Iron Rose Sister Ministries

Written by Deanna Brooks, volunteer with Iron Rose Sister Ministries in Arkansas

When I bake a wedding cake and make roses to decorate it, I set the prettiest roses to the side for the top tier or front of the cake. That is what I want people to focus on, not the rose whose petal folded inward as it was drying. Those roses are set apart for a special purpose.

In the same way, we, as God’s children, have been set apart for a purpose. From the beginning, God has called people out from where they were for a special purpose. “For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand, that we should walk in them” (Eph. 2:10 ESV).

We have examples of people God set apart from the world:

Noah was called out from the evil world to build the ark to save his family from the flood.

Abraham was called from his pagan homeland to a land God would provide with the promise that a great nation would come from him, including the Messiah.

Moses, after fleeing Egypt, was called from herding sheep to return to Egypt, go to Pharaoh, and say, “Let my people go.” These were descendants of Abraham.

David, another descendant of Abraham, was called from being a shepherd whose heart was turned toward God to become a mighty king.

John the Baptist was born to aged parents and called to prepare the way for the Messiah.

In Deuteronomy 14:2 we read about the Israelites, “For you are a people holy to the LORD your God, and the LORD has chosen you to be a people for his treasured possession, out of all the peoples who are on the face of the earth.”

In each of these examples, there was a purpose— a reason they were set apart— to be His chosen people.

There are dozens of other examples in scripture, and what we need to realize is that God takes us where we are and gives us time to grow into what He has planned for us.

What does it mean for our lives to live as one set apart?

We stand out just as a rose stands out from the thorns. We will look different from the world around us as we make decisions that glorify God.

Jesus told His followers, “Let your light shine before others, so that they may see your good works and give glory to your Father who is in heaven” (Matt. 5:16).

The world is evil, but light shines brightest in the dark. We live in the world, but we are to be different.

Jesus prayed,

I do not ask that you take them out of the world, but that you keep them from the evil one. They are not of the world, just as I am not of the world. Sanctify them in the truth; your word is truth. As you sent me into the world, so I have sent them into the world. (John 17:17,18)

We are set apart by our actions and by our speech. Those are the two things most noticeable to other people. There are two scriptures I think of that encourage our lives to be set apart.

Colossians 3:2, “Set your minds on things that are above, not on things that are on earth.”

Romans 12:2, “Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewal of your mind, that by testing you may discern what is the will of God, what is good and acceptable and perfect.”

Just as the roses I set apart draw attention to the cake, so our lives should draw attention to Jesus and bring glory to God.

The words of Peter remind us of our purpose and importance to our Heavenly Father.

But you are a chosen race, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people for his own possession, that you may proclaim the excellencies of him who called you out of darkness into his marvelous light. (1 Peter 2:9)

Are you living your life as one set aside for the purpose of drawing attention to our Lord?

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 as an interview between Michelle J. Goff and Johanna Zabala, Iron Rose Sister Ministries Volunteer in Venezuela

       1. Michelle: When you think of small groups, what comes to mind?

Johanna: Today, I consider small groups as very important in our significant relationships. They allow us to interact and learn from one another. Each teaching or learning through these relationships reminds me of the moment when our beloved Lord Jesus selected His disciples with a holy purpose (Mark 3:16-19).

Every relationship brings different learnings and lessons. For me, interpersonal relationships develop internal confidence and trust, and each person in the group develops distinct connections with those around them.

Since creation (Gen. 1-2), when our Heavenly Father said, “Let us,” He gave us the best original example of connection, unity, and a team.

       2. Michelle: What would be some examples of small groups that have this type of connection, unity, or that work in a team today?

Johanna: We are always interacting and learning in our everyday lives. The family fulfills a paramount function in relationships since it is the trigger for ongoing communication. It is through the interaction with those in our environment that provides the opportunity to know and understand the exchange of experiences, knowledge, feelings, and actions for growth.

Within my own routines, I have discovered how useful and necessary it is to be able to count on my support groups and friendships in the various areas of my life. My own family is an example of a small group. My husband has an important role as the leader in our joint direction as a couple, and the direction of our children. Also, as a family, we serve as a group and individually in the church and secular functions.

       3. Michelle: Now that you’ve mentioned how a family can serve as a small group in the church, what other small groups do you know in the church?

