Meet the Guides: Peter Batarseh
Get to know the team behind Dwell Daily, our all-new biblical devotional for spiritual transformation, available exclusively in the the Dwell app!
Biography
Peter Batarseh is a Jordanian Christian living in Nashville, Tennessee since 1993. For 17 years he served as a parish priest and a first-responder chaplain. He and his wife Diana have five inspiring young adult children. Diana is the creator of Ask Me WhoOo, a children’s music catechism project, and founding head of school at King’s Academy Nashville. Peter now loves spending time with Piper the Aussie-doodle, in his carpentry shop, and working on a Master’s Degree in Orthodox Christian Theology.
Q&A
- Where did you grow up and where do you live now?
I was born in Ajlun, Jordan, ancient Mt. Gilead, just five months after the 1967 Six-Day War. The following year, we moved to America. I was raised near Rochester in Lima, NY, and have lived in Nashville, TN, for 30 years. - What drew you to join this project with Dwell?
I had the joy of meeting Tripp Prince. When I learned he was part of the Dwell team, I took the opportunity to share how my wife, Diana, and I have been active listeners for a good while and that listening has been a significant source of encouragement! We have served God in ministry roles for nearly four decades, including serving Christian authors in recent years as vocal talent, recording a handful of books for Audible. I told Tripp that if the opportunity ever presented itself, I would be honored to participate in the Dwell community! And here we go, delighted to be a small part of the lives of our listeners and friends through Dwell Daily. - What is your favorite story or character in the Bible?
Do many people say Jesus? I remember like it was yesterday; Mrs. Vellekoop told our VBS kindergarten class about the love Jesus showed for us on Calvary’s cross. From that moment on, I wanted to listen to anything Jesus said and be just like him. - Do you have a favorite verse of Scripture?
Revelation 12:11 reminds me how we share a journey that will have moments of joy, but this world also promises to be fraught with sadness, pain, and grief—some of which will seem insurmountable. The Apostle John gives us a look behind the scenes and reminds us of our foe, but even more so, the path Jesus victoriously cleared by overcoming the powers of death and darkness. Here, we also learn that sharing our stories of overcoming hardship can encourage someone else in theirs. Our stories are not just our own—they testify to God’s power and faithfulness in our lives, something we should share with our world. - What is one thing you hope the Dwell community gains through this new content?
I will start by saying, “Don’t Believe Everything You Think.” For instance, when staring down the face of an unexpected challenge, trauma, or conflict, in the heat of the moment, we are not offered the luxury to contemplate and form the best response. By then—it’s too late. When the alarms begin to blare, we only have a blink of time to retrieve whatever technique, tool, thought, or truth we’ve stored away, If our tank is empty, we’re left to REACT, exasperating the fire. My hope and prayer is that as we daily fill our minds and hearts with the vast array of God’s promises, we are equipped to pause, take every thought captive, silence negative assumptions and lies—and RESPOND according to the eternal truths of God’s word. “…Whatever is True…Think On These Things.” (Philippians 4:8)