Iron Rose Sister Ministries

Written by Alina Muraru, volunteer with Iron Rose Sister Ministries in Romania 

We all know that prayer, the highest form of communication, is a privileged dialog between us and God, our Father who created us. What is unity? It is congruency between thoughts, feelings, will, words, and actions. In the past two years when I prayed to our Father, there were many times when I couldn't even utter the words because of the pain I was feeling inside.

I have no doubt that each one of us has faced different struggles—times that were handled easier/harder than others. During those hardships, I learned how important it is to be aware that God is always with me/us. Sometimes, so many times, we tend to forget, but even so, He is still with us, as stated in Matthew 28:20 NASB:

…and behold, I am with you always, to the end of the age”;and Deuteronomy 31:8: “And the Lord is the one who is going ahead of you; He will be with you. He will not desert you or abandon you. Do not fear and do not be dismayed.”

Yes, God is always with us, and when we are praying together in unity as sisters in Christ, we experience God's presence at a deeper level. As Matthew 18:20 says, "For where two or three have gathered together in My name, I am there in their midst.”

We also know from the Bible that we have access to His presence by reading Ephesians 3:12. "... in whom we have boldness and confident access through faith in Him,"and Psalm 133:1, "Behold, how good and how pleasant it is for brothers to live together in unity!"

Unity among His people is so important to God. It pleases Him when He sees His people dwelling together in unity. This is also of great importance when we pray together. It was significant when the apostles of Jesus prayed to God to show them who was the one God desired to replace Judas. We can read about this in the Book of Acts, chapter 1, verse 14. “They all joined together constantly in prayer, along with the women and Mary the mother of Jesus, and with his brothers.“

Christian unity is the result of God bringing together people of different backgrounds, ethnicities, and social classes into one family, or body, by faith in Christ.

“Now you are Christ’s body, and individually parts of it.”(1 Cor. 12:27)

For you are all sons and daughters of God through faith in Christ Jesus. For all of you who were baptized into Christ have clothed yourselves with Christ. There is neither Jew nor Greek, there is neither slave nor free, there is neither male nor female; for you are all one in Christ Jesus.(Gal. 3:26-28)

Prayer not only connects us with our Creator but also to one another. When we pray to God together, we experience the most important, significant, and deepest communication that can exist, and we are certain that God is listening when we ask for things in faith, in wisdom, and in harmony with God's Word. "And whatever you ask in My name, this I will do, so that the Father may be glorified in the Son.If you ask Me anything in My name, I will do it" (John 14:13-14).

When we are too hurt to be able to utter some words to give content to our plea, the Holy Spirit is always there to act as an intermediary for us in prayer in concordance with God's will. 

"Now, in the same way, the Spirit also helps our weakness; for we do not know what to pray for as we should, but the Spirit Himself intercedes for us with groanings too deep for words; and He who searches the hearts knows what the mind of the Spirit is because He intercedes for the saints according to the will of God." (Rom. 8:26-27)

It is also important that women who pray together,pray with the same mind and for the same purpose, encouraging one another and being content with what they already have.

At Iron Rose Sister Ministries, we value our mothers—whether a mother by birth, an adoptive mom, foster mom, or a spiritual mother. We all have mothers in our lives and whether or not you have been blessed to be a mom by giving birth, by adopting or fostering a child, we are all called to be a community of mothers in the spiritual sense. Mentoring, discipling, encouraging... Iron Rose Sisters are spiritual moms and we want to honor you!
Mother’s Day is this Sunday, May 14, and we want to give you a few ideas about how you can honor your mother and bless IRSM at the same time.
• Our Rose Cards are a great way to honor a spiritual mom by making a donation in her honor to support our growing Intern Program. You can mail her one of these cards, which represents a family tree of roses or your relationship as Iron Rose Sisters. These 4x6 cards can be framed, or sent in the mail—either way, you’ll be able to include a personalized, special note.
• Choose Iron Rose Sister Ministries as your charity of choice on Amazon Smile. (This blesses the ministry for purchases beyond Mother’s Day.) Just click on this link and make any future Amazon purchases at smile.amazon.com. A portion of your purchases will go to IRSM at no additional cost to you!
• Purchase an interactive Bible study book and/or an IRSM mug as a gift.
Thank you for your prayerful support of Iron Rose Sister Ministries and for giving us the opportunity to honor a special mom in your life as well.

