Optimism in the Face of Adversity

I’d say that most the time I fancy myself an optimist. No matter the situations I find myself in, I can usually find something to be positive about or some glimmer of light on the horizon. I would also consider myself a very open and genuine person. I invest into all my relationships in life physically, spiritually and emotionally, and I’m all in. I don’t hold back. On the whole, I would say I’m a very trusting person and I find it easy to believe people. These are generally qualities that I think most people find desirable in a person.

There are consequences, however, to this degree of investment ranging as far as the pendulum swings (I don’t even know if that makes sense, but it does to me). When one of my friends makes some great stride in their relationship with God, I feel their joy, I experience spiritual fulfillment with them. However, when a friend or loved one falls on hard times or does something stupid, I get to experience the whole gamut of dramatic emotion. From heartbreak to marital bliss and from tears of sorrow to joyous laughter, the entire spectrum of human emotion is mine to share in. Maybe that’s what Paul meant when he wrote Romans 12:15 “Rejoice with those who rejoice, and weep with those who weep.”

It’s hard though, when you’re the one going through the tough stuff. Having friends around to share it with is nice, but I’ll tell you what’s even better: Jesus. Matthew 11:28-30 “Come to Me, all you who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. Take My yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and lowly in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For My yoke is easy and My burden is light.”

I’ve been really stressed out lately. I was driving down the road today with all these questions reeling through my mind and I swear I heard Him say to me, “Don’t you believe that I have great things in store for you? Do you not think that I have a great plan?” Then this verse came to mind Matthew 6:33-34 “But seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness, and all these things shall be added to you. Therefore do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about its own things. Sufficient for the day is its own trouble.”

So why do I worry? Why do I freak out?

God knows what I need. You know what I need.

Jon Foreman

Your Love is Strong

That’s my perspective

Ben Peters

In my weakness He is strong

Wow, it sure has been a long time since I last updated my blog! A little update on myself since the last post: I’m 22 now, I started working full time for a local photographer in efforts to grow in my own abilities as I pursue photography as a career, I have an amazing family and amazing friends and I’m absolutely in love with the life that Jesus has given me!

Now that we’ve got that out of the way we can talk about something that’s been on my mind recently: strengths and weaknesses. This past month or so I’ve been reading this book called God Guy: Becoming the Man You’re Meant to Be by Michael DiMarco. I suppose this book was actually written with high school guys in mind but the simplicity of the writing and the direct approach that the author takes toward things caught my eye so I picked up a copy. As you can probably tell by the title, this book is about becoming the man God wants you to be (for the ladies out there, the authors wife wrote a book called God Girl and I’m sure it’s just as good).

I was pretty much breezing through this book picking up things here and there and being reminded of truths that I had already learned when I stumbled upon the section of the book on strengths and weaknesses. The author makes a bold claim, “ Being honest about what you can and can’t do, where you are weak and where you are strong, is the quickest way to get into line with God’s will for your life.” He then goes on to give examples such as guilt, resentment, repeated failure, procrastination, character, attitude etc. All of this got me thinking: I know I’m on the path that God has laid out for me, but could examining my life a little more closely help me to avoid some of the pot holes I keep hitting?

So I set to it. I started looking at my own strengths and weaknesses and started examining myself. I started to realize that things that had previously been weaknesses in my life had now all but disappeared. However, at the same time, things have been popping up in my life that I have never seen as weaknesses or struggles until now. Here’s what I found out: I’m a very confident person in Christ, but I’m very concerned with the way other people view me. I’m prideful and narcissistic and I think I’m pretty cool (ask my family, they’ll tell you). I’m very concerned with the physical and spiritual well being of my friends, but sometimes I do childish things and try to control people/things. I’m always encouraging people to follow through with spiritual disciplines but really I should be taking my own advice.

The list goes on. It seems for every strength I find; I have at least two weaknesses. And so I challenge myself and whomever you are reading this, let us do away with the sin that ensnares us. Maybe you are like myself and need to give up some childish behaviors, 1 Corinthians 13:11-13 is for us “When I was a child, I spoke as a child, I understood as a child, I thought as a child; but when I became a man, I put away childish things. For now we see in a mirror, dimly, but then face to face. Now I know in part, but then I shall know just as I also am known. And now abide faith, hope, love, these three; but the greatest of these is love.”

