EXCEL Update

2009-04-18T14:27:00.001-07:00

It is hard to believe that EXCEL 32 is officially over and has been completed for a couple of weeks now. The Concert was an amazing success and the girls sang beautifully. Each of the young ladies Graduated and are now home with their families. It is hard to believe that it has been a few weeks since Graduation. Time has truly flown.

As these woman are home and back in the midst of their own individual schedules, it is my prayer that what was learned during their time here would not be put to the side, though temptation may sway towards that direction. Rather, that the insight and information gained would be continually chewed and thought upon as application of the material makes it's way into their lives. I know that God has amazing plans for these sweet young women and it will be exciting to see where the Lord takes them as their future unfolds.

2009-03-20T08:10:00.000-07:00

Rachel and Emily

Meridian and Hannah

Team 4 CPR

Abbi with her CPR buddy
Enjoying the moment while learning new and interesting techniques

Meredith and Elisa

Our Birthday Girls

Getting beautified for the Birthday Dinner

Making homemade butter

Alex, Josee, and Elisa

Enjoying time at the park

2009-03-11T13:53:00.000-07:00

Here we are, halfway into our sixth week! Time has quickly flown and continues to as each day passes by. God's work is most evident in the lives of these sweet young women. In fact, it would be impossible to attempt to count everything the Lord has done and continues to do in the hearts of all! It is my prayer that in the days ahead, we will continue to grow ever so close to the Lord and at the day of Graduation, we will look back at this time counting all as a blessing, and walk away without regret.

Elisa cleaning out the flower bed last Saturday during "Yard Work Day"

The incredible car wash!
Ruby and Meridian planting flowers

Lydia, Emily, Susanna, and Meredith showing off their completed banners!

Such creativity!

Annaliese, Hannah, Michelle, Christina, and Abby with their banners

The group picture with one of our beloved speakers, Stacy Smith

Rachel and Lydia

Hannah

2009-03-05T09:25:00.000-08:00

Rachel and Hannah

Our contestants for the Spelling Bee

Cheers for our Contestants

Our Winner! Congratulations Emily

Sarah and Alex

Bethany and Emily with DMC staff
Our dear Team Leaders

The "Tater Sisters" during an EIC skit

2009-03-03T08:56:00.001-08:00

Wow! Here we are at the halfway point of EXCEL 32. With 4 weeks behind us and graduation less than 4 weeks away we are excited about what God is doing in all of our lives. On Friday the girls successfully completed their week of Excellence in Communication with Patricia Ballmann. Although it was a busy and stressful week for many at the end it was declared a great and much enjoyed week. This week they are enjoying hearing from several different speakers. Our Directors, Mr. and Mrs. Bell will do the bulk of the teaching in the mornings. In the afternoons Mrs. Liz Barnard will be working with the girls on Banner design and creation. Wednesday evening and Thursday morning Ms Stacey Smith will be here sharing from her life message with the students. Stacey is the founder of Prison to Purpose Ministries and has such a way of connecting with young women. This week the class will also begin their music training with Miss Lauren Bell in preparation for the EXCEL Concert on March 26th. There is much to learn and cover this week and much to be excited about. Please pray with us that the Lord would continue to do a mighty work in the hearts and lives of the girls. Thank you!

Yesterday invitations for EXCEL 32's Graduation ceremony were mailed to the families. Graduation will be at 2:00pm on Friday, March 27th. We will have a Concert at 7:30pm on Thursday, March 26th for family and friends. Information was included with the invitations about possible hotel accommodations in the area. If you are interested in staying at the Dallas Ministry Center either Thursday or Friday night of the Graduation weekend please call the EXCEL Office to make your reservations. Our rooms are $50 a night which includes a Continental breakfast. All other meals are $7.50 a person. We look forward to seeing many of you soon!