"After this I looked, and there before me was a great multitude that no one could count, from every nation, tribe, people and language, standing before the throne and before the Lamb. They were wearing white robes and were holding palm branches in their hands. And they cried out in a loud voice: ‘Salvation belongs to our God, who sits on the throne, and to the Lamb.’ All the angels were standing around the throne and around the elders and the four living creatures. They fell down on their faces before the throne and worshiped God, saying: ‘Amen! Praise and glory and wisdom and thanks and honor and power and strength be to our God for ever and ever. Amen!’" - Revelation 7:9-12 NIV

I have moved a number of times in my adult life. And IRSM and I will be making another move… to Searcy, Arkansas.

After two years based out of Denver, Colorado, blessed by my involvement with the Northwest Church of Christ, and its members, I am bidding them adieu and relocating.

Cost-of-living in Denver and proximity to family are two of the primary factors in this decision. My sister and brother-in-law who have graciously and generously opened their home to me and the ministry for the past two years, are moving to Oklahoma, so it was time for me to vacate the basement and facilitate their putting the house on the market.

My parents live in Searcy and I will be reconnecting with many in the Harding University community, my undergrad alma mater.

The move across Denver is happening tomorrow, and the transition to Searcy will be the first week of August. I covet your prayers for me and for the ministry as we will be changing our home-base, but continuing to serve to equip women to connect to God and one-another more deeply across the Americas.

Note: We will keep the PO Box in Brighton, CO, active for approximately a year beyond the move.Stay tuned for additional details and updates.

The church is a community that extends beyond borders, languages, cultures, and time. I have had the blessing of getting to know members of the community of believers across the U.S. and from many countries across the world. Whether African or Chinese, Hispanic or Indian, Kazak or Russian, Canadian or Southern, the community in Christ is one.
One thing we all have in common is the desire for relationship—for a deeper sense of community. We long for community with our Creator and with His creation—other people with whom we can relate and share our lives.
Grandmas and college students alike want to know what it truly means to be in relationship with God and one another—what it means to be community, family, and the church to each other.
Today, I encourage you to find a community, members of a church family with whom you can be authentic, encouraged and accountable.
It is my prayer and one of the goals of Iron Rose Sister Ministries, that we might be that community to each other—a church family that spans at least two languages and two continents. I pray that we may be iron sharpening iron to one another and that we might encourage and inspire each other to be as beautiful as a rose in spite of a few thorns—all in the context of community.

The church is a community that extends beyond borders, languages, cultures, and time. I have had the blessing of getting to know members of the community of believers across the U.S. and from many countries across the world. Whether African or Chinese, Hispanic or Indian, Kazak or Russian, Canadian or Southern, the community in Christ is one.

One thing we all have in common is the desire for relationship—for a deeper sense of community. We long for community with our Creator and with His creation—other people with whom we can relate and share our lives.

Grandmas and college students alike want to know what it truly means to be in relationship with God and one another—what it means to be community, family, and the church to each other.

Today, I encourage you to find a community, members of a church family with whom you can be authentic, encouraged and accountable.

It is my prayer and one of the goals of Iron Rose Sister Ministries, that we might be that community to each other—a church family that spans at least two languages and two continents. I pray that we may be iron sharpening iron to one another and that we might encourage and inspire each other to be as beautiful as a rose in spite of a few thorns—all in the context of community.

