Iron Rose Sister Ministries

Written by Kat Bittner, volunteer with Iron Rose Sister Ministries in Colorado 

“When we denigrate a woman, we are in fact diminishing part of the image of God.”–Christine Caine, Unashamed

My husband has often remarked that, historically, women’s suffering lies in the hearts of men. He believes the lack of regard for women is rooted in men who did not and do not “see” women as God intended. And if men had regarded women as Jesus did in His relationships with them, no woman would have ever felt slighted.

If we know anything from Jesus’ relationships, it is that they were intentional. They had a clear purpose and were focused even from the moment His first relationship was contrived (1 John 4:14, Matt. 1: 21-23). Jesus’ relationship with the twelve apostles, with those He healed and to whom He ministered were all purpose-driven relationships. And that intentionality was also poured into the many women in Jesus’ circle.

The first woman in Jesus’ circle was His mother, Mary. She was a model of godliness, a woman who “found favor with God” (Luke 1:30, NLT), and she was an intimate witness to Jesus’ divine nature and purpose (Luke 1:31-35). Mary was a key player in the first public miracle of Jesus (John 2:1-11). And as the mother of the most Holy, she had what was probably a very daunting task. To care for and raise the Savior of the world, the One by whom she herself would be delivered had to be most intimidating. Yet she was honored and cherished by Jesus, exemplified by His declaration to ensure that she was properly cared for after He died (John 19:26-27).

Also counted among Jesus’ personal circle of women friends were Martha and Mary. Scripture tells us that “Jesus loved Martha and her sister” (John 11:5, NKJV) and that these women passionately served and learned from Jesus (John 12:1-3, 7; Luke 10:38-42). Through these women Jesus taught that fulfilling our spiritual responsibilities should be of utmost importance. Women, too, are called to learn from Jesus, apply the Word of God and be disciples. Additionally, Jesus’ love for them and their brother, Lazarus, was the impetus for raising Lazarus from the dead thereby witnessing God’s glory to a multitude. That was the kind of intentional relationship Jesus had with Mary and Martha. Jesus valued it. He valued them.

And then there’s Mary Magdalene, a woman who is almost always mentioned first among the female disciples and leaders (Mark 16:9; Luke 8:2; Matt. 27:56, 61). After being “healed of evil spirits and deformities… out of whom had come seven demons” (Luke 8:2, NKJV), this Mary dedicated her life to Jesus and was with Him when He died (Luke 8:1-3; John 19:25). Perhaps the most intentional thing to happen to Mary Magdalene was to be the first witness of Jesus’ resurrection (John 20:11-18). Women were not known for being credible witnesses in that age, so it was a purposeful and focused thing to have Mary first testify that Jesus had risen from the tomb.

Jesus also surrounded himself with many other women who played important roles in His ministry (Mark 15:40-41).Luke tells us about several women who helped support Jesus and the apostles “out of their own means” (Luke 8:3, NIV). These included Joanna, who managed Herod’s household, Susanna and many others. They fed Jesus’s ministry, literally and financially. Also mentioned are the “many women” who “had followed Jesus from Galilee to care for his needs” (Matt. 27:55-56). After His ascension, many women were among those who were carrying out the Great Commission in varied roles (Rom. 16:1-15; Acts 1:12-14; Acts 18; Acts 21). Phoebe the deaconess, the daughters of Philip who were prophets and Junia who was imprisoned and “outstanding among the apostles” (Rom. 16:7) were women who labored to expand the Kingdom.

Jesus bestowed a special honor on women. His regard for them, though revolutionary for the times, highlighted the way God intended for women to be valued. God said, “Let us make human beings in our image, to be like us….in the image of God He created them, male and female He created them” (Gen. 1:26-27, NLT).

Psalm 46:5 – God is within her…..

Because men and women were made in the image of God, God cannot be fully reflected without a woman. When we minimize women, relationally or otherwise, we minimize the image of our Lord and Savior.

Don’t you see the intention behind human creation? There is a clear, divine purpose for man and woman. We are to be image bearers and a living witness of God. If we wrap our heads around that, we cannot help but acknowledge our worth and value. Jesus and all the women were intentional relationships that embody the essence of God. That just blows my mind!

