Live Oak Church July 2019 Newsletter

COVER PAGE

FEATURES

A LETTER FROM DR. MARK...............................................3 TRUST AND OBEY.............................................................4

Trent Barnett talks about the act of surrendering to God’s will even if His will takes you beyond your comfort zone.

OFFICE

Monday-Thursday 8:00 - 6:00 Friday 8:00 - 2:00

BEND DON’T BREAK.........................................................6

FOOD PANTRY Monday 11:00 - 1:00 Wednesday 8:00 - 11:00

GRACE AND MERCY..........................................................8

THRIFT SHOP Monday 11:00 - 2:00 Wednesday 8:00 - 11:00 Friday 11:00 - 2:00

David Orges describes the importance of bending to God’s word rather than bending His word to our situation.

Chris Lacara explains the concept of grace and mercy and how this gift is given out of the love God has for us.

FREEDOM IN CHRIST.........................................................9

Cameron McKenzie writes about the freedom we are given in Christ and the benefit of utalizing that freedom.

GOD’S PLAN AND PURPOSE..........................................10

Faith Storck writes about her personal trials in life in an effort to show that God has a plan for our experiences.

SPEAK UP.........................................................................12

Kyle Salpietra tells us how we can use our own experiences to bring light to Jesus.

THE CELEBRATION CONTINUES....................................14 Carl Doescher writes about the celebration when one comes to Christ and how this celebration should be never ending.

EVERYBODY NEEDS A SIDE BY SIDE..............................16

CELEBRATING OUR NEW MEMBERS! Jake Cedotal Kim Cedotal Mike Cedotal Tori Cedotal Killie Collier Alaina Griffin Theresa Griffin

Trish Graves tells of how a simple one on one car ride can have major impacts.

GOD’S MONEY & YOU

BY JIM OTKEN

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t’s July, and the year (and summer) are half over. I am continually fascinated how God continues to work in our lives. Just the other day, I read a statement from Reverend Billy Graham that essentially said fear and trust cannot exist in the same space because if one is present, it will crowd out the other. This is particularly true when it comes to the very powerful worldly force of money / materialism.

God’s Word says over and over to trust Him. Deuteronomy 26:2-4 discusses bringing the first fruits of the

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LIVEOAKCHURCH | www.loumc.org | July 2019

FROM THE PASTOR’S DESK

FROM THE PASTOR’S DESK

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e are looking forward to several things in July. The first is our VBS lectures for adults, entitled “As it was in the Days of Noah.” We hope you will join us for this lecture as we look at a variety of subjects that many are asking about. Some of those subjects are Bible prophecy, angels and demons, the Nephilim, spiritual warfare and hyperspaces (just to name a few).

These lectures are designed to cover unique areas of the Bible, give information that is often overlooked, and broaden the depth and scope of our understanding of God’s Word.

The second thing we are looking forward to is our Nation’s birthday (July 4th). This is a very wonderful time to thank God and celebrate the privilege of living in the greatest nation in the world. We have so much to be thankful for and so many opportunities because God has blessed our nation.

The third thing is some of the camps and workshops planned in July. Live Oak has something for everyone and the summertime is such a special season to enjoy the unique ministries offered each summer.

We also hope you will join us on Sunday as we begin a new series entitled “Who’s in Charge (of you).” We will be looking at the struggle of the sin within, the advice we give ourselves that often doesn’t go well and the impulses that cause some of the great regrets of life. We will also study how a Spirit-directed life brings blessing and freedom.

So come join us this Sunday.

You will be glad you did.

God bless, Dr. Mark Crosby

land to the altar of God. So before taking anything for ourselves, we are to give a portion to God. Talk about obedience and trust and love for God. Yet even though this is a very simple concept, it is conflicted by our fear. Seems like the first thought of fear that enters my mind, and perhaps yours too, is “what if there is not enough left over for me?” Somehow we seem to forget that God says “fear not” time after time in Scripture.

So the battle is there. God’s instruction is that we trust Him, and His declaration is that we fear not.

For many, fear wins out. But the Lord wants none to perish but all to come to repentance (2 Peter 3:9), which is why it is critical that you and I continue to preach, teach, love, serve, and give. Trust Him and fear not. Be encouraged, trust God in all areas of your life, and ask Him for guidance in your support of Live Oak.

July 2019 | www.loumc.org | LIVEOAKCHURCH

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TRUST AND OBEY

TRUST AND OBEY

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BY TRENT BARNETT

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he last verse of the classic hymn “Trust and Obey” ends with the line: “what He says we will do, where He sends we will go, never fear, only trust and obey.”

