GreenPeas Productions

Charlotte Stembridge, now home.

David — Thu, 27 May 2010 00:16:09 +0000

For those of us that have a relationship with God, through Christ, the goal is to one day go home. My Mom, Charlotte Gresham Stembridge passed away into eternal presence of God on May 8th. It was unexpected, and sudden; but for her, it was quick, and didn’t linger. I still find myself wanting to call her, and often thinking about some of the things I thought I would have wanted to say; but honestly, they were said. She had some true struggles for many years after my parents divorce in 1983; yet she clung to the hope that God had a purpose for her life, and a plan for her to lead many to Himself. She was the primary caregiver for my Grandmother, Vera, who moved out of the family house in Hapeville in about 1993. Granny turned 100 this past year, and has been a handful. She has moved down to McDonough to live with my Uncle Kenny and Aunt Louise. We are so thankful and grateful to God for their willingness to do this. Mom was involved with Meals on Wheels for 10 years, and between that, and her roles as floor leader, and bright smiling face at Lanier Gardens in Athens, served God well, and took her roles very seriously. They were all about sharing the peace of Christ with other around her. She desired to make sure everyone knew the peace that had captivated her live – totally.

Ukraine Bound (again!)

David — Sat, 10 Apr 2010 23:46:37 +0000

This July of 2010, Lorretta, myself and an additional team of 8 will head to Kiev, Ukraine for the 2nd summer to lead an ESL Camp with 10 members of the Open Hearts Church in Kiev, and 30 Kiev University Students. The name of the ESL camp 2010 will be “Nations. Each day (topic and lessons) will be based upon the Nations that make up the world.

Here’s the2009 ESL Camp Video

The Ukraine is one of the many places that was “untouched by the reformation, and people there live with no real knowledge of what True Christianity really is. We hope that through our actions, and friendships, we will have opportunities to share the “hope that lies within us”

Sergey and Natasha Bochko lead the Open Hearts Church, and have been doing much of the ground work for us in the Ukraine. We however, have had the “exciting” task of preparing for the week long curriculum!

So, please keep us in prayer, we’ll have a camera, and hope to shoot some footage; but the real goal is sharing the Light of the World!

GreenPeas on YouTube

David — Thu, 01 Apr 2010 19:27:46 +0000

For those of you that haven’t found this yet, here’s the link:

http://www.youtube.com/GreenPeasProductions

Morton Tucker Montage

David — Wed, 24 Mar 2010 02:37:49 +0000

2010 GYS Spring Concert DVD/CD Orders

David — Fri, 19 Mar 2010 18:17:13 +0000

You can order directly using Google Checkout below,

or we can e-bill you from PayPal or Google Checkout. Please let us know your preference!

Her’s a clip from last years concert at CTK in Duluth:

DVDs are $30 EACH

CDs are $25 EACH

cforms contact form by delicious:days

Please contact us using contact page if you have any questions, or need a copy of a previous GYS performance!
Thanks, and GodsPeace,
David and Lorretta Stembridge

You Almost Can’t Teach an Old Dog New Trick

a Guest Writer — Thu, 04 Feb 2010 16:14:23 +0000

By John Piper
Bob Provo suggested after our evening service on July 26 that when Jesus said, No one who drinks old wine desires the new, because he says the old is good (Luke 5:39) what he meant was, You cant teach an old dog new tricks. I think he is probably right. The point was: Jesus and his teaching were the new wine coming into the world, but the scribes and Pharisees could not bring themselves to even try the new, let alone enjoy it.
There are some very natural reasons why you cant teach an old dog new tricks. I think if we understand some of these reasons we can change cant to almost cant. My car has a clutch, but the Stellers car is automatic. Whenever I borrow their car I still push the clutch even though its not there. Im already an old dog at 35. The explanation is simple: repeated combinations of activity establish associations in our brain which then tend to occur together. So there is nothing very odd about being an old dog no matter how old you are.
But there is more to it when our religious convictions are involved. Suppose you have held a doctrinal conviction for 50 years and have taught it in many Sunday School classes and have rejoiced in it in your private meditations. And suppose you are wrong. (This has to be possible because there are many 65-year-old people who hold contradictory doctrinal convictions. Somebody is wrong.) Now suppose somebody comes along and offers the new wine of a contrary doctrinal view and has totally compelling biblical support. Can the old dog learn the new trick? It is not very likely. The hindrances in this case are a good deal harder to overcome than the associations of reflexes in the brain.
First, in order to change my conviction at 65 I must admit that I have thought and believed wrongly for decades. This is devastating to my pride. How could I have overlooked the true evidence so long? How could I have been illogical all this time? Or have I just willfully shut my eyes, indifferent to truth? Our human nature rebels against making these admissions that we can almost always find excuses not to accept the new trick no matter how compelling the biblical support.
Second, all these years I have channeled my relation to God through a misconception. I have delighted in a view that is not true. I have seen God through this lens and now I find it is distorted. This is not only offensive to my pride, but threatens to make my relation to God look artificial and unreal. It takes some mighty deep spiritual foundations to sustain such a blow. Most will simply dodge the issue.
Third, if I am wrong on this point, then I have been misleading people all these years. I have taught my children wrong and my Sunday School classes. The psychological disposition to reject such an indictment is so strong that our subconsciousness engages in an all out smear campaign to discredit the new wine.
Is it any wonder, then, that you cant teach an old dog new tricks? But I believe in spiritual miracles. I believe in the power of Holy Spirit humility. Therefore I only say, You almost cant teach an old dog new tricks.
Much love from Easley, South Carolina,
Pastor John
August 4, 1981

