Iron Rose Sister Ministries

Written by Johanna Zabala, volunteer with Iron Rose Sister Ministries in Ecuador

Developing meaningful relationships that are guided by the Heavenly Father has resulted in the growth of my knowledge of Him and in my desire to continue to serve the Lord Jesus Christ at every moment of my life in this earthly space.

As I grew from childhood to adolescence, I gained knowledge and developed increasingly significant beliefs, even as a result of making mistakes. I remember that making mistakes in the innocence of childhood was involuntary. Later as I matured, my mistakes were often voluntary when I deliberately made sinful choices. But I didn’t know how to accept them as steps in learning.

As a child, I had few interpersonal relationships. Establishing connections made me very insecure. Because of this shyness, some events triggered uncertainty, loneliness, and frustrations that at that moment I did not understand, and that became obstacles to my relationships.

When I was of school age, I remember that I always went unnoticed and when I made a mistake, I became very frustrated which prevented me from learning from these experiences. As time went by and as I got to know Jesus, I came to understand that each mistake was part of my growth and helped me to understand Romans 8:28 (NIV), “In all things God works for the good.”

Beloved sisters, if we realize that we can learn from our mistakes, we can encourage each other. We’ll know that when we make a mistake in a relationship, it provides an opportunity to grow and mature in faith and achieve the stature of Christ to which the apostle Paul exhorts us in Ephesians 4:13, “until we all reach unity in the faith and in the knowledge of the Son of God and become mature, attaining to the whole measure of the fullness of Christ.” 

I still need to keep learning, and I'm sure you do, too. As human beings, we know that mistakes are normal and frequent in both our secular and Christian walks each time we think or do things we should not. But these struggles can become part of our spiritual growth when we accept that we are imperfect beings in the hands of a perfect God who perfects us every day in Christ Jesus.

Let’s not forget that “If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness” (1 John 1:9). This promise teaches us that as human beings when we make a mistake, we will be forgiven and purified if we immediately repent—that is, change our attitude towards God—confess, and ask for forgiveness. It is necessary to humble ourselves, recognize the sinful nature that fights in our weakness from within, and beg to be transformed by the Lord's discipline.

Finally, whenever trials, weaknesses, and mistakes come, let us live Romans 8:28, knowing that the Almighty God intervenes with His infinite wisdom in everything, giving us the strength and experiences to help us when we do not dwell on the bad. Beloved, I hope you share this same spirit and that we will all continue towards this goal.

#IronRoseSister #teachthroughrelationships #learnthroughrelationships #learningbymakingmistakes #learnfrommistakes #mistakesorsins #blog #guestwriter

Written by Michelle J. Goff, founder and director of Iron Rose Sister Ministries

Experience is the best teacher. Some things cannot be taught in a classroom, but rather must be learned in a real-life context. I can tell you how to do several things, but until I show you, until we share an experience through which we can learn together and strengthen our Christian bond, mere teaching will always fall short.

Jesus lived day in and day out for three years with the 12 apostles. We see Him teaching the crowds, but He spent even more concentrated time with His closest disciples (men and women). He revealed more to them than He did to the public. He explained the meaning behind the parables. He gave them a vision for what they would be called to do in the future.

Paul followed a similar pattern with those he mentored. Check out the summary of shared experiences with Timothy, whom he considered his “true son in the faith” (1 Tim. 1:2; 2 Tim. 1:2).

10 You, however, know all about my teaching, my way of life, my purpose, faith, patience, love, endurance, 11 persecutions, sufferings—what kinds of things happened to me in Antioch, Iconium and Lystra, the persecutions I endured. Yet the Lord rescued me from all of them. 12 In fact, everyone who wants to live a godly life in Christ Jesus will be persecuted, 13 while evildoers and impostors will go from bad to worse, deceiving and being deceived. 14 But as for you, continue in what you have learned and have become convinced of, because you know those from whom you learned it.(2 Tim. 3:10-14)

It is believed that this was the last letter that Paul penned, likely from a Roman prison. His final words were an encouragement to continue to remain true to Christ’s teaching and to the Word. It was a passing of the baton (2 Tim. 2:2) to his son and close friend. Paul even asked him to bring a cloak he left along the way and his scrolls, especially the parchments (2 Tim. 4:13). This was much more than a casual friendship.

A few verses later, in 2 Timothy 4:19, Paul sent greetings to Priscilla and Aquila, among others. In Acts 18, we learn that Priscilla and Aquila were Jews who had been living in Rome, but after getting kicked out by Claudius, ended up in Corinth. Since they were tentmakers, like Paul, he stayed and worked with them. They became his “home base” while in Corinth, which was “for some time” (Acts 18:18). Later, they join Paul in Ephesus, where they instructed Apollos about “the way of God more accurately” (Acts 18:26).

Priscilla and Aquila were like family. They had worked together in secular and Kingdom work in the port city of Corinth. We know from Paul’s two lengthiest letters that the church in Corinth struggled extensively. And based on a reference in 1 Corinthians 7, there were likely more than just two letters written to that church.

These three tentmakers had the blessing of never walking alone through a time of spiritual struggle in a church. They had a kindred spirit as family and support. It is no wonder Paul sent greetings to them by name in more than one letter.

Another disciple of Christ that Paul considered family, even a son, was Titus.

4 To Titus, my true son in our common faith: Grace and peace from God the Father and Christ Jesus our Savior. 5 The reason I left you in Crete was that you might put in order what was left unfinished and appoint elders in every town, as I directed you. (Titus 1:4-5)

Paul trusted Titus to finish the good work they had started together. If we go back to the time when Paul and Barnabas parted company, we recognize that Paul was picky about who he mentored and who he trusted (Acts 15:36-41). Barnabas mentored John Mark and Paul chose Silas with whom to take his second missionary journey. Later, Paul forgave Mark and even asked for him to visit (2 Tim. 4:11).

The greetings in Romans 16 are evidence of the time Paul spent with each of those people: the shared experiences, being in each other’s homes, the friends and a few relatives, the coworkers, including, of course Priscilla and Aquila. The letter to the Romans was penned by Tertius, who sent along his own greetings (Rom. 16:22). I suspect Tertius got to hear more stories than just what he scribed in the letter to the Christians in Rome.

Which leads me to one final way I will mention that Paul taught: by writing letters together. First Corinthians was written by Paul, along with Sosthenes. Second Corinthians and Philippians were written by Paul and Timothy. First and Second Thessalonians were written by Paul, Silas, and Timothy.

I can’t wait to get to heaven and listen to all the stories shared by the reunion of these old friends and coworkers in the Kingdom. What stories and experiences have you learned through?

#IronRoseSister #teachthroughrelationships #learnthroughrelationships #learnfromamentor #mentoring #Paul #missionsexperience #blog #MichelleJGoff

Written by Deanna Brooks, volunteer with Iron Rose Sister Ministries in Arkansas

Today’s world encourages us to begin saving and investing for retirement with the goal of retiring as early as possible to live a life of leisure.

But… is that found in Scripture? Our Creator in His infinite wisdom made us so that (unless disease sets in) we can continue to learn and serve our entire life.

One of the sweetest promises is in Revelation 2:10b (ESV), “Be faithful unto death, and I will give you the crown of life.”

The apostle John was probably between the age of 80 and 90 and had endured persecution when he wrote these words of Jesus after seeing a vision of heaven—the place Jesus told His disciples He was preparing (John 14:1-3).

Other Bible characters come to mind when I think about continuing to learn, serve, and be faithful.

Noah was 500 years old and had never seen what God told him about, but he believed and obeyed in faith, building the ark that saved his family from the flood.

When God called Abram at age 75, he left his homeland and the idolatry that was prevalent there and followed God in faith. It was another 25 years before the promised son was born, and during these years of waiting, Abraham continued to learn of God’s faithfulness. When he was told to take his son Isaac to Mount Moriah and offer him as a sacrifice, he obeyed because he believed God could raise him from the dead (Heb. 11:17-19). In James 2:23, we read, “And the Scripture was fulfilled that says, ‘Abraham believed God, and it was counted to him as righteousness’—and he was called a friend of God,” faithful until his death at age 175.

Joseph was sold into slavery at age 17, approximately 12 years before his grandfather Isaac died. How often did Joseph hear his aged blind grandfather speak of the trip to Mt Moriah and other stories of faith, keeping those precious words in his heart of how God kept His promises?

Genesis 50:20-21 shows us Joseph’s faith which led him to show kindness towards his brothers.

“’As for you, you meant evil against me, but God meant it for good, to bring it about that many people should be kept alive, as they are today. So do not fear; I will provide for you and your little ones.’ Thus he comforted them and spoke kindly to them.”