What an amazing reminder of what our hearts posture should always be. For some, you’re there - following, trusting, obeying, wherever

the boat. We often focus on what happens later, when Peter shifts his attention and begins to sink, but for now, let’s stick to what happens first. When the disciples saw Jesus walking on the water, Scripture says they were “terrified,” and “cried out in fear” (v. 26). Then when Jesus calls Peter to come out of the boat, Scripture simply says “Peter got out of the boat…” (v. 29) - no fear, no hesitation, just obedience. You see, OBEDIENCE TO CHRIST IS ITSELF AND ACT OF WORSHIP. Worship is ascribing worth to someone, and people don’t typically obey someone they see as having no value or worth. You recognize their value and respond based on that. Peter knew the value of Jesus, and responded accordingly - he got out of the boat, while the other disciples stayed.

He trusted and acted in obedience when others were still sitting in the boat, fearful of what was taking place. He worshiped Jesus through his obedience.

If you asked these disciples, they would have all said of course they trusted Jesus. Yet, they didn’t act on that trust, at least not in this passage.

When God calls you to step out of the They remained in the boat as pasboat...that step can only be taken in sive observers. But when it comes to a genuine posture of worship, surrender and obedience.” there is no such thing as a passive observer. You can go through the and whatever that looks like. But for motions, you can even fake an apmany of us, we know that’s what our pearance of “worship,” BUT WHEN lives should look like, but we strugGOD CALLS YOU TO STEP OUT OF gle to truly trust, to obey, and to folTHE BOAT, TO GO BEYOND YOUR low wherever He leads.

COMFORT ZONE, TO SURRENDER TO HIS WILL OVER YOUR OWN, In Matthew 14, Jesus appears to THAT STEP CAN ONLY BE TAKEN the disciples and calls Peter out of IN SURRENDER AND OBEDIENCE.

LIVEOAKCHURCH | www.loumc.org | July 2019

TRUST AND OBEY Jesus said in John 14:15, “If you love Me, you will obey My commands.” That’s what it all boils down to. For some of us, we say we love Jesus and follow Him, but when it comes to surrender, we try to keep a hold on our own desires, especially when those are at odds with His. But as Rick Warren has said, “partial obedience is disobedience.” Or, sometimes we commit to following Jesus, but first we want to tend to our own interests. Perry Noble has said, “Delayed obedience is disobedience.”

Both of these quotes get to the fact that partial obedience, or a half-hearted commitment, isn’t really obedience or a commitment at all. We don’t want our spouse to be partially committed to us, right?

How much more does Christ want a full commitment from us - an active, growing relationship with our Savior?

Jeff Henderson has said, “You’re either growing in your relationship with Christ or you’re drifting.

There is no middle ground.” Peter’s step out of the boat was an amazing example of obedience to Christ. But then what happened? He stopped growing and started drifting, or sinking actually. When we stop obeying, we stop worshiping, and we start drifting - we start looking less and less like Christ.

See, our relationship with Christ is a relationship in process. Our lives should be growing closer to Christ each day as we simply trust and obey. Let this be our daily prayer: “Lord, help us set aside fear and distraction. Lead us to step out of our boats in acts of worship.”

July 2019 | www.loumc.org | LIVEOAKCHURCH

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BEND DON’T BREAK

BEND DON’T BREAK

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ecently I was driving to Eunice, Louisiana to visit our students while they were at summer camp. The week before I took highway 190, and so simply for variety sake I took I-10 for this particular trip. The Mississippi River has hit new record heights, and and I was curious to see how high the water was

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the world, at its most powerful stage.

The other thing that I couldn’t ignore was how effective the levees are at containing, and ultimately controlling the waters of the river.

I stopped at the Atchafalaya Welcome Center to stretch my legs and grab a bag of sunflower seeds. I noticed a worker tending the garden there, and stoped to observe how he meticulously, and tenderly guided and wrapped the vines around the trellis he was working with. He unwound some and had to bend others as he wrapped them around the framework. Redirecting. Reshaping. Restructuring. The tender of the garden shaping the branches of the vine around the structure of the trellis, creating something beautiful. But it wasn’t the other way around. The branches of the vine didn’t dictate the position of the trellis, or ignore the tending of the gardener.

It reminded me of a quote that I had read only days before from Elisabeth Elliot, “We must quit bending the Word to suit our situation. It is we who must be bent to that Word.”

