Written byAmanda Santos, volunteer with Iron Rose Sister Ministries in João Pessoa, Brazil

“Leave everything you have and follow me” is a simple order to understand, but when we read Mark 10:21-22 we see how sad that young man was because he thought about what was included in his “everything” that he would have to leave behind.

Bringing this example to our lives, what is our “everything”? What do we have that is so valuable that sometimes keeps us from leaving it and following Christ? Well, maybe your “everything” is the concern with household chores, or perhaps the desire to acquire a material possession, or you need to handle just one more little thing before leaving everything in God’s hands. That young man really wanted to follow Christ, but his material possessions took up so much space in his heart that he was unable to leave everything and trust in Jesus.

In Luke 9:23 we read the following: “Then he said to them all: “Whoever wants to be my disciple must deny themselves and take up their cross daily and follow me’”(NIV).

When Jesus says, “deny yourself,” He is calling us to set aside our selfish desires and put God’s will first. Denying ourselves is an expression of humility and submission. It is recognizing that our own plans and desires are secondary to God’s plans. This call to self-denial is an invitation to live a life of sacrifice and obedience, where God’s will prevails over our personal inclinations.

The second part of the verse calls us to take up our cross daily. The cross, in Jesus’ day, was a symbol of death and suffering, but it has become a powerful symbol of redemption and sacrificial love. Taking up our cross means being willing to suffer and face hardships for the sake of Christ. Taking up our cross daily involves living a life of spiritual discipline, rejecting sin and pursuing holiness. It means accepting the challenges and adversities that arise in our Christian walk with the same willingness and courage that Jesus had in carrying His cross. It is a call to a life of dedication and unwavering commitment to Christ. 

And finally, “follow Jesus” means imitating His example, living according to His teachings, and walking in the path He shows us. Following Jesus is a call to live in obedience and faithfulness. It is allowing Him to guide our lives and transform our hearts.

Imitating Jesus involves deeply knowing His teachings and applying these principles in our daily lives. This requires an ongoing commitment to studying the Bible, praying, and seeking fellowship with other believers. It is through this dedication that we can better understand God’s will and align our lives with His purposes.

In Matthew 4:19, Jesus says, “Follow me, and I will make you fishers of men” (KJV). This phrase from Jesus is calling men to be His disciples, and as disciples of Jesus, to spread His word. It is a call to evangelize and spread the good news of salvation throughout the world. And something I think is wonderful is that we can do this without even having to leave home. When you talk about Jesus to your family, you are evangelizing. And don’t worry — Jesus said, “I will make you.” The knowledge comes from Him, the words come from Him. We just need to be surrendered to His will and ready to do what we can.

Therefore, sisters, may we be willing to give up all control and our own desires to let Christ guide us on the best path. And may our lives be an example of faith, that through our relinquishment and surrender, Christ may be exalted.

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

“To this you were called, because Christ suffered for you, leaving you an example, that you should follow in his steps.” (1Pe 2:21 NIV)

I love to watch children leap across the sand, striving with their little legs to reach their father’s stride and land in his footprints. The poem “Footprints” illustrates how Christ walks with us, and even carries us, along the paths of our lives.

When I reflect on what following in Christ’s steps has meant in my own life, it has consisted of a mixture of small steps in the day-to-day decisions and seemingly foolish, giant leaps of faith.

The launch of Iron Rose Sister Ministries would easily be considered one of many giant leaps of faith. Once God had made clear the vision of the ministry (equipping women to connect to God and one another more deeply), I was left with only one response, “Here am I, send me” (Is 6:8). I quit my job, sold my house, and jumped.

One of my sisters and her husband provided room in the basement of their house from which to live and work. Our now Board President, Katie Forbess, contacted me as soon as I announced my decision to let me know that she was “all in!”—even if only as a “glorified cheerleader.” Between my own savings and a small loan from a precious sister in Christ, we got started.

For nine months, every single day, every step of the way, Katie and I talked, prayed, and wrestled over what it meant to follow Christ’s steps—personally and as a brand-new nonprofit. The fact that God provides Iron Rose Sisters to walk with us on our journey as iron sharpening iron is a tremendous blessing. The fact that Christ walks with us as we strive to follow in His steps is one of the most beautiful promises of the Christian life. At that time, Katie and I were both grieving different traumatic events in our lives, but our steps to follow in Christ’s steps and our walk with one another along that journey provided a path forward.

What God has grown from an idea planted in my mind and heart to the international Iron Rose Sister Ministries you know today gives evidence of how God honors our commitment to follow in His steps.

The steps, the decisions, and the ongoing commitment have not always been easy. In the same way that God the Father was faithful to walk with His Son, guiding Him to always choose the Father’s will, God has faithfully walked with me as I have imperfectly followed. He offers the same to you.