2009-02-26T08:31:00.000-08:00

Girls enjoying themselves while spending time at the park Rachel and Elisabeth

Playing Red-Rover

Mr. Bell and Ruby Playing at the piano

Learning how to properly walk down the stairs during Etiquette class

Anna and Lydia

Rachel and Susanna

EIC Week

2009-02-24T14:34:00.000-08:00

We are right in the middle of the 4th week, facing the daunting Excellence in Communications! Encouragement is at it's peak during this week. Notes are going back and forth, Wisdom Searches are about fear and trusting God, and everyone is quick to come alongside another and say, "Just do your best; Christ will be your strength!" It's wonderful to be able to lift each other up and look to Christ as we are stretched academically.

Miss Patricia Ballmann joined us last Monday to begin instruction in geography, English, vocabulary, grammar, history, and Bible. She truly has a heart for seeing every young lady that comes through EXCEL leave with the skills to be an excellent communicator of Christ's truth.

Everyone is looking forward to the final exam this Friday and the home visit day this Saturday, though for very different reasons. Local families will take the girls out by teams on Saturday to go shopping or to just relax after such a busy, challenging week.

Everyone seems to be studying hard and applying themselves to knowledge. They are learning character lessons for a lifetime.

2009-02-19T08:45:00.000-08:00

We are finishing the third week now and are very blessed to have Mrs. Bernadine Cantrell as our guest speaker. The girls have been learning about a variety of subjects and seem to enjoy each one. This past weekend, the girls enjoyed cake decorating, car maintenance and self-defense.

Meridith and Ashley

Team 3 and their beautiful cake

Team 2 showing off their cake

Becca

Contestants for the Creative Sewing Contest
Angela

Car Maintenance with Mr. Ballmann

EXCEL 32

2009-02-13T12:00:00.000-08:00

EXCEL 32 is well underway as we complete our second week. The girls continue to get to know one another as they share in memories during sessions with the speakers and participate in hands on activities. Over the past couple of weeks, the girls have enjoyed Mr. and Mrs. Bob Welch, Mrs. Chardell Novotny, Mrs. Elaine Bell, Mr. Dan Ballmann and Patricia his daughter, Mrs. Jackie Wood, Amy Elam, and Brittnay Smith.

Arrival Day

Sewing

Friends for a lifetime

2008-11-13T09:38:00.000-08:00

EXCEL 31

EXCEL 31 Leadership Team

Team 5

Mr. & Mrs. Bell and Amy

Mr. Amon Baker leading choir practice

Rachel, Brittni and Allison

Mr. & Mrs. Gren

Amy and Kim

Anna, Esther and Elizabeth

2008-11-10T13:03:00.000-08:00

Here we are at the last week of EXCEL 31. Wow! How the time has flown. We have so enjoyed getting to have your daughters and sisters here. Thank you for sharing them with us these past 7 weeks. God has been ever faithful to us and we are thrilled with the things we see Him doing in their lives.

Last week we had the joy of having Pastor Gary Fraley with us. He shared with the class on several different topics - in the mornings focusing on stories from the life of Queen Esther and Learning to Stand Alone. In the afternoons he taught on Spiritual Gifting and the evenings sessions were a different topic each night. The class loved him and I think would have gladly sat through another week of his teaching. :0) Thursday afternoon we welcomed Mr. Amon Baker to EXCEL as he began working with the class on the music they will sing for the concert this Thursday evening. On Saturday all enjoyed getting out of the building for the afternoon and seeing the sights of downtown Dallas. We visited Thanksgiving Square, walked through The West End, saw the sight where President Kennedy was shot, visited the Coffee Shop at the Hyatt Hotel and ended our time at Pioneer Plaza. Fun was had by all and we couldn't have had better weather for our outing!

Last night we had a special time with the class as various students shared things the Lord had shown them during their time here. God has been good to us and we are blessed beyond measure!

We have an excited last week ahead of us as we prepare for the Concert and Graduation - Pray that all the details will come together God will continue to draw each one of us to Himself. Have a blessed week!

