SD Overflow Stories

It’s not about the
amount. It’s about
the obedience.
your
stories
the challenge
In 2009 we set out to write a
new story for South Dakota.
It had been three years since
we had seen a significant
increase in either Speed the
Light or Boys and Girls
Missionary Challenge.
We decided, “No More!” We
weren’t going to stand by
and wait for another year to
pass without doing
everything we could to
maximize the NOW.
The following pages are filled
with SOME of the stories that
came out of 2009 and early
2010 giving.
With God’s help we were able
to do something never
accomplished before. As a
result South Dakota children
and teens are inspiring a
nation!
2010 Giving Totals:
BGMC: $75,737.73
STL: $109,743.85
ALL WILL
DRIVE: A
MARATHON
EVENT
In May 2009 I, along with several
other youth pastors decided to
raise money by running the
Brookings Half Marathon. After
personally logging over 190 miles
in training, the day arrived.
My marathon started Friday night
with a pasta meal at Bravo's in
Brookings. While we waited 60
minutes for our food we discussed
the marathon and whether or not
"Veal" was baby cow, lamb, or as
the hostess suggested, "raw deer
meat."
breeze. I like a brisk run - but this
was down right cold. It warmed
up to 41 degrees by the end of
my run, but the wind had picked
up as well.
I was joined by a crew of other
Speed the Light fanatics as we
started the run at 7:00 AM. Though several had complained of
physical issues during training, no
one had any major medical issues
that kept them from participating
or finishing! In all we raised over $10,800,
covered 144.1 miles, between 13
runners we raised $74.94 per mile
for every mile run!
RELAY
D Bragg, C Bragg, J Linton, A
Bragg, P Linton, S Holzemer Time:
5:09:11 - Pace 11:48/mile
Saturday morning we were up at
5:00 AM to get ready and go. It HALF MARATHON
was about 35 degrees with a light J Thomsen - 2:05:01 - Pace 9:34
D Thomsen - 2:27:02 - Pace 11:13
i will run so
ALL WILL DRIVE
M Entzminger - 2:32:07 - Pace 11:37
N Tufte - 2:55:18 - Pace 13:23
T Tufte - 2:55:18 - Pace 13:23
FULL MARATHON
T Brantner - 4:07:45 - Pace 9:27
D Bauchspiess - 4:32:25 - Pace 10:22
by Mark Entzminer: SD DYD
2/22
Beginning of
Something Good
WOW! God is already doing something great at
Revolution. It's been a week since we launched
the Overflow and we can already see this is
different. The students have caught the vision of
this and God is working in their lives. We've
already had 4-5 students share the beginnings of
their overflow stories and it is so encouraging. I
can't wait to the end to see what He's done.
Wanted to send you one message I was sent by
one of our students on Facebook tonight after
Revolution. Other students shared the same thing
with us tonight at Revolution:
"Hey man! i didn't get a chance to talk to you at
youth tonight but i wanted to fill you in on what i
have been thinking about.
I have started to read the book overflow and i
am only on chapter 2 and i am already amazed at
how i have been affected by it. After reading
chapter 2 and learning that families that make
25000 a year have more money than 90% of the
worlds population! i mean that hit home and it
really got me motivated to save money for
people who actually need it.
d
reait
There was also a verse that was mentioned that
really made me think and taht was "when
someone has been given much, much will be
required in return" (luke 12:48) ok so basically
that changed the way think and as i looked into
my totally stuffed closet i realized that i need to
be giving some of what i have been given back to
the people who need it the most. i have been so
blessed with such a great family and friends and
been given everything i have wanted and needed
and now i realize that giving a little bit will make a
huge difference.
SO heres my plan.... as i have told you i also
belong to the church in harrisburg and i am very
involved in it. I was thinking i would get up in
front of my church in harrisburg and tell
everyone about speed the light and what its
about. Also i wanted to tell them about what i
have learned from the book overflow and how it
has changed my perspective on things. So maybe
i would reach into someones heart and they will
feel the need to give money to the cause, i would
maybe have a bucket in the back of my church
that people could dump money into if they feel
the need. Let me know if you think this is a good
idea or if you have any suggestions!
i am so excited to finish the book and see what
affects it has on me and i will definitely keep you
posted!!
