Quarterly Update!

If this could have a jingle it would be "QuuuaaArrttterlyyy Updaaaaaaaate!" just say that super slowly you'll get it.

Replacing my monthly update is this bad boy ^^^^^^ It will be full of pictures and stories from the last three/four months! Enjoy!!

 Here are some random pictures I took. (Top Left) When driving late at night on my way to.... Actually I'm not sure were I was going. I think it was to spend the night somewhere to work the next day, this cold spot appeared and I made a face. You're welcome world. I knew you wanted to see a picture of a cold spot ghost... he looks so happy... It made my trip if you're wondering. (Top Right) I helped Jessica sew this for baby Eleanor though at the time we didn't know she was a girl. SO EXCITED! (Bottom Left) Emily and Alisha playing in confetti left over from the mini KidzFest that we did for the Kenneth Hagan Crusade. (Bottom Right) We all sat inside the golf carts waiting to leave as our parents set up for KidzFest. I love these girls!

Good News Club Conference! I spent two days in January teaching Good News Club teachers! We had around 180 volunteers from Lee, Charlotte, Sarasota and Manatee counties come out to receive some great training! Through the course of the day they had a main session, which focused on how they can continue to reach the children after they get out of elementary school, workshops, which focused on the different parts of Good News Club and a prayer summit to be praying for their school. It was amazing to watch people absorb all the great training that was being offered. I had someone come up to me after one of my sessions and say, "I've been an educator for 35 years and I seriously wondered what you could teach me. But I have learned SO much! Thank you for doing what you've been doing! It really has made a difference!" I was amazed at what Jesus had done! He is so cool!

I went to visit one of my besties! It was so fun to see Miriah this January for her birthday and just because. I ended up getting really sick on my way there though and slept for most of the trip... that was not so fun. But seeing snow fall and land on the ground was super fun! And walking around Greenville SC. So fun!

February I have less pictures so I'm sorry... haha (Top Left) This is the view from my desk. Most of the time I can only see the top of Bethany's head and I just see her eyes looking at me. I sometimes forget that she can see my whole face. Our desk is a quad so that we all can look at each other and have discussions during the day. It's wonderful! (Top Right) I was able to go to Orlando in February!! It was the BEST! I was there for SuperBowl Sunday at church and (Bottom Left) able to hang out with my beautiful friend Kalhan! I love her so much and right now I am missing her a TON! I love when Jesus brings friends into your life that love Jesus the same way that you do and it doesn't seem like any time has passed when you see them again. So thankful for her friendship! And Suzie, Deana, Kristine and Mileah for letting me crash on their couch! Spending time with you wonderful ladies was definitely a highlight of that trip! I love my Orlando family.... I miss you all! (Bottom Right) I played teacher dress up at Good News Club. It was so funny! The kids were cracking up as they put all sorts of weird clothes on me and Susan but it was so fun!

I was at a Good News Club visiting and I saw this little girl open her note book. I was about to tell her that she couldn't doodle during the Bible Lesson when I looked over her shoulder. She was taking notes!! On her pad of paper she wrote down who the lesson was about, where she could find it in the Bible and what the main point was for her! I was so stunned. It's amazing to see the change that Jesus is making in the hearts and lives of boys and girls through Good News Club.

 Mom went to the Children's Ministry Insitute for 5 weeks this spring! It was CRAZY! But through that time we had a lot of fun adventures! Here are a few through March. ^^^ Above are pictures of us at the beach. We went the day after mom left and it was SO cold! For all my northern friends it was about 70 degrees. Haha! Which meant the water was probably like 65... needless to say our Florida feet were freezing thus the sheet blocking the wind inside of the hole that Daddy and the kids dug for us. It was a fun time!

 My brother the super star! He did so good in his last couple of basketball games. He made most of the shots for his team and he totally beat me and Alisha in a one on one game - or really a one on two game. Little man has skills!

 We got to celebrate the beautiful Bethany at her bridal shower! It was such a good day and so great to laugh and talk about her and Skyler. I can't wait for their wedding which is next week! AHHH!!

