Top 10 Reasons . . .

Our fired up Children's Ministry Coordinator Amber Appleman wrote 'Top Ten Reasons To Go to The Easter Festival' and I reprint her great work here!

And please pass it on to friends who need to be there . . . .

Top Ten Reasons to Go to the Easter Festival!!!

10. It's Free (hotdogs, sno cones, face painting, games, egg hunts, pics with the Easter Bunny--everything)

9. Anyone and Everyone can come--bring your friends!

8. Stevie G and the rest of the praise team will be mixing it up with some live music!!!

7. Not only are there Easter egg hunts, but they're age appropriate so your sweet 2 year old who is just excited about getting a yellow egg won't be trampled by a ten year old trying to fill his basket, his pockets and his baby brother's basket with as many eggs as he can. :)

6. Pastor John, Audie, Steve, Jenny and I would look quite silly bouncing on the inflatables... I think we should leave that for the kiddos (though the obstacle course inflatable could be a fun staff challenge....hmmm...)

5. Your canned good "entry fee" will be donated to the Food Bank of Corpus Christi and will help feed the hungry in Corpus Christi.

4. If you don't come, I'll have not only a stomachache, but several cavities from eating all the candy out of 4,000 EASTER EGGS!

3. 4,000 Easter eggs are ready to be found.

2. You can get your picture taken with the Easter Bunny!!!

And the number one reason you should come to the Easter Festival: TO HAVE FUN!!!!

Come Hungry!

This Sunday is Sunday Funday!

Immediately following Celebration we're going to have a meal to share together (only $5 a person . . . which is cheaper than you can eat out!) and just some extended time to hang out together which we haven't done in a while.

We're all prayin' that you will be there!

All Hands On Board!

And we need yours!

Our Easter Festival is only 10 Days away and it's our biggest outreach of the year!

We need 150 Creekers serving hotdogs, welcoming people, helping with games, manning inflatables, handing out welcome packets, setting up and tearing down, picking up trash, helping with the Easter Egg Hunts and on and on . . .

. . . As well as just being available to connect with all the people who God is going to send!

We have a place for you . . . If you don't know what it is yet, don't wait for someone else to ask but contact Audie by calling her at 361.960.9551 or emailing her by clicking here.

My hope is that this Festival is our biggest and most impactful ever!


“You are the light of the world—like a city on a hilltop that cannot be hidden. No one lights a lamp and then puts it under a basket. Instead, a lamp is placed on a stand, where it gives light to everyone in the house. In the same way, let your good deeds shine out for all to see, so that everyone will praise your heavenly Father." Matthew 5:14-16

Signin' Up

Tomorrow is a pretty cool day for Laura and soccer . . . Culmination of 10 years or so of tenacity and love for soccer.

On Wednesday we're having her letter of commitment signing where she will sign her letter of intent to go to school and play soccer at John Brown University.

She was blessed to have about a dozen offers to play in college and after many visits and much prayer (and some anguish!), God led her to John Brown which fit her spiritual, academic and athletic desires in an awesome way.

We're excited for her! (And also a little apprehensive as John Brown is in Arkansas -- we're also currently taking any frequent flier miles you want to donate so that we can go see her play next year!)

We'd love for you to come to the signing . . . The formal invitation is below . . .

You’re Invited to Attend the

Signing of

LAURA BRADSHAW

as she accepts a scholarship to play soccer

and attend

John Brown University

Wednesday, March 24

7^th Period/3:00pm

King High School Gym

In or Out?

When times are difficult, financially or emotionally or relationally, the most common human reaction is to pull in. To circle the wagons and go into a mode of self-preservation.

That started in the Garden of Eden in Genesis 3. After their first sin (and crisis) Adam & Eve attempted to run and hide, to isolate themselves and cover up their shame.

And that response is completely the opposite of what is healthy.

I see it all the time in people who have screwed up. They've messed up a relationship or let their anger dictate a situation or blown off a responsibility. And so they go into isolation. Ignore calls from people in their Life Group, quit coming to church, just drop off the face.
And that's exactly what they DON'T need!

