Search Our Blog Posts
Blog Article Tags
We love building relationships. Subscribe to our blog to receive weekly encouragement in your email inbox.
- Details
As a ministry, we are growing. More quickly than I can describe and more expansively than I can handle... but I wouldn’t want to contain or stunt that growth!
Children face growing pains as their muscles catch up with their extending bones. And in a similar fashion, rose bushes go through a season of pruning, especially after looking sparse, in order to facilitate greater growth and beauty. Pruning can be a painful time, but it is a blessed time of greater and deeper growth. We are grateful for the “good problem” of growing pains!
Iron Rose Sister Ministries (IRSM) is at a critical juncture. IRSM has begun to get stretched too thin and our rose bush is looking sparse, or less healthy for our long-term growth in answering God’s call. Next year will be IRSM’s five-year anniversary. Praise God! And we are currently reaching and equipping thousands of women across the Americas each year through our small group Bible study materials, speaking engagements, and other resources. However, in order to maintain and expand the vision God has given us to equip women to connect to God and one another more deeply, in English and Spanish, across the Americas, we will be pruning in a few areas, thus facilitating greater long-term growth in our principal areas of equipping. As we navigate this time of pruning and growth, bringing on others as co-laborers in that vision, please join us in prayer that God will raise up the right workers, wisdom in a clear direction, and the funds to make it possible.
Here are some of the changes you will see as we transition into 2018:
• Once a week Blog posts in English (versus daily Monday-Friday)
• At least for a time, we will no longer be recording spots in Spanish for the radio program La Voz Alegre, through World Christian Broadcasting.
• Michelle will reduce the number of speaking engagements/trips to approximately one per month (some international trips will be two weeks in a given month, which includes two locations, but this is still an overall reduction in travel).
And some of the next areas of growth and expansion for 2018:
• In addition to the small group Bible study materials and other online resources (audio and video), more of the programs available through IRSM will be made available for replication and use in more churches, women’s groups, and ministries.
o Bilingual women’s ministry resources, ideas and samples
o Small group training
• Increase of intern opportunities.
• Greater equipping of IRSM Representatives and Points of Contact in strategic cities, states, and countries across the Americas
Please help us spread the word about all God is doing in and through us, as a ministry. We are grateful for your prayers, your financial support, and for your involvement in equipping women to connect to God and one another more deeply.
Thank you!
M.
- Details
Humbled by the following list, I invite you to join with us in giving thanks for all God has done through Iron Rose Sister Ministries in 2017.
• Estimated total number of women equipped/impacted across the Americas: Over 3,000
• Number of congregations represented by equipped women: More than 320 congregations across the Americas
• Events: 35 Seminars (2 Bilingual; 9 English; 5 Spanish in U.S.; 19 Spanish in Latin America)
• Destination Retreat: IRSM-hosted event with women from eight states and over 20 congregations represented
• Missionary Renewal Retreat: Conexiones, in partnership with Great Cities Missions (51 missionary women from 12 countries)
• Ministry consultations: 20 churches in event coordination, planning, communication, etc.; 8 other congregations, especially regarding bilingual ministry, small group studies, IRSM resources, etc.
• Private counseling/personal study (long-distance and locally): 7
• Missionary Care: 6 local Latin America visits, 12+ through year-round WhatsApp/ Skype/ FB communication, prayer partnering, etc.
• Bible Study Materials: Release of 4th small group women’s Bible study book, Called to Listen: Forty Days of Devotion and Llamada a escuchar: Cuarenta días de devoción.
• Local Bible studies: 2 Spanish, total of 20 young women; 2 English, total of 18 women
• Students/women mentored locally on a consistent basis: 3 (including summer intern)
• Blog: Now being read and received by Cuban women!
• Countries visited in 2017 for events: Honduras, Chile, Peru, Cuba, Guatemala
• U.S. States visited in 2017 for events: Colorado, Tennessee, California, Florida, Louisiana, and of course, Arkansas
Thanksgiving
• Overwhelming and humbling gratefulness for all God has done through IRSM in the past year: our continued growth and opportunities.
• Growing group of volunteers locally in Searcy, AR
• Excellent summer intern, Mackenzie Lancaster, and other Harding students looking to get involved with IRSM
• Erica Peck, IRSM part-time bilingual assistant
• Being able to increase the awareness of churches and individuals regarding the need to equip more women in their walk with God (starting, growing, or deepening)
• The number of women encouraged, equipped, empowered, and inspired through IRSM seminars and small group Bible studies.
• Meeting a need—such a blessing to feed those who are hungry and point them to the bread of life and living water—equipping women to connect to God and one another more deeply.
• Growing partnership with Downtown Church of Christ (Searcy, AR).
• More opportunities and invitations than we can accept in 2018.
• Safety and health for Michelle, especially in travel.