For Daddy's birthday we went to Seaworld! It was SO fun! All day I go to run around with my cute siblings and watch them enjoy the park for themselves. Because they are older they enjoy riding the roller coasters and the exhibits so much more than they did when they were littler! Yay for getting older! Definitely some great memories from that trip!

 Emily cut off her long hair to donate it to locks of love. It ended up being a lot longer than we thought it was going to be.

 My mom is very invoved with the children's ministry so while she was away I was helping teach the 4th-5th grade kids on Sunday morning. It was really fun to be able to spend time with them and my Dad. Jesus is good!

LOTS of training done in the months of March and April! (top right) We held a vision night for CYIA. People came out to hear about summer ministry and how they can get involved. We even had a few deaf people who where interested in our deaf ministry. We have a new track at CYIA for students who are hearing impaired or deaf, it was amazing to see one student go through this training last year and learn SO much! (pictures below and to the left) Over four weeks students came out for a Teaching Children Effectively Level 1 Course. (WOW that name is really long - I think that's why we call it TCE1 haha) They took a 30 hour course which taught them how to more effectively teach children using Bible Lessons, Memory Verses and the Wordless Book. This training is amazing and is one of the reasons I'm in CEF today. It helped change my perspective toward children's ministry and helped me realize I love training! I'm so blessed to be able to be an instructor of teachers at this course.

After long days teaching children about Jesus at Good News Club, Bethany and I attended this year's Ministry Banquet for Lee and Charlotte counties! It was amazing to see what Jesus has done in the lives of children across Southwest Florida. Our goal in 5 years is to be reaching annually 5'000 children. The year two goal (which is this year) is 2100 children, right now we are at over 1400! Praise the Lord! I know with summer ministry we will hit this number easily! Yay Jesus! Please be praying with us as we begin to ramp up our summer ministry and start reaching the children in the community through 5 Day Clubs! I'm SO excited about what Jesus is going to do!!! YAY!

 I invited two times to speak at FCA and promote CYIA ministry to students there. It was really amazing. As I was telling the story of Peter's denial of Christ, I saw the whole room get silent. We were in the library and as I looked over the computers kids would stop and look over and listen as I shared the simple Gospel message. When it was over Cynthia, the club sponsor said, "You did so good! Did you see those kids? They were listening to you! They heard the Gospel!" I was so happy with what Jesus did through me at the FCA and hopefully this summer some of the students there will join us for CYIA!

Horrible blurry pictures but AWESOME testimony! Seth was able to share his CYIA testimony at his youth group two Wednesdays ago and I just stood back in awe of what Jesus has done through Seth. Because of him I know there are going to be other teens at that church that step up and decided to spend their summer ministering to Jesus! GUYS! I CAN'T! JESUS IS JUST THE BEST!

(*photo used with permission, name changed.)

This is Joy. She's one of my silly kindergartners at my Good News Club. During the club hour she doesn't say anything. She just sits quietly and listens, but in small group with me she opens up and talks about Jesus. Joy hugged me before she left this last day of club and exclaimed, "I'll see you next year!!" as she ran out the door. I'm amazed that Jesus uses me to reach the children here in Southwest Florida... my job is seriously the best.

So that took forever.... FOREVER for me to write and put together and I'm SURE forever for you to read! Haha. I'm not sure I like the "QuuuaaArrttterlyyy Updaaaaaaaate!" - because it's TOO MUCH! There are so many other things that happened that I just don't have time to write about and I'm sure you don't want to read on top of all this other stuff. So I think I'll go back to the monthly updates. :) Hold me to that - I'm going to try!

This face pretty much sums up how I'm doing lately.... haha my life is a series of crazy mashed up with lots of work and ministry being done - but I'm doing SO good! I can't believe how Jesus used all the crazy in my life to just awaken in me a deeper desire to reach kids with the gospel and a hunger to see MORE children come to know Him as Savior! Yay Jesus!
You don't understand... I'm doing SO good. Like better than I've been doing in the past year or so. I love my job, I'm happy at home, I love Jesus - life is just really really good. Jesus takes all my broken, ugly pieces and He still uses them for His glory which is amazing - so much better than I could ever hope to be used. All I can say is if the next part of the year goes like this part - well it's going to be a pretty good year.... yep... a pretty good year!