Jumping Into Summer!

June is almost over and July is only a few day away!  That seems impossible some days.  Time really does pass quickly!

Myself, Ruth, and 12 summer missionaries spent the week of June 12th at Cedarville University for CYIA (Christian Youth In Action) training.  During this training, the teenagers are taught how to teach and run a summer 5-Day Club.  I was blessed to take a TCE1 (Teaching Children Effectively) class during this time along with my cousin, Michelle Guilliams.  God has been instrumental in partnering Michelle and I to serve in multiple ministries together.  I was so thankful to have had a week with her to learn and grow together in Christ.  TCE is a phenomenal class!  I cannot express how much God taught me through this week.  It is a class offered as part of the Children's Ministry Institute and is essentially a 30 hr college class crammed into one week.  One of the instructors described it as "drinking from a fire hydrant."  Even though I was tired and missed my family, God challenged me and really pushed me to better my ministry for His purpose.  I love learning how to study Bible passages more thoroughly and even being able to create my own lesson plans which are packed full of the Gospel truths.  I came back on fire and ready to teach what God had put in my heart!

Getting back from a week that full you sometimes feel you need down time, but as they say "there is no rest for the weary."  I was able to serve at Project Shine, a local service project in Kenmore, for the first two days after returning and then jumped right into teaching 5-Day Clubs.  We have 24 scheduled clubs in our area this summer and our teens are excited to teach these kids and invest in their lives.  I love seeing our teen missionaries serving at these clubs!  They all have such a great attitude of service and a heart for the Lord, it is encouraging to see.  Please continue to pray for our staff and teens as we serve each week and pray that the little ones will have their hearts open to receive the Word of God.

In my personal life I do love summer and that I get extra time to spend with Luke and Zach.  They come to clubs with me and are already talking about being summer missionaries someday.  As a mom, it makes my heart smile and I just pray whatever they do, that God will keep them near to Himself and they will want to serve Him.  It has also been nice to enjoy time with Andy now that he is done with classes.  Our evenings are so special to have time to do something as simple as watch a movie all together.  Andy was also able to take Luke & Zach to Father-Son Camp at Stony Glen and make some wonderful memories together.  I have also been busy preparing for VBS at our church which is coming up in 2 weeks.  It's always a great week of fun!!

I am thankful for each of you that take time to pray and for those who give financially.  Both are so important and are making a difference in the lives of children in our community.  I thank God every day for you!  If there is something specific I can be praying for, please let me know.  I would love to hear from you!  You can email me at joanne.flaker@gmail.com.  If you would like to be added to the Akron Chapter's mailing list or to give a tax-deductible gift, you may contact our office at             330-928-1648.

Until the nets are full,
Joanne

  Beautiful sunrise at Cedarville University

The start of 5 Day Club!

Our summer missionaries playing with the kids!