I just heard some GREAT advice for young ladies who are approached by “Romeo”,
“Ignore everything he says, and only pay attention to what he does.”

I just heard some GREAT advice for young ladies who are approached by “Romeo”,
“Ignore everything he says, and only pay attention to what he does.”

Recently I took a spiritual gifts test. Regardless of what you may think of tools like this they do offer helpful personal insight. Anyhow… I took this test and scored ridiculously low on “mercy.” In other words, this test said that I’m not a very merciful person. Unfortunately, my experience and the experiences of those around me too often confirm this finding.
I used to think it was cool to be “low in mercy.” In fact I’d hear leaders, even some pastors say, in an almost proud manner, “I don’t have the gift of mercy,” and then they’d sit back, poke their chest out, and flare up like a male peacock. I started thinking, “Hmmmm… a mercy deficit must be a component of good leadership.” I’m an idiot.
A couple of years ago I started thinking about that proposition and realized, “Uhhhh, wasn’t Jesus merciful? Wasn’t Jesus a great leader?” (The answer is “yes” to both of these questions).
And then I read this verse, “Blessed are the merciful for they will be shown mercy” (Matthew 5:7). (If you want to check out more verses about mercy click here).
I used to think a mercy deficit was cool. Now I think it’s stupid.
I used to think being almost mean was what it took to be a good leader. Now I’m not so sure.
Sure, sure… I know that as leaders we have to lead strongly from the vision God has given us. I know that there are plenty of times we will need to have straightforward conversations with difficult people. I know that we must lead with fortitude and strength. I know this, have done it, and will do it again…
BUT, what about mercy? If Jesus modeled it and still accomplished all that He has accomplished, shouldn’t I reconsider my thinking about the place of mercy in the leadership toolbox?
So these days I’m not so proud about my lack of mercy. In fact, I’m repenting for my mercy deficit and asking God to pour mercy in and through me so that everyone I come in contact with will experience the mercy of God through little old me.
Today is Lexington’s last day of school.
Today is the last time she will probably ever see this group of little friends.
Today is the last time we will ever hold hands and walk down the hallway to Ms. Sweeny’s room.
Today is the last time we will run into the office to sign in and try to get her to her class before the bell rings.
Today is the last time she will stumble into my home office with bed-head and stinky breath to get ready for school.
Today is the last day of pre-school and the segue into my baby’s educational journey!
I love you Lexington!
(P.S. remember your first day of school? Check it out here baby!)

Some day you’re gonna hate that I posted these pictures, but for today they sure are cute!
Teachers, classmates, and the interview of the ages…