PEACE OUT MAN! molly (:
Overflow
3/22
bgmc
means
business
It was a special week in January in
third grade. My teacher taught us
how to run a kid size business and
boy was it fun! I went home really
excited that week and told my mom
all about it. I did think to myself, if I
can use my talents and abilities to
run a business in the future, why cant
God use talents now to raise money
for something like BGMC?
So I locked myself in my room with
paper, crayons, markers, and pencils. I
cranked up the music and the idea
came to me. My mom soon came in
wondering where I disappeared and
why my music was so high. It was
then she saw a room covered with
colored pictured all over the floor. I
let her know that I was about to
start putting prices on them to sell
pictures for BGMC. She later told me
that Dad said they were planning on
buying all of them before I started a
fund raising booth.
Months went by and I continued to
color pictures but no sales. Then one
day it happened! 2 months later
Pastor Jeff announces that God
spoke to him about raising money
for BGMC and to have the kids color
pictures for a fund raiser! THE
Shawnna Lofland
Age 9, 3rd Grade, Canton SD
So I locked myself in my room with paper, crayons,
markers, and pencils. I cranked up the music and the
idea came to me.
AWESOME THING HERE IS THAT I DID NOT TELL PASTOR JEFF MY
IDEA!!! GOD SPOKE TO US BOTH ON THE SAME IDEA!!!!
My mom called Pastor Jeff that Monday and let him know our story and that
I had around 100 pictures to donate to the cause!!!I was so excited that God
spoke to my heart and I listened. That is really cool
In on day at church Shawna sold 90 of her pictures.
4/22
Winning Cuts
2009 was the first year that our youth
ministry decided to par ticipate in
Speed the Light. We decided that
finding a project to raise money for
would be a great way to set a goal to
work towards. We chose missionary
Diane Laws on the Island of Kiribati
who was in need of a boat motor
repair and the hull to be rebuilt on her
boat that she used to get from island
to island. The funds needed for the hull
repair were $3,000 and the motor was
$4,000. We felt the $3,000 would an
obtainable goal and thought that we
could reach the goal in about 18
months if we really applied ourselves.
As we shared the need with our youth
group, the kids they really caught the
vision. They were excited to make a
difference and really wanted to help.
The $3,000 goal was reached in less
than 3 months! We were shocked and
excited at the same time. What we
thought would take 18 months we did
in a fraction of the time. We did no
fund raisers. This was money that the
kids gave out of their own savings.
With over half of 2009 left and we
decided to start giving towards the
second need of the boat motor repair.
One of our youth leaders gave a
challenge on a Wednesday evening that
if we reached a goal of $750 that one
of our college grads who was home for
the summer and wore his hair in a
modified afro would shave his head.
The youth leader then then proceeded
to raise the challenge that he too
would shave his head if $1500
goal was met. A third goal
challenge was also set that the
youth pastor would shave his head
if a $2500 goal was met.
The other students then asked if
anyone who gave $100 could have
a pass with the clippers. It was
agreed that the offer was open to
everyone.
The kids were excited and ready
for the challenge. The offerings
continued to come in but in a
slower pace than before. About
two months had passed and we
were ready to receive our Speed
the Light offering.
With that check books came out.
Students were asking to go out to
their cars and get their wallets and
check books. In less than 15
minutes over $2600 dollars was
given to Speed the Light once
again from students personal
checking and savings accounts.
We had just finished praying and
one of the youth, Bobby, asked
how far away we were from our
fir st goal. The youth pastor
responded that we were $100
dollars away from our first goal of
$750. Bobby then said, “Do you
mean if I write a $100 check
tonight that Jeff will shave his
head?” The youth pastor jokingly
responded, “if you write a $100
check tonight I'll give you a pass
on my head when we reach the
$2500 goal.” Bobby asked “Are
you serious!?” The youth pastor
replied, “you know what...yes I am!”
This was an offering given from
weeks of summer jobs. Money that
was earned from branding calves
and babysitting. It was given from
kids who worked at summer
camps, movie theater s, and
McDonald's.
There were also some ver y
“unplanned” haircuts that night at
youth group and some very bald
heads!
When we finished the year our
youth group of 60 students gave
continued on next page
It was youth giving.
5/22
photos from the Kirabati boat project
Invest
When you invest in
My Kingdom, I will
invest in you!
continued from previous page
over $7,500 to Speed the Light. Praise the Lord! It
was incredible to see the students catch the vision
and give to a people half way around the world who
the never met for the cause of sharing the Good
News of Jesus Christ!
