Iron Rose Sister Ministries

Occasionally, someone does something that bothers me, gets on my nerves, irritates me, makes me impatient, gets under my skin... I think you get the picture. What do you do when someone annoys you?
It is easy to point a finger at the other person, highlight their faults, and focus on their words and behavior. What is harder, but more appropriate is to look in the mirror and take a moment for an attitude check.

Occasionally, someone does something that bothers me, gets on my nerves, irritates me, makes me impatient, gets under my skin… I think you get the picture. What do you do when someone annoys you?

It is easy to point a finger at the other person, highlight their faults, and focus on their words and behavior. What is harder, but more appropriate is to look in the mirror and take a moment for an attitude check.

The attitude check is not about excusing the other person’s behavior, but about examining myself and reacting in a way that glorifies God, seeks peace, and overcomes evil with good. Romans 12:17-21 speaks directly to this transformation of my reaction:

Do not repay anyone evil for evil. Be careful to do what is right in the eyes of everyone. If it is possible, as far as it depends on you, live at peace with everyone.  Do not take revenge, my dear friends, but leave room for God’s wrath, for it is written: “It is mine to avenge; I will repay,” says the Lord.  On the contrary:

“If your enemy is hungry, feed him;

    if he is thirsty, give him something to drink.

In doing this, you will heap burning coals on his head.”

Do not be overcome by evil, but overcome evil with good.

Written by Wendy Neill
When you were a kid, you may have been in a club. Maybe it was Girl Scouts. Maybe you had a tree house and created a club of your closest friends, posting “No boys allowed!” on the door. In high school, your club might have been the journalism team or FFA. You may have walked around with Greek letters on your shirt in college, or maybe you were in chorus or band.
As an adult, you may find yourself in a club to which you never intended to belong.

Our summer intern, Katie Lynn Finch, arrived safely yesterday. She loves the mountains and is ready to see all God has planned for her and IRSM this summer!

Love Transforms in Spring: Teenagers, Senior Citizens, and God
Teenagers are not the only ones to get lovesick. In the Disney movie Bambi, it’s called being twitterpated. Friend Owl warns Bambi and his friends of this condition as spring approaches. You know, it’s that feeling when the whole world stops and the only thing you can see is the face of the person you love.

Written by Johana Batres, Iron Rose Sister Ministries Volunteer in Colorado Springs, CO

“...Daniel, servant of the living God, has your God, whom you serve continually, been able to rescue you from the lions?" (Daniel 6:20)

I invite you to read Daniel 6:10-22:
“¹⁰ Now when Daniel learned that the decree had been published, he went home to his upstairs room where the windows opened toward Jerusalem. Three times a day he got down on his knees and prayed, giving thanks to his God, just as he had done before. ¹¹ Then these men went as a group and found Daniel praying and asking God for help. ¹² So they went to the king and spoke to him about his royal decree: ‘Did you not publish a decree that during the next thirty days anyone who prays to any god or human being except to you, Your Majesty, would be thrown into the lions’ den?’
The king answered, ‘The decree stands—in accordance with the law of the Medes and Persians, which cannot be repealed.’
¹³ Then they said to the king, ‘Daniel, who is one of the exiles from Judah, pays no attention to you, Your Majesty, or to the decree you put in writing. He still prays three times a day.’ ¹⁴ When the king heard this, he was greatly distressed; he was determined to rescue Daniel and made every effort until sundown to save him.
¹⁵ Then the men went as a group to King Darius and said to him, ‘Remember, Your Majesty, that according to the law of the Medes and Persians no decree or edict that the king issues can be changed.’
¹⁶ So the king gave the order, and they brought Daniel and threw him into the lions’ den. The king said to Daniel, ‘May your God, whom you serve continually, rescue you!’
¹⁷ A stone was brought and placed over the mouth of the den, and the king sealed it with his own signet ring and with the rings of his nobles, so that Daniel’s situation might not be changed. ¹⁸ Then the king returned to his palace and spent the night without eating and without any entertainment being brought to him. And he could not sleep.
¹⁹ At the first light of dawn, the king got up and hurried to the lions’ den. ²⁰ When he came near the den, he called to Daniel in an anguished voice, ‘Daniel, servant of the living God, has your God, whom you serve continually, been able to rescue you from the lions?’
²¹ Daniel answered, ‘May the king live forever! ²² My God sent his angel, and he shut the mouths of the lions. They have not hurt me, because I was found innocent in his sight. Nor have I ever done any wrong before you, Your Majesty.’”

