Beautiful Feet (Our first ministry newsletter!)

Below is a modified version of our first official newsletter that I sent out via email sometime in the wee hours of this morning. I was shaking with both excitement and nerves as I hit "send." What will people think? What will they say? Will they even care?

Finally, as I lay in bed, my mind racing and sleep no where in sight, I found comfort as the Lord gently reminded me that our desire for approval should be for His approval and His alone. So here it is! Our first, official, ministry newsletter! Yikes!

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Since way back in 2000, when we first began dating, we’ve had the same, on-going argument. Whose feet are more beautiful? Jessica argues that Luke’s toes are fat, stumpy and hairy, while her own are slender, long and delicate. Luke opposes that notion, suggesting that Jessica’s toes are like E.T.’s fingers and toes belonging to a primate couldn’t look more hand-like, while his own are simply “normal looking feet.” (The simplicity of our private conversations surely baffle the minds of scholars, no doubt!) Regardless, it’s been a battle of the feet ever since and now we even compare and contrast the feet of our beloved children.

Over the last several years, God has made it abundantly clear that He desires to see our feet in a capacity much different than we do. Romans Chapter 10 speaks about such feet and what makes them beautiful.

For everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved. How then will they call on him in whom they have not believed? And how are they to believe in him of whom they have never heard? And how are they to hear without someone preaching? And how are they to preach unless they are sent? As it is written, "How beautiful are the feet of those who preach the good news!"

(Romans 10:13-15, ESV, emphasis added)

Truly God has pricked our hearts for the lost peoples of Africa. In July of 2010, we interviewed with Africa Inland Mission (AIM). The result of that interview was an invitation to AIM’s Candidate Week. In November of 2010, we traveled to Pearl River, New York and learned more about the work AIM is currently doing in Africa. While there, we were appointed as Missionaries to AIM!

Over the next month, we will be prayerfully considering which of the several options available to us is exactly where the Lord desires our family to serve. Once we have selected an assignment, we will eagerly share more with you. In this, our first official newsletter, we are asking you to come along with us on this journey and join our team. In the coming weeks and months, as we draw closer to our scheduled departure date of July 2012, we will need much in the way of prayer and financial support.

We ask that you would begin praying now about how you can join our team to reach the lost people of Africa and further what AIM is already accomplishing for Christ.

We have pledge cards available for anyone who is interested in making a pledge for prayer or financial support. All financial donations are tax-deductible.

For more information, you can contact us at: beaverbunch (at) gmail (dot) com.

With Beautiful Feet,

Luke & Jessica Beaver