As we were ended our year we were so excited
about what God had done through our students for
Speed the Light. At the same time our youth funds
were depleted for the year.
I'll admit that I had a moment that I just thought
“God, you moved in such an awesome way this year
for Speed the Light, but our youth fund is broke!”
“God, will you also move on our behalf as a youth
ministry?”
We ended up putting together a last minute fund
raiser selling Christmas trees. Everywhere we looked
we couldn't find a Christmas tree farm that had any
trees left to deliver because of the short notice.
After calling almost 20 farms we came across an
elderly couple who sold trees. The owner asked how
many trees we were looking for. We told him about
70. He replied “I think I can help you. You see I had
somebody back out of an order of 70 trees. They
are all marked and ready to be cut. I didn't think
anybody would want them this late of notice.”
Our youth ministry sold those 70 trees in 13 days
and many people paid us above what we were
asking for price when they realized it was for our
youth ministry. We put over $2,500 in our youth
fund on that fund raiser.
I know with all my heart that God had those trees
set aside for us! It was such a blessing and also such
a valuable lesson. I preach to our youth group that
God honors those who
honor him. God reminded
me of this, when I heard
His voice speak so clearly
to my hear t. He said
“When you invest in my
kingdom, I will invest in
you”
Dean & Joy Seegers
Youth Pastors - Winner AG
it’s
possible
A giving heart: I felt like I needed to give
back my allowance to my parents since they needed the
money more than I did.
IT’S WHAT YOU DO
In September of last year, my step
dad got into a really bad motorcycle
accident that should have killed him,
but by the grace of God, his life was
spared. But I am not saying that he
came out without a scratch. Let me
tell you... he was pretty banged up
(and out of work now too). During
this time, my mother hadn’t been
working so we truly had no money. I
felt like I needed to give back my
allowance to my parents since they
needed the money more then I did.
During the process of his healing, my
stepdad was able to start do the
daily things once again (ex shower,
eat...etc). By some miracle, we got
through the rough patch with
finances.
In March my mom started a new
job. My stepdad still hasn’t been
working since September and he
started getting very depressed. One
Wed night, Pastor Annette threw
these little white papers on the floor
and challenged us to go pick one up.
They had things like $32 to help little
kids across the globe with things like
food, doctors, school and so forth. I
started crying, I wanted to get one
but I just didn't have any money.
Then Annette and I had a very nice
and long talk about how Overflow
isn’t just a dollar amount - its what
you do too. I noticed that even
though I wasn't giving money at that
time, I was giving my time to different
church events. The money from
those events was going to Speed the
Light!
Then the 9ine challenge came and I
really wanted to do it. I knew I didn’t
have the money and I didn’t know
where the money would come from.
So one day, I emptied my wallet into
a box and put it on my bookshelf. All
I had was a dollar and a lot of
change. My birthday was coming, so
all I asked for was money. I felt called
to give every single cent from my
bir thday money to this 9nine
challenge. I know if you listen to
God, He will bless you more than
what you could have possibly
wanted. So far, for the 9ine challenge
I have raised $72.99. I have had
thoughts saying I can't reach it. It's
impossible. But I just have to keep
believing that I will earn it. Something
I have learned during all this is that
God will provide and I have to put
my trust in him. Doing this has really
pushed me out of my comfort zone
to try to do the impossible. And
good news – by 9/9/09 – I got the
$27 I needed!! With God's help
everything's possible!
Emily Erickson
Yankton, SD
7/22
IG
av
e
I have always wanted to do something great for God but i never knew
what to do. Then i went to church camp, and i knew that i needed to
start with a job. So i applied for a job at a vet clinic.
Unfortunately, all spots were filled. For a while, it really seemed to bring
me down and i just didnt know any other places looking for a 15 year
old to hire. So i took a little break. I made tie-dye shirts to sell on the
side, but i wasn’t having much luck at first. i had only sold like two… but
it was a start.
I was starting to wonder what else God wanted me to do. I still thought
really needed a job for some extra spending money, college was coming
up quite fast - some money in that fund wouldn’t hurt. But I realized my
mind was in the wrong place.
Every Wednesday we were reminded about 9-9-09. We would give
$99.99 to speed the light on that date, and i kept thinking “i want to do
that but i am so broke”.
