Two big events are taking place in our family in a few months. Joanna graduates from high school on May 16. On June 23, Doug and I will celebrate our 25 wedding anniversary. An open house is scheduled to celebrate each event. Joanna's open house is Saturday, May 23, 2009 3:00 - 7:00 pm at our house. Our anniversary open house is Saturday, June 13, 2009 2:00 - 5:00 pm at Faith Bible Church in Lansing.

I hope to have our family pictures for each year up soon.







This was taken when Joanna 5 years old - 1996

Our history:
We met in May of 1981 at Youth Haven Ranch
Began dating Aug. 1981
Jan. 1982 - Doug left Youth Haven Ranch to attend the Children's Ministries Institute for CEF
Engaged January of 1983
Doug started an internship for CEF in Detroit - July 1983
Married June 23, 1984 - Living in Detroit
July 2, 1986 - Philip Douglas was born
Sept. 4, 1988 Anna Marie and Bethany Jayne were born
June 20, 1991 - Joanna Ruth was born
1992 - Doug became the director of Metro Child Evangelism Fellowship
Nov. 1994 - moved from southwest Detroit to the east side
April 2000 - moved to Tustin to care for Mom and Dad Hammar
May 1, 2000 - Doug became the first full time director for CEF of Central Michigan
Sept. 11, 2001 - Dad Hammar entered Lakeview Manor in Cadillac, MI
July, 2002 - Doug became the Director of Administration for CEF of Michigan
Aug. 20, 2003 - Mom Hammar passed away
Nov. 28, 2003 - Dad Hammar passed away
Jan. 2004 - Doug was asked to pray about moving to Lansing
Feb. 2004 - put our home that we inherited from Mom and Dad Hammar up for sale
May, 2004 - Philip graduated from High School
Dec. 23, 2004 closed on our house in Tustin
January 3, 2005 Put an offer on a house in Lansing.
January 22, 2005 - Moved to Lansing during a snow storm
Feb. 2005 - Maryann began working part-time with Capital Area CEF as the Teacher Training Coordinator
Feb. 2005 - Bethany, Joanna, and Maryann started with Homeschool Music Association
Sept. 2005 - Maryann became the director of the Cadet Band for HSMA.
June 2006 - Bethany graduated from High School
May 2009 - Philip received his Associates Degree in Computer-Aided drafting and design.
May 2009 - Joanna graduated from High School.
June 23 - our 25th Wedding anniversary

God has blessed us in so many ways. He has led us every step of the way and has always provided everything we need. He truly is an amazing God!!!

Update January 09

Let me get you caught up on what has been happening since December. This picture is my band playing at a nursing home before Christmas. This is the Cadet Band with the HOmeschool Music Association in Lansing. There are 22 students, ranging in age 9 - 15. Most of the students have only been playing a year, some less. WE did five songs and they did an awesome job. We meet every Monday night for 2 hours and 15 minutes. The students are encouraged and rewarded for practicing 270 minutes or more a week at home. Many of them take private lessons.

This is my dad with his youngest great-grandson, little David, who was born just before Thanksgiving. It was nice to see many of my brothers and sisters at Christmas time.





My music students, along with 2 students of Geno Harris, my pastor's son, performed at a winter recital in January. Bethany (violin) and Joanna (were two of the students who performed). All did a good job. Two of my students were sick that day, so did not attend.





At the CEF of Michigan State Staff meeting in January, Doug was recognized as CEF of Michigan Worker of the year. He spends many hours doing police background checks for all CEF workers - paid staff, and volunteers, dealing with health insurance and building insurance for the workers and chapters, taking care of the finances for the State Office, and many other jobs that are given to him.



Please continue to pray for us. WE are all very busy, going in many different directions. Philip is working part-time and attending LCC working on his bachelors degree through Lawrence Tech. He will recieve his associates from LCC in May.

Bethany is working part-time at a day care center and taking one of her final two classes in photography at LCC. She is in the handbell choir at church, works with the teen girls on Wednesday nights, and teaches the toddler SS class with Philip.

