Written byMichelle J. Goff, Founder and Executive Director of Iron Rose Sister Ministries

Sword fighting has never been a sport that appealed to me. If I were to try, I know I would be ill-equipped to wield such a weapon. It would require training, strengthening, and a lot of practice. 

Ephesians 6:17 compares the Word of God to a sword, the final piece of the armor of God. The writer of Hebrews states that it is sharper than any two-edged sword (4:12). And in Paul’s instructions to Timothy, he states that the Scriptures can be used to teach, rebuke, correct, and train in righteousness (2Ti 3:16).

We hold a powerful weapon in our hands. And we need discernment for how to use it wisely. We don’t cut a sandwich in half with a machete. We don’t use a kitchen knife to cut back the aggressive vines that are growing around the house.

If I am going to put the Scriptures into practice wisely, what do I need to do?

1. Know the Scriptures. Keep them at the forefront of my mind, heart, soul, and strength. Speak of them when I sit and lie down (Dt 6:4-9). Hide the words in my heart (Ps 119:11).
2. Know the Author of the Scriptures. I can put the Word of God into practice better if I know the One who is speaking (Jn 12:49). “If you really know me, you will know my Father as well”(Jn 14:7 NIV). The more I hear His Word, the more I will know His voice and be able to discern what is not of Him.
3. Respect the context of the words in the Word.TheBible contains 66 books that were written in a variety of styles for a broad audience at different points in history and culture. Even if I don’t know all the background of the audience to whom the book or chapter was written, or about the writer of the book (inspired by the Holy Spirit, 2Pe 1:20-21), I can focus on the context of a verse within the entire chapter or book of the Bible.
4. Put the Scriptures into practice.Just do it!The Bible is the one book that cannot be fully understood until it is practiced.
   James 1:25 says, “But whoever looks intently into the perfect law that gives freedom, and continues in it—not forgetting what they have heard, but doing it—they will be blessed in what they do.”
5. Learn from my mistakes.Accept grace and move forward wisely. I can fall into the accuser’s trap of critique or condemnation when I look back at the foolish ways of my past (as a non-Christian or even as a young Christian when I didn’t practice the Scriptures wisely). Instead, I can hear Jesus’ words and follow Peter’s or others’ example.
   When Jesus tells Peter that he will betray Him, Jesus offers him the hope of redemption and purpose on the other side of that mistake. “But I have prayed for you, Simon, that your faith may not fail. And when you have turned back, strengthen your brothers” (Lk 22:32).
6. Trust the Holy Spirit to remind and guide me.When I get distracted or discouraged, I can easily forget the Word and God’s promises. “All this I have spoken while still with you. But the Advocate, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in my name, will teach you all things and will remind you of everything I have said to you” (Jn 14:25-26).
7. Pray, persevere, and pray some more. God honors those who seek Him. God hears my prayers and knows my desire to follow His Word and to show Him my love through obedience. He also knows that I am human and will have times of weakness along the journey. Paul expresses a similar sentiment in his letter to the Philippians.

Not that I have already obtained all this, or have already arrived at my goal, but I press on to take hold of that for which Christ Jesus took hold of me. Brothers and sisters, I do not consider myself yet to have taken hold of it. But one thing I do: Forgetting what is behind and straining toward what is ahead, I press on toward the goal to win the prize for which God has called me heavenward in Christ Jesus. (Php 3:12-14)

Thank you for your desire to put the Scriptures into practice wisely. What have you learned that has helped you do that? How can you encourage others and be encouraged to continue in that mutual goal?

Written by Ana Carolina Mourão, volunteer with Iron Rose Sister Ministries in Campo Grande, Brazil

Since, then, you have been raised with Christ, set your hearts on things above, where Christ is, seated at the right hand of God. Set your minds on things above, not on earthly things. For you died, and your life is now hidden with Christ in God. When Christ, who is your life, appears, then you also will appear with him in glory. (Col 3:1-4 NIV)

I found it interesting Colossians 3:2 was the suggested verse for this blog: Set Your Mind on Things Above. This is a struggle I have with my mind and which has been unfolding for some time. I believe we all face this battle. When I reflect on this verse, I think “If my mind stays and works on things that are from above, then it is filled with what is good and there is no time left for the things of the world.”

Our whole life is for the Lord’s honor and glory. Sometimes we fail, sometimes we judge, but only God is the true judge, and this Judge gave us such grace by sending Jesus to die on the cross in our place.

This is my prayer: Father, I ask you for forgiveness because I sin, but I thank you for your mercy, Lord. I give you my life. I thank you for reaching so many sisters and as long as I live, I believe in your healing. I thank you for the sisters who pray for me, Lord, because I believe in the power of prayer. In the name of Jesus, amen.

A good way to occupy your thoughts with things above is to ask yourself: What do I love to do for the Lord? In my case, it is working with the little ones; playing with them, doing theater, and making fun classes. And you? What is your gift? Invest in it. That's your TALENT. Do you remember this beautiful parable? To each is given their talent, and the one who multiplies it hears, “Well done, good and faithful servant! You have been faithful with a few things; I will put you in charge of many things. Come and share your master's happiness!” (Mt 25:21).

May our thoughts remain on things above. And what are these things? These would be things that involve the Lord, His church, the brotherhood, widows, and orphans, as this is true religion (Jas 1:27). When we help with visits, women's classes, coffee and tea for church events, and preparing the Lord’s Supper, we are taking care of things from above.

“But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, forbearance, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control. Against such things there is no law” (Gal 5:22-23). I would like to highlight one of the fruits of the spirit, kindness, and talk about a brother, Fonseca, the greatest example of kindness I have ever seen on earth. He fought the good fight and left a legacy, three daughters and his wife, with the same good heart. With my own eyes, I saw him buy a bag of food and give it to a family who needed it. His kindness was always immense. Anyone who knew him has to hold back tears when talking about him. “Let us not become weary in doing good, for at the proper time we will reap a harvest if we do not give up. Therefore, as we have opportunity, let us do good to all people, especially to those who belong to the family of believers” (Gal 6:9-10).

We must always do good to everyone, especially those in the family of faith (Gal 6:10). In fact, it is something which should not need to be mentioned it should be inherent to who we are like in the stadiums where the Japanese collect the garbage without anyone asking.

And think of Jesus, who had all the fruit of the Spirit? With His kindness and mercy, after a life of sacrifice, He died for me and for you. May we keep our minds on things above in preparation for His return!

Written byLiliana Henríquez, volunteer for Iron Rose Sisters Ministries in Colombia

One of the most challenging tasks for a human being is to let go of egocentrism and adopt a position of total surrender to God. We mistakenly believe we are all-powerful, but the truth is that nothing moves without God’s will.

When we look at the life of Jesus, we see that He was obedient in everything, even though, humanly speaking, He faced the unimaginable pain of crucifixion. Who would willingly offer himself to endure such intense physical suffering as dying on a cross? Jesus did! And because of this, you and I don’t have to pay for our sins—we have eternal life. In the pivotal moment of His death, Jesus fully surrendered to God and His will, saying, “Father, into Your hands I commit My spirit” (Lk 23:46, NIV).

In our daily lives, we must “crucify ourselves” repeatedly, or in other words, set aside our own desires and make sacrifices for a higher good. 

We set aside our desires to prioritize those of our partner...

We set aside our rest to choose to play with our children...

We set aside our comfort to serve others with love...

We set aside what we want and focus on fulfilling God’s calling for our lives.

In the spiritual realm, things operate under the principle of total surrender to God. Those of us who have accepted Christ as Lord understand that we no longer live to satisfy our own desires, but to fulfill Christ’s (Gal 2:20). We know that those who want to be exalted must humble themselves. Those who want to be served must serve. Those who want to be loved must love. Those who want to receive must give.