I met sister, Norma, in April when I was in Sacramento, California, for the Wonder Woman Conference. I had the privilege to share a few classes in English during the conference and, then, on Sunday morning, I was also able to share about Iron Rose Sister Ministries with the Hispanic sisters during Sunday morning Bible class.

Norma was inspired in such a way that she wrote a poem that she shared with the women who attended the Ladies’ Day hosted by the Parkway Church of Christ on Saturday, June 27, where I served as speaker for the day.

I share her poem below so that you can also appreciate it and be inspired by what God can do in each of our lives. 

This is a loose translation of a poem originally written in Spanish by Norma Neri.

Jesus Christ, the gift of life

A small rose bud, surrounded by many thorns,

Confident, the bud went through the entire world wanting to avoid them.

Each step she made, her heart withered,

Her life drowned and faded with each driven thorn.

That little bud that walked through the world,

Surrounded by tough thorns the enemy and driven in.

Christ rescued her. Then a path of thorns,

She found along her way and cleaned. That little bud,

Withered, withered by pain, my Christ came to call her,

Heal her and give her a better life. 

If I talk and talk and talk without giving you a chance to get a word in edgewise, how would our relationship be? Not very good, deep, or long lasting. And if you do all the talking and never give me a chance to talk, our relationship still won’t be very healthy.

It is the same with God. If I talk to him and present my requests without setting aside any time to listen to what he has to say, how will our relationship be? Not very good, deep, or long lasting.

We have one mouth and two ears, but we always have trouble listening attentively. When we listen to someone else talk, we are often thinking about how we are going to respond or the story we want to tell as soon as they stop talking.

Yet again, this happens with God. We are quick to speak and slow to listen to his voice.

So, today, I encourage you to spend some time listening to God and what he wants to reveal to you through Scripture.

One way to listen to God is by spending some devotional time in the Word.

Take advantage of the verses listed below or other favorite verses of yours, in order to hear God’s voice. Meditate on the verses that jump out at you.

You can ask that God speak to you during this time, but avoid making requests. If your own thoughts enter in, answer them with scripture and/or ask that God help you concentrate more on listening.

It’s a spiritual discipline, which means it requires practice. Don’t get discouraged if you find it hard to spend focused time listening today. You’ll get better at it!

I have listed below some of my favorite verses for listening to God’s voice.

Isaiah 61:10-11

Psalm 31

Psalm 27

Exodus 14:14

Romans 15:13

Philippians 4:19

Isaiah 41:10, 13

Psalm 139

Matthew 6:25-34

Zephaniah 3:17

Lamentations 3:22-27

Ephesians 3:14-21

Psalm 63

Written by Débora Rodrigo de Racancoj
My daughter has always been a very healthy little girl. Thankfully, we have had to go to the doctor with her only a few times. She almost never complains of stomachaches, headaches, earaches or any other ache. Even when she was a baby, I rarely heard the characteristic cry of pain as in the first few months of life.
On one occasion, I remember her playing with her hands, smiling and babbling happily as babies do when they are happy. As a mother, I could not resist caressing her face, and then I realized that her temperature was not normal; it was warmer than it should be. Immediately I put the thermometer on her, and she had a fever! How could she not complain and play merrily as if nothing was wrong?

Can we be spiritual without the Holy Spirit?
Yes. And no.
The more important question is “What kind of spirit are you following?”
A quick search on Google reveals that “spiritual” means “relating to or affecting the human spirit or soul as opposed to material or physical things.” A second definition narrows it down to something religious in nature, but we are still not necessarily referring to our spirit aligning with the Spirit of God.
If our battle is not against flesh and blood, but against the spiritual forces of evil (Eph. 6:12), we affirm that not everything spiritual is of the Holy Spirit.
This past Saturday, I hiked various trails in Petit Jean State Park. Having lived in Colorado twice, I miss the Rocky Mountains. Now living in the flatlands of Arkansas, I enjoy being able to drive less than two hours and traipse up and down rocks and boulders, conquering the “mountain” as I climb to the top. As trails wind around the streams, I unwind my mind, breathing in the fresh air and listening to the rushing water cleanse my soul.

