Iron Rose Sister Ministries

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

For twelve years I have been visiting doctors, healers, anyone who thought they could help. There isn’t a treatment I haven’t tried. I’ve changed my diet. I’ve tried herbal remedies, essential oils. Nothing has worked.

For twelve years I have been bleeding.

You know how you feel when you’re on the worst day of your period? Depleted, cramping, cranky, no energy, angry at Eve, no appetite, or eating everything in sight? I’ve felt that way for the past twelve years with no reprieve.

Women in menopause—you’ve got nothing on me. Not to minimize anyone else’s pain, but I am at a loss and the isolation and rejection are worst of all.

You see, I’m a Jew. And blood is an unclean thing. For the first few months, I didn’t go anywhere because I would make others unclean. When I finally gathered the courage and energy to get out of the house, it almost made things worse.

I was forced to yell “unclean,” wherever I went so that no one accidentally touched me and became unclean as well. Literally like hanging your dirty laundry out for all to see.

And a very lonely existence. No physical contact for twelve years—not a hug, a gentle touch, or warm embrace. I feel unloved, forgotten, and broken.

It may be uncomfortable to talk about, but the events of this past week have inspired me to shout from the mountain tops, and it’s nothing about the word, “unclean.”

A Teacher with great healing power was in town. And while it took everything in me to find hope for healing, I had heard so many wonderful things about this man of God that I cried out to God and ventured to take a risk one more time.

Crowds surrounded the Teacher and pressed up against Him so closely that I knew there was no way I could get close to Him. His disciples stayed nearby and would’ve risked their own uncleanliness before I approached the Rabbi.

But I had no choice. My final hope of healing was with that man. If only I could touch the hem of His garment… So, I covered my face and defied the Jewish rules. In a strange combination of terror of discovery and hope of healing, under cover of my cloak, I weaved my way through the crowd.

Finally, I had reached the Teacher and my fingers were able to graze the edge of his garment. Immediately, relief flooded me. Breath returned to my lungs. Life was restored to my body. I was healed!

However, my relief was short-lived and my breath became a frozen gasp as the Teacher spoke out. “Who touched my clothes?”

His disciples tried to convince Him that it was the crowd pressing around Him, but when He persisted, my greatest fear was realized. Rebuke, rejection, isolation, and a reversal of His healing were imminent. I was sure of it.

Yet this Teacher was like none other. As I trembled at His feet, completely unveiled, confessed my actions, and shared my story, His eyes were filled, not with condemnation, but rather with compassion… love, acceptance, and sympathy.

My own tears of fear transformed into tears of deep, heart-felt gratitude for the tremendous gift I had been given. Yes, I was grateful for the physical healing of my bleeding. Still more powerful than the physical healing though was the emotional healing. For the first time in twelve years, I was welcomed back into the family. I was brought back into the community. I was redeemed.

“Daughter, your faith has healed you. Go in peace and be freed from your suffering.”
Yes, the Teacher, Jesus Christ Messiah, had called me “Daughter.”

For the full story, read Matthew 9, Mark 5, and Luke 8.

P.S. I later learned that it was the shedding of His redeeming blood that made us all clean—He offered everyone the opportunity to be welcomed back into His family. I invite you to also let him call you “Daughter.”

#IronRoseSister #HIStories #healing #daughterofGod #emotionalhealth #womanwithissueofblood #MichelleJGoff #blog

Written by Michelle J. Goff

Reflecting on the year 2020, some wince with pain, others retreat even deeper into their feelings of loneliness and isolation. While a few rejoiced in new birth, many mourned the passing of a loved one.
This global pandemic has brought us to our knees,
Yet God has met us there.

The best made plans were a reminder that we are not in control. Virtual gatherings replaced face-to-face encounters and creativity was required in order to find ways to stay connected.
Smiles were covered by masks until a distanced, outdoor gathering became feasible.
The global pandemic has revealed our true need for relationship,
But God knew this all along and sent His Son that we might find peace in true relationship with Him.

Dividing lines of politics, race, and mask-wearing have been drawn. Churches have split and elders have resigned, weary of standing in the gap or feeling forced to pick a side. Satan has picked at festering wounds of those drowning in hopelessness.
The global pandemic has highlighted some of our preexisting conditions,
Yet God, who is our hope, has redeemed and united us.

Time in prayer was extended as the prayer list grew. The Word became our Rock as uncertainty clouded our thinking. A play on words for teaching about 20/20 vision in the year 2020 became a real-life test of how we can keep our eyes fixed on Jesus.
This global pandemic has challenged our view,
Yet God has remained faithful, never-changing, in control, the same yesterday, today, and forever.

It has not been all bad…
This global pandemic has provided new opportunities.
God has opened the door for virtual gatherings of Christians all over the world. Hunger for prayer and Bible study has grown, developing new friendships and connections, beyond what we could’ve originally designed.

What have you learned about God during this year?
What has the year 2020 revealed in you?
What do you want to leave in the past?
What do you take away from what you have learned moving forward?

Paul admonishes in Philippians 3:13-16, “But one thing I do: forgetting what lies behind and straining forward to what lies ahead, I press on toward the goal for the prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus. Let those of us who are mature think this way, and if in anything you think otherwise, God will reveal that also to you. Only let us hold true to what we have attained.”

How can we hold true to what we have attained from 2020 in the new year?

This past year has been a refining process for everyone. And just as precious metals go through a refining process in order to be made into something new, our refining process allows us to be redefined by the Creator.

As we grow into our redefined identity in Christ, the continual process of transformation and sanctification allow us to rejoice in His mercies that are new every morning (Lam. 3:23).

