Iron Rose Sister Ministries

This month, as we conclude our time Listening to I AM and Listening to Others, we are transitioning to an emphasis on “What is an Iron Rose Sister.” One of the best ways to highlight one such Iron Rose Sister relationship is through an interview with IRSM President, Katie Forbess. After reading her letter, I encourage you to share your own story of an Iron Rose Sister relationship in your own life.

Dear Iron Rose Sister Reader,

Tell us a little about yourself:

Hi, I’m Katie Forbess, sinner, redeemed lover and follower of Christ. I have been surrounded by Christian family all my life. I would like to share the what, why and how of IRSM sisterhood in my life. I chose to write this as a letter because I wanted to be able to share the deeply personal attachment that I have with Iron Rose Sister Ministries.  

What is an Iron Rose Sister to you?

One of the most beneficial and complicated relationship within the church for me have been with Christian sisters. This fact goes to the heart of the why of Iron Rose Sister Ministries. One of the most amazing examples of Iron Rose Sisters and one of the foundational relationships is between me and Michelle Goff, the Founder, Executive Director and Lead Speaker of IRSM.

Tell us a little about your relationship with Michelle:

Michelle and I have a history that speaks IRSM language. We became friends at Harding, through our major, and even more so with our common passions for Spanish and Missions. Our time spent together included team building with a group that was interested in going to Colombia at my parents’ RV Park in Eureka Springs. We passed the time together in audiology class and studying for tests in phonetics.  

After graduation, we both moved to Denver to work with Bob Brown starting Spanish-speaking congregations. It was an incredible blessing for me when her parents moved to the Denver area. Then Michelle moved to Venezuela and not, long after that, Jeff and I moved to Bolivia. God used those years to shape and bless me.  

Our story at this point could be one of thousands of friendships formed at Harding and blessed by God over time. The turning point came as IRSM was planted in Michelle’s heart as a space/hole had been created in mine after leaving my church family in Bolivia. The lack of daily routine and interaction with my teammates and the work that we were doing there created a vacuum and God chose to fill that with IRSM.

What is your role within IRSM?

I call myself a “Glorified Cheerleader.” I am a big picture personality and I love to do the “fun edits” on books and articles. Today, I am the President of the Board and President of IRSM. On paper, somewhere, I have two sets of responsibilities. As the Board President, I am the one who is in closest communication with Michelle about things that the board needs to know about, and information that helps us be supportive and make decisions.  As the President of IRSM, I am the one who tries to help Michelle see all the parts and how they work together. 

What makes your and Michelle’s relationship an example of Iron Rose Sisters?

Our relationship has always been based on the FACETS of IRSM: Faithfulness, Authenticity, Community, Encouragement, Testimony and Study. The definition of an Iron Rose Sister, as defined by the IRSM mission statement, also characterizes our relationship: IRSM helps women to have Christian sister relationships that will be like iron sharpening iron, encouraging and inspiring each other to be as beautiful as a rose in spite of a few thorns.There are some who would look at us and think, “not from the same garden,” but the ones who know us best think “WOW! from the same Creator!”  As Iron Rose Sisters we are encouraging, equipping and empowering each other, and also other women in their relationships with God and one another.

Do you have any words of encouragement?

My encouragement to you, reader, is to hold tight to the relationships that you have where Christ is the center and in which you are able to help each other grow closer to God and one another. Use IRSM tools and resources within you personal life, inner circle and church family to fortify the relationships that you have and reach out, making new friends and empowering women to learn to grow in their relationships with God and one another.  

What verse would you like to share?

Proverbs 18:24 New King James Version (NKJV)  

A man who has friends must himself be friendly,

But there is a friend who sticks closer than a brother.

