Meet Erica Peck, our Ministry Assistant!
Erica, tell us a little about yourself and your family.
I have had the privilege of working with IRSM for two and a half years, and have had the incredible blessing of learning and growing spiritually and professionally through knowing Michelle and being a part of the Iron Rose Sister Ministries team. When I’m not doing ministry responsibilities, you can find me enjoying good coffee with my husband of almost 9 years, and at home playing with my 3 year-old and 7 year-old sons, making up adventures, reading and teaching them to bake. We enjoy supporting local activities and things like camping and going to parks. I have also enjoyed having a home daycare for 6 years now, which occupies several days of my week.
How did you come to be a part of the Iron Rose Sister Ministries Team?
A mutual friend of Michelle and I actually saw that she was looking for an assistant, and knew that I had been looking for a way to use my ability to speak Spanish to bless others, and recommended that I talk to Michelle. We ended up having a great first conversation, and I was able to start volunteering with the ministry, and, after a few months, it turned into a job with more formal hours! It has been an incredible growing experience and a huge blessing for my family and I to be a part of something as wonderful as IRSM.
What has been your experience with an IRSM Small Group?
I first participated in a pilot study group for Who Has the Last Word? There were just a handful of us participating—the size you really want a small group to be for everyone to be able to feel comfortable sharing. The group consisted of women from different ages and in different stages of life, and that too, helped our dynamic of sharing and being able to bring various perspectives to the group. We all grew so much throughout the study, in our personal lives, closer to God, and of course our relationships with each other. All the things it’s meant to be!
The second study I participated in was Called to Listen. It was a slightly larger group than the first, but still small enough to where everyone had a chance to participate and share perspectives about the material and of course prayer requests and thanksgivings. I thoroughly enjoyed this study too, because for me, the lessons on different ways we are called to listen to God was presented in such a practical, and easy-to-incorporate-way into a daily routine.
What do small groups mean to you now?
Thinking about small groups now doesn’t make me nervous or hesitant anymore. I think of both of the studies I was in and a smile comes to my face. The laughter, and the tears we shared together in those groups have changed me for the better, and I look forward to being a part of another small group soon. I know it’s a safe place where I can go and be myself and really share what’s on my heart, and I appreciate that the other women in the group share of themselves as well, for that truly is the way we come to know one another and be known.
How have you seen others be blessed through small groups (ones you have been a part of or things you’ve heard from other Iron Rose Sisters across the Americas)?
I have seen women grow spiritually, and in relationship with each other, through these small groups. When we started a study as strangers, we were soon meeting together, hugging, sharing freely and expressing concerns happening in our personal lives. Other women have also commented how much the small groups and the studies themselves have “made them stop and think differently,” and how “it’s the highlight of their week to come to small group.” For some women, it’s the only place they can come and share at that deeper level.
Is there anything else you would like to share from your experience?
I’ve been a part of other small groups, from different churches, mission trips, and other groups, but I’ve got to say that the way these small group studies are laid out, they really make you dig deep in a good way—discovering more about God, about yourself, and ask questions in such a way that the theme of each chapter is easy to discuss with the ladies you are meeting with each week, and that is why so much growth happens. If you have been teetering on the edge of whether or not you want to participate in, or start your own small group study with one of these books, I strongly encourage you to do so. It will only bless you.
Erica, Thanks for sharing your story and your experiences!
We invite our readers to respond to Erica through this blog. And we would also love for you to have a similar experience with small groups! For more information about our books and resources, please contact us. We would love to help!
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