Plan of Salvation Presented at Youth Group

Tonight was another fun night at youth group. We never quite know what to expect about who is going to show up! We had a first-timer there tonight and she really seemed to have fun! We opened with Praise and Worship as usual. We sang a long time. The kids really seem to enjoy the praise and worship.
The lesson focused on our future with God and how we will all ultimately stand before him when this life is over. I explained that those who accept Christ will not have to be judged based on "works" or basically all the things they've done in their life. I explained that we as Christians have our names written in the Lamb's Book of Life, and when we stand before God on that day of judgment the blood of Christ will cover our sins. I handed them all "invitations" from God and they were to "RSVP" God and let him know whether they accept his invitation or not. Basically all of them accepted or stated that they've already received his free gift. I am so joyful for that!
For fun we played MOW-a CrAzY card game that drives most newcomers nuts! And an acting game called CLUE. We ended the evening with an energy burning activity called "Strong Woman"...it basically entailed the girls pushing the van around Pickstown while it was in neutral and Mandy and I sitting in the seats laughing our butts off! Another evening well spent! LOL
Keep us in your prayers! We have about 2 weeks left of regular meetings and then we will meet monthly throughout the summer. We will be formulating a plan and a format for next year. Hopefully we will be able to expand the number of kids we are reaching with this ministry.

Always
Living
In
View of
Eternity

-Heidi-

Appendicitis

Well tonight Joel is getting his appendix out. He had a terrible amount of pain and was vomiting today in the boat. He ended up in the ER in Platte right when I was at work! Luckily, I have great co-workers and they covered for me so I could be with Joel. I had to take him to Queen of Peace hospital in Mitchell! I drove about 80mph the whole way there. It was the longest drive to Mitchell I've ever experienced! But we made it, and the doctors and nurses here are really great. They were all really great at Platte, too. They have internet here, which is AWESOME! Joel was in so much misery...but everyone was really nice. Once some of the pain meds kicked in, Joel got to talking with the surgeon about fishing in Canada...I thought maybe he was going to book a fishing trip right there in the hospital...LOL. Anyway, I'm praying for him right now, he's in surgery as I am typing this. I know he'll be okay. This is the biggest thing health-wise that has happened to us since we've know eachother. But God is in control!!
LOVE Y'ALL!
-HEIDI-

Youth Group

I've been so blessed to be able to lead and be a part of this adventure in Lake Andes. Last summer my friend Mandy and I decided it would be great to create and extension of the Sunday School program in Lake Andes.
A Little Background Info:
Every sunday in Lake, two big blue vans drive around the town and the "housing" area, pick up kids, and bring them to church for a short sunday school lesson and a treat. The former leaders of this event, Orville and Adeline VandenBos, who ran the program for over 30 years, have now "retired" from it and passed it on to my friends Mandy Chaplin and David and Ruth (VandeZande) Baker . (Orville and Adeline still help out quite a bit). It is really something that has blossomed. Some weekends over 80 kids come to sunday school to heard the Word! People from many area towns are involved in helping out, teaching lessons, and coordinating the efforts. There are people from Avon, New Holland, Platte, Geddes, Menno and more...
Our Adventure:
Sunday School has been highly sucessful amongst the small kids. But we noticed there were a group of kids (mostly girls) who continued to come, but who needed something more. These girls were heading into 6th and 7th grade, and we wanted to create a ministry that would meet their needs. For me, I love little kids, but my heart and my passion are for middle and high school age kids. For me, youth is where it's at! I love digging into the marrow of the Word with these girls and seeing them get a revelation and a true understanding for the first time.
So in the fall of 2007, the Youth Group was created. It has been such a blessing! The Pickstown Community Church opened their doors and gave us a room to meet in. There we have a pool table (though we rarely use it to actually play pool), room to play games, have lessons, praise and worship, snacks and just good girl time! Since we only have the 2 of us to lead, we limited our members to girls in the 6th and 7th grade. Right now we have about 10 girls...about 8 of them come regularly. We've really had some fun. Some of the activities we've been able to do with the girls include a pizza and bowling party in Platte, a Christmas party, a lock-in, and a trip to see GO ministries in Mitchell! This Friday I am hoping to take some of the girls to see Don Piper (author of 90 minutes in heaven) in Winner, SD. It should be great!! I am so excited!
Call for more workers:
The harvest is plenty but the workers are few. I have had such a blast with just our core group of teens/pre-teens. But I feel the Lord telling us to expand! We could use some men to mentor and teach the boys. We also need more women leaders so we can keep the girl's groups small. I think next year we want to open up the youth group to anyone in grades 6-8! Pray for our adventure!!

Not only have these girls' lives been touched. I think the one getting ministered to the most is me. God is so awesome!!!