NOTHING is Too Great For God!

"Fear of man will prove to be a snare,
but whoever trusts in the Lord is kept safe." (Prov 29:25)

"Don't be afraid of them. Remember the Lord, who is great and awesome . . ." (Nehemiah 4:14)

Success or Failure?

This has been on my mind lately: Maybe the reason we don't succeed more is that we don't fail more.

It's easy for me - and I'm sure for many of you - to live life in a very 'play it safe' mode. Try to have a game like Tony Romo last night - no interceptions, no touchdowns.

God continues to nudge me out of my comfort zone for His Kingdom. I think He wants our church more and more out of our 'comfort zone' - looking for ways to courageously and creatively pursue Him so that people will know Jesus.

It's easy to live in this comfort zone that is controlled by the fear of failure. I like what Mark Batterson says: "The antidote for the fear of failure is not success but small doses of failure." With a vaccine, the idea is that you get just enough of the disease to train your body to reject it. It's the same with failure. If we just go for it, we'll see that failure doesn't kill us. It's not trying - living the listless/apathetic life - that kills us.

Craig Groeschel says this: "Fail! If you're not failing, you've stopped dreaming. You'll eventually stop learning. And you will stop growing."

Where do you need to go for it? Where do you need to live out your faith in a radical way? Where do you need to sacrifice so others will see Jesus?

"For the Kingdom of God is not just a lot of talk; it is living by God’s power." 1 Cor 4:20

Gustavo

Richard & Ximena Roseland are at Oso Creek after serving the last few years at Pan de Vida orphanage in Queretaro, Mexico.

As they seek their next place to be on mission with Jesus, their hearts are still pulled for a young man named Gustavo at Pan de Vida. God has recently incredibly opened some doors for them to care for and help shape Gustavo's life!

The Roselands want you to know about Gustavo and some needs they face in helping him. I want you to know about Gustavo as well. Below is a letter from Richard telling you Gustavo's story . . . . Please comment back or email me if you want more info . . .

Dear Oso Creek Family,

As many of you know, we are back in Texas, but our ministry is not just limited to the place where we are located. We have been in contact with many different orphanages in different countries looking for needs that we could meet and opportunities where we could be of great service, just waiting for the still, small voice of our Lord to say “here!” We are going to visit a few of these orphanages in December as we have felt God’s peace and direction to these places. During this time, we have been praying for a special case of one of the boys from the orphanage where we were serving in Mexico. Some of you have met Gustavo who just turned 18 and have heard the testimony of the things that God has done in his life. For those of you who don’t know, Gustavo started living on the streets at the age of 8 after he ran away from his home. His step-father beat his mother and him and on one specific occasion Gustavo tried to stop him from hitting his mother. This made his step-father extremely angry and he threatened to kill Gustavo. His mother told Gustavo to run away, because she knew that his step-father would follow through with his threats. So Gustavo began living on the streets from the age of 8 until he turned 12. At the age of 12, he was brought to the orphanage and has been living there for the past 6 years. There is so much more to his story, but we hope that one day God will allow for him to be able to share his testimony with you in person. He is an excellent student, a man of God, and he is one of the kids at the orphanage that we truly believe has what it takes to do something amazing with his life. We love Gustavo a great deal and God has placed it on our hearts to help him achieve his dreams.

About a month ago, we wrote the director of the orphanage in Mexico to ask for his permission to take Gustavo with us to Ecuador in December whenever we are going to visit 3 different orphanages there. We thought “it doesn’t hurt to ask!” For those of you who know the director of the orphanage, he is a great guy, but for some reason the idea of the kids leaving the orphanage and starting a future is not high on his list of things to do. When we received the e-mail back from the director, we were surprised to find out that he gave us permission to take Gustavo with us to Ecuador! But even more surprising, he told us that he knows that Gustavo is a great kid and asked us if we could “be in charge” of Gustavo’s future education and helping him achieve his dreams. Wow! We were extremely surprised and we know that God’s hand is clearly evident in everything.

We are very excited to be able to take Gustavo with us in December and for him to be given the chance to inspire other orphans and volunteers at the homes that we will be visiting, showing that God has great things planned for even the least of these and that God can use their past to form them into men and women of God. We wanted to share this good news with you all, because we know that there are many things to give glory and praise to God about! We also still need your prayers in this situation. Since Gustavo is an orphan, he does not have the paperwork that will be needed to get a passport. We told the director that we will help with the paperwork and a few friends who live in Mexico volunteered to help as well. Also, we agreed to find people who could help cover the expenses of the trip and that we would cover whatever expenses are left over. The director gave us the go ahead to start with this process and we first need to get his birth certificate, then his voter’s registration card, and then his passport. The process doesn’t usually take a long time, but it can be complicated and expensive.

