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.

Food for thought from a 6 year old

At Good News Club at Nadia's school, we are teaching through the Life of Christ 4 series. This week, our lesson was on the crucifixion of the Lord Jesus Christ. While explaining the events of our Savior's death on the cross, the GNC teacher commented on how terrible the events were and how dare these people, God's creation, do this to Him. Nadia, age 6, raises her hand and said "They're just being sinners!"

As soon as she said that I literally stopped. I was amazed and marveled at the profound statment Nadia made. It's true. The people who crucified Jesus were sinners and acted that way because they were acting out of their sin nature. I am forever amazed at how God works in the lives of the children we reach and how He uses them to teach me.

Brady: a bold witness for the Lord

A smiling Brady came back to talk with me after I gave the invitation to receive Christ as Savior. I was surprised to see Brady come back because I knew he has already received Christ as Savior. He has been coming to GNC faithfully this Fall and Spring. He has attending 5-Day Club at his church every summer for the last three summers. He is also enrolled in the CEF Mailbox Club and loves it. So, when Brady sat down I asked him what he wanted to talk to me about. Brady told me he had just been baptized the week before. As the other kids came back to us, Brady said "I want to stay and talk with kids who come back. I want to tell them what it is like to live for the Lord." I was blown away by that statement. Praise God for the work He is doing in 8 year old Brady's heart.

Good News Club...in a closet?

Walking into a school for the first time can be overwhelming for the Good News Club teachers: where is the school office? Where do I go? Believe me it can be very challenging.

Our team a this particular school arrived and were told the room number to find. We searched and could not find it. After some time, we finally found the room we were assigned. At first, we thought this cannot be our room. It looked like a restroom on the outside. When we opened the door, we found it was a resource room/closet. It was not the most ideal space, but we made the most of it.

Despite the lack of space, as a team we entered with a willing and gracious spirit because we were able to have space to share God's love to boys and girls. We have children coming with eagerness and open hearts. The second week, we had one girl invite a friend, Jasmine, who responded to the invitation to receive Christ as Savior. Praise God!

Record breaking start to GNC at Hermansen

For the past several years, we have had a Good News Club at Hermansen Elementary School, in Romeoville, Illinois. As we preparing for the start of the club this year we learned that there was no possible way to distribute flyers to the children through the school as we had done for the last several years. So, we did a mailing to every Hermansen contact and placed flyers in the school office. We realized that this was going to be a different year and that they attendance would probably drop. However, we were praying that God would bring the children of His choosing to the GNC. We were not sure what to expect the first day. To our great surprise, there were 115 children on the first day with a few more children signed up but asbent. Since then, I have been getting calls from a few more parents interested in sending their children to the club. What a great God we serve!! Last year the club enrollment was 115 at the end of the club run. God continues to amaze me. How about you?

A change in plans leads to changed life

Ever since September of last year, I had been planning on being in Warrenton, Missouri with a group of chapter committee members and staff to attend a weekend seminar at CEF International Headquarters. Reservation were made and everything seemed ready to go, or so I thought.

First, my dad got sick and was hospitalized for 7 days. He is getting better each day, but is not up to par yet. Then another person from our group had to cancel because of pressing family needs. Our trip for training and team building was loosing steam and people fast. Then, with our chapter secretary being on medical leave, that left the office work for me. Still I was planning on going. Then I started GNCs again after the Christmas Break. After a week filled with exciting clubs, I had this overwhelming sense that there was too much here for me to do. At the same time, my dad was praying about this trip and had come to the exact same sense as well. So, after months of planning the trip was cancelled. Why after so much effort, would God tell us to postpone the trip? He had other plans.

Instead of going on the trip, I was able to be at my Thursday GNC. One mother was suprised to see me there, since I had told her I would be away. Club went on and the Gospel was presented through out the club. When the invitation to receive Christ was given, Avery responded. Avery is an older sister of one the other children. She came last week as a visitor and not as an attender. Avery must have liked the club because she signed up this week as a GNC attender. Avery came back to talk to me and said that she never wanted to sin again. After explaining and review the Gospel, Avery made a decision and she prayed to receive Christ as Savior.

God in His providence knew exactly where I was supposed to be--at Good News Club yesterday not driving to MO. If I had not listened to God and changed my plans, perhaps Avery may not have made her decision to receive Christ.