This is one of my favorite stories.

Often times we believe that it’s just a story for kids, but it offers a great teaching for us as well. Especially in this part: discipline is required in order to grow in any area of our lives. Likewise, in our walk with God, cultivating the spiritual discipline of spending time regularly with Him is one of the ways to develop our confidence.

Daniel is a good example of discipline in his walk with God. As a young man, he began to make wise and careful decisions (Daniel 1:8). He also prayed regularly, "giving thanks to his God" (6:10). His frequent seeking of the Lord made those around him easily recognize his faith. Even King Darius described him as "servant of the living God,” whom Daniel served continually (v.16, 20).

Like Daniel, we also desperately need God. How good it is to know that the Lord works in us so that we may desire to spend time with Him (Phil. 2:13)!

For this reason, let us present ourselves before God every day and grow in the knowledge of our Savior (2 Peter 3:18). Spending time with God transforms us.

Let us ask God to help us to regularly spend time with Him, and in this way we will stay focused on Him and on His word to be transformed.

This Saturday, Harding University will host its commencement exercises. Better known as “graduation weekend,” family and friends will flood the campus to celebrate the achievements of the students who have spent four or more years of their lives working toward a degree in their selected field of study.
Since I am at Pepperdine this week, I will not be there to celebrate with them, but I want to recognize several who are graduating and leave you with a thought for reflection.
IRSM’s former summer intern, Katie Lynn Finch, and other students who have been a part of local IRSM studies will be among those walking across the stage. Congrats to Katie Lynn, Megan Albers, Leahndrea Landrum, Elizabeth O’Briant, and Rosa Perez. Congratulations also to Debora Rodrigo de Racancoj, a blog contributor and friend, who will be defending her dissertation in Spain next week, and graduating with her doctorate, before returning “home” to Searcy, where her husband is a student.

A rose bush does not have all of its roses budding at the same time. Part of the beauty of the bush is the bud barely blooming next to the full-bodied rose in full bloom.
Which rose are you in your community? In our Christian community, there are people of different ages, stages, and walks of life. And therein lies the beauty.
Another beautiful facet of a diverse community is that we can grow and learn from one another. Mentoring relationships are a dying art, but Jesus himself modeled how we can invest in the lives of twelve or three to make a greater impact in the community at large. Paul highlights the same teaching to Timothy in 2 Timothy 2:2, “And the things you have heard me say in the presence of many witnesses entrust to reliable people who will also be qualified to teach others.” Teach to teach to teach—makes it easy to remember that it’s 2 Timothy 2:2, two by two by two.
We are commanded to be teachers of those who will teach—to equip those who will equip others.
Our lives are more transformed by the life of an individual who has walked with us in a mentoring, teaching, and equipping relationship than someone who delivers a powerful lesson on Sunday morning.
Iron Rose Sister Ministries has as its primary goal to equip women to connect to God and one another more deeply. And our desire is to inspire and equip YOU to serve in that role. God is calling you to be His instrument for transformation in the life of another.
Who can you mentor today? What does it mean to mentor in community?

My maternal grandfather was a professor. My paternal grandma was a one-room school teacher. My mom is a teacher. Through direct and indirect ways, each of them taught me to teach. They modeled teaching and taught with their lives. They shared specific instructions about how to prepare a lesson, how to communicate a message, and how to connect with students.

My maternal grandfather was a professor. My paternal grandma was a one-room school teacher. My mom is a teacher. Through direct and indirect ways, each of them taught me to teach. They modeled teaching and taught with their lives. They shared specific instructions about how to prepare a lesson, how to communicate a message, and how to connect with students.

One of the most important aspects of teaching is teaching to teach. I have heard it said that you really know if you’ve learned something if you’re able to teach it to someone else. 2 Timothy 2:2 says, “And the things you have heard me say in the presence of many witnesses entrust to reliable people who will also be qualified to teach others.”

I love that the reference for that verse is SECOND Timothy TWO:TWO. 2, 2, 2. It doesn’t stop with one. We have to teach to teach to teach in order for the message to reach everyone.

You may be intimidated by the concept of teaching, but whether you are a mother, a sister, an aunt, a niece, a friend, or all of the above, you have the opportunity to teach. Have you been inspired and transformed by what it means to truly teach? Whose example have you been transformed by?

