“How beautiful are the feet...”

  • Manon Benade
  • Nov 12, 2009
    “How beautiful are the feet...”


    May my testimony encourage many.

    Can you believe that I actually make shoes?!? It was a dream of mine for so many years. For those of you who knew me back then you possibly thought, “she must be a little mad in the head”! (Even I did at times too)!

    My story starts with a string of work-related hardships and financial challenges. I had no idea what God wanted me to do,  and felt as if I was just drifting from one job to the next. And yet God always met my financial needs. I was working in the textile industry when I felt Him say I should resign and not take up an a 8 – 5 desk job. So, on the Monday, I resigned. The following Friday I was paging through a magazine when my eyes landed on the picture of a shoe. God spoke to me in that moment and gave me a dream. By the end of that weekend, I had many dreams of shoes and a prophetic word by a close friend, who said that I would make beautiful ladies' shoes one day. I had no idea how to start this, and so for two years I researched the industry. When I was about to give up on the dream, I felt God say I had to put my faith out there and pursue it. So I did. And miraculously, all the pieces fell into place:

    I met someone who could help me make shoes, my father invested money and I hosted an amazing launch for the new project at a public event. Now, four years later, the dream has become even more of a reality. I met my husband, Justin, who is an even better shoemaker than I am; he took me overseas so that I could do an apprenticeship and a course in the UK; and when we returned we bought all the equipment needed.  

    I still stand in awe of what God has done for me and how He is the dream-giver. I know that there is a purpose and a plan with these shoes – appropriately called “Message shoes”. As people wear them, I hope they will carry the good news echoed in Isaiah, “ How beautiful are the feet that brings good news”.

    We are also working with a small factory in Johannesburg, which currently has very little work. By getting my shoes into the shops and onto people's feet , it creates many jobs and feeds families.

    I pray this story of small beginnings and steady goings encourages you. If God has given you a vision or a dream, if He has commissioned you to do something in any way, may you pursue it with as much faith as you have!