This doesn’t mean we always agree with God’s plans. Often, we don’t. In fact, many times, we feel upset because we don’t understand why He asks us to do things that seem “illogical” or outside our comfort zone. However, a true servant of God surrenders because she knows WHOM she is serving and follows the example of Jesus on the cross saying, “Father, if you are willing, take this cup from me; yet not my will, but yours be done” (Lk 22:42).

A true servant does her part with a surrendered heart and in complete obedience to God—and lets God be God. We don’t need to understand everything God does, but we do need to do everything He calls us to because that’s the commitment we made when we decided to be His disciples.

Is your life fully surrendered to the will of God?

Written byMichelle J. Goff, Founder and Executive Director of Iron Rose Sister Ministries in Arkansas 

The first time I heard the phrase “She did what she could”, I thought it was a placating remark delivered with a shrug of the shoulders and an “oh well” attitude. When I learned it was a Bible verse, then the context of the verse, not to mention the way in which Jesus honored this woman’s actions, “She did what she could” became a frequently repeated phrase filled with depth of meaning.

This story is told in all four of the gospels. John reveals the woman’s name (12:3); while in the other three, she remains anonymous. Let’s read Mark’s account:

While he was in Bethany, reclining at the table in the home of Simon the Leper, a woman came with an alabaster jar of very expensive perfume, made of pure nard. She broke the jar and poured the perfume on his head.

Some of those present were saying indignantly to one another, “Why this waste of perfume? It could have been sold for more than a year’s wages and the money given to the poor.” And they rebuked her harshly.

“Leave her alone,” said Jesus. “Why are you bothering her? She has done a beautiful thing to me. The poor you will always have with you, and you can help them any time you want. But you will not always have me.She did what she could. She poured perfume on my body beforehand to prepare for my burial. Truly I tell you, wherever the gospel is preached throughout the world, what she has done will also be told, in memory of her.”(Mk 14:3-9 NIV)

She did what she could. She honored Jesus by anointing Him as the perfect lamb sacrifice.

Jesus could’ve used the same expression when He chastised the rich, honoring the poor widow who put two small coins into the offering.

No one can do it all. It takes everyone doing their part. God created us to be different members of the body with Christ as the head (1Co 12). Paul states to the Ephesians that the body cannot function well unless “each part does its work” (Eph 4:16).

It is easy for us to fall into the comparison trap because we wish we could serve, give, pray, teach, or sing like someone else. She did what she could.

To practice like wise women is to do what we can, when we can, to the best of our ability, through Him who gives us strength (Php 4:13). We are merely instruments in the Lord’s hands to bring about His good and perfect will. 

There is grace in the expression, “She did what she could,” because God did not call me to do what He called that woman over there to do. It is up to her to be obedient to our heavenly Father and do what she can do. 

Throughout the seasons of my life, my actions of obedience and submission, sacrifice, and service have looked very different. As they should. My 13-year-old self did what she could by dying to herself and putting on Christ in baptism, proclaiming Him to be the Lord of my life. My 26-year-old self moved to Venezuela to live and work with a new church plant as a missionary. My 36-year-old self quit her job, sold her house, and launched Iron Rose Sister Ministries. 

Those are the “glory stories” of when I did what I could—the leaps of faith and steps of obedience. The highlight reel may look amazing, but it does not reflect, for example, the difficulty of getting out of bed on time each Sunday morning to make it to church. “She did what she could” sometimes faces the frustration of a never-ending checklist, an ill-spoken word, a forgotten birthday, a missed opportunity, a sin committed, or precious time wasted.

God’s mercies are new every morning. Great is His faithfulness! His Son already did what He could and paid the price as the perfect sacrifice (Ro 5:6-11). It is now our privilege and honor to do our part in the Kingdom. 

Sisters, during this month, let’s do what we can— whether in our relationships with God or with one another, through greater involvement with Iron Rose Sister Ministries, by organizing a fundraising event to benefit our Ambassadors Program, starting a new small group… the possibilities are endless! We invite you to hear the words Jesus spoke to honor His precious daughter in Mark 14:8, “She did what she could.”

What is God calling you to do?

How can we encourage or equip you to “do what you can do”?

Is there a thorn hindering you from doing what you can? 

Reach out to an Iron Rose Sister and work together to do what you can!

Written by Jocelynn Goff, volunteer with Iron Rose Sister Ministries and mother of Michelle J. Goff

When Jesus was asked what is the greatest command, He replied, “Love the LORD your God with all your heart, and with all your soul and with all your mind and with all your strength” (Mk 12:30 NIV).

If this is the greatest command, how do we keep the commitment to do this day in and day out, moment by moment? For this blog, I’m going to focus on just the strength aspect of this command.

When I’ve taken personality tests, I usually test very high for loyalty. This can make my strength of commitment in some areas easier, as it’s more natural for me. However! There are still people and situations where my loyalty personality trait will never be enough. Then I am challenged to need help to keep my commitment and sometimes quite honestly my sanity as well.

In situations such as this, how do I keep my commitment? Where do I draw my commitment from? My answer should always be that I look to the LORD and His Word because He promises to answer. This promise is found in Psalms 29:11, “The LORD gives strength to his people; the LORD blesses his people with peace.”

As a matter of fact, He is looking for those to whom to give His strength. I find this promise in 2 Chronicles 16:9: “For the eyes of the LORD range throughout the earth to strengthen those whose hearts are fully committed to him.”

So, my first thought and action should be to look to my LORD for strength. He promises it to me as His child and I should take advantage of that fact and depend on it, especially, as my own strength is often not enough to meet the challenge of commitment to love my LORD with all my heart, soul, mind, and strength. My own heart, soul, mind, and strength will fail. A Biblical example of this is Peter. Jesus warns Peter that his commitment will fail, but gives him hope. This hope is expressed in Luke 22:32 when Jesus says, “But I have prayed for you, Simon, that your faith may not fail. And when you have turned back, strengthen your brothers.” Peter was tested and failed but Jesus knew he’d turn back. Then Jesus gave Peter a job to do—to strengthen his brothers.

Also, we can have trusted, Godly friends to help strengthen us. As I become aware of a deficit in my strength, I can ask for help from a trusted prayer warrior friend. However, it’s easy to reach out to that friend first before I reach out in prayer for God’s strength. So recently I’ve been challenging myself to pray first about a situation before I call one of my prayer warrior friends. This puts me in the right frame of mind, directs my focus and perspective, and gives me His wisdom and His perspective. Just as Peter was urged to do, my friends can help strengthen me but I’ve made it a priority to seek The LORD first before reaching out to my friends. After all, it’s His strength and energy that I need. Colossians 1:29 speaks of “…strenuously contend[ing] with all the energy Christ so powerfully works in me.”

The apostle Paul understood where his ability to be content in any and every situation came from when he said, “I can do all this through him who gives me strength” (Php 4:13).

When I receive His strength to fulfill my commitment, then I’m rejoicing. I’m writing it in my journal. I’m telling my God story to others. I’m singing much as 1 Chronicles 16:9 says, “Sing to him, sing praise to him; tell of all his wonderful acts.” Specific songs that come to mind include the lyrics of The Goodness of God by Jenn Johnson and Bethel Music. “All my life You have been faithful. All my life You have been so, so good. With every breath that I am able I will sing of the goodness of God.” Another one is Everlasting God written by Chris Tomlin. “Strength will rise as we wait upon The Lord, wait upon the Lord.”

What are the challenges that are weakening your strength of commitment to our LORD? Remember, the promise in Psalms 29:11, “The LORD gives strength to his people.” So, He’s ready, willing, and faithful to provide the strength you need.

Written by Eliuth de Valencia, volunteer with Iron Rose Sister Ministries in Colombia

Some events that come our way are outside of our plans. In my case—my conversion, my marriage, my help in the ministry, living in a foreign land—none of these were planned, although I desired to do everything right. Throughout my 43 years, when I have been troubled and doubtful, I kept a strong conviction that God was in control.

