Greg Peters Live

Relationships are a ton of fun, awesome times are often had and phenomenal memories are made; but the downside is they require a massive amount of hard work.  As we have been working through our series, Relationship Rehab, I have been reminded of just how much work relationships take.  I have labored so much over the last couple weeks messages because there is no simple solution and the topics of pain and forgiveness do not come with simplistic, cookie cutter answers. Last Saturday night about 90 minutes before the evening service I deleted all of my notes to my fourth point, which was the work of a couple hours of study. It had been a real long time since I was tweeking, rearranging and rethinking a message so much – that sermon was a ton of hard work. I do not say those things for your sympathy or applause, I say it because it is simply indicative of  relationships – they are hard work.  If relationships were easy it would be easy for me to write sermons about relationships and it would be easy for you to enjoy the benfits and fruit of relationships. Let’s just admit it – Rleationships Are HARD WORK!

Although they are hard work, relationships also bring incredible rewards.

Monday morning I had breakfast with a friend of almost 20 years and he talked about the joy of our friendship and how he is glad we have recently had a little more time together.  This morning at 7:45 I spoke with a friend from Texas for about 15 minutes.  Before he hung up he mused about what our friendship would be like when we are both grey headed (After I hung up I laughed because for neither of us is our problem greying hair, but keeping what hair we have!). I have also had a lot of fun lately with my best friend, Denise. She makes me laugh, she is a great hostess (she threw a mean Super Bowl party), she is an awesome mom and there are many other things I enjoy about her! But all of the friendships I just mentioned have taken me alot of hard work.

Just so you don’t think I am patting my self on the back, I also have screwed up alot of relationships. In fact, for whatever reason, I have a frinedship right now where I can’t get a returned phone call. I also told my wife a couple weeks ago that I was too hard on a friend and left them feeling drained when our conversation was over. I have another friendship where an apology is owed by me. Just typing this paragraph brings me stress.

Thankfully, hard work brings even greater rewards. Let’s do the hard work this week!

• We must pray for the people of Haiti! We are collecting breakfast bars and peanut butter/cheese crackers. They will fly out of Orlando on Monday and will go to 3 Angels Orphanage – a Christian orphanage with 300 children in Port-a-Prince. You can bring the supplies to the weekend services or during business. The collection deadline is Sunday at 2pm.
• Tonight is Volunteer Appreciation night!!! About 200 volunteers are coming for a phenomenal night of celebration! YOU GUYS ARE AWESOME AND TONIGHT IS FOR YOU!!! See you at 6:30.

During the holidays our waistlines grow and our wallets shrink. As a result, I have a few thoughts to share. Perhaps only waistlines today and wallets tomorrow.

Random thoughts on waistlines:

• To lose weight it requires a one, two punch – diet and exercise!!!!!
• I pretty much hate exercising, although I do love the positive benefits, mainly physical and emotional energy.
• I am a horrible eater – I love everything that is bad for me and hate everything good for me ( a little exageration but not much)
• Denise is trying to help me eat better.
• Some things I have eaten in the last few days – oatmeal with honey, fish with multi grain rice, celery and peanut butter, peanut butter sandwhich with 8 grain bread, scrambled eggs with hot sauce, sloopy joe with ground turkey on some wheat thin bread thing (actually was delicious), a lot of chicken. Yes, I have also had pizza, soda and some desserts but I am trying to do it in more moderation.
• Soda is so good and yet so NASTY for your health. I am drinking more water this year!
• For me the current goal is to run 10 miles a week. Last week I ran 7 and most of those were in temperatures around freezing.  Even though I didn’t hit my goal last week, I will shoot for it again this week.
• I currently weigh around 203 and would like to get to 190. Saying that makes me a little more accountable.
• Some good books I have read are – Body by God and Heart Health for Men.
• Our bodies are a gift to us from God and also His dwelling place, we need to take good care of them.
• One of the things we can give our spouses, children, friends and co-workers is a healthy self.
• You are responsible for yourself. Nobody can take care of your body but you!
• There are some of you at church who have lost some weight – Here is a SHOUT OUT to you – you look amazing! Way to go!!
• What are you doing to get healthier and trim your waistline?

I promise, I will get to waistlines and wallets – in fact, I have several things on my “to post list”. Before I get to those,click here to read a great article by Mike Wise and click here to read a great post by Mark Batterson.

I know I said I would post waistllines and wallets, but this was too good not to post first. Click on the link below.

Brit Hume on choosing Christ

I know that it is such a cliche’ but I really don’t know where to start. Every time I go on a missions trip I return with a different outlook on life.

Our group did an outstanding job, they all had a tremendous servant’s heart!  We had the opportunity to serve two different churches during our time in El Salvador, one was in Metapan (a city of about 60,000 people) and one was in Santa Ana (a city of about 500,000). The church in Metapan is about 1 1/2 years old and the church in Santa Ana is 1 year old. Both of these works are bringing life change to the people in their cities. Meeting Rodolpho and Roberto was a real blessing to my heart! Both men were alchoholics very far from God, both have beautiful families and both men have come to Christ this year and have never been the same. I could share a number of stories but will save them for our missions emphasis weekend that is coming in Feb.

Kyle and Jodi Charters serve in Metapan. I have been friends with Kyle and Jodi for about 20 years. They got married 3 weeks after Denise and me and we went to their wedding. Kyle and I went to college together. Kyle and Jodi have 4 beautiful children who are really great kids. Seth cried when we left yesterday, he really bonded with the Charters’ children. The Charters served in St. Petersburg, Russia, for almost 10 years and have been in El Salvador for just over 2 years. Kyle and Jodi have a tremendous heart to reach people and have a tremendous work that God has given them in a very short amount of time.

