Update on Austin

Last week, I told you all about Austin from Troy Craughwell GNC. Austin said the most encouraging thing yesterday in our GNC. We asked the class how someone can get to heaven. Some answers were 'when you have gray hair' etc. Austin raised his hand and said "by believing on Jesus!" This was his own answer, no one told him what to say. AMEN!

This GNC that Austin attends has its share of challenges, but Austin and his changed life makes this club so worth it. Austin is just one of many kids that we can be thankful for this Thanksgiving.

Have a happy Thanksgiving.

The Joy of Duplication

I just got a call from a very excited lead teacher of the Peotone GNC. She and I have been working together at this school and have seen some great things happen. Today, I attended an IL state staff meeting in Peoria and was unable to attend the GNC. She and one of her daughters carried on the GNC. The teachers report record attendance 13 kids! In counseling 4 kids responded. When asked if they knew if they were a child of God, Maila and Alice said yes they knew they were God's child. (Note: Regular readers of my blog will remember that Malia received Christ as Savior the first week of club and has come back the last two weeks to learn more about God.) Malia's sister Maya and Arianna said they were not God's child and received Christ!!! (This never gets old for me! It is a miracle every time)

This phone call was so encouraging for many reasons! One is that the joy of duplication. With so many schools and so few staff, we cannot do reach every school on our own. To get a report of a new lead teacher doing so well with a new assistant teacher is awesome. It is great to know that God is reproducing Steve Fox, children's worker, many times over. The more people that can be mentored, trained, and "duplicated" in passion for the work, means that more kids can be reached. So, yes the joy of duplication is very real and rewarding for me and for you as well. Your support of me enables me to work with GNC personnel new and seasoned to reproduce my self in others. Take this joy of duplication to heart, just as much as I am.

Daijah: The girl who cannot get enough of the Bible

Daijah has been coming faithfully to Good News Club at Jonas Salk. She is a fun loving child, full of energy. In the middle of our club season, Daijah became God's child!!!! Each week since, she has come back for counseling because she wants to know all she can about God and the Bible. We had given her a Wonder Devotional Book, but when she gave it to me to look at it was not worked in and the pages were filled with " I don't know" At the time I thought she was just being silly. Now that GNC has ended for the holidays, I know why--she doesn't have a Bible of her own. In fact at the end of GNC, Daijah was reading one of the GNC teacher's Bibles while putting on her coat. Wow!
I was listening to WMBI this morning and they were talking about Christians around the world that do not have a Bible and how they long to have one. It may be hard for some to imagine that there would be Christians in our country who don't have a Bible that would long for one. Not me. After seeing Daijah yesterday, I know its true. We are working to get her a Bible. Daijah truly is the girl who cannot get enough of the Bible. And she is not the only one.

Kent learns that prayer is important

Kent is a 4 years old that attend our MOPS Good News Clubs. For the last several meetings, we have been teaching the importance of prayer using CEF's Preschoolers can Know God through prayer. Kent is an active four year old that is just beginning to learn who God is. Today in GNC, Kent demonstrated that prayer is important. This week he had surgery on his left hand and told us all about it. After telling us about the surgery, Kent asked if we could pray for his hand. Later on in the hour Kent spoke up and asked if we could stop and pray for his hand to heal well. Kent has a lot to discover yet about God. However, at age 4 Kent has learned that prayer is important. What a firm foundation Kent has. Pray with me that God would do a work in Kent's life and the he would walk with God.

Austin: Profile of a changed life

Austin attends Troy Craughwell Good News Club. The first time Austin came to GNC he was very reserved and distant. Three weeks ago, Austin came back for counseling and made a decision to receive Christ as Savior. At the time, I was unsure if Austin had truly become God's child. A few weeks went by and Austin was still a bit shy. Yesterday, GNC resumed after a week off. Austin walked into to GNC with confidence and a new attitude. When asked what is something that you love, Austin replied "Homework." During the lesson on Naboth's Vineyard, Austin said that he had learned some of this at his AWANA program he is now attending. I had never seen Austin so engaged before in GNC. Austin is not the same boy as he was when he first entered GNC. He is a changed person. Clearly, Austin really did receive Jesus as Savior!!! What a difference the Holy Spirit makes when you receive Jesus as Savior. I praise God for showing me this change in Austin's life. Truly, God is the change agent in the lives of children, and adults too. It is an honor to be used of God in this way. Praise God with me for Austin.

God's timing is perfect!