The Bible tells us that Jesus is the We must quit bending the Word to suit our situ-true vine, Christians are the branches, and God himself is the gardener. ation. It is we who must be bent to that Word.”The thought of God bending us to conform to his will can seem… well and how close it was to topping the lepainful, and maybe a little restricting. vees. It was definitely a sight to be seen.

But when I watched that gardener If you know much about a river in flood at the welcome center treat the vine stage, you know how incredibly powerwith such care and tenderness, it ful (and perilous) it can be. Looking at didn’t seem so harsh anymore. And, the Mississippi as I crossed the bridge when I realize that it’s the rigid strucI realized that I was 175-ish feet directly ture of the trellis that causes the vine above one of the most powerful rivers in to grow into something beautiful, it

LIVEOAKCHURCH | www.loumc.org | July 2019

BEND DON’T BREAK actually makes it desirable.

It’s pretty simple really. It makes sense. But it gets difficult when you have to apply it to your own life. We want to ignore select verses, dismiss parts as irrelevant, say it’s no longer applicable, or just interpret it in light of a new cultural context. In other words: Bending the Word to suit our situation. Making the Bible fit how we want to live is like letting a vine grow without any structure. Life gets tangled, messy, unhealthy, and loses its potential to reach the heights for which it is destined.

Our first life-giving step is to allow God to bend us, our will, to align with and be supported by his Word.

If you’re a parent, you understand the need for the constant bending of the will. You probably do it daily.

What to eat. What to watch/listen to. Who to spend time with. Activities to participate in. When to take care of chores and responsibilities. You probably make more decisions about your kids lives in a single afternoon, than you do about your own life over the course of an entire month. Your purpose as a parent, beyond providing for basic survival, is to guide your children in a way that is healthy, safe, and wise. Call it what you’d like, parenting, guidance, coaching, or bending of the will, but it’s a part of the basic responsibility you as a parent hold.

BY DAVID ORGES

The real question, though, is what are you bending your kid’s will to? Because if it’s your preferences, societal norms, or anything else subjective, it’s like letting a vine grow without the structure of trellis. Their lives will be messy, tangled, and unhealthy. Bending the will of your kids, to the Word of God will enable them to grow to their fullest potential. I want you to stop one thing and start one thing today that will help you be a better parent (and person if you apply this to yourself): • Stop feeling like bending the will of your kids to the Word of God makes you mean and overbearing.

• Start seeing the long term picture of their future growth, and be gentle and tender in your approach.

Paul tells us in Ephesians 6, “Do not provoke your children to anger by the way you treat them. Rather, bring them up with the discipline and instruction that comes from the Lord.” NLT

July 2019 | www.loumc.org | LIVEOAKCHURCH

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GRACE AND MERCY

GRACE AND MERCY

BY CHRIS LACARA

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his past month, I had the opportunity to speak to our high school students on the topic of Mercy.

Wow! Well, isn’t that just one of the easiest topics to explain to high school students?! How does someone begin to explain mercy to an adult let alone to high school students? I really had to sit down and read explanations and instances over and over again trying to understand the fullness of God’s mercy.

Oh but wait, there’s more! I also had to differentiate between mercy and grace. That is where I just had to step back and pray for understanding. You see, we hear so many times about God’s mercy and grace, but what do those actually mean and how are they different?

The way to understand grace and mercy best would be to explain them. If grace is like “getting a gift we don’t deserve,” then mercy is “not getting what we do deserve.”

Another way to explain would be to say that by taking our punishment for sin, Jesus displayed mercy. Jesus died on the cross even though we deserved to be in his place (that’s’ mercy). Instead, we get the gift of eternal life if we turn from our sins and put our faith and trust in Jesus (that’s grace). If you are in the same predicament as I was, trying to understand the difference, go ahead and reread the previous examples as many times as you need to gain further clarity.

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How often are we kissing the feet of Jesus without ceasing?”

The scripture we focused on was Luke 7:36-50. Reading Luke, we see how a prostitute, who at that time would have been stoned for her sins or at the very least have been an outcast, goes to Jesus and cries at his feet. She goes into the house of a Pharisee and was also in the presence of men, alone. Each of these were high offenses at the time. The woman wipes perfume and her tears on his feet using her hair. It says, the woman did not cease to kiss his feet. Instead of condemning her, Jesus tells her that her faith saved her and to go in peace.

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Everyday we find ourselves amidst grace and mercy from Jesus. We don’t think about these things as often as we should, but that’s the beauty of mercy.

We have been given the opportunity to learn from Christ’s example and teaching to show others the same mercy shown to us each and every day. How often are we kissing the feet of Jesus without ceasing? There are many times, I don’t deserve mercy, but I know that Jesus has shown me mercy and it is my responsibility to show mercy to others.

