. You will hopefully see a change in your attitude as you work through the day.

In His service, Crazy Pete

Little Green Army Men

2010-11-23T08:36:00.000-06:00

This past weekend I had the privilege of being a leader on our youth group's fall retreat. While on the retreat the opportunity was given to me to lead two of the four talks. These two talks were unique in that they were separated by sex. I was given the chance to speak to 12 High School men. The theme of the weekend was Relationships. I decided to speak about what our relationship looks like with other men. I used the example set forth by the Marines, and other military branches. Marines have each others back. It does not matter what else is going on, when Marines enter a fight, they need to trust each other for support and protection. I applied this same principle to living life as a young Christian man. No matter how much we dislike each other, or don't get along, when the fighting gets tough, we need to be able to count on each other.

I used passages in Proverbs which stood out to me in my reading of the book over this fall. The message really flowed out of three verses:

Proverbs 18:24, "One who has unreliable friends soon comes to ruin, but there is a friend who sticks closer than a brother"

Proverbs 27:6, "Wounds from a friend can be trusted, but an enemy multiplies kisses"

Proverbs 27:17, "As iron sharpens iron, so a man sharpens a man."

These verses speak to how we need to surround ourselves with people who support us and encourage us. But these people also need to have the freedom to critique our actions and call us out when we are being unwise. I have become really convicted by these passages. I do not allow myself to be fully open with many people. And to those I am open with, I do not share everything. As a result of this talk, I have been more open with those who are closest to me. I do give them the freedom to speak into my life as well.

How about you? Who do you surround yourself with?

In His service, Crazy Pete

Overwhelmed

2010-11-19T09:02:00.000-06:00

I went on a mission trip to Mexico before my senior year of High School. On this mission, I felt led to full time ministry. This trip also opened my eyes to God's overwhelming love. A song was sung in worship called 'Overwhelmed.' It speaks of our nothing-ness compared to God, yet He still loves us. I have not heard this song anywhere else, yet I still can sing the entire song. The song came to mind as I read in Luke 15 today.

The first insight gained stems from the Father's restraint when the son asks for his inheritance. We have all heard from our pastors this request tells the father, his son wants him dead. We often overlook the normal cultural response to this request. If an event like this were to occur, the father would have full right to smack his son around, and banish him from the village or community. Yet, in the parable Jesus tells, the father does not respond this way.

The second insight develops out of mid-eastern inheritance laws. If a father were to divide his land between his sons, those sons would not be able to give away the full rights of the land until their father has passed away. Nor can the buyer build upon or farm the land until the father dies. The only way the younger son could have sold the land and gathered the monetary profit from it would be if his father suddenly gave up his right to that land.

These two insights provide a glimpse of God's love for us. As we sin, we say to God, "I don't care about you, and quite frankly, I wish you were dead." God has full right and authority to condemn us to an eternal punishment. God could also say we have no right to mess with His creation, therefore, you do not have the power to go against my will. As we look at the Father's response to His son, and God's response to us, we see a love that goes beyond our ability to understand. This love overwhelms us.

I have acquired first hand experience of this love. It surrounded me completely, and brought me to my knees in complete shock. Acceptance of God's love becomes difficult as we bring our stories and our pasts into the equation. God does not hold our pasts over our heads; He cares for our futures, and what we will do with the knowledge of His son.

How about you? How have you responded to God's overwhelming love?

In His service, Crazy Pete

Thankfulness

2010-11-18T10:40:00.000-06:00

Growing up, I loved hanging out at my Grandma's house. She always had candy or treats, or some other sweet thing to spoil my brother and me with. One thing does stick out to me about my trips to my Grandma's house though. It is this very picture above. It was hung on the wall next to her table for years. It did not make much of an impact upon me as a kid, but now it holds a little more meaning for me since she is gone. This picture reminds me of her, and it reminds me to be thankful for everything I have.

Last night at youth group the message was on being thankful. The main passage was out of Luke 17:11-19 where Jesus heals 10 lepers but only one returns to thank Him for what He did.

This stuck out to me because we are approaching Thanksgiving. We are approaching the time of year when we are almost forced to think about what we are thankful for. It is very easy for me to go about my daily life without offering thanks to people, or to appreciate what others do for me; even the small stuff.

My goal is to be a more thankful person. Over the next week, it will be my goal to thank as many people as possible for what they do for me. I will seek to be a thankful and not a thankless person. So it starts right here and right now!

Thank you to all of you who read what I have to say. I am honored to have a little bit of your day. Thank you!

How about you? What are you thankful for this season?

In His service, Crazy Pete

Biblical Repentance

2010-11-16T08:51:00.000-06:00

What is repentance? Ask many church leaders and they will tell you that repentance is turning away from your sins and turning to God. It means pulling a 180 degree turn from your present course. As I have been reading Luke 15 something interesting has stood out to me. Luke 15 equates being found with repentance. Now, I do not see many issues with that, except that I as a sinner have no control over being found. My question to ponder today is how do I repent using my own strength when Luke 15 tells me that repentance and being found are the same thing?

I am not saying I have no control over my actions; I unwillingly, and mostly willingly commit sin. So, what does it mean to be found and how does that relate to repentance? This question comes from verses 7 and 10 where the author states there will be more joy in heaven over one sinner who repents. In the parables the item that is missing represents the sinner (Lost Sheep, Lost Coin). The finder represents Jesus (Shepherd, Woman).

These verses stick out to me because many people ask me how they can overcome the sin in their life, and how to beat the enemy. These stick out to me also because of my own struggles with sin. i have tried hard to repent and turn from my sin on my own strength, but that has always turned out to be a fruitless act. I get depressed or I fall right back into the sin I want to stop. The only success in turning from sin I have had is when I have completely surrendered to Jesus.

Having this mindset can be dangerous though. If I fully rely on Jesus to deliver me, I can also blame Jesus for not delivering me the next time I am tempted to sin and give in. There needs to be a balance. I believe the first step in turning from sin is recognizing your own inability to save yourself. I cannot attain victory over a certain area of my life. The second step needs to be adjusting your living habits to reflect Christ's absolute control over your life. I think too often we want to say we overcome issues on our own. I know it is for me. I find it extremely difficult to admit that I cannot beat things on my own. Yet when I have tried on my own, I have failed. It is only with Jesus that I have been able to be a victor. There is a balance I seek to find every day. This balance is between my own need for a savior, and my ability to change my life to honor Him.

In His service, Crazy Pete

He Carried the Sheep

2010-11-12T14:13:00.000-06:00

So, my month in the Proverbs is over, and I am back to Luke 15. Did I grow wiser this past month? I don't know. I certainly learned a lot of lessons though. Mostly that I choose my actions, and my responses to life situations. It is in those acts that I will find myself more or less wise in the coming weeks. This morning as I was reading, I read a simple statement that I have often taken for granted.

Luke 15:5 says, "And when he has found it, he will joyfully carry it home on his shoulders."

This stuck out to me today because I am also reading a commentary on Luke 15 (Cultural Keys to Understanding Luke 15). This book describes the state of the lost sheep. When a sheep becomes lost it enters into a state of shock. This state of shock is serious enough to kill the sheep if nothing is done quickly to find it. There is an urgency in the text of Luke 15. The shepherd knows that if he does not find the sheep soon, that sheep will die. When he does eventually find the sheep, it is too stressed out to even walk. So the shepherd has to carry it on his shoulders back to the rest of the flock. A full grown sheep weighs any where from 50-70 pounds; and the shepherd needs to bear that burden if he wants the sheep to survive this ordeal. That is what Christ does for us when we are lost.

How many times have I found myself alone. Stressed out. Not knowing what to do. Not aware of the danger I am in. How many times has Christ come to rescue me? Countless. Every time I wander away form the flock, Jesus searches until He finds me. He puts my on his shoulders and carries me home.

I am not sure of the application of this line of thinking for today. I do know it makes me think a lot about my wandering...

What are your thoughts?

In His service, Crazy Pete

Integri-ful

2010-11-10T10:56:00.000-06:00

How in the world do you describe someone who has lots of integrity? Is it full of integrity? Or integri-ful? I prefer the latter, even though it is not proper English. Last night, Becca and I were at Red Lobster. We had a full meal, including dessert. At the end of the meal, we received our bill and noticed that the dessert was not on it. We pulled our server aside, and we informed her of the missing item. She gave us a surprised look and did not seem to encourage her. After we had it all sorted out, she thanked us for being honest and we left the restaurant. This has had me thinking a lot over the past few hours. How many people would not have pointed it out? How many would not have noticed?

Proverbs 10:9 says, "He who walks in integrity walks securely, but he who perverts his ways will be found out."

This verse stuck out to me because of my experience at the restaurant last night. I am not wanting to toot my own horn, but it has me thinking about people and how we respond. We could have walked away and said it was an honest mistake, and we benefited from it, or we could have chosen to ignore the whole thing and not look into it. But we chose to live with integrity, to be integri-ful!

As I ponder this thought of living with integrity I am not limited to my catching a wrong bill. In my job I have been given lots of freedom to work however I want to work and do things the way I see fit. I am trusted by my employer to carry out the tasks of my position and to make camp a better place. This means using all my time wisely and not getting distracted by the shiny things that cross my window or computer screen every day. This also means living by the same standards every day, and not giving into the temptations that may cross my way. Today, I will focus my time and energy in improving camp and doing my job.

How about you? What do you have be integri-ful with every day?

In His service, CrazyPete

Unbiased

2010-11-09T10:23:00.000-06:00

Over the past month, I have been reading about wisdom and how to attain that wisdom. Proverbs has been helpful, but two things really stuck out to me today. The first is the unbiased position of wisdom. Verse 4 talks about how Wisdom grabs our attention, and the word 'whoever' stands out. Wisdom is not concerned with age, race, gender, nationality, economic status or anything. The same wisdom is offered to all who enter. Something that raises the curious side of me comes near the end of the chapter though.

Proverbs 9: 16 says, "Whoever is naive, let him turn in here, and to him who lacks understanding..."

This stuck out to me because it is the same greeting as verse 4. The difference is that verse 4 is the voice of Wisdom speaking, while verse 16 the voice of Folly is speaking. The big question that rises out of today is how do I tell the difference between something wise and something that is foolish?

These verses have me thinking quite a bit actually. In my life I have had to make a lot of decisions. Some of them have been wise decisions, and some others have not been very wise. Telling the difference is difficult. Both Folly and Wisdom sound alike when they begin talking. Yet they do differ with the content that directly follows their introductions. Wisdom offers food and drink that was not taken from somewhere else; it is food and drink provided with no strings attached. Folly offers food and drink that is stolen. This food and drink comes with penalties. These penalties are not directly referred to, but implied. Stolen drink means someone will be looking for it, and bread eaten in secret is not great either. In my walk today as I try to discern the difference between Folly and Wisdom, I will need to look closer at what each decision will offer. Will I be given food and drink with strings attached?

In His service, CrazyPete

Broken Neck

2010-10-29T10:52:00.000-05:00

Every summer, I tell my staff to question my motives if they are wondering why I choose to do things a certain way. This past summer was no different. Except one time when I was approached. I was pretty upset about being approached, and I took the topic to be very personal; I saw it as an attack on the way I wanted to do the event. Graciously, however, my staff pointed out to me that I always tell staff to challenge me if they want to know why I am doing something. I lessened my anger and frustration, and we were able to work through the issue, and it actually turned out to be better off!

What stood out to me today? Verse 1 of Proverbs 29 says, "A man who hardens his neck after much reproof will suddenly be broken beyond remedy."

This verse stood out to me because there are a lot of people who get angry when they are questioned; myself included! I am not above having this attitude. The question that remains in my head is how badly would that week have turned out if I had not backed down and allowed myself to be readjusted? A lot of personal property could have been destroyed, and staff would have a sour taste of camp in their mouths from that week.

How will I apply this passage in my life? Today I will continue to be approachable. I am a sinner, I don't have things all figured out! Who knew? To maintain humility in times of correction is hard, but I want to continue to be sensitive towards my blind spots. I need others around me who are willing to point them out, and I need to be willing to hear that I have them!

In His service, Crazy Pete

Am I Being Heard?

2010-10-28T12:19:00.000-05:00

One of the most difficult questions I get asked at camp is does God hear me when I pray? I say this because the simple answer is yes, but the follow up is really hard to answer. The follow question then becomes, "Why doesn't He answer me?" Even as an adult, I have wrestled with this question. As many of you probably know, my mom battled cancer for 4 years. In the end, my mom won, although it was through losing her life to her struggle. Through this process my family and I prayed a lot, many people prayed a lot. We probably had thousands of people praying for her, literally! But it seemed as though those prayers fell upon deaf ears because she did pass away. This is what was going through my head today and what stuck out as I read Proverbs 28.

Verse 9 says, "He who turns away his hear from listening to the law, Even his prayer is an abomination."

This stuck out to me for the reason stated above. The question of whether or not God hears me when I pray is not nearly as important as does God answer me when I pray. This verse seems to shed a little light on a reason why He may not answer us in the way we want Him to. This verse does not tell us what to pray, but it tells us what our life needs to look like while we pray.