Well, on a Thursday, about a month
before school started, the vet clinic
where i had applied a couple months
before called me asking me if i could
come in for an interview!
So i
agreed to come in to have an
interview the following Thursday.
Unfortunately i had been so excited i
had forgotten that the day before my
interview (that’s right, just one day
before), i was going to have my
wisdom teeth cut out! So not only
was i nervous for my interview, i was
in a whole lot of pain. But I went
anyway AND I got the job that i had
wanted really badly.
So now I had plenty of money to
give my $99.99 to speed the light,
plus I had a few more tie-dye shirt
sales which was $14.00 more,
coming out to be $113.99. It may not
be that much but that is just the
beginning of what God has
planned... :) TO BE CONTINUED !!!!!
Briana Whitehurst
Yankton, SD
8/22
Kids Artwork
Last summer (2009) during
one of our Wild and Wacky
Wednesdays, we had all the
kids paint BGMC posters. We ordered small canvases
for all the kids and told
them to be creative. Then
we displayed them all in
the foyer for a few weeks. We put a Buddy Barrel in
front of each poster and
allowed the folks in our
church vote on
their favorite. The winner was 8 year old
Kylee Cramer. We raised
over $100 with some paint
a little creativity.
Ashley Anderson
Sioux Falls, Crosswalk
SOMETHING
FISHY GOING
ON!
In October 2009, we did our
annual "boys vs. girls" BGMC
competition. The stakes?? If the boys won,
Pastor Ashley would have to eat a
live goldfish. If the girls won,
Captain Chris would have to
eat the fish. It was a close competition
and we saw the parents get more
excited than the kids. In one
month, we raised over $1,000 for
BGMC! And the girls won, so Captain
Chris had to eat the slimy little
fish :P be creative!
9/22
I read the overflow book on the
plane ride to California (like 5 days
after camp) and i was definitely
gonna do something. I knew i was
gonna work this summer with my
grandfather as a laborer in his
landscaping business.
I started praying about what to do
with the money i was going to
make, and i didnt really feel
anything. I was pretty
disappointed. i wanted to do
something AWESOME for God. I
wanted to be one of those
awesome stories in that little black
and white book!
But i was super conflicted. i only
owned one guitar and a small
amp, and i really wanted an
acoustic guitar, or a piano, or an
amp, or a lot of other things that i
didn’t have.
Then my paycheck got drained
pretty bad. i had to give some cash
to my mom because of a phone
bill thing, my tithe took more out
of course (but i knew that was
gonna happen :D), and i blew my
first hundred or so on a new
skateboard (idiot). Then my mom
(also youth pastor) texted me
asking about the
9/9/09 thing. I
wanted to do it so
that took another
hundred out. i was
left with $280. Now
for an amp, or a
g u i t a r, o r a
ke y b o a r d , t h a t ’s
pretty much
nothing.
it’s the
sacrifice
I was REALLY disappointed. i was
only able to give 99 dollars for
overflow, and doing that cost me
getting an amp or a great guitar
pedals.
Well, we went to guitar center one
day and i brought my 280 with
me. We went into the acoustic
room and i picked up a Takamine
G series eg540SC (dragonfly) it
was $349. We plugged it in and it
sounded great. My dad said he'd
pay for the rest. When the clerk
rang it up and went to get a bag, i
looked at what the list price was,
$899! We had a 10% off coupon,
and it was on sale, that came out
to be a 61% discount! i got a $900
acoustic-electric guitar, that was
the exact color and sound i
wanted, for roughly $350!
God blessed my sacrifice, and i had
already given up on the idea of
getting a guitar! Another thing that
amazed me, after i thought about
it, was that at camp God laid on
my heart to leave a great nonChristian band to do something
more ministry related.
When i first realized it, i cried. i
loved being in that band and they
were awesome guys to hang
around with.
God honored that by giving me
the guitar i had day-dreamed
about (yes i did - lol i am aware of
how lame that is). I nearly wept
after I realized the blessings i had
gotten, just by obeying him!
He has opened many doors
musically for me since then, and i'm
trying my hardest to grow closer
to Him. This road sucks
sometimes. but its SO much better
to walk on. :D Anyways, this is
pretty long and i figure i should
end with, if you’re disappointed in
what your Overflow puts out, the
amount, or whatever you’re
doing… it’s not about the amount!
