Pete's Perspective

15/04/2024

Deo's Story - Monroe Journal - April 15, 2024 https://sws.sh/TIzhW “The life I touch for good or ill will touch another life, and in turn another, until who knows where the trembling stops or in what far place my touch will be felt.” Frederick Buechner June 1994 – New York City: Deogratias “Deo” Niyizonkiza left his empty shopping cart on the sidewalk. He slipped into

05/03/2024

Bigger than Tennis - Monroe Journal - March 7, 2024 https://sws.sh/1RZqX “If I were to say, ‘God, why me?’ about the bad things that happened in my life, then I should say, ‘God, why me?’ about the good things that happened.” Arthur Ashe December 1, 1975 – Grand Prix Masters Tennis – Stockholm, Sweden: The large crowd sat stunned. Romanian tennis player Ilie Nastase had yelled

01/03/2024

Pea Island - Monroe Journal - February 19, 2024 https://sws.sh/s8qZ1 “God will not look us over for medals, degrees, or diplomas, but for scars.” Elbert Hubbard Pea Island, North Carolina, June 1878: On the day that 38-year-old Richard Etheredge arrived at the No. 17 Pea Island Life Saving Station, the five white surfmen quit. Six black surfmen were transferred to the station within a

26/02/2024

The Woman Behind the Gown - Monroe Journal - February 26, 2024 https://sws.sh/zrcb1 “You may have to fight a battle more than once to win it.” Margaret Thatcher September 13, 1953 – Newport, Rhode Island: Newspapers dubbed it the wedding of the century. A photo of the newlyweds ran on the front page of the New York Times. Jacqueline Bouvier, a 24-year-old former debutant, married 36-year-old

“You may have to fight a battle more than once to win it.” Margaret Thatcher September 13, 1953 – Newport, Rhode Island: Newspapers dubbed it the wedding of the century. A photo of the newlyweds ran on the front page of the New York Times. Jacqueline Bouvier, a 24-year-old former debutant, mar...

23/02/2024

Hopeless in Colorado - Monroe Journal - February 12, 2024 https://sws.sh/VKk4H “Hope is the power of being cheerful in circumstances that we know to be desperate.” G. K. Chesterton Fall 1986 – National Jewish Senior Facility – Denver, Colorado: Ramona Pierson wasn’t the typical new patient when she arrived at the nursing home. Her unusual case surprised and piqued the interest of the staff and

23/02/2024

Pea Island - Monroe Journal - February 19, 2024 https://sws.sh/b60Vz “God will not look us over for medals, degrees, or diplomas, but for scars.” Elbert Hubbard Pea Island, North Carolina, June 1878: On the day that 38-year-old Richard Etheredge arrived at the No. 17 Pea Island Life Saving Station, the five white surfmen quit. Six black surfmen were transferred to the station within a

20/02/2024

Pea Island - Monroe Journal - February 19, 2024 https://sws.sh/2HsZB “God will not look us over for medals, degrees, or diplomas, but for scars.” Elbert Hubbard Pea Island, North Carolina, June 1878: On the day that 38-year-old Richard Etheredge arrived at the No. 17 Pea Island Life Saving Station, the five white surfmen quit. Six black surfmen were transferred to the station within a

19/02/2024

Hopeless in Colorado - Monroe Journal - February 12, 2024 https://sws.sh/0iP4E “Hope is the power of being cheerful in circumstances that we know to be desperate.” G. K. Chesterton Fall 1986 – National Jewish Senior Facility – Denver, Colorado: Ramona Pierson wasn’t the typical new patient when she arrived at the nursing home. Her unusual case surprised and piqued the interest of the staff and

16/02/2024

Hopeless in Colorado - Monroe Journal - February 12, 2024 https://sws.sh/NAFu3 “Hope is the power of being cheerful in circumstances that we know to be desperate.” G. K. Chesterton Fall 1986 – National Jewish Senior Facility – Denver, Colorado: Ramona Pierson wasn’t the typical new patient when she arrived at the nursing home. Her unusual case surprised and piqued the interest of the staff and

14/02/2024

Running for Dreams - Monroe Journal - February 5, 2024 https://sws.sh/9DGey “Don’t dream small dreams and don’t let your dreams be molded by people who don’t know what you are called to do. Dream bigger dreams, dreams that transcend you and ultimately trust God to help make those dreams come through.” Arnold Allen 2013 – Los Angeles, California: In 2013, Matthew Barnett had chest

