Dear Pete
Dear Pete,
I know this poverty is hard to see. Imagine how I must feel not only seeing it in that one location but seeing it across the world at all times. Imagine how I feel as I look down not on strangers but individuals I have created to reflect my glory that are living in such conditions. It’s heart breaking.
You ask why. I think you know why. If you dig deeper you will find that what you’re really asking is why aren’t you doing more. Why aren’t you using the influence I’ve given you to more effectively stomp out such poverty? Why aren’t you using your resources more generously to put a dent in this epidemic problem?
Pete, just be my hands and feet. Love as I have loved. Give as I have given. For there will never cease to be poor in the land. Therefore I command you, ‘You shall open wide your hand to your brother, to the needy and to the poor, in your land.’ (Duet 15:11)
In Kindness,
God
30 Comments:
I have been so moved by your blog. I live in Sayre, PA and would love to come to TN just to attend a service! I’m learning more and more everyday. I started reading Angie’s blog, which led me to Matthew Turner’s blog, and then to yours. It’s one of my favorites and I read it everyday. It’s making me think!
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Emily Rowe
7:23 am
Emily, that is exactly how I ended up here. Started at Angie’s blog, then Matthew’s blog(found some interesting sites from Matthew’s blog) and now Pete’s. I guess it is a small blog world.
Pete, my husband and I adopted 2 SN children from China and the poverty and suffering when we saw at the orphanages lead us to starting a non-profit to “help” the children there. It is so hard to see the suffering that happens around the world. Even with all that I understand about God and our responsibility to be the hands and feet and even though I am desperate and willing to serve, I am still often overwhelmed by the pain that people have to endure. Thanks for doing all you are doing to reach out and walk the walk both in Tenn and around the globe. God bless. Shelby
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Shelby
7:39 am
I love you brother.
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jalack
7:53 am
Yep, that’s it. That’s it exactly.
Through tears,
Becca
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Becca Clark
7:57 am
Pete,
As I read your blog this morning, my first thought was if each of us would be willing to participate..what a difference it could make. Many of us may never have the opportunity to go and see what you have seen, but it doesn’t mean that we cannot be a part of something larger…one small act can create a ripple effect that can go beyond our imagination.
The starfish story came to my mind as well…I first heard this story with my work with Royal Family Kids Camp (RFKC.org). Hope you enjoy it.
The Starfish Story
Original Story by: Loren Eisley
One day a man was walking along the beach when he noticed
a boy picking something up and gently throwing it into the ocean.
Approaching the boy, he asked, “What are you doing?”
The youth replied, “Throwing starfish back into the ocean.
The surf is up and the tide is going out. If I don’t throw them back, they’ll die.”
“Son,” the man said, “don’t you realize there are miles and miles of beach and hundreds of starfish?
You can’t make a difference!”
After listening politely, the boy bent down, picked up another starfish, and threw it back into the surf. Then, smiling at the man, he said…”
I made a difference for that one.”
[Reply]
Susie A.
8:01 am
I was on-line last night, started to read your post and the comments, then my three year old woke up before I was able to comment myself. I wish I had gotten the chance. I think the letter I heard God write to you was a bit different thane the one you heard Him write:
Dear Pete (Rock from which I have built My Church)–
You ask me why and the answer is simple. You see what My eyes see, but much of my body is blind. You walk where I have directed your path, but much of my Body is sitting, atrophed in the pews. You do with your hands what I set before you to do, but most of my Body has forgotten they have hands. You say what I have pressed upon your heart to say, but the ears of much of my body are plugged by the selfish urgent little voices all around them. Continue Pete, beloved son, to be a healthy part of the body and take heart as other part of the body around you begin to wake up. Well done good and faithful servant, God
God is not interested in counting the times you fall down. He is rejoiceing that you are learning to walk! Thank you for helping the rest of us see.
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minnowspeaks
8:02 am
While I think about things that I “have” done, God continues to remind me what I am “not” doing…
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Michael
8:33 am
I love what you are doing Pete. I was thinking about your letters and was wondering if God may not have added a PS that went something like this
PS. The way you see people starving physically in this country is the way people are starving spiritually in the US. They are distracted and don’t realize their severe illness, the way a drug addict doesn’t realize they are starving to death. Don’t forget, the pain and hunger in this life is temporary. Spiritual starvation can last for eternity.
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tawny
9:03 am
Whew, that is scarey stuff, speaking for God. May He forgive me if I am totally out of line!
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tawny
9:05 am
Pete,
Now you know what God wants you to do…
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dorothy (vicar of vibe)
9:35 am
Amen.