It’s the sacrifice. Your heart blesses
God and makes Him want to bless
you.
Hunter Baugh
Yankton, SD
10/22
Oh No!
We were challenged to start our own overflow stories at youth
group. I REALLY wanted to be a part of it! So I put a goal of $300
down.
Well right after that I had a leave of absence at work! Well I wasn't
getting money in so it was hard giving it out to Speed the Light but
I tried to give as much as I could every week. I really prayed hard that God would provide for me in that
situation but also I had to raise money for my missions trip so I
needed money there too. I was getting discouraged because I still
wasn't giving very much money and it seemed like God wasn't
going to answer my prayers.
WHEN YOU
LEAST EXPECT
IT:
She said that they were
going to back pay me
for that money I hadn’t
been getting for the
whole last 11 months!
Kym Tufte
Sioux Falls, SD
Well I just kept praying and seeking God and finally there was a
breakthrough! I went back to work and had my yearly review
(which I actually hadn't had in a couple years) and my boss told
me that I was up for a raise... LAST YEAR!! In my head I was
thinking 'Oh great and now I lost my chance of getting that raise
and this whole time I could have had more money! Oh no!'
But then she said something that blew me away. She said that they
were going to back pay me for that money that I hadn't been
getting for that whole last 11 months! Every hour and every day
that I worked I would be repaid for the money I never received! If
that wasn't amazing enough she went on to say that I got
ANOTHER raise a month after that big check would come in! I
was stunned to hear that!
God really did provide for me. He provided a way for me to give
more money to Speed the Light but also to pay more money than
I would have been able to pay for my missions trip. I would
encourage every person to just keep following after God and keep
asking him to provide even when it feels like He's not answering
because when you least expect it, He will pull through!
This is my Overflow story, now it's your turn! Kym Tufte - Sioux Falls, First AG
11/22
something BIG
I wanted 2 do something big for missions but I always had in the back of my head I would never accomplish
what I wanted so I didn’t want to try.
I had gotten a job at a little art studio downtown. That would mean not getting paid like a regular job because
it was mostly volunteer, but I would get paid a little. The last few weeks I had been volunteering there, I had
been really praying about my Overflow and what God wanted me to do with it. I wanted to do something
great but I have a car that needs some work, and I need gas money. So I was like “no way this isn’t going to
work. I will wait to do my overflow”. A while ago in youth group, we talked about helping others, and my youth
Pastor put out little papers we could chose from that said things like, support a child for 6 month $30, or feed
a family of 4 for 6 months $60. I had chosen to support a family for 1 month for $30, and I honestly blew it off
- knowing I wasn’t going 2 be able to pay that.
Then later, we talked about the 9ine challenge and I was like “that’s so cool”! But I knew I wasn’t going 2 be
able to pay that either, so I just put in the back of my mind. I got paid on my last week at the art studio. I was
paid $130, the exact amount I needed to have enough for Overflow and 9ine!!! I was so amazed! I knew
immediately what I was supposed to do with it. Give it all.
And then I was offered more money and hours at the art studio next year, and even for stuff to do during the
school year! Knowing I am giving all this money for missions makes me feel great that I didn’t just waste it on
stuff I wanted. So far, that is my overflow story and it was great.
Bre Schmidt - Yankton, SD
uses time, talent
and resources
His teacher gave full
access throughout
summer to the
shop classroom. In
fact, his teacher got
all the materials for
Ar turo so that
A r t u r o ’s w a l l e t
wouldn’t be as
affected by the up
front costs. Arturo Bragg expressed interest in writing his
Overflow Story because he knew that he
wanted to give to missions, but wasn’t quite A f t e r c o u n t l e s s
sure how he was going to do as his funds hours of working on the Entertainment
were very limited. Center, it was auctioned off for $250. After much thought, he decided to use his
time, resources and talent to make a solid oak
Entertainment Center. He even talked with
his shop teacher from school during this
summer and let him know that he was going
to auction off the Entertainment Center and
give all the proceeds to Speed the Light. Arturo took a risk in talking to his teacher
about it, and spent countless hours to get this
project done because he knew that the
greatest cost and sacrifice by far was not
making this Entertainment Center, but rather
what missionaries do in speeding the Gospel
of Jesus Christ around the world.