#IronRoseSister #sistersinChrist #Listentoothers #ListentoIAM

Written by Tony Brizendine, husband of Brenda and volunteer with Iron Rose Sister Ministries

I can remember the excitement I felt as if it were yesterday. Brenda and I were picking out the paint colors, cabinets, carpet, and light fixtures for our new home. This is something we had prayed about for years and our dream was finally coming true. We received a phone call from our realtor while we were celebrating my birthday. He congratulated us on securing the property to build our new home on. I thought for sure this was God’s hand blessing us. We had already sold our previous home and were living in the basement of my parent’s house while waiting on our new home to be constructed. We also were pregnant with our daughter and were hoping the new home would be finished before she was born.

The months that followed seemed to contradict all of our excitement. The building of our home was delayed for several months due to a shortage of workers. By the time there were workers available, I received news that I was being laid off from my job. We ultimately had to pull out of building the house a few weeks before Brenda’s due date. I was crushed. No job, no house and a baby on the way. I asked myself over and over, “Why would a good God allow this to happen to us?” I felt angry and abandoned by God.

A few days after our daughter was born, I received a call from a former boss of mine. He invited me to apply for an open job with his new company. Within a week after his call and interviewing, I was employed again. My parents and younger sister helped us with our newborn daughter while we were living with them, which was a huge blessing for us. Two months later, our realtor called us and had a great home available for us to purchase that suited our needs perfectly. We were able to move into our house the weekend of my birthday, exactly 1 year after we had secured the property for the home we wanted to build.

After having some time to reflect, I realized that I was not putting God first. In that season, I had become selfish and shortsighted. I didn’t see God as my provider. I saw myself and my job as my provider instead of Him. He is the Great “I AM” and as Deuteronomy 6:4 says, “The Lord our God, the Lord is one.” God is not interested in just granting the desires of our heart, He wants our whole heart. While we see the surface level things, He can see from a much higher level than we can.

While I was very grateful to God for restoring my employment and helping us through that season, I felt as though our dream was lost. Yet three years later, God provided a home that was not far from where we originally wanted to build, and was constructed at the same time we lost our “dream house”. The selling owners took very good care of the house, which was far beyond our expectations, and left it in pristine condition. It was as if God had these people taking care of it for us while He waited for the right time to deliver it.

God had seen what we needed on the surface level, but He wanted us to learn to see Him first, The One, The Whole. Thanks for letting me share this reminder to keep our eyes fixed on the I AM.

Brendais the Communications Assistant of Iron Rose Sister Ministries.

Tell us a little about you and your family.

Hello, thank you for the opportunity to share in this blog.

I am originally from Guatemala, a country located in Central America. I was born and raised in Guatemala and lived there until I moved to the United States, 3 days before my wedding, to join to the love of my life a little more than 5 years ago. Tony is an African American born in the United States. We have a 3-year-old daughter who has in her blood, both the Latin and African American cultures.

What have been the blessings of uniting two cultures in one family?

To be able to see the world from different perspectives. To learn to speak two languages (especially in the case of my husband, and now that of our daughter). Being exposed to other cultures first hand, and not through movies, news or documentaries. To try different foods, being exposed to different experiences, expanding the variety of recipes that can be prepared! But most importantly, to learn to know how God's plans are perfect even when we look different, we speak differently and handle situations differently due to the context in which we were raised.

What has been the hardest part about getting married to someone from another language or culture?
We recognize that this does not mean you're talking bad about your new family!

Uuuuy! If I told you the stories! Hahaha. Basically, I would say it is the communication. Although both my husband and I communicate in English, I grew up in a very different environment and culture, and the way to communicate there is more direct, without so much detour and always trying to resolve issues immediately, because the idea is to always be in community.
My husband, on the other hand, speaks more diplomatically (Not to mention that he talks around the bushes!) And his way of seeing life is a little more independent.
And let's add, he is a man and I am a woman. We definitely think in different channels! There are things that Spanish has a vast variety of ways to express, but the English translation is very limited. That makes us more creative when communicating.

What can you tell us about living in a country that is not your country of origin?