Steve and Christine Cerna serve in Santa Ana. Christine’s mother, Athena and her sister, Katie, both attend Parkview. Steve is from El Salvador and is thrilled to be back in his home country.  Steve and Christine have two precious and adorable children, Rosa and Caleb. Steve and Christine are very hard workers and have a passion for both evangelism and discipleship.

The two churches are about 1 1/2 hours apart and both came together to have their first ever teen camp. The camp was awesome! Our team absolutely loved having the opportunity to serve these ministries and their students. Our team served as interpreters (it was so incredible to have 3 of our team members fluently speak Spanish and all 3 were born in El Salvador), room counselors, game participants, food prep, cooks, clean up, score keepers,children’s workers, etc.

After 3 days at camp we went to the church in Santa Ana on Saturday night, that is when they do there “Sunday morning service”.  The little house was packed and people were sitting in two different rooms listening to me preach.  Through a little courtyard were two children’s rooms. The church has quickly outgrown that facility. The people were so friendly and so appreciative of our visit.

Sunday morning we were with the Charters in Metapan.  I spoke in both the Sunday School hour and the morning service. Our people served in a variety of roles – children’s church, nursery and Rafeal translated both my lesson and my sermon (up to that point Steve Cerna had served as my interpreter). We had a wonderful morning. The city shuts off all of the elctricity a few times a year for maintenance – Sunday was one of those days. It was so hot and it just added to our long list of experiences!

Seeing and being a very small part of the Life Change taking place in El Salvador was an absolute privilege!!!

This post does no justice for our trip or our experiences. All I can tell you is, if you have never been on a missions trip YOU HAVE GOT TO GO!!!

• Our team is doing a great job job serving the Lord and others
• Services last night and this morning went well
• We have played alot of games today and we just finished up swim time
• They actually grilled out steak for lunch – never had a piece that tuff!!!
• The students are having a blast
• For students who do not have much, the littlest things go a long way
• Steve Cerna, the missionary that Parkview supports here in El Salvador, did a great job translating for me last night.
• What a privilege to serve the Lord this way!

Some assorted thoughts:

• No homes in El Salvador have heaters – you never need one.
• You can swim here 12 months a year
• There are a bunch of volcanos in the country
• There are armed gunmen everywhere
• It seems like every store, restaurant, government building and bank has a man with a shot gun
• The missionary’s home has a 15 foot wall around it with razor wire and electric wire at the top and they have 2 Boxers as “pets” – all that makes one actually feel very safe!
• We meet the kids at 9 am at the church to leave for camp.
• It is 7:15 and our team is beginning to stir.
• Our team has had a sweet spirit and a servants heart. They have been a real blessing to the missionary family we have been staying with.
• Last night we stayed up real late getting together last minute items.
• I don’t think the camp has a/c or hot water. I haven’t told the ladies and am not planning on it !
• This morning I have been working on trimming my sermons down. 40 minute sermons become 80 minute sermons with a translator
• I am trying to get them to 20 minute sermons that become 40 minute sermons – that is actually very hard!
• The camp is about 1 1/2 hours from where we are staying currently.
• Missions trips are life changing experiences!

• I worked on a home project for over 5 hours today and still didn’t get it fixed, but I didn’t cuss and kept a pretty good attitude – guess that counts for something!
• Evaluating my spiritual life these days and just read a post from Tommy Sparger, a pastor in Springfield, MO, that I thought was good – here it is:  There have been a lot of people asking me for the the list of 10 things that I use to take a spiritual inventory.  In yesterday’s talk, I gave this list of 10 questions that I ask myself to assess my spiritual condition: 1. Am I content with where I am going? 2. Am I becoming less religious and more spiritual? 3. Do those closest to me recognize the authenticity of my spirituality?      4. Do I have a “flow through” philosophy? 5. Do I have an inner peace in my life? 6. Have I defined my unique ministry? 7. Am I taking responsibility for my own spiritual growth?             8. Have I maintained genuine awe of God? 9. Is my humility genuine? 10. Is obedience in small matters built into my reflexes?
• I usually get to read a little more than normal between Thanksgiving and New Years – love it! Just finishing Courageous Leadership for the second time, have read several chapters of Focus, and getting ready to start Sacred Pathways.
• I love Pastoring Parkview and am more excited than I have ever been.
• SO GLAD that our parking lot is under construction – can’t wait for the relief it will bring on Sunday mornings!
• Looking forward to our new series, Foretold!!
• Very thankful for the amazing staff God has placed around me – a tremendous group of men and women!
• Seth had a wonderful day today.
• I am getting ready to pound down some of Denise’s Cocconut Cake – it is my favorite desert that she makes.
• Really need to run in the morning!!!
• I will be joining our missions team on our trip to El Salvador. We leave on Monday morning. We will be serving Steve and Christine Cerna, missionaries we support monthly from our Parkview Missions budget, and we will be serving Kyle and Jodi Charters, dear friends of ours from college. Both churches are doing a combined youth camp and that will be one of our main areas of service. Please pray for our team next week.
• I had a blast at the first Parkview Turkey Bowl Thanksgiving morning.
• Time for that cake!

On this veterans day:

• I am thankful for the courage of our active military
• I am grateful for all the men and woman who have served our great country
• I would rather live in the US than anywhere else
• I am thankful for my religious freedom
• I am reminded of all those who have given their lives
• I reflect back on my visits to Arlington National Cemetery and the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier
• I am inspired by the determination of all our disabled vets – so many of them younger than me
• I am privileged to pray for our country and those serving our country
• I love our pledge and National Anthem

TO ALL OUR VETS, HAPPY VETERANS DAY!!

What does Veteran’s Day mean to you?