Newsletter – October 2024
Recently, it was my joy to attend an 8-day Deliberate Discipleship Retreat (DDR) taught by SWM International Director, David Bennett, at the Sand Mountain Bible Camp in Trenton, Georgia. The focus of the retreat was discipling others. The daily teaching schedule was very full, from 7am until around 9pm or later. The goal of the retreat was to challenge attendees to: 1) spend consistent, quality time with God; 2) choose teachable, dedicated disciples; and 3) invest in them through long-term shadowing, training, and demonstrating how to daily walk with God, so that 4) the disciples can then train others in “those things, which [they] have both learned and received, and heard, and seen…” (Philippians 4:9a).
A few weeks later, I visited my family and attended a ladies retreat with my home church in Tennessee. The speaker, Sharon Rabon, a pastor’s wife from North Carolina, shared helpful lessons for ladies of any age, background, or experience. On Saturday morning, she taught on becoming a mentor for others. (I love how God puts things together!) She defined a mentor as “someone who is just a little farther along” than another person. This puts a responsibility on each Christian to choose someone who is teachable, and seek to invest in their spiritual growth and maturity. I am excited to use the things I have learned from these retreats to better minister to and assist others in spiritual growth.
SUMMER – In July, SWM conducted the annual 3-day ASL Institute & Deaf Bible Conference. I again taught the beginner class (10 hours total teaching time). Nearly all the students were quick learners. Throughout the conference, the beginners practiced and learned the song, “I’ll Fly Away,” and in the last workshop of the conference (all classes combined), they signed it. They did great!
We have had several volunteers at various times this year in the office. Next door to SWM is a ministry for women called “The Hope House” (part of Hand-UP Ministries – a faith-based, residential recovery program based in Trenton, Georgia). Sometimes ladies need community service hours and want to help at SWM with cleaning or stuffing prayer letters. We are grateful for their help.
In September, SWM conducted our annual mission retreat for all of our missionaries. It was a blessing to see all of our missionaries (foreign missionaries by video conference), hear the stories of how God was working through the various areas of ministry, and renew our focus for another year. It was bittersweet, however. God called Larry Galyen, one of our mission team members, home to Heaven in July, and he has been greatly missed. He was a blessing to many through discipling, posting “The Silent Word” newspaper online, and witnessing on short-term mission trips and at fairs. We were thankful that his wife, Diana, was able to attend the retreat.
UPCOMING – SWM Deaf missionary/evangelist, Allen Snare, and I work together printing prayer letters, books, and materials for the office. This summer, he traveled and preached for several weeks in various states. Recently, he had to cancel his fall meetings due to health issues. Please pray for strength and healing for Allen, and for wisdom and time for me to keep up with printing the necessary materials for orders and fall events.
Prayer Requests:
- Deaf Baptist Ladies Retreat in Kansas on October 10-12 – Changed lives, travel safety, and wisdom in coordinating.
- Focused time to update SWM products, both paper and online. In the SWM online store, we need to add several new products, pictures, and files, and update product information.
- For me to raise the needed 12% support.
Praise: My dad’s cancer is shrinking! Also, Mom has felt well enough to attend church 4 Sundays in a row. Praise the Lord! Please continue to pray for their health.
Thankful for you all,
Tabitha Beam