Don’t look at being merciful as a task or a burden, but instead see that mercy is the love that Christ showed each of us.

LIVEOAKCHURCH | www.loumc.org | July 2019

FREEDOM IN CHRIST

FREEDOM IN CHRIST

BY CAMERON MCKENZIE

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alatians 5:1 “It is for freedom that Christ has set us free. Stand firm, then, and do not let yourselves be burdened again by a yoke of slavery.” It’s an interesting concept to think about, but this world we live in, this body we are born in, desires sin. We live our lives wearing the “yoke of slavery”, to put it in other terms, we live our lives in bondage to our sins.

We think there is no way out of it. We grow up in the cage and get comfortable there, never thinking that there is something wrong with living our life in the cage, never thinking that life is better outside.

That’s the world we live in though. Until one day we learn the good news. We learn that Christ lived a perfect life on earth as a human, and then showed his love in the most amazing way.

He died on the cross for our sins and gave us a way to have eternal life in heaven with him. To put it another way, when Christ died for us, he broke our chains of slavery, he broke open the cage door and set us free. In Acts 13:39 it is written “Through him everyone who believes is set free from every sin, a justification you were not able to obtain under the law of Moses.” This is what Christ did on the cross, and through him we have freedom from our bondage and freedom from our sins.

So, why do we so often choose to stay in that cage after we have been set free? I see it year

after year with students and adults alike. We learn the good news and praise God for what he has done in our lives, we thank him for setting us free and giving us new life in him. And then we never take the first step, we never walk out of the cage and into the life God has planned for us. Imagine what would have happened if the Israelites would have made the decision that so many of us make today. According to Exodus 12:40 they were enslaved in Egypt for 430 years.

For generations they thought this was their way of life, there was no way out, and nothing they did would change their circumstances. Then they heard the good news, the good news that God had sent somebody to break their chains and get them out of Egypt.

When the moment came, and the Israelites were to be set free from Egypt, I’m sure they were scared, I’m sure they were worried about what was outside of Egypt. Even through all this fear and unknown, Exodus tells us they crossed the Red Sea on dry ground and began their journey to the promised land. They stepped out of their cage, but what if they hadn’t? What if they decided that they were happy God had broken their chains but they were probably better off in Egypt because it was comfortable.

We would look at that story and think those people were crazy, those people must have lost their minds. However, we often times make that very decision. Search deep, it probably won’t take that much effort to know if you are still in your cage or not. So if you are, then I ask the same thing that Paul does in Galatians, “Do not let yourselves be burdened by a yoke of slavery.”

Do not accept the cage any longer, do not sit in your sin praising our Lord for saving us from it.

Get up, take your first step out of the cage and into your new life with Christ and see the things he has in store for you.

July 2019 | www.loumc.org | LIVEOAKCHURCH

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GOD’S PLAN & PURPOSE

GOD’S PLAN AND PURPOSE IN LIFE’S EXPERIENCES

BY FAITH STORCK Within this article Faith tells her story of the trials she faced and while difficult to go through, she is now able to utilize her hardships and pour into the lives of others.

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hris and I were married a year after we graduated from Pensacola Christian College. Chris was working in the IT department at the college and I was a graduate assistant. Other than being poor newlyweds, life was grand. Then one day my sister called to share she was pregnant. I was happy for her, but devastated for me. I had just suffered my first miscarriage a few months prior. I had told no one what had happened to me. Why is that?

Because I never really heard anyone else talk about it, so I suffered in silence. I finally told my family, but I didn’t want to talk about my miscarriage. Let’s talk about my sisters pregnancy, but please don’t bring any focus as to what I was going through.

Fast forward nine months later, and I found out I was pregnant. I was so excited, but so scared about having another miscarriage.

Thankfully I didn’t, but this pregnancy wasn’t without complications. Chris and I were told we had to go and see a specialist. During the examination, we were told Lauren had the markers of having down syndrome, as well as kidney problems.

Fourteen years later, as I write this I am crying remembering the emotions I was going though. I remember lying in bed during the middle of the night sobbing while Chris slept next to me. I remember thinking we had finally decided on the perfect name but I wasn’t having a perfect child. I realize how cruel that sounds, but no one expects to hear their child will have problems. I had the

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My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.”

rest of the pregnancy to deal with the reality of what we were possibly facing. I knew that God would give Chris and I the strength we needed to face whatever problems we were facing with Lauren when she was born. I remember how everyone talks about bonding with their child the moment they lay their eyes on them. That’s not exactly how it was for me. I felt nothing. I didn’t allow myself to bond with her until I knew what Chris and I were dealing with when it came to Lauren. After the doctor examined her, we were told she did not have down syndrome, however we still had the kidney problems to figure out.