The application of this verse is much easier said than done. The first part of this verse says that if we are not following the law, our prayers will be seen as an eyesore to God. Again, notice the author does not speak to the content of our prayer but towards our life conduct surrounding when we pray. As I read this passage and enter into prayer, I need to take a look deep inside myself and look at my lifestyle. Is there anything I am consciously doing that goes against God's law? If I am doing something to break His law, then what I am praying will be an eyesore to Him. There are other passages of scripture that speak to content, attitude, and reasoning behind our prayers, and I am not addressing those topics. I am merely looking at my life and asking the question, "Am I doing anything contrary to God's laws?" If the answer to that question is "Yes." I need to get rid of that!

Your thoughts?

In His service, Crazy Pete

Tooting my own Horn

2010-10-27T07:59:00.000-05:00

The question I like to answer the least in an interview is, "Tell me about your strengths." I really dislike having to answer that one. Or, "What is your best quality?" Especially when I think I am a pretty humble person. Telling others you are humble is pretty much an oxymoron right? At least that is how I feel about ti. I was asked this question yesterday in my interview, and I hope I answered it well and in a way that reflects what I really feel. As I was reading Proverbs 27 this morning, vere 2 caught my eye.

Verse 2 says, "Let another praise you, and not your own mouth; a stranger, and not your own lips."

This stuck out to me today primarily because of my interview yesterday, and also because I am a firm believer in not bragging about yourself.

Applying this verse is really difficult though. I would consider myself good at a lot of things. Naturally, if I think I am good at something, I would want to let others know how good at it I am. But, I know that as a follower of Jesus, I need to put others above myself, and let them do the task. Sometimes, this can be very difficult though. When I am in a group of people and a task is given to us, instead of me taking lead and doing all the work, I need to allow others to step up and take that lead. Today, I will try to be more humble in what I say, and how I present my abilities.

Thanks for reading! See you tomrrow!

In His service, Crazy Pete

JK

2010-10-26T09:50:00.000-05:00

Have you ever made fun of a person and then said, "Just Kidding!" After it? I know I have. And I know that what usually comes before saying, "just kidding," is usually pretty hurtful.

Proverbs 26: 18-19 say, "Just as damaging as a madman shooting a deadly weapon is someone who lies to a friend and then says 'just kidding.'"

This stuck out to me today because I have said some pretty hurtful things followed by that phrase. My words to everyone are not always uplifting.

What will I change today? I will continue to check my words before they come out of my mouth. And if I am put in a situation where I may need to say, "just kidding," after I say something, I will choose not to say it!

If you have been around me at all the past three years, you know I am still the Interim Director of Youth Ministries here at camp. Today I will finally have my interview to discern my future here at camp. Please be praying for the process, and for the ultimate decision. Thank you so much for your support!

In His service, Crazy Pete

The Pursuit of Money

2010-10-23T07:42:00.000-05:00

Growing up, I always wanted more money than I currently had. I wanted money to get more toys so I could entertain myself with more stuff. To be honest, that desire has not lessened. I still want more money to buy the latest and greatest toy out there to look cool and hip. For instance, I want an iPad. But I do not want it solely for practical reasons. There is definitely a selfishness in me that wants it. Sure I could use it for lots of practical reasons, but I mainly want it to show off and look cool. Is that not what the pursuit of money turns people into though?

Probers 23: 4-5 say, "Don't wear yourself out trying to get rich. Be wise enough to know when to quit. In the blink of an eye wealth disappears, for it will sprout wings and fly away like an eagle."

This stood out to me because for a long time money has been at the root of a lot of the decisions I have made in my life. I have focused too much on how I can make more so I can buy more things, so I can provide for my family better. But, this verse shows how frivolous and inconsistent money making is. It will not last. As a result, I should not focus on making money.

How will I apply this today? I will continue to give my first fruits to God. And then I will choose to honor others in any way I can. Yes, I will need to spend money on the necessities of life, but other than that, money is not mine to spend how ever I want to. The money I receive belongs to God. Therefore the purchases I make with that money need to honor Him and not myself.

Please pray for me today! I am doing lots of landscaping and it will be a LONG day!

In His service, CrazyPete

Course Correction

2010-10-22T10:19:00.001-05:00

If you saw this in your way what would you do?

You would either walk around it, or find another way which did not have a pit in it! There have been times in my life where I have been walking in a certain direction, and a pit has appeared. Some times I have walked around it, but many times, I have fallen into it. What terrifies me the most is that I always saw it coming but did not change my course. I thought, "I'll never fall into that pit, I am too smart for that!" Sure enough though, I fall right in!

Verse 14 stands out to me today from chapter 22 of Proverbs. It says, "The mouth of an adulteress is a deep pit; He who is cursed of the Lord will fall into it."

This stuck out to me today because of my past. Many of you know my story is one of recovery from an addiction. There were definite times in my life where I saw a pit in front of me and did not avoid walking right into it.

What will I do in light of this verse? Most of the problems in my life are a result of me not looking forward in my life to see the consequences of my actions, and if I do happen to look forward, I do not change direction. As a result of this verse, if I see an open pit in front of me that leads to sin, I will change direction. I will avoid walking into a situation where I would fall into sin. This means continuing to look down the road, and see where I am going.

How about you? Do you need to make any course corrections today?

In His service, Crazy Pete

Revenge is mine

2010-10-20T11:54:00.000-05:00

There have been a few times in my life when I have felt I deserve to get back at someone. They offended me so much it deserved a response from me. There are times even here at camp that I feel justified enough to get back at someone and take my revenge. For instance, when I was the host a counselor pulled a prank on me; a couple of pranks actually. I was pretty upset, and decided to get back at them for what they did to me. By the end of the week I had managed to get back at them in a way that stopped all pranks that summer. I felt justified in getting back, but as I look back upon that act now, I regret it.

What stood out to me? Proverbs 20: 22 says, "Do not say, 'I will repay evil;' Wait for the Lord, and He will save you."

Why did this stick out to me today? This stuck out to me today because I can become so justified in my anger or my desire to get back at someone that I will do whatever is necessary to make them feel worse than I do. I want to get even. I want to show them why not to mess with me. I can be very vindictive at times.

How will I apply this passage in my life? This verse speaks directly against everything in me. My natural response is to want to get back at people. But, that is not how God wants me to respond. He wants me to wait for His direction and guidance. That always means giving people the benefit of the doubt and responding to situations free from a desire to get back. This is difficult for me. I want to get even, and I want to be feared and respected; but not coming from a fear of retaliation.

So how about you? How do you respond when people offend you?

In His service, Crazy Pete

No Partiality

2010-10-18T10:18:00.000-05:00

This morning I went to pick up the mail. In the mail I found a notice for jury duty. I know there is a stigma about being called in for jury duty. I know many people do not look kindly at it. But, I see it as a tremendous opportunity to support this country of ours. If on a jury based trial I would have the chance to really change someone's life, for either the better or worse. To be tried before a jury of our peers is an example of the freedom we have in this country. Another task a jury is assigned is the punishment for the offender, if I understand it correctly. Anyway, this is what has been on my mind this morning.

In Proverbs 18, verse 5 says, "To show partiality to the wicked is not good, nor to thrust aside the righteous in judgment."

This stands out to me because I may have the chance to judge someone based upon the evidence given and how it is presented. This is a huge responsibility! One not to be taken lightly. I get to decided if a person can be convicted based upon the evidence given, and potentially change someone's life.

How I will apply this in my own life today: Jesus came full of grace and truth. What does it look like to be full of grace and truth as we interact with those around us. If a person is guilty of an act, they should be punished. But all humans are guilty of sin, and our punishment is death and an eternity in hell. Yet, Jesus came to take away that punishment for us who would believe in Him. How can I maintain an attitude of being full of grace and truth?

In His service, Crazy Pete

Ode to Joy

2010-10-17T08:41:00.000-05:00

This past week I have had a crummy attitude. The funny thing though is that I did not realize it until this morning. A few weeks ago an event happened which usually brings about joy in people's lives, but in mine it only brought about anger, resentment, jealousy, and bitterness. These feelings I covered up, and thought if I ignored them they would go away and not come out again. I was wrong. These feelings have pretty much infiltrated all of my life. They have permeated into just about every relationship I have, and it has destroyed my overall positive attitude. I read Proverbs 17 today, and this is where I am at!

Verse 23 says, "A joyful heart is good medicine, but a broken spirit dries up the bones."

This verse stuck out to me because I am usually a joyful person and not much gets me down. But lately, I have not been joyful. I have been rather negative, and bitter towards a lot of people.

How will I apply this in my life? I need to confront these feelings every day. I can no longer shy away from them and allow them to build up in me. I do not know what God has for me. I do not know the future. I am unable to control that future, nor can I gain knowledge of what the future looks like. Instead of allowing events in my life to get me down, my response needs to be joyful. But not a happy-go-lucky joyful. This joy comes from knowing I am all right; and God has me exactly where He wants me. I am His. His plan for me is prosperous. This is difficult a lot of times, but I know that God has my best interests in mind.

How about you? Are you being joyful or dry today?

In His service, Crazy Pete

Sticks and Stones

2010-10-15T07:42:00.000-05:00

Who ever said, "Sticks and stones may break my bones, but words will never hurt me," must have been deaf. I cannot tell you enough how many times my words have hurt others. I have spoken out of anger towards people, I have said things to elevate myself over others, I have torn others down with my words, and I have sarcastically hurt people to make myself look more humorous. Once this past summer a camper asked me why God choose to give us bad weather. I sarcastically responded to him it was because of something he did wrong to offend God. That was a HUGE error on my part. I hurt him with what I said, and I ended up apologizing to him and the staff who were around me when I said that. I felt terrible! I read Proverbs 15 this morning and this is all I could think about.

What stood out to me today? Verses 1 and 18 say, "A gentle answer turns away wrath, but a harsh word stirs up anger...a hot-tempered man stirs up strife, but the slow to anger calms a dispute."

Why did this stand out to me? I have been greatly hurt by words, and I have greatly hurt with words. My words have caused anger in others, and others' words have caused anger in me. I really do not know why verse on anger and how my words effect situations have stood out to me lately, but God must be trying to tell me something.

How will I apply this to my life today? I know I ca do a better job of controlling my tongue when I am angry. As I am writing this, I am remembering a situation at work which I am involved in. We are currently working with an agency who had over-promised and under-delivered for us, and there customer service has left us wanting. It is easy for me to call them up and be very upset with them. I may be justified in my anger and there may very well be a legitimate reason to by upset with them over this issue. But, these verses in Proverbs tell me that I need to be gentle with my words, and that I need to be calm as I speak with them. That is how I will apply this to my life today. When I make those phone calls, I will respond in a way that tells of our frustrations with their service, while at the same time gently presenting our issues and concerns.

What are some ways you can control your words today?

In His service, Crazy Pete

Slow and Steady Wins the Race

2010-10-14T07:30:00.000-05:00

I can be a pretty emotional guy at times. I can be calm one moment, and then be extremely angry the next, then very energetic and happy after that. This past summer, there were a few times when that emotion was shown. I woke up and everything was great. When I arrived at camp, I received some news that pushed me over the edge. I had no idea I was that close to it, and I was very upset. If it were not for Becca's presence at camp, I would have blown up at people and it would not have been a very good day for anyone.

What stood out to me today? Verse 29 says, "He who is slow to anger has great understanding, but he who is quick tempered exalts folly."

Why did this verse stand out to me today? I had my annual review summary yesterday with my boss. In this review, my emotional control was flushed to the surface. I was made aware that I can sometimes lose control of my emotions, and they get the best of me.

How will I apply this to my life today? As you know, I am going to seminary. In one of my classes last year, I was told that anger is a secondary emotion. It is a reaction to something inside of my being hurt. Anger can come from embarrassment, it can come from being disrespected, betrayed, or a variety of other offenses. The point is that when I feel I am getting angry at a person, or in a situation, I need to step back and think about why am I so angry. Once I address those initial hurts I am feeling, I will then be able to respond to the situation in an appropriate way which will leave no one feeling hurt or like they have to walk on egg shells when they are around me.

This is not an easy thing to do, especially when I feel justified in my anger. When I feel that someone really deserves my wrath. But that is not a great place to be though. I never want to belittle someone because I feel they deserve to be put down. That is not how Jesus would respond to a situation. In my journey to be more like Jesus, I have to respond to situations in which I get angry slowly. I cannot let my emotions have their way with me.

I am curious to know if you have any reactions to this?

In His service, Crazy Pete

An Act of Love

2010-10-13T07:26:00.000-05:00

As a child, I was pretty naughty. For instance, my mother ran a day care so I was always around children. This meant I had to share all my toys with the day care kids (little did I know at the time, the toys I liked the most were the ones my mom bought for the day care kids...but since they were in my home, I thought they belonged to me). I found a way to get around this sharing thing though! I would come up with the best story lines and I would make the other kids watch me play. Then when my mom would come to take me away, the other kids would beg her to let me stay! Manipulative huh? She would then punish me. Mom also tells stories of when she would allow me to choose between doing it her way or being punished for disobeying. I always chose the punishment. I wanted to do life my way, I wanted control; this resulted in me choosing punishment. At least, this is how I remember the story being told to me. I could be wrong though...my dad reads this and will let me know! Anyway, this is the story that came to mind as I read Proverbs 13 today.

What stood out to me? This Proverb opens and closes with references to discipline. Verse 1 says, "A wise son accepts his father's discipline, but a scoffer does not listen to rebuke." Verse 24 says, "He who withholds his rod hates his son, but he who loves him disciplines him diligently."

