Written by Alina Stout, volunteer with Iron Rose Sister Ministries in Arkansas
I didn’t realize how much I needed Iron Rose Sisters in my life. I didn’t realize how much strength, encouragement, truth, faith, and love would be a part of a relationship with an Iron Rose Sister. I didn’t realize how important Iron Rose Sisters would become to me until I realized that God gave me these sisters in Christ as a spiritual lifeline who help me stay connected to Him. What’s more, part of my realization is that God has given me as an Iron Rose Sister to others in order to help them stay connected to God, as well.
There are many types of seasons involving changes and challenges, and we all go through them in one way or another. I have found myself in one of those seasons as I am recently married, currently student-teaching, nearing graduation, and anticipating moving. I have found that more often than not, either my most difficult day of the week or my best day of the week “happens” to be the day of the week that I meet with my Iron Rose Sisters. This means that my challenges swell on the day that I have an opportunity to cry with women who love me, to listen to women who fill me with God’s truth, and to be prayed over by women who are prayer warriors. I have watched, again and again, how God has directly answered and even promptly answered the prayers of my Iron Rose Sisters. On my best days, I can share my strength and peace of mind with my Iron Rose Sisters who are struggling. I have a chance to listen to them, to cry with them, to offer hope to them, and to pray over them. This mutual relationship is truly a tremendous blessing from God.
The commitment we can make to our sisters in Christ reminds me of the commitment that Ruth made to Naomi. Ruth and Orpah were Moabites who married into an Israelite family who were living in Moab during a famine in Israel. They experienced with their mother-in-law, Naomi, a season of change and challenge when they all lost their husbands and were forced to find a way, as women, to provide without having other family around. Both Ruth and Orpah were an incredible support to Naomi while she was separated from her relatives. When the famine was receding and Naomi could finally return home to Bethlehem, she told her daughters-in-law that they could return to their own homes in Moab. After much convincing, Orpah did leave. But what about Ruth? Ruth “clung” to Naomi (Ruth 1:14, NIV). She not only clung to her physically, but also chose to cling to Naomi for life. She chose Naomi’s homeland as her own. She chose Naomi’s will as her own. She chose Naomi’s family as her own. And, she chose Naomi’s God as her own.
When we cling to our sisters in Christ, the family we are choosing as our own is the family of God. The homeland that we are choosing is the kingdom of God. The will that we are choosing is the will of God. The life we are choosing is the good life that comes from being a part of God’s family. When we cling to our Iron Rose Sisters, we are choosing to keep each other near to the refuge of God.
Being committed to another sister in Christ is a commitment that God loves and blesses. After all, loving others this deeply is close to God’s heart! Boaz, a man of God and kin to Naomi, noticed Ruth and her incredible support of Naomi. Boaz spoke a prayer of blessing to Ruth, saying: “May the LORD repay you for what you have done. May you be richly rewarded by the LORD, the God of Israel, under whose wings you have come to take refuge” (Ruth 2:12, NIV). The women of Bethlehem were amazed by Ruth as well. They recognized Ruth for her love for Naomi and considered her to be better to Naomi than seven sons! In a day where sons carried the family name, this speaks of a huge impact that Ruth had on Naomi’s life! (Ruth 4:15, NIV).
Now, we must not overlook that Ruth’s support for Naomi was mutual! While Ruth was caring for Naomi, Naomi found a way to care for Ruth by finding Ruth a home where she would be loved and well-provided for through Ruth’s marriage to Boaz. Ruth, after all, was facing her own struggles as a widowed woman.
Our relationships with our Iron Rose Sisters are mutual relationships of love and care. We face our own challenges, and through it all we depend on each other. We pour into each other. We bring each other back to God. We cling to each other through the ups and downs of life, and God blesses our commitment to each other in incredible ways.
What are some ways that you have seen God bless your relationships with your Iron Rose Sisters?