Moses reached his peak beginning at age 80, 40 years after fleeing the palace of Egypt. During the last 40 years of his life, he met with God, learning to follow God as he led approximately two million Israelites out of Egypt, then wandered in the wilderness for 40 years.

Solomon asked of the LORD: “Give your servant therefore an understanding mind to govern your people, that I may discern between good and evil...” (1 Kings 3:9). However, later Solomon chose to make alliances with foreign nations, taking foreign wives, and building places for worshiping their foreign gods. Towards the end of his life, Solomon wrote Ecclesiastes, saying that the pleasures he chased were meaningless, and closing with these words in 12:13b, “Fear God and keep his commandments, for this is the whole duty of man.”

Daniel was a prophet during the reign of six kings who ruled the Babylonian and Medo-Persian empires for about 70 years. Daniel had three events where he faced near-certain death, found in chapters 1, 2, and 6. He prophesied about the Messiah who would come during the last great ancient empire… the Roman Empire.

Luke 2:22-48 tells of Simeon and the widow Anna, aged 84, who never left the temple, “worshiping with fasting and prayer night and day” (v. 37b). The Lord had told Simeon that he would not die until he had seen the Messiah. When Joseph and Mary went to the temple for Mary’s purification, Simeon exalted the baby Jesus and prophesied words of warning to Mary. Anna gave thanks to God and spoke about the Child to all who were looking forward to the redemption of Jerusalem.

Sometimes life is overwhelming, and we have to simply trust Paul’s words in Philippians 1:6: “…he who began a good work in you will bring it to completion.”

Like those who have gone before us, let us all “press on toward the goal for the prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus” (Phil. 3:14), ”running with endurance the race that is set before us, looking to Jesus the founder and perfecter of our faith” (Heb. 12:1b-2a).

#IronRoseSister #teachthroughrelationships #learnthroughrelationships #lifelonglearner #befaithfuluntodeath #blog #guestwriter

Written by Johanna Zabala, volunteer with Iron Rose Sister Ministries in Ecuador

When we observe each lineage and relate the origins, it is possible to find facts very well anticipated by our Creator and Heavenly Father in His maximum creation, we being an important part of it. Every biblical character teaches holy purposes of our God. Likewise, every being on the face of the earth is designed for every good work and for His service.

We study about Moses in the Old Testament starting in Exodus chapter 2 that mentions his birth. I find that he was a man of God of Hebrew origin, brother of Miriam and Aaron, both older than him. His birth occurred when an Egyptian pharaoh set out to kill all Hebrew children. Definitely for great holy purpose, he was hidden for several months and placed in a basket in the Nile River by his mother to be saved, found by Pharaoh's daughter, who raised him as a Pharaoh's son.

In the midst of a quiet life, Moses, seeing the insensitive work towards the Hebrew slaves, killed a brutal Egyptian watchman who mistreated one of them. Having to flee from there for many years, he reached Midian where he remained for forty years. He married Zipporah and they had a son whom they named Gershom. 

Moses is called by God through a burning bush, under the mission of returning to Egypt and freeing the Hebrew people from slavery. Returning to Egypt, the Israelites began to trust him as God's messenger. His greatest challenge or difficulty was convincing Pharaoh to let the slaves go through the ten plagues. But the hard-hearted Pharaoh changed his mind as soon as Moses and the Hebrew people fled. God parted the Red Sea, allowing the Hebrews to pass through and the Egyptians to be entombed within the sea.

In the books of Exodus and Deuteronomy, God delivers to Moses the Ten Commandments on Mount Sinai for the people of Israel. After great controversies, struggles, disobedience, idolatry, weariness of serving the Lord, and also submerged under opposition in the desert, it is said that he did not enter the promised land either (Deut. 1:34-46).

Like Moses, and from my heart too, I will tell you that I am a daughter of God. Born in Venezuela, to a tall and passionate man named Juan, and a beautiful-looking woman with great character, named Marta. From them, I have six siblings, two older than me and four younger than me. I grew up in the care of my maternal grandmother. I was trained in the midst of great opportunities and at the same time with some economic limitations, an experience possibly similar to yours; however, always God provided.

When fearsome adolescence arrived, there were emotional needs, but God continued protecting me. At the age of twenty-one, God gave me my precious first daughter, whom I named Crismarie Alemar, uniting the important things in my life through Christ, Mary, Alejandro and Marta.

At the age of twenty-two, Jesus Christ called me to meet Him and to be part of Him. Being born again by water and Spirit at twenty-three years of age, as we see in John 3:1-21. My life started getting in order and I continued learning.

At the age of twenty-nine, I married my brave husband Jahan Rangel. We have both walked under the direction of the Lord. At the age of thirty-three there was another gift, our handsome second son named Cristian Abdías.

After ten years in social slavery, trials and challenges in our beloved country Venezuela, God allowed us through our daughter to come to Ecuador to continue learning. Those were times of opportunities and challenges, not so much on an economic level, but always on a spiritual level.

The Lord continues to call us to spread the gospel in this city of different cultures and where, as in every place, there is resistance to knowing the greatness of the salvation of the soul and the blessing of eternal life. It is not easy; but neither is it impossible (Luke 1:37).

Among the challenges and difficulties found here, there is the power to achieve what Galatians 6:10 tells us; that is, helping each other as brothers, despite the distrust or xenophobia (rejection of foreigners) among some weaker brothers in faith. This led us to the decision and the need to return to our country of origin, and as Moses did. Romans 8:28 teaches us today that everything works together for good.

To return to our country is to return to Egypt to continue freeing souls for Christ and encouraging the brothers and sisters to remain in the unity of faith, in the midst of tribulations, doubts, and scarcity.

Remembering the Ten Commandments given in the time of Moses and our ten-in-one, and the main one, seen in Mark 12:30-31, it propels our faith to a total dependence on Godwith all our being, soul, strength, and heart, and to love others as we love ourselves.

Likewise, it is necessary to start over each day in the joy of salvation and in prayer (1 Thes. 5:16-18), activating the Holy Spirit of the Father to value, at all times, the great sacrifice of Jesus, because He loved us so much.

Sister, without fear, it is time to strengthen our faith and reflect the peace that comes from Him. Let's not forget Galatians 2:20. Let’s fight together to enter and love the promise of eternal life. Are we encouraged and strengthened towards eternity and in doing the will of God? Amen.

Written by Kara Benson, volunteer with Iron Rose Sister Ministries in Arkansas

“The Lord God said, “It is not good for the man to be alone. I will make a helper suitable for him”” (Gen. 2:18). We were not made to be alone. From the beginning of creation, God purposed that people should have companionship. As the poet John Donne observed, “No man is an island.” Instead of intending for us to live in isolation, God designed us to live in community.

“A father to the fatherless, a defender of widows, is God in his holy dwelling. God sets the lonely in families…” (Psalm 68:5-6a)

Indeed he has. He has set us in a family of fellow Christians. We should not have to go through life feeling alone because we have been given brothers, sisters, mothers, and children in Christ (Mark 10:29-31).

However, there are many who may be struggling with loneliness. Who might they be?

• An elderly resident living in a nursing home or retirement community
• A mother at home with her children
• A young adult who comes home from work each day to an empty apartment
• Someone who doesn’t have any family members living nearby
• A couple that just moved to the area and doesn’t know anyone in the congregation yet.

How can we help them?

• Visit the elderly and simply spend some time by their side.
• Invite someone to celebrate Thanksgiving or Christmas with your family.
• Throw a housewarming party for the young single lady who just bought her first house.
• Call someone who is homebound and listen to their stories.
• Check on a stay-at-home mom and see if you can meet her for coffee – or better yet, if you can bring coffee over to her house and visit with her for a while.
• Plan a weekend fellowship opportunity for young families to get together and get to know the new family in the congregation.

Sisters, I will share with you my personal experience of loneliness. During our second year of marriage, I was working from home on editing a Bible study workbook in Spanish. Aside from my husband and the students I tutored weekly in Spanish, I only saw people on Sunday mornings, Wednesday nights, and when I went to the grocery store. The hours I spent in silence, alone, seemed endless.

Then the pandemic hit.

Thankfully, a congregation in another town continued meeting. We drove up and met with them in the parking lot on Sundays. That was the highlight of my week – seeing their faces and waving to one another through the windows. Watching Hebrews 10:25 lived out was so encouraging to me. There is a reason that God inspired the author to write that command to not forsake the assembly – it is both for the sake of ourselves and for the sake of others. Even though we were singing in our cars and hearing the sermon broadcasted through the radio, we were still able to find a way to assemble and worship truly together.