Maybe you feel dirty, stuck in the sins of your past, or like God hasn’t forgiven you. For you it’s 2 Corinthians 5:17 “Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; old things have passed away; behold, all things have become new”

Maybe you have some physical ailment. Please remember 2 Corinthians 12:9 “And He said to me, ‘My grace is sufficient for you, for My strength is made perfect in weakness.’ Therefore most gladly I will rather boast in my infirmities, that the power of Christ may rest upon me.”

Nothing gets so bad, A whisper from your Father couldn't fix it.

He whispers like a bridge, it's a river spanned.

Brand New – Sowing Season

That’s my perspective

Ben Peters

Dating and Relationships

I’ve been thinking a lot recently about dating. I’ve talked to people who describe the way that their significant other treats them and I’m shocked that they are still together. What is keeping these people together? They’re not married; they have no governmental or spiritual contract binding them, so why do people choose to stay in these less than desirable circumstances? I truly wish I had the answer to this question. I’ve often heard pastors and other Christian speakers expound on the “evils” of dating and how it’s just “trial marriage” and that really got me thinking: what if we treated the people we are dating the same way we would treat them if we were married to them? Now obviously you wouldn’t be engaging in the same activities that married couples are privileged with, but think about it; if you marry a person who treated you poorly when you were dating you can’t expect them to magically start treating you better after the wedding can you?

I’m putting the challenge out there; I say it’s time for men to step up their game. Read Ephesians 5:25-31. Pray with your girlfriend, read God’s word together, seek wisdom together. Guys, remember: Proverbs 31:30 – Charm is deceitful and beauty is passing, but a woman who fears the Lord, she shall be praised.

Ladies: If your guy is more interested in your body than your walk with God, that’s a red flag. Find yourself a guy who is strong in his walk with God. You should also read Ephesians 5:25-31. Also check out 1 Corinthians 13:4-8a. Also, check out this guy http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uKNl5OK1Yew He’s really rather good, and the main point I’m getting at is the second half of the video, but watch the whole thing.

Like David, I wanna be a man after God's own heart. And I'm not there yet, but I'm past the start. And when people talk, I try to listen. A spirit of compassion, that's my vision. Surely I am a manly man. I want to be loved and have love and give love.

And not just that romantic kind either. Although I am looking for that beauty. Not helpless, but wants to be rescued. The damsel in distress, man, woman, myth, true. I will fight for her, climb the highest tower for her, love her, share with her, delight in her, be her warrior, her protector. She will be my crown and I will be hers. My masculinity will be passed down and affirmed to my sons. And each of my daughters will know they are lovely, and deserving of authentic romance.

Bradley Hathaway - I Am a Manly Man

That’s my perspective
Ben Peters

Thanksgiving

Happy Thanksgiving everyone! We find ourselves celebrating a holiday that, like most other holidays, has strayed from its established purpose. And what was Thanksgiving’s original purpose? Well part of it is in the name, to give thanks, while the other half is somewhat lost. Allow me to enlighten you. Thanksgiving was a day established on Oct. 3, 1789. By our nations first President, George Washington, and this is what he had to say:

Whereas it is the duty of all nations to acknowledge the providence of Almighty God, to obey His will, to begrateful for His benefits, and humbly to implore His protection and favor; and Whereas both Houses of Congress have, by their joint committee, requested me to "recommend to the people of the United States a day of public thanksgiving and prayer, to be observed by acknowledging with grateful hearts the many and signal favors of Almighty God, especially by affording them an opportunity peaceably to establish a form of government for their safety and happiness…

We could pull a lot out of this statement, but the two things I want to focus on are giving thanks and prayer. These days it seems like Thanksgiving has become less about giving thanks and prayer and more about family skirmishes and food. Just yesterday I was listening to the radio and the DJ was having listeners call in and tell stories of how Thanksgiving is awful at their house. I heard how these people’s families would do anything from discussing very private medical procedures to getting in fistfights. And then of course we have the gluttony. Don’t misunderstand me on this point. I firmly believe that a good meal is one of the best ways for us to experience fellowship; it just gets a little excessive sometimes. So in effort to bring back a little bit of the spirit of the holiday I would like to use the rest of this post to thank some people and say exactly what I am praying for them. If I don’t mention you by name, fear not, I still love you very much.

I guess I should start with my family. Thank you Mom and Spence for providing me with a place to live and supporting me in my pursuit of photography. My prayer is that God would continue bless you as you provide for me and that He would continue to mold me into a man that you can be more and more proud of. Thank you Barb and Dad for your continued support and your wisdom as I make decisions regarding my college education and career path. My prayer is that God would continue to bring opportunities to you to minister to the Natives up in Tuba city and that He would bless you for doing so. To all my brothers and sisters, thank you for putting up with me and providing a great opportunity for God to grow me in patience and love and thank you for your friendship. I pray that God would grow you in these areas as He is growing me.