Why did this stand out to me? This stood out to me because I have complained and hated the times I have been disciplined. It feels as though people are out to get me and that I am the victim, and I do not deserve the punishment I have received. But, these verses present a different way of looking at times when we are disciplined. This passage shows me that discipline happens because I am loved and I am worth it. It also tells me I need to accept discipline too. I need to accept it in order to grow and flourish.

How will I apply this in my own life? Currently, I am not being disciplined for anything (that I can think of at least). But times will come when my behavior will need to be modified, or I will be confronted by an authority to change. My attitude in those moments need to reflect my respect and desire to be a better individual. A past example if from this past summer. I needed my eyes opened to things I need to change about the way I lead staff. If it were not through the faithful team I had, I would not have learned I left people feeling un-appreciated. This was extremely hard to hear, and I was defensive at first, but I chose to change my attitude towards this information and accept it as a way to correct my behavior for future summers. I am glad I went through it!

And you? What are some disciplinary actions that have been taken against you that have born fruit?

In His service, Crazy Pete

Foundations

2010-10-12T07:15:00.000-05:00

Four months before I was married, I almost lost everything (including my relationship with Becca). I chose to confess sin in my life and it started me down the path to healing and restoration. Even though God did some pretty amazing things in my life at this time, it took Him breaking down everything I had built up in life for it to happen. God destroyed my life as I knew it and forced me to get back to what I had built as a foundation for my life. God opened my eyes to seeing I was doing my life without Him. Sure I worked at a church and maintained a quiet time every day, but it was not real. I did not rely on God for strength, counsel, or any thing else. It was during this rebuilding time that God began to build a new foundation in my life. This foundation is what has been built upon since that time. Solomon writes about foundations in Proverbs 12.

What stood out to me today? Verse 3 says, "A man will not be established by wickedness, but the root of the righteous will not be moved."

Why did this stand out to me today? This stood out to me today because I need to constantly be reminded that my life needs to be built on following God. And this means my whole life. This section of Proverbs contrasts the actions of the Wicked with the Righteous. There is a difference in the outcomes of both of these groups of people. As was noted yesterday though, being righteous is something you do, not something you are. It is a subtle difference, but an important one to note. Being a Christian does not make me righteous. Living righteously makes me righteous.

How will I apply this in my life today? I will check my root system today! My goal is to be an example to those around me. Not to convict, but to encourage others in their walk with God. I will check my actions and the reasons behind them. For example, if I were to take out members of my small group do I take them out because I want to know where they are at spiritually or because I want to be seen as a cool small group leader? To be honest, most of the time, I want to be seen as that cool small group leader. Living righteously means checking my own motives at the door and obeying what God has called me to do.

How about you? What is God calling you to do?

In His service, Crazy Pete

Wanting to be Wise

2010-10-11T06:36:00.000-05:00

I want to be wise. I want to live a righteous life. I want others to look to me as a n example. A lot of that is my own pride coming out, but I also want people to see Jesus in me. I want to live an exemplary life. And I want others to follow my lead. The big question that follows these desires is am I ready to do what needs to be done to live that kind of life?

What stood out to me today? This morning I began my reading in Proverbs 11. I am starting to add a proverb a day to my reading list. The word "Righteousness" appears 11 times in this passage, and it is always accompanied by an action to show me as the reader what it means to be a righteous person.

Why did this stand out to me? It stood out to me because I want to be seen as a righteous person. But for me, living righteously does not just happen. To be a righteous person, I need to change my behaviors and the way that I live. I need to do something to be considered righteous. To be righteous is to be morally upright; or without guilt or sin. that is a huge task!

How will I apply this to me life? Many of you know I work with youth. I have the privilege and honor to be involved in their lives, and I am so grateful for that opportunity. My desire for these young men and women is that they would come to know Jesus in a personal way and live a righteous life. But in order for that to happen, they need to see it as a reality in another person's life. I want to live up rightly not only in order to be seen as pure before God, but also pure before others. I will live above reproach in my life; publicly and privately in order to not be disqualified!

In His service, Crazy Pete

Rock Bottom

2010-09-28T16:08:00.000-05:00

Rock Bottom...No, I do not mean the wrestling move by "The Rock" Dwayne Johnson. Rock Bottom; I mean getting to the point in life when you realize you cannot get any lower. It is at this point a person decides to make a life change. This happened to me in my life just before I was married. I almost lost Becca due to an addiction. During this difficult time, God grabbed a hold of me and gave me strength to face my issues and truly turn to Him.

What stuck out in my reading today? Verses 16 to 18a say, "He longed to fill his stomach with the pods that the pigs were eating, but no one gave him anything. When he came to his senses, he said, 'How many of my father's hired men have food to spare, and here I am starving to death!I will set out and go back to my father."

Why did this stick out to me? These few verses stuck out to me because the prodigal is at a place in life where I was. I can totally identify with being at the bottom of the pit with nothing left but the realization that my Father would care for my most basic needs; especially since I cannot meet them by myself!

How will this apply in my life? All through growing up, I was told that what I was doing was bad. It was sinful. It hurt others deeply. It would soon take over my life. It would destroy relationships. I was told all of this, yet somehow I believed it would not happen to me. I would be stronger, I would be able to stop, and even that I was justified in doing it. As I grew up and moved from home and to college, I realized what I was told became true. I was sinning. I was hurting others. I had no control over my life. My relationships were completely devastated. I knew the warning signs, I knew what I was risking. Yet it took me hitting rock bottom to realize the extent of the pain I was causing. Why did I have to hit rock bottom instead of listening to those around me?

What is your story? Have you ever hit rock bottom? Are you still in the pit, or have you been lifted out?

In His service, Crazy Pete

Pity Party

2010-09-09T10:01:00.000-05:00

I have been known to throw a pity party every now and then. What is a pity part you may ask? Well, a pity part is when I think I have been wronged or feel down on myself or someone criticizes me in way that belittles me. For some reason this past weekend into the beginning of this week has made me want to throw a pity part for myself. And I have done just that. I have been sulking around wanting to drown others in my sorrow. Nothing profitable happens during these times, and I only get worse and worse in my depression until something or someone shakes me out of it. This morning I came to my quiet time in the midst of one of these pity parties.

Verses 17-20 stuck out to me, they say this: When he came to his senses, he said, 'How many of my father's hired men have food to spare, and here I am starving to death! I will set out and go back to my father and say to him: Father, I have sinned against heaven and against you. I am no longer worthy to be called your son; make me like one of your hired men.' So he got up and went to his father.

These verses stood out to me because of what I have been reading in Nouwen's The Return of the Prodigal Son. The first three chapters focus solely on the Prodigal Son. In the chapter I read this morning it struck me that the Prodigal was throwing himself a pity party. He saw that he was not in the best of surroundings and became thoroughly depressed. He lost sight of who he really was, a son of the Father, and focused on what he was doing. When he returned he did not even think he was worth anything. Granted, it was his choices that lead him to feel this way, and it was his immaturity and sinfulness that lead him to waste his life away. He forgot his true identity and thought himself less.

Today I need to remember that I am a son of the Father. No matter what I do, where I go, who I meet; God will always accept me back. I can waste my life away and spend all my money on things that will not last; yet God will still forgive and restore me. I cannot lose sight of that. But, it should not be an excuse for sinning though. I will desire to seek God more and figure out what it means to be His son.

Interesting thoughts from the Prodigal. I am still in Luke 15, and I will be for a while. Talk to you soon!

In His service, Crazy Pete

The Prodigal Son

2010-09-01T09:14:00.000-05:00

As was stated a few days ago, I am starting an in-depth look at Luke 15. And to help out this study, I have begun to read several books. Two of which are: The Knowledge of the Holy by A W Tozer, and The Return of the Prodigal Son by Henri Nouwen. The chapter read today in Tozer was entitled: The Divine Omniscience, and Nouwen's first chapter is on the Lost Son. What struck me is that in God's perfect knowledge He knows exactly what us as prodigals are doing when we are off 'spending our inheritance' on worldly living. I know that seems like a simple understanding of the God and the story, but how many times do we try to hide our sins from God? God knows everything, and we can sometimes treat God as though He has no idea what we did. We ask for forgiveness, and hope God wont ask any details.

I have been thinking a lot about how we come before God and ask for forgiveness of sin. God offers us His forgiveness right? But I feel that forgiveness is conditional based upon our forgiveness of those around us (Matthew 6:10-16; Luke 11:2-4). If we do not forgive others, we will not be forgiven; that is HUGE! 1 John 1:9 says, "If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness." Through these passages I have come to the conclusion that when I come before God instead of only asking God to forgive, I need to blatantly state all of my sins before Him. Not because He doesn't know but because I need to come to grips with the reality of my sinfulness. I am nothing without Him.

As I journey down this path of learning about forgiveness, I want to know your thoughts too!

On a side note, I will be gone for the next few days. I am running a half marathon in Wisconsin with family. I will be back on Tuesday!

In His service, Crazy Pete

Vow Renewal...

2010-08-30T08:34:00.000-05:00

This past weekend I attended a wedding of a really good friend of mine. The pastor spoke on Philippians 2: 1-11. It is not a traditional wedding passage, but it really spoke volumes to me. What really stuck out to me was verses 4-11 which read: Each of you should look not only to your own interests, but also to the interests of others. Your attitude should be the same as that of Christ Jesus: Who, being in very nature God,did not consider equality with God something to be grasped, but made himself nothing, taking the very nature of a servant, being made in human likeness. And being found in appearance as a man, he humbled himself and became obedient to death—even death on a cross! Therefore God exalted him to the highest place and gave him the name that is above every name, that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, in heaven and on earth and under the earth, and every tongue confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.

I was hit with the reality that I have been living selfishly this summer. I have not been putting Becca's needs above my own. It has been my way or the highway. I have always seen this passage to be applicable only in terms of interacting with other Christians or Non-Christians. Never have I thought to apply this passage to my relationship with Becca. This weekend was pretty eye-opening as I learned I need to put Becca before every decision I make. She is my priority. I am here to serve her, and put her needs above my own.

This was not an easy thing to be convicted of, but I have never said I am done growing. This will be a tough lesson to practice, but I am excited to see the fruit that will come from it.

In His service, Crazy Pete

Pursuing Holiness

2010-08-29T08:21:00.000-05:00

This past week saw the end of summer youth camping and the end of the season with a family camp. This point in the summer can be tough! It can be tough because I move from being completely involved with programming to being completely involved in nothing. My duties decrease significantly and my role at camp diminishes for a few weeks. This is both a needed time and a difficult time to get through.

This time is needed because I NEED TO REST! Summer is long and exhausting, and it needs a sabbath time. The next month or so will be that! I will enjoy spending time with my wife, getting back into running, and catching up on some reading for fun! I do look forward to this time with great anticipation.

However, this time can be difficult because I move form a time of constant reliance upon God to a time where it becomes easy to exclude Him from my daily life. And if I am really honest, I have already started to exclude Him from my day to day living. Sure, I have maintained my quiet time, but it has been more out of duty or appearance rather than out of devotion or love. As a result of this exclusion, I have not been feeling close to God or that He plays a significant role in my life, and this has lead to questions of where is God and why can I not feel Him. And the answer dawned on me the other day. I cannot feel God at the moment because I am not actively seeking Him out. I am not pursuing Him every day. I am waiting for Him to speak to me in a way that will knock my socks off. For me to hear from God, I have to actively and purposefully seek Him out this fall. God will not grow me spiritually if I am just sitting around waiting for Him to do something. I need to be active in my walk.

This fall I am starting a journey in Luke. I will start in chapter 15 and will potentially expand that reading into the rest of the Gospel as well as Acts. Hopefully you will join me!

In His service, Crazy Pete

Life Lessons From Cats: Pursuing Purity

2010-08-09T06:59:00.002-05:00

Albert is back this week! I am excited to see what insights I will gain from being around a cat for a week! It is only day one, and my eyes have been opened to another truth! Last week Albert had on a cone of shame due to his scratching his ear. This week, the cone has been lifted and he no longer needs it! I have some interesting observations though. Towards the end of last week, I made the observation that Albert could not clean himself properly because of the cone. As a result of not cleaning himself, he developed a smell. I know animals smell, so I thought this was Albert's natural smell. When he climbed on my lap this morning, I did not notice a smell at all. I credit this lack of smell to his ability to clean himself.

What stood out to me in my reading today? 1 Timothy 6: 11 says, "But, flee from these things, you man of God, and pursue righteousness, godliness, faith, love, perseverance, and gentleness."

Why did this stick out to me today? This stood out to me today because I need to pursue cleanliness; just like Albert does. Many times in my life I have chosen not to pursue what I know to be right, and instead I have pursued things that are not of God. And as a result of my not pursuing God, I developed a stench.

How will this apply in my life today? Today I will actively pursue the things of God. I cannot sit and wait for them to come to me. I have to get out and actively seek after God. Yes, God does pursue me, and He does search for me when I am lost; but this pursuing goes both ways. In my marriage, I don't just sit and let Becca come to me, I also have to go to her. So, what does that mean I will actually do today? I will put Godly things before my own, and I will seek others out in conversations. I will pursue God and not me today.

Tomorrow I will start in 2 Timothy. I am looking forward to it! Thanks for reading!

In His service, Crazy Pete

A Heavy Heart

2010-08-05T06:56:00.002-05:00

Good morning to you all. Today will be a difficult day for me. I have to make some decisions that will have a great impact on people. Please pray for me. Pray that I would make the right decision for camp, and for the people involved. Don't worry though, this will not effect my employment at camp.

