Last Thursday my team and I were sitting at Chick-fil-A eating breakfast, reading Roman’s 10. We came across the verse Romans 10:15 “How beautiful are the feet of them that preach the gospel of peace, and bring glad tidings of good things! “ We were talking about that verse and how culture has tells us how dirty and nasty are feet are, but the Bible says the opposite. Jesus calls them beautiful, He washes them clean and calls us higher with them.
How beautiful are our feet that allow us to turn away from sin and walk in the Lords obedience, how beautiful are our feet that allow us to share the good news, how beautiful are the feet that allow us to walk in freedom.
After this conversation we headed back to the training base and I kept thinking about how admirable the verse was.
Not long after, as we’re getting ready for ministry we find out that the organization were ministering to is actually called Beautiful feet!
WOAH GOD, YOU’RE SO INTENTIONAL!!
We arrive at the location and find out about what the ministry is actually for. Beautiful feet is a program that help support women who have fallen victims of commercial sexual exploitation. One area of their program provides a home for long time residents for survivors of sex trafficking. (This is where we were!) The house is a safe place for women to have community, encounter the Gospel, and receive a holistic healing approach. At the house they are provided with many resources for personal development and healing in such areas as, mental, spiritual, physical, educational and everyday life skills.
We had the honor to meet the three women who were going through the program and WOW , the joy of the Lord is so evident in their lives!! Truly the some of the kindest, most genuine people I’ve met. They were so vulnerable with us and shared their testimonies. We spoke to them and got to hear their radical testimonies of God how pulled them out of darkness and made them new, how culture called them ugly, discussing, a disgrace but Jesus called them Beautiful, worthy, and His.
They shared with us that before they came to this program they were given a princess night. A night were they got beautiful white gloves, a shiny crown, and a warm tub of water for someone to wash their feet. This was done as a symbol that their past does not define them, they are made new. Jesus washed their sins away and there is no more filth or shame in them. That they are daughters of the king, worthy to be part of His kingdom.
I wish y’all could meet them and experience the abundant peace and joy they carry with them. I wish I could tell y’all their names and more about them and their stories but for their protection and to honor them I will not do so.
After talking for a while, we got to seal a staircase and a deck for them and they were so grateful!
They were so delighted that we were at the house that they invited us back to hangout with them on Saturday!
Skip forward to Saturday, we were so excited to see them again and we wanted to do something special for them! We went to the store and got them flowers, pumpkin bread, and hot chocolate for the cold morning!
We got to the house and they were actually the ones who had a surprise for us! They had a table set up with fruit, muffins, bagels, coffee, and much more! Man was this a treat! Although we were thankful for the rice and beans we got at every meal at the base, we definitely enjoyed being spoiled for the morning by our new friends! They said they had one more surprise for us, our very own princess day! A day to spoil us and wash our feet!
They began the feet washing ceremony and tears began to roll down all of our faces. It was so beautiful. I’m trying not to cry even writing about it. The ladies read John 13 over us, where Jesus washes Judas’s feet although He knew he was going to betray him. Before they washed my feet I asked if I could even just rinse my feet off before they scrubbed them because I was embarrassed and I didn’t want them to wash my feet that had been black from walking around in the dirt with sandals on. The ladies told me “no, we want them just the way they are, dirt and all.”
What a beautiful representation of how Jesus wants us, dirt and all. He wants us to come filthy so he can make us clean. He wants us to come to Him the way we are, no need to polish up before to feel worthy to be in his presence. Jesus already made us worthy on the cross. He isn’t afraid of our “dirty feet”, He wants our guilt and shame so He can turn it around for His glory!
They continued and poured warm water in a bucket, put a crown on our head, washed our feet with cloths, anointed our head and feet with oil, and prayed over us.
“Who am I to be worthy of getting my feet washed” was all that was going through my head the whole ceremony. The Lord just spoke to me through the three women who affirmed that I was a child of God, chosen and loved, worthy to receive His glory and honor. God reminded me that I am deserving to get my feet washed and to be served in such a way that is so humbling for the both of us. I just sat on the floor crying as they washed each of my team members feet, in awe of how reverent the moment was.
The ladies started to tear up and told us that if we were their kids, they couldn’t be more prouder of us, which just made me cry more.
We finished our our princess day by going on a walk through the gorgeous property. I was talking to one of the ladies about wearing how I used to make fun of people who wore socks with sandals but now I wear them because it’s the only way to keep my feet warm because my tennis shoes molded and ruined from all the rain. Without a second thought she offered me the shoes off of her feet. Legit the ones she was wearing. She explained to me that she had been given so much so freely and that she wanted to give to others selflessly. These women are so caring and selfless and inspire me to be more like them, which means to look more like the father.
This day is one that I’ll remember forever. A day where the Lord touched my heart so much and a day where I got to experience the love of Christ so deeply through these women.
We will continue to send letters and update them as we travel and experience more of the Lord’s goodness.
Thanks for hearing my heart and how the Lord is moving.
All my love, Analise
(Feet washing ceremony)
(My team and I enjoying our time with our new friends)
OMG girls we love you guys so much. Keep up the good work and come safely back to your sisters in Christ at Beautiful Feet
What a beautiful story! The women at Beautiful Feet sound amazing and resilient – I’m so glad you were able to connect with this way!
This is an amazing example of the love of Christ. I am so excited for what you experienced there. We support this ministry ourselves and are very thankful for all they do. These ladies are always impressing me with their growth as they walk out this transformational journey!!