We love building relationships. Subscribe to our blog to receive weekly encouragement in your email inbox.
Visit Our Store
Donate
You can also mail checks, made out to IRSM, to:
Iron Rose Sister Ministries
PO Box 1351
Searcy, AR 72145
IRSM is a 501(c)(3), so donations are tax-deductible.
Blog
Prayers Heard and Shared
“Thanks for listening to me. I feel better even for just having talked about it.” This expression of thanks came from a sister with whom I had a lengthy, tearful conversation. She had shared some things that were weighing on her—things affecting her family.
When we verbalize what we are going through, to God and to others, we alleviate the weight, we minimize the pain, and we lower the level of intensity. Also, when we share the burden of what we are carrying, we remember that we are not alone (Gal. 6:1-2).
When we bottle it all up, we can suffer from what I call “pressure cooker syndrome.” If we keep it all inside, the moment will come when we cannot handle it anymore and we will explode, thus creating a huge mess that we are cleaning up for weeks—all over the kitchen and all throughout our lives.
On the other hand, when we talk about it, in prayer, we release some of the pressure. We remember that we are never alone, and that God always listens. Therefore, prayer is one of the most powerful ways to alleviate stress, express frustration, rejoice, and find peace.
Prayer is one of the opportunities to deepen our intimacy with God. The constant contact and communication with our Creator, Father, and Great Physician are vital for our wellbeing. And when we give everything over to the Great I AM, we keep our eyes fixed on the Whole... not just our part.
In addition, prayer is an opportunity to deepen our relationships with one another. When we pray together, we join as one voice in thankfulness, petition, and intercession. My Iron Rose Sisters encourage me through their prayers for me and for others.
We pray about the ways in which we want to grow or bloom. We pray that God will eliminate the thorns we recognize and that He will reveal the ones we don’t yet see. We give thanks to God for the opportunity to deepen our friendship as iron sharpening iron.
We share burdens in prayer and when we join in prayer, we strengthen the bonds between the different parts of the Whole.
Thank you for being an integral part of the Whole by joining with us in prayer during our Prayer Month!
Our Source of Provision
Written by Johana Batres, Iron Rose Sister Ministries volunteer
A year after I got married, my husband lost his job. I trusted that my husband and his good academic preparation would help him find a new job. What I earned was enough to cover the basic needs of the house. God wanted my husband to get closer to Him, so he put his talent into the service of His work. Eight months passed, long and distressing, but we never lacked God’s provision. We always had food and medicine. We were about to lose our house, and on one occasion they cut the electricity service. It is sad to remember those moments, but the most beautiful thing is that God was always there as our Provider, until, finally, my husband found a new job!
Why did I want to share this with you? Because in this world, we can only survive with provisions that come from Above. At that time, I learned that my trust must be placed in God rather than in well-prepared people. My husband started to serve in God’s work and to work with the youth group.
God, the Creator of the universe, our All in All, is the One who provides all that we need. Prayer is, for us, the important method to connect us with God.
Jesus urges us to pray, “‘Our Father in heaven, hallowed be your name, your kingdom come, your will be done, on earth as it is in heaven. Give us today our daily bread. And forgive us our debts, as we also have forgiven our debtors. And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from the evil one’" (Matthew 6:9-13).
At that time, bread was the basic food and it represented all the needs of the people. In the same way, besides physical needs, Jesus teaches us to pray for everything: comfort, health, encouragement and wisdom, among other things.
What is your need today? Pray to the Lord... “The LORD is near to all who call on him, to all who call on him in truth” (Psalm 145:18).
Prayer is the voice of faith of those who trust that God will provide what is necessary.
God bless you!