Burke County Promotional

David — Sat, 16 Jan 2010 01:26:29 +0000

We have just finished a promotional video produced for the Burke County Chamber of Commerce.

The video tells the story of just what makes Burke County Georgia such a great place to live! Having lived here for the past 7 years, we have experienced this, and have come to love this great little community that has so much to offer.

Even a Great Husband Makes a Very Poor God

a Guest Writer — Fri, 15 Jan 2010 17:07:57 +0000

Speak to the Israelites and say to them: ‘I am the LORD your God Leviticus 18:2 (NIV)

Ive often wished I could travel back 16 years ago and give my young bride self some advice. But since thats not possible, I love sharing what Ive learned with others.

Recently, I had dinner with a 28 year-old friend who would love to one day be married. During our time together the conversation flowed freely about all sorts of things. Blogs. Writing. Leaving your comfort zone because God said so. Biscuits. You know, girl stuff. And then we moved on to the subject of relationships and marriage.

I shared with my friend that when I was single I thought marriage was all about finding the right partner. I thought if you find “the one,” you’ll be happy, secure, and fulfilled. I do think it’s good to have a list of standards that you look for in a spouse. However, it can never be with the expectation that if you find that special someone, he’ll right all your wrongs and fill up all your insecurities. The problem with this thinking is the pressure it will eventually put on your spouse.

To expect another person to make you feel happy, secure, and fulfilled will leave you disappointed at best and disillusioned at worst. Even a great husband makes a very poor God.

Only God can settle those deep heart-needs. A man can never do this. If a husband could meet every need his wife had, we’d have no need for God. Therefore, instead of just focusing on finding the right partner, let God work on your heart to help you become the right partner. The time to start working on becoming a wife is now. Before the white dress, delicate bouquets, unity candle, bacon wrapped shrimp, and reception punch, there is some heart stuff to consider:

Getting married doesn’t instantly make you selfless… it makes you realize how very selfish you can be at times.

Getting married doesn’t make you feel loved… it makes you realize love is more of a decision you make than a feeling you feel.

Getting married doesn’t take away loneliness… it makes you realize true companionship comes not when you demand it but rather when you give it to another person.

So, what does marriage give?

A beautiful chance to make the choice to …

Laugh whether or not the jokes are funny.

Love by folding his collar over his tie every morning.

Pretend like you don’t need flowers, but delight when he buys them anyway.

Cheer him on through both failures and successes.

Tell him he’s a great man everyday.

Thank God for the privilege of being his wife.

After our time together, my friend thanked me for our talk. She said it gave her a lot to think about. To be honest, it gave me a lot to think about as well.

Lysa TerKeurst

Dear Lord, only You can fill my heart, right my wrongs, and make me feel loved. I pray that You would show me how to keep my expectations of my husband in check. Help me to be the wife he desires. And help me to remember that marriage was never meant to make me happy all the time. Marriage is a decision to honor You by honoring the one youve entrusted to me to be my husband. In Jesus Name, Amen.

Related Resources:

Capture His Heart by Lysa TerKeurst perfect for those married or those just thinking about marriage!

The Bathtub is Overflowing but I Feel Drained by Lysa TerKeurst

What a Husband Needs from His Wife by Melanie Chitwood

Application Steps:
If you arent married yet, think of some ways God might want to work on your heart before marriage.

If you are married, think of a way youve tried to get your husband to fill a need that only God can meet. Pray and ask God how you can rely on God for this need instead of your husband.

Reflections:
Have you ever caught yourself saying, I could be a great wife if only my husband would? Or, If only I was married, I could really be

Remember, it is impossible to control what another person says or does. Therefore, waiting for your spouse to change in order for your relationship to get better, will only cause frustration. If, however, we take responsibility for our own actions and reactions, God can help us make real progress.

Power Verses:
Proverbs 3: 5-6, Trust in the LORD with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding; in all your ways acknowledge him, and he will make your paths straight. (NIV)
Psalm 37:4, Delight yourself in the LORD and he will give you the desires of your heart. (NIV)

Not Going to Extremes

a Guest Writer — Sun, 10 Jan 2010 12:15:41 +0000

Being stubbornly silent or verbally explosive during marital conflict doesn’t honor God. Finding balance in marital conflict resolution expresses honor and love for God. article by Matthew D. Turvey

A husband and wife were fighting. They refused to talk. Getting ready for a business trip the next day, and not willing to be the first one to cave in and actually speak, the husband wrote his wife a note, “Please make sure I’m up by 5:30 a.m. I must catch a flight.”

