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Written by Beliza Kocev, Brazil Coordinator for Iron Rose Sister Ministries
He [Jesus] replied, “Blessed rather are those who hear the word of God and obey it.” (Lk 11:28 NIV)
Throughout last year we talked a lot about the importance of our commitment to Jesus, be it in our prayers, in our relationship with other sisters, with the church, with those who are not yet Christians… always bringing all areas of our life before God.
One of the things we discussed was the importance of silencing the noise around us that distracts us from hearing our Lord. God is speaking to us all the time, using His creation, our brothers and sisters in the church, and, most importantly, through the Scriptures.
Last year I had the opportunity to be part of a small group of women who met weekly at my home to study Committed to Listen, a book from Iron Rose Sister Ministries that walks through 40 days of devotions to help us exercise our listening muscles.
Over the course of our weekly meetings, many things happened, and we grew together. And even though we were a group of very different women: women of different ages and professions, single, married, some with kids, others without (one even got pregnant during the period in which we met), when we shared the experiences that we had with the devotionals throughout the week and the reflections that they provoked, we realized how alike we are.
All of us already knew each other. We went to the same church on Sundays, but now we had the chance to deepen our bonds, cry together for pain that wasn’t ours, celebrate the joys and victories, and pray for each other. It was so good that we weren’t ready to close out the group when the book ended and we started another book (Called to Listen) to continue meeting.
When we shared our Common Threads, we often asked for help from each other to change areas in which we realized we were failing. And almost all of our prayer involved asking God for help, strength, and courage to put into practice that which we heard from Him in those exercises.
In fact, listening is the first step: if we don’t listen, we won’t know that there is something to be done, much less how to do it. But what became very clear for all of us over those weeks was that we need to do something with what we hear. We cannot remain inert. “Therefore everyone who hears these words of mine and puts them into practice is like a wise man who built his house on the rock” (Mt 7:24).
Oftentimes the challenge seems too great. We look at ourselves and it seems that there is so much to be done to improve that we will never arrive at our goal. The Christian life is a journey and throughout the process, it is practicing what we hear and learn from God that causes us to be transformed and to become more like Christ every day. And several things need to be put into practice again and again—with strength and intentionality.
That group of women blessed me so much. Everything we lived and shared edified me a lot. And I could feel God’s love for me through them. I found care and belonging in my sisters.
What if I told you that you could also have an experience like mine? Deepen your ties with your sisters in Christ, practice listening to God, receive support and encouragement, and be challenged to put the things you heard into practice.
I want to encourage you to meet with a group of women, even if they aren’t very close with you (yet), and study together Committed to Listen. On our website, you can find all the information to guide you on how to start the process. And our team is available and ready to answer your questions.
Do you need more encouragement? Here you can watch videos of other sisters sharing their experiences who also participated in small group studies with Committed to Listen in various countries.
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Written by Michelle J. Goff, Founder and Executive Director of Iron Rose Sister Ministries
Therefore everyone who hears these words of mine and puts them into practice is like a wise man who built his house on the rock. (Mt 7:24 NIV)
In the conclusion to His Sermon on the Mount, Jesus reminds us of the importance of putting His teaching into practice, learning then practicing as His followers. It’s like building a house on the Rock. Women’s hands, aged with wisdom, and their voices in children’s classes have shaped this refrain into a memorable song with actions, hand motions, and a simple tune. No one wants to build his house on the sand because we know that it came crashing down when “the rain came down and the floods came up.”
Even today, when the storms of our lives threaten to tear us down, we must cling to the words of Christ and build, or rebuild, our lives on the Rock.
Last year as a ministry, we highlighted various ways in which we are called to live “Committed to Christ, 24/7 in 2024.” With the release of the latest small group Bible study book, we affirmed that we are Committed to Listen. Now that we have “heard these words of [His],” we must turn our attention to putting them into practice, like wise women.
James 1:5 promises that if we ask for wisdom, God will provide it. Those with more life experience can testify to the fact that wisdom is acquired over time. We learn from our failures. We grow through the struggles. Everything we face in life—every thought, action, reaction, and words that do or don’t come out of our mouths—everything provides an opportunity for us to put Jesus’ words into practice.
Fulfilling God’s teaching takes practice. I didn’t learn to play the piano or do a cartwheel on a balance beam overnight. Both activities took practice. As a child, I played many wrong notes, and I fell off the beam on more than one occasion. Today, I can still do a cartwheel, but I haven’t attempted it on a balance beam. These days, I can only remember a few very basic songs on the piano. Why? I stopped practicing.
What are examples from the Christian life that require practice?
Practicing implies failure and grace. Learning a language is a challenge. For some people, it is easier to hear the unique sounds, comprehend the grammar, and learn the vocabulary. Yet no matter what your language-learning ability, you must begin by speaking like a child, imperfectly and incorrectly. You will never perfect the language without giving yourself permission to make mistakes and learn from them.
What have you learned from making mistakes as a Christian?
This year, on Tuesdays (only once/week), we will share biblical and personal stories about how we can build our lives on the Rock, put Jesus’ words into practice, and practice as wise women.
We want to encourage you to use these blog posts as guides for small group discussion, in person or virtually. There will be questions for good conversation and, at times, additional Bible verses for further study.
Let’s practice encouraging each other as wise women! In honor of New Year’s, through our social media channels, share a teaching you want to put into practice this year (maybe through a New Year’s resolution or key word for the year). Alternately, share an example of an area that you want to practice with others.
If you are looking for inspiration, I recommend reading the Sermon on the Mount (Mt 5-7) or ordering Committed to Listen as a 40-day devotional that facilitates dedicated listening, thus learning more about what God is guiding you to put into practice (Mt 7:24).