12/02/2024

Hopeless in Colorado - Monroe Journal - February 12, 2024 https://sws.sh/BQWF0 “Hope is the power of being cheerful in circumstances that we know to be desperate.” G. K. Chesterton Fall 1986 – National Jewish Senior Facility – Denver, Colorado: Ramona Pierson wasn’t the typical new patient when she arrived at the nursing home. Her unusual case surprised and piqued the interest of the staff and

07/02/2024

Running for Dreams - Monroe Journal - February 5, 2024 https://sws.sh/GBy5W “Don’t dream small dreams and don’t let your dreams be molded by people who don’t know what you are called to do. Dream bigger dreams, dreams that transcend you and ultimately trust God to help make those dreams come through.” Arnold Allen 2013 – Los Angeles, California: In 2013, Matthew Barnett had chest

06/02/2024

Running for Dreams - Monroe Journal - February 5, 2024 https://sws.sh/HoGZD “Don’t dream small dreams and don’t let your dreams be molded by people who don’t know what you are called to do. Dream bigger dreams, dreams that transcend you and ultimately trust God to help make those dreams come through.” Arnold Allen 2013 – Los Angeles, California: In 2013, Matthew Barnett had chest

05/02/2024

Against All Odds - Monroe Journal - January 29, 2024 https://sws.sh/JzrFh “Everything can be taken from a man but one thing: to choose one’s attitude in any given set of circumstances, to choose one’s own way.” Viktor Frankl May 2010 – Mauthausen, Austria: Hana Moran, Mark Olsky and Eva Clark met at the 65th anniversary of the liberation of the Mauthausen concentration camp. Each arrived believing

31/01/2024

Chasing that Neon Rainbow - Monroe Journal - January 22, 2024 https://sws.sh/WUPuS “A champion is simply someone who did not give up when they wanted to.” Tom Landry 1989 – Nashville, Tennessee: Alan came home from his gig at the bar later than usual. Denise had waited up for him. He was discouraged. Despite his efforts to have family and friends call radio stations across the country to

“A champion is simply someone who did not give up when they wanted to.” Tom Landry 1989 – Nashville, Tennessee: Alan came home from his gig at the bar later than usual. Denise had waited up for him. He was discouraged. Despite his efforts to have family and friends call radio stations across t...

30/01/2024

Against All Odds - Monroe Journal - January 29, 2024 https://sws.sh/WH4lq “Everything can be taken from a man but one thing: to choose one’s attitude in any given set of circumstances, to choose one’s own way.” Viktor Frankl May 2010 – Mauthausen, Austria: Hana Moran, Mark Olsky and Eva Clark met at the 65th anniversary of the liberation of the Mauthausen concentration camp. Each arrived believing

24/01/2024

Chasing that Neon Rainbow - Monroe Journal - January 22, 2024 https://sws.sh/r2s1k “A champion is simply someone who did not give up when they wanted to.” Tom Landry 1989 – Nashville, Tennessee: Alan came home from his gig at the bar later than usual. Denise had waited up for him. He was discouraged. Despite his efforts to have family and friends call radio stations across the country to

“A champion is simply someone who did not give up when they wanted to.” Tom Landry 1989 – Nashville, Tennessee: Alan came home from his gig at the bar later than usual. Denise had waited up for him. He was discouraged. Despite his efforts to have family and friends call radio stations across t...

22/01/2024

Chasing that Neon Rainbow - Monroe Journal - January 22, 2024 https://sws.sh/g8lIW “A champion is simply someone who did not give up when they wanted to.” Tom Landry 1989 – Nashville, Tennessee: Alan came home from his gig at the bar later than usual. Denise had waited up for him. He was discouraged. Despite his efforts to have family and friends call radio stations across the country to

“A champion is simply someone who did not give up when they wanted to.” Tom Landry 1989 – Nashville, Tennessee: Alan came home from his gig at the bar later than usual. Denise had waited up for him. He was discouraged. Despite his efforts to have family and friends call radio stations across t...

22/01/2024

Gary Miracle - Monroe Journal - January 15, 2024 https://sws.sh/pKc8D “I feel blessed. I had a 5% chance of survival, and I’m still here. Every day, I have a choice: I can sit on the couch and feel sorry for myself, or I can learn how to dance when the circumstances in my life are trying to drown out the music.” Gary Miracle December

16/01/2024

Gary Miracle - Monroe Journal - January 15, 2024 https://sws.sh/MdhY0 “I feel blessed. I had a 5% chance of survival, and I’m still here. Every day, I have a choice: I can sit on the couch and feel sorry for myself, or I can learn how to dance when the circumstances in my life are trying to drown out the music.” Gary Miracle December

10/01/2024

John's List - Monroe Journal - December 28, 2023 https://sws.sh/PDks2 “Our greatest regrets at the end of our lives will be the opportunities we left on the table, the passions we didn’t pursue and the dreams we didn’t go after.” Mark Batterson 1940 – Los Angeles, California: John Goddard overheard his grandmother sigh, “There were many things I wanted to do in my life.