We know that God is in control of this situation and the life of Gustavo. He has the perfect plan for his life. Please join us in prayer that if this trip is in God’s plan and timing that He will work out all of the details and legal paperwork as well as provide the funds necessary for the trip as we do not have the money to cover all of Gustavo’s expenses.

Thanks,

Richard and Ximena Roseland

Awesome Cowboy Church!

After our Celebration yesterday, Cindy and I went out to the San Patricio Fairgrounds in Sinton as the Cowboy Fellowship of San Patricio County launched it's new gathering. And it was awesome! It brought back some memories of growing up in West Texas and being around a few cowboys and rodeos.

Cindy and I were shocked at what a beautiful new facility it is and Donald Parker is doing an awesome job loving the folks there. They had nearly 250 people there Sunday for their first gathering! Way to go!

About once a month after their Sunday morning services they will be sponsoring a rodeo - I'll try to keep you informed. It's a great place to take your family for the afternoon to make memories and to support a much needed mission in Sinton.

Cowboy Sunday Invite!

No, not those Cowboys!

I'm talking about the cowboys in San Patricio County not the losers to the Giants!
This weekend my friend Donald Parker launches the Cowboy Fellowship of San Patricio County in Sinton!

Some Creekers who already lived in that area - Davey and Tiele Dockens - have even decided to help launch Cowboy Fellowship! Way to go Dockens!

As we are seeking to 'seed' new Kingdom life, I have been meeting some with Donald, and we are we are joining with several other churches to help Donald and his team reach the people of Sinton and the surrounding areas.

Now here's the invite that I talked about in an earlier post . . . This Sunday September 27 - they will be having a Ranch Hand rodeo after they launch their public services. A ranch hand rodeo is a fun kind of rodeo for the entire family. The rodeo will start at 1pm at the San Pat County Fairgrounds (there's signs to it as you enter Sinton)

Donald would love to have as many Creekers as possible out there so that you can see first hand what God is doing!

So I encourage you to go eat a cowboy lunch (there will be a concession stand) and experience the cowboy life in Sinton!

Thanks for being a part of spreading the Kingdom of God all over the world!

Electronic Giving

What do we not do online these days? I pay my bills, renew my car tags, buy most my gifts, order my pizza . . .

Some of you had been asking about being able to give to Oso Creek online. And now with our new website, you can invest in eternity online! (Please do it before the pizza :)

We want to help you be the best possible stewards of all God has given you for the Kingdom. Click here to go to the Oso Creek Website online giving page.

"The earth is the Lord’s, and everything in it. The world and all its people belong to him." Psalm 24:1

Spiritual Hunger

"And if you call out for insight and cry aloud for understanding, and if you look for it as for silver and search for it as for hidden treasure, then you will understand the fear of the Lord and find the knowledge of God." (Prov 2:3-5)

"If from there you seek the Lord your God, you will find him if you look for him with all your heart and with all your soul." (Deut 4:29)

You know I confess, I give up way to quickly on God. Too much of the time I seek until it becomes inconvenient or frustrating. I only listen until I become distracted.

Mark Batterson said this recently in a blog: "Spiritual hunger is the key to spiritual maturity. When you lose that spiritual hunger you stop seeking, asking, and knocking. You stop growing."

I want to be hungrier. I want to sit and listen until I hear Him. And not just until I get the first insight, but until my mind and heart are full of His thoughts and ways.
I want to knock not just until the door is opened but until I've sat down at the kitchen table and consumed an entire meal with the King.

There is no substitute to hungering and thirsting for God.

10*5*1

"The fruit of the righteous is a tree of life, and he who wins souls is wise." (Prov 11:30)

A huge part of a life that is following God is to see the fruit of people around us giving their lives to Jesus. Transformation.

Jesus said it this way: "But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes on you; and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth." (Acts 1:8)

Some of us live in guilt or discouragement because we don't see the fruit. In the words of a famous Bob Newhart skit: 'Stop it!'

Pray. Ask God to make you a 'seed thrower.' And then look for where He is working and engage!