Lauren wasn’t exactly the easiest baby. She never stopped crying! If I got fifteen minutes of uninterrupted sleep, I felt like a new woman. I was cured of wanting to have another child for quite a while. Fast forward a few years, and I forgot the very loud first nine months of her life. We decided that Lauren shouldn’t be an only child. It was easy to get pregnant last time so it should be easy a second time.

Wrong! Over the next few years we tried without results, and when it finally happened, I had another miscarriage. We tried for two years the last time I had a miscarriage. I was devastated. Even worse for me is that my sister was pregnant again with her third

LIVEOAKCHURCH | www.loumc.org | July 2019

GOD’S PLAN & PURPOSE child. Why would God allow me to try to have a child for so long, only to end up losing the baby? After testing, it was determined I would need medical help to ensure I didn’t have another miscarriage should I get pregnant again. My heart and mental health couldn’t go through it again because I couldn’t be guaranteed it wouldn’t end in another miscarriage. Five miscarriages were enough for me.

It has taken me many years to get over those five miscarriages, but what I’ve learned throughout the years is that God had a purpose for each and every miscarriage I had. Was it easy and could I understand why God would allow me to go through that? It most certainly wasn’t, but the lessons I’ve learned throughout those trials were worth every tear that was shed.

Second Corinthians 12:9-10 shows me exactly that each and every trial has been worth the pain. “But he said to me, “My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.” Therefore I will boast all the more gladly about my weaknesses, so that Christ’s power may rest on me. That is why, for Christ’s sake, I delight in weaknesses, in insults, in hardships, in persecutions, in difficulties. For when I am weak, then I am strong.”

You see, those miscarriages have allowed me the opportunity to know how to talk to those that are also going through it. No one knows what to say to someone that has a miscarriage so they say nothing when that is the worst thing possible for that couple. The fertility problems have allowed me to talk to those that are having those same problems I did to have testing The bumps and turns that you’ve encountered done and to allow them to talk to along the road of life has given you the ability me. The heart wrenching medical to pour into the lives of others.” diagnosis of a child has given me the ability to know how to minister to those anxious and scared parents. For those moms and dads that are so very tired from lack of sleep because nothing will soothe their child, it has allowed me to tell them it will get better. You will get sleep some day. It has also allowed me to be there emotionally for those moms that have babies that are needing surgery. To lend a shoulder to cry on or an ear for them to talk to.

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Each and every person here at Live Oak has experienced something in their life that has the ability to make a great impact on another individual. The events that take place in your life won’t always be smooth sailing. The bumps and turns that you’ve encountered along the road of life has given you the ability to pour into the lives of others. We may not understand the pain and suffering that we are going through as it is happening, but when we look back, we can see that God had a plan and purpose for each event that took place. Those situations have given us the opportunity to show that in our weakness, He is strong. They have molded us and made us into who we are today and that has given us the ability to share with others what God has done through us in those events. Never feel like you don’t have anything to share with those around you.

Your life experience is waiting to be shared to boast about the power of Christ.

July 2019 | www.loumc.org | LIVEOAKCHURCH

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SPEAK UP

SPEAK UP

BY KYLE SALPIETRA

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People will try and disprove Scripture, but they cannot disprove your experiences!”

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ast month, I had the opportunity to travel with our Jr. High students to Camp Fuego. Camp Fuego is near to my heart.

This year is the first time in seven years that I’m not volunteering as a staffer. A few months ago, one of my friends from Fuego reached out to me and asked if I would be interested in teaching a seminar. Of course, I jumped at the opportunity. After praying and seeking the Lord, he laid the topic of “sharing the Gospel with friends” on my heart.

While I was studying and praying, I was faced with questions like; How do you share the Gospel with your friends? What does it look like to start that conversation? Why is it so difficult to share what’s most important in our life with those closest to us?

ed that the presentation doesn’t have to be complicated, because the Gospel is not complicated. I was also reminded that my job was simply to share what’s true in my life. It was a gentle reminder that I’m not the one responsible for a person’s salvation.