Johanna: In the church and other life experiences, small groups are visible in every ministry. Activities are rolled out that are very well structured, as God set in order. Small groups are what work together to realize their results.

Specifically, I love the work with Sunday school classes. Even though they may seem simple, they are to be highly regarded. As a group of teachers, together with the parents, united in the Lord’s purpose, we focus on preparing the child or teen that will later become an adult and will form part of his or her own small group, collaborating in the Lord’s great work.

Then, I love and value my ladies’ prayer groups. Connection is based on direct communication with our Creator. But here, not praying individually but rather as a team, we learn to know each other more in love, forgiveness, and friendship as the Lord commands.

       4. Michelle: I remember that you have a lot of experience with special needs children. I think this can illustrate the grace that we should extend in small groups.

Johanna: Yes. On a secular level, God Himself has granted me education and experience in this branch of psychopedagogy (the psychological study of teaching). For years now, along with the great privilege of being His daughter, on various occasions I have been entrusted with the care and charge of various small groups of children with special education needs.

Those students did not all learn in the same way, at the same time, or at the same rhythm. But they did learn and achieve their scholastic requirements. This prompted me to pray for wisdom, and by loving them in this way, together we could achieve significant learning according to their academic needs.

All of this strengthened the relevance of my friendships in small groups and the transcendental nature of relationships—personal, family, and social—toward the understanding of our expanded communication.

       5. Michelle. True! I agree completely. And if you allow me to share an example… I apply the same concept to my sisters in Christ, those with whom I have shared in small groups: Martha likes it when everything is organized and spelled out in detail. That’s how she communicates. Sue prefers that you give her the overall plan and a green light to do her part. Lisa wants everything to be done with a little song. What a blessing when I learn from their different perspectives and communication styles, whether we are meeting in a small group to pray and study the Bible together, or when we are planning a children’s class together.

       6. Michelle: Sister Johanna, thank you for the illustrations from your own life. Is there anything else you want to share in conclusion?

Johanna: We can see that the congregations of the Churches of Christ [particularly in Latin America and some in the U.S.] are not very large in number. However, we do have love and brotherhood throughout the world, which leads me to understand that united together we are great, to the glory of our Heavenly Father. In whichever of our small groups, it is important to know that we listen to get to know each other, help each other, love, forgive, and persevere with one another in what we believe for the preservation of our souls.

In what small groups are you currently active in your own congregation? Let’s celebrate them!

Written by Deanna Brooks, volunteer with Iron Rose Sister Ministries in Arkansas

“I need you.” God did not create us to live life in isolation. He knew we needed each other for companionship, for encouragement, and for accountability.

Peter writes that Satan goes about as a roaring lion seeking whom he may devour (1 Pet. 5:8). In the wild, it is the animal separated from the herd that is in danger of being attacked. Predators seldom attack an animal protected by others.

Likewise, a person who does not have spiritual friendships is more at risk of walking the wrong path in life.

Some friends draw us closer to Jesus. They help us become what we know He wants us to be.

If our friends have nothing more to talk about than sports, movies, or other worldly pursuits, then they can’t encourage our spiritual walk. Some friends are constantly daring us to see how close we can walk to sin without getting caught or telling us it really doesn’t matter… pulling us away from the path we are trying to walk.

Scriptures give examples of several friendships.

David and Jonathan – a shepherd and a prince, whose souls were “knit together.” Jonathan did not appear to be jealous that David would be the next king instead of him. When David was hiding from Saul, Jonathan found him, “And he said to him, ‘Do not fear, for the hand of Saul my father shall not find you. You shall be king over Israel, and I shall be next to you’” (1 Sam. 23:17 ESV).

Nathan and David – a prophet willing to confront sin and a king willing to accept correction. When Nathan said, “You are the man!” (2 Sam. 12:7), David’s response was, “I have sinned against the Lord” (2 Sam. 12:13). Nathan continued to be a support and friend throughout David’s life, and we see that closeness when David and Bathsheba name a son “Nathan.”

Paul and Timothy – a missionary who began mentoring a younger man, calling him “my son in the faith” (1 Tim. 1:2 MSG).

Barnabas and Mark – relatives with the older willing to give the younger a second chance in mission work (Acts 15). We all need a second chance at times.

Naomi and Ruth – mother-in-law and daughter-in-law bound together through heartbreak (the book of Ruth). Supporting each other through difficult times creates a bond never forgotten.