For the year 2021, Iron Rose Sister Ministries will be focusing on what it means to be Redefined. Personally, the refining process of 2020 has facilitated many facets of being redefined by God. And as a ministry, we have been refined and look forward to some redefined roles among our staff and clarified vision in equipping women to connect to God and one another more deeply. God is truly “just getting started,” even after seven and a half years as a ministry! Stay tuned… And thanks for prayerfully walking with us on this journey. We look forward to hearing more of your stories of being redefined, as well.

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

When Nicodemus, a teacher of the law, came to Jesus in the middle of the night, the concept of being born again was incomprehensible. Somewhat sarcastically, he asked how someone who was old could enter again into his mother’s womb. Jesus responded to a fleshly question with a spiritual answer.

Jesus answered, “Very truly I tell you, no one can enter the kingdom of God unless they are born of water and the Spirit. Flesh gives birth to flesh, but the Spirit gives birth to spirit.” (Jn 3:5-6)

Through His death, burial, and resurrection, we are invited into newness of life, reborn and redeemed. The old is gone. The new has come... by being born again.

Or don’t you know that all of us who were baptized into Christ Jesus were baptized into his death? We were therefore buried with him through baptism into death in order that, just as Christ was raised from the dead through the glory of the Father, we too may live a new life.
For if we have been united with him in a death like his, we will certainly also be united with him in a resurrection like his. (Ro 6:3-5)

I love the parallel between Christ’s death, burial, and resurrection and our own through baptism! In Him, we “may live a new life.” Paul continues his letter to the Romans by clarifying what we die to in order to walk in newness of life.

I cannot keep walking forward when the past is weighing me down. I cannot continue to live entrenched in sin and claim to have a new life in Jesus. If I pretend that I can do both, 1 John 1:10 says that I am deceiving myself and the truth is not in me.

United with Christ, we can truly die to our past way of life and leave behind any and all things that separate us from God. I long to live as a new creation in Christ. I hate when my sinful attitudes, words, and actions return. My sins may not be as obvious as others’, but they are no less sins.

Only you truly know what God has redeemed you from—a dramatic betrayal, a hidden addiction, habitual lying, a toxic past, jealousy, crude language… When we accept God’s offer for a new life through His Son, He provides a way for us to reject any sin that defines us. Rather, for those who have joined with Christ in baptism, we take on a new name, a new identity, a fully redeemed life. He welcomes us to begin anew.

If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness. (1Jn 1:9)

No matter what our physical or spiritual age, we mess up while living out that new life in Christ. We can rejoice greatly that God provided the perfect sacrifice of His Son’s blood to wash us clean anew, ushering us into a new day, whose mercies are new every morning (Lam 3:23).

Does that mean that we can dance back and forth between darkness and light, sin and righteousness, lies and truth? No (2Co 6:14-16)! At the beginning of Romans 6, Paul says, “By no means!” Once we have died to sin, once we have come to know the light, once we have walked in the truth, we cannot be tempted to relish in its falsely advertised, temporary, and empty “satisfaction.”

Now, before you beat yourself up about how many times today you have already acted like the “old self” instead of the one made new in Christ, I want to share these two promises:

Let us draw near to God with a sincere heart and with the full assurance that faith brings, having our hearts sprinkled to cleanse us from a guilty conscience and having our bodies washed with pure water. (Heb 10:22)

Peter replied, “Repent and be baptized, every one of you, in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins. And you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit.” (Ac 2:38)

Ladies, God knew that we could not do this new life on our own! God gave us the Holy Spirit, a part of Himself through which we truly can live as a new creation in Christ.

What will it look like for you today to live as a new creation in Christ? 

When I read Romans 12:9-21, I sigh and long for a world in which this text is lived out. These practical, specific instructions of how to live love involve a conscious commitment to put others before ourselves.

Today, I invite you into my own prayer, based on this text.

⁹ Let love be genuine. Abhor what is evil; hold fast to what is good.
Heavenly Father, may I be so filled with your love that my life is an outpouring of that love. Help me to hate what you hate and long for your goodness—not whatever I think might be good.

¹⁰ Love one another with brotherly affection. Outdo one another in showing honor.
My sisterly affection sometimes does not extend beyond those I am comfortable loving. Help me to celebrate and honor the beauty that You see in others.

¹¹ Do not be slothful in zeal, be fervent in spirit, serve the Lord.
The world is turned a bit upside down right now and the ways in which I have enjoyed fervently serving in the past have been stripped away. May the zealous, fervent fire of Your Spirit continue to burn in me, leading me to serve You and serve others in different, but awesome ways. No act of service is too small, and it is not a competition. Help me remember that.

¹² Rejoice in hope, be patient in tribulation, be constant in prayer.
Hope. What a word! Hope is transformative. Hope is uplifting. Hope keeps us going when the trials and tribulations seem never-ending. Help me to be a beacon of hope that points others to You, the ultimate source of hope. May I remember that you offer Light at the end of the tunnel. Thanks for the reminder that when I am constant in prayer, I continue to see hope.

¹³ Contribute to the needs of the saints and seek to show hospitality.
Hospitality, Lord? How do I show hospitality during a pandemic? Your Son embodied hospitality though He never had a home in which to invite others. He went where the people were and met their needs. Help me to see others’ needs with Your eyes and seek out ways to continue to show hospitality.

¹⁴ Bless those who persecute you; bless and do not curse them.
Believe it or not, not everyone likes me. Not everyone agrees with my opinion. But is that the extent of the persecution I am feeling right now, Lord? It’s humbling to realize that there are those that face true, brutal persecution, even within their own families. May you pour out such blessings on those individuals that they are led to repentance from their persecution.

¹⁵ Rejoice with those who rejoice, weep with those who weep.
And when there is repentance, may I rejoice instead of falling into the trap of the older brother of Your prodigal son (Luke 15). May I be willing to get uncomfortable and weep alongside those who are broken and weeping. And then, when you bring us back to a place of rejoicing, may the party be such that others long to join in the celebration!

