Iron Rose Sister Ministries

This past weekend, I was honored to serve as one of the keynote speakers for the Wonder Woman Conference. The Parkway Church of Christ in Sacramento, California, hosted nearly 300 women during the course of the three-day event.

The Facebook after-party has carried into today as testimony to the overflow of joyous blessings each woman received.

Sixteen speakers spoke on various topics in the breakout classes. The highlight breakout class was a question and answer time with a panel of seventy-plus year-old women sharing their wisdom with younger generations.

A special thanks to the Parkway Church of Christ for their servant hearts and exuberant joy in providing this opportunity for so many women!

I have included a link below for some of the audio from the weekend.

http://www.theparkwaychurchofchrist.org/special-events/wonder-woman---audio-recap.html

May the joy in which these ladies share this past weekend extend to you as well.

This past weekend was a delight—in more ways that one!

• Delight! was the topic for the Ladies’ Mini-Retreat at the Enterprise Boulevard Church of Christ in Lake Charles, Louisiana.
• My aunt Vickie Jordan who lives in Missouri surprised me and attended the retreat.
• A couple of ladies from Houston, one of which I met at Pepperdine, drove over for the event.
• The Friday night group delighted in some laughter therapy.
• I delighted in sharing how much God delights himself in us, and what it looks like to delight ourselves in the Lord.
• Five women in a small group together delighted in God’s providence to put them together in a group since they all have the exact same struggle in common. They no longer feel alone in that struggle.
• Dozens of women were overwhelmed with love and joy in the realization of how much God delights himself in each of them personally.

What are you delighting in this Monday?

Yesterday, we celebrated the resurrection of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. The mourning of the disciples was turned to gladness and their sorrow was turned to joy.

However, when the women approached the tomb and learned from the angel that Jesus had risen, we see that they were “afraid, yet filled with joy.”

What do you think made them feel afraid? Was their joy made complete because of their fear?

The angel said to the women, “Do not be afraid, for I know that you are looking for Jesus, who was crucified. He is not here; he has risen, just as he said. Come and see the place where he lay. Then go quickly and tell his disciples: ‘He has risen from the dead and is going ahead of you into Galilee. There you will see him.’ Now I have told you.”

So the women hurried away from the tomb, afraid yet filled with joy, and ran to tell his disciples. Suddenly Jesus met them. “Greetings,” he said. They came to him, clasped his feet and worshiped him. ~ Matthew 28:5-9

What do you fear? How does the resurrection bring joy to your fears?

Mixed emotions. We are full of them. We cry tears of sorrow and joy, in the same moment. The things that make us most excited also make us the most nervous—just ask a new parent. Yesterday, I felt relieved and sad at the same time. Our mixed emotions may seem illogical, but they are very real manifestations of all that is going on in our minds and hearts.

Having trouble finding joy? Take a moment to count your blessings. Here are my top ten today—blessings which can never be taken away and an eternal source of joy.
1. God is bigger than any circumstance (Rom. 8:28, 1 Jn. 4:4).
2. God keeps his promises (2 Cor. 1:20).
3. You are loved (Jn. 3:16).
4. God’s love is greater than your fear (1 Jn. 4:18).
5. Prayer works (James 5:13-16).
6. Jesus wins (1 Cor. 15:55).
7. Hope does not disappoint (Rom. 5:5).
8. You receive grace on top of grace (Jn. 1:16, 2 Cor. 12:9).
9. You are not alone (Jn. 14:16, 26).
10. God is worthy of our praise (Ps. 100).
“The joy of the Lord is your strength” (Neh. 8:10).

What does it mean to delight in something? Delight usually has a sensory element—something we enjoy with one of our five senses. We delight in a delicious plate of food, a beautiful panorama in creation, a sweet-smelling flower, a well-played piece of music, or a loving touch.
But what does it mean to delight yourself in the Lord? Psalm 37:4 says, "Delight yourself in the Lord and he will give you the desires of your heart."
Can you delight yourself in something you don't take the time to appreciate?

