Alumni You May Know

Feeding her hunger for God

Amy Sayers is the definition of high achiever. But more importantly, this former clubber and leader is modeling a life of passionate service to the Lord.

When her family left El Paso, Texas for Ocean Springs, Mississippi before her sophomore year in high school, Amy Sayers felt her world turned upside down. She had to leave behind her friends, her church and her school and start all over.

But such a move was exactly the change Amy needed. Having drifted away from God during her last couple of years in Texas, Amy recommitted her life to the Lord through a new church and new Christian friends. "God renewed my hunger for Him," she said. "He pulled me out of a bad situation."

Passionately serving God

Amy, a former Awana clubber and leader, has been passionately serving God ever since. How passionately? While a student at Hillsdale (Mich.) College, Amy was a Cubbies leader as well as a youth group volunteer at Hillsdale Free Methodist Church. She led a small-group Bible study, was involved in Fellowship of Christian Athletes and participated on the vision team of Hillsdale's chapter of InterVarsity Christian Fellowship. She tutored students at Williams Elementary School and even served as president of the Student-Athlete Advisory Committee.

In addition to her service opportunities, Amy was a three-sport athlete at Hillsdale. She competed in cross country, track and swimming, setting four individual and four relay school records in the pool while serving as team captain. Despite her heavy schedule, Amy graduated from Hillsdale last spring with a 3.84 grade point average on a 4.0 scale while majoring in Christian studies and math. Amy's academic and extracurricular excellence and spiritual fervor earned her the Outstanding Senior Woman award at Hillsdale.

Now that she's graduated, Amy is preparing for a career in full-time ministry. She is currently receiving further training on a variety of family-related issues at the Focus on the Family Institute in Colorado Springs, Colo.

Awana helped lay the foundation

Awana played a role in laying the foundation for Amy's full-time commitment to Christian service. Amy recently talked to Awana about her days as a clubber and leader and how this ministry touched her life.

Awana: Tell us your testimony.

Amy: I grew up in a wonderful Christian home. I remember accepting Christ on the bus coming home from school when I was 6 years old.

Awana: When did you start attending Awana?

Amy: We lived in California and went to the Evangelical Free church and we started Awana when I was coming into first grade, so I was a Sparkie. And going through three years there, I learned a lot about what it means to be a Christian. Through Awana I first learned how to memorize verses and study the Bible.

Awana: You were an Awana leader in college.

Sayers: I was an Awana leader in Texas, too. I was too old for clubs at our church, so I was a leader in Sparks for two of the three years we were there. And then in college I was a leader in Cubbies.

Awana: What was it like to work in Cubbies?

Sayers: They were so cute. They had a great time. But, at the same time, I think it's so neat that they're learning Bible verses and that their parents are working with them on it. It's incredible to see them learn the Bible as a family. It's a boost to the parents, too.

Awana: What did Awana mean to you?

Sayers: I think that when I was younger, Awana was just a fun thing to do. My parents were excited about it, so that provided a lot of motivation. They were very active and involved with our Awana club. But now I'm so thankful for it. It's encouraged me to learn so many Bible verses. I think it's an incredible way to plant the Word of God into the hearts and minds of kids.

Awana: Do you see yourself being involved in Awana in the future?

Sayers: I would love it. I have no idea where God will take my fiancé and me, but definitely it would be a great thing. Are you one of the Awana alumni?