What they do need at that moment is: 1) Community - People around them who care about them. And 2) To Give themselves away! The most powerful antidote to our pain and/or self-pity is to focus on others. It literally draws the venom out of us and helps us to see the world in a new way.


These days are difficult 'church times' for MANY churches. Our economy the way it is, among other elements that differ in every body. And yet Jesus is still alive and in control!

The WORST thing that we could do is circle the wagons. Have the attitude of 'We're just gonna take care of us!' No, this is the time when we need to be giving ourselves away the most! Instead of looking inward, to face outward.

The Easter Festival coming a week from Saturday is a huge example of this! What a great way to witness God's power in our weakness! A great opportunity for all of us to invite and serve our community and watch God work!

And another opportunity is to have eternal impact in Vietnam. To that end on Thursday Night at 7pm at the Building we will have a Vietnam Informational Meeting. We will be sharing when the next two trips are, stories of being there, and how you can be a part of what God is doing - either here or there.
So, if you have ANY level of interest or curiosity, please come!


My hope and one of my prayers during these 40 Days is that God will give us more courage and wisdom than we've ever had before. That we will not dwell in apathy or defeat, but we will passionately seek His greatest challenges and victories ahead!

Discovering Your Divine Design!

Do you ever wonder, 'What has God made me for?'

The Bible says that we are ALL 'fearfully and wonderfully made.' (Psalm 139:14)

That you were 'created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared long ago' for you to do. (Ephesians 2:10)

But do you ever long to find that eternal purpose? I can't tell you exactly what that is, but I can help equip you to discover your mission in life.

The next two Sunday evenings - March 21 & March 28 from 6-8pm - we will offer Discovering Your Divine Design. The class is all about discovering more about how God has made you and what that means in finding your divine purpose.

You can check out more about the class by clicking here. You can sign up by calling the office (993-4463) or emailing here.

Can We Have Your Copy?

Did you see the article about the Bradshaw twins on the front page of the Caller Times Sports this morning? A cool blessing for some cool twins!

We've also played with the Kasperitis' and they're great girls.

Here's the article online: http://www.caller.com/news/2010/mar/15/double-impact/
Check it out and send em' a comment!

And if you have a copy of the paper we'd love to get it from you . . .

Now or Forever?

“Do not store up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth and rust destroy, and where thieves break in and steal. But store up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where moth and rust do not destroy, and where thieves do not break in and steal. For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also." Matt 6:19-21

On Sunday I talked about Investing for Eternity. If you weren't there I encourage you to check it out. Two options now . . . on audio or video.

As I was preparing last week and re-reading Randy Alcorn's The Treasure Principle, I came across this great story from time he spent in Egypt that summarizes the heart of the passage above.

In Cairo he was taken to the tomb of a man named William Borden. It read 'William Borden 1887-1913.'
Borden was a Yale graduate and heir to great wealth, but rejected a life of ease because of a burden to take the gospel to the Muslims. He gave away hundreds of thousands of dollars to missions and then after only 4-months of zealous ministry in Egypt himself he contract spinal meningitis and died at 25.
His tombstone also told of his great sacrifices for the Kingdom of God and great love for the Muslim people. It then ended like this: "Apart from faith in Christ, there is no explanation for such a life."

Right after visiting Borden's grave they went to the Egyptian National Museum where they visited the King Tut exhibit. It was amazing. The boy king who was only 17 when he died was buried with solid gold chariots and tons of gold. His gold coffin was found withing gold tombs within gold tombs within gold tombs.
The Egyptians believed in an afterlife where they could take their wealth with them. But all the treasures intended for Tut's after life stayed right where they were buried.


What a contrast, two young men taken at an early age. Tut's life tragic. He lived in opulence but now without Christ. He discovered a truth too late, he couldn't take his treasures with him.

On the other hand Borden lived, and died, modestly in the back alleys for the glory of the King. And he was triumphant with his investments because even though he couldn't take them with them, he sent them ahead.