I've just re-started a discipline that I learned from a church planter a while back. It's called 10*5*1. It's about slowing down to engage people and souls.

Every week I make a new section in my notebook (like the pic) where I put 10, 5, and 1.

The idea is that EVERY WEEK I meet 10 New People. And I write down their names - expecting to see them again and expecting God Encounters.

EVERY WEEK I seek to have 5 deeper conversations with people. Finding out more about their lives. Asking questions about their family, their work . . . And I record what I've learned. Expecting God to use it.

And EVERY WEEK I seek to invite 1 person to move closer to Jesus. Maybe that's by praying for them. By sharing Scripture with them or inviting them to look at what the Bible says about something going on in their life. Maybe I invite them to Celebration, or invite them to put their faith in Jesus. And I write it down, expecting God to work in their life.

Simple 10*5*1
And it's not just about those #'s, it's about being intentional and expecting God to work (the very fact that I make a section for it in my journal at the beginning of the week says I EXPECT it to happen).
It's about looking into people's eyes for where God is working and joining Him!

Powerful Weekend

There was some great connecting and equipping that went on this past weekend!

Kim Galloway did an incredible job with our Equipping Track class - How to Study the Bible - on Saturday. We had a great crowd and everybody left with a larger understanding of how God's Word can really impact our life. (And thanks to Maria Brandt for doing a great job filling in all the admin details!)

It was a great start to the book of Revelation on Sunday morning. If you missed it, I encourage you to click here and listen to the introduction of book and series that's gonna bring incredible blessings!

And then on Sunday Night we had an awesome Discovery Dessert with a bunch of new families who barely fit in my house! New Creekers ready to take on the journey with us!

Long Snappers

Your role matters. There are NONE of us whose contribution isn't significant to the team!

There was a great article in yesterdays Caller Times about a young man who played football at Ray several years ago. (You can check out the entire article here). Clint Gresham was a lineman who wanted to play big time college football but at 6-foot-3, 225-pounds didn't have the physical attributes. Until that is his Dad found a video-tape on long-snapping.

For non-footballers the 'long-snapper' is the guy who snaps ('hikes') the ball to the punter on punts. Gresham found his role. Now four-years later he's the long snapper for nationally ranked TCU, hasn't had a bad snap for 2 years, and has a full college scholarship for snapping! For snapping!

That's cool! Gresham said nobody recognizes him in a crowd as a TCU football player, but the shouldn't he said: “You don’t want anyone to know your name. If they do, it’s probably because you did something wrong.”

I know that some of you are probably 'long-snappers' but don't even know it! You're still standing on the sidelines when God has an incredible way for you to contribute! Culture sometimes tells us that the quarterback is the only important guy. Huh? Take away the other 10 and let's watch the quarterback!

My heart is that EVERYONE at Oso Creek find their Kingdom purpose! That includes you. Struggling with this, call me or Audie or Steve - or talk to your Life Group leader. There's a role for you -- and maybe even a scholarship :)

Diggin' In

One more shout out for our Equipping Track Bible Study Class THIS Saturday at 9am!

If you've ever wanted to understand better how to study the Bible or to go deeper -- then this is the class!

If you haven't signed up call the Oso Creek office asap (993.4463).

Kingdom Plan

"For the Kingdom of God is not just a lot of talk; it is living by God’s power." (1 Cor 4:20)

If you weren't in Celebration on Sunday, I encourage you Creekers to go to our new website and listen to Sunday's message about our plan to fulfill God's vision at Oso Creek. (Sermons are on the front page right side)

Everyone of you is part of God's Kingdom vision.

That we would all be good soil by . . . .

Having a Growing Relationship with Jesus,

Living in Authentic Community; and

Being On Mission Across the Street and Around the World

Fill Our Hearts and Words with Life!

All these verses were in Proverbs 15 as I read this morning:

"A gentle answer turns away wrath,
but a harsh word stirs up anger." (v.1)

"The tongue of the wise commends knowledge,
but the mouth of the fool gushes folly." (v.2)

"The tongue that brings healing is a tree of life,
but a deceitful tongue crushes the spirit." (v.4)

"The lips of the wise spread knowledge;
not so the hearts of fools." (v.7)

"The heart of the righteous weighs it's answers,
but the mouth of the wicked gushes evil." (v.28)


Jesus said that what comes out of our mouth is directly related to what is in our heart. Give me a pure heart God. Let me speak knowledge and life today!