Arturo Bragg - Huron, Sd
solo act
sometimes following God’s plan
isn’t a group effort
wood works
13/22
calendars
ADAM’S AND COLBY’S STORIES
Adam Thuestad always
wants to do more to help
missions. Late in 2009 Colby heard about how BGMC is helping
kids learn about Christ AND at the same time teaching
them to stay off of drugs and alcohol.
As soon as he was finished
with his Rummage Sale, he
thought of a new way to
raise money for Speed the
Light. He learned that through KidsQuest ministries kids can
be presented with the Gospel, be discipled, and led
involved in a church that has been provided with lesson
materials for $2.00 per child.
Let me first help you understand Adam’s story. His
dad walked out of his family’s life a couple of years
ago. His mom has been unable to support him and
his little brother on her own, and so Adam (a 10th
grader at the time) stepped up and got a job to help
pay rent and utilities, and buy groceries. Without Adam helping out, his mother would not be
able to pay her bills because Adam’s dad doesn’t help
out with anything. So, on top of Adam giving sacrificially to his mom all of
his paychecks, he is now taking on the financial
burdens of Speed the Light because he wants
everyone, everywhere to know the saving power of
Jesus Christ and how HE changes everything. Adam had a vision of three crosses sitting on a rock. Underneath the rock it said Relying on Christ. After
he had this vision, he drew it on paper. He wondered
if he could in someway make copies of it and sell it to
give the money to Speed the Light. When he was asked how many kids he wanted to
help, he responded 1,000.
During the weeks that followed, he found the idea that
Adam had to be inspirational and decided to create his
own calendar.
With the partnership of his kids pastor, Jeff Kuper, he
was able to sell $1,200 worth of calendars. He also
drew some pictures to sell and helped out during a
BGMC banquet.
Within four months of making the goal to help 1,000
children in Asia, he was able to complete his goal.
He now wants to raise another $500 this year.
Colby Entzminger
8 years old, 2nd Grade
Sioux Falls, SD
He created a 12-month-poster-calendar and is selling
them for $5 each with all proceeds going to Speed the
Light. Adam gave over $200 from his posters.
Adam Thuestad - Huron, AG
14/22
spaghetti
I just wanted to share a praise report with you! Our youth (which is now called "Empowered Youth Ministries") had
their first STL fundraiser yesterday at church. We (meaning myself and 3 teens) cooked a spaghetti dinner with all the trimmings for the church right before they
had their Annual Business meeting. We had a suggested $10 per adult donation, and we had been advertising it for
the last 3 weeks. We served about 40 people! When I added up the money in the basket it was $751.00!!!!!!! I almost cried! I was
expecting maybe $250 or $300. Our STL goal is $1000.00. It's only February! My 3 teens and myself have pledged in faith promises of $750.00 and our next fundraiser which will be sometime in
April will profit $750.00!!! So we are going to be setting a new goal for sure!! The teens were so excited!! It really
got them going and I am just so pleased with the people in our congregation that stepped up and supported our
youth!
Praise the Lord!
Diana Kjerstad
Empowered Youth Ministry - Mitchell Assembly of God
We made up really cool t-shirts with our group name on them and we all wore
them for the fundraiser. It showed unity. 15/22
5Alive
Kristen Amlaner and Adam Thuestad began
writing their Overflow Story with a Rummage
Sale. They went through all their stuff and put it up
for sale. Much of the stuff that they sold
where precious things to them, but they
realized that in view of eternity, it was just stuff. With the help of some church members
adding their stuff in Kristen and Adam’s
Rummage Sale, they were able to raise over
$160 for Speed the Light.
IN LIGHT OF
ETERNITY:
Much of the stuff that
they sold where
precious things to
them, but they realized
that in view of eternity,
it was just stuff.
He has learned what it
means to be a sacrificial
giver.
5Alive is the youth
ministry at Huron, First
AG.
Nick Holzemer pledged to sacrificially give $100 in a three month period. Every time that he was at youth group or 5 ALIVE, he grabbed a Speed the
Light Envelope and puts as much money as he could in it. This is Nick’s
Overflow Story. Nick works at Zesto eight hours per week. He doesn’t make that much
money, but Nick was determined to give all that he could to Speed the Light. Not only did Nick give $100 in the three month period, he also gave $270
above and beyond his goal to Speed the Light for a total of $370. He has
learned what it means to be a sacrificial giver.
