We went on vacation last week. We headed down to South Padre Island for a few days and then hung out at the RiverWalk in San Antonio. It was nice. And, I did not do much of anything. Just walked the beach with my wife everyday thanking God that she went from serious back surgery 3 months ago to walking about 4 miles on the sand. And we ate seafood and mexican food and drank lots of iced tea and read books and talked and laughed and enjoyed family time. I also thanked God because when we talked, our conversations many times were about life with our friends, our families at Live Oak. God has blessed us. You have blessed us.

Your pastor.

What a great Sunday morning. Our time singing lifted me out of a busy week and into God’s presence. Then, it was fascinating and inspiring to hear the Schroeder’s share how God was using their gifts and talents to translate the Bible into unwritten languages. Then the “Growing the Roots” presentation was a marker, showing how far God has brought Live Oak in reaching out to our communities. I left encouraged and humbled and inspired and longing to share “Doing Life Together” with God and each other with my neighbors. Thank you for allowing me to be your pastor.

If you would like to keep up on the Schroeder’s, send me an email and I’ll forward it on to get you added to their mailing list. (brad.kenney@liveoakchurchfm.com).

“U-Turns”

Yep, just like I mentioned in the sermon Sunday, we have grown to the point we can stop renting and buy. When we felt God leading us to lease our building at Surrey Ranch, we hoped it would help us be more effective in reaching out with God’s Love while helping our families grow in the faith. We knew we would spend some of the money gained in the sale of the old property. We felt like it was an investment in the future. Well, God has truly blessed. Our children learn in a great set up designed just for them, our students have bonded together in God’s love and are reaching out in their schools, and the setting and sound for worship is wonderful. Families have joined and new families are checking out what God is up to at Live Oak. We had hoped to grow to the point of buying someday and that day has arrived. If we buy the building, our monthly payment would be significantly lower that our monthly lease and taxes. Plus, we would be investing in the property for the next stage down the trail.

Please join myself and the elders in praying about how we can work together to make the purchase. I know it’s summer and it’s the time to take vacation, visit family and camp at the lake. Perfect, nothing better than a change of scenery to take time to look around and see God at work. It would help tremendously if families would continue to give their regular gifts and tithes during the summer. Plus, we will need to raise some additional money to put a substantial downpayment into the building purchase.

God has blessed, children are growing up with a clear understanding of God’s love and wisdom, students are committed to Jesus, families are discovering the Good News of Jesus. Wow! This is a great time in the life of Live Oak.

Your pastor,

brad

Thank you for all your prayers and calls and encouragements and meals! Wow, we have been blessed and overwhelmed with love. Teresa is healing a little bit each day and starting to sleep more each night.

Your brother and sister,

brad & Teresa

Did you try fasting this week? Strange practice, fasting. My wife has an injured back and it has been giving her a lot of pain for about a month now. I’ve been praying. I’ve fasted too. I hurt for her. I’m praying for healing and her pain to stop and our doctors to have wisdom and our finances to handle it and to be honest . . . I’m worried. And I’ve decided that worry is a really strange practice. It’s natural of course, right? Nothing embarrassing about it, right? After all, I’m worried about my wife, my best friend. So why do I feel that I’m my worry is a weakness? Now it gets bizarre, it’s because Jesus said we didn’t need to worry. I feel like I’m letting God down, letting ya’ll down. I know God’s got it. My wife’s life and health and healing and the doctors and the money and the paperwork and whatever, God has got it taken care of. So, since I’ve got something out of sync, I re-read the book, the manual, the word, the wisdom and looked again at Scriptures related to worry. You know what? Jesus didn’t slam anybody for caring enough about someone to worry, he just made it real clear that God has the situation taken care of. In fact, it looks like times of worry come and go. When they do, just keep our focus on God. So, I will continue to pray and care and fill out paperwork and be grateful for a job with insurance and thank God for handling our problems. I’m also praising God for giving my wife a strength of character to go through this time of difficulty with a gentle grace. God is truly wonderful isn’t he!

Your pastor,

Prayer. Few feel like their prayer life is sufficient. Put me in the larger group. The problem may be we know the word prayer, we just don’t know the fullness of the meaning. It’s like love. You can define love in a research paper, you can study love in a laboratory; but, you don’t begin to know love until you live it.

Prayer. I could call it solitude with God, time when it’s just me and God. I talk a bit, I’ve learned to listen more, I’m learning to forget all that stuff I’m “supposed” to do and just be with God.

Prayer. I could call it time with God and family. A group of believers joining together with God sitting right there in the group. I think we still talk too much, . . . but, maybe that’s just our way of reminding each other we share in their lives and encouraging each other to trust God. Have you discovered the joy of praying with your Live Oak small group family? That’s your mini-church, small enough to know how each person is doing in life while you do life together. When you have trouble, worry, sickness, crisis, great news, or joy, trust the brothers and sisters in your group and let them share with you in prayer.

While I’m thinking of it, our Live Oak elders meet and pray just about every Sunday morning at 8:00. We would be honored to serve you by lifting you and your family to God in prayer.

Prayer. I seem to do best when I just live with God. An on-line spiritual interaction that touches every moment of my day. Though, to be honest, it’s not always pretty. If I’m angry or even worse, I tell God. If I’m petty, I share that too. More and more, more and more of me is released to God. Oddly enough, I’m realizing it’s making it difficult at times to share with other’s in prayer. Even those closest to me. I still don’t like parts of me, I sure don’t like opening up those parts. I’m not sure how to work it out. But, I trust God will show me. If you have a moment, perhaps you would pray for your pastor about that, I’d appreciate it.

Prayer. It’s overwhelming to think about our Awesome Creator God loving to spend time with me and you.

Great job to everyone on the parade yesterday! Your smiles and warm greetings let lots of folks see God’s love lived by the families of Live Oak. Well done to the puppeteers and those who built the trailer/stage, the candycane handouts, the mailer, and getting everything together. A special thanks to Shannon for signing us up and getting us organized, Teresa and Steve for coaching the puppet team, Puppeteers and substitutes for an hour of fun, Steve and Michael for the stage, Dan for the handout/mailer, and everyone. Children would see the puppets and their smiles would cover their faces. I heard a lot of wow, awesome, Hi puppets, and just big belly laughs. It was a great time and the judges choose the Live Oak entry as the grand prize winner. Pretty cool, eh!

brad

Difficult news from Fort Hood yesterday. Please join me in praying for the families of those killed and injured, healing to the injured and God’s presence in a real tangible way. Also, pray for Hasan.

Sunday we will talk and teach on dealing with the “horrible” part of life. God is here, God cares, God has answers.

Your brother,

brad

Well, I made it to Ohio to help out after mom’s surgery. She’s doing well and appreciates the prayers.
I’m wondering about something though . . . I’ve only flown twice since 9/11. On this my second trip, I wound up being booked on a broken plane. So, I got re-routed. Everything went well, I made it to Dayton at midnight, so that was fine. It’s just the extra time spent at DFW and Charlotte. It’s like life ends, a quasi-existence, surreal. I didn’t know anyone, couldn’t find a comfy chair and couldn’t stay focused on my book. I have a new appreciation for all you road-warriors. You have been in purgatory and paid.

brad