Scripture doesn't give us much information about David’s circumstances when he wrote Psalm 37, but we can be sure he felt his enemies were winning. Throughout much of the Psalm, the shepherd-king seems to be reflecting on the consequences that will come to the wicked. In verse 5 of Psalm 37, he gives us an answer to what we can do to secure this promise: "Commit your way to the Lord; trust in him, and he will act" (ESV).

This causes me to reflect on the moments of unexpected pain and uncertainty which have strengthened my commitment to Christ so much that they cultivated a peaceful heart in the midst of a turbulent world. I hope you can develop such meditation in this psalm so that these thoughts will be a part of you as you surrender your plans to God.

Surely, when we look around and see the wickedness of this world, we see evildoers. You may see their actions when you watch or listen to the news, at home, at work, or even at church. Are there evildoers in the church? Unfortunately, there are. In my observation, there are people who, instead of centering their lives on Christ, do what they want, even bad and sinful things. So what do we do?

I recognize that this passage is about those of us who are prone to anger, hyperventilation, stress, and anxiety. Suddenly, a kind of anger begins to boil within me that, if I don't handle it God's way, can express itself in ways of speaking and acting that are not pleasing to the Lord. "To be easily irritated can lead me to do evil" (Ps. 37:8 paraphrased).

If you become irritated in response to evil, you can become an evildoer, just like the one who caused you the initial irritation. We want to avoid acting in the same way that people who irritate us do. Then David tells us:

"Fret not yourself" (v.1) Instead, we should look up to God.
"Trust in the Lord and do good" (v.3).
"Commit your way to the Lord" (v.5). He will act on our behalf.
"Trust quietly in the Lord and wait patiently for him." Verses 5, 6, 7, and 8 again talk about looking up.

With a firm resolution not to be irritated and a future full of confidence in the actions of my Lord, whether here on earth or on the day of judgment, all wrongs will be corrected. Things are going to work out. They're going to change in God's timing. God is in control.

"Fret not yourself because of evildoers." Don't stress. “Be not envious of wrongdoers" (v.1), "For they will soon fade like the grass" (v.2). “For the evildoers shall be cut off, but those who wait for the Lord shall inherit the land” (v.9).

Notice the contrast between the future of evildoers and the future of the meek and righteous. What is the psalmist saying? You don't just have to look up; you have to look forward—the promise may be delayed. Think long-term about God's sovereignty and plans. Look to the future. Don't just look at the here and now. Look forward by faith, and God tells you what He will do.

And, by the way, you should look into your heart if you find yourself making bad choices or living an evil, ungodly, sinful life. If your life is not committed to Christ and you resist His lordship in any area of your life, then you are living wickedly. If we don’t repent and accept His grace, things look grim for our future.

But Psalm 37 is a very encouraging passage for those being crushed by the wicked today. Keep your eyes on the goal. Remember what's going to happen. This will help you not get irritated, but trust in the Lord. Remember, looking at life from the perspective of eternity helps us face and endure the hardships and injustices of this life.

Grace and peace.

Written by Jelin Robles, volunteer with Iron Rose Sister Ministries in Campo Grande, Brazil

For though we live in the world, we do not wage war as the world does. The weapons we fight with are not the weapons of the world. On the contrary, they have divine power to demolish strongholds. We demolish arguments and every pretension that sets itself up against the knowledge of God, and we take captive every thought to make it obedient to Christ. (2Co 10:3-5 NIV)

In 2 Corinthians 10:5 the apostle Paul talks about submitting every thought to obedience to Christ, and he demonstrates this through his life.

Reading the previous verses, we see that Paul defends his authority as an apostle to the church in Corinth. Even though some judge him, he explains that he is not walking in a worldly way, as some had the audacity to say, but even if he did walk in the flesh he would not act in the same way.

Whatever has been said or done against the gospel, our weapons are powerful in God, destroying every stronghold. But how should we proceed? God does His part and tells us that for our part we must take our thoughts captive in obedience to God, and God will provide help.

As Christians we must obey, but with love.

The Lord Jesus teaches us in Luke 6:45 “A good man brings good things out of the good stored up in his heart, and an evil man brings evil things out of the evil stored up in his heart. For the mouth speaks what the heart is full of.” Whatever is in our hearts, that is what our mouths will speak. The heart is also a reference to our minds. In Proverbs 4:23 we find this instruction: “Above all else, guard your heart, for everything you do flows from it.” We learn how important it is to be careful about what we think because our life is directed by our thoughts. Linking the two texts, we understand that thoughts leave the mind (or heart as the Jews called it) as the words we speak.

Finally, brothers and sisters, whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable—if anything is excellent or praiseworthy—think about such things. (Php 4:8)

In this verse, we are instructed as to the kind of thoughts that should occupy our minds. In fact, we know that if the Holy Spirit is not with us, we will not be able to fulfill this mission. And once we understand that it is our mind that directs the choices we make in our lives, we will fill our minds with everything that is good and praiseworthy, that is, everything that is true, worthy, correct, pure, pleasant, and decent.

In my Christian walk, submitting my thoughts in obedience to Christ has never been easy, and I still work on it. God is transforming me to take all my thoughts captive, as Paul teaches us, and I know that the weapons of our spiritual army are powerful in God.

God bless, and may He continue transforming the lives of all of us. Hugs!

Written byAnn Thiede, volunteer with Iron Rose Sister Ministries in Searcy, Arkansas

Set a guard over my mouth, LORD; keep watch over the door of my lips. (Ps 141:3 NIV)

Ten years ago, I joined a Beth Moore scripture memory challenge, wanting to grow more into a wise woman of faith. The verse above was my first choice. You’ve probably heard the expression “bite your tongue!”. If you examined mine closely, you’d see it’s pretty ragged. I feel at times the verse should say, “set a lock on my mouth”! 

The apostle James dedicated half of chapter three in his New Testament letter, spelling out in graphic language the danger of the tongue. I encourage you to read the whole chapter. It is Holy Spirit truth worth heeding. Verses eight and nine say the following:

But no human being can tame the tongue. It is a restless evil, full of deadly poison. With the tongue we praise our Lord and Father, and with it we curse human beings, who have been made in God’s likeness.

So, is there hope for a wise woman to tame her tongue? Yes, but let’s first delve into his words. 

I’ve fallen into the “deadly poison” trap with gossip. Once, a very dear friend stopped me in my tracks when I started to tell her something about someone. She said, “Do I need to hear this?” I’ve seen and participated first-hand in gossip that hurt relationships, and it’s a “thorn”; a temptation from the evil one, and I do not want him having his way! Better to set a guard on my mouth and use it productively. 

Jesus gives us wise words for relationship repair: 

 Therefore, if you are offering your gift at the altar and there remember that your brother or sister has something against you, leave your gift there in front of the altar. First go and be reconciled to them; then come and offer your gift.(Mt 5:23-24)

Reconciliation presents a healthy, healing way to use the tongue. Getting our hearts right with others gets our hearts right with God more than any offering we could give Him. I’ve experienced others coming to me with a grievance, and thank Jesus for supplying the humility and openness to accept whatever needed to be acknowledged. I’ve also gone to others asking forgiveness for what I believed to be a wrong done with my tongue or actions. It clears the air, leaving no room for the evil one to produce resentment or bitterness.

Another deadly poison of the tongue is cursing instead of blessing. I may not use curse words, but if you looked in my mind sometimes when aggravated, it wouldn’t be pretty, and it would be much easier for unkind words to slip out. Looking at others like Jesus would, not superficially, helps me lift up prayers for their good instead of cursing. Paul said it this way right after calling us to live no longer for ourselves, but for Jesus: “So from now on we regard no one from a worldly point of view” (2Co 5:16a). Once, I saw a woman screaming at her young children in the grocery store. My first impulse was worldly and judgmental. Thankfully, the Holy Spirit reminded me that I did not know her circumstances, her background, or anything about her, which helped me to pull the “thorn” out of my heart and avoid unkind words.

