Iron Rose Sister Ministries

On the eve of a New Year, we are offered the opportunity to begin anew. We have hope of a new life in Christ and faith in God’s abounding love. Yet, there may be thorns that are holding us back, areas in which we long to grow in our faith, hope, or love.
Over the next few days, I challenge you to get with a Christian friend, an Iron Rose Sister, and encourage one another through the Common Threads. How can you be iron sharpening iron for one another in the New Year? What daily prayer can you lift up for and with each other?
I want to bloom in God’s love so that it becomes an outpouring of love to others.
I pray that I can remove the thorn of unbelief, knowing that it hinders my personal growth and that of the ministry.
And I encourage you to serve as iron sharpening iron in my life, as my Iron Rose Sisters, reminding me of God’s faithfulness in the past, as He demonstrates His faithfulness in the future.

Now faith is being sure of what we hope for and certain of what we do not see. (Hebrews 11:1 NIV)
Faith, as the author of Hebrews defines it, is based on things that we cannot see or tangibly know to be true. We believe them to be true and trust that we can place our hope in God and His truths found in Scripture.

Now faith is being sure of what we hope for and certain of what we do not see. (Hebrews 11:1 NIV)

Faith, as the author of Hebrews defines it, is based on things that we cannot see or tangibly know to be true. We believe them to be true and trust that we can place our hope in God and His truths found in Scripture.

However, what happens when our faith waivers—when we start to focus on what we can see and not on things eternal? Is it because we are not exercising our faith and keeping it in the forefront of our minds?

How many of you studied a 2nd language in school? How much do you remember of that language? There is an expression I have often quoted to those whom I have taught Spanish. “If you don’t use it, you lose it.” This is not only true of a 2nd language, but is also true of our faith.

If we do not exercise our faith and keep it at the forefront of our minds, we will lose it. We will lose faith in He who is faithful and we will become less certain of what we hope for and less sure of what we do not see.

So, how can you exercise your faith today? Make a quick list of three basic truths about God on which you can always rely.

Here’s my list:

1. God loves me.
2. God is infinitely wise.
3. God is in control.

Now faith is being sure of what we hope for and certain of what we do not see. (Heb. 11:1)
Faith, as the author of Hebrews defines it, is based on things that we cannot see or tangibly know to be true. We believe them to be true and trust that we can place our hope in God and His truths found in Scripture.
However, what happens when our faith waivers—when we start to focus on what we can see and not on things eternal? Is it because we are not exercising our faith and keeping it in the forefront of our minds?
How many of you studied a 2nd language in school? How much do you remember of that language? There is an expression I have often quoted to those whom I have taught Spanish. “If you don’t use it, you lose it.” This is not only true of a 2nd language, but is also true of our faith.
If we do not exercise our faith and keep it at the forefront of our minds, we will lose it. We will lose faith in He who is faithful and we will become less certain of what we hope for and less sure of what we do not see.
So, how can you exercise your faith today? Make a quick list of three basic truths about God on which you can always rely.
Here’s my list:
God loves me.
God is infinitely wise.
God is in control, so I can always put my hope in Him.

The following post was written during a writing retreat in January 2014. It is too fitting in the context of this month’s posts to not share again.

“Fear was at its peak. I was not afraid of spending five days alone—just me and God. I was not afraid of finding the right time or inspiration to write—although I’m sure Satan will attack in that area soon enough.

I was afraid of getting to the cabin in my front-wheel drive Toyota Corolla. I was afraid of being able to start a fire in the wood-burning stove and keeping it going enough to keep myself warm, especially my fingers since typing was one of the main things I would be doing!

Fear is a powerful tool of Satan and he loves to attack when we are at our weakest.  As I stared into the fire that I was able to get going (yay!), I was reminded of its ability to burn away the impurities and its ability to keep us warm. Fear is like a cold chill that permeates our body.  It can shake us to our core. However, our God is a consuming fire (Hebrews 12:29), a refiner’s fire (Malachi 3:2-3), and He promises us a kingdom that cannot be shaken (Hebrews 12:28). What a promise!”

A child knows no fear. The little boy trusts that his dad will catch him when he leaps.
Fear is a learned concept. And when God calls us to be like a child in order to enter the kingdom of heaven (Matthew 18:1-5), I believe that one of the things he is referring to is a child´s faith.

A child knows no fear. The little boy trusts that his dad will catch him when he leaps.