2008-11-05T11:26:00.000-08:00

Teresa and Faithie at the birthday dinner

Sun Young, Christine and Brooke

Team 4 at the birthday dinner

Julie at Dallas Heritage Village

Bethany mapping out her banner

Some finished banners

2008-11-01T10:28:00.000-07:00

Walking at the park

Izzy and Carolyn

Candy Lynn

Sarah

Elizabeth, Faithie and Sarah

Time at the park

Angie and Patrice

2008-10-31T11:00:00.000-07:00

Hello from sunny Dallas. Here we are at the end of the 6th week. It has been a full and exciting week to say the least. :0) Last Saturday we had a workday at Park Cities Presbyterian Church helping primarily in the PreSchool Department. The class joyfully prepared crafts for Sunday School, cleaned and organized toys in the classrooms, organized storage rooms, filed choir music and dusted the Sanctuary. It was a busy day and fun was had by all. Monday morning Mr. Novotny began working with the ladies on their Life Purpose Planning. His enthusiasm was contagious and they all had a great time together. Tuesday evening Mrs. Barnard introduced Banners and creativity has abounded the last few days as each one has designed and created her own banner representing one of the Hebrew names of God. Last night (Thursday) and this morning we were blessed to have Stacy Smith share her testimony and encourage everyone in their salvation, thoughts and dealing with bitterness. God has been good to us!

In the midst of all of the classes we have been excited to see different ones opening up and dealing with issues in their lives. God is at work and we are blessed to be a part of it!

Please pray for us as we have two weeks to go. Keeping in mind that this is still a fourth of the class and while hearts are turning towards home we don't want them to miss what He still has in store for us here. Thank you!

More pictures will be coming soon!

2008-10-23T08:35:00.001-07:00

Greetings from Dallas. Wow! Here we are nearing the end of the 5th week of EXCEL 31. The class is going by so quickly. It has been a full week with our speaker, Mrs. Cantrell. So far she has shared with the class on a number of different topics - Time Managements, Contentment, Interior Decorating, Hospitality, and Etiquette - just to name a few. She has so much Godly wisdom to share and her love for the Lord and the students is clearly seen. In the afternoons the class has also enjoyed listening to Lauren Bourcier (former EXCEL student, Team Leader, and currently works with the Advanced EXCEL program) read "Basket of Flowers". We see the Lord at work in the hearts and lives of different ones in the class and are excited about all He is doing. We are just seeing the outward evidences of the work - we know much more is going on behind the scenes!

Please pray that the students would continue to have open hearts to the Lord and the things He wants to teach them. With 21 full days left in the class we want to make the most of each day. Thank you!

2008-10-17T12:04:00.000-07:00

It's hard to believe we're halfway through the course already. This week we've been doing Excellence in Communications, and everyone is looking forward to going out tomorrow with families from around the area.

Team 2 Cake Decorating

Vehicle Maintenance

Self Defense

CPR and First Aid

Team 1 at Dallas Heritage Village

Sarah and Heather

Cross stitch introduction with Katie Wagner

Lydia making butter

EXCEL 31- Update 1

2008-10-09T15:30:00.000-07:00

EXCEL 31 is off to a great start. We are at the end of our 3rd week. We've been staying busy with different hands on projects such as sewing, smocking, canning, calligraphy, cake decorating, self defense and vehicle and household maintenance. We have also had several speakers come in to teach. They include Mr. and Mrs. Welch, Mr. and Mrs. Bell, Mrs. Jackie Wood, Mrs. Chardell Novotny, Mr. Dan Ballman and his daughter Patricia, Amy Elam and Mr. Keith Neds. So far things are running smoothly and everyone seems to be enjoying their time here.

A fire drill

Mr. and Mrs. Welch with one of the students

A team leader and one of "her girls"

A team over at Dallas Heritage Village

Spending some time outside

Sisters :)