Thank you so much for your prayers and support at this time. I am grateful for all of you!

In His service, Crazy Pete

Life Lessons from Cats: Self Clean

2010-08-04T06:39:00.002-05:00

This morning I woke up to a very dirty cone of shame. For some reason, Albert decided to coat the outside of his cone with his litter box. It was a little, actually it was very, disgusting! I rinsed it off in the sink and let it air dry for a while. During the time it was drying, Albert started to clean himself. Cats are amazing creatures! He cleaned his whole body using his own tongue. If I were to clean myself that way, I would probably feel a little gross. But not with Albert. I sat and watched him as he cleaned himself. Pretty soon he started to scratch at the irritated spot on the top of his head. I stopped him, and he moved to a different part of his body. Very quickly, however, he moved right back to his head. The morning ended when I saw him actually scratching at his head with his rear paw. I put the cone back on him, felt a little sorry for him; but in the end, I know it was the best decision (regardless of how upset Albert was).

How in the world does this relate to us? Yesterday I wrote about the cone of shame, and how sometimes God uses it to teach us a lesson. Today that lesson has been solidified a little bit more. Sometimes time is the only way to heal some wounds. We may not like it, and it may take longer than we want it to. But God uses that time to refine us. And, as this morning shows, when we are left to solve problem on our own (me taking the cone off this morning to clean it), we can make the problem much worse than it is (Albert scratching at his wound will not heal it faster, it will only make it worse).

As I go about my day today, I must be willing to accept whatever form of discipline God will use to teach me lessons. I cannot pick how God will teach me, I can only choose the attitude I will have through it. I need to take God's correction with humility and patience; and remember, I probably deserve much worse than what I going through.

Some of you may be wondering when I am going to get back to scripture, I will! I have been reading in 1 Timothy. I am in chapter 6. I have just really been enjoying this time as a cat sitter. Taking care of Albert has really been good for me!

See you tomorrow!

In His service, Crazy Pete

Life Lessons From Cats: Cone of Shame

2010-08-03T06:59:00.004-05:00

Albert had a bad case of ear mites earlier this summer. As a result he has an open sore on the top of his head, and because of that open sore, he had to wear one of those ridiculous looking cones. The movie UP came out this year, and it refers to this cone as the cone of shame. Albert does not like this cone at all. It is uncomfortable, it gets in the way of eating/snuggling/ sleeping, and it interferes with his whiskers (which help with his balance). Seeing him in the cone has me thinking about life as it relates to God's working in us.

Sometimes we do things that get us in trouble. In Albert's case, he was allowed outside; got ear mites, scratched himself too much and needs this. Albert did not know that he was going to get ear mites, but this is the consequence of that action. He is not an outdoor cat. And so he cannot fend off nature like other cats can. He has to wear this cone until he gets better.

Sometimes when we get into trouble, our path to healing does not look like the best way. It can be humiliating, it can look funny, and it can be uncomfortable. When I enter into those times, I must remember that this is for the best, and God will use the humiliating, funny, and uncomfortable things to shape and mold me into a better person.

I am wondering, do you have any cones of shame moments in your life?

This whole cat sitting thing is pretty interesting! I wonder what tomorrow will bring!

In His service, Crazy Pete

Life Lessons From Cats

2010-08-02T07:28:00.003-05:00

I am not usually a cat person. There is no specific reason why. I grew up with a dog and assumed a dog is the only way to go as far as pets are concerned. For the rest of the summer, Becca and I are cat sitting for a couple on staff. They own a cat named Albert. This is a picture of Albert I took this morning after my quiet time. Albert is a very people friendly cat, who just wants you to pay attention to him.

This morning I woke up and started my routine as normal. I say down in my chair for my quiet time as usual, and up jumped Albert. My normal experience with cats is that they will get up in your face and annoy you until you pet them. But not Albert. He was content just to sit on my lap and enjoy being close to me. He sat there and did not interfere with any of what I was doing; he just wanted to be around me.

It was not until he got up to get a drink that I realized how much I appreciated his presence. I might be reading into this too much, but I could not help but think about how I react towards God. Most of the time I get all up in God's face and say "Pay attention to me!" I walk all over him until he pays attention to me. As I was sitting there this morning I realized that it is OK to just sit and rest in God's presence. He enjoys my desire to rest and fall asleep in His lap. As I go out this morning, the challenge I have for myself is to rest and enjoy being in and around His presence.

Albert will be staying with us for the next few weeks, I am excited to see if I can learn anything else!

In His service, Crazy Pete

Whew! What a week!

2010-07-31T14:16:00.002-05:00

This past week was Senior High week. We had a record of 224 campers! That is a summer camp and a Senior High camp record! What a blessing! We started the week off really well with adjusting to having so many campers, but the week quickly became difficult. We had SIX emergency room trips by Tuesday and two of those trips involved calling for an ambulance. A fire alarm went off during lunch on Tuesday, and we spent the better part of an hour crammed into the basement of the Chalet due to a Tornado Warning that same afternoon. In spite of all these distractions, God revealed Himself to us in very tangible ways!

#1) God is present in the little blessings. I saw God work through a point scored in a Volleyball game. One camper continually missed hitting the volleyball and looked very discouraged. When it was their turn to serve, they served an ace! I saw the sweetest, most joyful smile I have ever seen in my time at camp!

#2) God is present through consistency. I witnessed a counselor be persistent in connecting with his campers. The week was good, and his kids were not difficult, but they seemed to get off on the wrong foot. By the end of the week, every guy in the cabin was saying this week was the best week ever, and the cabin really came together.

#3) God is present through service. We had about 20 high school staff this past week, and they were all excellent. Everyone seemed to be on the same page with making adjustments and performing well. They were all so consistent in their service, and willing to do whatever was asked of them.

This past week was awesome! I am so excited to see what the next week will bring! Please pray for myself and staff that today we would be able to relax and recharge for next week.

Thank you so much for praying for this past week. It was felt!

In His service, Crazy Pete

Stupid Coffee Maker!

2010-07-25T07:34:00.002-05:00

Every morning I have a routine I follow pretty religiously. I turn on the hot water, for oatmeal; fire up the Keurig, for coffee; peel a banana, peel a hard boiled egg, and fill a glass of water before sitting down for my God time. This morning that routine was broken. Everything was going to plan except the coffee maker. I soon figured out I needed to descale my coffee maker; which basically means soaking it in vinegar for about 4 hours. If you know me, I am a man of routines and schedules. If something gets in the way of my schedule I get cranky. This definitely happened this morning!

What verses stood out to me today? 1 Timothy 1:19 says, "Cling to your faith in Christ, and keep your conscience clear. For some people have deliberately violated their consciences; as a result, their faith has been shipwrecked."

Why did this stand out to me today? If you have been staying up to date on camp, this coming week is Senior High. And there is a huge opportunity to share the love of Jesus with 230 campers. That's right, 230! This will be a record number of campers for camp! What a huge opportunity. I realized this morning the routine mess up was being used as a distraction to get me down and off for the whole day.

How will I use this verse today? I will not allow my faith to be shipwrecked by a silly little coffee maker not working. It is really funny to think that this whole week could have started off with a bad attitude because I did not have my routine! Today, I am choosing to be joyful and flexible! I will cling to my faith and hold on to the most important things in my life, and allow the non important issues to blow away like chaff.

I am getting excited for this week! Please keep me and staff in your prayers!

Talk to you tomorrow!

In His service, Crazy Pete

Attitude Check

2010-07-22T07:04:00.002-05:00

This past week I have been a negative ninny! I have allowed myself to only see the negative in situations, and I have assumed the worst in people. As a result, I have been cranky, critical, and not explaining myself well. I have come down hard without offering an explanation as to why, and had the mindset that I can because I am the boss. NOT GOOD!

What stood out to me in my reading today? Today I read verse 5 which says: The goal of our instruction is love from a pure heart and a good conscience and a sincere faith.

Why did this stand out to me today? This verse stood out to me today because I have not been leading out of a pure heart at all. This passage has challenged me to think about why I say what I do and how I say it.

What will I do in light of this passage today? I will choose to see the positive in every situation and I will assume the best in people in every situation. If I need to correct, I will first explain why, and then if necessary, correct. I will not play the boss card because I can or because I want to. This position is a blessing to me, and it is not one I have earned. I will not abuse my authority any more.

This week has been a tough one for me! Please pray that God would continue to soften my heart, and that He would reign in me! Thank you so much for reading!

In His service, Crazy Pete

Do you have hope?

2010-07-21T11:41:00.002-05:00

Last night at camp, our speaker presented the gospel. Over 60% of the room made some sort of decision regarding their relationship with Christ! That is an awesome number! We are still connecting with those campers and asking more clarifying questions, but it is still really exciting! Especially when we have almost 200 campers this week! I cannot wait to hear the stories from this week of how God worked!

What stood out to me today? The first verse of 1 Timothy states, "This is from Paul, an apostle of Christ Jesus, appointed by the command of God our Savior and Christ Jesus, who gives us hope."

Why did this stand out to me today? I sometimes find it really easy to overlook how God moves in the lives of Super Kids. Questions fill my mind of can God really work and can these kids really understand what is going on. But every time I interview a staff member, they can point out a time in their younger years (3rd-6th grade) where they made a decision to follow Jesus for the first time. These kids are capable and fully able to make lasting decisions. It is our job to be faithful and present the gospel the best way we can.

How will I apply this in my every day life? I will choose to be excited as these kids make decisions. Regardless of age, something the speaker said made them want to change the way they are behaving. They want to be more like Jesus in their day to day lives. This is an awesome event! I will be excited when I hear of first time decisions! I cannot wait to hear the stories from this week!

Tomorrow I will be reading 1 Timothy 3-11! See you then!

In His service, Crazy Pete

Convicted...Again

2010-07-20T15:33:00.002-05:00

It is hard being a boss! I can either be too critical, or too easy. This week I have been convicted of my critical tendencies. I have come down pretty hard on some people without explaining myself well, and left many people hurt by the things I have said.

Yesterday, if you read my blog earlier in the morning I had bad mouthed staff as a whole. That was inappropriate of me. I actually went back and changed what I said later in the day. I realized I was not being encouraging to staff. I was not offering encouragement like I should be.

I am still learning what it means to hold people to a higher standard and encourage them at the same time. Any advice?

I am excited to get into 1 Timothy tomorrow!

In His service, Crazy Pete

An Undisciplined Life

2010-07-19T07:23:00.004-05:00

Many people think working at Camp is easy. It is not! This week, we have 204 3rd-6th graders to watch over, protect, and keep focused on pointing them to Jesus in every thing we do! This can be a very challenging task!

What stood out to me today? Verse 11 says, "For we hear that some among you are leading an undisciplined life, doing no work at all, but acting like busybodies."

Why did this stand out to me today? This stood out to me because I have noticed myself being a busy-bodied person running around camp, not accomplishing much except looking like I am doing something.

How can I apply this in my life today? The first application I can put into practice is to myself not be so concerned with looking busy. There are a certain number of tasks I need to get done today, but once those are accomplished, I can get out and interact with those around me. It means budgeting my time in such a way that I can get my work done that I need to get done, then get out of my office to enjoy spending time with staff and campers.

Thanks for reading today! Tomorrow I will be finishing Chapter 3!

In His service, Crazy Pete

Pray for me

2010-07-18T08:41:00.002-05:00

The apostle Paul is probably the most famous New Testament writers. He has been credited with spread of the faith across the known world at the end of the first century. Without his willingness to follow God's call on his life, Christianity would not be in the position it is, nor would we have most of the New Testament. Paul was a great Christian by any standards. He was strong, faithful, persistent, and he persevered through many difficult situations. In light of all his accomplishments though, he was not above asking for prayer.

What stood out to me today? Chapter 3 verse 1 says, "Finally, brethren, pray for for us..."

Why did this stand out to me today? This verse stood out to me because it shows a humility within Paul to acknowledge when he was in need of support and strength outside of himself. We would consider Paul to be a strong Christian, but even he needed to ask for help from time to time.

How does this applies to my life today? In the Camp Lebanon circle, I can fall into the trap of putting on a mask that shows I have everything together and that I am strong and don't need help. That mask is really hard to take off sometimes, and even this morning it is hard to write this. I need prayer! I easily fall into the trap of independence. I think I can do this job on my own relying on my own strength. But I cannot. Pray for me that I may resist the temptations in my life which would open up a door to bondage, a door that was closed years ago for me. Pray that I would be humbled, and realize my need for God every day. Pray for God to break my pride and renew my mind. I do not have life figured out, I am not sure I want to figure it out; pray for my hearing God's voice today.

Thanks for reading and for praying! Tomorrow I will be reading 3:6-15!

In His service, Crazy Pete

Sanctification

2010-07-17T09:44:00.003-05:00

Sanctification is a word the Church throws around a lot, but not many of us truly grasp what it means to be sanctified. The word means: to purify or become freed from sin. This word brings to mind the picture of a silver or gold smith refining silver/gold. The process involves heating the metal to an extremely high heat, during this process, the imperfections rise to the surface, and the smith then scrapes them off of the surface. This process is repeated until the smith can see himself in the surface of the metal. This is not a simple process though. As you can see in the picture above, the gold has been heated until it is red hot. It takes a lot of heat to get to this point. Many times in our faith journeys, God puts us through this process in order that we may become more like Him.