Tears welled to overflowing as my friend gently laid her newborn son into a blanket for swaddling. I had no words, but my meager attempt at capturing the moment came out as a choked, “I am so happy for y’all.” We hugged and both teared up again.
Baby J is here!
For years, we have prayed, waited, wrestled, cried, questioned, and trusted. And now, Baby J is here! He is home. And he is loved more than his newborn self can begin to comprehend. That’s okay, he has a lifetime to soak it up and figure it out.
Adoption. Have you delighted in the depth of love that your adoption entails?
“...but you have received the Spirit of adoption as sons, by whom we cry, “Abba! Father!” (Rom. 8:15)
3 Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us in Christ with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly places, 4 even as he chose us in him before the foundation of the world, that we should be holy and blameless before him. In love 5 he predestined us for adoption to himself as sons through Jesus Christ, according to the purpose of his will, 6 to the praise of his glorious grace, with which he has blessed us in the Beloved. (Eph. 1:3-6)

The 2016 Annual Report is complete! Each year, while working on that daunting project, I am humbled to see all God has done through IRSM during the past year. I encourage you to read the report and delight with us in every detail of what God has done and is doing, but here is a brief bulleted list of the things I personally delighted in and remembered while stepping through the process this year:
• God always provides.
• Prayer is powerful.
• The faces of the women as they connect with God and one another tell the story better than any report.
• Only God could accomplish all we have in the time it took.
• Did I really go all of those places last year?

Today is my dad’s 64th birthday. And back in October, we weren’t sure if he was going to make it to this day. Meningitis, sepsis, pneumonia, encephalitis and a small stroke. Yes. All of those things (any one of which is serious enough!) wracked his body for three days in which he was unconscious.
To see my dad today, you would never know what happened in his body less than six months ago. His healing has been miraculous. His recovery has been slow and steady (after a forced medical sabbatical which has transitioned to early retirement).
Here’s a list of the many things we are thankful for, all of which allow us to delight in family and the blessing of the Great Physician who gives life and gives it back again.
• Mom was at home when the illness turned into “the worst headache he has ever had.”
• The hospital is only 1 mile from their house.
• The ER attendants got him in a bed and attended to immediately.
• Unity Health (aka White County Hospital) 3rd floor West nurses and doctors stayed on top of dad’s care.
• Mom’s and my health/stamina were sustained long enough to diligently keep dad from tangling himself in the IV tubes, allowing him to receive the much-needed, high-dose antibiotics.
• My sister Kim came in and rotated shifts with us so we could get a shower and a nap.
• My sister Chrys and Harrison drove down from Denver to cook, hug, and advise (with Harrison’s EMT training and personal experience).
• My sister Jenn prayed, called, and worked on her own recover from sinus surgery just a few days before, wishing she could be there physically.
• Dr. David Hatfield, a former classmate of dad’s and excellent ENT, counseled, advised, and treated dad, helping us wrap our heads around the fact that much of this may have started from an aggressive ear infection.
• Other friends and church family cooked meals, washed sheets, walked the dog, prayed, listened, and supported in all manner of ways.
The journey is not over. And we continue to pray for complete healing in dad’s brain. But we delight in the opportunity to celebrate another birthday with him!
Thanks be to God and to the tireless support of many. And thank you for delighting with us!
Happy birthday, dad.

Wednesday afternoons, a group of girls gathers at the Starbucks on Harding University’s campus to listen. We are practicing listening to God and listening to one another.
Each week, a different girl leads the discussion, usually through some guided questions and Bible verses I have provided her ahead of time.
At the end of our time together, we ask each other two questions:
1) What have you heard from God this past week?
2) How can we encourage you to keep listening this week?

Prayer is a powerful tool to bring us closer to God and to one another.

Each year, during our 24 days of prayer leading up to 24 hours of prayer, I delight to reconnect with those individuals and churches all over the world who are praying for us as a ministry. Thank you for being a part of those prayers!

As I mentioned last month, your prayers are the glue that holds IRSM’s spiritual armor together.

We delight in personal prayer.

We delight in shared prayers.

We delight in the Lord through prayer.

Do you see prayer as a delight or a burden?

Our heights range from 5’2” to 5’10”. Our hair colors are still distinct, but some of us are now blessed with more God highlights than before (how I refer to gray hair). We live in four different states and our relationships are each unique. They are my sisters.

