Step by Step
“Train up a child in the way he should go; even when he is old he will not depart from it.”
— Proverbs 22:6
There’s something about that first day of school. New outfits for first day of school pictures. New pencils. New nerves. For our youngest a new high school experience And for many—new shoes.
For families across our community, the back-to-school season is filled with excitement, but it can also be a time of real pressure. My wife and I know it firsthand. With four kids, the cost of shoes each year was always one of the biggest hurdles. It wasn’t about wanting the fanciest pair (even if our kids begged for them)—it was about simply making sure each child had what they needed to start the year with confidence.
That’s why this year, the Beaver Dam Mission Center is setting out with a bold, beautiful goal: to put over 200 pairs of shoes on the feet of kids in Beaver Dam. Not used shoes. Not castoffs. But brand-new shoes given in love, with dignity, and with a deeper purpose.
Because it’s not just about shoes.
It’s about what happens when the Church shows up.
It’s about the gospel in action—where serving, giving, and receiving collide. Where a parent feels seen. A child feels valued. And maybe, just maybe, a seed is planted. They may not understand the “why” behind it now. But we believe the Word when it says: “Train up a child in the way he should go…” Even if they don’t grasp it today, the love of Jesus has a way of catching up to them.
We’re not doing this because it’s easy or cheap. We’re doing it because we serve a God who is generous, faithful, and deeply invested in the hearts of the next generation.
So over the coming weeks, we’ll be inviting individuals, businesses, and churches to partner with us in this effort. Our hope is simple: that every child who receives shoes this August also receives something far more lasting—a glimpse of the radical love of Jesus Christ.
More information is coming soon. Until then, will you pray with us? Pray for the children we’ll serve. Pray for the families in crisis. And pray that God would use this event not just to meet a need, but to move hearts.
Let’s walk this out—together.