Elijah and Elisha – older prophet who trained a younger prophet (2 Kings 2) who would follow in his footsteps.

Then, we also read of friendships that did not bring out the spiritual side.

Rehoboam and his young friends – he was advised to be harsher than his father Solomon, which caused the kingdom to be split (1 Kings 12).

Ahab and Jezebel – husband and wife who seem to have encouraged each other in evil (1 Kings 18-21).

Life has ups and downs, twists, and turns that we often have not planned for and do not expect. When that happens, our focus can become distorted, and we might feel our faith is under attack. A godly friend can help us refocus and work through whatever has happened.

First Corinthians 15:33 tells us, “Do not be deceived: Bad company ruins good morals.” It’s important to choose our companions wisely.

Paul also writes in 2 Corinthians 6:14, “Do not be unequally yoked with unbelievers.”

We sometimes walk a fine line between wanting to help (mentor) someone who is struggling and allowing their struggles to affect us. The reality is it is easier to pull someone down than lift them up.

When we have friends who encourage us to think on the good (Phil. 4:8) and to develop the Fruit of the Spirit (Gal. 5:22,23), we have someone who will help us walk in the footsteps of Jesus and receive the crown of life.

What spiritual relationships are you nurturing in your life?

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 Elise Siklosi, volunteer with Iron Rose Sister Ministries in Arkansas

Think of a time when you had to sacrifice something or give it up. Was it an event? A nail appointment or an important dinner? Maybe you had to give up the urge to snag that Snickers bar from the checkout aisle or – as I like to say – the impulse-buying aisle. Or maybe it was something bigger, like a job offering or interview. It wasn’t all that easy, was it?

There’s always that small tinge of discomfort in surrendering something that you have no desire to give up. Perhaps the thing you’re surrendering is much bigger than a Snickers bar. Maybe you’re currently in the process of surrendering an expectation of something that you had very high hopes of. Perhaps you’re surrendering a relationship, the potential for marriage, a loved one… the list could go on. People are, without a doubt, much more difficult to give up than just about anything. Abraham, a faithful follower of God, knows – all too well – what it means to surrender something incredibly close to him: his own son.

Abraham, like the rest of us as believers, was chosen, hand-picked by God, to be the father of many nations to come. There are multiple accounts throughout Genesis when God promises Abraham and his wife, Sarah, that they will have many descendants. In chapter 12, The Lord says to Abraham (Abram at the time),

“... I will make you a great nation, And I will bless you, And make your name great; And so you shall be a blessing…” (NASB, v. 2).

The funny thing about Abraham and his wife Sarah, is that this particular couple is veryold when they are promised these things. In fact, Sarah was even barren. In other words, there was, supposedly, no possible way that she could have a child. With this, Abraham had plenty of doubts and questions. With an impatient and unbelieving heart to God’s promise for children, he even conceived a child with Hagar, Sarah’s maid, because he was so desperate for His promise to be fulfilled. But God, in His faithfulness, was unwavering from His promise.

In Genesis 17:2, He, again, reminds Abraham of this sweet guarantee by saying, “I will establish My covenant between Me and you, And I will multiply you exceedingly.” In response to this, Abraham “fell on his face and laughed” in disbelief (17:17), for he was one hundred years old at this point in time. Even still, God responded with assurance, saying “I will establish My covenant with [your son] for an everlasting covenant for his descendants after him” (17:19). To no surprise does God fulfill His promise to Abraham in chapter 21. It reads,

“Then the LORD took note of Sarah as He had said, and the LORD did for Sarah as He had promised. So Sarah conceived and bore a son to Abraham in his old age, at the appointed time of which God had spoken to him.”

What a beautiful statement! Isaac, the promised son, has finally been born. This just goes to show how unshakeable the faithfulness of our God is. It reminds me of Isaiah 55:11:

“So will My word be which goes forth from My mouth; it will not return to Me empty, Without accomplishing what I desire and without succeeding in the matter for which I sent it.”

I mean, wow. The words of God hold such power! While Abraham, with his unbelieving heart, slept with another woman and even laughed in the face of God, the Lord’s faithfulness was unmoved. He provided Abraham with security and safety with His very words. Here’s the simple truth: they do not “return to [Him] empty.” As sweet as this is, the story of Abraham’s son doesn’t end here. In chapter 22, God asks something quite unexpected of Abraham, commanding him to “Take now your son, your only son, whom you love, Isaac, and [...] offer him there as a burnt offering on the one of the mountains of which I will tell you” (NASB, v. 2). I’m sorry… what? Did God not just fulfill His promise of a child to Abraham? He even makes sure to mention the fact that Isaac is Abraham’s “only son” that he loves dearly.

