Faith

2011 America World Adoption Seminar at Grace EV Free

Enjoy photos and video from the 2011 America World Adoption Seminar held at Grace EV Free.

Photography by Brian Petersen at www.brianapetersen.com
Email Brian Petersen for licenses regarding this image.
© 2010 Brian Petersen

Saying What You Believe Is Clearer Than Saying “Calvinist” by: John Piper

We are Christians. Radical, full-blooded, Bible-saturated, Christ-exalting, God-centered, mission-advancing, soul-winning, church-loving, holiness-pursing, sovereignty-savoring, grace-besotted, broken-hearted, happy followers of the omnipotent, crucified Christ. At least that’s our imperfect commitment.

In other words, we are Calvinists. But that label is not nearly as useful as telling people what you actually believe! So forget the label, if it helps, and tell them clearly, without evasion or ambiguity, what you believe about salvation.

If they say, “Are you a Calvinist?” say, “You decide. Here is what I believe . . .”

I believe I am so spiritually corrupt and prideful and rebellious that I would never have come to faith in Jesus without God’s merciful, sovereign victory over the last vestiges of my rebellion. (1 Corinthians 2:14; Ephesians 3:1–4; Romans 8:7).

I believe that God chose me to be his child before the foundation of the world, on the basis of nothing in me, foreknown or otherwise. (Ephesians 1:4–6; Acts 13:48; Romans 8:29–30; 11:5–7)

I believe Christ died as a substitute for sinners to provide a bona fide offer of salvation to all people, and that he had an invincible design in his death to obtain his chosen bride, namely, the assembly of all believers, whose names were eternally written in the book of life of the Lamb that was slain. (John 3:16; John 10:15; Ephesians 5:25; Revelation 13:8)

When I was dead in my trespasses, and blind to the beauty of Christ, God made me alive, opened the eyes of my heart, granted me to believe, and united me to Jesus, with all the benefits of forgiveness and justification and eternal life. (Ephesians 2:4–5; 2 Corinthians 4:6; Philippians 2:29; Ephesians 2:8–9; Acts 16:14; Ephesians 1:7; Philippians 3:9)

I am eternally secure not mainly because of anything I did in the past, but decisively because God is faithful to complete the work he began—to sustain my faith, and to keep me from apostasy, and to hold me back from sin that leads to death. (1 Corinthians 1:8–9; 1 Thessalonians 5:23–24; Philippians 1:6; 1 Peter 1:5; Jude 1:25; John 10:28–29; 1 John 5:16)

Call it what you will, this is my life. I believe it because I see it in the Bible. And because I have experienced it. Everlasting praise to the greatness of the glory of the grace of God!

I had a joy editing this video for Grace EV Free in La Mirada for our 2010 Thanksgiving service. Enjoy.

Photo taken during the 2010 Thriving Musicians Summit at Bayside Church.

Photography by Brian Petersen at www.brianapetersen.com
Email Brian Petersen for licenses regarding this image.
© 2010 Brian Petersen

John Rinehart preaches on “Defending the Fatherless” on Orphan Sunday at Grace EV Free.

See more here http://projecthopespeaks.org/2010/11/11/orphan-sunday/

Photography by Brian Petersen at www.brianapetersen.com
Email Brian Petersen for licenses regarding this image.
© 2010 Brian Petersen

I love being part of a team where I get to see people live out their adoption in Christ and defend the rights of the orphan and widow.

Project Hope at Grace EV Free celebrated its third Orphan Sunday by hosting Sunday services called, “Defending the Fatherless.” November 7 is internationally recognized as Orphan Sunday and the event was tailored for the church body with preaching, sung worship, testimonies, prayer, and exhibits with tables from local ministries to help Christians defend the fatherless. I’ve included the sermon video below with some photos of the fun event. Enjoy and God bless you!

You can download the sermon audio or listen online by visiting the Grace EV Free website here.
You can also check out the original post from Project Hope here.

Click on these photos to view them large. Photos by Brian Petersen and Erik Bergen.

Click on these photos to view them large. Photos by Brian Petersen and Erik Bergen.