These are tough questions for even the most outgoing people, but I wanted to bridge the gap for even the most introverted person in the room. As I sought the Lord, I was remind-

I prayed that God would use me to encourage these students and leaders to do something simple: SPEAK UP. Each person’s life experiences are different and because of that, all of us have something to share, such as, a moment of frustration, fear, hurt, or heartache that is comforted by the peace of God that surpasses all understanding. Or maybe you’ve gone through some serious stuff in your life that you’ve seen the Lord bring you through. Whatever it may be, if you have a relationship with the Lord, you have a story of redemption. PEOPLE WILL TRY AND DISPROVE SCRIPTURE, BUT THEY CANNOT DISPROVE YOUR EXPERIENCES! So, what does it look like to start a conversation with someone you know, or even someone you

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LIVEOAKCHURCH | www.loumc.org | July 2019

GLOVES MINISTRY don’t know? I started breaking down an easy opening statement for students to use when sharing their story, and it looked something like this: “Hi, my name is ______. Once I was _____ and _____, but Jesus gave me _____ and _____. Do you have a story like that?”

The first two blanks are a representation of emotions, feelings, or struggles that you’ve faced before Jesus. For example, before I met Jesus, I was lonely and hopeless. The second two blanks are a representation of how Jesus stepped into our life and replaced those feeling, emotions or struggles. So, for example, Jesus took my loneliness and hopelessness, and gave me a place to belong, and a hope for a future.

The last sentence is an invitation for someone to share their story, which gives us an opportunity for us to step into their life and speak love, hope, and truth. Being vulnerable and sharing about our life takes confidence, but it’s not our confidence that we lean on. We have confidence in a God who brings hope to the hopeless, provides a future for those who feel lost, and sets free the captive to sin. IF WE ARE TRULY GOING TO BE THE LIGHT OF THE WORLD LIKE JESUS CALLS US TO BE, WE HAVE TO BE WILLING TO SPEAK UP!

ADDICTION RECOVERY AT LIVE OAK CHURCH

A Community of Grace and Faith. Been wrestling chemical dependency issues? Do you want to stop? Would you like some help in staying clean? Come join us on Thursdays at 7:00 PM in Room #2 for REFUGE! Our REFUGE Group is a Christ Centered Support Group helping people who struggle with addiction. REFUGE is a unique blend of instruction, support encouragement and accountability.The teaching and sharing that takes place within our group is very helpful and what we teach is often life changing! If you wrestle with addiction issues or are tying to help someone who is, we are here to assist you on your journey to life recovery! Your questions about our REFUGE Ministry can be

answered by calling our Church Office at 664-4801 or email me @brosam17@ gmail.com.

GLOVES MINISTRY: A HELPING HAND

BY SAM LOBELLO

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ur Gloves Ministry is composed of men and women who have a skill set to build and repair things and a heart to help others. Recently we got a call from Michael whose mother had become disabled and was no longer able to navigate the steps into her house. Our Gloves Ministry Team went out and evaluated the situation, secured the materials and built a ramp. Yet, another need met. I can’t express to you how grateful I am for our Gloves Ministry Team and their selfless service to God’s Kingdom!

Most of our Gloves Ministry Team members are retired. They, along with others have served our Watson community tirelessly for years. Our Gloves Ministry Director is Greg Hooper. Potential projects are to come to me, Bro. Sam, as the staff member assigned oversight of Special Ministries. You can reach me by calling the Church Office at 664-4801 or emailing me at brosam17@gmail.com. If you are interested in serving on our Gloves Ministry Team please contact me. Our Gloves Team can sure use your helping hands!

July 2019 | www.loumc.org | LIVEOAKCHURCH

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THE CELEBRATION CONTINUES

THE CELEBRATION CONTINUES

BY CARL DOSCHER

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n the month of June, I was able to, along with four other amazing chaperones, bring our students to Camp Spark in Eunice, LA. This is our second year of attending this camp and God did some incredible things over the course of this one week.

church body that God desires them to be.

It is sad to say, but I heard it once said that we as God’s people have done a poor job discipling people after they make their decision. We are really good at leading them to the point of salvation, but when they make the transition, we act as if they The campus pastor went over three separate top- have finished the race, when really the race has just ics. One was how we are God’s treasure being begun.