¹⁶ Live in harmony with one another. Do not be haughty, but associate with the lowly. Never be wise in your own sight.
Harmony comes through unity in You. It does not depend on me, nor my way of doing things. My view of the problem, and even my view of the solution, may not be the best. God, You’ve got this. Help me to listen to Your wisdom and to hear the voice and perspective of others.

¹⁷ Repay no one evil for evil, but give thought to do what is honorable in the sight of all.
Are my actions and intentions honorable?

¹⁸ If possible, so far as it depends on you, live peaceably with all.
Am I doing what I can, when and how I can? Or am I only making a minimal effort?

¹⁹ Beloved, never avenge yourselves, but leave it to the wrath of God, for it is written, “Vengeance is mine, I will repay, says the Lord.”
Thank You for being our Avenger, Defender, Redeemer, Comforter... Please help me trust You and Your timing.

²⁰ To the contrary, “if your enemy is hungry, feed him; if he is thirsty, give him something to drink; for by so doing you will heap burning coals on his head.”
Who is my enemy, Lord? And how can I serve him?

²¹ Do not be overcome by evil, but overcome evil with good.
Father God, You are good. May I cling to You and Your goodness. In You and through You, evil has already been overcome through the sacrifice of Your Son. It is in His name that I lift up these prayers in humble thanksgiving for sharing with us these words through the apostle Paul.
In Jesus’ name, Amen.

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

After nine long months of waiting, it was finally here! Not a baby, but what felt like “my baby” at the time. Late April 2014, after having filed all the paperwork for Iron Rose Sister Ministries to be registered as a 501(c)(3) nonprofit in the U.S., our letter of approval arrived, retroactive to our date of incorporation, July 26, 2013.

While most people don’t jump up and down when they receive a letter from the IRS, I did that day! Bounding inside from the mailbox, I couldn’t stop jumping up and down, squealing, unable to contain my excitement! But no one else was home. There was no one with whom to share my joy.

The two very large dogs that belonged to my sister and brother-in-law sensed the celebration and began jumping too, easily reaching my height. Thanking them for their exuberance, I clarified that the excitement was not really theirs to share. Retreating to a dog-free location, I debated who to call first who would share in my unbridled joy.

I did not want to celebrate alone. No one wants to celebrate alone. Those who have been with us in the struggle celebrate the most together in the victory.

We see this beautifully illustrated through three parables in Luke 15: The Lost Sheep, the Lost Coin, and the Lost Son (aka Prodigal Son).

The shepherd, after losing one of his hundred sheep, leaves the flock together and goes after the one that has strayed.

“And when he finds it, he joyfully puts it on his shoulders and goes home. Then he calls his friends and neighbors together and says, ‘Rejoice with me; I have found my lost sheep’” (Luke 15:5-6 NIV).

The same happens with the woman who lost one of her ten coins. “And when she finds it, she calls her friends and neighbors together and says, ‘Rejoice with me; I have found my lost coin’” (Luke 15:9).

Not coincidentally, both of those parables conclude with the direct interpretation of the parable: There is great rejoicing in heaven over one sinner who repents.

There is no more beautiful thing to celebrate together than a baptism, nothing more precious than someone who returns to God and His family after having strayed far from Him. Hallelujah! Amen!

I have tasted the joy and cried grateful tears at the return of a beloved child to her Father. Yet I have also been in the trenches of prayer through the watches of the night for those who have abandoned what they knew to chase other distractions, pursuits, or little “g” gods.

If you are the person who has strayed, please know that our Heavenly Father’s open arms are awaiting your return and that we will be there with Him and the angels, rejoicing! We can’t wait to celebrate your redemption together!

If you are the person who has someone close to you who has wandered from the Way, I grieve with you. It is a tremendous loss and sadness that no one wants to experience. However, I offer you the hope of the resurrection. While you grieve, maybe a child who has abandoned the teaching you know you provided, I want you to know that you are not alone. And please know that we Iron Rose Sisters are here to pray with you now and to celebrate together upon your child’s return. God loves him/her even more than you do, and He can’t wait to be the one to start the celebration!

“’Let’s have a feast and celebrate. For this son of mine was dead and is alive again; he was lost and is found.’ So they began to celebrate” (Luke 15:23b-24).

Over the past few years, the book of Colossians has become my favorite of Paul’s epistles. Things I needed to hear, be reminded of, or had the opportunity to share with others, have come from that book of the New Testament.

For a semester, I facilitated a study of Colossians with some of the Spanish-language students on Wednesday afternoons in the on-campus Starbucks. The young ladies who participated in the study continued to grow in their abilities to facilitate our discussion and expressed growing joy in the discovery of biblical truths through the letter to the church in Colossae.

A memorable quote that came out of our study was, “El Todo, en todo, en todo.” Any time someone said, “Christ,” we would pause until someone responded, “El Todo, en todo, en todo.” It means that Christ is our “Everything, in all things, completely.”

By stirring our memory from past studies, the quote summarized the teachings in Colossians, especially its emphasis on the fullness in Christ, who is our “all.” Nothing can exist without Him. And our lives will never be complete apart from Him.

For by him all things were created, in heaven and on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or dominions or rulers or authorities—all things were created through him and for him. And he is before all things, and in him all things hold together. (Col. 1:16-17)

While reading through the four short chapters of Colossians, the various phrases of fullness and totality jump out. In addition to these expressions of completeness, I invite you to focus on the phrases that demonstrate our dependence on Christ. Phrases that include, “in Him, through Him, by Him, with Him,” and others help us rediscover all that God makes possible through His Son. He truly is the center of it all.

For in him the whole fullness of deity dwells bodily, and you have been filled in him, who is the head of all rule and authority. (Col. 2:9-10)

We are filled with His fullness. It is a promise on which we can stand when we are surrounded by the storms of this life…an apt description of the year 2020 for many.

