"My son really said that!"

Isaiah. I first met him three years ago at a 5-Day Club a local Christian Day Care Center in our chapter area. Isaiah is one of those kids you just never forget. That first year he came, he was so interested in everything we were sharing about the Bible. Isaiah never missed a meeting those first few years. He was always the first one to say good bye after each meeting. As enthusiastic as Isaiah was, he never made a decision to receive Christ as Savior. Isaiah came to come the following year and still nothing regarding a decision to follow Christ.

This summer, when we arrived at the day care center, I instantly remembered Isaiah. He was listening carefully as I shared the story of Zaacheaus with the class. At the end of my Bible lesson, I gave the invitation to receive Christ. As I walked to the back of the room and waited for any children to come back to talk with me. I was thrilled when I saw Isaiah walk back to talk with me. I asked him why he came back to talk with me. He replied " I want to become God's child!" I was overjoyed as I reviewed the Gospel with Isaiah and as he prayed to receive Christ as Savior.

The next day at 5-Day Club the owner of the day care center introduced me to Isaiah's mom. I was pleased to meet her. I explained to her what happened with Isaiah the previous day. The mom looked at me with tears in her eyes and said "My son really said he wanted to receive Christ?" As I watched this mother, I was so pleased to see a parent understand how important and special this decision to receive Christ really is. After a while, the mom left the day care center with a smile and look of pure happiness on her face. Praise God!

CYIA--Day 4

The 10 are really applying themselves today. They are beginning to realize just how many Bible Lesson practicums they have to do. So when given the opportunity to study, they jump at the chance.

Besides shepherding the 10, I had two classes today: one on teaching music and one on counseling. Both classes went very well. After the music class, I had the 10 practice what they learned by introducing and leading song in front of all the Summer Missionary Training School before we all went to lunch. I was so proud of them.

Then after lunch, I had the daunting task of teaching then 10 plus all of camp how to counsel children for salvation. Of all the classes taught at CYIA, this is the one that is most important. I've been planning for this class for months. My goal in this class was to do something that has not been done before-- prepare the missionaries to be ready for any reason that the child response to the invitation. In the past, the lesson plan calls for teaching how to counsel if a child says " I want to be God's child." Of course I covered this important topic. However, we also talked about how to respond the rest of the time. This students seemed to do very well.

I am sitting in class now, watching them practice their first Bible lessons out loud. It is a joy to see them finally teaching and loving every minute of it.

All of the 5-Day Club track leaders met together today to plan out the teams for next week's 5-Day Clubs. So we are progressing well. Thanks for praying for us. More tomorrow.

CYIA--Day 3

The "10" are doing well today. Yolanda joined us a day late and has much to get caught up on. She is still learning the Wordless Book in the midst of memory verse and Bible lesson preparation classes. The rest of the "10" are really starting to open up. The each have unique and fun personalities. One of the aspects about this group I appreciate that they all understand why they are here at CYIA and are sure of what God is calling them to do.

Today we started classes on Bible lesson preparation and presentation. It was so awesome to watch them as they were learning. The look on their faces when the finally understood the concept of linking was priceless. (FYI: a link is a short transitional phrase from one concept to another).

The 10 are working on their first Bible lesson: Zaacheaus. For many of them, this is the first time they will be in a primary teaching role. On top of all this, then 1o learned how to teach a memory verse. I had them take turns practicing teaching the memory verse to each other and they did pretty well for the first time through.

I am very pleased with this group and I cannot wait to see what God is going to do through them this summer.

CYIA-- Day 2

Today was our first full day at CYIA. One of the major tasks on our plate today was the Wordless Book Practicums. The 9 first year CYIA students plus the 24 camp staff had the job of sharing the Wordless Book after learning it in just 24 hours. That is no easy task, but they rose to the occasion. We divided the students up into six groups. We had a few students who struggled the first time sharing the Wordless Book. Most of them had time to find success in this presentation.

I want to share with you the names of the 10 first year students: Josh, Tamarah, Holly, Vidi, Haleigh, Gloria, Caroline, Allison, Grace, and Yolanda. Tomorrow they begin learning how to take the truth's of the Wordless Book and inter-great them into Bible Lessons.

Our days are long -- starting at 6:15am and end at 10:00pm. But they are so worth it. The students here are so eager to learn and follow God's direction and path for their lives. Our chapel speaker this year is my good friend Bill Allison. God is using Bill to impact all of us and challenge us in God's Word.

So, we are doing well here today. Pray for the 10 first year students ( I'll call them the 1o from now on.)

I have three classes to teach tomorrow. Thanks for praying and readying . More tomorrow.

CYIA Day 1

My dad and I arrived safely yesterday here at Camp Good News for Summer Missionary Training School. We spent much of yesterday afternoon getting set up for the students' arrival. There are many details to attend to before they students arrive. We are expecting 45 students for the entire training school. (24 camp staff and 21 5-Day Club staff). I am in charge of the 13 first year CYIA/5-Day Club staff. For the first day or so the 24 camp staff plus the 13 CYIA will meet together for Wordless Book Classes. I will be teaching three classes today. Please keep us in prayer. There is so much yet to do. I need to go now. I will update you more tomorrow. Please keep us in prayer.

Judy: future Good News Club teacher

I first met Judy last year at Troy Shorewood Good News Club. Judy attended club each week faithfully. Last April, Judy prayed to receive Christ as her Savior! When the GNC started again at Judy's school, I instantly remembered her and welcomed her back to GNC. Last year we had a 12 children attending regularly. This year we could not pass out flyers so we have four children enrolled and Jackie is the only child to attend each week faithfully. We typically have two children in attendance. Most children would be daunted by a club of so few, but not Judy. She loves coming to Good News Club.

There is one other thing about GNC at Judy's school, we share our meeting room with another after-school program for the first 15 minutes of club. This other club is very large 60 plus children on one side of the cafeteria and Judy and three teachers on the other side. Judy sits waiting eagerly for GNC to start. She loves the extra attention she gets. Judy memorizes her verse each week and can tell you point by point what happened in last week's Bible lesson. We are teaching through Moses and the Exodus and there is alot of rich teaching for the saved child. Judy hangs on every word. This past week, Judy walked in, picked up the GNC theme song "Good News Good News" and said "I will be the teacher today." And she did! She taught the song to us. I have told her many times that she may be a GNC teacher herself one day.

For Judy, it does not matter who attends club, as long as she can come and learn more about her Lord and Savior!

"Teacher, you forgot Good News Club!"

Two weeks ago, Mary's parents signed her up to attend Good News Club at Troy Craughwell. At the start of club, we looked for Mary, but she never showed up at the library after school. We assumed she forgot and that she would come next week. It is often common to receive a registration form for a new child to GNC and not seem them for a week or two.

This past week, Mary's teacher came up to me and my teaching partners and asked if Mary was signed up. I double checked the records and said she was enrolled in GNC. The teacher told us that she forgot to remind Mary last week to go the GNC. The next morning, Mary walked right into her classroom and said " Teacher, you forgot about Good News Club!" So Mary joined us for the this week. She listened intently throughout the club and she was clearly having a blast. After the Bible lesson, Mary responded to the invitation to receive Christ. She asked for a Bible and was so excited. In the last few moments of club, a school staff member walked in and asked when club was over. Mary's brother and sister wanted to come to club as well! At the end of club, Mary left her Bible and I ran it out to her and she smiled wide when I gave it to her. She may have forgot about GNC, but she will not soon forget that she is now apart of God's family.