Written by Katie Finch 

A week or so ago I was struggling with the idea of being comfortable. I had been in Colorado for a week interning for IRSM when a longing for familiar people and places really hit me. Prior to the internship, I was home for only a week after returning from three months in Chile with a study abroad program. This longing isn’t unusual but it was the first time in my life I could truly understand what Jesus was saying when he told us to deny ourselves and take up our cross to follow him (Matt 16:24).

The life he calls us to is meant to stretch us and bring us out of our comfort zone. But I still struggled to understand how we can best serve him if we are nervous or scared because we don’t feel secure in where we are or what we are doing. It was at this time that God showed me his comfort. I had a group of friends from school start a prayer group over texting and I was able to share my struggle and received an immense amount of love and encouragement from them. Then later that night, I went to a house church full of loving and passionate people that reminded me of the joy you can receive from God just by communing with him and his people.

Yes, God wants us to live lives that are not grounded in this world and that push us to places we never would have gone, but he also wants to know that we can find true comfort in his love, grace and power.

C.S. Lewis once said that“In religion…. comfort is the one thing you cannot get by looking for it. If you look for truth, you may find comfort in the end: if you look for comfort you will not get either comfort or truth -- only soft soap and wishful thinking to begin with and, in the end, despair.”

I challenge you today to look at your life and ask yourself these questions:

• How comfortable are you with being uncomfortable?

• How do you push yourself out of your comfort zone for God?

• Are there things in your life that you are placing your comfort in instead of relying of God’s?

It is not bad to find comfort in the things around us, but we must FIRST find true comfort in our Lord and Savior before anything else; for this world is not our home and we must not be conformed to it.

Do not conformto the pattern of this world,but be transformed by the renewing of your mind.Then you will be able to test and approve what God’s will is—his good, pleasingand perfect will.

-Romans 12:2 (NIV)

Written by Wendy Neill
I am a regular at the pharmacy. The lady behind the register sees me coming and heads straight for the “Last Name of N” bin. The twins of Chronic Illness and Pain have made themselves at home in my house, so we spend more than we would like on prescriptions and vitamins to appease them.

One day, while waiting in the pharmacy, I spotted a collage on the wall of smiling faces of all ages. Underneath, it said: “Celebrating happy, healthy people”. Then, in beautiful cursive, was a quote: “The groundwork of all happiness is health.”

I whispered to myself, “Don’t believe it.”

“Fake it till you make it,” can seem artificial, superficial, and insincere. Yet, we encourage children to play dress up, allowing them to aspire to something that is, as of yet, unattainable. However, by doing so, they exercise their muscles and sharpen their skills, practicing what they will someday become.

As C.S. Lewis put it,

Very often the only way to get a quality in reality is to start behaving as if you had it already. That is why children’s games are so important. They are always pretending to be grown-ups—playing soldiers, playing shop. But all the time, they are hardening their muscles and sharpening their wits so that the pretence of being grown-up helps them to grow up in earnest.
Now, the moment you realize ‘Here I am, dressing up as Christ,’ it is extremely likely that you will see at once some way in which at that very moment the pretence could be made less of a pretence and more of a reality. You will find several things going on in your mind, which would not be going on there if you were really a son of God.Well, stop them. Or you may realize that, instead of saying your prayers, you ought to be downstairs writing a letter, or helping your wife to wash- up. Well, go and do it.

The more we “dress the part” as a child of God, the more we exercise our spiritual muscles and sharpen our skills as a daughter of the king—practicing what we have someday become!

Over fifty times in the New Testament, God gives us instructions about how to interact with one another.

“Carry each other’s burdens, and in this way you will fulfill the law of Christ.” Galatians 6:2

“Therefore confess your sins to each other and pray for each other so that you may be healed. The prayer of a righteous person is powerful and effective.” James 5:16

“And let us consider how we may spur one another on toward love and good deeds” Hebrews 10:24

“...speaking to one another with psalms, hymns, and songs from the Spirit. Sing and make music from your heart to the Lord, 20 always giving thanks to God the Father for everything, in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ.” Ephesians 5:19-20

We are going to put some of these verses into practice through the Common Threads. They are a way of making personal and practical many of the points we have discussed regarding Women’s Spiritual Health this month. When you share these with someone else, be sure to spend time together in prayer.