What stands out to me today? Verse 13 of 2 Thessalonians 2 says, "God has chosen you from the beginning for salvation through sanctification by the Spirit of faith in the truth."

Why did this stand out to me this morning? This past week, one of my staff members went through a really trying time. He was confronted with a sin in his life which greatly affected someone close to him. He was convicted to confess his action, which deeply hurt the person he cared about most in his life. He did confess, and he was forgiven, but he did go through a lot of pain, and there is still a lot of junk to work through before he gets to the other side of it. Since this happened this past week, I am more open to noticing the process of sanctification going on around me.

How will this apply in my life today? For much of my life, I have been under the impression that because I am a follower of Jesus, my life will be easy. This is not correct! I am an imperfect person and I know that God still needs to change things in my life in order to reflect Him more accurately. The events in my life I go through may be difficult, but I must remember that I will become more like Him on the other side of these difficult events in my life.

Thanks for reading. See you tomorrow!

In His service, Crazy Pete

God's Blessing

2010-07-15T06:39:00.002-05:00

Whew! The past two days have been super busy! I woke up late both mornings, and headed off to camp right away. Yet, in spite of the craziness, God has been moving in amazing ways!

Two days ago, I committed to not saying 'No' to campers or staff who needed to talk or hang out. I have lived that way over the past few days, and I have been reminded of so many things!

#1) I have been reminded of God's grace. He renews and restores. There is nothing too big for God to restore. I was confessed to about a situation regarding trust. One staff member broke another's trust. God worked and even though the trust breaker did not deserve to have the relationship restored, it was! There will still be a lot of work, but they are on the path to restoration!

#2) I was reminded that having joy and enthusiasm is a choice! We had bad weather yesterday, and staff really stepped it up and were flexible and it was really great! We spent most of free time huddled in the basement of the Chalet hoping that the weather would pass...it did, and I think God used our speaker to really grab the hearts of both staff and campers. It was awesome!

#3) I love my wife! Her schedule has been a little funky lately, and it has been difficult to spend time together. Last night we were able to have date night! We went to Buffalo Wild Wings and watched Leap Year. It was a good night to be reminded that we can have fun together. It was really good and really needed!

I am still reading! I am in 2 Thessalonians. And Paul is talking a lot about the Day of the Lord. These passages remind me that there is not much time left, and my life needs to reflect that in all aspects. I will point others closer to Jesus in every conversation I have with them today. I am excited to see what God has in store!

See you tomorrow!

In His service,CrazyPete

A Nice House...

2010-07-12T06:26:00.003-05:00

"You have a nice house for end times..."

I was told this recently. And I was VERY confused as to how to respond to this comment. I probed a little more and found out that if Christianity in America was ever to come under attack, my home would be a good place to huddle with my family. I found this comment to be very odd...But it relates to my reading for today.

I am reading in 1 Thessalonians 5:1-11.

What verse stood out to me today? Verse 1-2 say, "No, brothers, about times and dates we do not need to write to you, for you know very well that the day of the Lord will come like a thief in the night."

Why did this stand out to me today? This verse stood out to me because of the recent comment about my house. This thought has had me thinking about how I should be living my life. Sometimes I get too comfortable with my living situation. I have nice house, I have a good job, my wife is employed full time, and there is nothing to really complain about. Yet, I think my life is too comfortable. I could be living more sacrificially, and going out of my way to point others towards Jesus, but I do not. I think it results out of my comfortable life. These thoughts are brought out by this thinking about the last days, and how I should be living. I am not predicting when Jesus will return, but He is coming. I am not sure that information really changes the way I live.

What can I do today in light of what I read? Today, and hopefully longer than today, I will live more sacrificially. Now that is easy to say. And it is the 'Christian' thing to say too. So I will try to be more specific. I will not turn down someone's desire to talk to me today. I will not say 'No' to a camper who needs a swimming buddy or a boating buddy. I will live for others today, hopefully pointing them closer to Jesus.

Thanks for reading today. See you all tomorrow!

In His service, Crazy Pete

A Win/Win Situation...

2010-07-11T08:44:00.003-05:00

When my mom was diagnosed with cancer, her response to it was she was living in a win/win situation. If she were to die of cancer, she would win because she knew where she would be going when she died. She would go to be with Jesus. But, if she lived through cancer and was healed it was a win. It was a win because she would be able to spend some more time on earth telling people about Jesus. In January of 2009 my mom passed away from this life. This was the first thought that crossed my mind when I read this morning.

Today I was reading in 1 Thessalonians 4:13-18

What stood out to me: Verse 14 says, "And now dear brothers and sisters, we want you to know what will happen to the believers who have died so you will not grieve like people who have no hope."

Why did that stand out to me: Paul is writing about what happens after we die. Paul writes that those who have died before us will be raised up in Christ before we meet Him. This passage gives me a lot of peace because I no longer worry about my mom's eternal security. I know that she will meet with Jesus and she will find her eternal rest in Him. I do not doubt.

How does this passage apply to me today? Today I will live knowing that if I were to pass away into death this very moment, I will go to be with my Savior when He returns. I am not doubtful of that! If Jesus returns while I am alive, I will meet with Him. If Jesus returns after I die, I will go and meet with Him. The ending of my time on earth does not matter, what matters now to me is how I want to be spending the time I am living on earth. My life needs to be a reflection of Jesus in every aspect.

Thanks for reading! See you tomorrow!

In His service, Crazy Pete

Conviction

2010-07-10T07:08:00.002-05:00

One of the primary reasons I began this blog was to encourage interaction with scripture. And I addressed some of the most common excuses for not reading. The primary one being that we do not have enough time to read scripture. I can also very clearly remember my response to that excuse..."Bull!" So here I am...sitting after many weeks of reading the Bible without getting much out of it, wondering why...and the answer is that I have not been taking time to interact with it.

My excuse, "It takes up too much time."

My response to myself, "Bull. If it is important to me, I will make time for it."

Recently, I have discovered something about myself...I need to process verbally, or vocally, or be given a chance and an opportunity to express my thoughts on issues. This blog gives me that chance to express my thoughts on scripture. Maybe you care what I think, maybe you don't, but I am going to write in this as often as I can; not for you, for me and my understanding of scripture.

Today's reading: 1 Thessalonians 4:1-12

What stands out to me: Verse 3 says, "For this is the will of God, your sanctification; that is, that you abstain from sexual immorality."

Why this stands out to me: I am a little perplexed as to why Paul brings the process of sanctification down to basically one principle. Paul says that to become holy, to become set apart (which is a very brief definition of the word sanctification) we have to stay away from sexual immorality. I have tried to become holy by doing a bunch of tasks that have involved serving more, sacrificing more, loving more, reading more, worshiping more, and the list goes on, but I have never felt holy enough. Paul offers four reasons for this too! #1-Christians are to live different lives than the Gentiles (Verse 5), #2-God is the avenger of our sins (Verse 6), #3-God has called us to live for the purpose of holiness (Verse 7), and #4-Rejecting sexual purity is rejecting God (Verse 8). Interesting thoughts!

What will change in my life: Becoming holy is more than just checking off a list of tasks. Becoming holy is a process that involved our whole selves. Every aspect of my life has to be devoted to following God's plan for my life. I do not struggle with my purity like I used to, but I still laugh at jokes I should not laugh at. I still hear every double meaning I can discern and snicker. I still have selfish and idolatrous thoughts. My application point for today is that as these thoughts come into my mind, I will present them before Jesus and ask Him to take them away.

Thanks for reading...See you next time!

In His service, Crazy Pete

Back Again...for real this time!

2010-07-05T13:13:00.000-05:00

Good afternoon to you all!

I hope this blog finds you well! Sorry I have been absent for a month...life is BUSY!

This past week I was able to have off, and I spent it at home relaxing with my wife. It was really needed! Through this week off, God reminded me of a few lessons I need to remember!

#1: I cannot do this job without Him! I know it seems like a pretty obvious lesson, but I can get pretty independent in this role, and do my job relying completely on my own strength. This past week I was able to spend some really good time in the Word, and just relaxing in His strength. Life cannot be lived apart from God.

#2: I am a part of a team. This summer, we handed out carabiners to all Senior Staff members. On its own, one carabiner cannot do much, but when they are linked together, they form a chain that is unified and strong. Our Summer staff team functions like the string of carabiners. We cannot form a chain unless we are working together and connected!

#3: God reminded me that He loves me...no matter what. And to be honest, my love for Him is starting to slowly grow. I used to say I love God out of necessity or because it is the appropriate thing for me to say. Now, I am beginning to say it out of real love for Him. It has been awesome!

I am still trying to figure this whole blog thing out. Daily is too much for me in this job, but I can do weekly. I am thinking Sundays or Mondays will my blog day. See you next week!

In His service,CrazyPete

The Busy Life!

2010-06-10T16:19:00.002-05:00

CAMP HAS STARTED!!!

As I write this, there are 96 1-3 graders here up at Camp Lebanon! I am so excited! They are so excited! This weekend will be awesome! I cannot wait to see how this weekend will turn out! Please be praying for these little guys and girls! They are so innocent, and have already latched onto us as a staff. They are incredible!

The only down side of this weekend is the cold. The water is freezing, and the wind has not stopped blowing!

Pray for camper and staff health as the weekend progresses! Also please be praying for the staff team. Many of us have been at camp since May 27 and will be here every day until the 18th of June! Please pray against exhaustion and for wisdom to know when and how to rest!

I am also going to do some rethinking about this blog for the summer. During the rest of the year, this is an easy task to keep up with, but the summer is busy and it can be really tough to keep updating. So I am thinking I will be posting every Saturday morning with a camp update as well as where my thoughts have been surrounding scripture each week. Thank you all for your support and your prayers!

In His service,CrazyPete

AWOL

2010-05-27T11:10:00.003-05:00

To be completely honest with you all, this weekend I have my staff coming up to camp, and they arrive tonight. I am going to take a few weeks off because the next few weeks are going to be pretty crazy!

I have been going at this for about a month, and I have found it to be very helpful in my life. I appreciate the chance to dialogue about what I am reading; I hope you have found it beneficial as well.

But, sadly, the next week and a half are pretty crazy. Summer is starting and there is a lot of work to be done. I will return on the morning of the 10th. I am looking forward to returning then!

In His service, CrazyPete

Grieving the Spirit

2010-05-26T20:34:00.002-05:00

A few summers ago at camp, we had a Program Staff weekend. During that weekend we shared our favorite verses, or verses God laid on our hearts that previous school year. One of my fellow staff members talked about a verse in which it mentioned grieving the Holy Spirit. At the time I did not understand what that meant, but over the past few years I have been learning and experiencing what it means to grieve the Holy Spirit.

What stood out to me: Verse 30 says, "Do not grieve the Holy Spirit of God, by whom you were sealed for the day of redemption."

Why this stood out to me: There are times in my life where I feel close to God and times in my life when I do not feel close to God. During the times when I have not felt close to God I have noticed I have been in sin. That sin has taken several forms over the years, but when I am living in a way that God does not approve of, I feel as though He is not only hurt; He also allows His hand of protection to fall. That sounds a little odd, but when I am in sin, I do not feel close to God at all. What is really interesting is that the word 'grieve' here is used as an active word meaning that grieving the Holy Spirit is a choice. Interesting connection: I chose to grieve God.

How this applies to my life: If I look back upon my life, the times I have needed God the most, I have chosen to sin instead (Not every time mind you, but a lot of them). I have to be reminded every day to choose God. I cannot inactively be a Christian. Going to church is just a small part of following Jesus. Every day, I have a choice to make: Choose God, or choose sin. My prayer is that I would choose God. But even then, I am not perfect.

Tomorrow I will be reading Ephesians 5:1-21.

In His service, CrazyPete

Standing Firm

2010-05-25T09:02:00.003-05:00

Many of you know I live in Holdingford. Holdingford is a small farming community just North East of Avon off of HWY 94. Last night a strong wind past through town and it shook the whole house. The picture above is not my house, but evidence of what kind of damage wind can do. This morning, I was out on my run, and there was a lot of evidence of the storm last night. I spent most of my run cleaning off the trail so others would not have to!

What stood out to me: Verse 14 says, "As a result, we are no longer to be children, tossed here and there by waves and carried about by every wind of doctrine, by the trickery of men, by craftiness in deceitful scheming."

Why this stood out to me: This verse stands out to me because just before Paul writes this, he write about being unified in one body and living in community with one another. I feel sometimes we lose sight of the fact that God has gifted every one a little bit differently and think there are only a few people who have been endowed with gifts. But, that is not what scripture talks about. Scripture speaks to every believer having gifts unique to who they are, and it is when these gifts are used by the body of Christ we are not easily swayed from the true gospel.

How this applies in my life: If there is one thing I have learned from studying church history, it is that the church is always in need of reform. Not because what we are doing is bad or incorrect, but because there are always ways to do ministry more effectively. As this relates to camp, my staff know there is nothing I hold too dear to me about the program at camp. If something needs to be adjusted, tweaked, or completely ditched, they know they can approach me and openly talk about it. I am limited in my gifts. God has blessed me by surrounding me with people who have different gifts than I do. I am privileged to utilize those gifts for the Kingdom!

Tomorrow I will be reading Ephesians 4:17-32.

In His service,CrazyPete

A Big Old Piece of Humble Pie!