His creation. Second, was that God had a rescue plan by sending His son to save us from His wrath. At a Men’s Conference a few years ago I was able to Lastly, was that we are to celebrate when some- hear Dr. Tony Evans speak and he stated that “if we one comes to know the Lord. want to change the world we live in we need disciples making disciples.” This just emphasized the Now, what the pastor mentioned on the last night fact that these youth who are starting their journey intrigued me the most, the act of celebration. He need multiple people invested in their walk with stated “The celebration is great when someone the Lord and celebrating along the way. It may comes to know Jesus as their Lord Savior, but it mean for a parent to begin asking questions about should not end there.” The celebration should their new found faith. For friends, it may mean docontinue throughout a person’s life. We were ing a Bible plan together and texting about what blessed to have four students give their life to Je- God is doing through it. For peers, it may mean sus over the span of that week and three of those checking in on them and asking the question, get baptized. During these moments we were “how has your quiet time been?” All of these are able to celebrate because four students are now key points in walking alongside new believers and living for Jesus, but the thought crossed my mind, leading them on the path they should go. The celare God’s people going to raise these students ebration doesn’t end at a decision, it is continuous up when we get home or are they just going to throughout a lifetime. be left to follow Christ, alone? Is someone going to continue the celebration and show them what “Start children off on the way they should go, and it means to follow the Lord? even when they are old they will not turn from it.”

There is a scripture in Romans that talks about how God’s people are one body in Christ.

“For just as each of us has one body with many members, and these members do not all have the same function, so in Christ we, though many form one body, and each member belongs to all the others.” Romans 12:4-5 As the scripture continues it speaks to the fact that every believer will receive different gifts from God. When I was reading this, I began to wonder about those four students and if someone will be there to mentor them into a member of the

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ADULT MINISTRIES

SENIOR ADULT MINISTRY

P

salm 18:2…”The Lord is my rock, my fortress and my deliverer, my God is my rock, in whom I take refuge, my shield and the horn of my salvation, my stronghold.”

Sometimes we get overwhelmed with life. The mundane of every day life, or maybe you have many changes going on in your life, or maybe you’re taking on too much.

Nevertheless, God is our anchor, our shield, the voice that can quiet our spirit. I think about this daily lately. My life is changing quickly. The last 12 years there have been some changes, but not this many at once. But I know that God has a plan, He has a purpose for us all. So when you start to feel overwhelmed or anxious, that’s when you know it’s time to sit in the quiet and talk to God. Our 4th of July party was a success. Thank you to all who made desserts, helped with cleaning, Justin and his band for once again entertaining us, and to Dot and Will for the use of the barn. I love the barn! It’s one of my happy places. For July we are going to meet for lunch. Texas Roadhouse is supposed to open July 6th. So July 25th we will meet at Texas Roadhouse on Juban at 11:00. If for some reason they are not open then, we will meet at Casa Maria’s for said time. Looking forward to seeing you all!

BY LANDRA REED

MEN’S MINISTRY

BY SAM LOBELLO

For the seventh straight year our Men’s Group attended the GRIDIRON Men’s Conference in Birmingham worshipping with thousands of men from neighboring southern states. Friday night Dr. Jim Merritt opened with a great message on Navigating Life’s Storms, followed by Christian Comedian Michael, Jr. who was hilarious! Josh Turner wrapped up the night in concert. Saturday began with a message from Dr. Tony Evans followed by Jake Olsen with Phil Waldrep bringing up the rear. We were truly blessed to hear from these Christian leaders! Our men had a lot to share on our return trip home.

July 2019 | www.loumc.org | LIVEOAKCHURCH

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GOD’S PLAN & PURPOSE

EVERYBODY NEEDS A SIDE BY SIDE

Y

ou’ve heard it said many times that there are some conversations that just shouldn’t be done in text. Important conversations need to be face to face, or in some cases, side by side.

As a teenager, I remember when my Dad would say “hey, let’s go for a ride.” Although he never said it, I knew what it meant.

It meant that a deep conversation was about to take place. You see, he knew that once I was in the car and could look out the window, I was more likely to open up. And open up I did. Sometimes it was because I had something else to look at besides him while I was talking, sometimes it was because I knew we weren’t going home until I did, and sometimes it was just because it was my time with Dad, by myself, nobody else. And it helped that he never made these talks a time when I wished I could jump out of the car. He knew exactly what he was doing, and it worked.

It was a very easy decision to pass this tradition on to my kids. Beginning at a very early age, and on into their adult lives, our best conversations happened in the car. Not at He knew exactly what the dinner table, not in the living room, and not on the back porch. They happened in ing, and it worked.” the car, side by side, just me and them.

Conversations about school, girls, broken relationships and renewed friendships all happened side by side.

