Written by Johanna Zabala, volunteer with Iron Rose Sister Ministries in Venezuela

“...On my bed I remember you; I think of you through the watches of the night.” (Ps. 63:6 NIV)

Ever since I came to know the love and mercy of a Sovereign God, prayer has been a sublime spiritual activity. In prayer, soul and Divinity are connected, making possible the experience of life and healing. Today, being committed to Christ, every moment leads me to a fuller relationship with Him and, therefore, to follow the model prayer that He left us.

In my childhood, the prayer I learned from the Lord's Prayer became that direct conversation with Him. I didn't know then that this prayer would be the reference pattern for structuring my prayers in a particular way in vigils, by day and by night, where it would fill me with faith and spiritual awareness.

I remember that almost 25 years ago, I entered the hospital to give birth to my first daughter. It was a rainy night and one of the times when I began to pour myself out in prayer. Sorting out my thoughts and feelings, I recognized the grandeur of that moment of waiting, knowing that it was He who was with me.

At that moment, the pattern of prayer I learned as a child flashed through my mind, and in that experience, Almighty God and His purposes led me to cry out for sanctification in His holy name. Driven to do His will in that moment of uncertainty, not knowing what would happen, in that moment I came to ask for forgiveness with all my being and that I would forgive those who had offended me.. In the midst of pain unknown and new to me, I was filled with strength, concentration, and security that led to the success of a new life for the glory of God. This situation filled me with spiritual satisfaction from that moment until today. I have chosen that which allows my heart and soul to reject the sinful nature which counteracts the spiritual by separating me from God, , but instead nourishes me in this race of life.

From then on, every night vigil has comforted me. I know that in the presence of the Eternal and in uninterrupted intimate meditation, my mind, heart, and soul come together to confirm the security of His existence, giving answers in the Lord's perfect timing for every request and thanksgiving.

The nights, despite the day's weariness, are the most significant time in my relationship with the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit. It is then that I can give an account of the day, its trials, and its learning, being at rest, knowing that everything is done in His name (is in His control).

Praying is, and always will be, a holy privilege, where unique communication flows with the majesty of the Heavenly Father through Christ Jesus and His teachings, miracles, and human and holy examples that inspire us to follow in His footsteps of salvation and continual reflection.

All of the above points to full harmony and commitment to Christ, which is why in every prayer of the soul, there is so much peace, which is superior to any distraction from the earthly world.

Likewise, in prayer you learn dependence, submission, love, security, and certainty that everything depends on God's will, not yours. Prayer is, and always will be, the continuous path to spiritual blessings at all times—in times of joy, in struggles, in trials, in times of seeking direction and holiness. You sanctify, you bless His divine nature, you focus on His will to which you were called, you ask for physical help in earthly survival, you are led to forgiveness towards your neighbor and yourself, you receive strength to keep you from falling into temptation, and you are freed from evil.

When I can't sleep, I pray. Before I sleep, I pray, and my thoughts are held captive, keeping me aware of the presence of the Holy Spirit in every moment of life.

Do you live and love prayer? When you lie down, are your thoughts united with Christ?

Written by Corina Díaz, volunteer with Iron Rose Sister Ministries in Argentina

But when you pray, go into your room, close the door and pray to your Father, who is unseen. Then your Father, who sees what is done in secret, will reward you. (Matt. 6:6)

Throughout my Christian life, I have experienced different stages in my connection with Jesus, determined by the way in which I have practiced prayer.

During the first years, I learned to repeat prayers and the structure in which one should pray (call on Him – thanks – requests – blessing/praise). This gave me the foundation to practice what, years later, I came to know as Lectio Divina or contemplative prayer/reading—a deep search for silence. For me, silence is the perfect opportunity to listen to the Father and speak to Jesus from the depth of my heart.

First step, Lectio (reading): understand the Word (its literal meaning), responding to the question, what does the text say? It is important to contextualize through the following approaches: literary (word analysis), historical (sociocultural, economic, political, and religious situation), and theological (what God says).

Second step, Meditatio (meditation): receive the Word, what does the text say? We enter into an intimate dialogue with God through a series of questions that question our reality, and that help us to discover a message for life.

Third step, Oratio (prayer): respond to the Word, what does the text lead me to say to God? We respond in prayer, moved by the Holy Spirit.

And the fourth step, Contemplatio (contemplation/action): inspire life in the Word, to what conversion and action is the Lord inviting us? We receive what is discovered through dialogue with God, and the good news is that He sends us to find it with others.

In this final step is where we truly come together in prayer, when we are bathed in silence, and we have heard the voice of the Father to inspire our daily lives.

¡Be still in the presence of the Lord! (Ps. 37:7)

I invite you to practice this exercise through a passage of the Bible, maybe the same text in which Jesus teaches His disciples to pray in Matthew 6:5-15.

Written byLisanka Martinez, volunteer for Iron Rose Sister Ministries in Venezuela

Every beginning of the year is an opportunity for a fresh start in our Christian life as well. We begin a new biblical year: projects for discipleship, planning activities in the congregation... We focus on praying for what we need to grow spiritually, and obviously, since wisdom is an essential part of that growth, it is always included as one of the first requests on prayer lists.

Let's see what the Bible tells us about it in two well-known verses:

If any of you lacks wisdom, you should ask God, who gives generously to all without finding

fault, and it will be given to you.(Jas 1:5 NIV)

The beginning of wisdom is this: Get wisdom. Though it cost all you have, get understanding. (Pr 4:7)

 As is well known, when James writes his letter to the 12 scattered churches who have been persecuted and are going through various trials because of their faith, he encourages them to find joy in that situation. He tells them in this way: they will obtain the patience that will perfect them. Without pointing to anyone in particular, he immediately gives them this valuable advice in a general way, addressed to all the recipients: "If any of you lacks wisdom...".

The wisdom to which he refers leads to knowing, understanding, discerning, clearly understanding, having good judgment, making the right decisions, and knowing how to apply and defend the truth in every situation. This was not advised to only a few— all the scattered Christians needed that wisdom— but how to acquire it? 

This kind of wisdom can only come from God; only He, His Son Jesus, and the Holy Spirit are wise enough to give it. This is why James continues with the second part of this verse: "... you should ask God, who gives generously to all without finding fault, and it will be given to you." As we can see, This is a precious gift that we should ask for and long for in order to share His Word with others to honor, praise, and glorify Him.

As for the second verse, we know that Proverbs is the book of the Bible where many quotations and instructions concerning wisdom appear with the purpose of bringing us closer to God. In its opening chapters, Solomon counsels his sons to seek wisdom and recalls that he received this counsel from David, his father. In verse 7 of chapter 4, Solomon stresses the importance of acquiring that wisdom before anything else, which he tells them is the most important thing they can have— the most valuable possession above anything that man desires. Do you have an idea of the importance of asking, seeking, and acquiring that wisdom with God's help? It will enable us to know, understand, and obey His divine will.

So, knowing that acquiring wisdom has great relevance for our spiritual growth, what stops us from asking God for it first and dedicating ourselves with effort to seek it and acquire it? We should not have limitations or fear to ask for it as we have already learned.