It is quite an experience. Starting with the weather!
Although I have studied English almost all my life and practiced it a lot in my last place of work in Guatemala, I will always have my Guatemalan accent. And people notice it! English is not my language, and, consequently, I will have grammatical errors from time to time, and often orthographic "horrors" too.
Then, the color of my skin gives me away. That immediately alerts others about my foreign nationality and, therefore, the way they address me is different.
Next, I can mention the customs, especially in terms of how relationships are carried out. I grew up in a culture where family, friends and having fellowship with people is the bread of every day. No matter how busy or tired we are, there is always a good excuse to get together, even if someone shows up at your house without warning! And we always share a meal, even if it's our turn to "pour more water into the broth." Emotions are not hidden. We can express our emotions as we feel them, and we know how to share very intimately with those around us.
Here, I see that everything is planned, it has to be programmed and it looks very bad to "visit without notice." People do not give themselves permission to express emotions in public. In this sense, I can say that I miss my friends, my congregation and the way to develop friendships.

I know you have experience working with people from many nations, for example, when you worked with Compassion. What else impacted you or caught your attention when working with people from another culture?

I must say that Compassion gave me the opportunity, first, to know other cultures even within my country. I managed to visit very remote communities where Spanish was not the first language of the inhabitants. I learned a lot from their customs, and from the challenges and difficulties they had. At the same time, I was able to share with people from different countries in Latin America and the Caribbean. What a great experience! We always had sessions where we compared the words we use in each country to refer to the same thing.
Also, I was able to share with people from North America and Europe. With all these experiences, I could be exposed to different languages and different points of view on the same situations. But in the end, even with everything and our differences, we worked for the same goal and for the same mission, and that made us see beyond cultural differences to find solutions that would bless those who would be the recipients of the results of our efforts. In the case of Compassion, the children. I remember a phrase that is very popular for resolving conflicts, and which I try to apply in my daily life: The more we speak to one another, the better we understand each other.

Is there a Bible verse that has impacted you in intercultural relationships?

Acts 17:26-28 New International Version (NIV)
26 From one man he made all the nations, that they should inhabit the whole earth; and he marked out their appointed times in history and the boundaries of their lands. 27 God did this so that they would seek him and perhaps reach out for him and find him, though he is not far from any one of us. 28 ‘For in him we live and move and have our being.’ As some of your own poets have said, ‘We are his offspring.’

How can we as Iron Rose Sisters serve to improve intercultural relations?

Remembering that it is not ourselves that we serve, but that we are on a mission, which is to bring the good news of Christ to all nations. Then, we should not look at skin or hair color, language or customs. We must continue working every day to be more like Christ and to reflect His love, because that is how they will know Him, through our fruit. Loving God with all our strength, mind and soul, so we could be able to love our neighbor, in such a way that we become one body in Christ Jesus.

Is there anything else that the church in general can do to improve intercultural relations?

First, remember that we have all been created in the image of God, therefore, we all deserve to be treated with the same level of dignity, respect and love. Second, be willing to meet others, not just as a curiosity or as a chore, but genuinely take time to get to know that person. Also, be willing to be vulnerable, to speak of yourself so that they can know that you are a human being in work to be transformed in the image of Christ. I understand that not all of us become best friends, but if we strive to love each other and help each other to improve, we will be witnesses of Jesus as indicated by John 13:35 "By this everyone will know that you are my disciples, if you love one another."

Thanks for sharing your story with us!

Jo Gower is one of IRSM’s Prayer Warriors and friends. She is passionate about prayer and hopes to encourage everyone to deepen their relationship with God and one another through prayer.

Jo, please tell us a little about yourself and your family.
In my teenage years I asked the Lord for a husband that would have a heart for God. My prayers began being answered when Hugh and I met, then married in 1972. Before marriage, we agreed that Christ would be the head of our family and the center of our home. Even though we were not perfect in living this principle, it grounded us and gave us a foundation through the good, the bad and the ugly, Ha! It’s called ‘life.’ Though the years if both of us had not matured in Christ, we wouldn’t be

married today. We both are ever grateful that God gave us each other to sharpen as iron sharpens iron.

