Steven Gibbs

Hope For Guatemala

Brandon and Shanna Christensen will be back visiting next week from Guatemala. As you may know, Brandon was Stonecreek’s first baptism. We have seen him go full circle from baptism to full time Christian service. He and Shanna have moved to Guatemala for the year to help out Hope For Guatemala.

On April 28th there will be a golf tournament benefiting Hope For Guatemala at the Polo Golf and Country Club. Believe it or not, I will be playing in the tournament. I play golf about once every 2 years, so it should be an experience! I feel successful if I find more balls than I lose…

There are still some spots available. If you would like to participate, go online to register. You do not want to miss this opportunity to help Brandon as he impacts the children of Guatemala. There are some incredible things happening through this ministry, and it’s a great chance to support the Christensen’s, as well as express your generosity!

Lending a Hand

These are some pictures from our trip to Jamaica. These students and leaders knocked it out. They worked hard. These are some pictures of the work, and of the completed home with the homeowner. Way to go Stonecreek!

Sunday Night Ramblings

Words cannot, I mean, CANNOT describe today. To see George meet his sponsoring family was out of this world.

For those of you who could not make it - George Jowi was a child sponsored through Compassion International. For $32/month, a family gave George hope. He had never met them, but had always wanted to meet them. He even shared that he had googled them almost every day since he has been in the United States seeking his college degrees – since 2000! He shared that he googled them on Friday, praying that he would get to meet them before he goes back to Kenya.

Well, today it happened in our 9:30 service. And it truly was a surprise. How incredible it was to see he and his sponsoring family meet. This family got to see what their investment had done in his life.

We had prayed that through his story, the families of Stonecreek would sponsor 100 children in addition to the 58 our families currently sponsor. Can I say we didn’t hit 100? Well, we didn’t… we hit 220! They are still coming in.

Way to go Stonecreek. Right now there are kids in a remote country walking down a muddy road wondering where their next meal is coming from. And it’s coming from you…

God, thank you for this opportunity. Help us to continue to have a passion to make a difference both here and around the world. You are big and we are small. Also, help us to have that same passion for those in our own backyard. Amen.

Don’t miss this Sunday, as we talk about “Transplanted in Suburbia.” None of us are from here. Even if we grew up here, things have changed so rapidly that it is completely different.

We’ll have a very clear explanation of what it means to go “home” spiritually. You will want to invite your friends and family who aren’t following Christ.

I can’t express enough how proud I am to be part of Stonecreek.

Valentines Day in Guatemala

Happy Valentine’s Day!

My wife and I don’t do Valentine’s day. I mean, every day is Valentine’s Day at my house…

But on to something that REALLY matters – Brandon and Shanna Christensen will be leaving soon as they prepare to move to Guatemala for a year. They will be moving there to help Hope For Guatemala, a ministry designed to reach underprivileged kids. We’re excited to be able to partner with them. Part of everything that we contribute to Raise Your Game will go to carry our mission beyond our 4 walls, throughout the world. Our generosity during this challenge will help Brandon and Shanna as they forge ahead into this ministry.

This is us meeting the little girl, Tirsa, that our family sponsors for the first time. She is so precious!! Couldn't you just eat her up?! When she was 2 1/2 both of her parents were shot and killed in front of her. She is now being raised by her grandmother (who is considering putting she and her sister up for adoption), but you would never know it by that smile, and what a giggle she has!

It takes courage and faith for them to step out and embrace the unknown. This is truly a heroic decision. I hope that through our series, Raise Your Game, God will lead you to make some heroic decisions. I’d love to hear your stories. Please leave me some feedback on this.