2010-05-24T09:10:00.002-05:00

Sorry for the delay this week! I have been super busy and under a ton of stress! School, work, home...a lot! But, I had a great weekend with some pretty cool people! (You know who you are!)

Apparently, I am a prideful person! At least it seems that way with what I have been reading lately! When I was in college, I noticed a lot of pride...it was usually the first thing I saw in a person and it frustrated me so much! This is still something I wrestle with on a daily basis. My response has changed though! Instead of noticing how much it annoys me, I notice what I can do to lessen my own pride.

What stood out to me today: Verses 20-21 say, "Now to Him who is able to do car more abundantly beyond all that we ask or think, according to the power that works within us, to Him be the glory be the glory in the church and in Christ Jesus to all generations forever and ever. Amen."

Why this stood out to me: These verses stood out to me because it focuses what God does in and through me and not what I can do for God. All glory goes to God. None of it to me.

How this applies in my life: There have been a few times this spring where I have completely lost sight of what God is doing at camp and focused all the glory on myself. Things happened because I was there, or it was my idea, and I have totally taken God out of the equation. Most recently I have been calling summer staff MY STAFF, and not God's staff. And that has affected how I am viewing staff training. I want things to look a certain way and feel a certain way and I have not been listening to God about it much. And that is not OK. What do I do? I need to recognize that I am the one not in control, and that God is. I need to lift up the team in prayer, and seek God for how to lead and what to say. Sometimes humble pie does not taste so good!

Tomorrow I will be reading in Ephesians 4:1-16.

In His service, CrazyPete

I'm not the Greatest

2010-05-21T09:16:00.003-05:00

"When I peruse the titles in a Christian bookstore, I feel like I am the only klutz in the kingdom of God, a spiritual nincompoop lost in a shipful of brilliant biblical thinkers, an ungodly midget in a world of spiritual giants. When I compare my life with the experts', I feel sloppy, unkempt, and messy in the midst of immaculately dressed saints...and I'm a minister. Maybe that's why God allowed me to pastor a church "for people who don't like to go to church." When your "pastor" was kicked out of two Bible colleges, maybe it's easier for people not to be intimidated by some ideal of spirituality." -Mike Yaconelli, Founder of Youth Specialties.

What stood out to me today: Verse 8 says, "To me, the very least of all saints, this grace was given, to preach to the Gentiles the unfathomable riches of Christ."

Why this stood out to me: This verse stood out to me because Paul really did consider himself the least of the apostles. Yet, he wrote most of the New Testament. Paul was incredibly gifted, and if it were not for his obedience, we would not have much of the current Bible. And Christianity would probably not be as wide spread as it is. This position of humility absolutely blows my mind. It also stood out to me because I am reading "Messy Spirituality" by Mike Yaconelli. I read this quote last night before I went to bed, and it really stuck in my mind. I want to emulate this humility so badly, but my pride gets in the way too much!

How this applies to my life: I am a very prideful person. I can pull off the whole humility thing, but that only lasts for a while. I compare, and I put myself in positions of my peers in so many ways. I look at other camps and notice the things Lebanon does a better job of. I look at other Program Directors and compare my spiritual life to theirs and I see myself as more spiritual than they are. How ridiculous does that sound? I feel horrible just saying it, but it the truth and the ugliness of my pride coming out. Every so often I will ask God to humble me, but the lesson never really sticks. So how do I live a life of humility? I need to recognize the grace I have been shown and it is only in that grace I am where I am. I need to constantly keep my thoughts in check and remember that anything in my life can be taken away in the blink of an eye. My life is not about me...it is about God's redemption.

Tomorrow I will be reading Ephesians 3:14-21. I am looking forward to it!

In His service, CrazyPete

Divided We Fall

2010-05-20T09:38:00.003-05:00

"A house divided against itself cannot stand."-Abraham Lincoln

Actually, Lincoln was not the first one to say this. Jesus was. He said this phrase when He was accused of casting out demons by the power of Satan. Lincoln quoted this in reference to the status of the Union during the Civil War. I think it is interesting to look at what divides us as people: Race, Economics, Religion, Social Class, and many others. Looking at this list, I do not see reason. To separate yourself from another person based upon these reasons is ridiculous! Paul understood that!

What stood out to me: Verses 14-16 say, "For He Himself is our peace, who make both groups into one and broke down the barrier of the dividing wall, by abolishing in His flesh the enmity, which is the Law of commandments contained in ordinances, so that in Himself He might make the two into one new man, thus establishing peace, and might reconcile them both in one body to God through the cross, by it having put to death the enmity."

Why this stood out to me: Many of you know Staff Training week is rapidly approaching! One of the greatest threats to the summer team is disunity. The enemy will try to attack in any and every way he can. He does not want the ministry of camp to happen. Frustrations will run high, and people will get on each others nerves, and things can get out of control really quickly. This emphasis on unity is crucial to the success of summer ministry.

What can I do in my life: First off, I need to train my staff how to handle conflict in healthy ways. One of our first sessions is about handling conflict. We spend three months with each other and get to know one another pretty well. The second thing I can do when I am in a situation where I am challenged is to talk through the situation before I make a decision. I can get pretty worked up before I talk with someone, and that is not OK at all. I will seek to understand where the person is coming from first before I respond to them.

Tomorrow I will be reading in Ephesians 3:1-13. Can't wait!
In His service,CrazyPete

The Living Dead

2010-05-19T08:57:00.002-05:00

The one thing in this world that scares me the most are movies about Zombies. I just can't seem to get them out of my head after I watch a movie. I wake up terrified in the middle of the night (yes I still have night mares!). The worst is when I will be reading my Bible in the morning when it is still dark out and I will see something move outside and my mind takes off; I will freak myself out to the point that I no longer want to go outside to exercise. Pretty interesting huh? So why introduce today with this?

What stood out to me: Verses 4-6 say, "But God, being rich in mercy, because of the great love with which he loved us, even when we were dead in our trespasses, made us alive together with Christ— by grace you have been saved— and raised us up with him and seated us with him in the heavenly places in Christ Jesus."

Why did this stand out to me: These verses stood out to me because it began a thinking process in me about my response to sin. These verses use words like 'dead' and 'alive' in regards to my life in Christ. Before I really knew Christ, and by that I mean around my late college years, I was dead. I turned down opportunities to hang out with people because I would rather find ways to sin. Now I have a new life and I am fully alive, instead of mostly dead!

How this applies in my life: I wrestle with this concept quite a bit actually. As a born again believer and follower of Jesus Christ I know I am dead to my sin. I no longer am controlled by it. But yet, there is still a desire within me to want to sin. How crazy is that? I am supposed to be this great leader and example, but yet I continue to want to sin. I know I am supposed to be living a life that honors God, but there are days I do not feel like doing that because I would rather sin. How do I cope with this new life, yet at the same time wanting what I had in my former? What do you think?

Tomorrow I will be reading through the end of chapter 2!

In His service, CrazyPete

Blind man stood by the road and he cried...

2010-05-18T18:57:00.002-05:00

Today has truly been a blessing! It started off a little rough. I woke up later than I wanted to and did not get my run in like I wanted to, and I was a little cranky. Then a great thought entered into my head: today is Senior Day! Twice a year camp invites senior citizens up for a day to enjoy camp, and do they ever! We were blessed with the presence of over 150 senior citizens today! These two days out of the year are easily my favorites! I absolutely enjoyed listening to and serving those who have lived a lot more of life than I have! That really made me thinking about today's passage.

What stood out to me: Verse 18-19 says, "I pray that the eyes of you heart may be enlightened, so that you will know what is the hope of His calling, what are the riches of the glory of His inheritance in the saints, and what is the surpassing greatness of His power toward us who believe."

Why this stood out to me: It stood out to me for two reasons. First: Paul references the heart, and camp's theme this summer is about the heart. Second: Paul references the saints. Today really is an amazing day. I have never been in the presence of so many battle-hardened believers in my life; and I am truly blessed by that.

What can I apply in my own life: Through today I have learned what it means to persevere. These 150 seniors have a difficult life. They are unable to do certain things because their bodies have deteriorated over the years. They struggle with aches and pains, yet they still choose to come up to camp twice a year and live their lives to the fullest! Today, I am learning to live my life to the fullest and take every opportunity I can to do it!

Thanks for reading! Tomorrow I will be in Ephesians 2:1-10!

In His service,CrazyPete

Copious Amounts of Grace

2010-05-17T09:38:00.004-05:00

One of my favorite word pictures my boss uses surrounds the word "Lavish." He explains the word through using the example of his love for ice cream. He loves ice cream, and since his wife loves him, the way she shows this love is through the amount of ice cream she gives him. Basically, the word picture ends with his wife giving him more and more ice cream. More than he can handle in fact. This ice cream is delivered by trails, plains, semi trucks, air craft carriers, and oil tankers. All because she loves him so much. This picture stood out to me today.

What verse stood out to me: Verses 7-8 says, "In Him we have redemption through His blood, the forgiveness of our trespasses according to the riches of His grace which He lavished on us."

Why does this stand out to me: These verses stood out to me primarily because of the word "lavish." I do not fully understand what that word means, except through the word picture my boss uses. In this context, Paul is referring to the amount of grace God gives us. When I think of grace, I cannot help but think about how much grace Becca offers me! I blunder a lot, and Becca has consistently offered me grace after grace after grace. She is a huge blessing to me!

How this applies in my life: When someone wrongs me, or I feel attacked, my first response is usually to give a good hard dose of truth and not offer grace. I like to make people feel they are unworthy or give them a heavy guilt trip. This is not the way to treat others though. If I was punished for all of my wrongs, I would quite literally not be in the position I am in. God has shown me incredible amounts of grace, and I cannot live my life without showing that same amount. My application for today is to offer grace first before I offer truth.

Sorry for the few days of silence! This past weekend was a really busy weekend. But I am back! And I will write tomorrow! I will be reading Ephesians 1:15-23.

In His service, CrazyPete

Waking up late

2010-05-14T07:16:00.001-05:00

Good morning! So this will not be a long post from me. I woke up late this morning and will not be writing! I am in a wedding today.

I will be back again tomorrow morning with Ephesians 1:1-14. Thanks!

In His service,CrazyPete

The most Important Thing

2010-05-13T10:14:00.002-05:00

Summer is only a few days away! That is both extremely exciting and scary all at the same time! Every year around this time I get stressed about staffing, campers, and program details that are not yet solidified. I get worried about what chapels will look like and what skill classes will look like and how everything will come together. I try my best to stay on top of all the details and all that goes into making summer camp fun and exciting. It can be easy for me to lose focus on the most important thing about camp: introducing kids to Jesus.

What stood out to me: Verse 15 says, "For neither circumcision counts for anything, nor uncircumcision, but a new creation."

Why does this stand out to me: This simple verse stands out to me because Paul is focusing his message on the cross and about changed lives. Paul is not concerned with physical requirements, but spiritual. Being a follower of Jesus does not require physical changes. Being a follower of Jesus requires being a new creation, in the spiritual sense.

How does this apply in my life: As summer approaches, my main concern should be the gospel and how to teach it this summer so campers will be able to understand the message of the cross. It is very easy for me to allow for that reason to get clouded with the bells and whistles to make camp hip and new. My desire is for camp to be a fun place where kids can hang out and have a great time. But above that, my main purpose in being at camp is to introduce kids to Jesus in an environment free from distractions where they can be transformed, and made new. This becomes more difficult every year because the distractions only increase and draw more attention away from the important things in life.

And with this post, we end our brief study of Galatians. I hope this has been challenging for you! It has been for me for sure. I am excited that we start a new book tomorrow. I will be reading Ephesians 1:1-14. Can't wait!

In His service, CrazyPete

Not Alone in this Universe

2010-05-12T10:50:00.002-05:00

One of the biggest deceptions followers of Jesus fall into is the lie that we are the only one going through trials at a certain time. I know this from experience. I have both believed it, and I have seen it in the lives of others. For me, the most deceiving deception I lived in was that I was the only person who struggled with sin. I was the only one who lived trapped in a world of lust and idolatry. I was the only one who was addicted to porn. Not until I confessed and opened up did I realize I am not the only one. There are LOTS of others who share the same struggle. I learned there are men who are living on the other side of this addiction who cared deeply about me and desired to walk through this with me. That did not happen though until I opened up and began to be real with those around me. I have also found that when I am open about my own struggles, people come up to me and thank me for being honest and share they are also struggling with similar issues. It does a great deal of help sharing struggles with others.

What stood out to me: Verse 2 says, "Bear one another's burdens, and so fulfill the law of Christ."

Why did this stand out to me: This stood out to me because Paul is encouraging the Galatian Church to be open and honest with each other. Paul knows this life cannot be lived alone and we need each other for support and care.

How this applies in my life: I meet every week or every other week with an older man from my church. He challenges me in ways others cannot. He knows my thoughts and my present struggles. He also desires to live life with me. Sometimes it is really hard to admit to him my thoughts and what I am going through, but he lovingly corrects me when I need to be corrected, and he encourages me when I need to be encouraged. I am blessed to have this type of relationship in my life!

It is hard to believe that I am almost done with Galatians! If you are reading with me, finish reading chapter 6 for tomorrow.

Any suggestions on where we read next? I am thinking Ephesians...

In His service,CrazyPete

Who gets in?

