Iron Rose Sister Ministries

Springing off of yesterday’s reflection, I invite you to share what’s really going on under the surface with a Christian sister. You can both have an honest moment in which you take off the masks and join together in prayer and support for one another.
The Common Threads are a great tool to facilitate that conversation and prayer time—with God and with a Christian sister.

Written by Wendy Neill

It was especially hot that day. The rain had poured down hard on me all night, and then the sun was relentless, driving up the humidity in the air. I looked down the length of my body, and there they were, as always. Scars. And knots. I was so twisted and broken. My bark was rough and falling off, leaving the tender part of me exposed. Did I see any fruit? No. I was lucky if one pitiful piece of fruit would show up every other year, despite all my efforts. With all this rain and sun, why couldn’t I produce fruit? I am on a fruit tree, for crying out loud!!

My yard was a jungle and in need of desperate attention. Yes, there were valid reasons why it had reached this level of extreme neglect: travel, rain, and other commitments... but the time had come for the grass to be cut and for it to look like someone lived here and cared for the place.
However, it would have to wait at least one more day. Each raindrop seemed to fuel my feelings of guilt that I didn’t take advantage of the few hours of sunshine the evening before.

The Destination Retreat was so-named because one of its primary goals is to present the opportunity for women to get away for a weekend and share in a spiritual feast with other Christian sisters in the beautiful state of Colorado.

Another goal is for women across the country to know and understand that they are not the only ones facing the battles they face—not the only ones striving to leave their lives in the hands of the Divine Gardener.

Who?You! And other women from across the nation.

What?A weekend of prayer, worship, lessons, small groups, free time, crafts, and more… all focused on the theme of In the Hands of the Divine Gardener.

When?Friday, October 2 through Sunday morning service October 4 (optional additional day arriving Thursday, October 1 to enjoy other things in the area) Full schedule here.

Where? Ponderosa Retreat Center, just north of Colorado Springs, Colorado (between Monument and Larkspur)

Why? Because it is always a blessing to spend time with other Christian sisters in the Word, learning and sharing together.

How? Register through our website or call 303-482-1966. Pay your deposit or the full amount. Let us know how we can accommodate you, especially with any travel arrangements.

Enjoy a blessed weekend together!

There is still time to sign up and reserve your spot. Invite a friend and join together in this enriching garden that will nurture your soul, water your spirit, and feed your heart in such a way that you will bloom and grow even more, right where God has you planted.

Buying a house can be a gamble, especially if it’s an older house. Each day brings about a new discovery of things that need attention.
Now that my house has been put together and enjoyed by many for the past six months, I chuckle as I tell some of the stories during our process of transformation and remodel. Thankfully we can laugh at what was a stressful situation, at the time, but may I never forget the lessons learned...

I am going to go old gracefully, even if it means that I have more gray hairs than my mom, which I do. As my sister put it so eloquently, “You and mom both have salt and pepper hair. Mom’s is just low sodium.”

I am going to go old gracefully, even if it means that I have more gray hairs than my mom, which I do. As my sister put it so eloquently, “You and mom both have salt and pepper hair. Mom’s is just low sodium.”

Even with one of my best friends being a hairdresser, who I know would do a great job, I refuse to be a slave to the dye. She is always begging me to let her color my hair. And no matter how many times she makes the recommendation, it is not happening.

It’s not that I fear someone saying to me, “Your roots are showing,” because I’d take it as a compliment.

Yes, you read that right. “Your roots are showing” can be a compliment—spiritually speaking.

During the difficult times of life, does the wind get knocked out of you or are you grounded in your faith? Do the storms of life blow you over or are you rooted in the Word?

Take a moment today to check your roots. Spend some time in the Word and in prayer. The next time I see you, I’d love to be able to wink and say, “Your roots are showing.”

A peaceful state in God’s right hand comes when we trust His provision. God gave my family a concrete example of that when I was in high school...
Dad lost his job in corporate downsizing after having worked for the same company for fourteen years. We were all in shock and his job search lasted a year and a half.
In the meantime, mom recertified and took a job at as a special-ed teacher in an inner-city elementary school; we girls rotated cooking dinner and other household responsibilities; and we all got creative in our spending—or lack thereof.
God’s provision was astounding and humbling.

A peaceful state in God’s right hand comes when we trust His provision. God gave my family a concrete example of that when I was in high school…

Dad lost his job in corporate downsizing after having worked for the same company for fourteen years. We were all in shock and his job search lasted a year and a half.

In the meantime, mom recertified and took a job at as a special-ed teacher in an inner-city elementary school; we girls rotated cooking dinner and other household responsibilities; and we all got creative in our spending—or lack thereof.

God’s provision was astounding and humbling.

During the stressful, yet joyful year and a half, anonymous deposits showed up in our bank account, Christian brothers and sisters invited us for dinner—each and every one of our needs were always met.

Always on her feet as a teacher, my mom valued her comfortable shoes for standing and worked to make them last. One afternoon after school, she took her worn pair of shoes to the cobbler wanting to stretch their usefulness as long as possible.

“Well, ma’am. I can stitch them here, but they’ll come apart over there. I can glue this, but it’s not going to hold. There’s really nothing more I can do with these shoes. I think it’s time to get a new pair.”

Mom returned to the van where we girls were waiting, “Ladies, our forty years in the wilderness are about up. God promised the Israelites that their shoes would not wear out (Deut. 29:5). My shoes have finally worn out, so it must be time for your dad to get a job.”

One month later, he did.

As soon as my dad got a job, each of my sisters hit a growth spurt (aged 14, 12, and 6 at the time), I left for college, and mom got a new pair of shoes for teaching.

God’s provision is perfect—in His way, in His timing. We can rest, trusting and peaceful in His right hand.