2024 Year in Review

It's hard to believe we have come to the end of another calendar year! We have now been back in Michigan a little over three years, and we are continuing to see God's hand guide and grow the ministry in his way and on his timetable. Here's a glance back at 2024, and a glimpse of a few doors we believe are opening for 2025...

Released Time

Although our numbers for the 2024/2025 school year are down from the previous school year, we continue to see new faces. We were even able to hold classes with a new school this fall (Lakeshore Middle School in Grand Haven).

It was fun to see the excitement from the kids who were with us the previous school year and were able to ride in our new LSM van this year. What a blessing it has been to have access to our own vehicle! (see image below)

In 2024, there were nineteen kids who attended one or more of our classes, both from last school year (Jan-April) and this school year (Oct-Dec). This represents five different schools across two school districts. In all, 39 lessons were taught across all our classes.

Book Clubs

Book Club continues to be a fast growing segment of the ministry. We love teaching students how to process what they read through a biblical worldview, and steering our discussions and activities back to the gospel. At each meeting we share a light snack, discuss the book that had been assigned for that month, and enjoy a craft or activity related to the content of the book. Last month, we read The Bark of the Bog Owl, and showed the kids how to make paracord slings (if you read the book, you'll understand). It is rewarding to see the kids learn how to think critically about what they are reading, and to "take every thought captive".

During the 2024 calendar year, we reached 18 students through our two book clubs, and had 11 different parents who attended one or more of our meetings. It has been a joy to see parents who are invested in their child's learning and are fostering their love of reading! We held a total of 14 meetings between those two clubs this calendar year covering 6 different books.

As we plan for 2025, we are exploring the possibility of expanding the book clubs to include some after-school options, as well as a summertime book club in the park. More details to come...

Our books from 2024...

Camp

One of the highlights of our year is camp season! Although we don't (yet) have our own property, we have partnered with others to host our own day camp and adventure camp.

We held our second annual Day Camp in June at Nortonville Gospel Chapel and had an increase of almost 50% over last year's attendance, with 66 kids attending. Through the preaching of the gospel, six kids made profession of faith in Christ! Many are hoping to return again in the summer of 2025. Next year we are adding a 2nd Day Camp at Grand Haven Community Baptist, and are praying we can reach 100 kids with the gospel between these two locations!

In July, we held our very first Adventure Camp at the farm of a local property owner and good friend. Thirteen campers spent three days and two nights in a rustic camp setting enjoying outdoor activities, cooking around the fire, and learning from God's Word. We are already making plans to return to that same location in 2025, increase the camp to four days, and add some more activities and surprises!

Through our various ministries, students are able to earn credits towards our own camps OR those of our overnight camp partners. In total, we provided $450 worth of discounts to the students in our programs this past summer.

Here's a glimpse of our campers from 2024:

Mailbox Lessons

Our mailbox lessons got a face-lift this year as we transitioned to new curriculum (which we have also adapted for our Released Time lessons). We sent out over 100 age-specific "first lessons" to all the students who have been invovled in our different ministries. As a result, God has blessed us with some new students who have become actively involved in completing and returning their lessons. We now have 7 students actively involved - an increase from last calendar year!

Volunteers

Our ministry would not be possible without the faithfulness of our volunteers. We were blessed this year to have about 40 individuals helping in one or more of our various programs. Twenty-nine volunteers served with us at Day Camp, five served at Adventure Camp, seven more gave their time to teach, assist or drive for Released Time classes, and two are involved with leading or helping out with our book clubs.

We are always looking for more volunteers, particularly during our camp season. We'd love for you to join us and see first hand what God is doing here in West Michigan!

Donors

Many people have given sacrificially to ensure the needs of the minsitry are met, and that we can serve full time in the role God has given us. Fourty-seven individuals or families gave regularly to the ministry or to us personally, and several other individuals or families gave to projects or other needs (most notably, our new van!) In addition, countless others have donated food, bibles, camping supplies and other items for the ministry. THANK YOU!!!

Churches

Churches play a huge role in keeping the ministry staffed, hosting our events, and providing support in different ways. This past year, eleven different churches partnered with us in one or more of the following ways:

Hosting Released Time (3)
Hosting Book Clubs (3)
Hosting Day Camp (1)
Providing vehicles for transportation (2)
Providing office space (1)
Providing financial support for the ministry (1)
Providing financial support for us personally (5)
Providing volunteers (5)

Our family

In 2024, God blessed us with a daughter-in-law and another son-in-law. Justin & Fallyn were married May 17, and William & Emily were married July 6.

And just 10 days into 2025, we have the priviledge of gaining ANOTHER daughter-in-law! Brandon and Nayab will be getting married in Denver on January 10th!

For those keeping score, that's three weddings in eight months! Our hearts are full (and our pockets are empty)!

God can use YOU!

We have been blessed by the faithfulness of the Lord who provides for the needs of the ministry through the generosity of our donors and supporters! We are so thankful for those whom God is using to meet those needs, and would invite you to be a part of his provision!

As the ministry continues to grow, additional donors are needed who can commit to give a small amount each month to ensure that the growing expenses of the ministry are covered. Some of these expenses include transporation (fuel, maintenance, repairs, registration), day camp and adventure camp supplies, promotional expenses (mailings, printings, PO Box fees, social media promotions), office supplies (paper, envelopes, printer ink), books for our book clubs, and camp scholarships and discounts. We have included links to our online giving portal below in the "Links and other Information" section. When giving towards ministry needs, be sure to use the 2nd link (the project link), and not our personal one. You can also send a physical check in the mail if you'd prefer - the address is given below as well. If sending a check, be sure to write the check to "CBM" and indicate the funds should be applied to "CBM Lakeshore Student Ministries".

Alternatively, If you would be interested in helping out with some one-time gifts, please consider viewing our Amazon wish list! Simply click here (or go to "bit.ly/4fvpNty") to see what our current needs are.

Prayer Requests

Would you take a few minutes right now to celebrate and intercede for us?

Praises

God continues to bring to us more students and their families!

God has provided a multitude of volunteers to help with the work of the ministry.

Requests

Pray as we begin recruiting volunteers for next summer's camp events.

Pray for wisdom as we seek to expand our options for book clubs, and as we select books that will provide discussions leading to gospel conversations.

Pray for additional donors who will provide for the growing financial needs of the ministry.

Closing Thoughts

We feel so incredibly blessed to be a part of what God is doing here in West Michigan through Lakeshore Student Ministries. He has given us many opportunities to share the love of Christ through the teaching of his Word. Even though we don't always see immediate fruit, we are encouraged that he has a plan and uses us despite our weaknesses. The outcome is NOT up to us! Listen to what God tells us through the prophet Isaiah:

"For as the rain and the snow come down from heaven and do not return there but water the earth, making it bring forth and sprout, giving seed to the sower and bread to the eater, so shall my word be that goes out from my mouth; it shall not return to me empty, but it shall accomplish that which I purpose, and shall succeed in the thing for which I sent it."

- Isaiah 55:10-11

Have a very Merry Christmas!!!

Todd & Carla