Club is in Session!

I know its been an obnoxious amount of time since we last updated you all. Life the last few weeks has been a little crazy! So...here's your update haha.


CLUB!! We are three weeks into Clubs this year. Caleb is rockin' the Elementary Club! For those of you who attend/attended New Community, Caleb is doing Ten Commandments in a similar way to the Ten Words series we went through which is great. He even made some totally sweet tablets so that the kids have a visual. Learning to teach at an elementary kid level is a challenge, but Caleb is doing great. We have had about twenty kids show up the last two weeks, and as the word gets out I think the numbers will continue to grow! There is a strong team of leaders that help with Elementary, so we are very very blessed to have help (though we always need more volunteers, hint hint, wink wink!) Caleb has also been going to Mary Becks Elementary's 5th and 6th grade football games in support our Lifeline kids, this has a great way to show the kids we care about them and support them. It is really cool to see how excited to kids get when you watch them play.


We have had a little slice of home sweet home the last few weekends! Keri Burden, a friend I have know since seventh grade, stopped by for two days on her journey from Maryland to Washington. There is just something so special about getting a hug from someone who knows you so well and you can share anything with. She also supports us, so we got to show her around town and have her experience Clubs and what we are here for. Last weekend, Caleb's friend Matt Rogers was in Chicago for a business conference, so Caleb drove up to Chicago to see him. They enjoyed some real Chicago-style deep-dish pizza and shared life together. God knew exactly what we needed and decided to send us two best friends to encourage us. 


We joined a bible study! It has four to six other married couples in it, so be praying that we can grow closer to them. We are going to be talking about the book Radical by David Platt. I have only read the first chapter and it is definitely convicting. It's about taking back your faith from the American Dream, understanding that this faith we believe in is radical and often very often uncomfortable. 

We have some serious prayer requests. A little ten year old girl who lives in the house right next to Lifeline died very unexpectedly of an asthma attack! This is very sad and while she did not attend clubs yet she was signed up and she has two cousins that attend. So you can pray for that whole family. Also pray that Lifeline can help comfort and reach out to the kids and parents. I really have no idea how to deal with something like this. But God is Holy, sovereign, and has a divine plan for the earth and for Elkhart and this family.    

Some prayer requests: 
- Christ shows up at Club on Monday-this Monday is a going to be a big day where we challenge the kids with the gospel

- Lifeline can continue to work in kids' hearts for Christ
- We can find where we belong here and a solid group of friends

- Caleb and I can rely on Christ more and allow Him to be in control

Thank so much for all your prayer and support.  

Clubs are coming!!

Romans 2:13
  "For it is not those who hear the law who are righteous in God's sight, but it is those who OBEY the law who will be declared righteous."

My husband, and God, decided to challenge me with the scary task of trying to go through Romans. This verse stuck out to me while I was having my quiet time today. Our relationship with God has to be more than hearing the words, more than sitting at church, more than listening to Christian radio. It has to be fulfilling God's purpose for our lives, taking his teachings like "Love your enemies" and actually doing it. It sounds easy enough, but the actions are hard in coming. That was my challenge today, to make my faith become more than words, but actions.

We are one week away from the kick-off of Clubs at Lifeline! It is exciting/scary/nerve-wracking/humbling to know that in one week twenty to fifty elementary kids are going to be coming through the doors, ready to be loved. Our prayers are that we are ready to love them. Our biggest prayer request is that God shows up. That we didn't move to Elkhart, Indiana just to find out that it isn't for us, that God has a different plan. Friends and family, if you could pray over Lifeline and each volunteer that will be preparing to share the love and gospel of Jesus Christ.

Some other prayer requests would be: developing strong friendships, consistency and quality in our quiet times, and that Caleb is prepared and confident for his first Club.

We miss and love you all. Thank you for your prayers and support. OH! And we have Skype now, if you would like to find a time to talk to us (jenna.stanton89)! Or feel free to e-mail us or call us too :) we'd love to hear from you!