Oddly, Abraham responds to this command with obedience. There is no recorded complaint from him, compared to the previous chapters where there was an evident lack of trust in God. If anything, the way he reacts shows that this task of surrendering one of his most beloved relationships is of great importance to Abraham. Genesis 22:3 says that he “rose early in the morning” to prepare for the offering before setting off to the mountain to sacrifice Isaac. As someone who is absolutely not a morning person, this mission seems to me like it was insanely important to Abraham.

After tying Isaac to the altar, he raises his arm, knife in hand, to proceed with the sacrifice. But God interrupts in chapter 22:12, sending a messenger to command him saying, “Do not stretch out your hand against the lad, and do nothing to him; for now I know that you fear God. since you have not withheld your son, your only son, from Me.” He then rewards his faithfulness by providing Abraham with a ram to sacrifice in place of Isaac. I have tears in my eyes as I write this! To reflect on such a deep and resilient love for God absolutely boggles me. What kind of faith surrenders a human life for God? What kind of faith surrenders the one son that had been prayed over for years to God?

Let’s reflect on Abraham’s change of heart throughout his lifetime: He started off as a man whose heart was hardened. With his unbelief, came a lack of trust. And with a lack of trust, came an unwillingness to surrender anything to God… including his own expectations for God to uphold His promise to him.

He slept with Hagar because, to Abraham, “God is not a faithful God worth trusting.” Therefore, he took his own initiative with hopes of fulfilling a divine promise with a human “resolution.” A God-sized guarantee being satisfied by flesh? Never! By witnessing God’s faithfulness displayed through the birth of a son, Abraham’s heart went from hard and unbelieving, to soft and surrendered.

He was so confident in God’s unshakeable power that he was willing to give up anything for God… including Isaac! He found rest from turmoil in the power of God and in the fullness of His satisfaction. Abraham knew that God would sustain him and fulfill every need. Even when he couldn’t see what God was doing in the future, he could still trust God’s deep-rooted and secure plan. If a relationship with the Lord is worth diving this deep into, then surely it must be worth surrendering to with complete trust and confidence!

#IronRoseSister #HIStories #Abraham #trust #surrender #changeofheart #guestwriter

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 by Nilaurys Garcia, volunteer with Iron Rose Sister Ministries in Canada

We all need people who nurture us; people we can count on in the most critical moments, both good and complicated. Knowing that we are not alone and that we can count on someone fills us with strength to face many situations. In most cases, these people can be our family, but many of us also find that support in friends—that “family” that we can choose—and give them access to the most vulnerable parts of our beings. Something I learned several years ago is that good friendships are important. Having the right people by our side can make us feel safe, loved, and can help us achieve our goals while we remain at peace. Conversely, being with people who drain, exhaust, and negatively influence us can lead us to make unwise choices and turn away from the truth. As Proverbs 18:24 says, "One who has unreliable friends soon comes to ruin, but there is a friend who sticks closer than a brother” (NIV).

For me, this year has been focused on connections; on cultivating friendships and relationships that will help me connect with who I am, and especially to connect with God. What I have learned, and am especially grateful for, is relationships that make it possible to share experiences, advice, and the same love for spiritual things. They benefit you in a way that no other relationship can. If there is someone special that comes to your mind right now, the Lord has blessed you greatly, and I invite you to take a few minutes to thank them for their friendship and to thank God for putting them in your path.

I want to thank those who have given me a word of encouragement when I needed it most; that unexpected message saying that I was remembered and prayed over, wishing me well. I thank those friends who, although I have done my best to pretend that I am well, can look me in the eye and tell me, “I will pray for you and when you are ready, I will be there to listen to you.” I thank those friends who have become part of my family, my life, and my being, who are willing to lovingly sit with me, unselfishly looking out for my well-being. And, above all, when I need it, they can make me see what I am not doing well or what I must improve. I thank those close friends who celebrate my achievements because they know the effort it took, who jump for joy with me, and know how to dry my tears in times of difficulty. Whenever I think about these relationships, I imagine that their prayers, words of encouragement, and friendship have the same effect that Aaron and Hur had on Moses as they held up his arms when he was too tired to hold them up himself (Ex. 17:12).