I really enjoy reading the blog emails from Iron Rose Sister Ministries (IRSM). They have inspired and taught me so much, and I am thankful for all of those involved in this precious ministry. I had an opportunity to meet Michelle Goff in person last month at the Women Walking With God conference in Wichita, Kansas, and we got to talking about IRSM and their emails. I got very excited when I learned that not only was she looking for contributors but also that the word for May was transformation. I believe my words to her were, “Have I got a story for you!” So, here it goes.

Transformation, many times, comes through an opportunity to do something new, something we have never before experienced. New opportunities come with a mingling of excitement and fear.

One example of transformation through new experiences came about through one of the bilingual women's retreats we have realized as a ministry. For many, it was definitely something new and unknown.

For one sister present, she was impressed and sent me the following quote (below), reflecting the transformation in her own life and observed in the lives of others. With this quote, I encourage you to allow God to use new experiences, unknown opportunities, to transform you.

"Your testimony of God working through your language barriers was especially meaningful. It's strange how we try to arrange God's hand in our lives, and he's still willing to use us right where we are! I saw considerable interaction between the Spanish speaking sisters and those of us not so gifted with a second tongue, but even more significant is since then, the connection is still there when we see each other."

In every relationship, we have the opportunity to be transformed—for better or worse. Obviously, our relationship with God transforms us, but the relationships we have with our sisters in Christ also transform us. And the best combination of these transformations? Prayer: communication with God in fellowship with others.
I invite you to this double transformation and support through the Common Threads, as we complete this month’s focus on Transformation.

What is it that can always make you smile?

What does that smile do to transform your day?

Some communities are hard to break into. Memories of the tightly knit cliques in middle school stir up all of our fears and insecurities when we feel left out of a community.
We are transformed when someone invites us into their group, welcomes us, and makes us feel at home—a part of something bigger.
For those that have not had the blessing of being part of a loving family or group, the joy of adoption or being included, can be transformative. By being adopted into someone's family, we are invited to share their name, take part in traditions, fellowship with extended family, and finally have a sense of belonging.
There is no adoption as special as the understanding of being chosen by God, adopted into his family, bought by the blood of Christ.

Some communities are hard to break into. Memories of the tightly knit cliques in middle school stir up all of our fears and insecurities when we feel left out of a community.

We are transformed when someone invites us into their group, welcomes us, and makes us feel at home—a part of something bigger.

For those that have not had the blessing of being part of a loving family or group, the joy of adoption or being included, can be transformative. By being adopted into someone´s family, we are invited to share their name, take part in traditions, fellowship with extended family, and finally have a sense of belonging.

There is no adoption as special as the understanding of being chosen by God, adopted into his family, bought by the blood of Christ.

The concept of adoption carries special meaning for our family since dad was taken in as a foster child by Grandpa and Grandma, at age 15. It was pivotal for him and transformative in his life. He would not be the Christian man he is today without their love, discipline, teaching, and influence.

What is the significance of the opportunity we have to be adopted into God's family? If you know someone who is not a part of your spiritual family, take the time to invite them to be adopted—to be blessed by the love, discipline, teaching, and influence that will bring about transformation and an abundant life in Christ.

May you have a blessed Father's Day weekend in honor of our fathers and our loving heavenly Father who adopts us as his special daughter.

Martha went from distracted to convinced (Luke 10:38-42; John 11:17-28a).
We observe Mary’s transformation from first love, to pilgrim love, to an invincible love (Luke 10:38:42; John 11:28-36; John 12:1-3).
The Samaritan woman went from wanting a drink of water to sharing the news of Living Water with her entire town (John 4).
These and other women’s encounters with Jesus will be discussed with the women in attendance at the Baxter Lectureships in Tegucigalpa, Honduras, this week.
Jesus took the time to see women for who they were, value them, challenge them, and use them as an example for others.
The generous widow who gave her last two coins (Mark 12:41-44; Luke 22:1-4); the widow whose son was raised when Jesus saw her pain (Mark 5:21-24; Luke 7:11-17); the Canaanite woman whose faith was stronger than many Jews (Matt. 15:21-28; Mark 7:24-30); the adulterous woman whom Jesus treated with grace and truth (John 8:1-11). And my favorite woman who encountered Jesus? The woman healed from an issue of blood (Mark 5:24-34; Luke 8:43-48). Her physical healing pales in comparison to the emotional healing provided by the Great Physician and Comforter.
What is your favorite story of a woman’s encounter with Jesus?
How has your life been transformed by encountering Him?