 Therefore, one way in which we must grow or flourish is by acquiring wisdom that comes from above. For this, we must eliminate the thorns of indecision, procrastination, and pride (believing that we are already wise because we have great knowledge of the Bible, we can quote many verses from memory, or we have spent time in theological studies). We also need to recognize that we need the help of someone as a sharpener in our lives to pray for wisdom, to practice as wise women in all aspects of our lives, and to remember that God wants us to ask Him so that He can give this wisdom to us without reproach.

Do you dare to practice being wise from now on with God's help? Let’s start by asking Him for wisdom.

Written by Iron Rose Sister Ministries team and Board Members


As President of the Board and self-appointed, glorified cheerleader for IRSM, my prayer request is for unity and wisdom as the team and board work together to God’s glory.
~ Katie Forbess, President of the Board

Thankful for all of the resources provided by God, I pray that we will calm our hearts enough to allow us to step back and look at the many needs in the ministry, the wisdom to discern and set priorities, and the will and strength that trusts in God’s power and strength to do everything possible to tend to them. In Jesus' name,
~ Fernando Butch Sandoval, Board Member

My prayer is that IRSM will be integral to more churches in equipping and encouraging their women members.
~ Mark Vaughn, Board Member

I pray for all our Iron Rose Sisters to find peace amidst the chaos, and to seek the glory of God. May we store up our treasures in heaven.
~ Wendy Neill, Advancement Coordinator

I pray that IRSM continues to be strengthened as a community and that these resources may bless and connect people.
~ Alex Marins, English/Portuguese Translator/Editor

Thank you, Lord, for what you do through this ministry. Continue using it to equip women and show them how much You love and care for them.
~ Débora Rodrigo, English/Spanish Translator/Editor

I pray for direction for the Ministério Irmã Rosa de Ferro so that it will glorify God in Brazil and other Portuguese-speaking countries in 2024.
~ Laurie Diles, Board Member

My prayer for Iron Rose Sister Ministries in 2024 is for God to continue to be glorified in all it does, for women to continue to be equipped, encouraged, and empowered through its resources, and for relationships to continue to deepen in Christ.
~ Amanda Nitsch, Director of Operations

My prayer is that God may direct us to the women who hunger and thirst for the gospel—that we can provide them with Bible teaching and study materials to help them in their walk and share with others around them.
~ Judy Larsen, Office Assistant

May God open the doors so that we can present the ministry in person in more places in Brazil, organizing and participating in events.
~ Beliza Kočev, Brazil Coordinator

My prayer is that God will continue to bless the areas where IRSM is already having an impact and open up new places in the world for IRSM to spread the gospel of Jesus Christ.
~ Juana Hall, Financial Assistant

I pray that all that we share in social media may, in one way or another, impact the women who follow us. May we encourage them to draw closer to God and each other with the help of the ministry.
~ Francia Oviedo, Creative Assistant

May God continue to use us to equip, encourage, and empower women in their walks with God and each other, especially through the new book that will be released this fall and the new video resources rolling out in Spanish and Portuguese.
~ Michelle J. Goff, Founder and Executive Director

We request that you pray with us for those who need the connection and encouragement to find their way to our ministry and that our ministry will bring them closer to the Lord. Similarly, please pray for all of us Iron Rose Sisters, that we will be welcoming and genuine representatives of Jesus when others cross our paths.
~ Hannah Hackworth, Virtual Assistant

May God allow the team and board members to work together to fulfill God’s calling for Iron Rose Sister Ministries by remaining committed to Christ individually, and that all our efforts during the year will encourage, equip, and empower women across the Americas to seek God’s kingdom and remain committed to Christ!
~ Brenda Brizendine, Assistant Director

I pray that all the women who have been blessed by IRSM will use the teaching and resources they have received and share them with others this year. In this way, those who have been blessed may become a blessing to many others.
~ Bill Richardson, Board Member

I pray that 2024 will be a year of banner growth for IRSM! I pray for good health and wellbeing for Michelle and the entire IRSM team and board. Most importantly, I pray that each and every woman who connects with IRSM grows exponentially in their faith or comes to know Jesus through this beautiful ministry.
~ Kat Bittner, Board Member

My prayer is that God will use each of our gifts and talents for this ministry to build and support women's efforts to fully commit to Christ in 2024 through blogs, books, workshops, prayer, and fellowship.
~ Brenda Davis, English Editor

Written by Johanna Zabala, volunteer with Iron Rose Sister Ministries in Ecuador 

Rejoice always, pray continually, give thanks in all circumstances; for this is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus. (I Thessalonians 5:16-18 NIV)

It is comforting to live according to what is set out in this passage, since the joy of the Lord is our strength through today's trials.

I believe that constant prayer goes deep within us, living out the desire to be in communication with, and linked to, the Power of God at all times. Then that communication and intimacy with God through prayer becomes a full part of us that truly unites us with Him.

Knowing how to be thankful for everything, whether good or bad, teaches, serves, and helps us to grow in faith, remembering what Romans 8:28 says.  ^“And we know that for those who love God all things work together for good, for those who are called according to his purpose.”

When we see both the will of God and ours, we know they must be intertwined with the Holy Spirit because the Heavenly Father wants to give us the best; and what is best for us is edification, as 1 Corinthians 10:23 says. Living in the will of God builds the character of Christ in each one of us, and that is why it should be a priority to seek His perfect will through absolute communication with the Maker of Life.

I faithfully believe that prayer will bring perfect and essential intimacy with the Heavenly Father, that communication with others will be achieved, and that we will radiate Christ through our faith and dedication as indicated in Galatians 2:20.

I have been crucified with Christ. It is no longer I who live, but Christ who lives in me. And the life I now live in the flesh I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me.

Knowing and loving the Lord, and as a follower of Christ, His teachings on prayer are of great inspiration to me. In Luke 22:42 NLT, the Lord Himself says, “Father, if you are willing, please take this cup of suffering away from me. Yet I want your will to be done, not mine.” We see here that although on many occasions our will is different than the will of God, we must seek the Lord’s will every day. In times of tribulation, His will is perfect and we will only understand it and make it a reality when we are in constant communication with Him.

Everything Jesus did to save us certainly was not easy for Him; but His immense love, obedience, and faith led Him to fulfill the will of the Father and not His own as a human.

Another great prayer inspiration for me is Hannah, Samuel's mother, as described in 1 Samuel chapter 1, verses 1-28. Hannah, full of faith in her heart, was constant and very specific in her prayers. She ultimately received her desired answer—having a child—despite her advanced age and sterility, then offered him to the service of God in gratitude for the favor granted.

On this earth, through the Holy Spirit that unites us, many brothers and sisters in Christ Jesus teach us to be unwavering servants of faith through prayers to God.

Today, I remember, with great admiration and respect, Sister Carmen Franco, a reverent, faithful, and fervent woman of prayer. Sister Carmen grew up in a Christian home, describing her life as one full of great battles. Even so, she obtained material blessings, but more importantly, spiritual blessings.

One day in 2017, as she was praying about her need to meet with the Lord's church but not knowing where to go, some members of the Church of Christ La Mesa de Los Indios, in Mérida, Venezuela, knocked on her door and invited her to their worship service. She accepted their invitation. When she attended, she arrived with a heart full of gratitude because her prayers had been answered.