Fear is a learned concept. And when God calls us to be like a child in order to enter the kingdom of heaven (Matthew 18:1-5), I believe that one of the things he is referring to is a child´s faith.

Faith is a natural part of a child´s makeup. She has not learned to fear and so the choice to trust is an automatic one.

As adults, we have learned of evil, and have become mistrusting, fearful of what may happen. The choice to fear becomes more automatic than a choice of faith.

However, we can reverse that. The more often we choose faith, the more automatic that choice becomes. Our trust in God grows and we return to having faith like a child.

Today, and every day, I encourage you to choose faith—in the small decisions of everyday life. It is a choice to fear. And starting today, we can choose faith.

Lions are magnificent creatures. I love to watch them—from a distance, in the zoo, with plenty of space and barriers between us.
Put me in front of a lion and who knows what levels of panic I will enter into. I don’t have any experience with a whip like Indiana Jones, but I can use Daniel’s strategy of prayer.

Written by Wendy Neill
I hope you don’t mind if I talk to myself here. I mean, feel free to listen in if you want. But you may not struggle with these thoughts.

Wendy, your parenting has been fraught with fear. For years, your head has been a constant simmering brew of “what ifs”:
• What if the baby comes too early?
• What if she dies of SIDS because I put her on her tummy?
• What if she chokes when I introduce solid foods?
• What if she gets into the car with a stranger?
• What if she doesn’t make friends?
• What if she has a terrible car accident?
• What if she sleeps with her boyfriend and gets pregnant?
• What if she marries someone who isn’t a believer?
• What if she walks away from her faith?

Yes, those things can happen. This is a fallen world, and your children have free will. But that is not what you are called to do as a mother. How about these “what ifs” instead?

Later this week, I will share several of the blessings from this past weekend’s retreat, but first, I would like to introduce this month’s theme: Fear or Faith?
What does fear look like? Is it always the trembling hands, the knocking knees, the knot in the stomach, or the terror-filled eyes?
What does faith look like? Does it echo the examples of the Heroes of Faith in Hebrews 11? Is it reflected in the small day-to-day decisions or only the big ones?

Later this week, I will share several of the blessings from this past weekend’s retreat, but first, I would like to introduce this month’s theme: Fear or Faith?

What does fear look like? Is it always the trembling hands, the knocking knees, the knot in the stomach, or the terror-filled eyes?

What does faith look like? Does it echo the examples of the Heroes of Faith in Hebrews 11? Is it reflected in the small day-to-day decisions or only the big ones?

Every circumstance provides the opportunity to respond with fear or faith.

But is it an either/or? Is there even a need for faith if the situation isn’t fearful?

Fear is focusing on the circumstances.

Faith is focusing on the God who is bigger than all circumstances.

Fear is assuming the worst.

Faith is trusting that God can work out all things for good.

Fear is paralyzing.

Faith is freeing.

Fear weakens.

Faith strengthens.

How would you define the two?

During the process of transformation, we leave the ugliness and the pain, and move toward freedom. However, if things do not progress exactly as we had hoped, fear takes over and we long to go back to the familiar, no matter how bad things were before. We are not the only ones to fall into that fearful trap. The Israelites had it bad in Egypt. They were slaves and the conditions were getting worse. Deliverance came through Moses, but even before they got very far out of Egypt, their hope of deliverance faded and fear screamed louder than faith.
As Pharaoh approached, the Israelites looked up, and there were the Egyptians, marching after them. They were terrified and cried out to the Lord. They said to Moses, “Was it because there were no graves in Egypt that you brought us to the desert to die? What have you done to us by bringing us out of Egypt? Didn’t we say to you in Egypt, ‘Leave us alone; let us serve the Egyptians’? It would have been better for us to serve the Egyptians than to die in the desert!” (Exodus 14:10-12 NIV)
What are you enslaved to? What aspect of your life needs transformation and a dose of faith, not fear. I want to encourage you with Moses’ response in the next two verses:
Moses answered the people, “Do not be afraid. Stand firm and you will see the deliverance the Lord will bring you today. The Egyptians you see today you will never see again. The Lord will fight for you; you need only to be still.” (Exodus 14:13, 14 NIV)

Today is my mom’s 60th birthday. I know, I know. She doesn’t look a day over 40. We are constantly mistaken for sisters, which is partially true.
We are sisters in Christ and I am honored to be a part of the legacy of faith carried down from her mom, as well.
This picture is of the three generations represented at the Equip Conference in Orlando, back in July. What an honor to share in that event together, but even more so, to honor that legacy of faith.
Thanks for your shining example of faith and here are 60 things I am grateful for or love about you, which I am sure will make you laugh and cry. #sorrynotsorry
(P.S. I recognize that dad gets credit for some of these as well, but it’s your birthday, so...)