08/01/2024

Second Chances - Monroe Journal - January 4, 2024 https://sws.sh/yqx7K “God grant me the courage to not give up what I think is right even though I think it is hopeless.” Chester Nimitz July 7, 1908 – USS Decatur, Batangas Harbor, Philippines: The USS Decatur, the first destroyer commissioned in the U.S. Navy, ran aground on a sandbar as it entered Batangas Harbor. Chester

03/01/2024

John's List - Monroe Journal - December 28, 2023 https://sws.sh/qOBKx “Our greatest regrets at the end of our lives will be the opportunities we left on the table, the passions we didn’t pursue and the dreams we didn’t go after.” Mark Batterson 1940 – Los Angeles, California: John Goddard overheard his grandmother sigh, “There were many things I wanted to do in my life.

01/01/2024

The Messiah - Monroe Journal - December 22, 2023 https://sws.sh/mw0ON “Adversity is not only intended to refine and define us, but also intended to influence and change the lives of hundreds or even thousands of other people. Our adversity is not just for us, but also for others in our sphere of influence.” Robert Morgan August 1741 – London, England: It had

“Adversity is not only intended to refine and define us, but also intended to influence and change the lives of hundreds or even thousands of other people. Our adversity is not just for us, but also for others in our sphere of influence.” Robert Morgan August 1741 – London, England: It had [.....

01/01/2024

The Messiah - Monroe Journal - December 22, 2023 https://sws.sh/CNoB5 “Adversity is not only intended to refine and define us, but also intended to influence and change the lives of hundreds or even thousands of other people. Our adversity is not just for us, but also for others in our sphere of influence.” Robert Morgan August 1741 – London, England: It had

“Adversity is not only intended to refine and define us, but also intended to influence and change the lives of hundreds or even thousands of other people. Our adversity is not just for us, but also for others in our sphere of influence.” Robert Morgan August 1741 – London, England: It had [.....

30/12/2023

Christmas 1943 - Monroe Journal - December 14, 2023 https://sws.sh/ZZyyR Christmas 1943 “And that, of course, is the message of Christmas. We are never alone. Not when the night is darkest, the wind coldest and the world seemingly most indifferent.” Taylor Caldwell August 1943 – U.S.S. North Carolina – South Pacific Ocean: Lutheran Chaplain Everett Wuebbens needed a way to

25/12/2023

The Messiah - Monroe Journal - December 22, 2023 https://sws.sh/7uVoq “Adversity is not only intended to refine and define us, but also intended to influence and change the lives of hundreds or even thousands of other people. Our adversity is not just for us, but also for others in our sphere of influence.” Robert Morgan August 1741 – London, England: It had

“Adversity is not only intended to refine and define us, but also intended to influence and change the lives of hundreds or even thousands of other people. Our adversity is not just for us, but also for others in our sphere of influence.” Robert Morgan August 1741 – London, England: It had [.....

23/12/2023

The Foot Inspector - Monroe Journal - December 11, 2023 https://sws.sh/eT6WU “I wasn’t God’s first choice in China. I don’t know who was, probably a well-educated man. If God has called you to China or any other place and you are sure in your own heart, let nothing deter you.” Gladys Aylward 1931 – Yangcheng, China: The regional governor stood at her door, “Miss Aylward, I

23/12/2023

Christmas 1943 - Monroe Journal - December 14, 2023 https://sws.sh/77yNG Christmas 1943 “And that, of course, is the message of Christmas. We are never alone. Not when the night is darkest, the wind coldest and the world seemingly most indifferent.” Taylor Caldwell August 1943 – U.S.S. North Carolina – South Pacific Ocean: Lutheran Chaplain Everett Wuebbens needed a way to

20/12/2023

The Foot Inspector - Monroe Journal - December 11, 2023 https://sws.sh/H7JMu “I wasn’t God’s first choice in China. I don’t know who was, probably a well-educated man. If God has called you to China or any other place and you are sure in your own heart, let nothing deter you.” Gladys Aylward 1931 – Yangcheng, China: The regional governor stood at her door, “Miss Aylward, I