Thursday, September 25, 2008

First Night, Great Start

Last night was our first night of Awana for the new club year! I am crazy busy on Awana days and especially yesterday. I was very excited for last night, but I really had not thought through the details of the night. With the help of many others, everything ran very smoothly, I think and we had a great time. I love teaching K-2. They soak up so much of what you are telling them and generally they are pretty willing to go with anything you are doing at the moment.

The most exciting thing of the night came later when Bethany called me to tell me about her night. Both of my girls (and Kevin:) work in Awana, but they work with the older kids. Last night Bethany had been able to bring the boy (B) that she nannies for. He is in 4th grade.

On the way to our house last night, B asked if he would have to learn Bible verses since he didn't like the Bible very much. Bethany told him that he didn't have to, but if he did he would earn points for his team. (He is very competative) So, after club, he could not stop talking about the night. One of his leaders had given him a Bible (which he previously had not liked very much) and he was going to read it! He was so excited that he had his own. He also was working on learning a verse on the way home. He told Bethany that he was struggling with the one verse and Bethany recited it for him. He was shocked that she knew it! Bethany explained that she had gone to Awana and learned the verses. By the end of the car ride, B had learned two verses, so he will be able to pass them next week. Bethany was beyond excitement when I talked to her! To think that B could give his heart to the Lord this year... wow! Bethany didn't even really dream of this. To top things off, B's Mom PAID Bethany (which gave her gas money since she drives for at least an hour one way to Awana). Bethany also told me that even though the Mom is not very "religious" as she puts it, she sees that Bethany is different. She said that she knows there are not many young people Bethany's age that live the way she does. What an encouragement to Bethany! People are always watching our lives. This Mom is thinking that when her boys are Bethany's age, she would like them to be the same way, so she sees value in sending her boys to Awana now.

Wow! Bethany wasn't sure she would even be able to sleep. This was just a job for her in the beginning and now she was able to really minister to B. You never know what God is going to use.

What a great start! I can't wait to see what God has in store for this year:

6 comments:

Martha said...

Talk about being a Spark! How exciting for Bethany.

junglemama said...

Points for the team and the chance to be competitive are great tools for learning those bible verses. LOL. My kids are the same way.

Kelli said...

how exciting and what a blesssing for both B's

kristina said...

That is exciting and encouraging.

Ashley said...

This is going to be an incredible year for ya'll! I will be praying for B and his family. Just think, his whole family could get saved! All because Bethany took this little boy to AWANA! How awesome is our God!

Bethany said...

This is exciting! It is always such a blessing when you see a young kid responding in this way. It gives me hope for the ones around me.