We belong to one another. Paul writes, “you are no longer foreigners and aliens, but fellow citizens with God’s people and members of God’s household (Eph. 2:19). As members of God’s household in Christ, “we who are many form one body, and each member belongs to all the others” (Rom. 12:5). Has someone helped you feel like you belong? During my season of struggle, a mom from our congregation invited me to breakfast with her and one of her young children, and then to tag along on their grocery shopping trip. While going grocery shopping may seem mundane, it can be made into a ministry opportunity. Her invitation welcomed me to come alongside her and reminded me that I was not alone. What we did together was immaterial; I was grateful for being included in their lives. She made me feel like I belonged, and I hope her simple action will inspire you to do the same for another sister.

#IronRoseSister #HIStories #loneliness #community #oneanother #notaloneinChrist #guestwriter #blog

Written by Deanna Brooks, volunteer with Iron Rose Sister Ministries in Arkansas

Psalm 119, the longest psalm—written in alphabetic acrostic form, using a letter from the Hebrew alphabet to start each section of eight verses—is thought to have been written by David, not in his usual manner, but with bursts of exclamations about our Holy God. While some scholars suggest other authors, my opinion is that it sounds like David’s other writings, so I will be referring to him as the author.

When I read Psalm 119, I think of the time in 2 Samuel 6 when the ark of the covenant was brought back to Jerusalem and David was leaping and dancing in the street. Psalm 119 is full of this kind of joy and spontaneous delight despite trials and hardships because of the trust the writer had in the Lord.

Matthew Henry describes Psalm 119 as “a collection of David's pious and devout [expressions], the short and sudden breathings and elevations of his soul to God… a chest of gold rings, not a chain of gold links.”

David mentions these attributes of the Lord… attributes which lead to his and our love for God and trust in Him, which then take us to an obedient life:
       Trustworthiness (v 42)
       Righteousness (verses 7, 62, 75, 106, 123, 138, 144, 160, 164, 172)
       Faithfulness (v 86)
       Truthfulness (verses 43, 142, 151, 160)
       Unchangeableness (v 89)
       Light (v 105)
       Purity (v 9-11)
       Eternal (verses 90, 152)

David writes of slander, persecution, and taunts against him, but his confidence is in the Word of God, described throughout the psalm with these words:
       Law
       Precepts
       Testimonies
       Statutes
       Word
       Commandments
       Judgments
       Ordinances

Psalm 119 reminds us how sufficient the Word of God is as it expands on Psalm 19:7-9 (ESV):
The law of the LORD is perfect, reviving the soul; the testimony of the LORD is sure, making wise the simple; the precepts of the LORD are right, rejoicing the heart; the commandment of the LORD is pure, enlightening the eyes; the fear of the LORD is clean, enduring forever; the rules of the LORD are true, and righteous altogether.

David begins Psalm 119 with a blessing for those who walk in the law of the Lord and seek Him with their whole heart, reminding us of words written in Psalm 1:2, “But his delight is in the law of the LORD, and on his law he meditates day and night.”

He then continues in Psalm 119 with other verses that lead us to loving, trusting, and obeying our Lord:

“Oh that my ways may be steadfast” (v 5).

“With my whole heart I seek you; let me not wander from your commandments! I have stored up your word in my heart, that I might not sin against you” (v 10-11).

“I will delight in your statutes; I will not forget your word” (v16).

“Make me understand the way of your precepts, and I will meditate on your wondrous works” (v 27).

“I have chosen the way of faithfulness” (v 30).

“I will keep your law continually” (v 44).

“In your steadfast love give me life, that I may keep the testimonies of your mouth.” (v 88).

“Oh how I love your law! It is my meditation all the day” (v 97).

“Your word is a lamp to my feet and a light to my path” (v 105).

“Consider how I love your precepts! Give me life according to your steadfast love” (v 159).

“I long for your salvation, O LORD, and your law is my delight” (v 174).

When David wrote this psalm, we see the love, trust, and desire for obedience in his heart.

Similar thoughts are found in Psalm 33:4-5, 22:

For the word of the LORD is upright, and all His work is done in faithfulness. He loves righteousness and justice; the earth is full of the steadfast love of the LORD…Let your steadfast love, O LORD, be upon us, even as we hope in you.

1 Samuel 13:14 and Acts 13:22 call David a man after God’s own heart. I think in reading Psalm 119 we easily see that the writer longs to do the will of the Lord as he praises and delights in His commands.

For us: Do we have that intense longing to do God’s will? Do we hunger and thirst after righteousness (Mt. 5:6)?

Written by Francia Oviedo, Creative Assistant for Iron Rose Sister Ministries in Honduras 

Do you promise to love and respect this man and be faithful to him in good times and bad, in sickness and in health, in richness and poverty, all the days of your life, until death do you part?

Who has not heard these beautiful, romantic, and traditional phrases? Those of us who are married possibly heard this on our wedding day, when we became one with our husband and signed that legal contract, that covenant which we pledged before God, our family, and friends.

But hey… let's start at the beginning. What is a covenant? According to the Bibleproject.com, a covenant is a relationship between two partners who make binding promises to each other and work together to reach a common goal.

I have been married for seven years, seven years since having made this solemn covenant. Although I love the traditional phrase “…until death do us part”, I would like to modify it perhaps to something like this: Francia, do you promise to love and respect Oscar when you are happy and when you are not (when your hormones unleash your temper and anything bothers you), to love him in the order and the chaos (ha-ha), in moments of stillness and peace, and in moments of eagerness and despair, to respect him when he is right and when you think he is not, etc... Maybe you can add your own list.

Saying “…until death do us part” is easy, signing a contract is easy, saying yes I accept is easy; thousands of people get married every day, but sadly thousands also get divorced and break their covenant, and not because death has separated them. To remain faithful to a promise requires work, effort and a lot of love. Joy, sadness, wealth, poverty, health, disease are very general words, very big ones. I believe it is in the small moments where we decide to love and be faithful to the covenant, uncomfortable moments, situations in which we must give in and leave our selfishness.

On the path of marriage, you learn a lot about this, sometimes very easily, and other times not so much, but God has left us His example of faithfulness in His covenant made since the Old Testament with Israel. There we can see how God promised to guide and protect His people. In the New Testament, we see that God also made a covenant with the church which He compares to a bride, a bride with whom He has made a covenant of love and fidelity. Sadly, we know that both the people of Israel and the church have failed their commitment many times, but God did not. God has been faithful, committed, loving, constant, merciful and,  above all forgiving, and gives us His example to follow in our marriage.

Are we faithful, committed, loving, constant, merciful, and above all, forgiving? Well, this question goes first for me, am I? I have the example of Jesus to follow. Of course, it's not always easy, but it's always worth it, and what I love about the covenant of marriage is that it is there where God transforms our hearts and makes us similar to Jesus.There, we learn to love our husband as ourselves, or more than ourselves. We learn to be compassionate by making an effort to understand his heart, we become a merciful person who suffers when he suffers and cries when he cries, and above all things, we become forgiving, very forgiving. But I am not going to wash my hands believing that I am the only good one in the movie. Of course, my husband also forgives me, loves me, and is compassionate and merciful, or else it would not have been possible to last this far (seven years for us, I don't know how many for you).

And all this is possible thanks to God. It is difficult to do all this when we do not remember that this is what God does for us every day, thanks to His covenant of love and forgiveness for us. So, I encourage you to let Jesus, in your covenant of love, be your guide and your light and that likewise, you can be light through your marriage for others.

Written by Carolina Pérez, volunteer with Iron Rose Sister Ministries in New York

I was born and grew up in a Christian home watching my parents serve in different places in Ecuador. I remember when I was little that my family and I always arrived early to the congregation and my dad liked to sit in the very front. When we started the singing, he always told me and my sister, “Sing loud so they can hear you!” So, I had the idea that the louder I sang, the more God would hear me. Even today, I sing loudly, but my perspective about how He hears me has certainly changed.

I grew up with the idea that worshipping God was just on Sundays at church, singing, praying, and attending Sunday school classes, or when I got a little bigger, listening to a sermon. And maybe this is how you have understood it too (especially if you are a new convert or you are still learning). “We are going to worship the Lord!” It is a common expression in Sunday contexts and it’s true that when we gather and we are together as brothers and sisters, this is what we do, but worship goes much beyond there and implies so much more than two hours a week.

As the years have gone by, I understood that worship shouldn’t be part of my life, but rather that it must be my way of life. In other words, it should influence every area of my existence. Worship implies having a genuine fear of the Lord and obedience of His statutes. Not doing this leads me many times to not worship God with my decisions and my attitudes when faced with life situations. For example, in 2014, my husband, my son, and I moved to New York City. For me, it was a difficult decision because I was leaving behind my family, my friendships, the congregation where I had grown up, etc. More than once, I asked the Lord, why? It was far from my heart and mind to worship God for what was happening in that moment. To be honest, it was the last thing I was thinking about. But in 2017, after some painful but necessary events, the Heavenly Father allowed me to see, in an amazing way, that the best thing that could’ve happened to us as a family was to remove us from our comfort zone and our original plans. It was then that I began to truly worship God. I understood that what Romans 8:28 says is real and I experienced it in my life and in my family’s. That is why I worship and, even though I am far from perfect, and I have still not completely adapted to my new place of residence, today at least I see the circumstances from another point of view, and I thank the Father every day for the love and mercy He has shown us.