In January, we introduced our theme for the year, “A Part of the Whole.” And as we close out this calendar year filled with many unexpected circumstances, we return to a reminder of true Fullness, the Whole, “El Todo, en todo, en todo.” He is over all and in all and through all (Eph. 4:6) and He invites us into His fullness when we keep our eyes and our faith fixed on Him.

May Christ be our Everything, in all things, completely, for all nations. “El Todo, en todo, en todo,” para toda nación.

How can you be an example of making Christ your Everything in all things, completely? How can you encourage an Iron Rose Sister in that same endeavor?

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

Jesus instructed His disciples and the crowd that gathered on the mountainside: “This, then, is how you should pray…” (Mt. 6:9a NIV). After warning them to not be like the hypocrites who pray to be seen by others, He provided guidance on the relational nature of prayer.

Our Father knows what we need, so we don’t need to babble or ramble to reach a minimum word count. Rather, the Lord’s Prayer expresses praise, request, confession, and submission to God’s will being done. In other passages, we see the vitality of thanksgiving as another essential element of prayer (Ps. 118:1; Php. 4:6).

Even as Jesus, in the Sermon on the Mount, transitions from teaching on prayer to His instructions on fasting, we see throughout the Scriptures that those two practices are presented in tandem (Mt. 6:5-18; Is. 58; Lk. 4:1-13).

John 17 is the only place in which we see the transcript of one of Jesus’ prayers. He prays for Himself, His disciples, and for all believers. Here, again, Jesus affirms the relational nature of prayer—the relationship He had with the Father, and the relationship the Son longs to foster between the Father and those who believe in Him.

Throughout the gospels, we glean from Jesus’ example the importance of prayer through His dedication to that practice. His level of commitment to this spiritual discipline is beyond question. Jesus withdraws from His disciples, takes time alone, and in Luke 6, even dedicates an entire night to communication with His Father.

One of those days Jesus went out to a mountainside to pray, and spent the night praying to God.
(Lk. 6:12)

While living in Venezuela, I remember several all-night prayer vigils (vigilias) during which we would sing, read scripture, pray alone, pray in groups, listen to others pray aloud, praise, and enjoy fellowship with our Father and our Christian brothers and sisters.

Sadly, I have fallen out of that practice. I rejoice most in remembering what it meant to share that commitment to prayer together. Jesus Himself asked His inner circle of three (Peter, James, and John) to join Him in prayer the night before He was betrayed.

Since our beginning, Iron Rose Sister Ministries has dedicated February as our Prayer Month. We pray individually and in community. We pray aloud and silently. We pray through Scripture and inspired by the Holy Spirit. Through prayer, we deepen our relationships with God and with one another.

Committed to Christ 24/7 in 2024 means that we are committed to praying as He prayed, especially this month. We have Prayer Calendars available with Bible verses and prompts for each day in English, Spanish, and Portuguese.

This Saturday, February 3, we will have a trilingual virtual prayer event. Please sign up on our website to receive the Zoom link and coordinate the start time with your time zone (10 a.m. Central).

Finally, on February 24, we will have our 24-hour Prayer-a-thon with people around the world praying with us. We love to see where others are praying from, so please sign up for a 30-minute time slot to pray and list your local city.

…as you help us by your prayers. Then many will give thanks on our behalf for the gracious favor granted us in answer to the prayers of many. (2 Co. 1:11)

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

There is nothing more frustrating than trying to slice a tomato with a dull blade. Therefore, we sharpen it. When iron sharpens iron, sparks fly. It is a natural byproduct of the necessary sharpening process.

While living in Venezuela, there was a certain whistle-like tune the sharpener used as he walked the streets, advertising his services. Spiritually speaking, there is no special whistle to recognize those who are gifted in this area, but thankfully, God does not expect us to know how to sharpen ourselves on our own. He has provided others to help us.

Sharpening, like growing, is an ongoing process. It is not a one-and-done. It is like sanctification or transformation that God continually facilitates through His Son until we meet Him in heaven.

In God’s roles as Teacher and Lord, He walks with us and guides us, comforting and correcting, training us in righteousness. He provides us with the example of His Son in whose steps we can follow (1 Pet. 2:21) and the support of His church that serves alongside us.

As we continue to walk in the light as He is the Light (1 John 1:5), we recognize areas in which we need to be transformed more and more into the image of Christ (2 Cor. 3:18). Those areas may be obvious to us or may be more elusive to identify. They often appear as a dulled spiritual blade as we enter a spiritual battle. You are not fighting this struggle alone. We can strengthen one another as iron sharpening iron.

Since Iron Rose Sister Ministries was established, the Common Threads have served as the three elements of the logo in personal and practical application. They can be found as a part of each chapter of the interactive Bible study books. They are designed to be shared and prayed over in a small group context—from three to eight women.

The images below are the updated version of the Common Threads from our new three-language logo.

The Common Threads are unique to each woman and her current place in life. Yet they are often intertwined. For example, when we want to grow or bloom in an area, we must first remove the thorn—whatever hinders and the sin that so easily entangles (Heb. 12:1). Of course, if the thorn is a sin, it must go! However, at times, we have thorns like the one that Paul begged the Lord to take from him. Yet God replied, “My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness” (2 Cor. 12:9 NIV).

Our area of emphasis for growth or the thorn of hindrance may be the same area in which we want to dig deeper (in Bible study or in understanding) or need someone to hold us accountable. You will notice that the image of iron sharpening iron is two nails in the form of a cross. A part of our humble service to one another is to lovingly sharpen one another and deepen together our relationships with God and each other, all while cheering one another on as we are transformed into the image of Christ.

Whether inspired by a Bible verse from this post, a recent sermon, or something else God has been revealing to you, invite at least one Christian sister, an Iron Rose Sister, to share in the Common Threads with you. You will both be richly blessed in your fulfillment of the Proverb 27:17.