Beloved Sister Carmen never stopped meeting with the congregation. Even during the pandemic, she continued to attend. She would say, “God with us, nothing against us.” She was vigilant, following Covid guidelines when attending all gatherings. Her valuable example is inspirational because she was praying each time we visited her. She taught us to strengthen, as a Christian family, the need for prayer as a means of daily communication with the Lord, through every circumstance.She always prayed for everything and everyone. Without a doubt, Sister Carmen Franco inspired us with her commitment to prayer.

Although her living conditions were sparce, she was constantly grateful and shared what the Lord gave her. Hers was a house of prayer; she lifted everything to the Father.

Sister Carmen went to be with the Lord on December 31, 2021, praying and praising the King of Kings, who answered her prayers for a peaceful end.

Dear sisters, let us be women of prayer with hearts full of faith. Will we be willing to pray without ceasing?

Written byJo Gower, volunteer with Iron Rose Sister Ministries in Arkansas 

This could be a world changer: praying more like Jesus day by day.

Christ Jesus is the Intercessor of all Intercessors. In John 17:1-26 we read that He prayed for Himself, for His disciples, and for us (all believers).

Prayer for Himself

Father, the time has come. Glorify your son, that your Son may glorify you.(Jn 17:1 NIV)

This is not prideful or selfish. We can read what happened leading up to this Passover meal, He had gotten up from the table to begin the process of washing the disciples’ feet. He wanted them to see how far His love would go (Jn 13). He shared with them that it was time for Him to leave the earth but consoled them explaining that He would send the Holy Spirit as their mentor. 

Prayer for His Disciples 

Jesus prayed aloud for them and their difficult future. No doubt He knew His disciples would not have a chance against Satan until He was glorified (Jn 7:39). 

Being glorified? It will prove that Jesus fulfilled His (and man’s) destiny. It liberated humanity from Satan’s dictatorship. It put mankind positioned over Satan for the first time since Adam and Eve abdicated. Then the Holy Spirit could come to the infant church's aid with supernatural power.

Being glorified forever reversed the degraded condition of the whole human race. Adam’s fall brought shame, sin, and Satan’s oppressive rule. But Jesus brought life and immortality to light through the gospel. 

Jesus, the last Adam, placed Himself between hell and humanity. In Jesus, God became man and picked up the fallen battle flag that once flew as a symbol of man’s rule over the creation, the flag that fell along with Adam and Eve. Jesus took that flag and raised it again and was glorified… on our behalf! (Heb 2:5-18). 

So, Jesus’ prayer for glorification isn’t silly selfishness. It is the same prayer He taught His disciples earlier: “Hallowed be your name, your kingdom come, your will be done” (Mt 6:10). As always, the Father’s will was Jesus’ prime request. And it’s the Father’s will that one man be glorified on our behalf.

Should we pray to be glorified also? 

Yes!!! Paul wrote that, in God’s eyes, we’re already glorified by His grace (Ro 8:30). In the Father’s mind, we’ve already been raised to sit with Jesus in the heavenly realm; this allows Him to “show us off” to the angels and the dark supernatural world. He proves to them that He, not Satan, is truly God and deserves worship (Eph 2:6-10).

So, by Christ’s unselfish work, we share in His position. When He was glorified, so were we. His prayer, “Glorify your Son,” made our glorious destiny a reality.

Jo Gower’s John 17 Personal Prayer Story

For the last few years, I’ve been part of a group that prays over our neighborhood schools. After praying year after year, I decided it was time for a refresher course.  

John 17 seemed the perfect prayer to refresh my prayers. It’s Jesus' longest prayer recorded in God’s Word. My desire was and continues to be to intentionally focus on praying more like Jesus. It has helped me to read Christ's prayer slowly and experience its majestic heights—the Son talking with His Father. 

I was reminded that Jesus was praying for the church's deliverance from Satan's power. This incredible prayer still protects God's church from the evil one today. It is powerful to pray this same portion of John 17 over our friends, families, communities, and schools.  

I sent out a text to some prayer partners to renew our commitment to pray for the local school for another year. I encouraged them to use John 17 as a model: Jesus asks for our protection from the evil one in verses 11 and 15. He prays for our unity in verses 21-23. He even asks the Father to sanctify us (to set us apart for His holy service) in verses 17-18.

How would you bloom in your prayer life after learning to pray like Jesus did? 

Written byKatie Forbess, president of Iron Rose Sister Ministries Board 

As iron sharpens iron, so one person sharpens another. (Pr 27:17 NIV)

During this exciting month of prayer, we are working our way through the prayer calendar. This is a wonderful way of blessing the ministry. There are so many areas covered for us to think about and pray for together. In this way, many of us are able to pray for the people in our lives by breaking into topics and using scripture. 

Another way of praying is to pray through the Common Threads, for yourself or someone else. This, to me, is one of the best resources of IRSM. They are so important that they are incorporated into each of the blog posts. Using them in small groups or even in everyday conversations helps to fulfill the mission of IRSM, which is to help women grow closer to God and to one another. We can use the three parts of the logo as a guide to evaluate what’s going on with ourselves. Then we can transform that into a prayer of our own. Additionally sharing the information with others allows you to pray for each other. That’s awesome!

A Bloom - Which of us doesn’t want a friend to pray for the aspirations of our lives? Reading about wisdom, as it is our theme for this year, makes me want to really grow spiritually in that area, and therefore I want to share that with others so that they can hold that desire up in prayer. 

A Thorn - We all have them, and we know it. What an awesome blessing to have the confidence of another sister to share with. 

An Iron - The three parts of the logo are very special, but the one that really has proven critical to my long-lasting friendships is the iron sharpening iron piece. I suggest you have friends you can ask to hold you accountable to your aspirations to become more like Jesus. Have a friend who can ask the hard questions and make you face a reality that you are struggling to face. 

Michelle often says we are the epitome of Iron Rose Sisters. We have been that for almost 30 years. That means we share and “ooh and ahh” in all the right places as we see each other grow spiritually and become the women that God created us to be (THE ROSE). 

This has happened through many seasons over the last 30 years— ups and downs of life that lead us through valleys and to high mountains all bathed in the prayers of each other, knowing each other's thorns and being able to navigate them, helping each other navigate difficult moments, and prayerfully removing or at least dulling the sharpness of them (THE THORN). 

Michelle is the one I call when I know she will know before I finish saying what I am saying, and what prayers I need. I don’t have to apologize for being myself, but I can be assured that if what I am saying needs some reality and a biblical lens that I’m not looking through, she will provide those. And vice versa! We can and do say things to each other to hold each other accountable and to help each other dig deeper into areas of our lives that need attention (THE IRON).  

Using the Common Threads, we decidedly pray for each part of this tool and then place them in God’s hands, not our own. There is no room for power struggles or power trips or manipulation when you hand it over to God. That’s a special relationship. That’s an Iron Rose Sister relationship.  

My prayer for you today is for you to use the Common Threads to pray for yourself as well as other Iron Rose Sisters. I pray they will become part of your daily personal reflections and your conversations with other sisters while you are sharing prayer requests. 