I do not particularly need to talk daily with these friends, but they indeed are a constant presence in my life and have marked me so deeply. They are the ones I turn to in those moments of immense joy and extreme difficulty. I am greatly blessed to have friendships who have the same spiritual beliefs and whose presence in my life helps bring me closer to the presence of our God every day and challenge me to be a better version of myself. These friendships are the answers to the prayers I have made asking God to help me stay on His path and that He will send those who are not afraid to come find me wherever I have strayed.

To you, friend, thank you for showing me God's love at all times, and thank you for being willing to share my struggles and burdens. Thank you for being the support I need to grow closer to God every day.

Written by Alina Stout, volunteer with Iron Rose Sister Ministries in Oklahoma

It is no secret that Jesus was close to the family of Mary, Martha, and Lazarus (Luke 10, John 11-12). He was with them through a great trial in their life, and His faithfulness to them led to their devoted thankfulness to Jesus.

Mary and Martha lost their brother Lazarus to an illness. They asked Jesus to come and heal Lazarus, but Jesus waited to come until after He learned that Lazarus died. He did not arrive at Mary and Martha’s house in Bethany until four days after Lazarus had passed (John 11:1-17).

In their moment of grief, Jesus was there for Mary and Martha in the unique way that each of them needed Him as they grieved over Lazarus. They each expressed their faith in Jesus even though it was being tested by inner conflict.

Martha expressed to Jesus her battle between her faith and her grief. “If you had been here, my brother would not have died. But even now I know that whatever you ask from God, God will give you” (John 11:22, ESV). Jesus revealed a truth about Himself to Martha in response to her faith and challenged her to go one step further. He said, “I am the resurrection and the life …Do you believe this?” and she replied, “Yes, Lord; I believe” (John 11:25-27).

Mary expressed to Jesus only sorrow, revealing her grieved frustration that she knew Jesus could have done something to prevent this. “Lord, if you had been here, my brother would not have died” (John 11:32). Jesus was “deeply moved in his spirit” by her weeping and He wept with her (John 11:33-35).

Jesus was their friend in the moment they needed Him most. But as the Messiah, Jesus was able to raise their brother Lazarus from the dead!

Mary and Martha each showed their gratitude to their friend and Lord Jesus in different ways.

Martha showed Jesus gratitude by preparing a dinner for Him and His disciples. Her dinner in honor of Him was an expression of the faith that she had in Him. It is the way that she could give back to Jesus for the new life that He gave to her brother. She sacrificed her personal time and effort in order to serve Him (John 12:2).

Mary showed Jesus gratitude in a way that was also a sacrifice for her–almost a year’s wages worth of sacrifice. She anointed the feet of Jesus with expensive perfume and wiped His feet with her hair (John 12:3). Mary understood that Jesus is the source of all life. What did she lack? Nothing. When Mary sacrificed a costly perfume bottle, one that could have given her financial security if Lazarus died or could have been used for a future dowry, she chose to give it up out of gratitude for the Resurrection and the Life who will sustain her every need.

Mary and Martha each put Jesus above themselves out of faith and gratitude. They offered their personal sacrifice on Jesus’ behalf because they recognized Him as the Resurrection and the Life. If Jesus is life, then they wanted their life to honor Jesus.

Like Mary and Martha, we get to have a relationship with our Friend and our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ. When we face trials, Jesus is there with us. He is emotionally present with us like He was with Mary. He guides us to knowledge in the truth like He did with Martha. He is present with us like a friend, but He is also our Lord. And when we overcome our trials with Jesus by our side, we are beyond grateful!

Our gratitude to our friend and our Lord and Savior oftentimes looks like sacrifice. It sure did for Mary and Martha! Out of our thankfulness for the life that Jesus has given us, our response is to devote our lives to Him.

“I appeal to you therefore, brothers, by the mercies of God, to present your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and acceptable to God, which is your spiritual worship” (Rom. 12:1).

Think about how you can devote your life to Jesus as a living sacrifice. What do you have that you can offer to Jesus? What are you willing to give up for Jesus?

Think about how you can encourage your Iron Rose Sisters to join you in your living sacrifice. Mary and Martha might have shown gratitude in their unique ways, but they showed their gratitude together at the same dinner. Is there any way that you can partner with your Iron Rose Sisters by offering your unique methods of gratitude together?