“As iron sharpens iron, so one person sharpens another.”

Personally, I ask you to join me in prayer that I will bloom in my acceptance of God’s grace in my weakness. It is an easy trap for me to want to do it all on my own. That pride or personal strength can be a thorn that God has called me to set aside so that He is glorified in all He does. I have Iron Rose Sisters who sharpen me by reminding me of my physical limitations, while acknowledging my desire to serve in more ways than I am able. I am digging deeper into my understanding of God’s abundant provision and His delight in using all of us to accomplish His will and grow His Kingdom.

What are your Common Threads this week?

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

“I never realized that God gave me my love for decorating as a reflection of His attention to detail and decorating, like in the temple and the curtains.”

A sister in Houston shared this revelation after a lesson I presented exploring the significance of the extravagant and huge curtain that hung between the Holy Place and the Holy of Holies in the temple. A handbreadth thick when it was torn at Jesus’ death on the cross, for God, it was more like a simple rip of a piece of thin paper.

Our God is Mighty. Our God is Merciful. Our God is Spirit. And our God is Creator.
Created in His image (Gen. 1:27), when we dwell in His Spirit and live as He has designed us to live, we can be mighty, merciful, Spirit-filled, and creative!

The fruit of the Spirit does not list creativity as a facet of His fruit (Gal. 5:22-23), yet I want you to take a moment and reflect on a time in which your creativity flowed in a way that could only be described as “inspired.” Where did that inspiration come from?

Makoto Fujimura, in his book Art and Faith: A Theology of Making, proposes that one of the most divine ways for non-believers to be introduced to God is through the arts. As Maker, God made us to make. As Creator, He created us to create. It is in that moment of creative making that we can build an in-depth connection with our Creator through His Spirit. Are we open to that? Do we recognize that opportunity?

Artists or “creatives” are more than just painters or sculptures. Some artists are culinary. Others are good with their hands and have a good eye for things like a seamstress or women who can “up-cycle” recycled items to design beautiful constructs.

My medium is words—a monologue, a poem, a Bible study, a lesson, a conversation, a song, or an expression. However, the best words have been creatively crafted by inspiration of the Holy Spirit and are not my own.

Bezalel and Oholiab (Ex. 31) were gifted in all kinds of craftsmanship. Kathy makes jewelry, Juana makes soaps, and Jocelynn makes lasagnas. Wendy creates websites, Molly creates spreadsheets, and Teresa creates connections. Jennifer designs curriculum, Mandy writes songs, and Pam gifts crocheted items. My sister, Chrys, creates vegan versions of recipes and shares them with others.

Every single woman listed delights in her craft and shares the fruit of her handiwork with others. When our creative gifts and passions are used in Kingdom contexts, we are filled with even more joy.

How have you been gifted to create? How can your creations be used to give God glory?

#IronRoseSister #HIStories #Creator #creativity #createdtocreate #artandfaith #gifts #talents #MichelleJGoff #blog

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

“To this you were called, because Christ suffered for you, leaving you an example, that you should follow in his steps.” (1Pe 2:21 NIV)

I love to watch children leap across the sand, striving with their little legs to reach their father’s stride and land in his footprints. The poem “Footprints” illustrates how Christ walks with us, and even carries us, along the paths of our lives.

When I reflect on what following in Christ’s steps has meant in my own life, it has consisted of a mixture of small steps in the day-to-day decisions and seemingly foolish, giant leaps of faith.

The launch of Iron Rose Sister Ministries would easily be considered one of many giant leaps of faith. Once God had made clear the vision of the ministry (equipping women to connect to God and one another more deeply), I was left with only one response, “Here am I, send me” (Is 6:8). I quit my job, sold my house, and jumped.

One of my sisters and her husband provided room in the basement of their house from which to live and work. Our now Board President, Katie Forbess, contacted me as soon as I announced my decision to let me know that she was “all in!”—even if only as a “glorified cheerleader.” Between my own savings and a small loan from a precious sister in Christ, we got started.

For nine months, every single day, every step of the way, Katie and I talked, prayed, and wrestled over what it meant to follow Christ’s steps—personally and as a brand-new nonprofit. The fact that God provides Iron Rose Sisters to walk with us on our journey as iron sharpening iron is a tremendous blessing. The fact that Christ walks with us as we strive to follow in His steps is one of the most beautiful promises of the Christian life. At that time, Katie and I were both grieving different traumatic events in our lives, but our steps to follow in Christ’s steps and our walk with one another along that journey provided a path forward.

What God has grown from an idea planted in my mind and heart to the international Iron Rose Sister Ministries you know today gives evidence of how God honors our commitment to follow in His steps.

The steps, the decisions, and the ongoing commitment have not always been easy. In the same way that God the Father was faithful to walk with His Son, guiding Him to always choose the Father’s will, God has faithfully walked with me as I have imperfectly followed. He offers the same to you.

What I have learned from following Christ’s steps is that it is a daily decision that requires faith—even faith as small as a mustard seed. God’s blessings and the equipping happening through Iron Rose Sister Ministries is a large-scale example of following in His steps. Most of the times that we commit to follow in Christ’s steps are small-scale decisions for which we may never know the impact.

Today, I chose to pause and pray—to lift something up to the Father, asking that His will be done and not my own. For this blog post, I chose to pause and pray. I asked God to use His Spirit to communicate instead of my own words.

Thankfully, God does not keep a tally of how many times we have misstepped or deviated from the Way. Rather, He provides us the opportunity to get back on track. He promises, “If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness” (1Jn 1:9).

Yes, today, I paused and prayed. But also today, I got impatient and irritated. I doubted God’s provision because I didn’t know when or how it would come. And so, to return to following in Christ’s steps, I confess, “Lord, I need You, oh I need You. Every hour I need You.” And I rejoice in the confidence I can have in His forgiveness.