How are you managing your investments? For Now . . . or Forever?

Spring Forward!

The much loved Daylight Savings Time Spring Forward Sunday is this Sunday! (For sure my favorite Sunday of the year.)

Don't forget to set your clocks ahead one hour on Saturday or you'll miss an incredible morning of Celebration at Oso Creek!!

Remember the Rangers

Someone just made me aware of this website: www.remembertherangers.com
which is a tribute to Creeker Joe Houston and Bret Miller who gave their lives to defend our country last October.

There is a place to donate funds to a memorial for Joe's son Asher.

There is also a golf tournament in April to benefit the children of both pilots. You can check it out here:
http://www.remembertherangers.com/Memorial-Golf-Tournament.html

Gold for Husbands . . .

Hey husbands here's a little free advice on a site that you need to check out . . . www.GivingHusband.com . . .

Your wife will love you . . .

Here's the scoop: http://www.GivingHusband.com is a free service dedicated to providing the tools husbands need to make their wives feel special. Through the http://www.GivingHusband.com Giving Guide we are able to help husbands pick out gifts, and plan special evenings for their wives so they might feel loved and appreciated.
Here’s how it works:

1. Husband creates a login name and password which includes his wife’s email

2. Wife receives auto email which asks her to finish the profile her husband started

3. Wife finishes profile and an email is sent to the husband so that he can immediately begin buying her gifts, and planning special evenings

http://www.GivingHusband.com is like a registry which stores important information needed to buy a surprise gift for your wife. We make sure a husband doesn’t have to blow his cover to buy his wife a surprise by asking her what her ring size is, or if she prefers blue to orange.

Oso Creek Sermons on Video

Thanks to a Flip video camera and Greg Richmond's tenacity, the Oso Creek sermons are now up via video on the website!

It's a low-tech solution but it seems to be working great . . . You can check the last two weeks out by clicking here . . . And spread the word!

I Want To Be Famous . . . ??? . . .

A thought I've had for a few days after reading another blog post. . . .

There's a lot of folks who strive and strain after fame on this planet . . . and if I'm honest there's times when I would like to bask in that 15-seconds of stardom.

But as I think about it, where I really want to be famous is in the lives of my family. I want to be famous to my wife because I cherish her and love her from beginning to end. Because I nurture her faith in Jesus.

And I want to be famous in my children's lives. (I'm already treading on shaky ground here because I haven't always lived famously in front of them.) But man, do I want them to know how much I love them and be the model of what it looks like to follow Jesus and live a life of integrity and passion.

I can think of no greater earthly fame than 3 generations from now for my great-grandchild to point to a picture of me and Cindy on the wall and tell his friend: 'Those are the ones who taught us to love God. My Dad says that they were the best grandparents ever!'


Where I need help from God is pursuing that fame with the same kind of intensity that so many people pursue worldly fame. Help me God.

Where do you want to be famous?

What Creekers Are Saying . . .

Check out the video on the front page of the Oso Creek website by clicking here and see what some Creekers are saying about how God is working in them through this 40 Day Holy Uprising . . .

How about you . . .

What are you letting go of that has held you back in living for the Kingdom of God?
How are you allowing God to have new territory in your life?

Balance?

I thought that the post below by Bob Roberts was right on the nose. He has some awesome encouragement at the end for practically how we live this out . . . And I so agree with his main point that living in the Kingdom is NOT about balance!

We always talked about living a 'balanced life' but living for God is really about being off balance! It's about depending on God to such a degree that we are out of control! It's about being filled with the Holy Spirit in such a way that we live not normally but ABNORMALLY! I would go so far as to say that if you are living a normal, balanced life then you are probably NOT living for the Kingdom!

So read on and be challenged . . .

The Myth of Balance

from glocalnet by Bob Roberts Jr.

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Moses did what he did because he was balanced and he balanced everything before taking a single step. True or False

Paul was the most balanced man in the New Testament since he was such an incredible theologian. True or False

Hosea was the most balanced prophet in the Old Testament that’s why he married a prostitute. True or False

The reason God made the covenant with Abraham at 75 and then gave him a son at 100 is everything had to be balanced first. True or false

Effectiveness in the Kingdom of God does not come from balance but from obedience. And in each of the above narratives there was a sense of extreme behavior that did not match the moment in human terms.