Joanna is in her last semester of high school and is taking an Oral Communications class at LCC to get started on her classes for Culinary Arts. She just got a job working at MSU again, as she did last Jan - April. She will be working Tuesdays and Fridays - lunch shift, as a student cook! Joanna is involved in the HOmeschool Music Association Symphonic Band and is looking forward to Solo and Ensemble Festival in Feb.

I continue to work part-time with Capital Area CEF as Director of Teacher Training. The pay is part time but the hours definitely are not. I am working to raise support for Capital Area CEF to help with my salary. This is hard to do because I don't want to be in competition with Project D (Our support that goes through the State Office that pays Doug's salary, health insurance, etc.). Please pray that I will be able to raise about $600 a month.

Doug continues his responsibilities at CEF as Director of Administration. He keeps busy with projects that have to be done. Right now, one of his projects is collecting information from the directors about their offices and content for insurance purposes. Doug also is a Deacon at our church and the treasurer - so every one of those things keep him busy. He teaches the adult SS class from time to time as well.

Thanks for your prayers for us.

Family Christmas

This is all my family that gathered on Dec. 28 for the Jayne family Christmas. There are 4 generations in this photo. Mom and Dad are in front with some of their great grandchildren. There are several who are not in this photo - so if all of my siblings, their spouses and children were there, we would be about 75 people.

It was great to see everyone again. Bethany did a great job getting everybody set and ready for the shot to be taken.

Family sure is a blessing from God.

December 15 - almost two months since I have posted. Well, life gets busy and this gets put on the back burner.

God is good. At the beginning of December, we had no money for Christmas gifts and had two vehicles needing repairs. Since then, God has provided adequate Christmas gifts from our supporting churches not only for Christmas, but for car repairs as well. Thank you all.

We have had one salvation in the Grand River Club and one in the Sheridan Rd. Club. Keeping praying because Satan is attacking and keeping these children from coming to club on a regular basis so that they can grow and learn more about their new life in Christ. Jesus promises that His Holy Spirit will keep them despite opposition froms parents, other programs the children can be involved in, and our shortcomings in teaching them.

Philip is working again at Auto Value. He just finished another semester at LCC, and is looking forward to more automotive classes for his bachelors in Automotive Engineering Technology from Lawrence Tech. He can do most of the work at LCC.

Bethany is working at the daycare still, and finishing her photography classes - two left - but she can only take one per semester.

Joanna is looking forward to graduation in May, HSMA tour, and such. She will be taking an Oral Communications class at LCC this next semester.

Doug and I continue to be busy with all our responsibilities - CEF, Church, music, etc.

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Updates

Time seems to go by so quickly and many things happen that I just forget to write on this blog. Here is what has happened since I wrote last. The biggest thing is that Philip is not working at Attac Race Cars any more. They told him he has a great work ethic and does a good job on his drawings when he can take several days to to them, but they want him to be able to do the drawings in hours, not days. They thought he had more experience and training than what he actually does. Even though he is taking the last class for his associates degree, three of the drafting classes required for this kept getting canceled, so LCC finally waived the classes. He got the credit for them but not the training and these were the classes that would have helped him in this particular job. They did leave the door open for him to come back to the company. While he worked there he learned many things about deadlines, proficiency, and teamwork. He is waiting on the results of his drug test to be re-hired at Auto Value just a mile from our house. God has a plan. Please pray that Philip would seek God's face for what he needs to do next.

Bethany continues to work at the Daycare, not quite full-time but more hours than before. She has only one class that meets 2 times a week this semester. Church activities, work, violin practice, and HSMA keep her busy.

Joanna is doing very well in her school work this semester. She is working to improve her English skills so that she can take a class at LCC next semester.

I am kept busy with my responsibilities at CEF, church, HSMA, and with my music students. On Tuesday and Thursday afternoons, I teach Good News Clubs - at Grand River School and at Sheridan Rd. School. These clubs are great fun to teach this year. The kids are awesome. Last week was the story of Naboth's Vineyard. When I made the connection between Naboth's innocence yet was killed, to Jesus' innocence, yet he was killed because we were quilty, one girl exclaimed, "I don't want to be guilty". I explained to her that if you know Jesus as your Savior, God sees Jesus in you and declares you NOT GUILTY! Many of the children in club said, "That is AWESOME!" Yes, indeed it is.