To help us ‘dig deeper’, Jesus says: “For the mouth speaks what the heart is full of” (Mt 12:34b). It would do well for us to meditate on these words of David, a man after God’s own heart: “Search me, God, and know my heart…” (Ps 139:23a). “Open my lips, Lord, and my mouth will declare Your praise” (Ps 51:15). “Let the words of my mouth and the meditation of my heart be acceptable in Your sight, O Lord, my Rock and my Redeemer” (Ps 19:14 ESV). James encourages us to “be quick to listen, slow to speak, and slow to become angry”(Jas 1:19 NIV).

As you look over these thoughts and scriptures, what will help you become a wiser woman of God, blooming and growing in your quest to tame the tongue? I hope you’ll share with another sister in Christ and encourage one another.

Written by Rianna Elmshaeuser, volunteer with Iron Rose Sister Ministries in Colorado

Imagine one fine day you are taking a walk and come across a dog in pitiful circumstances. He’s starved and filthy. His hair is patchy and his neck is swollen and dirty because of the chain around it that’s attached to a large steel stake in the middle of a patch of dirt that passes for a yard. Your heart is moved to help this pitiful creature so you knock on the door of the owner and offer to buy the dog. The price is steep, but you gladly pay it to rescue the poor creature. On your way home, you come across a lovely park so you take the chain off your new dog’s neck and set him free. Now that he's free of the chain and his terrible master, you leave the dog at the park and hope he lives a happy life from now on.

That would be absurd! Jesus does not do that with us either. He didn’t redeem us from slavery to sin and then set us free to figure out the rest on our own. Romans 8:6-7 (NIV) says,

The mind governed by the flesh is death, but the mind governed by the Spirit is life and peace. The mind governed by the flesh is hostile to God; it does not submit to God’s law, nor can it do so.

Just as you would take your new dog into your home and treat his wounds, feed him food, give him a safe place to live, teach him how to behave, and show him real love, Jesus does the same for us. Saving us from our sins entails so much more than confessing Him as Lord and getting baptized.

Jesus sent the Holy Spirit to guide us and help us grow into a Spirit-led life. This process can be excruciating at times. Facing my problems and negative behaviors, and having the humility to realize I needed to change certain things has been a long and often lonely journey. Even more painful can be embracing who God created me to be. At this stage in my life, I have learned to trust Him and bit by bit have been growing into who He wants me to be. I am so grateful for that growth and change.

Of course, I still make mistakes but rather than berating myself and losing nights of sleep, I can make it right and move on. I have learned to see people more like God sees them; that includes myself. To be totally honest, as I write this, I am at a low point. Experience has taught me that I am not here alone. Jesus is my Savior constantly, not just for the forgiveness of my sins. Zach Williams sings, “It might feel like Friday, but your Sunday’s coming.” Before Jesus rose from the grave, there were some dark, dark days when all felt lost. God has plans that we can’t see or understand. Even when it is dark, we can cling to Jesus’ hand and trust that He will bring us through it.

As Paul writes in 2 Corinthians 12:9, “But he said to me, ‘My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.’” If we were always strong and never down, we would have no need of Jesus. God uses our weaknesses to bring us closer to Him and to each other. I have learned that my weakness gives me compassion for the weakness of others. How can I judge and condemn when I myself am broken? I may be traveling through darkness right now, but “even the darkness is not dark to [God]; the night is as bright as the day, for darkness is as light with you” (Ps 139:12 ESV).

God continues to save us from our sins, from ourselves, and from Satan again and again and again as long as we follow Him.

“There is therefore now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus” (Ro 8:1).

Written by Kathy Reagan, volunteer with Iron Rose Sister Ministries in Arkansas

Rejoice in the Lord always, again I will say rejoice!


Philippians 4:4 (ESV)

God’s Word, in this passage and other places, tells us that as daughters of the King, it is His will that we live joyful, fulfilled, abundant lives here on earth.

But sometimes, it can be difficult to rejoice, can’t it? So how can we rejoice at those times?

I think one answer to that question can be found in 1 Thessalonians 5:16-18: “Rejoice always, pray without ceasing, give thanks in all circumstances, for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you.”

When we are prayerful and thankful, we are happy and rejoicing.

Giving thanks to God is a mindset.

• Check our focus. We know that whatever we focus on tends to grow bigger and bigger in our lives. Colossians 3:2 tells us “Set your mind on things that are above, not on things that are on earth.” When we’re thinking about heaven and serving the King during our time here on earth, we are thankful and rejoicing.
• Be aware of our enemy’s schemes. He wants us complaining, feeling sorry for ourselves, blaming others, and blaming God. “Your adversary the devil prowls around like a roaring lion, seeking someone to devour” (1Pe 5:8). But our Father’s will for us is to “Do all things without grumbling or disputing, that you may be blameless and innocent children of God…” (Php 2:14-15a). When we are following His directions, we are thankful and happy.
• Train ourselves. We humans naturally tend to see the negatives, hear the negatives from others, and sometimes even imagine negative things that are not necessarily even there. However, with training and practice we can develop a habit of turning the negatives into positives. God calls us to grow and strive for maturity in the faith (2Pe 3:18) so that we can eat solid spiritual food and not just milk. “But solid food is for the mature, for those who have their powers of discernment trained by constant practice to distinguish good from evil.” (Heb 5:14). We train ourselves each time we purposefully choose to take a negative thing and look for the positive so we can give thanks to God for it.

Recognize that we are swimming in blessings!

• It’s a matter of perspective. Proverbs 27:7 says, “One who is full loathes honey, but to one who is hungry, everything bitter is sweet.” When the enemy invites us to recount all our woes, we can be tempted to just give in and have our own little pity party. But we don’t have to give him the victory! Even in the midst of mourning or terrible tribulation, it is possible to rejoice in thanksgiving because we know heaven is our home at the end of the road here on this earth. We know we have the Spirit inside us, guiding us, strengthening us, and comforting us. We know who we are and Whose we are.

Sing out our thanksgiving to God.

• James 5:13b says “Is anyone cheerful? Let him sing praise!” I’m frankly not sure if we sing because we are cheerful or if we become cheerful by singing—maybe a bit of both. I love to sing praise and often wake up with a song in my heart. But in the past, I have purposely sung praise when I was very downcast, and God has always blessed my effort to praise Him. We can always find something to thank Him for, and it is a delight to think of our praise rising to God like a pleasant aroma in His nostrils.

It's been a little over three years now since my godly husband of 47 years passed away suddenly from Covid. God is the one who carried me through that unthinkable time. He surrounded me with loved ones who helped lift me up and bear my burdens. And now He has blessed me beyond measure by gifting me a godly man to walk with me over the finish line of life! We have been married a few months now and we enjoy praying and singing praise. (He is a wonderful tenor!) So, I can truthfully say at this time in my life that I am singing this prayer with David:

You have turned for me my mourning into dancing; You have loosed my sackcloth and girded me with gladness, that my soul may sing praise to You and not be silent. Oh Lord, my God, I will give thanks to You forever. (Ps 30:11-12)

It is much easier to overflow with thanksgiving in the good times. But as daughters of the King, it IS possible (no matter what the enemy says) to rejoice even in terrible tribulation and mourning.

Sisters, allow me to invite you to focus on thanksgiving in the good and the bad times and watch how our Father delights in blessing us with joy.

Song of praise: God is so good 

Written by Karla Cass, volunteer with Iron Rose Sister Ministries in Colorado

As a therapist I see clients riddled with anxiety walk in and out of my office daily. Anxiety among our nation’s children and youth is at an all-time high. The current generation is one of the most anxious generations in history, but Christ calls us to something different. Philippians 4:6-7 (ESV) tells us,

Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be known to God. And the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and minds in Christ Jesus.