Nick Holzemer - Huron, SD
16/22
lead
the
way
Jesse Lutter
Patience &
Jason
Jason and I lost weight last year
for Speed the Light. We started
a workout regimen and were
able to lose 58 pounds together. About 20 people pledged to give
$1 per pound, and we ended up
raising over $1,000.
__________________________
In October of last year, our youth were about $4,000 away from
reaching their $10,000 goal. Jason and I pledged to them that WHEN
(not if) they reached their goal of $10,000, we would shave our heads. They did it. And they even went over their
goal. We are so proud of them and their
great accomplishment! This is the most that
our church has ever raised, and we’re
pumped up to make history again this year.
At youth convention I felt that I
should give a large amount of money
to speed the light. I just had this
feeling that this was what God
wanted me to do.
I had a calf that I received for Easter
two years ago. I bottled fed it, I gave
it hay, and then I finally was able to
sell it.
From the money I was able to get
from my calf, I was able to give some
of it to speed the light.
When I was able to fill my pledge, I
felt ecstatic that God blessed me
through being able to raise and sell
my calf in order that I could
give the money back to him
and help missions all over the
world. Jesse Lutter
Aberdeen - First AG
17/22
COOL THINGS
HAPPENING
What Is
Your Story?
Students have given
over $5,000 to STL,
they have been giving
crazy amounts!
Our students raised over $500 in
one weekend by doing a snack stand
at our church.
Our students gave just over $5000 in
2009, and already this year, Fusion
Youth Students have given over
$5000 to STL, they have been giving
crazy amounts! They have been
calling relatives for support, they have
been going door to door, and
some students have given
hundreds of dollar s by
themselves.
Lots of cool things happening!
Jeremy Steinert
Sioux Falls, Falls Church
18/22
clean up
I Put Myself Aside: All of the sudden people began forgetting nice
clothes, just my size! Make up that was the right shade! And an awesome hair brush!
$2,000 IN THREE WEEKS
had just broke. I decided
to wait until I was done
with work and had a my
pay check.
Last summer I and my sister worked
at a camp as cleaning help. If we
found anything that was left and
nobody claimed it within a week
after the camp had left we got to
keep it.
I had heard Pastor Mark talk about
the Overflow and how it was an
amazing opportunity to be built in
faith and help people around the
world. I prayed about what the Lord
would want me to give and never
was given a specific amount.
I had three weeks left at camp, work
had slowed down and now we were
only working 4 to 5 hours a day.
I didn't go shopping for my self all
summer. I really could use some
clothes, makeup, and my hair brush
One morning I was having my
devotion and prayer time and the
Lord spoke ever so clearly "Two
Thousand dollars before you leave to
go back home". My first thought "was
no way!".......I can't get that much in
two weeks!" The Lord than said, "Your
right! You can't but I can through
you."
I decided to trust him with it! Two
Thousand in three weeks! In coming
up with the money I decided not to
buy any of the things that I thought I
needed, I would make what I had
work until the Lord allowed me the
founds to get those things.
I didn't buy anything for myself I put
me aside and was excited to see
what the Lord wanted do in the next
three weeks. Like i said my hair brush
was broken, I was using the pieces of
it to brush my hair. It was awesome!
All of the sudden people began
forgetting nice clothes, just my size!
Make up that was the right shade!
And an awesome hair brush! The
awesome thing was that they were
like really expensive things that
worked for me! In the last few weeks
at the camp. We were given a raise
and several bonuses plus the hours
began to pick up. And at the end of
the three weeks when I was able to
wright a check for two thousand all I
could do was stand in awe of what
the Lord had just done.
I can honestly say to God alone be
the glory for what took place in that
three weeks. With out Him working
on my behalf there would indeed
have been know way to come up
with the money.
Justus Cole – Junior
Winner AG- Radicalz
19/22
counts when you’re giving it to
missions! God spoke
to me and
said “You
need to do
this.”
When I was in church one
Wednesday, Pastor Annette was
talking about the Overflow book. I
was so interested in all the
testimonies that were in this
wonderful book – about kids my age
serving God in so many ways! I did just that! At the end of the
9-9-09 challenge, I gave over $200 to
STL. That was all the money I had,
and here is the really cool part. God
Then Pastor Annette gave us all a opened up so many doors for me to
challenge – to give $99.99 on 9-9-09. earn extra money after that! So that night, God spoke to me and
said to me “you need to do this”. So
I wrote my name down on the sign
up paper that was handed to me. That night, I began to raise the
money. I know that’s not much,
but hey, every cent
counts when you’re
giving to missions!