Photography by Brian Petersen at www.brianapetersen.com
Email Brian Petersen for licenses regarding this image.
© 2010 Brian Petersen

[video type="vimeo" clip_id="16131482"]

This was a fun video to be a part of and I enjoyed working with Ronan Relosa, Kenny Clark, and Walt Harrah. I recorded and edited audio along with editing the video. I hope you enjoy.

Produced by Walt Harrah
Drawings by Ronan Relosa
Voiceover by Kenny Clark
Audio and video edited by Brian Petersen

From a Resonate worship service at Bethany Church

Long Beach – California – January 2004

Photography by Brian Petersen at www.brianapetersen.com
Email Brian Petersen for licenses or to purchase this image.

See this on my flickr page
http://www.flickr.com/photos/bpbp/400787508/

For he delivers the needy when he calls, the poor and him who has no helper. He has pity on the weak and the needy, and saves the lives of the needy. From oppression and violence he redeems their life, and precious is their blood in his sight. Psalm 72 ESV

Body Life from Grace EV Free: de la Haye Family from Grace EV Free on Vimeo.

I had the joy of being a part of this sweet video of some of my favorite people. They have faced severe trials and continue to trust in the Lord through it all. Their desire for the Lord to get all the glory has also encouraged me to serve with the same goal, and I pray that the glory of Christ would be shown through it all.

Christians in prayer during a worship service. Dear friends from Grace EV Free.

Full size image at
www.brianapetersen.com
Email Brian Petersen for licenses to this image.

Idols being sold for worship in the streets of Katmandu, Nepal.

I thought of Acts 17 and Paul in Athens
Now while Paul was waiting for them at Athens, his spirit was provoked within him as he saw that the city was full of idols.
Acts 17:16

“Son of man, these men have taken their idols into their hearts, and set the stumbling block of their iniquity before their faces. Should I indeed let myself be consulted by them?
Ezekiel 14:3

I am the Lord; that is my name; my glory I give to no other, nor my praise to carved idols.
Isaiah 42:8

All worshipers of images are put to shame, who make their boast in worthless idols; worship him, all you gods!
Psalm 97:7

They are both stupid and foolish; the instruction of idols is but wood!
Jeremiah 10:8

For all the gods of the peoples are worthless idols, but the Lord made the heavens.
Psalm 96:5

And you shall know that I am the Lord, when their slain lie among their idols around their altars, on every high hill, on all the mountaintops, under every green tree, and under every leafy oak, wherever they offered pleasing aroma to all their idols.
Ezekiel 6:13

Therefore, as to the eating of food offered to idols, we know that “an idol has no real existence,” and that “there is no God but one.”
1 Corinthians 8:4

Little children, keep yourselves from idols.
1 John 5:21

Do Not Be Anxious

“Therefore I tell you,
do not be anxious about your life,
what you will eat or what you will drink,
nor about your body, what you will put on.
Is not life more than food, and the body more than clothing?

Look at the birds of the air: they neither sow nor reap nor gather into barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them.
Are you not of more value than they?
And which of you by being anxious can add a single hour to his span of life?

And why are you anxious about clothing?
Consider the lilies of the field, how they grow: they neither toil nor spin, yet I tell you, even Solomon in all his glory was not arrayed like one of these. But if God so clothes the grass of the field, which today is alive and tomorrow is thrown into the oven, will he not much more clothe you, O you of little faith?

Therefore do not be anxious, saying, ‘What shall we eat?’ or ‘What shall we drink?’ or ‘What shall we wear?’ For the Gentiles seek after all these things, and your heavenly Father knows that you need them all. But seek first the kingdom of God and his righteousness, and all these things will be added to you.