As I ponder this verse, I am taken back to a time when I felt the most anxiety in my own life and when I felt I had very little to be thankful for. In a world full of things that can make us anxious, how can we be obedient to scripture and allow “the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding” to enter our lives?

The Trial
Dear sisters, I will confess that I often struggle with God’s timeline, which has been a main source of my anxiety in the past. I had a particularly difficult time with God’s timing in the spring of 2018. My husband and I were blessed with a beautiful baby girl the day before Christmas in 2014. We discussed expanding our family and I had a definite vision for what our family should look like. After two years of trying to have additional children, we turned to medical professionals for guidance. Right before Easter I received an infertility diagnosis and was told my eggs were of “poor quality.” The irony was not lost on me that while the world was decorated with brightly colored eggs, I was told mine were old and dusty! In a moment, the vision of my family was demolished along with my faith. The enemy used this news to separate me from God and increase my anxiety and depression. I found it very hard to be thankful for any of the numerous gifts God had previously blessed us with. My anxiety about our future and what our family would look like increased daily, and I lost faith in what I had always believed in: that God was always working for our good. Yet despite my attitude and lack of faith, He was still working on my behalf. God continued to work things out for our good and for the good of others because He can see vastly more for our lives than we ever can.

God Never Fails
During 2020, I was blessed with the opportunity to start a support group along with some church friends for women also going through infertility. We were able to lift one another up, support each other, and point one another to Christ. God used my difficult circumstances to bring myself and others closer to Him. In January of 2021, God exceeded every expectation and we found out we were pregnant with our son. He was the perfect addition to our family at just the right time. Through this trial, God worked things out for our greater good and gave me the privilege to serve others walking a similar path.

When we face great trials, how can we increase our gratitude and decrease anxiety about the future?

Relying on the Spiritual Disciplines
I found three spiritual disciplines helpful in drawing me closer to Him and increasing my faith in a time of difficulties.

1 - Keeping a daily gratitude journal helped me focus on the things God had given me and see that He has a perfect plan for my life and gives me exceedingly more than I could hope or pray for.

2 - The spiritual discipline of silence and solitude helped me to drown out the thoughts and opinions of this world and keep my eyes on Christ and what He wanted for my life. It made me carve out time for prayer and supplication. Through this practice, I was able to meditate on scripture and decrease comparison, jealousy, and anxiety which were robbing me of the joy God wanted for me.

3 - Lastly, I increased my time in the Word and was devoted to the memorization of scripture to combat anxious thoughts used by the enemy to make me doubt God and His will for my life.

Though my struggle with infertility was difficult, God used this time to increase my faith and draw me closer to Him. What spiritual disciplines can you incorporate in your daily life to stop the cycle of anxiety and start living the full life God wants for you?

Written by Ann Thiede, volunteer with Iron Rose Sister Ministries in Arkansas

I grew up going to one of two churches in our small community. The church was the building. Church also was something that happened on Sundays in the sanctuary of the building. Church did not happen downstairs in the large area with the coke machine— just get-togethers with people who went to that church.

Church had importance, yes, but not enough to cause me to continue going when on my own in college. However, when my serious search for truth began, I went to one right off the university campus. The yearning intensified as I read the gospels, and reached a climax when I surrendered to Christ and shared in His death, burial, and resurrection through baptism.

The people in that church welcomed me warmly and attendance became a priority. It changed from “I have to go to church” to “I get to go to church!” The more I read the New Testament, the more I realized my view of church was misconstrued. It wasn’t the building; it was the people who surrendered to Jesus as Lord and Savior. I found answers to questions of faith and the church within its pages. Learning occurred every time the Bible was opened. I discovered the Acts of the Apostles—all about the beginning of the church and the believers' excitement to share the Good News about Jesus’s death and resurrection. What a great accounting! I strongly encourage you to read or reread Acts with fresh eyes.

In the Apostle Paul’s first letter to the Christians in Corinth, he paints a detailed picture of the church in chapter 12, referring to it as the body of Christ. Here is a portion:

Just as a body, though one, has many parts, but all its many parts form one body, so it is with Christ. For we were all baptized by one Spirit so as to form one body—whether Jews or Gentiles, slave or free—and we were all given the one Spirit to drink. Even so the body is not made up of one part but of many. (1Co 12:12-14 NIV)

It meant so much realizing I was part of Jesus’s body here on earth, His representative! Paul speaks as well to the church at Rome with these words:

For just as each of us has one body with many members, and these members do not all have the same function, so in Christ we, though many, form one body, and each member belongs to all the others. We have different gifts, according to the grace given to each of us. (Ro 12:4-6a)

“Each member belongs to all the others.” That is a radical concept. The church is not meant just to be Sunday worship, but members caring about each other daily, even as we care about the parts of our own body — all new to self-centered me. Over the years, I learned valuable and sometimes hard lessons in each church made up of gifted but imperfect people. One lesson: “Bloom where you’re planted.” Struggling to make connections within a large church, I began grumbling until hearing this: “What are you going to do about it?” So I began reaching out to unfamiliar people and hoping to meet visitors. Some new families became our lifelong friends. I also became part of a prayer chain. With joy, I met members we had prayed for when they recovered and returned to worship. Becoming an active part of a small group provided ways to encourage and be encouraged.

For fifty years within various bodies, God has patiently taught me. My first church had many who were gifted in sharing the Good News with others, and teachers who made the Scriptures, both Old and New Testaments, come alive in powerful and often convicting ways, increasing my love for the Word and a deeper love for God and others. In other churches I have been blessed to learn from those gifted with serving, praying, showing hospitality, giving, showing mercy, humbly leading, and encouraging others, to name a few. Sometimes God has allowed me to look back from wobbly steps in sharing my faith or encouraging others to a greater working of His Spirit. Always it is He who works in us for His good pleasure (Php 2:13). Above all, may love be our motivation as Paul admonishes in 1 Corinthians 13.

How are you blooming where you’re planted? The Holy Spirit excludes no one. You are of great value in the body!

Written by Chrystal Goff, volunteer with Iron Rose Sister Ministries in Arkansas, and sister of Michelle J. Goff

“… The life I now live in the body, I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me…” (Gal 2:20b NIV)

Faith. In the Son of God.

If you met me today, you might not expect that I spent many years adamantly hating the God I thought was talked about in church. I remembered hearing as a kid that He was a jealous God, and we should fear him. That sounded scary to a little girl. Combine that with the fact that every relationship I’d been in had been jealous and abusive. Why would I want to worship a God who would hurt me too? Whenever my mom would tell me she was praying for me, I always said, “Don’t. He’s not a nice dude. Don’t say my name to Him. Don’t say His name to me either.”

While I was hating God and hating my name, He still loved me. Every day, I see different ways He is redeeming the scars of my life to bring others out of darkness and to bring Him glory. I live by faith in the Son of God who has been so gracious to set an example of humility. I live by faith in my Creator who provided for me and sheltered me—always—especially when I was hating who I thought He was.

Now, I’m Spirit-led.

I’m the youngest of four girls. Each of us has eight letters in our names; mom’s does too. There wasn’t intentionality for eight-lettered names until the third daughter. In deciding the fourth daughter’s name, continuity was expected. However, the popular secular eight-letter names weren’t popular with my family. Someone suggested “Chrystal, with an H” instead of the traditional Crystal spelling. Everyone loved it. Everyone except the fourth daughter.

Growing up, my sisters all called me “Chrys,” So when I started kindergarten and roll was called, I acknowledged my presence when “Chris” was called… and my presence was mocked for confusing my name with a boy’s name. Hating the name I was given began.