Now, to see how we can commit to following His steps tomorrow…

In order to fulfill the vision of 2x2x2, the first “2” must do his or her part in order to pass on what has been learned. I am eternally grateful for the “2’s” in my past who have equipped me in my walk with God and service to others. Grateful for the way they have inspired me to equip and serve others, I am encouraged when I see the 2x2x2 pattern continued to the next 2’s down the line.

We each have a part to play. And some will never know the impact they made on my life and the ripple effect that has on others. Their pattern of equipping has been carried on, starting with the early church and the ways in which the apostles followed Jesus’ teaching in Matt. 28:18-20, and taught others everything He had commanded them, baptizing them in the name of the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit.

Who has been a “2” in your past? Who has helped equip you to be the Christian you are today?

I want to ask you to do three things in their honor:
1. Thank them, maybe even through a comment on the blog or by tagging them in this post.
2. Make a donation in their honor for #Giving2x2TuesdayIRSM.
3. Continue the 2x2x2 equipping pattern with someone in your life. Need help or ideas? That is what we are here for!

Equipping women to connect to God and one another more deeply… across the Americas… in English, Spanish, and bilingual contexts… equipping to equip… 2x2x2.

Thanks to the 2’s in our lives! And thanks for accepting the challenge to be a “2” for the future, through your relationships and through IRSM.

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

But whatever gain I had, I counted as loss for the sake of Christ. Indeed, I count everything as loss because of the surpassing worth of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord. For his sake I have suffered the loss of all things and count them as rubbish, in order that I may gain Christ and be found in him, not having a righteousness of my own that comes from the law, but that which comes through faith in Christ, the righteousness from God that depends on faith—that I may know him and the power of his resurrection, and may share his sufferings, becoming like him in his death, that by any means possible I may attain the resurrection from the dead. (Php. 3:7-11 ESV)

Paul, the writer of most of the epistles, makes one of his primary defenses of his faith in the third chapter of his letter to the Philippians. In the preceding verses, he enumerates the accolades of his spiritual resumé. We know from Acts 9 that he was a stellar persecutor of the church. He was a Pharisee and a highly trained teacher of the law (even by Gamaliel). Yet none of that mattered.

What mattered most to Paul was not his commitment to the attributes of his character, training, or experience. Rather, he counted them as nothing, as rubbish… trash on the sole of his sandal… in comparison to the surpassing worth of knowing Christ Jesus his Lord.

Parents have been known to sacrifice everything for their children. Strangers have donated organs or blood for the health of another individual. First responders have braved dangerous conditions to save one life. Why?

Commitment.

A parent sacrifices out of a loving commitment to their son or daughter. Donors demonstrate a commitment to loving and helping others. First responders commit to a perilous job, often following the example of another whose actions saved someone from peril.

Total commitment. No turning back. No second guesses. Not letting fear win.

Throughout the gospels and the book of Acts, we see Christ followers demonstrate their total commitment: financially (Ac. 4:34-37), occupationally (Mt. 4:20), and relationally (Lk. 14:25; Mt. 25:35-40). Disciples are called to be committed followers, always and in all ways.

What does that level of commitment look like throughout the Scriptures? How do we see this kind of commitment to Christ in our lives today?

This year, we will explore biblical examples and stories from our lives that demonstrate being “Committed to Christ, 24/7 in 2024.” Since February is our Prayer Month, we will focus on being “Committed in Prayer.” Other months will include topics like, “Committed to Trust and Obey,” “A Committed Heart,” and “Committed to One Another in Christ.”

Tuesdays will reflect a biblically foundational point or story. Thursdays will parallel that week’s scriptural emphasis, as highlighted through a modern-day story.

And since we are not only committed to Christ but also to His teachings, there will be specific Bible verses included with each post. This month, we will explore Philippians 3:7-11, our theme verses, in greater depth.

We would love to hear from you as we develop this theme! What does it mean to you to be Committed to Christ, 24/7 in 2024? Share a video, tag us in a post, or email us with your responses! Let’s celebrate our common commitment to our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ!

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

The Greeks used at least six different words for what English summarizes in one word: love.

Eros described physical love or sexual desire.
Philia defined brotherly love.
Storge characterized familial love.
Mania was obsessive love.
Pragma, a love based on duty or obligation, referred to a practical love.
Finally, agape, described unconditional, sacrificial love.

Agape is the word used most often throughout the New Testament. Unconditional, sacrificial love characterizes the love that God has for us and the love that He calls us to have for others.

Often known as the apostle that Jesus loved, John speaks the most about love than any of the other writers. He quotes Jesus speaking about it and he illustrates it through his own writings, inspired of course, by the Holy Spirit.

While teaching Nicodemus, Jesus explained, “For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life.”(John 3:16, NIV)

1. God does not love based on duty or obligation (pragma). Unconditional (agape) love is a choice.

⁹ “As the Father has loved me, so have I loved you. Now remain in my love. ¹² My command is this: Love each other as I have loved you. ¹³ Greater love has no one than this: to lay down one’s life for one’s friends.(John 15:9, 12-13)

2. Jesus speaks about love as sacrificial (agape), not merely a brotherly love (philia).

⁷ Dear friends, let us love one another, for love comes from God. Everyone who loves has been born of God and knows God. ⁸ Whoever does not love does not know God, because God is love.⁹ This is how God showed his love among us: He sent his one and only Son into the world that we might live through him. ¹⁰ This is love: not that we loved God, but that he loved us and sent his Son as an atoning sacrifice for our sins. ¹¹ Dear friends, since God so loved us, we also ought to love one another. ¹² No one has ever seen God; but if we love one another, God lives in us and his love is made complete in us.(1 John 4:7-12)

3. The familial love (storge), that the Father and the Son have, is the foundation on which their agape love for others is laid. They do not just speak of agape love theoretically, but rather show that love that we might live through them (1 John 4:9, above).

