Serving From the Heart!

Tonight we had an appreciation cookout for our volunteers. It just blessed me to see them drive up and walk down to the pavilion. They have been soooooo faithful to serve the children in the Good News Clubs in the local schools in their counties. My heart was stirred by their testimonies of God at work in their lives and the lives of the children. They are truly serving from the heart!

Being with volunteers who are so sold out to God and love the children... just impassion my soul to burn harder and brighter for my Savior. Many children have never heard of the One True and Living God and I can't wait to tell them!

Don't Waste It...It's A Gift!

Everyday each of us are given 86,400 tiny gifts in the form of seconds. That's right there is 86,400 seconds in every day we live! Wow...that is a lot and yet how many times do we say, "Where did the time go!" When Andrew was killed at 17 I felt like it was so unfair...he had his whole life ahead of him and yet it was over! The hardest thing was I had to keep living. It made me really examine my time and realize that every breath I breathe I am accountable for and need to really make it count. So self evaluation is a must! Where do I put my time? How much time is wasted? How much time does God get out of each day? The questions go on and on? Have you ever asked yourself those questions?

Well, if you are looking for a place to really invest your gift of time...start with the children. You knew I would say that didn't you? :) Time spent on the children will never be wasted. Anyone who works with children knows that they grow up so fast. Invite them to church with you or better yet sign up to teach them. The truths they learn as children...good or bad are planted deep within their soul life. What an awesome privilege to be a part of building a spiritual foundation in their lives! You can also invest in the children by praying for them. I challenge you to take a few minutes daily to call their names out in prayer and claim God's best for their lives!

Recently while with a group of children a little boy sat across form me. He had sad eyes and looked down whenever he was spoken to. His first words to speak greatly surprised me! He put his hand on my Bible and said, "Let's get started...I've had a lot of trouble getting here, I dont know much about God and I may never get to come back!" I was intrigued by the intenseness of what he was saying and knew in my heart I had better not waste time! :) Since he was new I got the group to introduce themselves to him and tell him a little about themselves. When it came time to share about himself...this is what he said. "My name is ______, don't ask me about my moma because she ran off and left me when I was a baby, my daddy never does anything with me, I take medicine because I am hyper and teachers scratch me off their like list on the first day of school every year, I don't have any friends and I wish I did. I am the kind of kid nobody wants!"

I began to burn like fire on the inside...realizing that God had put an awesome opportunity before me!! This child was hurting, broken, needy, had loss of self worth, many more issues and needed the love of God like never before.

This is just a glimpse of what is happening to the children in our society. I plan on doing all I can to keep him on my radar and pour all I can for God into his life every opportunity I get! I will keep you posted.

Teach Them Well...

Story of the Ten Lepers...Only One is Thankful!

---A Leper Comes to Visit-- 

Wow, it is hard to believe that  today was the last Good News Club of the school year.  We had 90 children enrolled and had the best club year we have ever had!  It was an awesome privilege to teach Gods
Word to this generation of children and know that because they have fallen in love with Jesus...they will take His Word into the next generation!  No... I will never have my own grandchildren, but I know that God has called me to leave behind a spiritual heritage that will live on strong!  

--Each day is a frozen moment in time that will never repeat its self...it is our gift.  When I think of the children who pass through our lives ( yours and mine)  just for a brief time, I pray we take the opportunity to teach them well and make every second count.  There are so many opportunities to teach them of their creator, his love for them and that He has a plan for their lives.  Many of the children will move or drop away for one reason or another and the chance to touch them for God is gone.  Teaching them the truths of God should never be boring or rigid...."Teach or train up a child in the way he should go and when he is old he  will not depart for it."   Proverbs 22:6  
Here is a few of the fun ways we learned some great truths about God!  Enjoy the pics!  

Our lesson on "Digging for Buried Treasure"  taught us to beware of 

bad pirates in our life like..Private Put it Off, Sir Sinful, Ruby Rudeness and

Admiral Unbelief.  ---Everyone had fun dressing like pirates!

  

A surprise visit from Satan! But we were ready for him.

Everyone that knew their Memory Verse got to stomp Satan!

Too fun! 

Today was perfect! God's blessings are so many. Our Good News Club at a local elementary school was the highlight of my day. It is indescribable to watch the children come back week after week and talk of the happenings in their lives...some happy some funny, some sad, and some heartbreaking...but that is the stuff life is made of. There is nothing greater than teaching children about God and hear them talk of living out their faith. Listening to them pray for dogs, birds with broken wings, divorce, sickness, jobs for their moms and dads etc...helps me know they are really getting a grasp on the fact that God knows and cares about every detail in their lives---and ours too!

It is truly amazing to witness how fast they absorbe the truths from God's word. Our society is changing so fast, and moving at such a fast pace there is little time built into most lives to take time to have a deep relationship with God...yet it is so vital. It is heart stirring to know that there is a gulf of children I have never met, just waiting to hear how God loves them more than they could ever imagine!

Let's Get Started!

I am excited about my new blog and connecting with people that have the same heart and passion to reach out to children with the love of God! I felt the call of God on my life the summer after I graduated from High School. He was calling me to give every part of my life over to Him in full time service. I packed up for Bible College to prepare and never looked back. It has truly been the adventure of a lifetime...there is nothing like living, breathing and eating from God's hand. I was saved at 10 years of age and I am more in love with my Savior than ever before! I married my childhood friend...we are still best friends and He is the love of my life!

Because of receiving God into my life at such a young age I truly believe the full plans and purposes of why I was created has been lived out! I know without a shadow of a doubt I am living my dream. God showed me early on that children were my focus and he put a strong urgency deep within my heart and soul to reach them with His love. So many children live in circumstances and environments that we can't even comprehend. Statistics tell us that 80% have never heard about God. Yes that is unbelievable, but true. That opens a huge door of opportunity for us to walk through and bring the light of life! Let's get started!