A few years ago, I asked my sister to teach me the Bible. She’s worked in campus ministry and has loved Jesus way longer than me. I figured she was a good one to ask because her calendar was constantly full of “Coffee and Bible” appointments with students, and I wanted to get on her schedule. Inside she was screaming, “Hallelujah!”, but on the outside, she didn’t want to scare away the curious lost sheep. Slowly, she began revealing ancient truths in Scripture.

The day we were studying Genesis 17 where the LORD established His covenant with Abram and changed his name to Abraham, my eyes were opened to how long God has been loving me. LORD in Hebrew is written as four consonants (YHWH). YHWH is the proper name for God. YHWH is the literal breath of life. Without vowels in the Hebrew translation for YHWH, the pronunciation was unknown.
YaH – inhale
WeH – exhale

YHWH—The LORD added an H to Abram’s name and to Sarai´s. He was giving Abram and Sarai a forever reminder of His presence and a promise of covenant to provide for and multiply Abraham and Sarah’s descendants.

I paused. Putting the pieces together. An H. There’s an H in my name. Pausing in my thought to open my mouth and half ask/half state that’s why there’s an H in my name, a realization hit me: He’s always been with me, even when I hated Him. My sister and I started crying as we let this acceptance of love to and from my Eternal Father wash over us.

Now I love my name. I celebrate it. More of my old self dies each day as I wake up new and excited for His mercies. I wake up and wonder where the LORD will have me share His many mercies and blessings in my life.

Written by Beliza Kocev, Brazil Coordinator for Iron Rose Sister Ministries

“…I was pouring out my soul to the Lord.”(1 Sa. 1:15b NIV)

Imagine something you really want. Now imagine that in addition to really wanting it, people expect it of you. On top of that, they think there is something wrong with you because you don’t have what you “should.” Imagine having someone make fun of you for this.

This was the life of Hannah. Her name means “favored,” which seems ironic in a time when infertility was shameful, not only for the woman, but also for the family. And on top of dealing with the pain of infertility, she was humiliated by Peninnah, her husband Elkanah’s other wife (1 Sa. 1:6). Peninnah’s provocations distressed Hannah. She would cry and not eat.

Every year Elkanah went with his wives to Shiloh, where there was a temple. And the story repeated itself every year: go to the temple, be provoked by Peninnah, cry, stop eating, and despite her husband’s attempt to comfort her, remain in the same condition (1 Sa. 1:7-8). He would try to satisfy her with good treatment, even being more generous with Hannah than with Peninnah, but he didn’t understand Hannah’s pain.

We don’t know how many years this process repeated itself. But throughout all of this, Hannah continued to share her anguish and pain with God. In one of these journeys to Shiloh, “Hannah got up. She was deeply distressed, and she cried bitterly as she prayed to the Lord” (1 Sa. 1:10 GNT). Hannah got up! Before the pain and anguish, the humiliation and the sadness, like Hannah, we need to seek God, as it is only Him who can give us relief and comfort our hearts. Often, there are times that we will not be able to get up on our own. For this reason, it is so important that we have sisters close to us to share our pain and to battle with us in prayer.

One of the interesting things about Hannah’s prayer is that she was specific in her request. Hannah knew herself, and she had a clear understanding of what she longed in anguish for. She knew exactly what she wanted from God and made it clear that if her prayer was answered, she would dedicate her child to the Lord (1 Sa. 1:11).

When Eli the priest saw her, he thought she was drunk because she was only moving her lips as she prayed (1 Sa. 1:13-14). She explained her situation and shared the affliction that she was feeling. Eli responded: “Go in peace, and may the God of Israel grant you what you have asked of him” (1 Sa. 1:17 NIV).

After this prayer and the conversation with Eli, Hannah fed herself and her face even changed and became more expressive (1 Sa. 1:18). Hannah returned home and got pregnant! Imagine her joy! Have you ever received a blessing for which you had waited a long time? Remember your joy to get something that you waited for, prayed for, and asked of God, pouring out your heart? “I prayed for this child, and the Lord has granted me what I asked of him” (1 Sa. 1:27).

Hannah fulfilled her vow. After Samuel was weaned, she took him to the temple. She received the long-awaited blessing, but remembered that everything we have should be used for the Kingdom of God. After the humiliation, shame, and anguish, she was able to sing and praise with thanksgiving for the grace she received. She proclaimed out loud what the Lord did. “There is no one holy like the Lord; there is no one besides you; there is no Rock like our God” (1 Sa. 2:2).

Hannah’s example teaches us the important lesson of how prayer is a powerful weapon: bending our knees and lifting our voices to God is something Jesus taught us and gave as an example. We should persevere in prayer!

Hannah’s was a bitter prayer that created within her a deep realization of her need to seek God. It was a prayer committed to consecrating to the Lord the blessing she received. We live in difficult times. May the Holy Spirit help us, like Hannah, persevere in prayer and remember our commitment to God.

Written by Katie Forbess, Board President of Iron Rose Sister Ministries in Missouri

You did not choose me, but I chose you and appointed you so that you might go and bear fruit—fruit that will last—and so that whatever you ask in my name the Father will give you.(Jn 15:16 NIV)

Iron Rose Sister Ministries actively does things to help women by equipping and encouraging them to grow closer to God and one another, bearing fruit that will last, and hearing their prayers along the way.

Last year, the theme of “Practice like a Wise Woman” shook the ministry and blessed it in ways never imagined. Thankfully, we trusted and sought wisdom, and we truly moved in the ways we felt God calling us. Not perfectly, but faithfully. 

That Godly wisdom brought us this year’s theme of “Bear Fruit,” which will touch many parts of our lives and relationships. Personally, I have come to define bearing fruit as this: When I am living in such a way that I am connected to God, like a healthy vine to the branches, and I allow God to work through me, fruit is produced.

While remaining in the love of God, I believe part of bearing fruit is the fruit of the Spirit in me, and another part is the sharing of the truth of the gospel of Christ to someone in a way that they become capable of reproducing that gospel themselves. And all future fruit will go on to do the same. The fruit of more disciples will last long past my time here on earth, and long past the people who know me or will even know about me. This fruit is eternal, so it will last in heaven. In the end, I believe we will all feel connected to the same Vine and the same roots and truly be one in Christ. 

On a personal level, as I look at this year, I see there will be a lot of changes, such as a son who will be graduating and going to college, a daughter who could be engaged by the end of the year, and another daughter who plans to start driving by the end of the month. There are always changes. There will be ups and downs. Joys and sorrows. The real question is: Will I bear fruit that lasts during these times?

I’m reminded of Abraham, whom God told that his family would be as numerous as the stars. It took a few failed attempts on Abraham's part and a baby born many generations later to completely fulfill that promise. That baby grew up to make disciples, died for the sins of the world, and then arose, sending all His disciples to go out and make disciples.

The fruit that God is asking me to bear is only possible through this blessing of Abraham’s descendent, Jesus Christ. Abraham could never have known how eternal his fruit would be. The fruit we bear is under God’s control, as well. I may never truly understand what will happen with the fruit He has called me to bear. What a blessing to be part of something so much bigger!

How can we bear fruit that will last during this time in our lives?

How can we trust God with the eternal impact of the fruit we will bear in His name?

Written by Johanna Zabala, volunteer with Iron Rose Sister Ministries in Venezuela

Humble yourselves before the Lord, and he will lift you up. (Jas 4:10, NIV)

The word humility connects me to the divinity of God. Today, I reflect on the depth of its meaning, which I have sought and seen so many times as I continually strive to live God’s purpose personally and spiritually.