Question - Do you know and understand the parts of the Common Threads well enough to make them a part of your daily life? 

Written by Dr. Anessa Westbrook, volunteer with Iron Rose Sister Ministries in York, Nebraska 

If you were asked to explain marquetry or pyrography, how would you begin? Likely, few of you even know what these crafts are, so you would probably begin by looking them up. Then, perhaps, you would try to learn a little about the process behind them. When it comes to mentoring, our familiarity with that word can give us a false sense of knowing what it is. It’s like hearing a word in another language and assuming that you know the meaning because it sounds familiar, but then later find out that the meaning is different. Often, we do not take the time needed to reflect on everything that mentoring entails.

Women are specifically told to mentor in Titus 2. Titus 2:3 lays out the personal preparation that must occur beforehand, saying, “Likewise, teach the older women to be reverent in the way they live, not to be slanderers or addicted to much wine, but to teach what is good” (NIV). Before someone begins mentoring, there is a preparation process that needs to take place. According to this passage, mentors need to be reverent, watch the way they talk about people, not be controlled by worldly actions, and be prepared to provide good teaching. These qualities take time to develop. What we see reflected in this verse is inner work that is both countercultural and requires the ability to stand one’s ground. 

We should not underestimate the power of our influence as women. In Philippians 4:2-3, we see Euodia and Syntyche called out both as partners in the Gospel and with a plea for them to get along. They were obviously influential, but their disagreement was causing issues in the church at Philippi. Mentors should be worthy of imitation. Just as Paul called upon Christians to imitate him in Philippians 3:17, a mentor needs to realize the weightiness of her example.Unhealthy practices should be identified and removed from her life, as they could potentially be replicated in the life of her mentee.

Titus 2:4-5 outlines specific topics for mentors to cover. These topics are mainly domestic in nature, but they represented the everyday reality of women at this time. Paul wanted women to infuse their daily work with purpose and faith, so that they could represent Christianity and their faith well. Today’s mentors should take into account the daily work of their mentees, preparing them to reflect God in their work and personal lives.

Throughout Acts, women played important roles as the early church was being established. Right after the apostles watched Jesus ascend into heaven, they returned to the upper room in Jerusalem. Acts 1:14 says, “All these with one accord were devoting themselves to prayer, together with the women and Mary the mother of Jesus, and his brothers”(ESV). In this small community, women wrestled alongside the apostles with how to apply what they had learned from Jesus to their lives as a Christian community. 

Throughout the book of Acts, we see women stepping up to use their gifts for Christ. We are introduced to Tabitha in Acts 9, who is described in verse 36 as “always doing good and helping the poor.” After she became ill and died, her absence was felt keenly by the widows whom she was caring for, and ultimately resulted in Peter raising her from the dead so she could continue her work. In Acts 16, we see the influential and connected Lydia and her household’s conversion and baptism. In verse 40, we find that Lydia went on to host Christians in her home. And in Acts 18, Priscilla, alongside of husband Aquilla, shares the good news of Jesus’ life and ministry to Apollos, who was boldly preaching about the coming of the Messiah. This transformed his message. These women used their influence in the circles God had given them, stepped up, and served God faithfully in those areas. Mentors should demonstrate this type of faithful service in their own circles, encouraging younger women to do the same. 

Mentoring is not a suggestion or an option; it is what we are called to as women. We should approach our own preparation with intentionality, carefully considering the way we influence and mentor. As you reflect on mentoring, what are some growth areas that you can work on? What type of impact do you think you could make in the lives of other women after working in these areas?

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

December… it’s the time of year when people around the world turn their thoughts to a small village in what is now the nation of Israel. While Scripture never tells us when Jesus was born, we take this opportunity to share His complete story with the world. Jesus, the Christ… the promised Messiah… is much more than the Baby born in Bethlehem. He is our Savior, the One sent to redeem us from the evils of Satan.

In this lesson you will find groups of scriptures after a statement about the Messiah. Those from the Old Testament will be prophecy, and the New Testament scriptures that follow are fulfillment of those prophecies.

Before the foundation of the earth, Paul tells us that God set this plan into place, that a Redeemer would come to restore the relationship that was broken by Satan in the Garden of Eden (Eph. 1:4.) There are over 300 Old Testament prophecies for the coming Messiah. In the New Testament we read how Jesus, born in Bethlehem, raised in Nazareth, was the fulfillment of those many years of prophecies.

The first set of prophecies and fulfillment are about the birth of our Lord. Early in Scripture we read of the promised Messiah and His birth:

Blessings would come through Abraham.

 “Now the LORD said to Abram, “Go from your country and your kindred and your father's house to the land that I will show you. And I will make of you a great nation, and I will bless you and make your name great, so that you will be a blessing.” (Genesis 12:1-2)

 “And all the prophets who have spoken, from Samuel and those who came after him, also proclaimed these days. You are the sons of the prophets and of the covenant that God made with your fathers, saying to Abraham, and in your offspring shall all the families of the earth be blessed.”(Acts 3:24-25)

“And the Scripture, foreseeing that God would justify the Gentiles by faith, preached the gospel beforehand to Abraham, saying, “In you shall all the nations be blessed.””(Galatians 3:8) 

A virgin would have a son.

“Therefore the Lord himself will give you a sign. Behold, the virgin shall conceive and bear a son, and shall call his name Immanuel.” (Isaiah 7:14)

 “And Mary said to the angel, “How will this be, since I am a virgin?””(Luke 1:34)

This promised Child would be born in Bethlehem.

“But you, O Bethlehem Ephrathah, who are too little to be among the clans of Judah, from you shall come forth for me one who is to be ruler in Israel, whose coming forth is from of old, from ancient days.” (Micah 5:2)

 “When Herod the king heard this, he was troubled, and all Jerusalem with him; and assembling all the chief priests and scribes of the people, he inquired of them where the Christ was to be born. They told him, “In Bethlehem of Judea, for so it is written by the prophet: “‘And you, O Bethlehem, in the land of Judah, are by no means least among the rulers of Judah; for from you shall come a ruler who will shepherd my people Israel.’” (Matthew 2:3-6)

The ministry of the promised Messiah would be special, different from Old Testament prophets:

The Messiah would have a forerunner.

“A voice cries: “In the wilderness prepare the way of the LORD; make straight in the desert a highway for our God.”” (Isaiah 40:3)

 “He said, “I am the voice of one crying out in the wilderness, ‘Make straight the way of the Lord,’ as the prophet Isaiah said.””(John 1:23)

“This is he of whom it is written, “‘Behold, I send my messenger before your face, who will prepare your way before you.’ Truly, I say to you, among those born of women there has arisen no one greater than John the Baptist….””(Matthew 11:10-11)

The Messiah would have a miraculous ministry.

 “Then the eyes of the blind shall be opened, and the ears of the deaf unstopped; then shall the lame man leap like a deer, and the tongue of the mute sing for joy…”            (Isaiah 35:5-6)

“And Jesus answered them, “Go and tell John what you hear and see: the blind receive their sight and the lame walk, lepers are cleansed and the deaf hear, and the dead are raised up, and the poor have good news preached to them.”(Matthew 11:4-5)

“Now Jesus did many other signs in the presence of the disciples, which are not written in this book; but these are written so that you may believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God, and that by believing you may have life in his name.” (John 20:30-31)

The Messiah would be despised and rejected.