“

For the last couple of years I had the privilege of spending a lot of time with my mother-in-law and would bring her to her weekly doctor’s appointments. Even though we lived in the same house, there were not many deep conversations among the craziness of life happening all around us in the afternoons. But in the car, now that’s where the good stuff happened. There were conversations about all of the grandkids and why she was worried about each one. We talked about how she worried about growing old and becoming a burden. About how she didn’t like losing her independence. How she was so proud of her kids and grandkids. But y’all, most important… how to get to heaven. Out of the blue on one ride to the doctor, she said, “How do I know that I’m going to heaven? I’m scared that I’m not.” And that one knocked the breath out of me. But in the car, right there on Bluebonnet Blvd, I was able to lead my mother-in-law to Christ. Side by side. And that is why I will always have side by side conversations.

I’m absolutely sure that these are conversations that, for whatever

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he was do-

BY TRISH GRAVES

reason, would never have happened face to face. When you’re having a hard time getting your kids to open up, ask them to go for a drive and see what happens. Make this practice something that they feel comfortable with and look forward to. Make it special for each child so they know when you ask them to “go for a ride,” it’s because of how special they are to you.

...............

JULY 2019 | Calendar of Events A TIME AND A PLACE FOR EVERYONE For more information about groups and events visit www.loumc.org or call (225)664-4801

WEEKLY CALENDAR SUNDAY 8:00 AM TRADITIONAL - SANCTUARY 9:00 AM NEW MEMBERS CLASS - RM#16 10:00 AM TRADITIONAL - SANCURARY 10:00 AM CASUAL CONTEMPORARY - FLC 11:30 AM CONTEMPORARY - SANCTUARY TUESDAY 6:30 PM WOMEN’S MINISTRY - RM #2 WEDNESDAY 8AM QUILTER’S MINISTRY 8:00 AM - FLC 6:00 - 7:30 PM CIA - 3yrs to 4th GRADE 6:00 - 8:00 PM Axis56 - MIDDLE SCHOOL 6:00 - 8:00 PM 78Jump - JUNIOR HIGH 6:00 - 8:00 PM FocalPoint912 - HIGH SCHOOL THURSDAY NIGHT 6:30 PM REFUGE - RM #2 7:00 PM MID WEEK WORSHIP - CHAPEL

ADULT EVENTS

NEW MEMBER’S CLASS 4 WEEK CLASS THAT RESTARTS THE FIRST SUNDAY OF EVERY MONTH MEETS EVERY SUNDAY AT 9 AM IN ROOM #18 FOR MORE INFO EMAIL SAM@LOUMC.ORG MEN’S MINISTRY STEAK DINNER FELLOWSHIP SATURDAY JULY 9th AT 6:30PM VIDEO MESSAGE WILL BE FROM THE MEN’S CONFERENCE MEN’S PRAYER BREAKFAST FRIDAY JULY 13th AT 7:30 AM VIDEO MESSAGE BY FRANCIS CHAN

CHILDREN’S EVENTS

MUSICAL THEATER CAMP JULY 8-12 9 AM - 12 PM IN THE CHOIRE ROO MUSICAL THEATER PERFORMACE JULY 12 AT 6PM IN THE SANCTUARY

YOUTH EVENTS AFTER SCHOOL BOARD GAMES LAST FRIDAY OF EVERY MONTH 3-6 PM IN THE FLC

July 2019 | www.loumc.org | LIVEOAKCHURCH

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LOUMC STAFF

Coming together from a wide variety of backgrounds and experiences, our skilled team of pastors and ministry professionals are the backbone of Live Oak. Their ideas and leadership help shape the direction and mission of our organization as we continues to grow. Dr. Mark Crosby Senior Pastor

Rev. Tommy Bergeron Stephen Hebert Director of Pastoral Care

Faith Storck

Children’s Ministry Assistant

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Minister of Pastoral Care

Jim Otken Treasurer

Rev. Kyle Sapietra High School Minister

Linda Holdman Administrative Assistant

LIVEOAKCHURCH | www.loumc.org | July 2019

Cameron McKenzie Junior High Minister

Paullena Sumrall Office Professional

LOUMC STAFF

Rev. David Orges

Monica Martin

Rev. Sam Lobello

Executive Pastor

Church Administrator

Rev. Dickie Davis Associate Pastor

Director of Adult Ministies

Carl Doescher

Rev. Trent Barnett

Trish Graves

Middle School Minister

Director of Worship Ministries

Rev. David Easley

Kim Pamplin

Danny Wilson

Chris Lacara

Amos Chassaing

Office Professional

Audio Engineer

Assistant Music Director

Maintenance Director

Children’s Ministry Director

Housekeeping

July 2019 | www.loumc.org | LIVEOAKCHURCH

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Live Oak United Methodist 34890 La Hwy 16 Denham Springs, LA 70706

@liveoakchurch.la

@Live Oak Church

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July 2019 Edition