To my closest and dearest friends:

Dan, thank you for your unending friendship and fondness of all things geeky that we share. The example of obedience to God that you portray in your life is something I pray He would grow me in.

Bre, you are the embodiment of what it means to be a Proverbs 31 woman, and for that I thank you. Your life is an example for women everywhere to aspire and I pray that the influence you have in the lives of the young women around you would be powerful.

Daniel (Crawdad #5), thank you for being fearless in your obedience to God’s calling on your life as an evangelist and teacher. Even though you are younger than me I have always looked up to you and admire you as a man of God. I pray that God would grant you a peace that surpasses all understanding and that He would guide you in this next season of your life.

Drew, thank you for you and your families support of me in all of my endeavors. Thank you for sharing with me in our passions for philosophy, apologetics, biblical exegesis and photography and cinema. My prayer for you is that God would take you far in the movie industry that you may bring Him glory with your art.

Josh Dyer, thank you for all those Monday nights spent at my house and the many many memories we still have to this day (especially the ones involving “crater chin”). I ask God for His continued provision for you and your family and that He would guide you in your career path. Also that He would get you back out to Arizona to eat all the food in my house…

Josh and Brandi Krzanak. Josh, thank you for your guidance and teaching when I was in high school and thank you and Brandi for the example of purity that you demonstrated in your relationship leading up to your marriage, it is still a shining example in my life to this day. I pray that God would bless you and your children and continue to provide for you.

Patrick, thank you for being the guy I can text or call whenever I want and for all the countless hours of laughter that we have shared. Thank you for living a lifestyle of worship as you pursue a closer relationship with God. I pray that He would bless you in your music and that when people hear your music that they would grow in their relationship with the Lord.

Tyler, thank you for your musical and artistic influences in my life, as well as your dedication in your relationship with God. Were it not for your influence I may not have discovered some of my favorite bands, nor would I have an example of a person who reads what God says to do and then does it. I pray that God would give me the same willingness to be used as he has given you.

Nate, thanks for being my brother. All through Bible College and then our time in Scotland you were always there to make me laugh and challenge me with scripture. Just as iron sharpens iron, God put you in my life to sharpen me. I pray that God would bless me with your ability to absorb scripture the way you do and I also pray for your success in college.

Josh Barton, thank you for your leadership and the countless hours of Settlers of Catan. Thank you for always being available to talk and hang out and I pray that God would grow you as your wife gives birth to your first son. I pray that he would bring you such joy that you cannot help but sing.

Lisa, thank you for your friendship and spontaneity. Your personality and heart for people are truly refreshing to be around. Thank you for bringing a little adventure to my life. I pray the Lord would continue to guide you into your field of study and bring you overwhelming joy and contentment.

Josh Tedrow, thank you for the constant banter we have. You have no idea how much it means to be able to act like I’m British with someone. You make my day. I pray that God would guide you into your next field of study as well as provide you a career in your current field.

Kevin, thank you for being my BFF. This past month of knowing you has truly been the best month of living here in Arizona. I look forward to many epic conversations and times spent together in the future. I pray that God would bring peace to your soul and that He would reveal more and more of Himself to you as you pursue Him.

Happy Thanksgiving and God Bless you all!

Ben Peters

Over and Underneath

I know I need You

I need to love You

I love to see You, but it's been so long

I long to feel You

I feel this need for You

And I need to hear You, is that so wrong?

Oh oh oh, oh oh oh, oh oh oh

Now You pull me near You

When we're close, I fear You

Still I'm afraid to tell You, all that I've done

Are You done forgiving?

Oh can You look past my pretending?

Lord, I'm so tired of defending, what I've become

What have I become?

Oh oh oh, oh oh oh, oh oh oh

Oh oh oh, oh oh oh, oh oh oh

I hear You say,

"My love is over, it's underneath.

It's inside. It's in between.

The times you doubt Me, when you can't feel.

The times that you question, 'Is this for real?'

The times you're broken.

The times that you mend.

The times that you hate Me, and the times that you bend.

Well, My love is over, it's underneath.

It's inside, it's in between.

These times you're healing, and when your heart breaks.

The times that you feel like you're falling from grace.