“He was despised and rejected by men, a man of sorrows, and acquainted with grief; and as one from whom men hide their faces he was despised, and we esteemed him not.” (Isaiah 53:3)

“When they heard these things, all in the synagogue were filled with wrath. And they rose up and drove him out of the town and brought him to the brow of the hill on which their town was built, so that they could throw him down the cliff.” (Luke 4:28-29)

“So they picked up stones to throw at him, but Jesus hid himself and went out of the temple.” (John 8:59)

The life of this Messiah would end with death and resurrection:

They would cast lots for His clothing.

“they divide my garments among them, and for my clothing they cast lots.” (Psalm 22:18)

“When the soldiers had crucified Jesus, they took his garments and divided them into four parts, one part for each soldier; also his tunic. But the tunic was seamless, woven in one piece from top to bottom, so they said to one another, “Let us not tear it, but cast lots for it to see whose it shall be.” This was to fulfill the Scripture which says, “They divided my garments among them, and for my clothing they cast lots.””(John 19:23-24)

His hands and feet would be pierced.

 “…they have pierced my hands and feet.”(Psalm 22:16b)

“So the other disciples told him, “We have seen the Lord.” But he said to them, “Unless I see in his hands the mark of the nails, and place my finger into the mark of the nails, and place my hand into his side, I will never believe.””(John 20:25)

“See my hands and my feet, that it is I myself.”(Luke 24:39a)

None of His bones would be broken.

“He keeps all his bones; not one of them is broken.”(Psalm 34:20)

 “But when they came to Jesus and saw that he was already dead, they did not break his legs.”(John 19:33)

The Messiah would not remain in the grave.

“For you will not abandon my soul to Sheol, or let your holy one see corruption.” (Psalm 16:10)

“And as they were frightened and bowed their faces to the ground, the men said to them, “Why do you seek the living among the dead? He is not here, but has risen. Remember how he told you, while he was still in Galilee, that the Son of Man must be delivered into the hands of sinful men and be crucified and on the third day rise.””(Luke 24:5-7)

The story of Jesus our Redeemer shows the marvelous love that that our Heavenly Father has for us. 

Our Savior is not just the Baby born in Bethlehem. He said, “I am the way, and the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me” (John 14:6),and He has gone to prepare a place for us. (John 14:1-3)

We give thanks for our promised Messiah, the fulfillment of prophecy and our Way to the Father.

[All scriptures are ESV]

Written byMichelle J. Goff, Founder and Executive Director of Iron Rose Sister Ministries

Sword fighting has never been a sport that appealed to me. If I were to try, I know I would be ill-equipped to wield such a weapon. It would require training, strengthening, and a lot of practice. 

Ephesians 6:17 compares the Word of God to a sword, the final piece of the armor of God. The writer of Hebrews states that it is sharper than any two-edged sword (4:12). And in Paul’s instructions to Timothy, he states that the Scriptures can be used to teach, rebuke, correct, and train in righteousness (2Ti 3:16).

We hold a powerful weapon in our hands. And we need discernment for how to use it wisely. We don’t cut a sandwich in half with a machete. We don’t use a kitchen knife to cut back the aggressive vines that are growing around the house.

If I am going to put the Scriptures into practice wisely, what do I need to do?

1. Know the Scriptures. Keep them at the forefront of my mind, heart, soul, and strength. Speak of them when I sit and lie down (Dt 6:4-9). Hide the words in my heart (Ps 119:11).
2. Know the Author of the Scriptures. I can put the Word of God into practice better if I know the One who is speaking (Jn 12:49). “If you really know me, you will know my Father as well”(Jn 14:7 NIV). The more I hear His Word, the more I will know His voice and be able to discern what is not of Him.
3. Respect the context of the words in the Word.TheBible contains 66 books that were written in a variety of styles for a broad audience at different points in history and culture. Even if I don’t know all the background of the audience to whom the book or chapter was written, or about the writer of the book (inspired by the Holy Spirit, 2Pe 1:20-21), I can focus on the context of a verse within the entire chapter or book of the Bible.
4. Put the Scriptures into practice.Just do it!The Bible is the one book that cannot be fully understood until it is practiced.
   James 1:25 says, “But whoever looks intently into the perfect law that gives freedom, and continues in it—not forgetting what they have heard, but doing it—they will be blessed in what they do.”
5. Learn from my mistakes.Accept grace and move forward wisely. I can fall into the accuser’s trap of critique or condemnation when I look back at the foolish ways of my past (as a non-Christian or even as a young Christian when I didn’t practice the Scriptures wisely). Instead, I can hear Jesus’ words and follow Peter’s or others’ example.
   When Jesus tells Peter that he will betray Him, Jesus offers him the hope of redemption and purpose on the other side of that mistake. “But I have prayed for you, Simon, that your faith may not fail. And when you have turned back, strengthen your brothers” (Lk 22:32).
6. Trust the Holy Spirit to remind and guide me.When I get distracted or discouraged, I can easily forget the Word and God’s promises. “All this I have spoken while still with you. But the Advocate, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in my name, will teach you all things and will remind you of everything I have said to you” (Jn 14:25-26).
7. Pray, persevere, and pray some more. God honors those who seek Him. God hears my prayers and knows my desire to follow His Word and to show Him my love through obedience. He also knows that I am human and will have times of weakness along the journey. Paul expresses a similar sentiment in his letter to the Philippians.

Not that I have already obtained all this, or have already arrived at my goal, but I press on to take hold of that for which Christ Jesus took hold of me. Brothers and sisters, I do not consider myself yet to have taken hold of it. But one thing I do: Forgetting what is behind and straining toward what is ahead, I press on toward the goal to win the prize for which God has called me heavenward in Christ Jesus. (Php 3:12-14)

Thank you for your desire to put the Scriptures into practice wisely. What have you learned that has helped you do that? How can you encourage others and be encouraged to continue in that mutual goal?

Written by Michelle J. Goff, with her mom, Jocelynn Goff

The oldest daughter of a college professor and elementary teacher, my mom grew up learning through at least two different styles of teaching. Not all teaching was formally imparted, of course. My mom never took a speech class from Dr. Brown at Miami-Dade Community College. She never sat in her mom’s classroom during regular school hours, but she did spend time there after school while her mom prepared for the next day’s instruction.

It is no surprise that my mom became a teacher herself. She is a natural teacher and gifted storyteller. Her students would sit up straighter when she offered a “lagniappe story.” Lagniappe is French for “a little something extra,” which meant that this story would not be on the test!

In contrast, when my granddad would pepper us granddaughters with Bible trivia questions during our Christmas visits, he emphasized those of greater importance by saying, “This one will be on the final exam.” What I most learned from those “tests” was his love for Bible study and his diligent commitment to finding little-known jewels in Scripture.