In 2007, I attempted to re-establish the Good News Club ministry in the Manhattan school district. I had to teachers lined up to teach Rita and Rita Ann and a school district that finally granted approval for the club after weeks of discussion. That first day, no kids came because the flyers were not allowed to be distributed to students. After three weeks with no kids enrolled and all our creative efforts failed to get the news about about GNC, we canceled the club. I prayed wondering why the door to this school district was closed. It seemed as if everything was a go. But God closed the door and I accepted this and trusted Him.

Well, now I know why God closed the door in Manhattan. God had a different place in mind for Rita, our lead teacher: Peotone Elementary School. Yesterday I as watched Rita teach and interact with the kids I realized it. To further prove this point, Malia came back yesterday to GNC. She came the first week to club and we were not sure if she truly prayed to receive Christ. When she came back for counseling, Malia knew she was God's child. Malia said "Two weeks ago when I was here, I became God's child and I want to get to know more about Him." The GNC at Peotone Elementary continues to grow each week, school personnel are welcoming, and the kids enrolled are really excited to learn more of God.

God's timintg is perfect. When God closed the door on Manhattan, He already had Peotone Elementary in mind.

The old line from Sound of Music really is true. "When God closes a door somewhere He opens a window."

Kids Worshiping God

What a joy it is to see kids worshiping God. This week during song time at my home church the children's song leader was singing "Oh How He loves you and me." After the kids got familiar with it, the kids sang the verse over again. But this time, the children were encouraged to close their eyes and think about what Jesus did on the cross for us while we sang the song. I stood and watched as each child in my class, bowed their heads and worshiped God. What a sight. I stood in awe of God. Be there any doubt that kids can be saved and worship God? I think not. AMEN!

BJ: The boy who was determined to come to Jesus

Yesterday at Jonas Salk GNC was one of those days where the kids were acting up. For most of the club time, kids were getting up and moving around for no reason, despite our telling them to be seated. However, during the Bible lesson there was a 'holy hush' over the group. After the invitation was given, several kids went back for counseling, but not BJ. BJ sat for awhile in the clas then sponateously got up. Thinking he was just being antsy I told him to sit down. He quitely stood by the door where the counseling was taking place. Not moving, I approached BJ and he asked if he could go over to the couseling area. So, he went. BJ went on to receive Jesus as Savior!! While waiting for his ride to pick him up, I asked BJ want happened and he said the asked Jesus to forgive his sins and that he was God's child and his mom's. WOW! And to think, I almost told BJ to return to the group rather than go to couseling. BJ taught me a lesson: not to let distractions and distruptions from letting a child go back for counseling. BJ was the boy who was determined to come to Jesus!

Teaching Good News Club in the Consession Stand

Yesterday, we had a Good News Club at Rockdale Elementary School. A great group of kids gathered in the school cafeteria for GNC. Several of these kids have returned from last year, and boy can you see a difference in them. Ramona*(name changed) is clearly a different person since last year when she received Jesus as Savior! Praise God for this evidence of true life change. Joey* also came last year but it wasn't until last week that he received Christ.

As we were half way through the club, a group of cafeteria workers came into the kitchen which is adjacent to the cafeteria. They were beginning to work to prepare to open the kitchen for a concession stand for the basketball game that night. All this was happening just as the Bible lesson began. Pat, the Bible teacher, had a difficult time keeping the attention of the group during the club. As the Bible lesson progressed, more people came in and made more noise. However, God is good and two kids came back for counseling. While they were not ready to receive Jesus as Savior, it is clear that God is preparing their hearts to come to Him.

So even with the enemy trying to stop us sharing God's Word, God was victorious and acheived His goals. This challenging club excits me all the more because if the enemy went to so much trouble to stop us, then God must have some exciting things in store.

Good News Clubs move East: Peotone

Hello and welcome to my blog. Here you will find the absolute latest on what is happening with my ministry with Child Evangelism Fellowship. Check back here often because I will be posting weekdays what is happening.

This week was our second week of GNC at Peotone Elementary School. It is so amazing to be able to write that sentence, since when I first applied it seemed as if the GNC would not be possible. Never underestimate God! We have eleven kids enrolled. This week eight kids attened. Several of them are already believers and boy do they love coming to GNC and learning more about God. You can literally see their eagerness and excitment on their faces as we teach. This week one girl , Elaine*( name has been changed) recieved Christ as her Savior. Wow. Praise the Lord! This never gets old for me.

Praise the Lord for this outreach to Eastern Will County.