You have been an awesome advocate for prayer at the Downtown Church of Christ and wherever you have lived and served. Why is prayer such an important part of your life?
There is a fundamental principle of spiritual power: to be mightily used by God is totally dependent on how much time we spend with the Lord. Jesus often withdrew to lonely places to pray; to receive what His Father wanted Jesus to be, do and receive in order for Jesus to do His Father’s will here on earth.

What does it mean to be a Prayer Warrior?
We can become a “Prayer Warrior” when we grasp the fact that as Christians we live in a different realm. Reality isn’t happening in the physical world as we see it, but rather in the heavenly realm.

“for our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the powers of this dark world and against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms.” (Eph. 6:12)

As a warrior, we are fighting the spiritual battle not to gain victory, but rather from the place of victory. Jesus already fought for us; the empty grave speaks volumes (1Cor. 15:1-4). We just need to walk with Christ through the victory lane He has provided, which is the path of prayer.

In Ephesians 6:10-23, God provides our armor, but He does not dress us; we have to put on the armor and quickly seal it in prayer, with the help of the Holy Spirit. Victory lane just widened! We are packaging the armor in prayer! We are praying because the victory has already been won.

“...and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God. And pray in the Spirit on all occasions with all kinds of prayers and requests. With this in mind, be alert and always keep on praying for all the saints.” (Ephesians 6:17-18 NIV)

To be a prayer warrior is to “watch and pray” (Luke 21:36).

Is there a Bible verse that has been impactful for you as a Prayer Warrior?
There are many Bible verses, but I’ll hold it to one. Mark 9:14-29, when the disciples could not heal a boy that was possessed by an impure spirit and Jesus healed him. They asked Jesus why they could not heal the boy and Jesus replied: “This kind can come out only by prayer and fasting” (Mark 9:29 NIV).

Is there anyone, like an Iron Rose Sister, who has had a significant impact in your life as a Prayer Warrior? Or someone who has been an example of a Prayer Warrior?
Michelle Goff is the most recent sister to impact my life; at a most crucial time too. Not long after leaving our home in West Monroe, LA moving to Searcy, she invited me to come to an IRSM small group study, “Called to Listen.” This group blessed me in connecting more deeply with God and sisters in Christ. I began to feel more at home in Searcy. Not only did Michelle impact my life but her mother, Jocelynn Goff, did too. What great women of faith! Thank you for accepting me and pulling me into a great time of “iron sharpening iron.” I look forward to many more experiences with IRSM.

Within my life, several people influenced me in my prayer journey. Too many to list, but Hugh, my husband, and Keith, my brother, have made an enormous difference in my prayer life and my walk with Christ. We ministered together to begin the Calhoun School of Prayer, prayer enrichment seminars and prayer retreats in Calhoun, LA. Out of 30 years of prayer ministry (Acts 6:5), came Keith’s book called “Why God Waits for You to Pray.”

Was there an event or something that strengthened your dedication to prayer?
When we lived in the Kansas City, Missouri, area, Hugh and I went to a Prayer Seminar in Overland Park, Kansas conducted by Albert Lemmons. We had already been studying prayer, but this started us on a deeper commitment to pray. After many years, we were blessed to graduate from a 2-year study of the entire Bible in regard to prayer, “CrossView College of Prayer.”

What is the key to continuing a faithful life of prayer?
Pray and meditate on the scriptures. Spending devotional time with God will allow the Holy Spirit to work in our lives. Joining prayer groups, connecting with other prayer warriors encourages us to stay focused.

What is one of your greatest testimonies as a Prayer Warrior?
In the Kansas City area, we worked for a local church; after a few years, we had to move. So we prayed first for wisdom. Then Hugh mailed out a few resumes. Meanwhile our home sold quickly. What do we do? Store our things, get an apartment and wait for a job or move in a U-Haul truck toward some of the places that were looking for a preacher? After much prayer, we decided to go visit his Mom and wait. There was no way for anyone to contact us personally (no cell phones, no internet or computers in those days). We loaded the truck, headed south.