During the summer, I was babysitting
A LOT and I probably earned over
$150 – so I gave all that money to
my Overflow fund as well. And I
wanted to go past that 9ine amount,
so I prayed, and I felt like God told
me to give $200 to STL. First, I had been starting to save up
some money to buy a car. I only had
$37 to start with – I decided
to give that. I know that’s
not much, but hey, every cent
For example, unexpected babysitting
jobs and doing office work for some
friends. When it’s all said and done, God
gave me back the amount of money
that I had given to missions.
Jana Price - Yankton, SD
20/22
rePaint
Jeff Kuper When they immediately confirmed the job, price, and the
timeframe, I knew this was a God thing.
ANSWER YOUR PHONE - IT MIGHT BE GOD CALLING
After making a $15,000.00 BGMC
goal for our church, I knew it would
take some creative idea's on God's
part to meet that goal because I
really wasn't too interested in
jumping into freezing water or
hanging out on top of a billboard! I
thought I might end up living on top
of our church roof for a month or
so, but God! He had a different idea!
First He told me that I had to be the
seed to get it growing, so He said I
was to give a $1000 BGMC offering.
One morning while I was praying for
my $1000 dollar offering the phone
rang. I didn't answer the phone
because I was praying, and then of
course I forgot about the phone call
and went to church still asking God
for the $1000. When I arrived home
I again walked past the blinking light
of the answering machine, still
reminding God of the need. Finally I
listened to the phone message.
The message was from a farmer
looking to hire a painter. I don't do
much of that anymore , so I
thought I'd call him back out of
courtesy and tell him about another
painter in the area.
I tried to tell him that I was not in
the painting biz much anymore, and
he said that he'd see me at his house
at 4 o'clock. I headed out to his
house thinking I'd tell him I wasn't
interested. I got there and before I
knew it I was on my way home with
the farmer saying he would be
waiting for a bid from me. Still I
was firing prayers to God for that
$1000 need, and I was not putting
the dots together.
Shortly after I arrived home that
evening the phone rang. Yep, it
was him again!!!!
When they immediately confirmed
the job, price, and timeframe, I knew
that this was a God thing. I called
back to let the farmer know "Yep,
we're on!!!"
As of 3-31-10 the job was done.
Our church secretary made the
comment, "Wow, ever yone was
blessed - the farmer who got the
painting done, a couple of painters
looking for work had some, and
BGMC received a $1000 towards
our goal of $15,000.."
"Got that bid done yet?" he asked. "Well. actually I rea...." I began to
stutter when he interrupted me. "Listen, I'm gonna give you $4,000 for
that job. Suppose you can start next
week sometime???" "Well ahhh, I think so, I'll get back
with ya!!!" I called relatives who are in the
painting business to ask if they were
free the next week.
21/22
you
inspire
others
The following is an excerpt form the
message used in Alaska: As we look at the
life of Jonathan early in King Saul’s reign we find a
story where Jonathan (likely about 15 years old at
the time) with his armor bearer led an attack on a
group of Philistine warriors. (I Sam 12-13)
Here are some of the great points
that come out of that story:
In November 2009 Christie and I had the honor
of traveling to Alaska to speak during a Speed
the Light tour.
We truly enjoyed the countryside and met some
great people. But for us, the most rewarding
part of that journey was being able to share
stories from South Dakota teens and children.
When it was all said and done, Three of five
sections set goals in the amount of $180,000 for
2010. This comes from a state giving less than
$25k in 2008.
God used your stories, your leaders,
your church, children and teens to
inspire others to go beyond where they
have ever gone before.
Your Stories Sparking
A Revolution:
You accepted the challenge, God provided
the Overflow, your stories of obedience and
faith are inspiring others
1. Jonathan didn’t wait for a group he made a decision on his own to
do something great.
2. Jonathan appeared to be poorly
equipped - he was young and the
Scriptures say only he and his
father had swords.
3. God gave him assistance in
defeating the Philistines.
4. In the end, his stepping out alone
inspired the rest of the army and
those in hiding to move into
action.
God received the glory for that
victory, and God receives the glory
for what HE has done in 2009. What
will we allow HIM to do through us
in 2010?
22/22