New Website is Up!

Check out our new website (same old address): www.osocreek.org!

Check out the features and articles on the front page that will be constantly changing to keep you informed and encouraged. Our goal is that this site is Oso Creek Central Communications.

There is also now an Oso Creek Events Calendar, Oso Creek Facebook link on front page, easy to use links to blogs, sermons, etc on front page, and much more - check it out.

I also encourage you to look at Discovery Online (under Who We Are) as it has lots of new videos, links, & info . . .

Also, I would welcome any feedback you might have . . . Good surfing!

Way to Go Luuuuuuke!

Many of you remember Luke Dotson who was a CC A&M student and with us until last Spring. Here he is at the airport this week with his parents (Mike & Lynn) getting ready to head off to Belize where he will be on mission with YWAM!

If you want to follow Luke he's got a blog - click here to go to it.

Here's an excerpt from his first blog post from Belize yesterday:

I just thought Id share something realy encourageing God spoke to me the night before I left. Me, my parents and my sister were in the upstairs room praying and listening to God after I finished packing. Suddenly I was thinking about all the stuff I packed and I heard God tell me that all that material stuff wasnt going to be important at all. He said that He was going to be everything I need for the trip. As I was listening I realized I was pretty thirsty so I reached for my water and God said that He was more necessary than water on this trip. I heard Him tell me He was going to be my water, my living water and my food, He was going to be all that I really need to be sustained through this whole experience.


Awesome friend! Will you pray with me for Luke, that He will get filled up with Jesus. And man, I want some of that water as well. Give me a River please!

Revelation!

I'm pumped that beginning on September 20th we are going to demystify the New Testament book of Revelation!

Jesus: A Future Worth Living - that's what I'm calling this series that is going to help us understand why we have so much to live for!

Be praying about who you will invite to come with you. And then invite, invite, invite . . . Above all other things, people around us need to know about the Hope of Jesus!

A Hole in My Tooth

I lost part of a tooth yesterday. Yep, that one up there on the top right (It always helps to have a picture doesn't it :)

Doesn't hurt too much right now, just a gaping black hole where there used to be a dentin & enamel (googled that one :)

But what is really driving me crazy is that my tongue just keeps going there. Uncontrollably. I'll notice my tongue rolling over the (now) jagged edges and pull that sucker away ('Get out of there!')

But as soon as I'm not thinking about, there it goes again. I'm believing more what James said: ". . . no man can tame the tongue. It is a restless evil . . ." (James 3:8)

But kidding aside, it reminds me what happens when I allow dark gaping holes in my life. (Yes, God even gives spiritual lessons in teeth!) The writer of Proverbs said: 'Above all else guard your heart; for it is the wellspring of life!' (Prov 4:23)
Paul said 'take off the old self . . . put on the new self.' (Colossians 2)

I so kid myself, we all do, when we allow darkness that drags us down to remain in our lives! And we kid ourselves into thinking that our tongues (minds & hearts) won't go there. Huh? We will go there and roll around the rough edges. Our heart and mind will. They do. They're enticed by it, drawn to it.

Whether it's an attitude I have that stinks, or an addiction that's undealt with, a relationship that's unhealthy, or whatever --- when we allow it to remain, unchecked, it will (not maybe) draw us away from God and abundant life!

Hopefully my tooth is going to get fixed today (or tomorrow). I know that if I went very long like this, it would get ugly (and I'm not very pain tolerant).

But remember, 'You are a new creature in Christ! The old has passed away, the new has come!'

In Christ you are alive! We don't have to live with that junk! Get those teeth fixed!

Diggin' In

Do you ever feel compelled to study the Bible but aren't quite sure where to start?

Or, have you ever wanted to go a little deeper in understanding what the Bible is saying but don't know how?

On Saturday September 19th our Equipping Track kicks off the Fall season with an awesome class on Studying the Bible.

We will cover different approaches to reading the Bible, a process of how to study the Bible, different types of literature in the Bible, as well as other materials to help in your study.

To sign up call or email Susan Klaus: 361.779.2046 . . . saklaus@yahoo.com


There is limited childcare on a first come, first served basis - you MUST reserve that with Susan as well.

Running with the King

I ran this morning and it was hot.

After I went to Vietnam in May, I fell off the running wagon for the first time in a couple of years. I've been getting back in the groove in the past 3 weeks and it's hard . . . and hot.