The church is a community that extends beyond borders, languages, cultures, and time. I have had the blessing of getting to know members of the community of believers across the U.S. and from many countries across the world. Whether African or Chinese, Hispanic or Indian, Kazak or Russian, Canadian or Southern, the community in Christ is one.
One thing we all have in common is the desire for relationship—for a deeper sense of community. We long for community with our Creator and with His creation—other people with whom we can relate and share our lives.
Grandmas and college students alike want to know what it truly means to be in relationship with God and one another—what it means to be community, family, and the church to each other.
Today, I encourage you to find a community, members of a church family with whom you can be authentic, encouraged and accountable.
It is my prayer and one of the goals of Iron Rose Sister Ministries, that we might be that community to each other—a church family that spans at least two languages and two continents. I pray that we may be iron sharpening iron to one another and that we might encourage and inspire each other to be as beautiful as a rose in spite of a few thorns—all in the context of community.

The past two days’ posts have included a challenge to make community very personal and practical. Here is the final task for our month’s focus on community, to be put into practice in the context of community.

Find a Christian sister with whom you can share in the Common Threads (pictured below). Pray together and encourage one another as Iron Rose Sisters. May you be blessed through that sense of community, as well.

The Common Threads cannot even be considered outside the context of community—whether between two people or twenty, we need others to encourage us to bloom and grow, to gently and lovingly point out our thorns, and to serve as iron sharpening iron for each other.
Thank you to those who have been true Iron Rose Sisters in my life! You are the inspiration for all God has called me to through this ministry and that push me to continue to model those relationships to others across the Americas.
Don’t forget to share these Common Threads with a Christian sister today and thank her for being an Iron Rose Sister in your life.

The past two days’ posts have included a challenge to make community very personal and practical. Here is the final task for our month’s focus on community, to be put into practice in the context of community.
Find a Christian sister with whom you can share in the Common Threads (pictured below). Pray together and encourage one another as Iron Rose Sisters. May you be blessed through that sense of one-on-one community, as well.

The earthquake in Nepal and the volcano in Chile have had a devastating impact on their respective communities—the lives lost, the property damaged, the hopes shattered. Victims of Hurricane Katrina on the Gulf Coast, Superstorm Sandy in the Northeastern U.S., Hurricane Mitch in Honduras, and other natural disasters can attest to the fact that the impact on the community reaches far beyond the days following the storm.

The subsequent storm raging inside an individual can be more powerful than the physical storm and the havoc it wreaks.

Natural disasters bring together a community in crisis, and they also offer an opportunity for other communities to rise to the occasion in support. Let’s be a community of prayer in support of these affected communities.

Today, I encourage you to pray for the families touched by the recent natural disasters in Nepal and Chile—the short- and long-term effects on the community.

“Make new friends, but keep the old. One is silver and the other gold.”

I learned that song as a Girl Scout and have remembered its simple message over the years. In the kingdom of God, there is a tremendous blessing that comes from connecting with Christians you have never met before. In my travels, I get to meet a number of amazing people with a myriad of talents—what a privilege to catch a glimpse of what God sees when he looks down at his children with pride.

As much as I love meeting new people and getting to know them, I also enjoy time with old friends. Today, I am getting to do just that. My college roommate from Harding University, Mandy (Arnold) Vaughn, and I are enjoying a cup of coffee on her deck this morning before I return to Denver—a lovely ending to this wonderful, but exhausting two-week trip.

A community of believers has gathered at Pepperdine University this week for the Annual Pepperdine Bible Lectures. Please join me in praying for divine appointments this week—encounters with people that IRSM can bless and meetings with others that can serve alongside us to equip and encourage women across the Americas.

Shared experiences build community. Church camps, making dumplings for the Chinese New Year (pictured), road trips… What activities have you taken part of that have built a sense of community?

Today, please share your favorite story of community. I will draw a name from those that share and the winner will receive a free IRSM mug!