What I have learned from following Christ’s steps is that it is a daily decision that requires faith—even faith as small as a mustard seed. God’s blessings and the equipping happening through Iron Rose Sister Ministries is a large-scale example of following in His steps. Most of the times that we commit to follow in Christ’s steps are small-scale decisions for which we may never know the impact.

Today, I chose to pause and pray—to lift something up to the Father, asking that His will be done and not my own. For this blog post, I chose to pause and pray. I asked God to use His Spirit to communicate instead of my own words.

Thankfully, God does not keep a tally of how many times we have misstepped or deviated from the Way. Rather, He provides us the opportunity to get back on track. He promises, “If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness” (1Jn 1:9).

Yes, today, I paused and prayed. But also today, I got impatient and irritated. I doubted God’s provision because I didn’t know when or how it would come. And so, to return to following in Christ’s steps, I confess, “Lord, I need You, oh I need You. Every hour I need You.” And I rejoice in the confidence I can have in His forgiveness.

Now, to see how we can commit to following His steps tomorrow…

Written byJuaneylla White, Iron Rose Sister Ministries Board Member in Texas

How do we follow in His steps today? I have been asked this question before.

I think that in their journey with the Eternal One, many people also ask themselves: how can I follow in the steps of Jesus? However, only an honest introspection of how we are walking towards eternity drives us to turn the key within ourselves and seek a more assertive direction, turning our hearts to listen to the voice of our Shepherd. 

In John 10:27, Jesus declares, “My sheep listen to my voice; I know them, and they follow me” (NIV). I was not always a sheep, but from a very early age, the seed of faith had been planted in my heart. It took almost two decades, since my early years of life, for me to understand that to be a sheep, I needed to let Jesus be my shepherd and that to follow in His footsteps, I needed to calculate how much this decision would cost me.

I needed to understand that the false gods needed to leave my heart so that Jesus could enter and reign — that I was one of those gods with my own will and righteousness that in reality were just filthy rags (Isa 64:6). I also needed to understand that in addition to repenting and recognizing my desperate need for a Savior, I needed to deny myself, take up my cross, and follow Him day by day.

For me, following in the footsteps of Jesus has always meant walking as He walked. It seems simple, but it’s not so easy when human nature wants to speak louder and fights against the spirit. Living life in obedience to the Word of God means submitting to His will for my life. I see that this is much more than following rules or completing a weekly checklist, but rather a daily lifestyle that not only pleases God, but represents Him, glorifies Him, and imitates Him not only in what suits me but in what most challenges my human and carnal side.

It is renouncing myself and seeking sanctification daily. It is being aware that if I fall, there is a hand that can lift me up; there is a new beginning because God's forgiveness is waiting for me. Following in the steps of Jesus is definitely going against the grain of a fallen society that is separated from God, understanding that my journey (or that of any sincere Christian) towards heaven is not easy, but it is possible because of Christ and His Holy Spirit that lives within me. It is understanding that I am in this world, but I am not from here. It is being like a child in His purity without being childish, rather serving Him with understanding and discernment in my heart and mind. The more I seek Him, the more I know Him, and the more intimacy and communion I have and desire.

The enemy has always used strategies to divert us from God’s purpose and destroy us, so Jesus came on our behalf to destroy the works of the devil and give us life, and life in abundance (Jn 10:10). Following in His steps is having the privilege of being a Christian, of being chosen, of being a beloved, redeemed, proven daughter, a representative of heaven, a messenger of His Word.It is serving and loving my neighbor without falling into the trap of performance or “deserving.” It is living as someone whose purpose in life is eternal things, knowing that I am a pilgrim here and that my homeland is heaven and that is where my treasure is; that is where those are who left me a legacy of faith in Christ. Following in His steps is walking in obedience and submission in the certainty that as a co-heir of Christ, one day I will be in His presence sitting at His table, enjoying full communion where I will see Him face to face.

Following in the steps of Jesus in obedience has been and continues to be the best and most important choice that I make every day, simply because I love Him! 

Whoever has my commands and keeps them is the one who loves me. (Jn 14:21a)

My desire is to continue following the Lord and encourage others to do the same. May God help us!

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

A first-century Hebrew legend states that a good disciple is covered in the dust of the Rabbi. He follows his teacher’s steps so closely that he cannot escape the dust kicked up by his sandals.

A wise woman who practices closely following the steps of Jesus (1Pe 2:21) will be covered in the dust of the Rabbi. What will she look like?

1. She will love God and seek Him first (Mt 6:33, 22:37).
2. She will be known for Christ’s love in her (Jn 13:35).
3. She will talk with God at all hours (Lk 6:12).
4. She will openly express her feelings to God through prayer (Mt 26:42).
5. She will ask for the support of others (Mt 26:37-38).
6. She will serve others (Mt 20:28).
7. She will be holy: set apart for a purpose (2Pe 1:16).

This is not an exhaustive list. What other characteristics come to mind that a follower of Christ would “pick up” in the dust of the Rabbi? 