The greatest stories of the Bible were about people living on the edge of something that humanly was so impossible people often wouldn’t take them seriously.

Some of the men used by God were impulsive, had tempers, even failed morally, but there was a sense of their ability to read moments and hear God’s voice and they would act and incredible things would happen for them and those to follow them.

I’m not saying we should ignore things. You should be a great Dad and Mom and spouse and worker and all of that . . . . You live your life in such a way that you are always growing . . . . But you don’t limit your life by your “strategic plan”. I do one every year, but I’m ready for whatever God wants to do. I start each day in prayer and Bible reflection. When I finish, I generally pray something like, “Father, help me recognize people, circumstances and events that you put in my way to accomplish your will today. Your life is more than a plan; it’s an adventure, a journey, a response to God at work all around you.

Soooooo, how do you recognize God in your daily life when he comes crashing in from a distraction?

1. Start your day in prayer and worship with God. I open my heart, mind, hands, feet - whatever to glorify God in all that I do. I pray over the things I have to do in the day and commit them to God. I look at what’s going on and ask what will give the greatest impact for the kingdom.

2. I ask God to give me eyes and ears to see and hear him and even ask him for God invading distractions.

3. When a distraction comes in my mind, I pray something like this, “Holy Spirit confirm or deny in my heart if this is from you.” I then will get a sense of that pretty quickly.

4. Will this take a few moments, a few hours, a year or years?

5. Who will this impact and how?

6. I look for confirmation outside of me - be it a verse, a word someone gives me, or some event that speaks clarity. Don’t laugh, but during one such distraction I was praying hard about what I should do as I was working out at the gym, and as the TV was going - God made it clear in a commercial I was watching!

7. Is this God’s agenda, or is this someone else’s agenda for me? This was hard to learn and still is sometimes because people want you for their stuff. It has to be God’s stuff.

8. I usually get a sense of peace while I’m walking through the process - if I don’t have peace - I know it isn’t right. When I start walking through something, if I sense its God but don’t have peace I will pray and exorcise spiritual warfare - if I still don’t have peace - I don’t do it.

9. I don’t expect everyone to be excited about it. As a matter of fact, the most powerful things God will say to you - especially about leadership - you may have very little support on - at first. Leadership is hearing God, moving in his direction, regardless of the consequences - yet being wise as you move your feet.

10. Finally, I ask how God would be glorified in this. I don’t have to answer that question completely - because it may take time to see that - but can I see it somewhat?

Don’t be afraid to live on the edge. However, without the ropes of prayer, the Word of God, the Holy Spirit in your life, spiritual warfare, and even a wise counselor you will never be able to recognize those divine interruptions and imbalances that could forever define your life, your story, and your ministry.

Let's Do This . . .

Ok guys (and gals) you need some practice for Spring Cleaning. So we've thought long and hard on how to meet this need and here's the deal . . .

This Saturday from 8am to Noon we're gonna have a Spring Cleaning morning at Oso Creek. And we NEED YOU!

If you can come for 30 minutes or 4 hours we need everyone to pour in just a little to make a big difference so that we can impact our community in greater and greater ways.

Please call Stevie G. (210-639-1790) or email him by clicking here and let him know that you'll be there!

Where Did I Go?

No, I haven't forgotten how to blog . . . But with preparing the 40 Day Holy Uprising devotionals AND my 9pm-9am technology fast, my blogging time has been cut rather short . . .


I want to challenge you - if you haven't been participating in the 40 Days with us . . . Start now! Check out the story here . . . the Daily Devotionals here . . . Come and pray with us at the building on Mon-Wed-Fri mornings anytime between 6:30-8am . . . Tu/Thur from Noon-12:30 or Sat evening from 7 to 8:30pm.

Don't miss this opportunity to draw nearer to the King!