“Therefore do not be anxious about tomorrow, for tomorrow will be anxious for itself. Sufficient for the day is its own trouble.
Matthew 6:25-34

25Διὰ τοῦτο λέγω ὑμῖν,
μὴ μεριμνᾶτε τῇ ψυχῇ ὑμῶν τί φάγητε [ἢ τί πίητε,]
μηδὲ τῷ σώματι ὑμῶν τί ἐνδύσησθε:
οὐχὶ ἡ ψυχὴ πλεῖόν ἐστιν τῆς τροφῆς καὶ τὸ σῶμα τοῦ ἐνδύματος;

26ἐμβλέψατε εἰς τὰ πετεινὰ τοῦ οὐρανοῦ ὅτι οὐ σπείρουσιν οὐδὲ θερίζουσιν οὐδὲ συνάγουσιν εἰς ἀποθήκας, καὶ ὁ πατὴρ ὑμῶν ὁ οὐράνιος τρέφει αὐτά: οὐχ ὑμεῖς μᾶλλον διαφέρετε αὐτῶν; 27τίς δὲ ἐξ ὑμῶν μεριμνῶν δύναται προσθεῖναι ἐπὶ τὴν ἡλικίαν αὐτοῦ πῆχυν ἕνα;

28καὶ περὶ ἐνδύματος τί μεριμνᾶτε; καταμάθετε τὰ κρίνα τοῦ ἀγροῦ πῶς αὐξάνουσιν: οὐ κοπιῶσιν οὐδὲ νήθουσιν: 29λέγω δὲ ὑμῖν ὅτι οὐδὲ Σολομὼν ἐν πάσῃ τῇ δόξῃ αὐτοῦ περιεβάλετο ὡς ἓν τούτων. 30εἰ δὲ τὸν χόρτον τοῦ ἀγροῦ σήμερον ὄντα καὶ αὔριον εἰς κλίβανον βαλλόμενον ὁ θεὸς οὕτως ἀμφιέννυσιν, οὐ πολλῷ μᾶλλον ὑμᾶς, ὀλιγόπιστοι;

31μὴ οὖν μεριμνήσητε λέγοντες, Τί φάγωμεν; ἤ, Τί πίωμεν; ἤ, Τί περιβαλώμεθα; 32πάντα γὰρ ταῦτα τὰ ἔθνη ἐπιζητοῦσιν: οἶδεν γὰρ ὁ πατὴρ ὑμῶν ὁ οὐράνιος ὅτι χρῄζετε τούτων ἁπάντων. 33ζητεῖτε δὲ πρῶτον τὴν βασιλείαν [τοῦ θεοῦ] καὶ τὴν δικαιοσύνην αὐτοῦ, καὶ ταῦτα πάντα προστεθήσεται ὑμῖν.

34μὴ οὖν μεριμνήσητε εἰς τὴν αὔριον, ἡ γὰρ αὔριον μεριμνήσει ἑαυτῆς: ἀρκετὸν τῇ ἡμέρᾳ ἡ κακία αὐτῆς.

Joni Eareckson Tada is an evangelical Christian author, radio host, and founder of Joni and Friends, an organization "accelerating Christian ministry in the disability community." www.joniandfriends.org/

Quotes from Joni Eareckson Tada that I wrote down from this time:

“If it were not for my accident I would not be sitting here telling you about the power of the risen Christ and the joy of his sufferings.” -Joni Eareckson Tada

“God wrote a book on suffering, and its name is Jesus.” -Joni Eareckson Tada

“I have learned in my quadriplegia that Jesus is real. He is the man of sorrows to be sure, but the Lord of joy.” -Joni Eareckson Tada

Download the full size images from this gallery here.

Photography by Brian Petersen at www.brianapetersen.com

Photo from a Lord’s Supper service at Grace EV Free, La Mirada, CA.

Full size at
www.brianapetersen.com
Email Brian Petersen for licenses or to purchase this image.

A photoshoot from the miracle baby who will forever be a testimony to the power and provision of the living God.

Photography by Brian Petersen at www.brianapetersen.com
Email Brian Petersen.

Read the story about Hannah here http://www.ocregister.com/articles/melody-250764-hannah-baby.html?pic=1

Little Girl Mends Hearts
By Lou Ponsi
THE ORANGE COUNTY REGISTER

Melody and Jason Lietzau never considered adoption.

Why would they?

It was mid-2008 and the La Habra couple already had two healthy boys. Plus, Melody was pregnant.

Still, the Lietzaus, who adhere strongly to Christian faith, believe God sometimes has other plans.

In October, 9 ½ weeks into her pregnancy, Melody visited the doctor for a scheduled checkup. The news was bad. The baby’s heart was not beating.