So I’m saying to the Lord: “Okay so this will be a long drawn out wait! Churches are just too slow!” Then God brought to mind “think about me, “I AM” that sent Abraham with all his belongings on a journey, not knowing where he was going. I told him to leave but didn’t tell him exactly where I AM was sending him.” This gave me comfort during a difficult move.

When we arrived at his mother’s she said, “A man from the Church of Christ in Ferriday, Louisiana, wants you to call him, he’s been trying to contact you.” Hugh called him; next day drove to Ferriday, they hired him. And because we had not been paid the last 2 weeks, they hired us retroactively, so God took care of all our expenses of moving. Now that’s a God-wink!!! God is good! I had peace through the transition time because the great “I AM” brought to my mind that He sent and took care of His servant, Abraham. And would take care of us too. “The LORD had said to Abram, “Leave your native country,...go to the land that I will show you.” Genesis 12:1 (NLT)

Jo, thank you so much for sharing part of your stories and your insights. Thanks for trusting in the I AM, for Praying to the I AM and, also for being an IRSM Prayer Warrior!

#IronRoseSister #testimony #prayerwarrior #newbeginnings #prayer

Restored and Reunited through True Freedom
Written by Mimi Massengill
John 3:17 Resident, Graduating July 14, 2019

It’s a Saturday morning at a rural church in Remmel, Arkansas... as the membership begins to arrive, something heavenly happens. It’s 10am, and Poppie’s Bible Study has dismissed. In the foyer of the church, we find husbands and children waiting for their wives and moms. We find mothers and fathers waiting for their daughters. We find families patiently waiting for their loved ones.

As the forty extraordinary women of John 3:17 Ministry file into the sanctuary, the love of our Holy Father begins to fill the room. The church members offer hugs and encouragement to each lady as they cross paths. We get to witness this magnificent gift from our Lord. These women received a redemption they could not afford. They come from all over: Arkansas, Missouri, Mississippi, Texas, Tennessee, and Florida—all seeking a cure for their lives of addiction and sin. John 3:17 and the Remmel Church provide a safe environment for women, filled with the Holy Spirit.

Birdy is just coming out of her 30-day “Black-Out.” She hasn’t seen or spoken to her children since she came for her interview. At breakfast that morning, she exclaims to me across the room that her daughter is coming this morning! As we all walk into the foyer, I see Birdy’s family as she runs to hug her two-year-old daughter, Mary Lou. She is accompanied by her Aunt Janna, cousin, Hunter, sister, Daisy, and Miss Stacy.

The tears begin to flow from everyone who witnesses this sweet reunion. The family enjoyed their visit playing outside, and by the time the visit was over, Birdy felt a supernatural sense of strength and peace. She knew the Lord was carrying her and her family.

Stories like Birdy’s take place all the time at John 3:17. God doesn’t just restore families here though. He gives us the gift of the Holy Spirit. He restores our spiritual gifts and allows us to be vessels for His great purpose. Any one of the residents could tell you a story about how Satan controlled their lives, but God picked them up from out of the pit and set their feet on a firm foundation.

And from that firm foundation, we find rest. We have been running from Satan for so long, and finally surrendered our lives and wills to Jesus Christ. It’s by the power of His resurrection that we find the strength to keep going. We thank God for His great work in and through John 3:17 Ministry. He clocks in for work and He never clocks out! May the Lord bless and keep you all!

Mimi Massengill

John 3:17 Ministry is a Homeless/Recovery Center for women in Jackson County, Arkansas.

Description from John 3:17 Website: The scripture from John 3:17 describes the goal of this ministry, “For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but to save the world through him.” Neither do we condemn you. Every person working with this ministry has either suffered personally with an addiction or has a close family member who has. We have witnessed God through Jesus Christ and the power of His Holy Spirit to set individuals free.

We also know that addictions cause confusion and disorder. But God came to bring order out of chaos, and He will use John317 as one avenue through which individuals can get the help and deliverance they need.

#IronRoseSister #freedom #truth #John317ministry