I define humility as an act of the Spirit, which leads me to an attitude of the soul. Using the letters of the word, I break it down into the following characteristics:

       Honesty
       Unity
       Meekness
       Intelligence
       Loyalty
       Inclination (willingness)
       Tenderness (love)
       You serving the Heavenly Father

Each of the characteristics above has invited me, since the day I met Him, to stay in tune with Christ. By allowing me to be used by God, His beloved Son Jesus, and in the power of His Holy Spirit, I have seen His example of humility under submission, obedience, and continual awareness of putting the Father's will before my own, always with an eye toward the great goal that leads me to keep looking up to reach the prize of eternity.

I am also attentive to Peter’s admonition to “Humble yourselves, therefore, under God’s mighty hand, that he may lift you up in due time” (1Pe 5:6).

Therefore, being humble, in my experience, is a necessary spiritual action that undoubtedly brings me constantly into the presence of the Lord. In every area where I find myself, out there all around me, I require large portions of the Eternal Father's wisdom to be a humble child of God, chosen and called to service.

To be a child of God today, as the Bible says, is the greatest privilege I can have. It is a unique honor that has required in me great self-control.

At the beginning of my Christian life, I was filled with human pride, which counteracted humility in every situation. Many times, without realizing it, I felt self-sufficient, and my trajectory was more and more human than spiritual. I wanted to continue doing everything through my own strength rather than through God's. As time went by, I realized that I had to seek more vigorously at every moment the presence of God in everything, since only He knows and is capable of everything.

My first struggles, and the hardest, were with myself, thinking that I just needed to know that I had God, without the need to continue knowing Him fully. However, in those moments, the inner struggle of faith and humility had to continue to develop in me.

Through emotional trials of anxiety, later physical trials of sickness and loss, scarcity, and many more, and even wanting so many things in my timing and not in God's, He has allowed me to recognize, frontward and backward, the full authority of the Heavenly Father, the One who comes from above, for surely He alone is almighty, and in His infinite, true, and matchless mercy He will give me victory here on earth and there in heaven.

I have been able to experience the humility that God gives me in life through times of silence; in the solitude and peace of knowing Him in me, in wisdom, and in the prompt help that comes from Him. Humility is acknowledging His dominion, power, and glory forever.

So, I continue to fight to live consistently in the humility of God and not in the humility of humanity— to be able to live and make known the power of the Holy Spirit in the society in which I live. In this way, I intend to attain the wisdom of valuable and essential humility to arrive at eternal life with God.

We should not forget the beautiful examples and teachings of Jesus, who, with the power of the Holy Spirit, remained humble and overcame every trial and temptation, and we can also overcome them in His will. Are you humble today? Looking up to the eternal home? Do you radiate the humility of the Lord Jesus Christ here and now?

Written by Deanna Brooks, volunteer with Iron Rose Sister Ministries

2 Timothy 2:2 reads: “What you have heard from me in the presence of many witnesses entrust to faithful men, who will be able to teach others also” (ESV).

Paul is reaching the end of his life, and he wants this precious message to continue to be passed on. 

“Entrust” indicates responsibility and stewardship. “Faithful” means those who will treasure what they have and handle it as God intended. 

We, as disciples of Jesus, are the only way others will learn about Jesus and why He came to earth. We have been given a mission, and in John 15, Jesus shares His plans with His disciples. 

Jesus paints a word picture of Himself as the Vine and His disciples as the branches that bear the fruit. Some of His statements are:

Verse 2: “Every branch in me that does not bear fruit he takes away, and every branch that does bear fruit he prunes, that it may bear more fruit.”

Verse 4: “Abide in me, and I in you. As the branch cannot bear fruit by itself, unless it abides in the vine, neither can you, unless you abide in me.”

Verse 5: “Whoever abides in me and I in him, he it is that bears much fruit, for apart from me you can do nothing.”

Verse 8: “By this my Father is glorified, that you bear much fruit and so prove to be my disciples.”

Verse 16: “You did not choose me, but I chose you and appointed you that you should go and bear fruit and that your fruit should abide, so that whatever you ask the Father in my name, he may give it to you.”

When a branch bears fruit, it provides the way by which other fruit can be produced. The branch that does not bear fruit is considered dead.

If you have ever grown a garden or fruit trees, you know an important part of having a healthy plant is to cut off dead or diseased limbs, so they do not weaken the healthy branches. Likewise, Jesus says He will remove those branches that are not bearing fruit.

Some of Jesus’ last words were, “Go therefore and make disciples of all nations…” (Mt 28:19).

There is joy in seeing someone you have taught become a follower of Jesus. 

“Each one teach one” is a common saying among believers, indicating each of us is responsible for reaching someone who can then reach someone else, just as 2 Timothy 2:2 says. 

Teaching about Jesus should be a normal part of our lives. Deuteronomy 6:4-9 emphasizes the importance of teaching when you sit in your house and when you walk by the way, when you lie down, and when you rise.

Some ways to reach out to others are:

• Invite someone to VBS, gospel meetings, or a Bible study.
• Invite your friend for coffee and tell her you have good news you want to share… Then share your faith story and the path that led you to be a Christ follower (to discipleship).
• When you are with a friend, ask what she believes, then listen. Be ready to share your common beliefs, but if she mentions something not in Scripture, gently ask where she gets the authority for what she said.
• When you are asked a question, turn to Scripture instead of sharing your opinion.
• Stay “on target” in your study with others.

If you do not know how to teach someone, find a friend who does and ask them to help you learn.  It may be that you are like Andrew and can seek people out and invite them to a Bible class or worship services, leaving the more formal teaching to someone else. 

It is important to be alert and realize when a friend may be receptive. Life changes often create an interest that has not been present. When a new family moves into the neighborhood and is making new friends can be an excellent time to set up a study. 

For us, it is important to:

• know who our authority is.
• know what and why we believe.
• be willing to search if asked a question we don’t know.

Are you willing to put 2 Timothy 2:2 into practice in your life?

Written by Alessandra Cardoso, volunteer with Iron Rose Sister Ministries in Sergipe, Brazil

When we stop to think the only begotten Son of God, who came into the world in human form, dedicated His entire ministry to healing, saving, and loving the people around Him, we realize His greatness. He, who is the heir of God the Father, renounced His glory to be among us. With humility and love, He fed hungry people, cured the sick, and healed the hearts of many, including those needing spiritual health.

Nowadays it is difficult for us to understand such gestures of care and service when we look at them from our earthly perspective, but Jesus' greatest purpose on Earth was this: “…just as the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many” (Mt 20:28 NIV). Before delving deeper into this verse, I would like to define what the verb serve means: to work in favor of (someone, an institution, an idea, etc.).

Serving is a job, providing a service to something and/or someone, and may receive something in return (like a salary, for example) or simply be a voluntary act. In either case, serving is action. When examining the gospels, we observe Jesus Christ's attitude toward humanity; we see a lovable, docile, kind, compassionate, humble, and merciful man. However, when focusing within the gospels on the three years of His messianic ministry, we see that He proves His divine essence in the form of love and service.

There are countless ways to serve each other in the church of Christ— both our brothers and sisters in the church and those outside. We can actively participate in the congregation’s ministries (children, couples, benevolence, etc.), but we also have the opportunity to take part in the details that are not seen by the majority (preparing the Lord’s Supper, cleaning the building, maintenance, etc.), and we must serve with our wisdom, personal/professional experience, and advice. As Christian women, the range of services is diverse and each one can identify which one fits them best.

If we were to look for a source of inspiration and direction to follow, there is a perfect example of a SERVANT Jesus Christ, our Lord and Master (and by Lord, I mean that we are His slaves— He bought us at a high price). The interesting fact here is: our Lord is owner of the entire universe, Son of God, and our Savior. He became a servant in order to rescue and save many— to be an example for us to follow—because the disciple imitates his master. Therefore, if Christ submitted Himself to servitude willingly out of love for humanity, how can we, His disciples and slaves, not want to follow in His footsteps?