One of the beautiful things about God’s agape love for us is that if we truly dwell in His love, God’s perfect love drives out fear (1 John 4:18).

I cannot love perfectly on my own. We live out love for God and for others when we are first filled to overflowing by His love.

Max Lucado wrote a book entitled, A Love Worth Living. The premise of this book is based on the idea that the 1 Corinthians 13 definition of love is our goal. If those characteristics of love are what we are all expected to maintain, we will fail. Lucado affirms that if we were to fill in our own names in the place of the word love, we would feel extremely inadequate and insufficient.

Using only verse 4 of 1 Corinthians 13, “Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud.” Michelle is patient… with children. Michelle is kind, usually. Michelle does not envy… most things. She tries not to boast. Uh, and that pride issue… well…

Conversely, as Lucado proposes, we can change our obvious imperfection to an expectation that God in us can be all of what love is because we are an outpouring of His love!

God in Michelle is patient. God, through Michelle, is kind. Because of God, Michelle does not envy. She boasts in the Lord (as Paul does). And through Christ’s example of humility, Michelle is not proud.

God sees us through the eyes of agape love. He is always kind and keeps no record of wrongs. Agape love never fails.

May we remain in His love to such a degree that we serve as broken vessels for the outpouring of His agape love.

What do you most love about God’s love?

How can you love like Christ loves today?

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 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

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

One young girl dreamed of how her wedding day would be and described the perfect groom to her friend. The other girl, surrounded by baby dolls, simply shook her head, and declared that she didn’t care what he looked like, “As long as I can have one hundred babies.”

Neither of these girls’ expectations were very realistic, but they were deeply believed. Have you ever believed something so clearly, so definitively that you were shocked or saddened by a reality that did not align with your expectations?

We do this in relationships. I clearly and definitively remembered sending that text and expected my friend to respond quickly. After a day had passed with no answer and I prepared to write her my own heated response, I realized that I had never hit send on the original message.

We do this on a larger scale. My friend expected that the friendship she and her sister shared as children would continue into adulthood, living on the same block, sharing lives, leftovers, and everything! But your imagination can fill in the blank about why that relationship expectation did not become reality…

Relationship expectations can be short-term, long-term, on a small scale, on a larger scale, on a superficial level, or on a deeper level.

What expectations have you had in your relationship with friends? …with family? …with coworkers or classmates? …with Christian sisters? …with the church?

What happens when others don’t meet those expectations? Or, to flip it around, what happens when we don’t meet their expectations?

Some expectations are good, healthy, and right. We grow from them. Teachers talk about challenging students to rise to meet expectations—not just academic ones, but in the formation of their students’ character.

Other expectations are bad, unhealthy, and wrong. We are crushed by them. Social media has been utilized to establish unrealistic and damaging expectations for us, fueled by comparison and deception. Ugh!

Before we crumble under the weight of others’ expectations, allow me to offer a reminder of beautiful, scriptural expectations that did come true… but maybe not as originally anticipated…

For the Jews who expected the King of a new Kingdom, we can listen through their ears of anticipation, under oppressive Roman rule. “Of the greatness of his government and peace there will be no end. He will reign on David’s throne and over his kingdom, establishing and upholding it with justice and righteousness from that time on and forever” (Is. 9:7 NIV).

Even though prophecy proclaimed what to expect, the Jews became confused in their interpretation of the expectations. They wanted an earthly king. And before we become harsh in our judgment of them, think of how your expectations might change after a 400-year wait.

Joyfully, we recognize, on this side of the resurrection, what Christ told Pilate, nearing His crucifixion. “Jesus said, ‘My kingdom is not of this world. If it were, my servants would fight to prevent my arrest by the Jewish leaders. But now my kingdom is from another place’” (John 18:36).

Amen! I am grateful for His Kingdom which exceeds our expectations and is more relational than contractual!

It is easy for me, like the Jews in hungry anticipation of a savior, to project my own expectations on God—what I need saving from or how I need a savior that day. The longer I wait, the more demanding I may become. For good or for ill, anticipation intensifies expectations.

In our relationship with God and our relationships with one another, we expect what we want to happen rather than wait for what we believe truly will happen. We create our own version of a future reality that is never realized. And then, we are deeply disappointed.

As our Creator, Heavenly Father, Redeemer, and Friend, God can handle our expectations and our disappointments. As our Comforter, He gently guides us to turn over all our expectations to Him—the One who can transform them to align with the desires of His heart (Ps. 37:4).

Therefore, I invite us to trust in the One who has always had our best interest at heart, and who will always meet our expectations. He is the same yesterday, today, and forever (Heb. 13:8). Warning: God may have to adjust our expectations along the journey.

God will never forsake us. His Word is true, and His promises never fail.

God loves us to incomprehensible extremes (John 3:16-18).
Jesus is preparing a place for us (John 14:2-3).
He longs to dwell with us now, eternally, through His Spirit (Acts 2:38).

What relationship expectations are entrapping you currently—with God or with others?
How can you find freedom in the truth in one of God’s promises and consistently fulfilled expectations?

Written by Michelle J. Goff, with her mom, Jocelynn Goff

The oldest daughter of a college professor and elementary teacher, my mom grew up learning through at least two different styles of teaching. Not all teaching was formally imparted, of course. My mom never took a speech class from Dr. Brown at Miami-Dade Community College. She never sat in her mom’s classroom during regular school hours, but she did spend time there after school while her mom prepared for the next day’s instruction.

It is no surprise that my mom became a teacher herself. She is a natural teacher and gifted storyteller. Her students would sit up straighter when she offered a “lagniappe story.” Lagniappe is French for “a little something extra,” which meant that this story would not be on the test!