This month, because of the location of various events, I will be able to spend at least two days with each of my sisters. And I couldn’t be more thrilled! I delight in the time I spend with my sisters.

We may not always agree on things. We come at life with different perspectives and insights. We have a plethora of shared experiences growing up, but the older we get, the fewer experiences we get to share together.

And so, when the opportunity presents itself to spend time together, I delight!

I delight in our friendship that has matured with time.

I delight in the shared experiences, the funny stories, the crazy memories, and the new memories being formed.

I delight in the fact that I have the privilege and honor of calling each of them my sisters.

Now before you get jealous of me, and my sisters, please know that our conversations are not always pleasant. The experiences we share are not always delightful. And some of the stories we laugh at now, were no laughing matter at the time.

I want to tell you the story of someone who is in love with Jesus. Her name is Dorcas and I am not referring to the one in Acts, chapter 9.
I met this Dorcas in Guatemala City. She was baptized a number of years ago, but became discouraged for various reasons, and even though she continued in her love for God, she had stopped going to church and her faith was weak.
However, during the past couple of months, every Monday morning, she studied the book In God’s Right Hand with Katie Lynn Finch, IRSM’s summer intern last year. Dorcas was so excited to share in this time of encouragement, study, and fellowship before opening her store.
Dorcas, just like the one in the book of Acts, is always around a lot of people. She doesn’t sew, but she sells clothes from her store every day. She never closes, not even on holidays.

Written by Wendy Neill
I have always been fascinated by butterflies. Without making a sound, they loudly proclaim the existence of a Creator. Those intricate patterns and brilliant colors are no accident. Then there is the process of metamorphosis, which just blows my mind. An ugly caterpillar is able to wrap itself up and later emerge with those beautiful wings, taking flight for the first time!! Wow.
When we lived in Colorado, my husband and I took a hike up to “Hanging Lake” outside of Glenwood Springs. It was a beautiful day in June and there were butterflies flitting around us throughout our hike. They would come close and I would hold out my finger, daring to hope one would land so I could look closer. I knew it was unlikely, but I kept trying anyway.

Written by Erica Peck

Close your eyes and listen to the sound of a baby’s laughter. Is there any sound more pleasing to the ear that can automatically lift the corners of your mouth into a broad smile?
One of the best parts of my day is giving my boys a bath before bedtime. With my two-year-old, we have a now-standing tradition of me wrapping the towel around him, scooping him up in my arms, and walking over to the bathroom mirror, where we sing the “Frosty the Snowman” (just the first line) at the top of our lungs, all the while making funny faces, about 5 or 6 times. And then the laughter starts, and it doesn’t stop.

My six-year-old loves to make up rhymes with words, and we’ll sit just around anywhere making up silly rhymes until we’re both giggling.

Motherhood, and life, is not always full of giggles. It gets busy. Stressful. Burdensome. If all we do is dwell in how hard things are at the moment, and we don’t take the time to be silly, and find joy in the moments God gives us, we are saying “no, not right now” to the precious gift of joy He longs to give us. Can you imagine a small child saying “Nah, I don’t really want that gift you are holding out to me” to their mom or dad trying to give them one of the best gifts in the world? If we can’t even imagine a child doing that, to their earthly parent, why do we do that on a consistent basis with our heavenly Father? I believe that us accepting God’s gift of JOY gladdens His heart.

Will you accept with joy the gift He is holding out to you today? Be open to it; He freely gives with open hands. Enjoy it!

Timothy Keller’s book Counterfeit Gods addresses the concept of joy from the back door – a unique perspective on the things that steal our true joy.
He defines idolatry as “taking some incomplete joy of this world and building your entire life on it.”
What is an incomplete joy of this world? Anything that is not God. I’ll repeat that: ANYTHING that is not God is a source of incomplete joy.
Is there anything wrong with finding joy in our family? Our jobs? Love? A new perfect shade of nail polish? Not at all. We should find joy in those things. “Rejoice in the Lord always. I will say it again, rejoice.” (Philippians 4:4)
We can find joy in anything, but if we place that joy above the joy in God alone, it becomes an idol, a counterfeit god, and one that will fail us because it is an incomplete joy – only a shadow of what God offers.
What is your source of joy today? The Creator or his creation?

