Iron Rose Sister Ministries

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Published: 13 May 2014

“Read your Bible and pray every day and you’ll grow, grow, grow.”

A children’s song with simple lyrics and a simple tune that I remember singing as a child.  It expresses the basic truths and importance of reading our Bible and praying.

A prayer before meals and a verse in a devotional reflection is good, but do these perfunctory acts reflect a deep relationship with God that will get us through the tough times?

I offer a reminder today that there is great value in digging deeply in the Word, allowing God to speak to you there, and reveal transformative truths through Scripture.  There is also a wealth of joy and promise found in pouring our hearts out to God in prayer.

There are many ways in which we can read Scripture, many methods of prayer, various other spiritual disciplines that serve as spiritual training.  But the point is this: communication and relationship with our Father is foundational to be able to run with perseverance the race marked out for us (Hebrews 12:1b).

My encouragement on this Transformational Tuesday is that you transform your view of prayer and Scripture today.  Look at them as spiritual training for the race marked out for you and rejoice in the opportunity to train and thus be able to persevere.

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Published: 09 May 2014

I have always loved kids.  Over the years, I always had an easier time picturing myself as a mother than I did of wearing a white dress down the aisle for my wedding.

I have never been married and I have no children.  However, I have many adoptive nieces and nephews all across the globe.  I’m “the fun aunt” to many of my friends’ children and I love being able to live currently with my nephew and be “Auntie M” or “Tia M” depending on which language is being spoken.

In Venezuela, and a few other places, there are a number of people who call me “mom.”  Not “mom” with a roll of the eyes and a sarcastic drawl of the vowel like my younger sisters said when I was being the bossy older sister.  Rather, “mom” as a term of appreciation and respect for being a part of their spiritual birth and walking with them through their early years of faith.  “Mom” as someone who will always keep them in her prayers.  “Mom” as a cry for help when the journey gets too hard to walk alone.

I thank God for the opportunity to be “mom” to many spiritual children.  I thank God for transforming my attitude from disappointment at not having any children in the traditional way to a feeling of belonging and fulfillment through the countless children whose lives I have had the opportunity to touch as a spiritual mom.  I thank God for altering my expectations.  If you have had similar frustrations or disappointments, I pray that He can fill you with a similar peace and perspective.  We need more spiritual moms!

But most of all, in honor of Mother’s Day this Sunday, I thank God for my spiritual moms.  First and foremost, my own mom, Jocelynn Goff.  Also her mom, Barbara Brown, my dad’s foster mom, Evelyn Cobb, and many other spiritual moms (more than I can list) who have taught me by their example to be the spiritual mom I have the opportunity to be today.  May God bless us all to pass on a legacy of spiritual motherhood.

One special way to honor your mom and/or a spiritual mom in your life this Mother’s Day, is to make a donation to Iron Rose Sister Ministries in her honor.  We will send her a virtual bouquet of roses (like an e-card) and a special note.  Your donation will help us continue to equip women to be spiritual mothers through the resources we make available.

Thank you!  And have a blessed Mother’s Day.