2010-05-11T09:06:00.002-05:00

The passage of scripture which scares me the most is in Matthew 7. Jesus says "Not everyone who says to me, 'Lord, Lord,' will enter the kingdom of heaven, but only he who does the will of my Father who is in heaven. Many will say to me on that day, 'Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy in your name, and in your name drive out demons and perform many miracles?' Then I will tell them plainly, 'I never knew you. Away from me, you evildoers!'" The context of this in regards to following Jesus' commands. This passage terrifies me. Paul also terrifies me in today's reading as well.

What stood out to me: Verse 21 says, "I warn you, as I warned you before, that those who do such things (such things are listed in verses 19-21) will not inherit the Kingdom of God."

Why this stands out to me: This verse stands out to me because Paul has been writing about inheriting the Kingdom and being heirs with Christ. Here though, he goes back and says that if we are living life by the flesh we will not inherit the Kingdom of God. That is a scary thought.

How this applies to my life: This is a scary thought because I still live my life according to my flesh sometimes. I am a very selfish person, and I commit idolatry almost daily. I put my needs, camp's needs, Becca's needs above my love and desire for God. Choosing God first every day is a tough thing to do. I know in every situation I am given two choices; one choice will honor God, and the other choice will honor me. Living by the Spirit and walking by the Spirit are two distinct characteristics of a follower of Jesus. Living by the Spirit is about salvation. It is the Spirit that makes us new again, but walking by the Spirit is a totally different concept. I have to choose to walk by it every day. I have to quiet my needs and listen to its direction and guidance. Today I choose to follow God. I choose to live my life by the Spirit.

Thanks for reading. Tomorrow I will be reading Galatians 6:1-10.

In His service, CrazyPete

The Law of Love

2010-05-10T09:40:00.002-05:00

This past semester I was enrolled in a class that has been the most challenging for me. It was not so much academically challenging as spiritually challenging. My professor began the class by saying he will not challenge our beliefs, he will only challenge why we believe what we do. Our first discussion revolved around Jesus' Sermon on the Mount, and specifically around loving our enemies as ourselves. the example he gave was this: Suppose an Islamic Jihadist walked into this classroom, or into your church or home, and was hungry. Would you feed them; fully knowing that this person has every intention of taking your life? Would you show the love of Christ to them? My initial response was a resounding yes! But as I was thinking more, I became more unsure of my answer. I don't know if I would be able to do that; I hope I would be willing to meet their needs. This class started a process of thinking about how I love those around me, and show Jesus to them.

What stood out me: Verses 13-14 say, "For you were called to freedom, brothers. Only do not use your freedom as an opportunity for the flesh, but through love serve one another. For the whole law if fulfilled in one word: You shall love your neighbor as yourself."

Why did this stand out to me: These verses stood out to me because I have been doing a lot of thinking about loving those around me. I am wanting to show love to everyone who is close to me, and to those who are not close to me. I also firmly believe the church can do a better job at loving others too. There have been times in the past few weeks where I have been given opportunities to love others, and I have failed to do so, and it hurts!

How does this apply in my own life: It seems like every summer, we are given multiple opportunities to show Christ's love to some pretty rough kids. There are a few campers every summer who test patience levels and who push against every boundary. The simple response with these campers is to send them home when they are being difficult. But, is that the response Jesus would give? This is a hard line for me to delineate between. At what point does showing Christ include keeping these children at camp? Is sending these kids home from camp not showing love? Is keeping those kids at camp not showing love? What image of Jesus does that send to those kids? Am I portraying Jesus, or my frustration?

Tomorrow we will be reading Galatians 5:16-26. See you tomorrow!

In His service, CrazyPete

I can do it!

2010-05-08T13:45:00.002-05:00

Being in ministry is tough. Being a Program Director is tough. It is tough because there is a delicate balance I have to walk. It is very easy for me to look at what happens here during the summer and say it happened because of my leadership and because I am a great boss, and administrator (or because I am following God more closely than those around me or in similar positions). I admit, my pride gets in the way of my role here at camp. My role exists to support the Church and to come alongside pastors and encourage them in their ministries. Yet, I am known at camp for being 'Crazy Pete;' a name that needs to be lived up to. So often I allow my pride and ego to take the reigns and do things my way. But as a follower of Jesus, I have to be willing to set aside my way and allow for God's way. My ego was hit this morning.

What stood out to me: Verse 23 says, "But the son of the slave was born according to the flesh, while the son of the free woman was born through promise."

Why did this stand out to me: This verse stood out me because it brought me back to the story of Abraham and how he tried to do God's will in Abraham's way. Abraham did not see how it would be physically possible for God to open up Sarah's womb, so Abraham decided for God to go through Hagar. As a result, dissension in the family occurred.

How to apply this in my own life: In ministry it can be easy for me to rely on my methods and upon my strength for all that I do here at Camp. I do a lot of my ministry the way I do because I feel it is the right way. Some times I pray and ask God what He thinks; but there have been many times when I have done what I thought was best. This weekend, camp is hosting a youth worker conference and I was reminded this morning that ministry is not about me. Ministry is about loving others as Christ would. Yes, God can use me. I am available; but God may not always do things the way I want them to be done. I have to let down my pride and listen for God's plan. Which is something I have trouble doing.

I know this blog is entitled "Crazy Thoughts from Crazy Pete," and my thoughts have not been all that crazy. This honestly what I am going through and where my heart is as I look at scripture.

Tomorrow I will take the day off from Blogging, but I will be back again on Monday. We will be reading Galatians 5:1-15. I am curious to know what God has been speaking to you about through Galatians, any one want to share their thoughts?

In His service, CrazyPete

That's Gross!

2010-05-07T13:56:00.004-05:00

Growing up I had a dog named Erin. She was a black a white Sheltie, a smaller version of a Collie (this picture below is not of her, but of a similar looking dog). She was a wonderful dog and was a great addition to our family. If you own a dog, or have owned a dog, you may recognize they can do some pretty disgusting things. One time we were on a car trip as a family, in our station wagon. Erin was in her kennel in the back. She must have gotten sick or something because we heard a pretty strange noise, and looked back. Apparently, Erin was car sick and threw up in her kennel. It was pretty gross. We were almost to our destination so my parents decided not to stop. When we arrived at our friend's house we went back to clean up the mess only to find it had disappeared! Erin ate her own vomit! Gross huh? So why this story?

What stood out to me: Verses 8-9 say this, "Formerly, when you did not know God, you were enslaved to those that by nature are not gods. But now that you have come to know God, or rather to be known by God, how can you turn back again to the weak and worthless elementary principles of the world, whose slaves you want to be once more?"

Why did this stand out to me: Paul was talking about sin here. The Galatian church was going back to their former way of life. They saw God in action, they experienced Him in amazing ways, and it was not enough to keep them following on God's path. This stood out to me because in my life I have returned to sin again and again. I know it is not good for me and I know it is not what God wants from me, but I still return to it.

How does this apply in my life: Many of you know my story and how I was stuck in a world of lust and pornography. I have been freed from that and I no longer give into that temptation (praise the Lord). But reading this passage of scripture made me remember what it was like to be a part of that world and how I was constantly going back to it after I had committed to never doing it again. I was returning to my vomit, just like Erin did. I knew it was bad for me, but I kept going back, until I was confronted about it and changed my behavior. As far as practical application goes, sin is something I am no longer a slave to. I do not have to participate in sin. It is no longer my master. Jesus is my master. I am His slave. I do His will (At least my best interpretation of it for my life!). My life purpose now is to follow Him where He leads me and encourage other believers to grow deeper in their relationship with Him, as well as show non-believers what He has done in my life.

Hey, thanks for reading today! I will be back tomorrow, and we will be reading Galatians 4:21-31.

In His service,CrazyPete

Blind Side

2010-05-06T09:29:00.002-05:00

If you are unfamiliar with the story of Michael Oher, or have not watched the movie Blind Side, I highly recommend it. Becca and I rented it this week, and have watched it three times in two days. There is a scene midway through the movie when the Tuohy family decides they are going to adopt Michael. They ask if he would like to officially become a part of their family and Michael responds with, "I thought I already was a part of the family?" This scene has stuck with me; especially in light of what I read today.

What stood out to me: Verses 4-7 state, "...God sent forth His Son...to redeem those who were under the law, so that we might receive adoption as sons. And because you are sons, God has sent the Spirit of his Son into our hearts, crying, "Abba, Father!" So you are no longer a slave, but a son, and if a son, then an heir through God."

Why did this stick out to me: These verses stand out me because they speak of being God's children. In my head I know I am a child of God. I know He loves me unconditionally. I know He accepts me for who I am. Yet that knowledge remains in my head, and has not traveled to my heart. I am a sinner, and I sin every day. I do not understand how a God who wants me to be perfect can still love and accept me even when I am going against His will by sinning.

How this applies in my life: In Blind Side, Michael did nothing to warrant the attention he received from the Tuohy family. He was a kid from a poor background and did not have much going for him. Yet the Tuohy family brought him in and treated him as one of their own. God says He does the same for me. Yet, I still find it hard to believe it all. I know in my head God calls me His son, and as His son, he allows me to call him "Daddy." I want to accept that I am God's son, yet I feel as though I need to do something to earn that status. But even within this passage, Paul writes that God sends the spirit to us to enable us to cry out "Abba, Daddy!" I am curious to know your thoughts out there in Blog-ville. What do you think about being Sons and Daughters of God?

Thanks for reading! Tomorrow we will be reading Galatians 4:8-20. See you tomorrow!

In His service, CrazyPete

Poser

2010-05-05T10:06:00.002-05:00

This morning I woke up to blue skies with not a cloud to be seen. It was beautiful! I had my coffee and my banana as I sat down to read. As I began to read this morning, it grew a little bit darker out and I looked and saw the once blue and clear sky had turned gray and dreary. It was a little depressing considering I still had a 5 mile run to complete! Seeing nature behave like it did today made my mind race about how circumstances are not always as they appear. I feel Christians can sometimes behave in this way too.

What stood out to me in my reading: Verses 21 and 22 say, "Is the law then contrary to the promises of God? Certainly not! For if a law had been given that could give life, then righteousness would indeed be by the law. But the Scripture imprisoned everything under sin, so that the promise by faith in Jesus Christ might be given to those who believe."

Why did this stand out me: These verses stood out to me because I do not fully understand how one is saved by faith and through faith, yet we are to "let our lights shine bright for the world to see our good deeds and glorify our Father in heaven." Jesus spoke so much of being different from the world, yet we have allowed ourselves to let our relationship with Jesus end with a faith commitment. James says that even demons believe and tremble. Even they have faith that Jesus is the Son of God. The difference is that Demons are out to steal, kill, and destroy. Jesus came so that we would have life.

How does this apply in my own life: I have been thinking about this for a really long time; several months in fact. What is a Christian? Is a Christian merely someone who believes in Jesus; or is a Christian something more? I would argue that being a Christian involves living a life similar to that of Jesus: living among the poor, serving those less fortunate, and loving the unlovable. Now that sounds an awful lot like works right? How does that play into the role of faith? I don't know. All I know is that I am called to love everyone around me equally, as Jesus did. I am to treat people with the love and care that Jesus did. Being a Christian is more than just saying a prayer when I was 6. Being a Christian involves living a life of love. Today, I will do my best to lovingly serve those whom I meet.

Thanks for reading! Tomorrow we will be in Galatians 4:1-7!

In His service, CrazyPete

Oh you can't get to heaven...

2010-05-04T09:01:00.002-05:00

We used to sing a song at camp called, "You Can't Get to Heaven." It was a simple call and response song with lots of rhyme, and it was quite fun to sing. It went something like this:

Oh, you can't get to heaven
(Oh, you can't get to heaven)
In a mini skirt
(In a mini skirt)
Oh you can't get to heaven
(Oh, you can't get to heaven)
In a mini skirt
(In a mini skirt)
Oh you can't get to heaven in a mini skirt,
Cause God don't want those little flirts.

We eventually stopped singing it because God does want those little flirts. God desires all to be in heaven with Him. This is what I was thinking about as I read Galatians this morning.

What stood out to me: Verse 10, "For all who rely on works of the law are under a curse; for it is written, 'Cursed be everyone who does not abide by all things written in the Book of the Law, and do them.'"

Why did this stand out to me: This verse stood out me me because it reminded me of my inability to live righteously on my own according to the law. This whole passage speaks to my failure as a human to live a good life worthy of heaven. I am completely unable to make it to heaven on my own.

How this applies in my life: Many of you know from reading this past weekend, I had a cruddy attitude; a really cruddy attitude. And yesterday I took off so I could spend some time with Becca. I was crabby all day. I was crabby because I was trying to make up for my bad attitude this weekend on my own. I have trouble accepting grace. I feel like I have to earn it to get it. That mindset however, goes against the definition of grace. I was not allowing grace to fill my life yesterday so I could enjoy time off with my wife. I thought if I could get enough done, or spend enough time with God, it would make up for my short comings this past weekend. When in reality, all I needed to do was confess, and allow His grace and forgiveness to come into my life. Grace is a hard thing to understand for a guy who feels like he has to earn everything he gets!

Thanks for reading! We will see you tomorrow! I will be reading Galatians 3:15-29.

In His service,CrazyPete

Any one else confused?

2010-05-02T20:06:00.002-05:00

Paul talks about attaining righteousness through faith. James talks about attaining righteousness by showing faith through your works. Which is it? Faith or works? Is there a balance, or are there two ways of attaining righteousness?

