Under the Big Top 2016

Vacation Bible School was AWESOME! We missed our Children's Leaders (Rachel and Kyle Watts) so much this year, VBS is normally their big outreach and we jump in where needed. However, this year they moved to California, so that left it to us to do VBS! (insert anxiety, crazy faces, nervousness, and every emoji you can think of) We decided to do it in June this year, because of our Missions Trip being at the end of July and many of our youth being out of town! However, it did mean that we had less than 3 weeks to pull it off. I honestly did not know how we were going to do it. Part of me wanted to cancel, but I knew deep down that God would not have given me a vision if He wasn't going to make it come to pass! And, He sure enough did! 

Our theme was UNDER THE BIG TOP! We created a Circus in our youth building and it was absolutely amazing. Vacation Bible School is one of my favorite things that our church does, because it transforms our building into a place that our kids have never traveled before, some previous years have been Jerusalem, Disney World, New York, and now the Circus. Our kids LOVED every minute of it.

When they arrived at the ticket booth (aka Welcome Booth) they received 8 tickets to go visit each of the different booths at the Carnival. They won prizes at each booth, EACH night! (Only God could have made it where we had the EXACT amount of prizes we needed for each kid) We had a Spin a Prize booth, Guess Your Weight booth, Face Painting & Tattoos Booth, Rub Dub Dub Booth, a Fishing Booth, a Shoot the Hoop Booth, and Bean Bag Toss. They had 30 minutes from 5 to 5:30 to play the games and visit with each of the people at the booths. We also had a photo booth that allowed the kids to take pictures in and then on the last day we gave them their pictures, and they LOVED THIS.

On the first night, they learned about Daniel in The Lions Den! They even had a Lion Tamer come and visit with a "real" Lion. They each created a Lion Mask, so that they could be a part of the interactive lesson. On this particular night, we learned that Daniel was brave and took a stand for what they believed in and that God is always going to provide a way for us, even when it seems that there isn't a way. After the lesson, we went and dinner each night followed by games! The kids ate it up and loved it all. I love watching them get excited about Jesus!

On the second night, we learned about Jonah and the Whale! Before our lesson, we had a Magician come with a real rabbit and a dove! He did all kinds of tricks for us Under the Big Top! He captured the kids' attention and did a fabulous job! We highly recommend "Magic with a Twist"! He was friendly, called up several volunteers from the crowd, and went right along with our kids, and their "craziness"! Later in the evening, we learned that God had already been paving the road for Jonah, he was preparing the hearts of the people of Ninevah before he even got there! We learned there’s no point in hiding from Him because somehow, someway, somewhere, He will get your attention, just like He did with Jonah.

On the third night, we walked the "tight rope" (aka an awesome little invention that Seth whipped up with a 2 by 4 and some cement blocks, and some paint) as we faced our fears like Peter did when he walked on water with Jesus. This was our lesson for that evening and every child got a chance to walk the tight rope! We learned that Jesus will call on us to do things that may scare us, but we know if we fix our eyes on Him, He will guide and carry us through. This was the night that the Lord opened up the door for 10 SALVATIONS! 10 KIDS GAVE THIER HEARTS TO THE LORD as we opened up the altar. It was one of the most beautiful sights that I have ever seen. I was in awe of their little selves as they vulnerably gave of themselves. I was overjoyed and I know the heavens were as well! This was my BY FAR my favorite night of VBS. God is so very good. He is faithful to every thing, big and small.

The last night was water night and the kids had a BLAST! We ate pizza first and then we had the kids give their money for the missionaries,  which determined our winner for the Heaviest Amount of Change, which was the Blue team, led by Miss Maddy (one of our youth)! After pizza, we went and got busy busy busy on some awesome water slides! Half way thru, we stopped and let the Blue team slime the other team leaders! We finished up having some fun on the waters slides, and then we wrapped it up! And just like that VBS was over. All of the hard work was over and we had completed our mission!

This year we had so much help from our youth and adults. They stepped up and took control over Praise and Worship, Crafts, Painting, and coming up with ideas for the week! It was a wonderful experience. While we had our problems, our fights, the tensions rose, our money issues, our set backs, we pushed through! We made it and we succeeded. Not because of anything we did, but because of how awesome God is. He prepared those hearts of those little ones, before they even stepped through the door! 

I write all of this, not to brag on us, but to brag on God. Only He could take a week that anyone else would say was going to be a disaster with the little amount of time and money we had. Only He could save those 10 little ones who gave their hearts to the Lord. Only He could lay on others hearts to donate to our cause the exact amount of money that was needed for the slides, without them even knowing it. Only HE could take our crazy team and turn us into a vessel used to bring souls into His Kingdom. 

He is good. He is faithful. He is for real. He is amazing.

If you gave in anyway at all, by prayer, financial donation, food donations, time, effort, or by bringing your child, just know that YOU have helped further the Kingdom! You have played a part in this!

Until next year VBS...
Living to make Jesus Famous,

xoxox
Amy DuVall

P.S.we already have some great themes in store...GET READY FOR VBS 2017!!