All of this makes me think of Mary’s story. This humble young woman was engaged to be married to Joseph. Just before the wedding, the angel Gabriel appeared to her and told her that she had been chosen by God to be the mother of His Son, Jesus. Mary didn’t understand what was happening, nor did she understand how she would become pregnant if she was a virgin. The angel explained that the Holy Spirit would come upon her and that she would conceive. He also told her that this baby would have a special purpose for all humanity. Of course, she was stunned and didn’t understand it all, yet she said, “Behold, I am the servant of the Lord; let it be to me according to your word” (Luke 1:38), thus showing her heart as willing and trusting in God’s promises.

This declaration, made by this servant, was very important, not just because of the faith it demonstrated, but also seeing it in the light of the context in which it happened. What occurred was not easy and the circumstances made it even less so. Mary, engaged to be married, was to remain pure for her husband. Evidently, being pregnant before consummating the marriage implied a tremendous offense to the marriage, not to mention that it was a sin in the eyes of the community. In the Old Testament, we are told that a man or a woman who committed this offense was to be put to death, stoned (Deut. 22:23-24). In other words, the ending that Mary expected after the angel’s visit was not the beautiful celebration as she had originally planned, but rather her death. With this in mind, it is understandable that Mary would have been troubled, confused, and even a little scared. Yet, her worship of God did not cease. She accepted the Almighty’s will for her life in spite of the dire consequences of what was awaiting her. The original plans changed radically for her, but without doubting, she remained loyal to her Father. In fact, we can see in Luke 1:46-55 a beautiful song praise that she expressed when her cousin Elizabeth helped her process everything that was happening. She recognized the grace of the Lord poured out in her life and she worshipped.

I want us to understand that our body, soul, and spirit were designed to worship God. When we are conscious of this, we will seek to do His will in every scope of life and not just for two hours each Sunday. Everything that you are and that you do glorifies the Lord. When we understand this concept, our view of worship will surely change.

Below, I will give you a few examples which you could certainly add to as you continue reading the Bible. For example, we can worship when:

• We wait patiently and prayerfully for the man with whom you want to share your life.
• We fulfill our duties, lovingly taking care of our children and our home.
• You submit to your husband with love (Col. 3:18).
• We are integral in our workplace (Col. 3:23-24).
• We help our neighbor or our brother/sister who is in need (Matt. 25:31-46).
• We listen to and lovingly support people who are going through a difficult time.
• You use your talents to serve in the congregation.
• In middle of trials, you decide to trust that God is in control of everything.

As you can see, worship is broader and deeper than what we believed, right? Our worship should be 24/7 because this is how we reveal that we understand who God is and who we are. Are you ready to truly worship?

#IronRoseSister #HIStories #worship #wayoflife #guestwriter #blog

Written by Amanda Vilela, volunteer with Iron Rose Sister Ministries in Sergipe, Brazil

The gospels narrate facts about the life of Christ, from His birth to His crucifixion, resurrection, and ascension. The book of Luke gives us particular details about the first events in Christ’s life on earth. He tells us that Mary was the woman God chose as the instrument for the coming of Christ into the world.

Mary decidedly makes herself available to do God’s will. It is important to remember that Mary was an ordinary young woman, subject to the same weaknesses and challenges that life imposes on us, but she understood the greater purpose of human existence: to give glory solely to God, and worship and serve Him only (Lk 4:8). How beautiful is her example of obedience to God; how sweet were her words:

My soul glorifies the Lord and my spirit rejoices in God my Savior, for he has been mindful of the humble state of his servant. From now on all generations will call me blessed, for the Mighty One has done great things for me— holy is his name. His mercy extends to those who fear him, from generation to generation. (Lk 1:46-50 NIV)

The figure of Mary is frequently inaccurately interpreted by many who do not understand that glory and praise should be given only to God. All of us humans, even though the Lord is merciful with us and trusts us with great missions, are merely instruments in His hands.

We can extract valuable lessons and teachings from Mary’s story. After all, what made Mary special? Why did the Lord choose her for this mission? Mary had the same thing Sarah, Deborah, Ruth, Abigail, Lydia, and many others who were used by God in His work had: a heart surrendered to the Lord and willing to live in accordance with His will—ordinary women who loved God’s commandments.

Reading the Bible, I admire the way that men and women placed God’s will before their own, as is made clear by the way they presented themselves to the Lord: “Here am I” (Isa 6:8), “Speak, for your servant is listening” (1 Sa 3:10), and “I am the Lord’s servant” (Lk 1:38).

Mary understood that obeying God would cause radical change in her life. As a result, she ended up becoming a target of persecution. We see this clearly when Mary and Joseph, guided by an angel of God, flee to Egypt fearing persecution from Herod. Obeying God means living a life of self-denial and trust. We are convinced that God will fulfill our needs as He fulfilled those of Mary and Joseph. Even though she carried the Messiah in an “uncomfortable” way during the end of her pregnancy, they continued traveling, trusting in God’s care. They surrendered their lives in obedience to the Lord, with the certainty that His promises would be fulfilled, “For no word from God will ever fail” (Lk 1:37).

Mary trusted that God would be her defender in the face of possible accusations with respect to her integrity as a woman. Above all, Mary’s good example teaches us to put ourselves in the position of servants. Her example teaches us humility, virtue, loyalty, obedience, and a God-fearing heart.

Mary was a woman chosen by God to bring the Savior into the world, and she was at the foot of the cross. She followed His steps and walked with Jesus in His mission, being an example of faith and obedience—a woman after God’s own heart. May Christ help us to walk with faith and to respond to our call as Mary did. “May your word to me be fulfilled” (Lk 1:38).

Written by Ana Teresa Vivas, volunteer for Iron Rose Sister Ministries in Canada

At the risk of emphasizing the obvious, I'm going to repeat the title of this blog post: "Men and Women Who Followed in Jesus' Footsteps" and emphasize the highlighted phrase because I want to focus on it.

In the gospels, we can learn the names of the apostles— the twelve closest followers of Jesus. Additionally, we can learn something of their lives and their example as imitators of Him. But there were also other men and women who followed Jesus, if not so closely or from the beginning of His ministry, but still with the same great love and commitment to Him and His work.

We cannot identify them all specifically because there were multitudes who followed Jesus, although many also abandoned Him (Jn 6:66), but we will not talk about these today.

Let's look at this short list:

Luke 19:1-9, Zacchaeus
John 4:46-53, King's Officer
Mark 15:40-41, Mary Magdalene, Mary, the mother of James the younger and Joseph, and Salome
Matthew 12:15, A crowd

Soon afterward Jesus began a tour of the nearby towns and villages, preaching and announcing the Good News about the Kingdom of God. He took his twelve disciples with him, along with some women who had been cured of evil spirits and diseases. Among them were Mary Magdalene, from whom he had cast out seven demons; Joanna, the wife of Chuza, Herod’s business manager; Susanna; and many others who were contributing from their own resources to support Jesus and his disciples. (Lk 8:1-3, NLT)

These are people, just like you and me, who believed in Jesus. We don't know in detail about their lives as disciples. We only know of their encounters with Him, and we can see their examples of commitment.

Look at the example of the women mentioned in Luke 8:1-3. It impresses me to think of myself in the place of one of them and imagine walking after Jesus two centuries ago. No way! I have so many questions for them, such as what it was like being a woman and living within their culture. And what about the issue of female grooming? They were very confident about who to follow and why. That alone explains their investment of energy, time, and money in Jesus and His evangelistic campaign.

With these people, we can identify and "chew on” what a follower of Jesus looks like and how I can represent that in the 21st century.

Someone who follows in the footsteps of Jesus is willing to change their values (Zacchaeus), is not afraid of threats (Joanna, the wife of Herod's steward), and risks their position (the king's official).

There are many more examples of men and women following Jesus in the gospels, and from all of them, if we stop for a few minutes, we can learn something if we look closely— if we get into that "movie" of the life of Jesus.

Who is a follower then? From the examples that we can find in the four books that narrate Jesus' life, we can conclude that these are some of the characteristics of His followers: they are willing to change their lives, to invest their monetary gains in the work of Jesus, to invest energy and time, and to sacrifice comforts. These are some of the ways those early disciples showed their commitment and set an example of how to follow the Lord.

