I’m having a hard time gathering my thoughts this morning for a decent blog post so I’ve decided to just emotionally throw up on you. Here’s what’s rattling around in my mind this morning.
- Saw a special screening of the movie “Machine Gun Preacher” based on the real life story of missionary Sam Childers. Wow! Watch the preview HERE. As fate would have it, Sam was in Nashville on Sunday and I had the opportunity to sit down with him for a couple hours. His story is absolutely fascinating. The movie comes out in late September and we plan on showing my entire interview with him a couple weeks after the movie releases.
- Spoke at the Titans pre-game chapel on Saturday. What an amazing group of men. Sometimes I forget that they’re human like us and facing all the same spiritual battles we face. So excited to know that God is moving powerfully in some of their lives. I know professional athletes often get a bad rap, but these were some of the most spiritually hungry, respectful men I’ve ever spoken to. EVERY single player there came up and introduced themselves to my son, Jett, before they left. Made his day.
- These are special days at Cross Point. Over 1,000 people signed up for a community group last week. Yesterday, we announced that some 3,000 Cross Pointers served in a local or foreign mission project last year. So much fun to watch them change the world. Can’t wait to hear each of the campus pastors lay out their specific campus visions this Sunday.
- Ever been so tired you can’t sleep? Went to bed after midnight and woke up at 3:30. Uggghhhhh.
- Excited to be speaking at Long Hollow’s staff retreat today. Their pastor, David Landrith, is a mentor and friend. He’s one of the best leaders/pastors I’ve ever met. I’m so proud of that church and the impact they’re having here in Nashville.
- Could use your prayers as I start the editing process for my next book this week. I love writing but I HATE editing. My guess is that it will take the next 4 weeks or so to work through this process. When that’s finished it’s basically a waiting game until this next Spring when Empty Promises: The Truth About You, Your Desires, and the Lies You’ve Believed
will be released.
Okay, enough about me. 
Tell me something exciting that you did this weekend?
On Saturday, ate at Taco Mamacitas with a chocolate/chili popsicle from Las Paletas afterwards. Sunday during your sermon realized my passion to go back yet once again and serve the children of Pine Ridge Indian Reservation. Praying for God to make that happen for our family in His timing. Pretty darn good weekend!
So excited for you guys Melissa. Praying He’ll open the doors to make that happen.
He is using you in a great way… your stories inspire.. do you ever take a break? as in a sabbath????
each week, for a day? I hope so.. burn out is burn out even if it is because of GOOD things for the LORD…
praying for you and your family.
Can’t wait to read your book!!!!
and, not much here, been sick, couldn’t go to my church but watched the 2nd part of your Heaven series, what a blessing.
wondered if I could get a manuscript of it so that I can translate it fir my 71 year old mother who has cancer and is not a believer… she is a traditional German Lutheran… she prays, she has no relationship with Christ and the idea of fixing your eyes on eternity does not make sense to her, so she holds on to hurt and blames others… I have been a CHristian for 17 years and shared my faith so many times, she gets upset with me for forgiving my ex husband for cheating etc…. so please let me know… I think this might move her now that she is so sick.
Thanks and may the Lord continue to bless you as you serve Him !!!
Miriam
I sure do Miriam. Generally I take Saturday as my Sabbath. From time to time I have to mix it around a bit though.
Glad you’re enjoying the heaven series. Sorry but we don’t have any manuscripts. Maybe in the future that’s something we could offer.
I guess I will have to go back and take more detailed notes then… how about learning German… just kidding!!!
Hey Pete. Need help with the editing process? I’ve always considered myself a better editor than writer. Ship me some pages!
I totally would but I actually have an editor. She’s great and makes it super easy. Still lots of details I have to go back and forth with though.
I’m sure your editor is great! Just thought I’d offer a “regular” reader’s perspective! Loved Plan B – looking forward to the new book!
With so much going on I’m not surprised you can’t sleep.
I came back to my house last night to find no damage from the hurricane to my house & I have power.
Awesome!! So glad you guys weren’t damaged.
Got the opportunity to go out to The Cedars of Lebanon and hike a couple of trails. Great time alone with God reading His Word out there as well.
Love that park!
Grade A stuff. I’m unuqesitnaobly in your debt.
Even your ‘total randomness’ is a good read
Another comment has already said this but it bears repeating…rest, Pete. The kind of rest where you unload every thought, every list, every need, every desire, totaling emptying your backpack and taking off your work clothes to climb up on your Father’s lap. Can’t you picture one of your sons coming to you, crawling into your arms and without a word to you or a word from you, they rest next to you with absolute trust and confidence in your love for them?