If we reflect deeply on our Christian duties, service is something indispensable for Christians. When done with sincerity and willingness, it has the potential to nourish our Spirit, strengthen interpersonal relationships, and improve our skills. Notably, it is also a huge gesture of love, obedience, and submission to God. When I think about service, I believe that the central point is LOVE, because if I am full of love in my heart, serving is not a burden, but rather a beautiful reflection of what we have within us: the overpowering light of Jesus Christ. Serving is loving. Whoever is full of love to give will certainly serve others with joy. Thinking further, all of this is the result of the fruit of the Spirit being developed and polished within each of us, day by day. It is the mission that Jesus left for us. It is and has always been His desire that serving was more important than being served. It denotes humility and subjection.

A beautiful example of how Jesus demonstrated that He came to serve and not be served is found in John 13:12-14 when Jesus washed the feet of His apostles. He teaches us about His character and, most importantly, gives us the precious lesson about humility connected to service. We often aim for big and flashy things in the church. However, as written in Mark 10:43, our goal should not be to have recognition and prestige— our goal is to simply be faithful servants of Christ Jesus!

I know in our Christian journey, we will have barriers to developing this service within the church. It will not always be the easiest or most fun thing to do. However, I want to encourage you to try. Start with something small and simple, and you can master easily. Remember that serving is: loving, imitating, and glorifying Jesus.

May we be servants of Christ. Amen!

Written by Sâmia Machado, volunteer with Iron Rose Sister Ministries in Brasilia, Brazil

We remember before our God and Father your work produced by faith, your labor prompted by love, and your endurance inspired by hope in our Lord Jesus Christ. (1Th 1:3 NIV)

Dear ones, the church of the Thessalonians was a model church for all times. In 1 Thessalonians 1:1-10, we see the success of the gospel and the faithfulness of that church, being the fruit of Paul's work accompanied by Silas and Timothy on his second missionary journey (Ac 15:36-18.23). In these chapters, we see their choice to serve by working together to preach the gospel of Christ.

Over the last three years, I have been able to learn from the Lord the meaning of the word service. Being a servant of the Lord means standing before Jesus with the desire and willingness to genuinely serve. So, if our willpower is weak, we have to exercise it, even if our bodies and minds say they don't have the willpower.

Paul was called to be an apostle and serve the Lord Jesus, having to renounce a lifetime of Jewish customs. As a servant with no choice of where to go, facing persecution, and eventually imprisoned, he happily writes his first letter to the Thessalonians.

Sisters, my family and I have been “on rough seas” since 2021 during my third pregnancy. I was pregnant with twins and lost one of them, leading to an early rupture of the membrane protecting José, the baby I was still carrying. This situation put me in the hospital at 25 weeks pregnant. I was able to maintain the pregnancy until the thirtieth week when the amniotic fluid emptied. Unable to wait any longer, my baby had to be delivered and taken straight to the ICU. In total, I was in the hospital for two and a half months, leaving my home in the care of the Lord with the help of my beloved husband, Emilson, until we were able to go home with our José Victor. I realized how intense the last two months and six days were, when I saw our three children together after so many weeks of absence. Unfortunately, José passed away due to a respiratory syndrome, as a result of a simple cold.

For me as a mother, experiencing that moment of sudden loss made me realize that I should accept God's sovereign will. The desire to give up was intense, but what about my two children who were still with me? And my home? Being in mourning and having to return to work which involved the direct care of mothers and newborns — all of this was part of that rough sea…

Being in the desert of the ICU and seeing God bring my reinvigorated little baby out of there, then going back to the ICU for the second time and leaving without my son alive, returning without a piece of me, was the biggest battle I had to fight against my own will. I had to take care of the home, be a present mother, and start to take care of the family again with this loss. After a few months, I had to return to work assisting with breastfeeding care at the Birth Center where I have worked since then. ii. My dedication to my children, Alice and Benjamin, had to primarily be the continuation of discipling them in the Word of the Lord.

Today, two years and four months after my José Victor's departure, I am inspired by Paul's letters when analyzing the path he followed to serve the Lord. Paul wrote Thessalonians, his first letter to that church, with enthusiasm and love for service. Amid the persecution of the Christians there, he encouraged those new to the faith who, even amid difficulties, did not stop preaching the gospel. Even those who were new to the faith were active in serving the Kingdom, putting into practice the teachings learned from the missionaries.

I refer to each family as a part of the Lord's church, each one being a part of the body that, when joined together, forms the church just as Thessalonica was: an example of a healthy body. Like them, we should also be committed to the gospel of Christ both in our church and in our homes, in any situation, even if there is persecution as there was in the early church.

May we be like the Thessalonian church; active in serving, which was what distinguished it as a model church through the preaching of the gospel throughout Macedonia and Achaia (1Th 1:7-8).

…your work produced by faith, your labor prompted by love, and your endurance inspired by hope in our Lord Jesus Christ. (1Th 1:3b)

Written by Elesa Goad Mason, volunteer with Iron Rose Sister Ministries in Texas

Ponder. To meditate and think with intent. Together with prayer, pondering can bring understanding of the ways of God.

It wasn’t until I became a mother that I really understood what the Bible meant when it said “Mary pondered…” There are moments in my children’s lives that I will never forget. Sounds of their voices that had meaning, requiring no words. Certain facial expressions. The innocent look as they slept with a slight hum when they exhaled. All etched in my memory because when I witnessed the beauty of my child, I deeply contemplated and pondered that moment; never wanting to forget the miracle of it all.

Forty years ago, I experienced the closest thing I’ve ever had to God writing on a wall to give me an answer to a deep and troubling question: should I or should I not marry? Making such an enormous decision to combine my life with another person forever brought me restless and sleepless nights. After one especially prayerful one, I felt drained and confused the next morning. I was puttering about doing a list of chores that were reserved for Saturdays. One of them was making a call to a number I didn’t know. In those days (1985) there were no cell phones or internet, so I grabbed a five-inch-thick book called The Yellow Pages. It was filled with ads for every business in the city of Denver. I stuck my thumb halfway through, opened it to a random page, and laid it on the table. I held my breath as my heart started beating rapidly in my chest.

Let me explain: to help navigate such a large conglomerate of advertisements, at the top of each page was the name of the first listing on that page, then a dash with the name of the last listing. After the prayerful night I had just experienced, my random toss had opened to “marriage-mason”. Let that sink in for a minute (and check out my last name)! The humorous side of me said, “ok God, how about two out of three?!”, but I cut out those two words and carried them in my wallet for over 20 years. Four children and four grandchildren later, this coming July will be our 40th Anniversary.

That was the last time God wrote on the wall for me. But there have been many other times that I had to search for ways to listen to what He was saying. Aside from all the typical means of listening to God: studying the Word, focused prayer with Him, and fellowshipping with Christians, I have found several other ways that help me feel the sense that God is speaking directly to me.

Music. I have written in previous blogs that music lifts my soul and comforts, inspires, and encourages me. You might question how God is speaking through the words of man, but frequently the right song will come across the radio at just the right time to fill my need. If that’s not God in control, then I don’t know what is.

Stillness. After I pray, particularly if I need comfort or direction from God, I find that sitting still can bring answers. After asking Him to help me, I owe Him a few minutes of thoughtful, quiet listening. The Psalmist said in 46:10, “Be still and know that I am God.” God wants me to know that He is strength. If He can protect His people (Israelites) from hostile forces, then I know He’s got me and my problems.

And finally, intentional listening. This is not the same to me as my quiet stillness. I am talking about listening to others and seeking out ways to treat my neighbor as myself. After all, that is the second greatest commandment according to Jesus (Mt 22:39).

Most of my deep connections have been with strangers, through whom I hear God when I actively try to listen. The thing about asking God for spiritual understanding and ways to be of greater service in His Kingdom is that He will always answer and present me with opportunities to show His love by making someone else’s way easier.

I promise if you fervently seek for ways to find Him, He will show you. He always does.