What other ways can you identify that they were fully engaged? What other things did they sacrifice? How do you see yourself as a follower of Jesus?

Add your answers to these questions in the comments or make any other observations based on the topic of this blog post.

I encourage you and me to look to Jesus 24/7, 365 days a year, and get from Him the motivation to be His faithful followers.

Written by Ana Teresa Vivas, volunteer with Iron Rose Sister Ministries in Canada

“That which was from the beginning, which we have heard, whichwe have seen with our eyes, which we have looked at and our hands have touched—this we proclaim concerning the Word of life.  The life appeared; we have seen it and testify to it, andwe proclaim to you the eternal life, which was with the Father and has appeared to us.”

(1 John 1:1-2, emphasis added)

When John speaks to the brothers in this way, what he is saying in today’s language is: “I want to talk to you about something I know a lot about, or more so someone I knew well. I know what I’m talking about.” Doesn’t that appear to be what he is saying? And when you know less about a certain topic, well, then you easily accept direction, supervision, and guidance from someone who knows more.

Even though the Bible does not mention the word “mentoring,” its practice can be observed through diverse relationships throughout the Scriptures, from the Old to the New Testament. For this reason, it is so important that we recognize the practice, identify the aspects that relate to use and live them out, as part of our identity as Christians, actually our identity as people when you get down to it. And, did you know? Mentorship is equivalent to discipleship. Someone who disciples is a mentor, even when, at times, they don’t “check all the boxes.”

Mentor: Counselor, guide, teacher.

As I mentioned before, there are various examples in the Bible of mentoring relationships; but let’s look at Jesus’ example. Jesus chose 12 men to whom He delegated the task of replicating what He did with them. He taught them something He knew extremely well, the Kingdom. He encouraged and equipped them to complete a mission. He was patient and He loved them. He was their friend and He served them, knowing Who He was and where He was going (John 13:1).

A mentor like Jesus knows who He is, is surrounded by friends, disciples, who are dedicated to His purpose, with perseverance. Just as Paul did and entrusted to Timothy in 1 Timothy 2:2, “And the things you have heard me say in the presence of many witnesses entrust to reliable people who will also be qualified to teach others.”

A mentor is an instrument of God.

“I came to do my Father’s will,” Jesus said in John 6:38.

“One of those days Jesus went out to a mountainside to pray, and spent the night praying to God. When morning came, he called his disciples to him and chose twelve of them, whom he also designated apostles…” (Luke 6:12-13)

A mentor has clear goals in mind and works toward them, guiding his/her disciples there.

“Come, follow me,” Jesus said, “and I will send you out to fish for people.” (Matt. 4:19)

If we are imitators of Jesus, and since we have the Great Commission in Matthew 28:18-20, we also need to and should want to be in mentoring or discipleship relationships. We are also called to be part of this pattern of teaching and growth that we see in the New Testament.

There is no addendum to the Bible where the characteristics of a mentor are listed, but Jesus showed us how to do it: Get close to one or more people that need to be instructed and learn about the Kingdom. Teach them, treat them with love, develop a friendship with them, and persevere toward the goal of walking with Jesus at all times and encourage others to persevere in that walk. That was the key to the spreading of the gospel in the ancient world: The mentoring relationship that Jesus had with His disciples.

I know that it looks simplistic to mention only these few aspects, but these are at the heart of this service, central to our mission (Matt. 28:18-20).

In the same way as the apostle John, we also have seen and “touched” Jesus. We know Him adequately enough to speak to the world about Him. It is our mission to do so.

Written by Kat Bittner, volunteer with and member of Iron Rose Sister Ministries in Colorado

“All men make mistakes, but a good man yields when he knows his course is wrong and repairs the evil. The only crime is pride.”
― Sophocles, Antigone

Yes. All men – and women – make mistakes. Putting salt in your coffee instead of sugar is a mistake. Going the wrong direction on a one-way street is a mistake. Misspelling a word on a spelling test is a mistake. Bumping into someone with your shopping cart is a mistake. Mistakes are errors in judgment, and no one is immune to them.

The same is true with sin, and even more so because sin is more than a mistake. It is a deliberate and willful choice to do something you know is wrong. “Everyone who sins is breaking God’s law, for all sin is contrary to the law of God” (1 John 3:4 NLT).

Like mistakes, everyone sins (Rom. 3:23). How we properly handle sin is the difference between yielding when we are wrong and pridefully acting contrary to what God wills for our life. The proper response to sin always comes from a humble and contrite heart. And what we learn from our mistakes, even more so from our sins, should cause us to grow in our spiritual journey and draw us closer to God.

One of the most notable biblical examples of learning from our mistakes comes from the story of Jonah. Jonah’s calling by God began with great reluctance. Not only did Jonah not want to do what God expressly told him to do, but he also tried to run away from it. His pride and self-righteous heart deemed the Ninevites less worthy of God’s mercy (Jonah 1:1-3; 4:1-2). Jonah believed that he should not go where God told him to go and do what God told him to do. That was a mistake. Jonah decided that he would instead go somewhere else and do something other than what God commanded. That was sin. Thus, the difference between Jonah’s mistake and Jonah’s sin was the difference between his error in judgment and his willful disobedience. Jonah’s disobedience also caused serious repercussions for others and put innocent men’s lives at risk (Jonah 1:4-15), thereby exacerbating the magnitude of his sin.

Also, Jonah believed he could “flee…from the presence of the Lord” (Jonah 1:3 NKJV) which was a mistake. He judged incorrectly that if he could hide from God or go somewhere other than where God wanted, he could avoid God’s will for him. “’Who can hide in secret places so that I cannot see them?’ declares the Lord. ‘Do not I fill heaven and earth?’ declares the Lord” (Jer. 23:24 NIV). But the pride and disregard in Jonah’s heart was more than a mistake. It was sin! Jonah willfully and arrogantly chose to do something that he knew was wrong. And Jonah was angry about what God wanted him to do because he knew that God was known for being compassionate and merciful as well as vengeful (Ps. 145:8; 94:1).

Despite Jonah’s initial mistake and subsequent sin, he responded humbly with the time God spared his life in the belly of the great fish. Jonah repented and ultimately turned toward what God willed for his life. He learned from his mistake and responded appropriately to his sin.

“In my distress I called to the Lord, and he answered me. I said, ‘I have been banished from your sight; yet I will look again toward your holy temple.’ What I have vowed I will make good. I will say, ‘Salvation comes from the Lord.’”(Jonah 2:1,4,9 NIV)

Jonah’s belief that the Ninevites were beyond redemption was also an error in judgment; it was another mistake. God spared the Ninevites once they repented, and Jonah became angry. He knew that God was “a gracious and compassionate God, slow to anger and abounding in love, a God who relents from sending calamity” (Jonah 4:2b). Jonah’s anger burned even to the point he wished he were dead. That was no mistake. That was sin. Many times, we do the same thing. We mistakenly believe one thing that leads us to err in our judgment. Then we make the wrong choices based on that error, and we become trapped in sin.

All things are lawful for me, but all things are not helpful. All things are lawful for me, but I will not be brought under the power of any.(1 Cor. 6:12, NKJV)

Sisters, we can learn from the story of Jonah. If we are to be women who fear God and want to do His will in our life, we must be humble. Be humble so that we do not err in our judgment. Be humble so that we properly respond to our sin. And be humble to be better learners. As Sophocles stated, we need to be good women who do not yield to a course that is wrong and repair the evil we do. Will you be a woman who learns from her mistake? Better yet, will you be a woman who learns, too, from more than a mistake? Be someone who learns from her sin.

#IronRoseSister #teachthroughrelationships #learnthroughrelationships #learningbymakingmistakes #learnfrommistakes #redemption #Jonah #blog #guestwriter

Written by Wendy Neill, Advancement Coordinator for Iron Rose Sister Ministries in Arkansas 

A 1984 Fabergé shampoo commercial had Heather Locklear say, “I told two friends, and they told two friends, and so on, and so on.” This company understood the power of multiplying relationships. They sought to leverage those relationships to tap into the cheapest and most efficient type of advertising, word-of-mouth advertising, to spread their message.

At Iron Rose Sister Ministries we often refer to, and pray for, “partners in the gospel” (Phil. 1:5). When we find a partner in the gospel, we too leverage this power of multiplying relationships to spread our message: the good news of Jesus Christ.

The book of Acts tells the story of many partners in the gospel. Let’s follow and learn from a few of these relationships.

Barnabas and Paul –Your partner in the gospel can serve as “iron sharpening iron” (Prov. 27:17), helping you grow in your faith. After Paul’s conversion on the road to Damascus (Acts 9), the disciples didn’t know whether to trust him. Barnabas was the one willing to take Paul as his partner in the gospel. He trusted him, helped him mature in his new faith, and presented him to the apostles (Acts 9:27). Later in Acts 11, Barnabas needed help with the growing number of believers in Antioch.