I just had the most insightful “systems conversation” to-date with two friends of mine who work in the professional world. One is a project manager (aka “Detail Person”) and the other is a 50,000-foot-view leader.
They offered some great insights on systems:
And so the learning continues…
I’m an advocate of truth-telling. I believe that we should love one another enough that we speak the truth into one another’s lives… even when it’s potentially painful.
For instance, I have a friend, Duane, who shared with me his concern that I was missing opportunities to affirm one of my daughters. I’m pretty good at affirming, so at first I didn’t agree with him. But the more I thought about it, the more I realized he was right. I made the necessary adjustments and now I’ve “got my groove back”, and my little lady is affirmed in the “love language” that she best receives. If Duane hadn’t spoke truth into my life, the course of my daughter’s life could be quite different. Thank you Duane.
Now here’s the thing, to speak truth into someone’s life you have to have credibility with them. This credibility is earned over time and through investments of love. If you love me and I know it, you can speak authoritative truth into my life. (Rindy has a great post on this topic here)
Sometimes I have a tendency to think that everyone wants to hear the truth, but this morning I was reading in Proverbs (chapter nine), and came across some verses that identified a group of people that, even though you love them, you probably shouldn’t “correct” them by speaking truth into their lives. Check this out:
7 Whoever corrects a mocker invites insult;
whoever rebukes a wicked man incurs abuse.8 Do not rebuke a mocker or he will hate you;
rebuke a wise man and he will love you.9 Instruct a wise man and he will be wiser still;
teach a righteous man and he will add to his learning.12 If you are wise, your wisdom will reward you;
if you are a mocker, you alone will suffer.”
A few takeaways from these verses:
A day in the life of a guy getting ready to plant a church:
So that’s about it… now I’ve gotta run to another meeting…
In a few weeks we’ll be headed north to start Walls Down church!
Rindy and her guys are packing up to make the big move too!
Yesterday two of her guys, Matt and Dan, both wrote great posts about making this move.
This guys are teenagers who “get it.” I can’t wait to serve with them!
I think life is a journey. I think we’re all better when we travel together and when we travel out loud. Having said that, some things are fairly difficult to disclose, finances being one of them.
What I am preparing to share with you is personal, but part of the journey.
Last year we left a secure income at a great church. We left everything because God has called us to give our lives to ministry through a new church.
We left our friends, home, income, job security, etc., and came to Mountain Lake Church to learn how to start a new church, through a one year church-planting residency. This last year and in this coming year we are raising our own support, much like missionaries or missions teams do when they go on missions trips. Our income is completely dependent upon people’s gifts.
Last week Mountain Lake’s “Money Man” told me “You have $.39 in your account.” Let me explain. Every gift that comes in for us goes into a “Peterson” line item in the Mountain Lake budget. From this line item they write our paycheck. If we raise money we get a paycheck. If we don’t raise money we don’t get a paycheck.
You can imagine my discomfort (to say the least) when I heard that we only had $.39 in the account! We get paid every two weeks and last week was “pay week.” Basically I knew that we weren’t going to get a paycheck.
I went home pretty frustrated and said to God and Sherri, “I could do a better job of providing for my family than God is doing.” Of course I realized how stupid that statement was so I took my journal and went away to pray.
As I talked with Sherri and God things began to click. I moved from a state of frustration to a state of confidence. I looked at my bride, one of five ladies that I am responsible for supporting, and said, “If you ask me what we’re going to do, I’d have to tell you that I don’t have a clue.” I’ve gotta be honest and tell you, I felt neutered… helpless… out of control… frustrated. But then I was overwhelmed with confidence. You see, I’m a child of a King. He calls me “son” and I call Him “Father.” We are living in obedience to His call on our lives, and we have been good managers of the funds He has entrusted to us. Therefore we will trust our Father to provide for us and continue working hard on this church He has called us to start.
So, yesterday I picked up the mail and guess what… our Father took care of us. A check almost equal to our bi-weekly paycheck was in the mail! It was what was left over from our Escrow Account from the sale of our house! We didn’t know it was coming. We didn’t budget for it, but when we needed it our Father planned for and provided it.
Let me share a few other ways He’s cared for us over these last months:
I could go on and on but you get the point.
There’s a side of me that really does not want to live like this for the rest of my life, and yet there’s another side that says, “I’m not sure I don’t want to live like this. I love living on the edge and regularly seeing God pull off the unexpected.”
Last week, when faced with a pending financial deficit, I wrote in my journal,
Father, you are trustworthy. You have a long history of caring for your children in general and me/us in particular. While I’m not sure how, I’m confident that you will, and it is in the “will” that I rest.
You are good and generous and never short with your blessings. You are always on time and in season. Thank you for this chance to see you work… again.
I confess and repent of my frustration. Forgive me for wanting to provide for my home in ways that would bring honor to me. Forgive me for expressing distaste for your ways. Today, right now I rest in you, your plan, and your Fatherhood. You are my Father and you, as always, know best. I trust you. You will provide for me and care for my family better than I, in my best life, could ever hope too. I am yours to do your will forever, whatever, whenever, however, and with whomever. I, your son, trust you.
So here’s where we’re at – I’d rather live on the edge with God and have $.39 than I would to have millions but no connection to my Father. I’d rather live in the realm of the unexplainable and know the pleasure and provision of God than I would to live in the realm of the explainable and miss the adventure. Honestly, it’d be cool to live on the edge with millions… but that’s for another day!
My guess is that God is waiting to do something exceptional in your life too. He’s waiting for you to step out and commit yourself to a life of obedience to His call, and faith in His ability to provide. How about it?
Here’s some great counsel from a wise man (Solomon) to his son, (read it and we’ll come back to it in a minute),
“Above all else, guard your heart, for it is the wellspring of life. Put away perversity from your mouth; keep corrupt talk far from your lips. Let your eyes look straight ahead, fix your gaze directly before you. Make level paths for your feet and take only ways that are firm. Do not swerve to the right or the left; keep your foot from evil.” (Proverbs 4:23-27)
Yesterday we went to Fusion Church (a church plant meeting in a high school). Pastor Tony delivered a word right to my heart. He said, “Sometimes the hardest place to be is in between.” In other words, you’re not where you used to be, but you’re not where you want to be. That’s where I’m at… in between.
For the last year I have been living “in between”. While this year has been so valuable, and I would certainly do it again, it has also been draining. I’ve been functioning out of my weaknesses while the areas of strength and giftedness have been virtually untapped. The things that impassion me (e.g. teaching, pastoring, leading) have not been my lot this year, while the things that drain me (e.g. working in the details, etc.) have been my full time job.
My guess is that I’m not the only one living in this land of discomfort; the land of “in between”. You or someone you know is on a similar journey. Anticipation of arrival is what keeps you going! That promotion, that next step relationally (e.g. marriage; kids moving out; etc.), that vacation… or whatever your “arrival point” is keeps you going. But if you’re honest, the journey through the land of “in between” gets pretty long.
So how do we successfully navigate the journey from where we were to where we’re going? I think Solomon’s words are dead on,
“Above all else, guard your heart, for it is the wellspring of life. Put away perversity from your mouth; keep corrupt talk far from your lips. Let your eyes look straight ahead, fix your gaze directly before you. Make level paths for your feet and take only ways that are firm. Do not swerve to the right or the left; keep your foot from evil.” (Proverbs 4:23-27)
Thanks to the counsel of two wise men (Solomon and Tony) I believe I’ll make it through this land of “in between”, and you can make it through yours too! Hang in there! Keep believing and stay focused and some day we’ll each arrive in the land of promise!