Go back in time | See the future
I found out overnight Tuesday morning that my favorite band, Petra, will be retiring later this year. I expected this someday, but it still came as a shock. I can't express how important they have been to me and to vast numbers of others over the last 33 years...
Personally, I have been blessed by their music many times. One of the 3 CDs I had with me when I was in the shelter after leaving my husband in 1997 was a Petra CD! God has also used them to bless me more than once. I grew up knowing ABOUT God, but not KNOWING HIM. He hit me with a Holy Brick at a Petra concert in fall 1997, using John Schlitt's voice to finally reach me. I gave my heart to Jesus that night. God has also given me the best thing in my life via Petra. I met the true love of my life, John DeGroff, at the Petra Reunion concert last June. Without his involvement in the early days of the band and agreement to do the reunion, as well as my love of the band and the huge desire to see them even though it was the same day I ran a half marathon, we would have never met.
Thanks Petra for being the vessel used to bring me these gifts!
Not only have they reached countless numbers with their music, Petra has endured many trials. I am aware of a lot of things that have happened to them, especially in the early "rock and roll is of the Devil" years, to open the door to an unending variety of music types available today for the Christian listener. As a side note, it was fun taking John to a Relient K concert (Christian alternative/punk rock) last fall, being in the mosh pit, and reminding him that he, along with the rest of early Petra, were responsible for opening the doors to this type of music being available!
It is hard to think of this ministry coming to an end. But I am sure God has other purposes for those who have been involved over the years.
Thank you to everyone who is or ever has been involved with Petra for 33 wonderful years! God bless you all!
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The article, with all the details of Petra's final days, is on the front page of the Petra Rocks My World website at
http://www.petrarocksmyworld.com
and the Petra messageboard is located at
http://www.thepetrazone.net
- What's my attitude:mixed emotions
- Sounds I hear right now:Petra-It Is Finished
A blurb about me...
I'm a mid-30's married gal who loves God, cats, music, marathon and ultramarathon running, auto racing, friends, slam and FB swapping, and lots more... Check out my profile or my myspace for more info!
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Comments
Thanks for sharing this.
however, i do have respect for them in the fact that they prepared the way for so many in the "Christian" industry. they drop them for the next band, when in fact where would those bands be if not for the ministry of Petra? how sad that we cannot show our appreciation for those who go before us (in more then just music).
i wish the guys well in where God takes them now.
I'm sad in a way, although I knew it had to happen one day too, but God has other things in store for them. They've meant a lot to me over the years, and I met my best friend at a Petra concert. I'm trying to think of it as the end of something but beginning of something else.