Hope this doesn’t come off as judging your busyness because I’m sure you know the necessity of rest. More than anything, I hope it simply reminds you how much your Father wants to spend time just holding you.
Thank you for sharing your heart and His wisdom through this blog.
Thanks Deb. Great reminder.
We launched our 707 Service. (Saturday Night Worship) And it was an awesome experience.
So awesome Michael. Hope the launch was everything you guys were expecting. Praying you reach a bunch of people.
Hey Pete, you can throw up on us anytime. Well, emotionally speaking, that is! Yesterday’s message was AMAZING. I can’t stop thinking about it. So inspired – almost too much to take in!
Hey – you have GOT to take care of yourself. What’s it gonna take to get you to slow down, buddy? Praying for you to decompress your schedule but you end up sick. Okay?
And I’ll definitely be praying for you as you edit. NOT FUN! But worth it in the end.
Stay well. Hangeth thou in there, my friend!
Slow down? Are you kidding me?
Actually life is at a great pace. Just had a crazy weekend. Camping this weekend with the family should fix everything.
Holy WOW! That movie looks amazing!
Great so see how God is using you & Cross Point! Yesterday morning during all 3 morning services I kept thinking, How much I love being part of this community!
ha.
The only thing exciting was having surgery and going to the Bears game the very next day!
I was so surprised to see you bro. Glad you’re feeling better.
This weekend I watched my city, the City That Never Sleeps, actually shut down. It was so nice to have a weekend to stay in and cook/hang out with neighbors in the city – and the storm wasn’t that bad in Manhattan!
Sounds like you could have used a weekend like mine!
Blessings, Pete!
We went to Lake Michigan and climb some ginormous sand dunes. Extra special time with the family, because this was one of two weekends we have left before we add two more boys to our family via adoption. So grateful to God.
So cool Greg.
I agree with the other posters… Even your “randomness” is a good read. I also agree with everyone… you seem mighty busy, little bee… I to have been concerned about the pace you are trying to keep. The inability to sleep fully and the racing mind is evidence that you DEFINITELY have A LOT going on. Only you and Brandi know if it may be too much… I would recommend before you go to sleep at night, try writing down the list of things you’ve got spinning in your head.Just like the random posting… except as you make the list you prioritize it. This helps your brain wind down, and makes it possible for it to rest too. If your brain is awake working on stuff, your body will get up too…Writing it down helps your brain understand that things are getting done. As you get stuff done, or settled, or whatever that indicates “over” drawn a line through it. Add to the list as you need to. Praying for you.
Watched the trailer and looks like Sam is flipping some tables. I will watch for sure. Pete you can do anything you put your mind to. Only doubt can keep you from that. Your just KRAZY enough, and so am I. Plan B was stellar.
Thanks Shane.
A dear friend of mine is trying to get back into her home after the flood completely submerged her home for 5 days (17 months later now) – they were supposed to this past weekend, but looks like it’ll be a few more weeks. So instead of moving, we took her to a little event at Nordstrom for some much needed pampering and proper clothing necessity replenishment (yes, still working to rebuild her wardrobe). Nice to see her weary soul replenished with some quality girl time and lots of attention on her!
Then spent the rest of my weekend with my hubby – who was actually home for a weekend – a rare treat!!!!
It was good to see him Sunday.
Solidified my involvement with iamactive.org.
I got to go to Minnesota this weekend for a quick photography workshop, and got to talk a little about my org/ministry. It was such a nice weekend. I have to catch up to cp online…I heard it was an amazing service that I missed.
After Sunday’s service, I went to lunch with a new Cross Point friend. I was telling her that I came from a Catholic church/school where we were taught that the Priests are on a different level of spirituality than we are. It was like they had some secret that we would never achieve status high enough to have it unveiled to us. We were taught to fear sin and the fires of hell that awaited us. I witnessed so much hypocrisy in my quest to learn more in the Catholic school and church that I attended. It made it hard for me to trust and believe in forgiveness. I am not saying that all Catholic experiences are this way; this was just my experience. Your comment about the players, “Sometimes I forget that they’re human like us and facing all the same spiritual battles we face.”, is often what I need to remind myself of the spiritual leaders. My family and I have been attending Cross Point since the Gower days. I am grateful that you, fellow Pastors and staff have the gift of taking the word and connecting it to today’s life experiences. I appreciate the honesty in sharing the Experiences and Sins that the pastors of Cross Point reveal to us. I now believe in forgiveness and grace for others and myself. Thank you for eternal quest to reach the lost cause we all end up lost sometimes. I am proud to call Cross Point my families home.