Then Barnabas went to Tarsus to look for Saul, and when he found him, he brought him to Antioch. So for a whole year Barnabas and Saul met with the church and taught great numbers of people. The disciples were called Christians first at Antioch. (Acts 11:25-26 NIV)

In Acts 13, the Holy Spirit Himself called Barnabas and Paul to go on Paul’s first missionary journey. Untold numbers of people heard the good news of Christ because of this relationship.

Paul, Aquila, and Priscilla – Your partner in the gospel may start out as a friend with whom you have something in common. On Paul’s second missionary journey, he went to Corinth (Acts 18) and met a Jew named Aquila and his wife Priscilla. They quickly became friends because they were all tentmakers. He even stayed with them and worked on tents. Soon, this couple became Paul’s partners in the gospel and travelled with him to Ephesus.

Aquila, Priscilla, and Apollos – Partners in the gospel can also be mentoring relationships. While Paul continued his missionary journey, Aquila and Priscilla remained in Ephesus. A Jew named Apollos came to town. He had great enthusiasm as he taught about Jesus but didn’t quite have the whole story. “When Priscilla and Aquila heard him, they invited him to their home and explained to him the way of God more adequately” (Acts 18:26). Notice that Aquila and Priscilla were also partners in the gospel as a married couple and worked together to mentor Apollos. The next verse shows us the power of that multiplying relationship: “When Apollos wanted to go to Achaia, the brothers and sisters encouraged him and wrote to the disciples there to welcome him. When he arrived, he was a great help to those who by grace had believed” (Acts 18:27).

We have followed the multiplying impact of Barnabas to Paul to Aquila & Priscilla to Apollos. The Holy Spirit used these relationships and many others to spread the good news of Jesus Christ like wildfire. I encourage you to scan Acts 13-28 for other partners in the gospel that Paul found on his missionary journeys. It is a long list of people! Then look at Romans 16 to see how many partners he listed living in Rome, including Aquila and Priscilla, “my co-workers in Christ Jesus. They risked their lives for me. Not only I but all the churches of the Gentiles are grateful to them” (Rom. 16:3-4). We don’t know the story of how they risked their lives, but those are loyal partners in the gospel!

Who are your partners in the gospel?Is there someone with a shared interest you could spend more time with? Is there someone who needs mentoring? Is there someone you could ask to mentor you in how to share your faith? It doesn’t matter if you are single like Paul or married like Aquila and Priscilla. You can ask God to send you more partners in the gospel, so the world may know the saving grace of Jesus.

Written by Michelle J. Goff, Founder and Director of Iron Rose Sister Ministries

Daily, for about seven years, before, during, and after high school, I faithfully wrote in a prayer journal. I noted which chapters I read from the Old Testament, New Testament, and Proverbs. Since writing is one of the ways in which I process the world, it seemed appropriate that I would spend an allotted time each evening discussing my day with God, my thoughts, my fears, and my questions, in written form.

Most of the time, if I specifically addressed God by name, I would simply say, “Dear God.” I later learned to call on Him as the Great Physician, Comforter, Prince of Peace, Yahweh, Savior, etc. However, during those earlier years of prayer, if I had to pick one primary title that came to mind when I would address God, it was one of Heavenly Father.

“Heavenly” because I saw Him as other-worldly. He was seated up on His throne and would listen to us, inserting an occasional intervention on behalf of a truly worthy request. I would thank Him for His wisdom through the Proverbs and lament the many who did not heed His wisdom.

“Father” was because I emphasized a greater distinction between our Father in Heaven, His Son, Jesus, who came to earth to die on the cross to save us from our sins, and in whose name we pray. Finally, the Holy Spirit was the third title and one to whom I never prayed.

I now thank the Holy Spirit for interpreting my groans (Rom. 8:26) and ask Him to be my Guide, Comforter, and Reminder of Truth (John 14, 16). He is a seal guaranteeing my inheritance!

I have learned to thank Jesus for modeling obedience, for His selfless and sacrificial love, and for choosing what the world would deem unworthy followers to be His initial disciples. He is my Redeemer who ever lives and intercedes for me!

As I continued to address the Father in prayer, the meaning behind that title has evolved. My

relationship and communication with the Father have grown along with my intimacy with Him.

After returning to live in the U.S. after my years in Venezuela, I suffered extreme reverse culture shock. It was not a term that was commonly used at that time, nor was it a phenomenon I was warned about.

Walking through the aisles of the grocery store, I was overwhelmed by the hundreds of choices. I had come from a time and place in which you planned your menu based on whatever you found on the shelf that week, or what you had waited in a long line to obtain.

Navigating new relationships in a culture that felt long-forgotten, I had to explain why I knew nothing of TV shows, movies, commercials, or other “small talk” connection points. I counted down the days to my first visit back to Venezuela and the opportunity to introduce others to the reasons I might’ve been louder or culturally awkward.

A month or two after that return visit to Venezuela, life took another turn and my responsibilities doubled. Still disoriented and uncertain, I clearly remember an opportunity that was granted me to step away for a couple of days. That intentional time of prayer, reflection, Bible reading, and rest was desperately needed.

The most memorable moment from those days was when I pictured myself curled up on God’s lap, crying out my pain to Him. He was a welcoming Father who held my right hand, gently stroking my hair, as He comforted me. I was warmed by His embrace and drawn into a deeper level of trust. He could handle my grief. He could reorient my cross-cultural awkwardness. He could shoulder the weight of my added responsibilities. He would remain faithful and present. Always.

Beautifully, I knew that I could crawl back up into His lap at any time, which I did.

As my Father who loved me deeply, I could go to Him unencumbered by my hesitancy. As my Father who delighted in me, I could bound into His lap to prattle on about my greatest joys. As my Father who called me His daughter, I could hear Him whisper my name as the One who has always known me.

After that first time of picturing myself sitting in God’s lap and sloppily blubbering my heart’s deepest hurts, He truly became my Father.

If you have not been able to communicate with our Father to that level of intimacy, I invite you to start with simply entering His throne room and accepting His invitation to that depth of relationship with Him. It all starts with communication. You don’t have to know what to say. God knows your heart and doesn’t need you to speak a word.

Written by Michelle J. Goff, Founder and Director of Iron Rose Sister Ministries 

On the 4^th of July (Independence Day), we sat outside at Grandpa and Grandma’s farm, watching the fireworks in the distance and delighting in our annual tradition of root beer floats. Those grandparents are no longer with us, but my nephew and niece have been warned by their mom that they will hear that story every time we enjoy Independence Day fireworks with family, sipping root beer.

On the maternal side of the family, Granddaddy loves to tell jokes. He collected them for years as a speech professor and occasional preacher. As kids, whenever we heard a good joke, we would call him up and retell it. These days, he regales us with his favorites, telling them as if for the first time. When he asks, “Have you heard that one?”, one sister has learned to cleverly respond, “Not today!” The first time he caught on to her joke, he winked, laughed, and said, “Oh, you’re definitely part of this family with that sense of humor!”

Whether time-honored traditions or long-standing jokes, we celebrate the connections they bring. From both sides of my family, another connection is their legacies of faith. I know this because of the stories passed down.

The Iowa grandparents led a quiet life as farmers. The Florida two were teachers in a big city, rampant with worldly influence. Both couples were challenged to live out their faith in their respective contexts. And since we grandkids lived at least an 18-hour car ride from the nearest, we relied more heavily on our parents to pass down the generational stories of faith.

Prayer was a vital lifeline for all four grandparents. Dean and Evelyn prayed that their crops would produce a harvest ample enough to sell and provide for their own needs. They prayed over whether they should take my dad and aunt in as teenagers (as foster parents). They prayed that God would provide preachers for their one-room church building, built by previous generations.

George and Barbara prayed that God would use them to plant seeds of truth and faith in their students. They prayed that God would lead them in starting a nonprofit called Christian Homes for Children in South Florida and use them to bless children who were not able to receive loving care in other places. George even wrote a book, Prayer Power, contributing the proceeds from book sales to that foster care ministry. Even earlier this year, Grandmommy wanted to pray with whichever family member visited her hospital room.

Their “God stories,” as I have endearingly termed them, remind me of God’s faithfulness throughout all generations and have inspired me in how I live out my own faith.

My mom, a gifted storyteller, has created an expectation that we share the God stories. We cannot keep them to ourselves! She never passes up an opportunity to demonstrate how she saw God working, and it doesn’t matter whether the other person is a believer. Her story becomes an intentional invitation to allow Him to author their story.