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 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 Karoline Diogo, volunteer with Iron Rose Sister Ministries in Campo Grande, Brazil

Beloved, I recently heard the phrase, “The good news is that there is oil for all of us, until Jesus returns!” Reflecting on this phrase, I read Matthew 25:1-13, the Parable of the 10 Virgins. This parable helps us to have hope in Christ’s return and to know if we are prepared for this event.

Being filled with the Holy Spirit is an individual decision. We can’t overflow with the Spirit and give a little to others. It’s a personal decision; God does not decide for us.

Like the virgins, we can analyze our Christian life—whether it’s on track or off. I often ask myself, and I ask you all so we can reflect together: What Christian life are we leading? How do we know if we are ready for Christ’s return? Matthew 24:36-37 says that we don’t know the day nor the hour, but the days will be like those of Noah: People were so consumed with worldly pursuits that they had no thoughts about the consequences God would impose. Have we already reached those days?

To be prepared we must be filled with the Holy Spirit, who is the fuel for our Christian life.

In Acts, we can see that a person who is filled with the Holy Spirit is fruitful, takes pleasure in serving the Lord, has a joyful life, is a promoter of peace and communion in the church, and has a powerful life before God and men.

In Luke 21:34-36, we read about the constant care we must have with our life and to look at our walk. We must be careful that no matter what happens in our life, we don’t lose our focus: CHRIST. Verse 36 tells us to be attentive and praying. Often with the rush of everyday life, we forget to take care of our spiritual life and we lose the way of salvation!

In Hebrews 12:14, we see that we need the process of sanctification to see the Lord. Being holy means being farther and farther away from sin and closer to God, focused on practicing the Word of God. In Ephesians 5:25-27, Paul speaks a little about how Christ sanctifies the church. Beloved, our hope in the things of God and in eternity is infinitely greater than the expectations of things of this world.

Read Revelation 21:1-14. This has to be our true hope! What is being prepared for us is incomparable to anything on this earth. Our expectations must be in eternity (Rom. 8:18).

Today I want to encourage you. Many of us don’t know the true meaning of hope, and when something bad happens we become discouraged with God. Revelation 3:8 is an encouragement for us to keep the Word of the Lord and practice it, just like in James 1:22, which tells us to not be just hearers, but doers. Our faith must be unshakeable in the face of opposition.

When thinking about a wedding like that in the parable, the following reflection came to me: “What is the entrance of a bride like?” Everyone wants to see her, but in reality, the bride wants to see the groom and the groom wants to see the bride! Did you get that? May we not lose our hope in Christ and when He comes, like the bride, may we be prepared and long see Jesus as He is. May we keep our hope alive and may we exalt Him on that day with much joy! Stand firm in the Lord Jesus Christ.

“Further, my brothers and sisters, rejoice in the Lord! It is no trouble for me to write the same things to you again, and it is a safeguard for you” (Phil. 3:1 NIV).

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 Abby Ramirez, volunteer with Iron Rose Sister Ministries in João Pessoa, Brazil

Every Sunday when we celebrate the Lord’s Supper, we meditate deeply on the sacrifice that He made for us on the cross. When we take the bread and the wine, we remember all the pain and suffering that Christ went through. His death brings us sadness, but we stay in this state of emotion for only a few moments because our Lord RESURRECTED. He defeated death and saved us. His return to life brings us immense joy and peace. His death testifies to His love and His resurrection testifies to His power.

For us, Jesus Christ’s resurrection should be of utmost importance, even more to be celebrated than His death. It’s a fact that Jesus died and His body was resurrected on the third day. Let’s consider together what this event means for us.

In Philippians 3:10 (NIV), Paul writes about the power of Jesus’ resurrection, “I want to know Christ—yes, to know the power of his resurrection and participation in his sufferings, becoming like him in his death.”

Paul had different personal experiences with our Lord Jesus in his life of mission. The apostle lived to preach the gospel, and his understanding of the resurrection was deep. In this verse, Paul expresses his desire to know Jesus. To know our Lord goes beyond knowing about His historical life and teachings. To thoroughly know Jesus means to believe in the power of His resurrection.

Jesus defeated death, and this lets us experience the power of this sacrifice by participating in His suffering. Romans 6:5 says, “For if we have been united with him in a death like his, we will certainly also be united with him in a resurrection like his.”