We’re so glad you’re at Cross Point Karen.
Hey Pete. Long time…Kelsey’s/Jourdin’s granddad died this past weekend. Give ‘em a big hug next time you see them…ok? See you in Nashville in Oct…
Oh man. So sorry to hear that. Will do.
celebrated my birthday on sunday. My wife cooked a huge steak perfectly on the bbq for me. Just spent the rest of the day taking it easy!
Honestly, nothing exciting happened to me or my family this weekend. We babysat kids to pay bills and I did some work on a data entry project (again to pay bills.) 30 of 48 hours at a keyboard isn’t super thrilling.
Looking forward to the new book when it finally drops. Hopefully the editing process won’t be too terribly long.
I had a fun weekend – I have to be in Austin this morning for a business function, but I flew down earlier this weekend to check out the city (it’s 110 degrees here, by the way). As a HUGE 80′s music fan, I was pumped to see The Go-Gos were playing at a theater here in town – and I got to meet the band! They were super cool & signed my CD and even posed for pictures!
Sometimes random blogs are the best! Great to read about what’s been going on. I had an opposite weekend from you…got to go on a date with my hubby, which was awesome because it had been awhile. We had a blast!
By the way, I’m listening to the Catalyst podcast and you’re about to be on there!
I felt the vibrations from thunder for the first time… watched an incredible lightening storm in the middle of Utah desert….fell asleep to the sound of the rain….Finally made it to page 75 of Plan B – the page you autographed for me. It’s taking me so long because I think about everything you say…and when I asked God to show me something new about him that I never knew before I read Hebrews 3:1 “Therefore, holy brothers and sisters, who share in the heavenly calling, fix your thoughts on Jesus, whom we acknowledge as our apostle and high priest.” – When I think of “apostles” I never considered Jesus to be one – hmmm – I need to spend more time in the word…
I love this line and found this to be entirely true… “It’s taking me so long because I think about everything you say…” Amen! Same thing happened to me!
What’s new with me? Not only was today my first day back from vacation but it was also the first time in my adult life was able to be part of my 1st day of third grade!
I’ve taught school. I’ve worked with kids my entire adult live but I have NEVER been BLESSED with being part of a 1st day of school!
We have been blessed with 3 foster children, 2,4 & 8 and today was the 1st day of school! I love the excitement. I love the preperation. I love the wonder. I love being chosen to be a part of creating good possitive lasting memories.
Memeories for them…and me!
FINALLY submitted our adoption application for a little girl from Honduras!!! Beyond excited.
Thankful for the final “push” from church on Sunday. Grateful for your words.
yay!!!!!!!!
Whoa! Your new book title…I’m already sucked in! Can’t wait!!
Excited for what is happening at Crosspoint as I have two college kids in Nashville who look forward to Sundays at your church. One is Division 1 xcountry runner and attends after running long runs( 17 miles) and needs the blessing he receives. Keep being real, your people desperately need you. Make a difference and keep showing Those in the dark that we don’t have to be perfect, we are forgiven and loved by a BIG God!
I am excited to visit those two amazing kids of mine next week and hear you share what God puts on your heart!
Blessings to you!
Spent a couple hours at Percy Priest around sunset reading Colossians for the first time and really praying. Probably the most peace I’ve felt in a little while.
Keaton took a friend to the North Campus yesterday, and he came back home with us after church. After lunch, I played a LONG (1.5 hours) game of wiffle ball with my boys and two of their friends. Great time!
Love me some wiffle ball. you’re a good dad Kevin.
Sitting in my Dads Hosp Room. He had a Pace Maker put in this morning. Blessed and Thankful he is recovering. Great Message Yesterday morning Pete as always it was great to see you and thankful you are in our lives.
Pete,
I’m excited about your book and it will be great. The editing will go better than you think this time, I can just feel God working in you!
I’ve had many fears interrupt my life. When I was about to turn 50, I asked the Lord to help me conquer them. It’s still a work in progress. For example, this weekend I joined my husband and a few of his buddies of the 116th Air National Guard who just returned from deployment in the Middle East. We ventured to Leavenworth, WA ( a quaint Bavarian town east of Seattle, WA) which, when taking back roads, was an all day motorcycle ride. I’m petrified to be on a motorcycle but with handing the fear over to God, I was able to have a great time. So at 55 was I’m able to check off another fear thanks to Our Lord!