1. Getting over the shock that y’all were expecting even though you weren’t done with school.
2. Eighteen hour back labor to deliver me.
3. Giving me the middle name Joy (not that I dislike Michelle).
4. Graduating from college with a baby at home.
5. Putting up with me not sleeping through the night until I was 11 months old.

Eighteen times in the book of Job, the word hope is mentioned.
Job cries out for hope.
“What strength do I have, that I should still hope? What prospects, that I should be patient? (Job 6:11)
And in the words of his friends, Bildad, and Zophar,
Hope is for those who remember God.
Such is the destiny of all who forget God; so perishes the hope of the godless. (Job 8:13)
And there is security in hope.
You will be secure, because there is hope; you will look about you and take your rest in safety. (Job 11:18)
However, their words of hope are intermixed with accusations and their own interpretation of why Job is suffering.
In chapter 42, God chastises these friends, but does not mention Job’s young friend Elihu. This is likely because he spoke up in God’s defense.
It is Elihu’s mention of God’s love that begins to change Job’s perspectiveand the conversation turns toward hope (Job 37:13).
So, while we, like Job, long for hope in the midst of suffering, hope is unattainable without a focus on God’s loveand our trust that He is in control.
God’s love is the ultimate source of hope.

Love hopes (1 Cor. 13:7).
Faith, hope, and love are the three that remain (1 Cor. 13:13).
And in Romans 5, we see that love is the source of our hope and the reason our hope is not fruitless.
And we boast in the hope of the glory of God. Not only so, but we also glory in our sufferings, because we know that suffering produces perseverance; perseverance, character; and character, hope. And hope does not put us to shame, because God’s love has been poured out into our hearts through the Holy Spirit, who has been given to us. (Romans 5:2b-5)
So, if you are lacking in hope, overwhelmed by suffering, struggling to persevere, or lacking in character, I invite you to be bathed by God’s love.
May the Holy Spirit pour out so much of God’s love in your heart that it overflows abundantly in your life, filling you with hope.
May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace in believing, so that by the power of the Holy Spirit you may abound in hope. (Rom. 15:13)

The five-year-old waits for Christmas morning. The mom waits for a full night’s sleep. The grandpa waits to see his grandkids again.

The student waits for the semester to be over. The employee waits for a promotion. The hard-worker waits for a vacation. The stressed-out wife waits for this season of life to pass.

We are all waiting.

We wait in anticipation of what is to come. And most waiting is filled with hope and excited expectations. However, the patient that waits for news from the doctor may prefer to extend the waiting and not hear that her cancer is back. The young wife who has been trying for years to get pregnant is not looking forward to another month of waiting to see if their dreams will be realized.

We are all waiting.

In Scripture, we learn of a host of the faithful who waited and never got to see what was promised:
“And all these, though commended through their faith, did not receive what was promised, since God had provided something better for us, that apart from us they should not be made perfect” (Heb. 11:39-40).

Today, I am reminded that waiting is about trusting the One who sees the big picture.
During this time of year, we are reminded of the anticipation, the waiting, the expectation of the coming Christ child. God’s timing was perfect.

We may not know the exact date that Jesus came, but we know that God was waiting and planning for the precise moment.

We may not know the exact date that our waiting season will end, but God’s timing is perfect. And even if things don’t turn out as we would like or expect (I mean, who sends the King of Kings to be born in a manger?!), we can trust that God is bigger than all circumstances and that any amount of waiting will be worth it.

At this time of year, I spend time thinking of my friends and brothers and sisters in Christ around the world. I appreciate their love and the good news I receive through Facebook and other mediums.

I wish we could all be together, but we will have to wait until heaven to join with God in the ultimate reunion.

In the meantime, I leave you and encourage you with this verse about the love and hope that inspire us, from 1 Thes. 1:3.

We remember before our God and Father your work produced by faith, your labor prompted by love, and your endurance inspired by hope in our Lord Jesus Christ.