The loss felt crushing.

Four days later, Melody and Jason were at Sunday service at Grace Evangelical Free Church in La Mirada when the pastor delivered the Bible passage James 1:27.

“Religion that God our father accepts as pure and faultless is this: to look after orphans and widows in their distress and to keep oneself from being polluted by the world.”

Orphans?

Suddenly, adoption wasn’t just an option, the couple saw it as an obligation.

“We felt like the Lord just spoke to our hearts,” Melody says.

THE JOURNEY BEGINS

“We know this is a long and difficult process and believe that the Lord doesn’t always call us to easy things.”

That’s a line from a November, 2008 entry in the blog Melody started to chronicle every step of her family’s adoption journey.

Since they had the boys, Jonah and Noah, then ages 3 and 6, the couple wanted a baby girl. After some research, they learned that there was a need for adoptive parents in China.

They even picked out a name: Hannah, which in Hebrew means “Gift from God.”

After filling out what seemed like reams of documents required by their adoption agency, they were approved in December 2008.

Then they got some mixed news:

The wait to adopt a healthy baby from China could be at least five years.

But a baby with special needs?

That could happen much faster.

The couple opted to adopt where the need was greatest. What’s more, they already knew a little about “need.” Melody, now 32, has a congenital heart defect; she’s lived with a pacemaker in her chest since age 20. Adopting a baby with a similar medical issue made sense.

The next step was telling the boys.

“Could we get eight?” Noah asked, when told that they might be getting a sister from China?

Melody wrote about it on the blog.

Perhaps Noah was watching too much of ‘John & Kate plus 8.’

In the months that followed, the couple filled out more paperwork. They also took required adoptive parenting classes and opened their home to social workers who examined every nook and cranny. But, mostly, they waited.

In a blog entry from September 2009, Melody wrote that her heart raced every time the phone rang

“I feel so helpless. A little girl is waiting to get the care she deserves and we are eager to help her get it and there is nothing we can do.”

THE CALL

On Dec. 9 2009, Melody got the call.

A baby girl named Li Chun – a name assigned by an orphanage director – had been abandoned at three months old, in an elevator in a Hunan hospital.

She could become part of their family. A photo would be sent via e-mail.

Melody says the five-minute wait felt like five hours.

Finally, popping up on a computer screen, came an image of a little girl with expressive eyes and a tuft of black hair – their daughter.

Hannah was born with a serious but treatable heart condition. The Lietzaus’ were told that with care and the right surgeries, she could survive and eventually lead a normal life.

A FIGHTER

On April 10, Melody, Jason and Hannah landed at LAX, ending the couple’s trip to China to pick up their daughter.

But a new trip was starting.

First, the boys, Noah and Jonah, got to meet their sister. They’d been driven to the airport for that purpose.

But the first stop after that meeting wasn’t home – it was Children’s Hospital of Orange County, CHOC, where doctors were waiting to check out Hannah.

After the examination, they decided that Hannah would need surgery in less than a week.

Then, a few days later, Hannah’s heart began failing. Her condition was worse than anticipated. The Lietzaus were told Hannah had about 30 percent chance of coming out of surgery alive.

The doctors offered the most horrific question a parent can hear: Should we just make her comfortable, or do you want to go through with the surgery?

Melody says their faith didn’t leave room for such a question. And when it came time for the surgery, Melody whispered this into Hannah’s ear:

‘You are a fighter. And you have a story to tell.’”

The surgery, scheduled for five hours, was done in three. Hannah sailed so easily through the procedure that surgeons skipped one phase of the operation.

“There was never a doubt… God has brought us to this point for a reason,” says Jason, 33.

These days, Hannah is bright-eyed, alert, giggly, playful and the prized baby sister of her big brothers.

“I like to play with her blocks and make her giggle,” Noah says. “She likes to imitate and roar like a dinosaur. I like her. I like having her here.”

She isn’t walking yet, but rolls all over the place and tries to crawl.

“She is a little fireball,” Melody says. “She is a happy little girl.”

The Lietzaus also welcome readers to visit their website (www.youbelong.net/lietzau) where dozens of journal entries and photos tell their story.