This month, our theme is Women’s Spiritual Health. Before we get into the details of what that means and how we can grow in our own spiritual health, allow me to share some good news about how God has blessed me with the opportunity to focus on the spiritual health of some Honduran women.

This past weekend, more than fifty women from five congregations gathered for a time of pure delight at the first ever ladies retreat hosted by Honduras Hope at their facility just south of Tegucigalpa, Honduras (Ojojona). I had met some of these women three years ago when I conducted Ladies Days in two of their local congregations (Los Pinos and Santa Ana). It was a joy to see their personal growth and how God has blessed and grown their respective congregations, including new church plants, which were represented by some of the other women in attendance (Diamante and Tierra del Padre).

Later today, I will leave for a ten-day trip to Nicaragua. Five congregations in three cities will host events for the women in their area.Next Saturday's event will have women from seven congregations in attendance!

We will be discussing the ways in which we can be Victorious and Joyful in Battle through Psalm 20, and in other places, practical steps toward Women’s Spiritual Health.

Please keep this trip in your prayers.Here are a few things you can pray for specifically:

• Safety and health in travel to and within the country
• The women who travel to attend the seminars
• The non-Christian women who will be in attendance
• The leaders in women’s ministries who will receive additional classes
• That God will speak through me in all of the sessions
• That women will be equipped to connect to God and one another more deeply

Written by Katie Finch

Going into this conference, I was not sure exactly what to expect and we had a bumpy start with some unplanned surprises. But it did not take long for God to make clear to me that He was present and He was working.

It all started when a group of womenwho did not know one another gathered to prayearly Friday morning and almost instantly the Christian bond drew us closer as we opened our hearts to God and each other.

Psalm 100 made for a focused opening and Paul´s prayer over the Ephesians in chapter 3 brought all of our thoughts to a close. In the interim, women partnered in groups of two or three to pray togetherover the categories that Michelle would announce periodically. The topics began broadly and moved to the more specific and personal as we progressed.

Many of our prayers were answered through the various aspects of the International Gathering of the Church of Christ, in Orlando, Florida—seven people was baptized; God spoke through each of the presenters; the youth were uplifted through their program; volunteers took excellent care of the children; lives were touched; and God was glorified.

For me, it was my first experience seeing first-hand the impact that this ministry is having in the lives of women everywhere. So many were ecstatic for the release of the new book and many others were hungry for more after Michelle’s lesson.

God’s Word is igniting and it was a huge blessing to know that all the hard work we have been putting into this ministry is truly making a difference in women’s livesby bringing them closer to each another and to God.

Written by Mackenzie Lancaster, IRSM Summer Intern 2017
I have always liked being busy. In school I wanted to participate in every activity, sport, club, you name it. This love for being busy carried over to college, and the first two years I enjoyed it and felt like I was thriving. The spring semester of my sophomore year I went abroad to Chile, and stayed an extra month to do a campaign in Peru. Both of those experiences were absolutely wonderful, but when I came back I had a week at home before starting my job as a counselor for Honor Symposium, a two-week long academic/honors camp that Harding offers to juniors in high school. I worked two different sessions and when that was over I had just two weeks until school started.

The interesting thing about breaks in college is that they never seem to actually be a break, when you come back home after being gone so long everyone wants to spend time with you and catch up, which is wonderful, but before you know it your break is over. I went back to school still exhausted from my study abroad and my busy summer, but I was enjoying everything that I participated in, so I didn’t think it mattered.

By Jennifer Percell

The #MeToo movement is growing. Each day more people come forward and I am saddened by how many suffer from the selfish acts of others. Me too.

As I listen to brave women tell their stories I remember my own isolation and crippling fear. I remember being physically captive and mentally isolated from others by the stigma of the shocking and repulsive acts. During the abuse and for many years after, my mind fought the lies my abuser recorded there for his own protection. Messages seared into my brain by his words and actions caused despair that seemed insurmountable. I was wounded and broken, and I felt no hope for rescue from the hopeless life that trapped me.