If we believe the gospel, we will put Him on in baptism, buried in the water, and resurrected to eternal life, knowing that our life will not end with death, but we will be resurrected like Him in a glorified body when He returns.

Jesus says in John 11:25-26, “I am the resurrection and the life. The one who believes in me will live, even though they die; and whoever lives by believing in me will never die. Do you believe this?” The resurrection of Jesus powerfully demonstrates His divinity. He defeated death and showed His supernatural power. This event shows us that Christ is God.

His resurrection has the power to defeat death, which is the price of sin. When Jesus was raised from the dead, He defeated Satan and gave us the same power. Now we are no longer slaves to sin, rather we are more than conquerors in Jesus Christ.

But thanks be to God that, though you used to be slaves to sin, you have come to obey from your heart the pattern of teaching that has now claimed your allegiance. You have been set free from sin and have become slaves to righteousness. (Ro. 6:17-18)

His resurrection has the power to bless all nations without any kind of discrimination. Jews, Gentiles, and all people have access to salvation through Christ. His resurrection fulfills God’s perfect plan. The resurrection sealed the gospel and God concluded His plan of salvation for humanity.

In His wisdom, He planned it this way from the beginning and fulfilled it perfectly.

His resurrection has the power to justify us. It was the proof that the sacrifice of the cross was fulfilled and accepted. We were bought with the blood of Christ and the debt of our sin was paid in full. His resurrection has the power to give us life, which means that all of us who belong to Jesus Christ will receive the same resurrection.

Romans 6:8 says, “Now if we died with Christ, we believe that we will also live with him.” His resurrection has the power to comfort. It promises that our loved ones who have already died in Christ will live with Him.

Our Jesus was resurrected! He is alive! How many times a day do we remember this extraordinary fact? Do we understand the power of the resurrection of our Lord? Many Christians are still trapped in the grave without the hope of the resurrection, or only focused on the cross and the suffering. It’s good to remember and reflect on the death of our Lord Jesus, but we must not forget that He was raised. Let’s remember this important truth and consider what the power of the resurrection means for us.

Let’s tell others that Jesus defeated death. His body did not remain in the grave. Therefore, our faith should be based in this great truth of the resurrection. His resurrection was seen and testified by many. The resurrection of Christ gives meaning to our Christian life, as Paul says in 1 Corinthians 15:14, “And if Christ has not been raised, our preaching is useless and so is your faith.”

Let us rejoice in His resurrection!

Written by Débora Amaro, volunteer with Ministério Irmã Rosa de Ferro in Campo Grande, Brazil

There are several accounts about Jesus where His divinity is expressed with great power, and I believe that resurrecting people is one of the biggest demonstrations of that. We have some biblical accounts, like the widow’s son in Nain (Luke 7:11-17), Lazarus (John 11), and Jairo’s daughter (Matt. 9).

But, for the moment we will focus on Jairo’s daughter. We don’t know her name, her age, or even what she looked like. The only information we have about her is her ancestry: she’s Jairo’s daughter. Let’s take a look at the whole history:

‘‘While he was still saying this, a synagogue leader came and knelt before him and said, “My daughter has just died. But come and put your hand on her, and she will live.”
Jesus got up and went with him, and so did his disciples [...]
When Jesus entered the synagogue leader’s house and saw the noisy crowd and people playing pipes, he said, “Go away. The girl is not dead but asleep.” But they laughed at him. After the crowd had been put outside, he went in and took the girl by the hand, and she got up. News of this spread through all that region. (Matt. 9:18-19, 23-26)

This complex history demonstrates Jesus’ compassion for women and children, whom, most of the time, were undervalued during the first century’s Jewish society.

We know that Jesus has power to resurrect the dead. He was resurrected himself after the crucifixion and lives today at the Father’s right hand. But, one thing is knowing, reading and listening about it. It’s another thing to actually experience it.

And that’s where the mystery lies: We are not Jairo’s daughter, but we were also dead and we were also resurrected!