The times you're hurting.

The times that you heal.

The times you go hungry, and are tempted to steal.

The times of confusion, in chaos and pain.

I'm there in your sorrow, under the weight of your shame.

I'm there through your heartache.

I'm there in the storm.

My love I will keep you, by My power alone.

I don't care where you fall, where you have been.

I'll never forsake you, My love never ends.

It never ends."

Oh oh oh, oh oh oh, oh oh oh

Tenth Avenue North - Times

Complicated

How often do you find yourself thinking that life is just too complicated? Every time I think that, I can usually come to the conclusion that my life wouldn’t be so complicated or stressful if I would just do what I’m supposed to do. You all know what I mean I’m sure, but here’s an example that most of you will be able to grasp pretty easily. Procrastination. Yup, that’s it. The #1 cause of stress in my life is me procrastinating the things I need to do. Think about it, when we put things off then we have to do them later with less time. That may fly for some people but when I take into account that I am supposed to do all things unto the glory of God, and a personal belief of striving for excellence, I can’t just do a poor job on whatever it is I’m doing. So now I’m trying to do an excellent job on something that I’ve been putting of till the last minute, this equals stress.

There are some things in life that are inherently simple that too often we complicate. Take for example the gospel. It’s really not complicated. But maybe you’re not so eloquent, or you don’t feel called to be an evangelist. Maybe you’re more of an action person like me, you like to serve people. It’s been said that we may be the only bible people ever read, so let’s make a statement with our actions. Let’s get out there and go and just love on people. Serve in a soup kitchen, put together food packs for the homeless, go to Africa and run around with some orphans. Maybe that’s why I like the gospel of Mark so much because in it you get a great look at Jesus going places and taking action and serving people (I’ve given it a second title of “Jesus Christ, Man of Action, God of Compassion!). Micah 6:8 says to do justly, to love mercy and to walk humbly with our God. Let’s not complicate things. Mark 12:30-31 gives us the greatest commandments, which are to love the Lord your God with all your heart, soul, mind, and strength and the second says to love your neighbor as yourself. I don’t know about you, but I sure love myself a lot, so I need to love my neighbors with that same amount of love. Certainly I wouldn’t allow myself to starve, so why am I letting my neighbor go hungry? Heck, I won’t even drink water out of the tap most the time, it’s bottled for me, but I’m ok with letting people in Africa drink muddy, polluted water? Enough is enough, it’s not hard, lets get out there and do something.

Rhetoric can't raise the dead
I'm sick of always talking when there's no change
Rhetoric can't raise the dead
I'm sick of empty words, let's lead and not follow

Thrice - The Artist in the Ambulance

That's my perspective

Ben Peters

When Opportunity Comes Knocking

Have you ever had one of those days where you experienced things that were out of the ordinary? Today was one of those days for me. Let me fill you in. Recently I have been working as an assistant to a local photographer and he wanted to know if I would be able to assist him on Monday the 16th. The problem is that I have photography class on Mondays so I decided to ask my teacher what we would be doing that day. When I told him about the opportunity I had before me I heard him say something I've never heard a teacher say, "Dude you should skip class and go help him!" I was actually surprised when he said this because we actually are going to have an in class shooting assignment that day and he fully was encouraging me to skip it. He said that I should take advantage of this opportunity because chances are that I would gain more from working with this photographer than if I stuck around for class.

I had another fun experience today. I got to be a model. Now normally I'm in the role of the photographer so I don't get to have my picture taken very often nor do I get to dress up and actually model for someone. But this was more than just modeling, this was role playing. I was an actor playing the role of Aladdin in a modern day setting. I had been really excited to pose for this part but at the same time I was concerned that the girl playing Jasmine was going to be timid or feel awkward with the poses we were no doubt going to be in. Most of you know me well enough to know that I am not timid and I rarely feel awkward in situations that most people would feel awkward in. And so the photo-shoot began and we were situated into positions where we had to look lovingly into each others eyes and the best part was that she turned out to be just as confident as I was! Woo! It was also really fun to help the photographer come up with new ideas for poses that we could be in.

So I guess the theme of this post is opportunity. Opportunity comes in many shapes and forms and I want to encourage you to take advantage of it. Who knows, you could end up getting a job as an assistant in an otherwise jobless market or have a blast modeling as a modern day Disney character or you may even end up in a dance studio doing the night club 2 step with a 40 year old woman dressed as a pirate (yes, that did happen).

That's my perspective

Ben Peters