My middle name is Joy and I have always loved it. When I got my first car as a senior in college, my dad suggested that I could get a personalized license plate that said, “JOY CAR.”
“It would serve as a reminder of your priorities and that the car really isn’t yours anyway,” my dad offered.
Joy. It is not only a name with biblical significance, but also an acronym that reminds us of our priorities: Jesus, Others, Yourself.
What will bring you greatest joy in your life?
Jesus replied: “‘Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind.’ This is the first and greatest commandment. And the second is like it: ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’ ~ Matthew 22:37-39

There is always a God story waiting for you to stumble into it. God’s hand is working, living, and active. What a blessing when we can catch a glimpse of what he orchestrates—a reminder of his provision and that he never leaves us nor forsakes us.

The God story I want to share today begins in Baton Rouge at the South Baton Rouge Church of Christ many years ago. My parents worked with the singles ministry and a little with the campus ministry as well. Many students at LSU (Louisiana State University) and Southern University became Christians during the 80s and 90s. I remember many of them being in our home for Saturday waffles, crawfish boils, or simple family time, which students and singles valued greatly, being away from their own homes.

Many of the friendships developed during those years have continued for decades and I never cease to be amazed at the connections in God’s kingdom.

Thursday night, after arriving in Sacramento and getting to know a few of the church members setting up for the weekend event, I was ready to get some rest in preparation for a big weekend. My food was cooked. The IRSM table was set with books and mugs. And a kind family offered to give me a ride to the hotel on their way home.

Before we could even get into the car, Tekisha, their daughter visiting from North Carolina for the conference, and I began talking. She asked where I was visiting from.

“I live in Denver, but I grew up in Louisiana,” was my brief answer.

“Oh, my husband is from Louisiana.”
“Geaux Tigers!” was my immediate and enthusiastic response.

“Geaux Tigers!” she echoed and we were bonded for life with that simple response. Little did we know all of the additional connections God would reveal…

“My husband, Derrick Brown,” continued Tekisha, “became a Christian while a student at Southern University and worshipped at the South Baton Rouge Church of Christ.”

“No way! That´s where I grew up! I bet I know him. Do you have a picture? I’m sure my parents know him. I bet we know tons of the same people.” Words were spilling out of my mouth in excitement and Tekisha’s eyes got bigger and bigger.

Since we were on the West Coast and they live on the East Coast, her husband had already gone to bed, so we couldn’t confirm our connections to the Gulf Coast that night.

The God story from coast to coast to coast had barely begun.

That night, I texted my parents, who remembered Derrick, and also George Myer who not only remembered Derrick, but, the next morning, mentioned that Derrick and Charles Martin were really good friends “back in the day.”

“Charles is in the hospital recovering from surgery and would love an encouraging call from an old friend.”

“Great! I’d love to pass on his number.”

I could barely wait to arrive at the conference Friday morning and find Tekisha. She beat me to the punch and affirmed that she had spoken with Derrick that morning and “he remembers your parents because they fed him.” I chuckled in affirmation of that hospitable characteristic of my parents.

“Well, George texted me this morning and mentioned that Derrick and Charles Martin were really good friends…”

I could not even finish my sentence as tears filled Tekisha’s eyes. “You know Charles Martin?! He was Derrick’s best friend, but they lost touch and Derrick has been trying to find a way to reach him for years.”

Now I had tears in my eyes. “Well, I’ll do you one better. I have Charles’ number and he is in the hospital recovering from surgery and would really love a call from an old friend.”

Tekisha and I hugged like lifelong friends who had been reunited ourselves. We joked that the rest of the conference could be cancelled—God had already done amazing things and before the conference had even started!

May you rejoice with us in the God story that affirms his hand at work, from coast to coast to coast.

I have known my best friend Ruth since we were 4 years old. We have always kept close, in spite of the distance between cities or even countries. We have always looked for a way to be in touch with each other and to support each other as well, whether through a video call or through prayer.
After being out of my country, Honduras, for a year, I went back for a one-week vacation to visit family and friends.