Years later, our conversations have been more give-and-take. I have shared biblical nuggets of truth that I’ve discovered with a similar passion to share it with others. Similarly, my mom and I have transitioned from being exclusively mother and daughter to being Christian sisters and partners in the gospel. The teaching and learning matured and became more mutual.

As you know, our teaching and learning does not come exclusively through teachers, nor through our families. Prayerfully, we seek to be surrounded by others who will invest in us, as well as those with whom we can build relationship. Pivotal teachers can transform our relationship with a certain subject matter… inspiring us to persevere or give up. Close friends teach us what it means to laugh, as we also learn what it means to forgive. Neighbors teach us kindness as we learn how to be a good neighbor ourselves.

There are also those who teach through their words and actions, unaware of how many are watching, learning from their example. This is especially true of our Christian walks. We must be careful to practice what we preach, and we cannot teach what we have not yet effectively learned.

When I asked my mom about a relationship through which she has taught or learned, A.R. Kepple was the first person that came to mind. His simple teaching was a seed planted and watered, week after week. They met at the Downtown Church of Christ in Kansas City, Missouri, the new congregation her parents helped establish in the early 1960’s.

After teaching the children for 20-30 minutes on Sunday evenings, Brother Kepple would invite 7-year-old Jocelynn to join him on the front row during the songs and sermon. After reminding her to mind her manners, her parents granted permission to sit with this retired preacher in his late 70’s.

Once settled with her feet not quite touching the floor, while waiting for the singing to start, Brother Kepple would open his Bible to Matthew 5 and read, “You are the salt of the earth. You are the light of the world,” pointing to each sentence as he read them.

“He told me that every time I sat with him, and it made an impression on me and planted a seed in my mind and heart and spirit,” Mom recalled. He lived out the teaching he repeated.

Who is someone through whom you have learned what it means to be a Christian? What has it looked like for you to teach others what it means to follow Christ?

Written by Michelle J. Goff, with her mom, Jocelynn Goff

The oldest daughter of a college professor and elementary teacher, my mom grew up learning through at least two different styles of teaching. Not all teaching was formally imparted, of course. My mom never took a speech class from Dr. Brown at Miami-Dade Community College. She never sat in her mom’s classroom during regular school hours, but she did spend time there after school while her mom prepared for the next day’s instruction.

It is no surprise that my mom became a teacher herself. She is a natural teacher and gifted storyteller. Her students would sit up straighter when she offered a “lagniappe story.” Lagniappe is French for “a little something extra,” which meant that this story would not be on the test!

In contrast, when my granddad would pepper us granddaughters with Bible trivia questions during our Christmas visits, he emphasized those of greater importance by saying, “This one will be on the final exam.” What I most learned from those “tests” was his love for Bible study and his diligent commitment to finding little-known jewels in Scripture.

Years later, our conversations have been more give-and-take. I have shared biblical nuggets of truth that I’ve discovered with a similar passion to share it with others. Similarly, my mom and I have transitioned from being exclusively mother and daughter to being Christian sisters and partners in the gospel. The teaching and learning matured and became more mutual.

As you know, our teaching and learning does not come exclusively through teachers, nor through our families. Prayerfully, we seek to be surrounded by others who will invest in us, as well as those with whom we can build relationship. Pivotal teachers can transform our relationship with a certain subject matter… inspiring us to persevere or give up. Close friends teach us what it means to laugh, as we also learn what it means to forgive. Neighbors teach us kindness as we learn how to be a good neighbor ourselves.

There are also those who teach through their words and actions, unaware of how many are watching, learning from their example. This is especially true of our Christian walks. We must be careful to practice what we preach, and we cannot teach what we have not yet effectively learned.

When I asked my mom about a relationship through which she has taught or learned, A.R. Kepple was the first person that came to mind. His simple teaching was a seed planted and watered, week after week. They met at the Downtown Church of Christ in Kansas City, Missouri, the new congregation her parents helped establish in the early 1960’s.

After teaching the children for 20-30 minutes on Sunday evenings, Brother Kepple would invite 7-year-old Jocelynn to join him on the front row during the songs and sermon. After reminding her to mind her manners, her parents granted permission to sit with this retired preacher in his late 70’s.

Once settled with her feet not quite touching the floor, while waiting for the singing to start, Brother Kepple would open his Bible to Matthew 5 and read, “You are the salt of the earth. You are the light of the world,” pointing to each sentence as he read them.

“He told me that every time I sat with him, and it made an impression on me and planted a seed in my mind and heart and spirit,” Mom recalled. He lived out the teaching he repeated.

Who is someone through whom you have learned what it means to be a Christian? What has it looked like for you to teach others what it means to follow Christ?

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 by Johanna Zabala, volunteer with Iron Rose Sister Ministries in Ecuador 

The beautiful biblical passage in Galatians 6:2 encourages me to continue fulfilling the Christian mission of bearing the burdens of my sisters in Christ, my family, and others with whom I have relationships. Based in the love of Christ, this scripture is an exhortation of obedience, bonding, communication, and fellowship with each other.

When I say "burdens," I mean the various difficulties and adversities that as human beings and followers of Christ we will encounter in each stage of life, both physical and spiritual.

Over time, we may realize that some burdens began in our childhood. This affirms the great importance of a healthy childhood, starting as early as conception. Early childhood is the foundation of our adult lives. All along the way, we are soul, body, and heart, made with love and an existential purpose.

When thinking of ourselves as a soul, we have a spirit of life that we do not see, which makes it challenging for us to care for and understand. We dedicate a little more care to the physical or external body. However, we take only minimal care of our internal organs. We also have feelings, which flow from the human heart. The word of God says that they are deceitful, as Proverbs 4:23 tells us. We must keep our hearts pure in accordance with Matthew 5:8.

These three areas of life need to be attended to and cared for equally to achieve the first of the greatest commandment of the Lord Jesus. Faced with this need, structuring soul, body, and heart to achieve their complete harmony will present certain challenges or difficulties toward the harmony between the three. Therefore, it will take experience, acceptance, strength, and above all, a lot of wisdom and love to overcome this challenge.

Overcoming the difficulties to achieve this harmony requires walking together through each experience, obstacle, and blessing. We can turn this process into an opportunity, rather than a burden, to understand the reason for the way we interact with our peers. In interpersonal relationships, we can choose to understand, see, and recognize in others our own weaknesses and strengths, which will allow us to be better people.

Furthermore, Matthew 11:28-30 teaches that we can all go into Jesus’ presence. In Him, we learn and rest. We are invited to bear the yoke of Christ and to learn of His meekness and humble heart. The purpose is to find rest for our souls through full dependence on the Lord. Jesus helps me to observe my surroundings daily and share important challenges and sufferings with my physical and spiritual family. These are clusters of constant personal and spiritual growth.

By working with, getting involved with, and getting to know each member of the Church, we reflect the great need we have to help, build up, and love one another, as Jesus Christ Himself taught.

The Lord Jesus calls us to salvation but also invites us to heal the soul. Heal! From what? It may be from an unsuccessful way of living taught by our earthly parents, from which are called to be purified and transformed, as we read in 1 Peter 1:18.