At 9:00 a.m. the next morning, the husband awakens and realizes he’s missed his flight. Furious, he was about to go and see why his wife hadn’t awakened him, when he noticed a note by the bed. It read, “It’s 5:30 a.m. Wake up.”

Who wins in a situation like this? Have you ever felt like you and your spouse are spinning your wheels in an argument you both know will never go anywhere?

My wife has always been better at keeping her mouth shut than I have. I mean this as a compliment. I tend to open my mouth too early, too often or too much (note to self: never again ask a woman if she’s pregnant or just took the gray out of her hair).

The downside of my wife’s verbal reticence was that early in our marital conflicts she could leave me talking to a blank stare for days on end. She could shut down the lines of communication with a flip of some mental and/or emotional switch.

It wasn’t healthy, because the silent partner in marriage holds all the cards. The silent partner controls the emotional tenor of the marriage. The one who chooses obstinate quiet over talking through conflict stunts the growth of the marriage.

It’s the same with our relationship with God. If I choose to hold back in my prayer life, to be stingy in those things I share with God, then I’m stunting my spiritual growth. And who does that hurt? God? I think his omnipotence can handle my freeze tactics. The silent treatment hurts my relationship with God and with my spouse. Obstinate silence changes the balance of power in any relationship for the worse.

Lest you think I have it in for quiet people, consider the other side of the coin. I know those whose verbal tirades have left their spouse literally quivering in fear of what comes next. I know husbands and wives who, in the name of “being real” or being “honest” in their marriage, let loose with biting, stinging words that wound their spouses to the core.

Instead of hurting the marriage by holding back verbally, these folks hurt the marriage by lashing out. These couples sell the same damage in a different wrapper.

To find the balance between these extremes, recognize that marriage, like our relationship with Christ, takes communication. Just as you won’t grow spiritually without some form of consistent prayer life, you won’t grow in your marriage without some form of consistent communication. If you’re the spouse that likes to hold back verbally when you’re mad, and you don’t take the initiative to come back to truly resolve whatever conflict you’re facing, you cheat yourself and your marriage out of God’s best. If you’re trying to keep the balance of power in your favor by holding back verbally, you’re probably succeeding but at what price?

Maybe you’re the spouse using words to tip the balance of power in your favor. You trample on your spouse’s feelings, self-esteem and dignity with every hurtful verbal exchange. Maybe you find yourself rationalizing your communication style by saying, “She needed to hear that,” or, “I know the truth hurts, but somebody has to tell him.” If this is you, I’d caution that there are very rare, limited cases when a married individual should take this stance of being marital judge and jury.

Instead, in humility, we would do better to take whatever “she needed to hear” or the “truth that you had to tell him” before the throne of grace. Earnestly ask God if your heart and attitude are right before ever going back to your spouse for the kind of conversation that could once again trample your spouse’s spirit.

Find balance in your style of managing marital conflict. Silence hurts. So does verbally lashing out. Neither is a healthy way to resolve conflict in your marriage. In extremes, both styles of resolving conflict are futile relational power-grabs. If you’re the quiet one, learn from your blabber-mouth spouse. If you’re the talker that shoots verbal darts non-stop, learn from your tight-lipped spouse. Stop doing things the way you’ve always done them, and begin looking for different results.

Most importantly, though, don’t focus solely on the balance of power in your marriage. Focus on the balance of power between you and your Maker. Balance this scale, and the rest tends to take care of itself. Are you talking with God? Or are you the silent partner?

Matthew D. Turvey Matthew D. Turvey, Psy.D., LP, is the Director of Strategic Alliances for Life Innovations, a company specializing in marriage and family relationship assessment and enrichment. He is a licensed psychologist with a specialization in Marriage and Family Therapy. Prior to joining Life Innovations, he held positions with the Smalley Relationship Center, MarriageToday and in private practice. He is the author of several articles in numerous publications on marriage and family topics. He currently resides outside of St. Paul, Minnesota. He has been married to Nicole for over 12 years and has three children that keep him laughing … and quite busy.

“the Gift” that welcomes Christmas!

David — Tue, 01 Dec 2009 23:55:56 +0000

This past weekend, Dylan and I drove up to Kennesaw (metro Atlanta)to videotape Praise in Motion’s annual performance of the Gift. The first time I saw this, my daughter Chelsea was 4 or 5, and I was working in Atlanta at Fox5 News. I was asked if I could help run a camera, and agreed.

We started working with Praise in Motion shortly after this, and have gone back to Atlanta twice a year ever since then. We love being able to support their ministry, and have seen God use this vibrant ministry to teach and nurture so many wonderfully biblically Christian men and ladies. I always love this performance, as it takes place early enough for us to really begin to keep Christmas in perspective. You can see some of Praise in Motion’s dances on our youtube page here.