Doug is busy with his responsibilites at the State Office and church. He helps me in the GNC at Sheridan Rd. on Thursdays. Right now he is working on building shelves for Joanna and a shelf for a TV.

There are no pictures to post again this time, but hopefully next time, I will have some of clubs.

Fall Happenings

5-Day Clubs are over, fall ministries are beginning. Here is a short synopsis of a typical Hammar family week.

Philip works Monday - Friday (some Saturdays) 8:00 - 4:30 or so, then class four nights a week.
Bethany has school Monday and Wednesday mornings, then work from 12:00 (or 1:30 on M & W) till 6:00. Monday nights she plays with the HOmeschool Music Association Senior Orchestra as an adult participant, Tuesdays is handbell choir at church, Wednesday - is church, Thursday is her violin lesson after work.

Joanna is doing her school work each day. Monday night is HSMA where she plays clarinet in the Symphonic Band, Wednesday night is church. She hopes to be working somewhere very soon. She is diligently filling out applications and calling on her applications.

Doug is at the CEF of Michigan office Monday - Friday 9:00 - 4:00. Wednesday night is church, Thursday night is TCE 1 and sometimes Deacons meetings.

Maryann works at the Capital ARea CEF office on MOndays and Fridays. Monday afternoons in the weekly Teacher Training Class. Monday night I direct the Cadet Band for HSMA. Tuesday morning I give music lessons. In the afternoon will be Good News Club at the Grand River School. Wednesday is a stay at home day, except for when I go teach chapel at Livingston Christian School (once a month) and teach CEF class for their Jr. and Sr. high students (once a month). Thursday is more music lessons, then GNC at Sheridan Rd School, and TCE 2 starting in Oct.

We are all very busy. It is a challenge at times to arrange transportation for everyone to be where they need to be, when they need to be there. We would appreciate your prayers for us.

Marcus Dibble, a young man who has been staying with us, works at the Meijer warehouse here in Lansing usually Monday - Saturday 10:30 am to whenever. Sometimes it is 12:00 midnight when he gets home. He will soon be moving to another place where he has more freedom to come and go as he places and have room to keep out all of his stuff.

Pray for Joanna to get a job that works well with her schedule.

Pray for CEF as we work to reach the children with the gospel of Jesus Christ.

Thank you.

End of Summer

This is the last week of clubs in the Lansing Area. Joanna is teaching two clubs this week.


I won't write alot of details because our newsletter is coming out soon. But one great highlight for us this summer was taking James, Jabez, and Andrew to two weeks of clubs that we taught.

James and Jabez have attended the Good News Club at Sheridan Rd. Elementary school for the past two years. Most of the time, they have been very difficult to handle in GNC. AT the churches were we had the 5-Day Clubs, however, they were very good. On the way home on Wednesday of the second week, Jabez was talking about wanting to be a movie star. He asked if they made lots of money. I said that some do, but some have to get other jobs while waiting to be discovered. He decided he would pray to God to help him be a good movie star. We suggested to him that he should pray to God to be what God wanted Him to be and to do. Without hesitation he said, "Like Hudson Taylor". He had been listening to the story of Hudson who started China Inland Mission. Hudson's life was one of prayer and submitting to God's authority and will for his life. We praised God that Jabez was listening and learning to apply the truths that he has learned.

Much work is being done to get ready for fall GNC's and trainings. In Capital Area we have the weekly Good News Club training class, then Teaching Children Effectively 1 and 2, then a specialized training once a month for the Jr. & Sr. High students at Livingston Christian School.

I will again be busy with HSMA conducting the Cadet Band, teaching 10 or 11 private students, working with Joanna and her schooling, then directing the choir at church.

Your prayers for us are greatly appreciated and needed.

Philip is working now at Attac Race Cars in Charlotte. They design and build parts of drag race cars. Here is a picture of a part that was made from Philip's drawing he did. He is working 8:00 am - 6:00 pm and sometimes later. Thursday, he begins classes at LCC, so he will be very busy.