As someone once said, “We see faces; we do not know hearts.” The prophet Isaiah, in chapter 1 and verse 5, emphasizes that "Your whole head is injured, your whole heart afflicted"(NIV). This reminds us that, despite having been born again in the waters of baptism for a new life, there may still be situations that have occurred but not yet been consciously healed.

I know adults with significant wounds from their childhood who still show significant gaps in their relationships. One study states that approximately 89% of people with voids in their relationships were abandoned by a parent. Therefore, within the home and the church it is urgent to help understand the importance of forgiving our earthly parents for:

1. Being completely absent

2. Being very harsh in parenting

3. Not exercising authority or not being there, especially in the early stages of childhood

4. Being unloving

5. Not paying attention

6. Demonstrating immaturity

Sadly, those who suffer emptiness in interpersonal relationships agree that the wounds they feel result from not having grown up with a strong family nucleus. This results in difficulties raising their own children and even more so, an inability to assert themselves in communication with parents, spouses, colleagues, friends, and even with our Heavenly Father.

In conclusion, as daughters, let us wholeheartedly forgive the inexperience and the hurts caused by parents or caregivers as soon as possible in order to be healed. And, if we have children, let’s not hurt them. A commitment like this requires constant prayer and wisdom in the love of Christ. Let’s help each other in sharing and forgiving.

Written byLiliana Henríquez, volunteer for Iron Rose Sisters Ministries in Colombia

One of the most challenging tasks for a human being is to let go of egocentrism and adopt a position of total surrender to God. We mistakenly believe we are all-powerful, but the truth is that nothing moves without God’s will.

When we look at the life of Jesus, we see that He was obedient in everything, even though, humanly speaking, He faced the unimaginable pain of crucifixion. Who would willingly offer himself to endure such intense physical suffering as dying on a cross? Jesus did! And because of this, you and I don’t have to pay for our sins—we have eternal life. In the pivotal moment of His death, Jesus fully surrendered to God and His will, saying, “Father, into Your hands I commit My spirit” (Lk 23:46, NIV).

In our daily lives, we must “crucify ourselves” repeatedly, or in other words, set aside our own desires and make sacrifices for a higher good. 

We set aside our desires to prioritize those of our partner...

We set aside our rest to choose to play with our children...

We set aside our comfort to serve others with love...

We set aside what we want and focus on fulfilling God’s calling for our lives.

In the spiritual realm, things operate under the principle of total surrender to God. Those of us who have accepted Christ as Lord understand that we no longer live to satisfy our own desires, but to fulfill Christ’s (Gal 2:20). We know that those who want to be exalted must humble themselves. Those who want to be served must serve. Those who want to be loved must love. Those who want to receive must give.

This doesn’t mean we always agree with God’s plans. Often, we don’t. In fact, many times, we feel upset because we don’t understand why He asks us to do things that seem “illogical” or outside our comfort zone. However, a true servant of God surrenders because she knows WHOM she is serving and follows the example of Jesus on the cross saying, “Father, if you are willing, take this cup from me; yet not my will, but yours be done” (Lk 22:42).

A true servant does her part with a surrendered heart and in complete obedience to God—and lets God be God. We don’t need to understand everything God does, but we do need to do everything He calls us to because that’s the commitment we made when we decided to be His disciples.

Is your life fully surrendered to the will of God?

Written byMichelle J. Goff, Founder and Executive Director of Iron Rose Sister Ministries in Arkansas 

The first time I heard the phrase “She did what she could”, I thought it was a placating remark delivered with a shrug of the shoulders and an “oh well” attitude. When I learned it was a Bible verse, then the context of the verse, not to mention the way in which Jesus honored this woman’s actions, “She did what she could” became a frequently repeated phrase filled with depth of meaning.

This story is told in all four of the gospels. John reveals the woman’s name (12:3); while in the other three, she remains anonymous. Let’s read Mark’s account:

While he was in Bethany, reclining at the table in the home of Simon the Leper, a woman came with an alabaster jar of very expensive perfume, made of pure nard. She broke the jar and poured the perfume on his head.

Some of those present were saying indignantly to one another, “Why this waste of perfume? It could have been sold for more than a year’s wages and the money given to the poor.” And they rebuked her harshly.

“Leave her alone,” said Jesus. “Why are you bothering her? She has done a beautiful thing to me. The poor you will always have with you, and you can help them any time you want. But you will not always have me.She did what she could. She poured perfume on my body beforehand to prepare for my burial. Truly I tell you, wherever the gospel is preached throughout the world, what she has done will also be told, in memory of her.”(Mk 14:3-9 NIV)

She did what she could. She honored Jesus by anointing Him as the perfect lamb sacrifice.

Jesus could’ve used the same expression when He chastised the rich, honoring the poor widow who put two small coins into the offering.

No one can do it all. It takes everyone doing their part. God created us to be different members of the body with Christ as the head (1Co 12). Paul states to the Ephesians that the body cannot function well unless “each part does its work” (Eph 4:16).

It is easy for us to fall into the comparison trap because we wish we could serve, give, pray, teach, or sing like someone else. She did what she could.

To practice like wise women is to do what we can, when we can, to the best of our ability, through Him who gives us strength (Php 4:13). We are merely instruments in the Lord’s hands to bring about His good and perfect will. 

There is grace in the expression, “She did what she could,” because God did not call me to do what He called that woman over there to do. It is up to her to be obedient to our heavenly Father and do what she can do. 

Throughout the seasons of my life, my actions of obedience and submission, sacrifice, and service have looked very different. As they should. My 13-year-old self did what she could by dying to herself and putting on Christ in baptism, proclaiming Him to be the Lord of my life. My 26-year-old self moved to Venezuela to live and work with a new church plant as a missionary. My 36-year-old self quit her job, sold her house, and launched Iron Rose Sister Ministries. 

Those are the “glory stories” of when I did what I could—the leaps of faith and steps of obedience. The highlight reel may look amazing, but it does not reflect, for example, the difficulty of getting out of bed on time each Sunday morning to make it to church. “She did what she could” sometimes faces the frustration of a never-ending checklist, an ill-spoken word, a forgotten birthday, a missed opportunity, a sin committed, or precious time wasted.

God’s mercies are new every morning. Great is His faithfulness! His Son already did what He could and paid the price as the perfect sacrifice (Ro 5:6-11). It is now our privilege and honor to do our part in the Kingdom. 

Sisters, during this month, let’s do what we can— whether in our relationships with God or with one another, through greater involvement with Iron Rose Sister Ministries, by organizing a fundraising event to benefit our Ambassadors Program, starting a new small group… the possibilities are endless! We invite you to hear the words Jesus spoke to honor His precious daughter in Mark 14:8, “She did what she could.”

What is God calling you to do?

How can we encourage or equip you to “do what you can do”?

Is there a thorn hindering you from doing what you can? 

Reach out to an Iron Rose Sister and work together to do what you can!

Written by a volunteer with Iron Rose Sister Ministries in the USA 

Singleness: quality or state of being single, unmarried.

This is recent for me. I was married for many years to a warrior for the Lord and lost him to COVID 18 months ago. It feels so strange to try and accept this: I am single.