I noticed this morning that I'm doing more watching than running - watching my watch. Right now I'm in that mode where I'm constantly just grinding it out and waiting for it to be over. I'm really not enjoying the ride. It stinks. I wanna enjoy it again.

I was thinking about how the same can be true of my spiritual life when I'm just going through the motions, waiting for it to be over. Counting how many more pages of my Bible I have left to read. Watching the clock so I can be sure I get 15 minutes of prayer in. Checking off the small group box on Wednesday night or Thursday morning. That's no fun.

That's religion. And when I'm in that place I better get out fast. It's discouraging and defeating.

Jesus wants to have a relationship with us. One that's fulfilling and exciting. One where we want to be there with Him, not where we're constantly looking at our watch.

Let me encourage you - DON'T settle for looking at your watch! Reject that! It's dead. Jesus said that He came to make us alive! If you're in that place ask Him to give you life, to help you experience Him. It's His desire as well.

Wednesday morning when I run, I'm gonna try to not glance at my watch at all. Instead I'm gonna pray that I can enjoy spending the day with the King of Kings!

BAN HO!

Some updated Vietnam news . . .

GVI has suggested a town in Vietnam for us to adopt - Ban Ho is in northern Vietnam (near Sapa to the South if you want to try to find it on a map . . . it's very hard to find - too small)

Here's a little more Ban Ho info:

Ban Ho population: Approx 2,200 - Almost all of them are Tay minority (see info about Tay people here: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tay_people) Others are: Day, Red Dao, H'Mong

22km from Sapa

Ban Ho has a secondary school with 250 students. Students ages 11-15. Grades 6-9. 35 Teachers.

We will be taking a vision trip in January (we had originally hoped to go in November but the deadlines came too quickly) where we will be looking to discover how we can engage with area of Ban Ho. If you may be interested in going please let me know asap!

We will be looking for the most strategic ways to bring relief with the hopes of eventually moving into as many domains of their community as possible (i.e. education, health care, agriculture, water, orphans, etc, etc)

One of the cool things is that it's not just the people who go to Vietnam who will be able to participate, but many of you will be able to be a part from right here!

For example, 3 or 4 teachers may go and do a conference for their teachers. And other teachers would help prepare curriculum or gather supplies or put together packets. Our children could collect supplies for the students or money to buy clothes for the students, etc, etc. Folks in their groups may help them raise money to pay for their trip. And on and on . . .

Other examples could be some business folks going to do a business conference, or many Creekers going to an orphanage to give the kids a week break, or help put up space they desperately need.

The list is endless . . .

Please pray that we will be faithful to God's Kingdom and God's calling . . .

LWI Training

The last two years during Christmas we have enthusiastically supported Living Water International through our Advent Conspiracy. They change lives in incredible ways around the world by getting water to the over 1 Billion people who have no clean water.

Living Water is going to have a Health and Hygiene Training class here in Corpus for anyone who might be interested in going on a Living Water International Mission Trip to take Water and the Word to thirsty parts of the world!

The class will be on October 2nd and 3rd from 9am to 5pm both days. The cost is $80 per person.

To sign up go to the Living Water Web site by clicking here.
Any questions should be directed to Jodi Mohney - 616.748.6073 or Jodi@water.cc

ONE TIME THIS SUNDAY!!

Remember that THIS Sunday (Sept 6th) we will have ONE Celebration at 11am!

Builders!

Praise God for our building team who constructed walls in the Children's Area last Saturday!

Audie & Amber are doing their very best to use our space as efficiently as possible and our volunteer team helped us to max it out!

Go check it out - and check out the other classrooms most of which have had a makeover in the last month!

Thanks team and thanks God for continually providing ways for Your Kingdom to Come!

Ask and Receive

Several weeks ago we did a communication survey and many of you gave us some great feedback.

One of the needs that was loud and clear was to update our website and to use it as a central point of contact. Several Creekers have put in a lot of hours the last few weeks and within a couple of weeks we will roll out a brand spankin' new Oso Creek website!

One of the really cool things about the new site is that it is maintained in a format that is going to allow us much more flexibility and be much more user friendly to update.

Therefore for the first time we will truly have a central point of Oso Creek communication that everything else will feed into. And as many of you asked for it will have an Oso Creek event calendar as well as continually updated Life Group and On Mission stories. . . .

Be watching . . . .