This past weekend, I witnessed community in the spirit of Acts 2 and the practice of Acts 4. Neighbors worked together. Strangers delivered meals. Friends reunited after two weeks of not seeing each other. Then, on Sunday, Christians gathered to remember that God is God, no matter what the circumstances, and especially when we don’t have answers.
I spent this past weekend in Baton Rouge, Louisiana, hugging and loving on families that had lost almost all of their earthly possessions in the great flood of 2016. (For the Harry Potter fans, we are now referring to it as “the flood that must not be named” or Voldeflood.)

No matter what part of the world, on Sundays, we gather to commemorate the death, burial, and resurrection of our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ. We take the bread, representing his body, and drink the fruit of the vine, representing his blood. And no matter where I have worshiped, whether or not I understood the spoken language, I was at home in the community of believers as we shared communion.
Take a moment to reflect on the community in which a missionary you know or one that your church supports, is working. When you take the Lord’s Supper this Sunday, imagine that you are gathered with that community, sharing in the communion of the saints and lift up a prayer of blessing for your fellow Christians in another location.

An instant connection. A feeling of family.  Several hundred individuals have descended on the campus of the Baxter Institute this week, many of whom have never met before. Nearly a dozen countries are represented, but the spirit of oneness felt and shared has little to do with a common language, but rather a common Lord.

I have the privilege and honor of reconnecting with some families and meeting others for the first time.
What a joy to get to see Venezuelans I have not seen in years! Their children have grown and God is doing amazing things in their lives.
Yet the joy in meeting others for the first time, who also have a passion for God and His church, is unrivaled.
The beauty is that what we all have in common is our brotherhood in Christ.
Please join me in praying for these brothers and sisters in Christ who are serving in churches of all sizes across Honduras and in other countries across Latin America. Here are some specific prayer requests on behalf of those who are here attending the Baxter Lectureships:
• Many Venezuelans are here studying in the midst of the extremely difficult economic and political situation in their country. Please pray for their families, for Venezuela as a country, for the churches, and that God will be glorified through it all.
• Preachers, missionaries, and their families are here being equipped and encouraged to go back and fight the good fight in their respective congregations. Let´s join in the spiritual battle with them through prayer.
• Prayers of thanksgiving that God has given me the opportunity to inspire, equip, and encourage many of the women in specific areas that they can take back and share with others.
Thank you for being part of the community of those who have encountered Jesus. May we all be inspired and equipped to share that Good News with others!

The theme for the 2017 Pepperdine Bible Lectures was Scrolls for a Robust Salvation, focusing on the Scrolls of the Megilloth. I admit that I knew nothing about these scrolls or their intention in the annual spiritual rhythms of Jewish life. The scrolls of Ruth, Ecclesiastes, Esther, Lamentations, and Song of Songs are the five Scrolls of the Megilloth, which are read at certain, dedicated times or festivals in the Jewish calendar. Their purpose is to remind us of God’s plan, God’s love, and His redemption/salvation. And they are read in the context of community to solidify those reminders.

Genesis 1:26 “Then God said, “Let us make mankind in our image, in our likeness...” (emphasis added)
God himself is the definition of relationship: three in one. We cannot live in isolation, even if you are an extreme introvert.
Last year, I asked the following questions over the phone and via Facebook. Since they still apply, I will share some of the answers I received.
What does community look like?
“They encourage and care for one another. Respect each other's needs and boundaries, cooperate and love one another in good times and not so good times. They have an invested interest in one another,” Darla Leehans

Walking through a rose garden in San Diego, California, I noticed a rosebush that had more than one type of rose growing in its branches. The picture with this blog post is of two roses next to each other in the same rose bush.
I am not playing with the colors on your screen. This is not a test of how you see colors like the Twitter-craze about the black and blue or white and gold dress a couple of years ago.
I share this picture, instead, as a way of highlighting the diversity we are blessed and challenged with in community.