What stands out to me: Verses 5-6 stand out to me

Why do they stand out to me: Paul uses Abraham as an example of righteousness attained through faith. But, if Abraham did not act on his faith would he still be used as an example? This argument still confuses me. I know at one point I am supposed to have faith, but my faith needs to be shown. Yet, the act of showing my faith is not what saves me; my faith is what saves me (faith in Jesus Christ as my Savior).

How this applies to my life: A few days ago I wrote about how easy it can be for Seminarians (myself included) to use big terms and get lost in their knowledge of the Bible. But it is not this knowledge that saves. Faith is what saves. Not only did Abraham have faith in God, he acted upon that faith. For me, it is not only important to have faith, it is also important to act upon that faith. If Abraham did not act, he would not have been used by Paul as an example of faith. I once heard a professor say in a class I took that Paul and James (the writers of some of the New Testament) would not get along. I respectfully disagree. I think Paul would have to admit that it was because of Abraham's actions that he is a great example of faith. Abraham could have had all the faith in the world, yet not acted upon it; and would not be an example of faith for us to follow.

Sorry for all the preaching, the application for me after reading this post is to show my faith through my actions. This will mean stepping out of my comfort zone and reaching out to my neighbors. This will mean continuing to show campers love whom I get tired of loving sometimes. Not easy steps for me, but neither is an active life following Jesus!

I am taking tomorrow off as a day of rest! I will not be posting! I will be back on Tuesday and we will be reading Galatians 3:10-14! See you then!

In His service,CrazyPete

CRUCIFY ME!

2010-05-01T21:20:00.003-05:00

Hey all, sorry this is so late! We have a Dads 'N' Lads retreat going on here at camp, and today has been a really, really long one! I spent most of the morning setting up for a basketball clinic, then had lunch, then spent 4 hours at the zip line, then finished my day off with 3 hours overseeing a paintball game (set up, referee, and clean up). It has been a long day! Sorry if you were expecting an earlier post!

Today I woke up cranky. I woke up angry because I was upset I would not be able to play paintball today at camp. I know, acting like a 4 year old right? So I woke up, threw my own silent tantrum before Becca left for work, then sat down and opened up Galatians. If you read the passage, you will understand where I am going here!

What stood out to me: Verses 19-20

Why does this stand out to me: These verses stand out to me because it reminded me that I need to die to myself. I have been crucified with Christ, all of me. There is nothing I can take off, there is nothing I can hold back; Jesus did not, and I should follow His example.

How this applies in my life: The easy application today was to get over my 4 year old tantrum and do my job! I love being at camp and helping to create the best weekend ever for a young (or old) kid. Today, I was reminded by this passage that it is not for my benefit I am at camp. I am at camp to serve others and to share with them Christ's love. Sometimes, that can be really hard. Actually, that is really hard. It is hard because many times my wants and desires get in the way. Jesus sacrificed all He had, and in response to His sacrifice, I also need to give all I can to those around me.

Jesus, I give you all of me. I put myself and my wants, and my desires, and my selfish cravings on that cross. I am yours fully.

Enjoy fellowship with the body tomorrow! We will be reading Galatians 3:1-9.

In His service,CrazyPete

Conflict is a good thing...

2010-04-30T14:09:00.002-05:00

As Interim Program Director I have been put in situations where I have had to deal with conflict. If you know me outside of camp, you know I can be extremely passive aggressive in how I handle difficult situations. At camp, being passive does not cut it at all; I have to confront staff, deal with fights between campers, resolve mis-communication between myself, Core Staff, and Summer Staff. If I allow myself to take a back seat in handling conflict, issues will not get solved and they will grow into a big, hairy monster we have to deal with. Why talk about conflict today?

If you are reading with my in Galatians 2 you will see why:

What stands out to me: Verse 11 stands out to me!

Why does it stand out to me: Paul was still new into preaching the Gospel to the Gentiles. He received confirmation from Peter, James, and John (Learned from the last section). Here he is presented with a conflict. Peter went back on his word, and let others guide his preaching.

How does this apply in my life: So, I have tried to write this a bunch of times trying to make it sound all cool and smart. But I have erased it every time. The application from this verse which makes the most sense in my life is that I need to be willing to call people out when they have gone against their word or if they are not living a life which honors God; no matter what position I am in or what position the person I am confronting is in. Paul did this with Peter. I am pretty sure that outweighs any conflict I have ever had to deal with in my life.

If you think about me this weekend, there are lots of funerals today. Two dear friends of mine suffered some incredible losses in their lives this past week. Please pray for all of those grieving today. Also, Camp is hosting Dads 'N' Lads this weekend; please pray for open doors and great ministry opportunities.

See you all tomorrow! Galatians 2:15-21.

In His service,CrazyPete

Think Before you Speak

2010-04-29T08:56:00.002-05:00

Good morning!

Many of you know I am in Seminary. This past fall I took a Systematic Theology course. One of the first books we were assigned to read was a book by Helmut Thielicke (fun name to try and pronounce!). In his book, he equated first year theology students to Junior High boys trying to learn how to sing. Since I work a lot with youth, I found this comparison interesting! He said first year theology students have not quite found their voice and as they get excited to teach all they have learned, they usually end up doing more harm than good. This is because the average person in a church does not understand all of the big words, or difficult concepts their pastor is trying to get across. What in the world does this comment have to do with Galatians?

What stood out to me: Paul mentions that he went fourteen years between conversion and when he met with the apostles.

Why did this stand out to me: In explaining his course, Paul says he wanted to make sure he was not wanting to preaching in vain to the gentiles. Paul could have went through with his heart's desire and he could have gone out and preached without the apostles' approval, but chose not to.

How can this be applied in my own life: There are many things about Christianity I do not know. I do not have all the answers, and there are things I do not fully understand. I do not get how God predestines and allows for free will. I do not understand how one man can take the sin of the world on his shoulders. I do not understand the balance of faith verses work. I am terrified of the passages of scripture where it talks about loving everyone equally. I don't like that I have to forgive others or I will not be forgiven. It is through these topics (and more not mentioned) the church has literally split down the middle on. As I go about teaching what little knowledge I have about scripture, I want to ask those who listen for feedback. If I am not holding true to what is said in scripture I want to know. Paul wanted to make sure he was not doing something wrong, which is why he went before the authorities in Jerusalem. I try really hard to go to my authorities as well when I encounter these situations. If you read my post yesterday, that means being humble enough to admit I am wrong; something I absolutely do not like doing.

I am curious if any of you have been reading with me, and I would like to know your thoughts!

Tomorrow's reading: Galatians 2:11-14.

In His service,CrazyPete

Hubris

2010-04-28T14:53:00.002-05:00

Hubris, pride, ego...

All three refer to the same character trait within humans. This is a character trait I despise seeing in others. All throughout college this would be the first trait I would see in a person and as a result, I would judge them before I really had the chance to get to know them. Becca would always ask me what I thought of a person I met for the first time, and without hesitating I would make mention of their pride. Eventually, Becca became absolutely frustrated with me. She pulled me aside one day after meeting someone new and told me I was prideful. On the inside, to be honest, I was thinking, "I am not prideful...I am actually quite humble." It was in that statement I realized I am prideful.

This is my attitude going into today's post. I realized yesterday I was preaching in my application section. Instead of allowing discovery and questions, I told you all what to think. Which is not my purpose in writing this blog. How did this realization of my pride occur:

What stands out me: Verses 12-14 stand out to me.

Why do they stand out me: They stand out to me because they reminded me of a similar passage in Philippians where Paul tells his readers he is a Pharisee among Pharisees, and that if any one is qualified, it is him. Paul had every reason to be prideful, yet he closes the passage in Philippians by saying that everything he once counted gain, he now counts as loss.

How does this apply to my life: I am just a man. There is nothing special about me. Yet I have allowed myself to think I have some authority greater than God's. I have become prideful. I think you as the reader should feel privileged to know what goes on inside of my mind. That is not the attitude God is calling me to. He is calling me to a life of service and of love. I ask all of you for your forgiveness. I do not want this to just become an outlet for my preaching. I really do want this to open up discussions...

I am looking forward to writing again tomorrow!

Galatians 2:1-10!

In His service,CrazyPete

Why God Why?

2010-04-27T11:19:00.003-05:00

In the past 8 days 16 people have died in car accidents in MN. There was also an accident in Wisconsin where a Sheriff Deputy was also killed. The later one affects me because he was a husband and a father. He was married to a former summer staff. The past school year has also seen multiple suicides. My wife and I spent this last weekend working with teenagers where we heard numerous stories of cutting, suicide, attempted suicides, and an overall loss of hope. In times like these, the question, "Why God Why?" is asked. People shake their fists in anger, bow their heads in confusion, and some walk away from God in these moments.

If you are reading with me, this morning was spent in Galatians 1:5-10.

What: Paul is speaking about the Gospel. Not necessarily the message of the Gospel, but he is expressing more of a desire to return to the true Gospel. The Galatian church was drifting from what they originally heard from Paul and were adopting a false version of the message of Jesus.

Why: This stands out to me not only because of the reminder to get back to the original message of Jesus Christ, but it is also a reminder to proclaim that message. This is a message of hope and of restoration. Christ came to heal the sick, give sight to the blind, set captives free; ultimately offering an abundant life in Him. Any other message than this leads us astray.

How: This passage in Galatians points us back to the life and death of Jesus. Paul claimed to know nothing and to preach nothing other than Christ and Him crucified. Our lives are to be a reflection of that. Being a follower of Jesus, I have hope. This hope is an everlasting hope which does not disappoint. It can be easy to lose sight of that hope though with all this world throws at us. My application from this passage is a call to hope! It is a call to comfort! It is a call to offer people a side of Jesus they have not seen and do not easily recognize in America these days...this side of Jesus is His compassion and willingness to walk through suffering with people. Today, if you are affected by one of these deaths directly, or know of someone who is; remember that Jesus came to give an abundant life. Today is a sad day, full of mourning. But, the message of the cross offers comfort. Pray for those families effected by these horrible tragedies, but more than pray for them, walk with them as they live through this time of terrible pain.

The Lord bless you and keep you. The Lord make His face to shine upon you and be gracious to you. The Lord lift up His countenance upon you and give you peace.

See you tomorrow! Galatians 1:11-24.

In His service,CrazyPete

Staying Connected

2010-04-26T11:48:00.007-05:00

I was blessed this weekend to attend the District Blitz Conference with my church's youth group. District Blitz is the annual youth gathering for the Evangelical and Baptist Churches. Our group brought 62 students and 13 leaders. Yes, we were the group with the sombreros! It was an awesome time! Our speaker was Bob Lenz, and Mark Allen led worship for the weekend. The conference was in Rochester and it was fun to be a new environment with our youth group.

During the conference I was also able to lead a seminar. The seminar was entitled "Where does God go after District Blitz." So often we, as Christians, live from one mountain top experience to another. As soon as that experience is over, it feels as though God abandons us. I looked all over scripture to find a place in scripture where we are told that God leaves us; and I came up short! All I found were stories where people experienced God and then turned their backs on God, or they stayed connected with God and never lost sight of Him.

This was my focus for the seminar! I read the story in Acts 2 of the response to the Holy Spirit moving in the apostles, and the response of those who were touched by that event. What can we learn from this story in scripture? We need to get R.I.O: Reading, Involved, and Out. Rio is the Spanish word for river. A river needs to be constantly moving otherwise it will become still and life-less. As Christians, we also need to be constantly moving, this movement involves being in the scripture, involved with youth group, and reaching out to non-Christians.

Part of the Reading application was getting into scripture daily. When reading scripture, there are three questions to ask yourself about every passage. The first is: What stands out to me? The second: Why does it stand out to me? The Third: How do I apply this to my life? So, I have decided to share with you all my thoughts on Galatians 1:1-5.

What: Verse one actually stands out to me the most! "Paul, an apostle-not from men, nor through man, but through Jesus Christ and God the Father..."

Why: This verse stands out to me because Paul is telling the Galatian church he is getting his ability and authority to write this letter from God and not a person.

How: Sometimes in my own life I can get so wrapped up in my own abilities. I can become too prideful and sure of myself. This past weekend was a glimpse of that. At districts, both youth workers who are on staff at our church came with us. I took the lead of a service project and put myself in the position of leadership when I should not have. As a volunteer within a youth program, I have to support and encourage those staff members I am serving. I did not allow that to happen, in fact, I showed the opposite with my actions. Jesus calls us to serve those around us as He did and not get too wrapped up in my own abilities. Paul reminded me this morning it is not about what I can do on my own, but about what God can do through me.

Join me tomorrow! I will be reading Galatians 1:6-10!

In His service,CrazyPete

The Journey Begins...

2010-04-21T13:22:00.002-05:00

Every one is doing it...It is the latest fad...Well, this is my attempt to go against the stream. And I am not doing it well!

I guess my intentions in starting this blog revolve around encouraging people to really think about how their actions affect the rest of their lives. At Camp, I am blessed with the opportunity to see kids, youth, and adults make life-changing decisions to follow Jesus. However, I get as little as three days to influence people. The idea behind this blog is to encourage critical thinking as it relates to fun, faith, and academics. I am excited to begin this journey, and I am a little frightened by it too!

My plan is to write one entry a week, which will start this coming Monday. I will be sharing my thoughts about what I am reading in scripture, current events, and Camp's future!

In His service,

CrazyPete