Then one day I found myself with a bunch of church kids. I had gone to a retreat with them to escape for a day and had entertained thoughts of running away while I was out of the house. That afternoon we were all sitting under a tree. One boy with a guitar, one with a Bible. The boy with the Bible read:
“In all these things we are more than conquerors through him who loved us. For I am convinced that neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons, neither the present nor the future, nor any powers, neither height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord” (Rom. 8:37-39).

Now, 43 years later I can still feel the shock, someone was telling me that there was power and love that was stronger than my abusive father. That was the first glimpse of hope in my life and I craved more and more of this new information.

I learned that God is the Great Physician, He heals, His love is real, and He sees me as precious. I could trust Him, He made me, and He could fix my brokenness. And best of all, He could go with me into the horrible places I was suffering. He could enter my mind and emotions during the abuse and hold me close to Him. He could protect my soul from the pain that was killing all hope in me.

Three years later I could finally leave my abusive home. I knew I needed lots of help. God provided counselors and medications and a support network of good people. All of these were priceless as I fought hard for healing and I recommend that anyone who has suffered use all these tools.

But I believe that it is God who truly healed my heart and soul. It was only when I crawled upon the lap of my heavenly Daddy and let Him hold and comfort me did I truly feel relief. I remember how He gave me 15 minutes of peace and later twenty. How there was a whole morning without hyper-vigilance and focus on my own surroundings. How one day I noticed I had been in the middle of something for a whole day, living my life and not fearfully on the outside looking in.

Only my God could go back through all the pain with me and let me be a needy child again. This time one with a strong, safe and kind Father. A Father who could carry me out of the worst of times and into a life of hope and joy and peace.

If you have suffered abuse and not yet found healing from the inside out, go to the Great Physician. He was there with you protecting your mind and heart from irreparable damage. He is there today ready to repair every broken piece you give to Him. For nothing in all creation can separate you from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus your Lord.

May all of us who have been healed by our Great God say, “Me Too... God has healed Me Too”

Jennifer Percell

If you would like additional information about the #ChurchToo movement as well, we invite you to read this article by the Christian Chronicle.

#IronRoseSister #womenspiritualhealth #metoo #healed

~ Contributed by an anonymous Iron Rose Sister

I was reading Acts 13 this morning and noticed something that I don't remember noticing before. Luke is talking about the teachers of the early church and mentions Manaen (who had been brought up with Herod the tetrarch).

I began thinking God always seems to arrange for people of faith to be in the places of power. My thoughts moved on to how Moses and Manaen decided to use the knowledge they learned in these situationsversus how Pharaoh and Herod used the same upbringing. I know Pharaoh and Moses weren't raised side-by-side, but in both cases choices were made for or against putting God first. I also thought of Joseph, Daniel, Shadrach, Meshach, Abednego, and Nehemiah and how they choose to stick to their faith when employed in positions of power. 

Most of us women are not in positions of political power, but we are in powerful positions to pass the faith on to the next generation.

In my case there was a large consequence to my mental health while standing firm despite the "no confidence" vote vocally proclaimed by my in-laws while I was pregnant. I know a stronger faith would have helped me focus on God's approval and not on trying to maintain my principles while keeping peace in the family.

However, I did make a choice to persevere in faith. My reward was a son who is helping me heal, who studies spiritual truths much deeper and broader than I ever did, and is teaching/encouraging me, and others to stand firm in the faith. Thank God for such a powerful blessing for the last third of my life!!!

When I was in high school, the company my dad worked for hosted a family picnic. There were various games and activities for all ages, but the most memorable aspect of the picnic that year was the raffle.

As a family of six, our chances of winning were greater than those of smaller families. As we awaited the numbers to be called, my sisters and I drooled over the large TV, the two-line cordless phone, and other items popular in the early 1990’s. We never dreamed that we would win, but it was fun to hope not only that we would win, but that our number would be called before the silly hats and mugs were the only items remaining.

And then it happened. We were about the seventh number called and we girls got giddy at the prospect of our winnings.