Paul considers his singleness as a gift from God. In 1 Corinthians 7, he discusses marriage and sex and singleness in verses 1 and 2 (ESV), “It is good for a man not to have sexual relations with a woman. But because of the temptation to sexual immorality, each man should have his own wife and each woman her own husband.”

A few verses later in verses 6-9 (NIV) Paul says,

I say this as a concession, not as a command. I wish that all of you were as I am. But each of you has your own gift from God; one has this gift, another has that. Now to the unmarried and the widows I say: It is good for them to stay unmarried, as I do. But if they cannot control themselves, they should marry, for it is better to marry than to burn with passion.

Why would Paul see singleness as a gift? He explains it in verses 32-34, “I want you to be free from anxieties...” Being single gives us the ability to serve the Lord anywhere in the world, without having to consider whether our mate is also desirous of going to live where we feel called to. We are focused on serving God alone.

But in the beginning, in Genesis 2:18, God said, “It is not good for the man to be alone.” Paul thinks singleness is good so we can fully focus on serving God. But God knew it was not good for everyone.

I asked a good friend to share with me his thoughts on singleness. He was also married for a long time and has now been single longer than I have. He said, “It’s unnatural and it hurts.”

I agree.

God made us male and female for a reason; not just for procreation. Yes, that is a very important reason, to keep mankind alive and growing on this earth, but there is so much more to marriage than having children. After raising my children to adulthood and continuing to have the wonderful gift of marriage for many years, I long to have that relationship again; to have the daily love and support, camaraderie, laughter, physical touch, and just the joint shouldering of the burdens of everyday life together with a mate.

At this moment, a large part of me feels destroyed and empty, like a cherished old home that has been burned out and abandoned. But feelings aren’t facts. I know that I am not abandoned. My Father is always here with me, every minute of every day. When I lost my husband, my Dad in heaven gifted me with a tribe of godly friends who welcomed me (Rom. 15:7), loved me (Rom. 12:10), and encouraged me (Prov. 27:9).My tribe bore my weakness with me(Rom. 15:1-3).

God has also comforted me in surprising ways, like putting it on my heart to make a list of the burdens my husband doesn’t carry anymore. I read this list often and imagine how happy he is in paradise now (Rev. 21:4).

My Father reminds me how very fleeting life on earth in James 4:14b, “What is your life? For you are a mist that appears for a little time and then vanishes.” Compared to eternity, our lives here on earth are very short indeed. But they don’t feel short, especially when we are hurting.

I don’t know why God chose to take my husband home, nor how long I will have on this earth yet to live. Right now, the loneliness each night is like a black hole, threatening to swallow me entirely. It feels unnatural to be alone. And it hurts. So, I turn to my “Father of mercies and God of all comfort, who comforts us in all our affliction…” (2 Cor. 1:3-4 ESV).

I am still here. I don’t know why, but while I am, I will serve God, and follow His Word the best I can. So, I study about widowhood, “A wife is bound to her husband as long as he lives. But if her husband dies, she is free to be married to whom she wishes, only in the Lord” (1 Cor. 7:39).

Singleness and I are not friends. I have begun praying that God will grant me a godly man that I can love, and who will love me—someone to hold hands with as we cross the finish line of life together. For now, I can rest in Him as I wait, reminding myself of this passage often, “Be still and know that I am God” (Ps. 46:10).

My Dad in heaven is infinitely better than any earthly father at screening my dates, because He can see into their minds and hearts and knows their intentions. I am confident He will bring me just the right man if I move out of the driver’s seat (which is, frankly, difficult for me!), and instead allow Him to lead.

Singleness can be a great blessing for some. But it is not for everyone. The most important thing in this life is loving and serving our Creator with all our hearts and minds and souls and strength, whether single or married. And one day we can rejoice as we discuss these events together in heaven!

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 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 byAnn Thiede, volunteer with Iron Rose Sister Ministries in Searcy, Arkansas

Set a guard over my mouth, LORD; keep watch over the door of my lips. (Ps 141:3 NIV)

Ten years ago, I joined a Beth Moore scripture memory challenge, wanting to grow more into a wise woman of faith. The verse above was my first choice. You’ve probably heard the expression “bite your tongue!”. If you examined mine closely, you’d see it’s pretty ragged. I feel at times the verse should say, “set a lock on my mouth”! 

The apostle James dedicated half of chapter three in his New Testament letter, spelling out in graphic language the danger of the tongue. I encourage you to read the whole chapter. It is Holy Spirit truth worth heeding. Verses eight and nine say the following:

But no human being can tame the tongue. It is a restless evil, full of deadly poison. With the tongue we praise our Lord and Father, and with it we curse human beings, who have been made in God’s likeness.

So, is there hope for a wise woman to tame her tongue? Yes, but let’s first delve into his words. 

I’ve fallen into the “deadly poison” trap with gossip. Once, a very dear friend stopped me in my tracks when I started to tell her something about someone. She said, “Do I need to hear this?” I’ve seen and participated first-hand in gossip that hurt relationships, and it’s a “thorn”; a temptation from the evil one, and I do not want him having his way! Better to set a guard on my mouth and use it productively. 

Jesus gives us wise words for relationship repair: 

 Therefore, if you are offering your gift at the altar and there remember that your brother or sister has something against you, leave your gift there in front of the altar. First go and be reconciled to them; then come and offer your gift.(Mt 5:23-24)

Reconciliation presents a healthy, healing way to use the tongue. Getting our hearts right with others gets our hearts right with God more than any offering we could give Him. I’ve experienced others coming to me with a grievance, and thank Jesus for supplying the humility and openness to accept whatever needed to be acknowledged. I’ve also gone to others asking forgiveness for what I believed to be a wrong done with my tongue or actions. It clears the air, leaving no room for the evil one to produce resentment or bitterness.

Another deadly poison of the tongue is cursing instead of blessing. I may not use curse words, but if you looked in my mind sometimes when aggravated, it wouldn’t be pretty, and it would be much easier for unkind words to slip out. Looking at others like Jesus would, not superficially, helps me lift up prayers for their good instead of cursing. Paul said it this way right after calling us to live no longer for ourselves, but for Jesus: “So from now on we regard no one from a worldly point of view” (2Co 5:16a). Once, I saw a woman screaming at her young children in the grocery store. My first impulse was worldly and judgmental. Thankfully, the Holy Spirit reminded me that I did not know her circumstances, her background, or anything about her, which helped me to pull the “thorn” out of my heart and avoid unkind words.

To help us ‘dig deeper’, Jesus says: “For the mouth speaks what the heart is full of” (Mt 12:34b). It would do well for us to meditate on these words of David, a man after God’s own heart: “Search me, God, and know my heart…” (Ps 139:23a). “Open my lips, Lord, and my mouth will declare Your praise” (Ps 51:15). “Let the words of my mouth and the meditation of my heart be acceptable in Your sight, O Lord, my Rock and my Redeemer” (Ps 19:14 ESV). James encourages us to “be quick to listen, slow to speak, and slow to become angry”(Jas 1:19 NIV).

As you look over these thoughts and scriptures, what will help you become a wiser woman of God, blooming and growing in your quest to tame the tongue? I hope you’ll share with another sister in Christ and encourage one another.