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kc
9:35 am
AMEN…..thanks
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Phil
10:14 am
@ Susie A.- I LOVE the starfish story! Thanks for sharing that!!!
Pete-
Your blogs have moved me and inspired me. I long to make a difference. I will begin praying that God will show me when and how. Never let the images of what you are seeing leave your mind. Allow them to remain engraved on your heart and please continue to share them with us.
Blessings, brother.
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Heather
11:22 am
Dear Pete,
AMEN! The commenters above letter from God sounds right on! He doesn’t care if you have 2K or 5K attendees at your church. He doesn’t care if we have 1K or 2 people reading our blogs. He cares what we do with what we have been given. Every American has been given much and either we will wake up, listen and hear His soft voice or we will reject Him in small ways that leads to a deafening of His voice totally! Hebrews 3:7-8 warns of this and yet the Body is asleep! You don’t need to travel out of our country to see pain and suffering. You don’t need to travel to Guatemala as I have 12 times or other 3rd world countries to know there is dispare all around. All you have to do is be willing to see and act. God is asking us to be His hand and feet today! He wants to use us TODAY! Not tomorrow in our promises. He wants us to work in and through us TODAY! Today we can each make a difference one child and life at a time. All it takes is the desire and willingness to listen and obey – walk by faith as He calls you to that one life. You might be surprised to find out they are living right next door needing you desperately to save their life for eternity!
Blessings – Jill
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Jill
12:56 pm
DOPE!
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brewster
1:19 pm
Thanks so much to all of you who have been following the blog during our mission trip. You’re prayers and kind words have meant the world to me and everyone else involved.
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Pete Wilson
2:16 pm
Good word. Without really knowing for sure, I think that is exactly what God would and really, is saying to us all.
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Crystal Renaud
5:44 pm
We’re all very proud of of you guys and that God has been glorified through your service. It has been an inspiration to each one of us who followed you online, but, most of all, in prayer.
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Tommy Sircy
5:56 pm
Thank you Lord
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Kelli
6:08 pm
Thanks bro for these last two post. I’m deeply moved and eagerly willing to join you and God in making a difference anyway and anywhere we can!
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georgestull
6:40 pm
I have to wonder sometimes why oh why in this country we’ve been blessed with so much “stuff” and we can’t see the rest of the world as it is. We don’t see the suffering in Dufar or Sudan or even Iraq…or in the ghettos nearby. God’s word says He hates pride and I think that’s part of it. Oh that He’d somehow get us off our comfortable backsides and open our eyes so we might really “see”!! Why is it when we see movies, slides or even the news on t.v. it doesn’t seem to penetrate…is it because it’s “over there”??? Does God weep when he looks at us as well??
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Libby
10:20 pm
i think the true manifestation that we love God and we believe in Him is by loving our neighbors..because in the eyes of God we are one, no poor neither rich…by extending our hand towards the others we are also spreading the love of God..Godbless
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rhosie
10:28 pm
You continue to inspire.
and for being faithful to the Lord…you’ve impacted many lives through that faithfulness!
Thank you for your words of Wisdom from the book of Wisdom
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ncarnes
12:37 am
WOW. *sigh*
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Brandy
1:50 am
Amen Pete – keep stirring us all up to reach out beyond ourselves. I am off to manila next week to work amongst the poorest of the poor. This is where we discover the gospel. Blessings in Christ to you and your wonderful church
Andrew Magrath
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andrewmagrath
4:59 am
Wow… Well said.
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Charlie Neese
6:25 am
Great Post!
I believe that we need to realize that God has blessed us with all that we have (not just material possessions, but relationships and experiences as well) so that we could bless others. He didn’t just bless us so that we could enjoy life and keep it all to ourselves. He blessed us so that we could go out and be His hands and His feet.
I responded to your post and have a bit more thoughts here:
http://danielim.wordpress.com/2008/07/23/blessings-from-god/
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Daniel Im
8:46 am
yes!
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evan blackerby
9:09 am
BUT…do we (if we are truly honest) bless those who have less…because we have more??? I wonder sometimes! The Church in America seems sterile at times. We go, we worship, we leave but how do we impact our world the other 6 1/2 days of the week??
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Libby
2:58 pm
Wow. Susie said up top that “if each of us would be willing to participate”…yup. That is absolutely the only way any of us are ever going to get out of this mess. But the willing part is the key. Talking about it is one thing, but the doing is quite another.
[Reply]
kristiapplesauce
12:05 am
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