Look at how beautiful the reality of what Christ did for us is, in the words of the apostle Paul:

‘‘As for you, you were dead in your transgressions and sins, in which you used to live when you followed the ways of this world and of the ruler of the kingdom of the air, the spirit who is now at work in those who are disobedient.
All of us also lived among them at one time, gratifying the cravings of our flesh and following the desires and thoughts. Like the rest, we were by nature deserving of wrath.
But because of his great love for us, God, who is rich in mercy, made us alive with Christ even when we were dead in transgressions—it is by grace you have been saved.
And God raised us up with Christ and seated us with him in the heavenly realms in Christ Jesus, in order that in the coming ages he might show the incomparable riches of his grace, expressed in his kindness to us in Christ Jesus.” (Eph. 2:1-7)

Like Jairo’s daughter, we didn’t have (at least not in any biblical account) a name or an identity.

And just like Jairo interceded to God on behalf of his daughter, Jesus interceded to God on our behalf.

Just like they doubted the power of God during that time, they doubt God’s power to transform lives today.

Jesus knew there was hope for Jairo’s daughter, because He is powerful to bring LIFE, and HE knew there was hope for us also, through His sacrifice.

When Jesus says there was no reason for mourning, they laughed at Him. Those who doubt God’s power can laugh at us and at our faith, but they can’t contest a miracle: a life made new is a miracle!

This HIStory also speaks a lot about us: Christ has the power to resurrect! It’s incredible to know that the same power that resurrected Jesus lives in us today:

‘‘(...) and his incomparable great power for us who believe.
That power is the same as the mighty strength he exerted when he raised Christ from the dead and seated him at his right hand in the heavenly realms…” (Eph. 1:19-20)

Is there something that our God cannot do? He already performed the greatest miracle ever, giving us new life.

God bless us!

#IronRoseSister #HIStories #resurrection #guestwriter

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 Deanna Brooks, volunteer with Iron Rose Sister in Arkansas

In Philippians 3:8-11 (ESV) Paul writes:

I count everything as loss because of the surpassing worth of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord. For his sake I have suffered the loss of all things and count them as rubbish, in order that I may gain Christ and be found in him, not having a righteousness of my own that comes from the law, but that which comes through faith in Christ, the righteousness from God that depends on faith— that I may know him and the power of his resurrection, and may share his sufferings, becoming like him in his death, that by any means possible I may attain the resurrection from the dead.

In Luke 14:25-33, Jesus admonishes us to count the cost of being a disciple and closes with these words in verse 33, “So therefore, any one of you who does not renounce all that he has cannot be my disciple.”

Paul had a background to be proud of, but it meant less to him than knowing Christ. We read in Philippians 3:3-7 that he was…

“circumcised on the eighth day, of the people of Israel, of the tribe of Benjamin, a Hebrew of Hebrews; as to the law, a Pharisee; as to zeal, a persecutor of the church; as to righteousness under the law, blameless. But whatever gain I had, I counted as loss for the sake of Christ.”

Paul was born in Tarsus and was a Roman citizen who studied at the feet of Gamaliel and probably was being primed to eventually become a well-respected religious leader. It is thought that because he had been educated by Gamaliel, his family was wealthy.

Paul held the garments of those stoning Stephen (Ac. 7:58) and approved the execution (Ac. 8:1), indicating he had some authority among Jewish leaders. He very likely was seen as one of their bright young leaders on the way to the top.

However, on the road to Damascus Jesus got Paul’s attention and changed his life.

When he made the decision to follow Jesus, he cut ties with his former life… with those with whom he had studied, with the religious leaders, and perhaps with his source of income.

The example Paul sets in seeing nothing in this world as being as important as following Jesus Christ tells us of his dedication and faith.

What holds us back from “knowing Christ”?

Sometimes it’s just the busy life we live. Other times it is the TV, sports events, or entertainment of the world. Time passes… our day gets away from us, and we have not stopped to pray, to read from Scriptures, or to meditate. We are concerned with our work, our car, the bills, or our house, and these take over our lives.

But Jesus once said that the Son of Man has no place to lay His head (Mt. 8:19-20).

Paul appears to be in a similar situation. He walked away from what he had, so he could teach others about Jesus. We have no record of him ever having a permanent home after becoming a follower of Jesus. He had no wife, and no children, but although he did have a sister and nephew (Ac. 23:16), he found a home with fellow disciples in his travels.

While living a nomadic lifestyle may not be something most of us can do, we can decide to put Jesus first in our decisions about things that occupy our time, how we spend our money, and how we treat others.

I encourage each of us to stop and think: Is there something that is keeping me from putting Jesus above everything on earth? Is there something I need to give up to truly make Jesus the lord of my life?