The beautiful thing is that the more we tell God stories and recognize His hand at work, the more we see Him and invite Him to be the living, active, all-powerful God that He is in our lives.

In a recent conversation, already needing to get back to work, I asked a couple of friends to give me five more minutes to share the full backstory of connections, because only then would the bigger God story of it all be revealed. Neither hesitated in granting my request, anticipating how they would be blessed by hearing it all come together as only God could orchestrate.

The following five minutes cannot be summarized in an 800-word blog post. I would need a map to illustrate what parts of the world I was referring to (five countries on three continents). Hand motions were required to draw connections, from the family where the story began through the interweaving of other families’ lives. We fast-forwarded and rewound our timeline as we navigated the intricacies of the tapestry God was creating. And yes, I showed pictures.

Iron Rose Sister Ministries and hundreds, maybe thousands, of women are reaping the blessing of those interconnected, generational God stories being passed down… and I’m only referring to that morning’s snippets of those families’ entwined God stories (Wyatt, Holland, Goff, Fincher, White, Yarbrough, Brizendine, and Batres).

The best part is that the eternal impact and blessing of the story is not yet fully written. The oldest generation has gone before us, leaving their legacy. It is our responsibility to carry on and pass down their stories of faith.

We may doubt our impact while on this earth. Yet when we share God stories that narrate another person’s faith, we affirm the ripple effect of one life on the legacy of God’s faithfulness.

I cannot wait to hear the God stories to come! Hopefully in heaven, God will gloriously reveal the millions of backstories, faithfully passed down. Oh, to sing those stories with the angels and the thousand generations (Deut. 7:9)!

What God story can you pass down or be a part of today?

Written by Kat Bittner, volunteer with and Board member of Iron Rose Sister Ministries in Colorado 

There is a common idiom in English, “marriage made in Heaven,” which implies that a particular marriage is perfect. Yet marriage is never perfect because we are imperfect beings. Marriage was designed by the perfect God, created because God declared, “It is not good that man should be alone; I will make him a helper comparable to him” (Gen. 2:18, NKJV). God Himself brought two humans together, man and woman, in order that they would become one (Gen. 2:22,24). It stands to reason that this God-ordained covenant (a promise between two or more people) should be treated carefully and with respect. God designed marriage to be a covenant between one man and one woman with Him at the head of that union.Consequently, we should be mindful of how we do marriage given the gravity of that covenant. And we could learn from some biblical examples of couples “doing marriage” in and out of God’s design.

Abram and Sarai: God had special plans for Abram. His wife, Sarai, chose to intervene by bringing another woman into their marriage to provide the child that she could not. Having this Egyptian woman, Hagar, bear Abram’s son would prove distressing for all (Gen. 16; 21:8-18). Sarai even grew angry at her husband, laying blame on him for the trouble she caused. “You are responsible for the wrong I am suffering. I put my slave in your arms, and now that she knows she is pregnant, she despises me”(Gen. 16:5, NIV). Sarai would have done well to let God move in their marriage the way He had already planned because God would later fulfill an even greater covenant through Abraham and Sarah’s marriage.

I will make you very fruitful; I will make nations of you, and kings will come from you…  I will bless her and will surely give you a son by her. I will bless her so that she will be the mother of nations; kings of peoples will come fromher. (Gen. 17: 6,16)

Joseph and Mary: Even before the actual ceremony, Joseph perceived his marriage covenant with honor and respect. Upon finding out his bride-to-be was pregnant, Joseph chose to break their engagement quietly because he “was a righteous man and did not want to disgrace her publicly” (Matt. 1:19, NLT). He did this even though it was within his authority under the law to publicly condemn Mary. And Mary, a woman highly favored by God, accepted God’s will and His plans for her. I suppose Mary could have chosen another path that did not include Joseph, or just outright rejected God’s desire. However, Joseph and Mary valued the Lord’s design for their marriage and obeyed His will (Luke 1:18-24).

Hosea and Gomer: A union expressly made by God, this marriage was a picture of His love and faithfulness. It was between a prophet and a harlot, used by God in a unique way. Their marriage illustrated the covenant God had with the Israelites not to love any other gods. Hosea and Gomer’s marriage also typified the habitual breaking of that covenant. Gomer wandered unfaithfully from her marriage to Hosea. Hosea repeatedly brought Gomer home only to have her run into the arms of another lover, and God would expect Hosea to go get his wife and bring her home yet again.

Then the Lord said to me, ‘Go and love your wife again, even though she commits adultery with another lover. This will illustrate that the Lord still loves Israel, even though the people have turned to other gods and love to worship them.’ (Hos. 3:1)

Hosea’s and Gomer’s marriage was a living parable that God’s people could see for themselves.

Aquila and Priscilla: Considered a spiritual power couple, Aquila and Priscilla embodied the marriage covenant as God intended. They worked in expanding the church and were instrumental in keeping Paul and his ministry thriving (Rom. 16:3-4). They were church planters (1 Cor. 16:19), spiritual mentors (Acts 18:26), and traveling missionaries (Acts 18:18). All this married couple did for the Lord, they did together. They are an example of how to do marriage covenant as God perfectly designed it.

Marriage will never be perfect because we are imperfect beings. However, we should strive for excellence in marriage because we have the blood of Jesus, the perfect One, to sanctify us and make us holy(Heb. 13:12). Jesus perfects us! He makes us righteous! We need Him to perfect our marriage and make it right.It is an honorable thing to have a “marriage made in Heaven” because the marriage covenant is holy, designed by the perfect God to be at the head of that covenant. How will you honor the marriage covenant?

Written by Marissa Gonzáles, volunteer with Iron Rose Sister Ministries in Guatemala

"Pray continually." (1Th 5:17 NIV)

As we read this verse, many of us may ask ourselves, “How can I accomplish this?”

Although some of us learned to pray from our parents or from someone who guided us in our spiritual lives, others did not have that support or teaching—they learned in the process of their growth in faith.

At some point in our lives, we all ask ourselves, “How should I pray? What will be the best way to do it?” Or we worry, “Why is our prayer not as fluid as others?”

Remember, praying is like conversing with someone very close to you to whom you want to tell everything you are going through or your life plans. In it, we find and achieve a close connection, and who better to do this with than our Heavenly Father—remembering that He is the center of everything and that our relationship with Him strengthens our life, faith, and prayers. When you start in prayer, it does not need to be extensive; start small, from your heart, and over time, it will become easier and more fluid.

Remember Jesus saying, "But when you pray, go into your room, close the door and pray to your Father, who is unseen. Then your Father, who sees what is done in secret, will reward you" (Mt 6:6).

Whenever possible, find a place without distractions where you feel comfortable. I know that for moms, grandmothers, or those in charge of a little one, it is not easy to have these spaces. But as soon as you have those little quiet moments, take advantage of them! Give yourself some time for your communication with God, especially if it's at the beginning of the day, and find a place where you feel safe, and where you can connect and know that He hears you. Jesus set the example for us.

"Very early in the morning, while it was still dark, Jesus got up, left the house and went off to a solitary place, where he prayed." (Mk 1:35)

I know it may not be easy to get started, but something that helped me was to make a list of thanksgiving where I could write simple things: thanks for light, cold, heat, etc. Your list may initially be small, but you'll gradually add more. Also, consider in that list what you think are "bad" things; for example, you left home late, the tire of your car or motorcycle was punctured, the transportion you were awaiting was delayed, etc. You'll say, “Be thankful for that?!” Yes, there's something good in everything. What seems bad to you will leave you with a lesson learned, or it will free you from something more unpleasant than just the displeasure of the moment.

Remember the fruit of the Holy Spirit:

But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, forbearance, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control. Against such things there is no law. Those who belong to Christ Jesus have crucified the flesh with its passions and desires. Since we live by the Spirit, let us keep in step with the Spirit. (Gal 5:22-25)

And remember, praying isn't just about exposing all the needs or difficulties you're going through; it's not even just asking for what you don't have. Rather, it is the means to find peace as you connect with our Father, being grateful for what He allowed you to experience whether it is considered good or bad.

So, start by expressing thanks for every moment... Thank you, God, for this day, thank you for my family, thank you for the coffee, thank you...

Some may say, "How can you give thanks even for coffee?” Yes, we should also be thankful for little things like that because they give us pleasant and comfortable moments! By doing this, we improve our dialogue with God because it will no longer be just about giving thanks; we will also be mindful of why we say thank you. We will understand every situation in our daily lives, and we will be aware that we can change our attitude towards life and others, and that's where our relationship with God will grow.

With this as a foundation, you will form your prayer. Remember that Jesus left us guidance and an example when He prayed to the Father (Mt 6:7-15). Honoring our Heavenly Father, let us humbly present ourselves, ask Him for forgiveness for those faults we have committed, thank Him, express our love and trust in Him, and express what we feel from the heart— total dependency (24x7).