In contrast, when my granddad would pepper us granddaughters with Bible trivia questions during our Christmas visits, he emphasized those of greater importance by saying, “This one will be on the final exam.” What I most learned from those “tests” was his love for Bible study and his diligent commitment to finding little-known jewels in Scripture.

Years later, our conversations have been more give-and-take. I have shared biblical nuggets of truth that I’ve discovered with a similar passion to share it with others. Similarly, my mom and I have transitioned from being exclusively mother and daughter to being Christian sisters and partners in the gospel. The teaching and learning matured and became more mutual.

As you know, our teaching and learning does not come exclusively through teachers, nor through our families. Prayerfully, we seek to be surrounded by others who will invest in us, as well as those with whom we can build relationship. Pivotal teachers can transform our relationship with a certain subject matter… inspiring us to persevere or give up. Close friends teach us what it means to laugh, as we also learn what it means to forgive. Neighbors teach us kindness as we learn how to be a good neighbor ourselves.

There are also those who teach through their words and actions, unaware of how many are watching, learning from their example. This is especially true of our Christian walks. We must be careful to practice what we preach, and we cannot teach what we have not yet effectively learned.

When I asked my mom about a relationship through which she has taught or learned, A.R. Kepple was the first person that came to mind. His simple teaching was a seed planted and watered, week after week. They met at the Downtown Church of Christ in Kansas City, Missouri, the new congregation her parents helped establish in the early 1960’s.

After teaching the children for 20-30 minutes on Sunday evenings, Brother Kepple would invite 7-year-old Jocelynn to join him on the front row during the songs and sermon. After reminding her to mind her manners, her parents granted permission to sit with this retired preacher in his late 70’s.

Once settled with her feet not quite touching the floor, while waiting for the singing to start, Brother Kepple would open his Bible to Matthew 5 and read, “You are the salt of the earth. You are the light of the world,” pointing to each sentence as he read them.

“He told me that every time I sat with him, and it made an impression on me and planted a seed in my mind and heart and spirit,” Mom recalled. He lived out the teaching he repeated.

Who is someone through whom you have learned what it means to be a Christian? What has it looked like for you to teach others what it means to follow Christ?

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

In Matthew 28, we hear the final words of Jesus before His ascension. Verse 18 reminds us that all authority in heaven and on earth has been given to Him.

¹⁹ Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, ²⁰ and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age. (Matt. 28:19-20)

“Go” and “make disciples” are the two commands of ultimate importance as Jesus’ final instructions. The two ways in which we fulfill the command to make disciples are baptizing them and teaching them. Then finally, we hear the promise that Jesus will continue to be with us. Amen!

These facets of the Great Commission are integrally connected to the Greatest Command: to love God and love others. Can we truly make disciples outside of relationship with God or others? The teaching would be limited to lists of instructions or rote information without relationship. “Teaching them to obey” is different than “telling them what to obey.”

I cannot properly teach someone how to make an arepa without first introducing them to this Venezuelan staple. I could tell them what to make, even provide detailed directions, but both of our levels of frustration will be high if I cannot demonstrate how to make it. Subsequently, if my pupil felt defeated and her arepas didn’t turn out well, she will be less likely to make them again on her own.

Conversely, if I explain how to make arepas, step by step, standing by her side and illustrating with my own dirty hands how to prepare the masa and form the arepas, when to flip them, and when they were ready to eat, my student will feel better equipped to continue in the process. Then, we sit down and continue our time together by eating and deepening our friendship, a memory is made, and a connection is built.

The next time my student friend wants to make arepas, she has been set up for success and, if she has a problem, she knows exactly who she can call! We even celebrate together when she sends me a picture of her family eating her imperfectly formed arepas. She is practicing and developing her skills. And she is not alone. Her growing confidence in how to follow the instructions has been encouraged by her teacher. They delight in sharing a good meal and both are inspired to do it again.

The teaching and the learning happened in relationship.

Iron Rose Sister Ministries’ vision is to equip women to connect to God and one another more deeply. The founding principles of that vision and our 2023 theme draw from the Greatest Command (Mark 12:30-31) and the Great Commission (Matt. 28:18-20), inspired by the imagery of Jesus as the True Vine and us as the branches called to bear fruit (John 15). We cannot fulfill any of those commands without relationship! Through the blog posts, virtual events, and other resources, we will emphasize the relational aspects of these three biblical texts: “Teaching and Learning through Relationships.”

First and foremost, our relationship with God is foundational.

⁴ Remain in me, as I also remain in you. No branch can bear fruit by itself; it must remain in the vine. Neither can you bear fruit unless you remain in me. ⁵ “I am the vine; you are the branches. If you remain in me and I in you, you will bear much fruit; apart from me you can do nothing. (John 15:4-5)

Secondly, the “much fruit” of our relationship with God will be more disciples, which brings us back to the Matthew 28 text. I love how God ties it all together and brings it full circle!

Thirdly, the ongoing relationships with God and with one another are reiterated throughout the remainder of the New Testament.Luke’s narration of the early church, Paul’s letters, Peter’s reminders, as well as John’s and James’ instructions all provide affirmation of the important of relationship.

If you are not familiar with these scriptures or have not known the blessing of these relationships, we invite you to connect with these promises and commands. Ladies, we especially want to illustrate these foundational truths in the ways God has called us to teach and learn through relationships.

This year, we will follow the same pattern established in 2022 for our blog posts. Tuesdays will describe teaching and learning through relationship(s) in the Bible. Thursdays will illustrate a similar relationship dynamic from one of our stories. Bible stories and God stories… there is so much to teach and to learn!

Thank you for joining us! We will continue to introduce the topic through Jesus’ own example in January. Then, February, our well-established prayer month, will continue the Bible stories and God stories, especially in our relationships and communication with God.