Thanks Pete for the post, the info on the movie (it looks amazing… I can’t wait!), and the randomness of it all.
What did I do this weekend that was exciting? Well, it may not sound that exciting to you, but this weekend was the first “R&R” weekend I’ve had in some time, so excitement for me included:
Spending quality time with my beautiful wife and 4 amazing kids. (ages 8 to 19 wks.) This included some long overdue playing, wrestling, and lounging. Oh, and lots of eating.
Catching up on some reading. I love to read so it was a treat having more time than usual to catch up on reading various blogs, books (specifically Patrick’s “Church Planter”, and Grudem’s “Systematic Theology” –I know, it’s a textbook, but I’m an eternal learner though–), and studying and meditating on Luke 14 and Deuteronomy 6.
Worshipping at my local church Saturday night. (cornerstonesi.org) Always exciting and always a blessing.
Yard work… wait, that was necessary… but not so exciting.
After much prayer and consideration, deciding to start my own blog. This is something I’ve been contemplating for several months, but have been either too busy or too chicken to try. Now, for a number of reasons, I feel like the timing is right.
And finally… watching CrossPointTV Online service and Q&A last night. I am excited and blessed to see what God is doing through you, Cross Point, and its leaders in the mission fields! God bless you Brother!
Glad you had such a great experience with the Titans! My husband and I went to church with Matt Hasselbeck back home in Seattle and he is a truly awesome guy who loves the Lord. Ditto for Jake Locker, who is also from back home in Seattle and a solid Christian guy. We hope they start coming to Cross Point when the season is over!
This weekend was amazing…we had a visitor! It was so exciting. She barreled into town from just off the coast, and got to our house in record time. Her name was Irene (didn’t catch her last name as she blew by us). Sad to say, after she’d been with us a while on Saturday we realized that she was such a poor house guest we kicked her out early yesterday afternoon and hope to never, ever see the likes of her again! Good riddance I tell you!
Saturday I got up before the sun to take care of my sister’s kids for a few hours (I am NOT a morning person!). Then came home and spent the rest of the day playing cribbage and chatting with my other sister.
Sunday, we visited a new church. Met some fabulous people. Bought t-ball equipment for my youngest and a bike for my oldest. Had a major allergic reaction to the rubber on the bike. (I avoided the tires, but learned too late that the handgrips were rubber, too). Met youngest son’s t-ball coach and team. And that was about it!
I love these Total Randomness posts! You should make this a regular monthly thing! I love to see how God is totally using you all around Nashville and actually the world! Looking forward to the book!! Woo Hoo!!
Oh, I didn’t read your question…I bought my Financial Peace Book revisited, so we can do our assignments for Thursday’s FPU Class at the Nashville Campus!! Yea! Love the SG leader and the peeps, a lot of laughter, which I know we will need to get through this 12 week course!!
Well I don’t know if this is that exciting, but I, took my 9 yr.old grandson to pick out his first fish for his aquarium, which we set up together. Then went to Dunderave village the next day with my dtr. and Mom( she’s almost 80 and had never been there) for lunch and then we walked the seawall and sat and talked on the beach, and went to the farmers market. I think it’s a funny thing when you drive a parent and they hang on to the door handle like you are trying to kill them, maybe it’s just my driving….I don’t know if anyone else has that experience. Sunday, watched Hour of Power, visited family and sat and read a book by the pool with hubby and kids( great weather for once).
Can’t wait to see that movie, love it when someone goes all out for God and has a reason to live, now that’s a transformation. Look forward to that book…….remember to breathe Pete.
Pete, you should throw up more often. That way, we get great variety snippets! And, we know how to pray for you.
We had the most wonderful time with our small group Sunday night. Met up, ate Mexican, and laughed. Doesn’t get any better, sharing our lives together! So glad people are taking the plunge! Small group has changed my life…
Went to Worship in the City in Knoxville. What a great event. Brought my teenage niece and we jammed and worshipped. I love it when teens are just so pumped up. Topped it off with a great church service then some family time on the lake.
Road by a childhood home of mine. Memories can be like a flood.
We are new to the Clarksville area and have had a really hard time finding a church. So this Sunday at 9 am, we did something exciting. We googled “Nashville, community, church” and Cross Point Church’s website came up. We jumped in the car, drove 40 minutes and attended the 10:30 am service. Absolutely LOVED everything about it. So glad that we decided to give google (and Cross Point) a whirl! See you Sunday!