Be thoughtful about your prayers. Which do you do more: asking or being thankful?

Written by Johanna Zabala, volunteer with Iron Rose Sister Ministries in Venezuela

“...On my bed I remember you; I think of you through the watches of the night.” (Ps. 63:6 NIV)

Ever since I came to know the love and mercy of a Sovereign God, prayer has been a sublime spiritual activity. In prayer, soul and Divinity are connected, making possible the experience of life and healing. Today, being committed to Christ, every moment leads me to a fuller relationship with Him and, therefore, to follow the model prayer that He left us.

In my childhood, the prayer I learned from the Lord's Prayer became that direct conversation with Him. I didn't know then that this prayer would be the reference pattern for structuring my prayers in a particular way in vigils, by day and by night, where it would fill me with faith and spiritual awareness.

I remember that almost 25 years ago, I entered the hospital to give birth to my first daughter. It was a rainy night and one of the times when I began to pour myself out in prayer. Sorting out my thoughts and feelings, I recognized the grandeur of that moment of waiting, knowing that it was He who was with me.

At that moment, the pattern of prayer I learned as a child flashed through my mind, and in that experience, Almighty God and His purposes led me to cry out for sanctification in His holy name. Driven to do His will in that moment of uncertainty, not knowing what would happen, in that moment I came to ask for forgiveness with all my being and that I would forgive those who had offended me.. In the midst of pain unknown and new to me, I was filled with strength, concentration, and security that led to the success of a new life for the glory of God. This situation filled me with spiritual satisfaction from that moment until today. I have chosen that which allows my heart and soul to reject the sinful nature which counteracts the spiritual by separating me from God, , but instead nourishes me in this race of life.

From then on, every night vigil has comforted me. I know that in the presence of the Eternal and in uninterrupted intimate meditation, my mind, heart, and soul come together to confirm the security of His existence, giving answers in the Lord's perfect timing for every request and thanksgiving.

The nights, despite the day's weariness, are the most significant time in my relationship with the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit. It is then that I can give an account of the day, its trials, and its learning, being at rest, knowing that everything is done in His name (is in His control).

Praying is, and always will be, a holy privilege, where unique communication flows with the majesty of the Heavenly Father through Christ Jesus and His teachings, miracles, and human and holy examples that inspire us to follow in His footsteps of salvation and continual reflection.

All of the above points to full harmony and commitment to Christ, which is why in every prayer of the soul, there is so much peace, which is superior to any distraction from the earthly world.

Likewise, in prayer you learn dependence, submission, love, security, and certainty that everything depends on God's will, not yours. Prayer is, and always will be, the continuous path to spiritual blessings at all times—in times of joy, in struggles, in trials, in times of seeking direction and holiness. You sanctify, you bless His divine nature, you focus on His will to which you were called, you ask for physical help in earthly survival, you are led to forgiveness towards your neighbor and yourself, you receive strength to keep you from falling into temptation, and you are freed from evil.

When I can't sleep, I pray. Before I sleep, I pray, and my thoughts are held captive, keeping me aware of the presence of the Holy Spirit in every moment of life.

Do you live and love prayer? When you lie down, are your thoughts united with Christ?

Written by Corina Díaz, volunteer with Iron Rose Sister Ministries in Argentina

But when you pray, go into your room, close the door and pray to your Father, who is unseen. Then your Father, who sees what is done in secret, will reward you. (Matt. 6:6)

Throughout my Christian life, I have experienced different stages in my connection with Jesus, determined by the way in which I have practiced prayer.

During the first years, I learned to repeat prayers and the structure in which one should pray (call on Him – thanks – requests – blessing/praise). This gave me the foundation to practice what, years later, I came to know as Lectio Divina or contemplative prayer/reading—a deep search for silence. For me, silence is the perfect opportunity to listen to the Father and speak to Jesus from the depth of my heart.

First step, Lectio (reading): understand the Word (its literal meaning), responding to the question, what does the text say? It is important to contextualize through the following approaches: literary (word analysis), historical (sociocultural, economic, political, and religious situation), and theological (what God says).

Second step, Meditatio (meditation): receive the Word, what does the text say? We enter into an intimate dialogue with God through a series of questions that question our reality, and that help us to discover a message for life.

Third step, Oratio (prayer): respond to the Word, what does the text lead me to say to God? We respond in prayer, moved by the Holy Spirit.

And the fourth step, Contemplatio (contemplation/action): inspire life in the Word, to what conversion and action is the Lord inviting us? We receive what is discovered through dialogue with God, and the good news is that He sends us to find it with others.

In this final step is where we truly come together in prayer, when we are bathed in silence, and we have heard the voice of the Father to inspire our daily lives.

¡Be still in the presence of the Lord! (Ps. 37:7)

I invite you to practice this exercise through a passage of the Bible, maybe the same text in which Jesus teaches His disciples to pray in Matthew 6:5-15.

Written by Iron Rose Sister Ministries team and Board Members


As President of the Board and self-appointed, glorified cheerleader for IRSM, my prayer request is for unity and wisdom as the team and board work together to God’s glory.
~ Katie Forbess, President of the Board

Thankful for all of the resources provided by God, I pray that we will calm our hearts enough to allow us to step back and look at the many needs in the ministry, the wisdom to discern and set priorities, and the will and strength that trusts in God’s power and strength to do everything possible to tend to them. In Jesus' name,
~ Fernando Butch Sandoval, Board Member

My prayer is that IRSM will be integral to more churches in equipping and encouraging their women members.
~ Mark Vaughn, Board Member

I pray for all our Iron Rose Sisters to find peace amidst the chaos, and to seek the glory of God. May we store up our treasures in heaven.
~ Wendy Neill, Advancement Coordinator

I pray that IRSM continues to be strengthened as a community and that these resources may bless and connect people.
~ Alex Marins, English/Portuguese Translator/Editor

Thank you, Lord, for what you do through this ministry. Continue using it to equip women and show them how much You love and care for them.
~ Débora Rodrigo, English/Spanish Translator/Editor

I pray for direction for the Ministério Irmã Rosa de Ferro so that it will glorify God in Brazil and other Portuguese-speaking countries in 2024.
~ Laurie Diles, Board Member

My prayer for Iron Rose Sister Ministries in 2024 is for God to continue to be glorified in all it does, for women to continue to be equipped, encouraged, and empowered through its resources, and for relationships to continue to deepen in Christ.
~ Amanda Nitsch, Director of Operations

My prayer is that God may direct us to the women who hunger and thirst for the gospel—that we can provide them with Bible teaching and study materials to help them in their walk and share with others around them.
~ Judy Larsen, Office Assistant

May God open the doors so that we can present the ministry in person in more places in Brazil, organizing and participating in events.
~ Beliza Kočev, Brazil Coordinator

My prayer is that God will continue to bless the areas where IRSM is already having an impact and open up new places in the world for IRSM to spread the gospel of Jesus Christ.
~ Juana Hall, Financial Assistant

I pray that all that we share in social media may, in one way or another, impact the women who follow us. May we encourage them to draw closer to God and each other with the help of the ministry.
~ Francia Oviedo, Creative Assistant

May God continue to use us to equip, encourage, and empower women in their walks with God and each other, especially through the new book that will be released this fall and the new video resources rolling out in Spanish and Portuguese.
~ Michelle J. Goff, Founder and Executive Director

We request that you pray with us for those who need the connection and encouragement to find their way to our ministry and that our ministry will bring them closer to the Lord. Similarly, please pray for all of us Iron Rose Sisters, that we will be welcoming and genuine representatives of Jesus when others cross our paths.
~ Hannah Hackworth, Virtual Assistant

May God allow the team and board members to work together to fulfill God’s calling for Iron Rose Sister Ministries by remaining committed to Christ individually, and that all our efforts during the year will encourage, equip, and empower women across the Americas to seek God’s kingdom and remain committed to Christ!
~ Brenda Brizendine, Assistant Director

I pray that all the women who have been blessed by IRSM will use the teaching and resources they have received and share them with others this year. In this way, those who have been blessed may become a blessing to many others.
~ Bill Richardson, Board Member

I pray that 2024 will be a year of banner growth for IRSM! I pray for good health and wellbeing for Michelle and the entire IRSM team and board. Most importantly, I pray that each and every woman who connects with IRSM grows exponentially in their faith or comes to know Jesus through this beautiful ministry.
~ Kat Bittner, Board Member

My prayer is that God will use each of our gifts and talents for this ministry to build and support women's efforts to fully commit to Christ in 2024 through blogs, books, workshops, prayer, and fellowship.
~ Brenda Davis, English Editor