Then my dad turned to my mom and said, “You go pick something out.”

Mom returned with a Kitchen Aid® stand mixer in her hands, to the groans of her teen and pre-teen daughters. As our groans turned into complaints, dad silenced them with the following two statements.

“Girls, first of all, you will get more benefit from this mixer than anything else on that table full of prizes. And, besides, you must remember that if momma ain’t happy, ain’t nobody happy.”

My dad’s words of wisdom were never truer. Over the years, each of us girls have owned our own Kitchen Aid mixer and we also have observed the truth in the statement, “If momma ain’t happy, ain’t nobody happy.”

Is that true in your house? How does your spiritual health positively affect the happiness of your family?

I thought my rose bushes were dead and gone. My trimming and pruning could be better described as a butchering. My thumbs are not green, they are black. And so the careful instructions I solicited from a gardening expert friend were fading in my memory and became unclear in my recollection. I was sure I had failed and killed the rose bushes.

The negative self-talk kicked in... “How can you lead a ministry about Iron ROSE Sisters if you can’t keep a single rose bush alive?”

Brandy, Taleen, Katie, Michelle, Elyse, Krista, Spring 1999

In unpacking the final boxes, I found stacks of old pictures, albums of college experiences, and a plethora of mission trip memories. Many might feel embarrassed if I posted the pictures from our younger years.

But I, for one, laughed at my big glasses, our 90’s haircuts and clothes, and friends who looked like mere babes before they had their own babies (who are now teenagers!).

My walk down memory lane was filled with a myriad of emotions, but the overwhelming thought I came away with was:

Thank you, Lord, that I am not the same person I used to be. Thank youfor the experiences that have shaped me. Thank you for the relationships that have influenced me. And thank youfor the lifelong friendships that have weathered the storms of life and grown with time.

Katie Forbess and Michelle Goff, Nov. 2013

One example of the transformation of a friendshipis my relationship with IRSM Board President, Katie (Labowski) Forbess. The pictures included here are from a missionary team retreat my senior year of college (1999), a bilingual IRSM retreat in Denver after we had not seen each other for nine years (2013), and right before I moved to Searcy (2015).

I see these as a reflection of how our own relationship that has grown, of Iron Rose Sister Ministries’ transformation and growth since its beginning, and the personal growth in our respective spiritual walks. I thank God for the progression that these pictures represent. And I thank God that we are not the same people that we used to be. We may not see it in the day-to-day changes, but as we reflect back, we can see God’s hand at work to strengthen our walks with Him and one another.

Katie and Michelle, June 2015

You see, we each must continue to grow and focus on that growth—in our relationships with God and one another. Our spiritual health depends on it. Because, as with a plant, if you aren’t growing, you’re dying.

Today is the start of a large gathering of Christians in Orlando, Florida—Spanish-speakers from all over the U.S. and Latin America. Over 1,000 are registered and the focus for the weekend: The Family.

On Saturday, I will be blessed with the opportunity to share about Women’s Spiritual Health and how much effect our spiritual health has on our families.

Please join us in prayer for the event this weekend and the contacts that will be made for the growth of the kingdom and Iron Rose Sister Ministries.

God designed us to be in relationship, since we are made in his image.

God gave us his body, the church, as an opportunity to work together in community.

So, whether you are an introvert or an extrovert, no one is designed to live in isolation. A newborn baby dies without human contact. A teenager longs for a sense of belonging as much as she may push others away.

One of Satan’s most productive breeding grounds is to get us in isolation.

I am not dismissing our need for alone time—Jesus needed it and we are called to follow his example.

But when we are in isolation, we neglect to gather with other Christians. We get lost in our own thoughts and the negative spiral that pulls us down. We can’t serve others or allow them the opportunity to serve if we are in isolation. We think we can or should do things of our own strength and ability.

Isolation fosters unhealthy spiritual patterns.

Let’s break that destructive cycle! Get out. Worship. Serve. Pray with others. Host a Bible study. Meet someone for coffee and tell each other what Bible verse has most impacted you recently. Send someone an encouraging text.

Let’s live in the body and improve our spiritual health. We were never designed to do it all on our own.

Hebrews 10:23-25