The more we walk with Him and talk with Him, the more like Christ we will become. Acts 4:13 is one of my favorite verses because it was obvious to others that two simple, ordinary men had been with Jesus.  

When they saw the courage of Peter and John and realized that they were unschooled, ordinary men, they were astonished and they took note that these men had been with Jesus.(NIV)

 Can you recall a moment in which it was obvious to others that you had been spending time with Jesus?

At the end of a women’s retreat, after a time of worship on Sunday morning, after a Bible class digging deep into the Word, after an intensive time in prayer… any time we can spend in relationship with our Teacher will become the overflow from which we live, act, and speak. Jesus spoke with His Father frequently so that His words would always be an accurate representation of His Father (Jn 12:49).

One Wednesday night, my mom was on the phone with a friend who commented on how exhausted my mom sounded, recognizing how discouraged she was about a situation. “I am tired,” mom admitted, “but I need to go on into the church building. Thanks for your prayers.” 

Mom called the friend back after the evening services, and her friend observed, “Wow! You sound like a different person. Are you still tired? I can tell you were truly uplifted by the time with other Christians.”

When we walk in the dust of the Rabbi, we also have the blessing of spending time with others who are “dusty.” None of us walk the Christian walk perfectly. We are practicing. When one falls, another is there to pick us up (Ecc 4:10). And the closer we each follow in the Rabbi’s steps, the deeper we grow in relationship with one another. A wise woman who practices following closely in the steps of the Rabbi will walk with other disciples who are following Jesus. 

Connecting to God and one another more deeply, equipping other women to do so… sounds like a great idea for a women’s ministry!  

How do you want to grow closer to Jesus, walking in the dust of the Rabbi?

What is a thorn hindering you from following in His steps?

How can you have another Iron Rose Sister encourage or accompany you to “get dusty”? Thank each other for the opportunity to serve as iron sharpening iron as we practice following in the steps of the Rabbi.

Written by Ana Teresa Vivas, volunteer for Iron Rose Sister Ministries in Canada

At the risk of emphasizing the obvious, I'm going to repeat the title of this blog post: "Men and Women Who Followed in Jesus' Footsteps" and emphasize the highlighted phrase because I want to focus on it.

In the gospels, we can learn the names of the apostles— the twelve closest followers of Jesus. Additionally, we can learn something of their lives and their example as imitators of Him. But there were also other men and women who followed Jesus, if not so closely or from the beginning of His ministry, but still with the same great love and commitment to Him and His work.

We cannot identify them all specifically because there were multitudes who followed Jesus, although many also abandoned Him (Jn 6:66), but we will not talk about these today.

Let's look at this short list:

Luke 19:1-9, Zacchaeus
John 4:46-53, King's Officer
Mark 15:40-41, Mary Magdalene, Mary, the mother of James the younger and Joseph, and Salome
Matthew 12:15, A crowd

Soon afterward Jesus began a tour of the nearby towns and villages, preaching and announcing the Good News about the Kingdom of God. He took his twelve disciples with him, along with some women who had been cured of evil spirits and diseases. Among them were Mary Magdalene, from whom he had cast out seven demons; Joanna, the wife of Chuza, Herod’s business manager; Susanna; and many others who were contributing from their own resources to support Jesus and his disciples. (Lk 8:1-3, NLT)

These are people, just like you and me, who believed in Jesus. We don't know in detail about their lives as disciples. We only know of their encounters with Him, and we can see their examples of commitment.

Look at the example of the women mentioned in Luke 8:1-3. It impresses me to think of myself in the place of one of them and imagine walking after Jesus two centuries ago. No way! I have so many questions for them, such as what it was like being a woman and living within their culture. And what about the issue of female grooming? They were very confident about who to follow and why. That alone explains their investment of energy, time, and money in Jesus and His evangelistic campaign.

With these people, we can identify and "chew on” what a follower of Jesus looks like and how I can represent that in the 21st century.

Someone who follows in the footsteps of Jesus is willing to change their values (Zacchaeus), is not afraid of threats (Joanna, the wife of Herod's steward), and risks their position (the king's official).

There are many more examples of men and women following Jesus in the gospels, and from all of them, if we stop for a few minutes, we can learn something if we look closely— if we get into that "movie" of the life of Jesus.

Who is a follower then? From the examples that we can find in the four books that narrate Jesus' life, we can conclude that these are some of the characteristics of His followers: they are willing to change their lives, to invest their monetary gains in the work of Jesus, to invest energy and time, and to sacrifice comforts. These are some of the ways those early disciples showed their commitment and set an example of how to follow the Lord.

What other ways can you identify that they were fully engaged? What other things did they sacrifice? How do you see yourself as a follower of Jesus?

Add your answers to these questions in the comments or make any other observations based on the topic of this blog post.

I encourage you and me to look to Jesus 24/7, 365 days a year, and get from Him the motivation to be His faithful followers.