Blog

“Thy word is a lamp unto my feet, and a light unto my path.” – Psalm 119:105

Every month we share with you a story about how children are using their KiDs Beach Club® Explorer’s Study Bibles. We know the Bibles are being used throughout the school year, but what happens when the Beach Clubs break for the summer? This month we wanted to share two stories about the impact the KBC Bibles are having on children this time of the year.

It was the last day of Beach Club and it had been a good year. The volunteers and students felt that bittersweet feeling that comes with the last day

That same day, when a volunteer walked in to the school office to sign in, a parent there recognized the KBC t-shirt and began to apologize. She was filling out a KBC permission form for her child who stood beside her.

With a bewildered look on her face she asked, “Is it ok if he comes today? I mean, it’s the last day and all of a sudden he wants to come to KBC. I have tried all year long to get him to go and he decided today that he wanted to go.”

With a huge smile on her face and a chuckle in her voice the volunteer assured the mom that they would love for him to enroll and come even if it was the last day. The young man had a great time and even had his ticket drawn for a t-shirt. Most importantly, he left with a KBC Bible to carry the Word of God with him until he rejoins the group in the fall.

The other story is about a young woman who is armed with her KBC Bible as she moves to a new state, motivated to learn scripture.

When students in one Surf Team began reciting John 3:16 from memory earlier this year, one girl was feeling left out. 

She later went to her Surf Team leader and expressed that she seemed to be the only one that didn’t know that scripture. Realizing that it must be important and that she, too, wanted to be able to recite it, she asked her Surf Team leader to find and highlight the verse in her KBC Bible.

She shared that she was moving to California and would not be able to attend Beach Club anymore; but that once she got to California she would work to learn that verse so that she too could recite it like her classmates. 

These children, on two very different paths, can rely on their KBC Bibles to help illuminate their journeys. Thank you for your continued support as we connect KiDs to Christ and put Bibles in their hands.

One of the many fun elements of Beach Club every week is earning those tickets for the right to head to the KBC Treasure Chest, which is filled with candy and toys.

Back in the fall of 2014, Trisha was able to collect tickets for saying her memory verse and wearing her KBC t-shirt but she never got one for bringing her Bible to Beach Club.  Week after week, she watched her friends bring their Bibles and get tickets, but she couldn’t because Trisha didn’t have a Bible to bring. In fact, there wasn’t even one in her house.  Not one person in her house owned a Bible.

This was just a few months before Great Treasure Day where every child in every Beach Club now receives their very own copy of the KBC Explorer’s Study Bible.  Trisha’s Surf Team Leader requested she be the recipient of the next Bible given to a child, and she was.  Excitedly she held her first Bible up to pose for a picture.

Trisha started reading her new KBC Bible and brought it with her to Beach Club the rest of the year to follow along during Bible Connection time.  She listened to the stories, participated in the discussion and started asking her Surf Team Leader many questions. 

Near the end of the school year, Trisha came forward for counseling saying that she wanted to ask Jesus to be her Forever Friend saying, “I’ve never heard any of this before.  It has all been new to me. You see my mom works hard at two jobs, and she just hasn’t had time to tell me about Jesus.” 

Hebrews 4:12 says, “For the word of God is living and powerful, and sharper than any two-edged sword, piercing even to the division of soul and spirit, and of joints and marrow, and is a discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart.”  When Trisha started to read the Bible she received in Beach Club, it became powerful in her life and led her to a new hope in Christ.  Her home now has the living, powerful Word of God and thanks to the generosity of our faithful monthly supporters of Bibles for Beach Club, many other homes now have their very first copy of God’s Word.

You are making a difference for the Kingdom!

As Memorial Day approaches and we prepare to set aside a special time to remember those who have given their lives for our freedom, we wanted to take a moment and share a beautiful story with you about a Beach Club boy and a wounded warrior.

Justin, a 4^th grade Beach Clubber from Euless, Texas, lost his dad in 2009 to ALS and last summer he received a $2,000 inheritance from his father. To Justin this amount of money might as well have been a million dollars and he felt like he had to share it with someone in need. He saw a clip on television of an NFL player who had once been homeless and now makes a lot of money and is helping others because someone helped him get back up after a fall. This story inspired Justin and he began searching for a way to help someone else.

Talking to his mom one day, Justin learned about Texas Sentinels Foundation and what they do for veterans.  He learned about a Marine named Sgt. Erich Ellis and how a fundraiser was going to be held to support building a fully furnished home for this wounded warrior. Justin immediately decided to use a portion of his inheritance to sponsor a table at the fundraiser.

In a room full of charitable-hearted adults there was a little boy following Sgt. Ellis around. Dressed in a red t-shirt, to match his hero's, and camouflage pants that were just a little too short, Justin looked out of place and perfect, all at the same time.  Justin shared how he wishes for a world without war, but understands that it is still very much a part of our world and he has a great respect for veterans. He was so happy to help Sgt. Ellis get a new home. 

In June 2012, on his fourth tour of duty in Afghanistan, Sgt. Ellis stepped on an Improvised Explosive Device (IED) while on a United States Marine Corps Forces Special Operations Command (MARSOC) deployment. Resulting in the amputation of his right leg from the knee down, Sgt. Ellis underwent ten surgeries within the first 30 days of his injury. Embodying the characteristics of a true American hero, Sgt. Ellis was awarded the Purple Heart for his sacrifice and courageous service.

Sgt. Ellis was extremely touched by Justin's action to support building a home for him and he and Justin have forged a friendship that will surely last.

Johnny and Dontae are two boys in Beach Club who recently shared how they put their trust in Jesus Christ as their savior after exploring their new KiDs Beach Club® Bible.

A few weeks ago Johnny approached his club leader with his Bible in hand and open to the plan of salvation page.  He pointed to the page and began to tell his leader that he had prayed the prayer of salvation and showed where he had filled in his name and the date.  Then he pointed to the last line that says “Who Did I Talk With” and said he needed to get that part done. While talking with his leader Johnny explained that he was sitting in his room reading his new Bible and found this page.  After talking a bit more and making sure he didn’t have any other questions, his leader gladly signed his page and prayed a prayer of thanks to God for the free gift of salvation. Johnny is a third grader in the Dallas/Fort Worth area.

Not too long after hearing about Johnny, we got a special letter in the mail at our KiDs Beach Club main office in Euless, Texas.  It was from Dontae, a fifth grader in the west Texas area.  Here is what he wrote:

Dear Beach Club,
Today I made Jesus my Lord, Saviour, and Friend. Almost as soon as I finished the prayer on the page before page 627 I felt something bad leave me and something good come in me. I knew it was God instantly.
Sincerely, Dontae

If you are a KBC volunteer, financial supporter, prayer warrior, or a combination of any of those, know that your efforts don't go unnoticed and you are making a difference for the Kingdom!

Only 2 Weeks Left: Enter to Win a 50" HDTV
This online fundraiser supports the growing ministry of KiDs Beach Club®. There will also be a drawing for Beach Club students to win a Nintendo 3DS XL. Plus, there is a special prize for the top selling Beach Club. Visit our raffle webpage for complete details and enter to win today.