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 Eliuth de Valencia, volunteer with Iron Rose Sister Ministries in Colombia

Some events that come our way are outside of our plans. In my case—my conversion, my marriage, my help in the ministry, living in a foreign land—none of these were planned, although I desired to do everything right. Throughout my 43 years, when I have been troubled and doubtful, I kept a strong conviction that God was in control.

Scripture doesn't give us much information about David’s circumstances when he wrote Psalm 37, but we can be sure he felt his enemies were winning. Throughout much of the Psalm, the shepherd-king seems to be reflecting on the consequences that will come to the wicked. In verse 5 of Psalm 37, he gives us an answer to what we can do to secure this promise: "Commit your way to the Lord; trust in him, and he will act" (ESV).

This causes me to reflect on the moments of unexpected pain and uncertainty which have strengthened my commitment to Christ so much that they cultivated a peaceful heart in the midst of a turbulent world. I hope you can develop such meditation in this psalm so that these thoughts will be a part of you as you surrender your plans to God.

Surely, when we look around and see the wickedness of this world, we see evildoers. You may see their actions when you watch or listen to the news, at home, at work, or even at church. Are there evildoers in the church? Unfortunately, there are. In my observation, there are people who, instead of centering their lives on Christ, do what they want, even bad and sinful things. So what do we do?

I recognize that this passage is about those of us who are prone to anger, hyperventilation, stress, and anxiety. Suddenly, a kind of anger begins to boil within me that, if I don't handle it God's way, can express itself in ways of speaking and acting that are not pleasing to the Lord. "To be easily irritated can lead me to do evil" (Ps. 37:8 paraphrased).

If you become irritated in response to evil, you can become an evildoer, just like the one who caused you the initial irritation. We want to avoid acting in the same way that people who irritate us do. Then David tells us:

"Fret not yourself" (v.1) Instead, we should look up to God.
"Trust in the Lord and do good" (v.3).
"Commit your way to the Lord" (v.5). He will act on our behalf.
"Trust quietly in the Lord and wait patiently for him." Verses 5, 6, 7, and 8 again talk about looking up.

With a firm resolution not to be irritated and a future full of confidence in the actions of my Lord, whether here on earth or on the day of judgment, all wrongs will be corrected. Things are going to work out. They're going to change in God's timing. God is in control.

"Fret not yourself because of evildoers." Don't stress. “Be not envious of wrongdoers" (v.1), "For they will soon fade like the grass" (v.2). “For the evildoers shall be cut off, but those who wait for the Lord shall inherit the land” (v.9).

Notice the contrast between the future of evildoers and the future of the meek and righteous. What is the psalmist saying? You don't just have to look up; you have to look forward—the promise may be delayed. Think long-term about God's sovereignty and plans. Look to the future. Don't just look at the here and now. Look forward by faith, and God tells you what He will do.

And, by the way, you should look into your heart if you find yourself making bad choices or living an evil, ungodly, sinful life. If your life is not committed to Christ and you resist His lordship in any area of your life, then you are living wickedly. If we don’t repent and accept His grace, things look grim for our future.

But Psalm 37 is a very encouraging passage for those being crushed by the wicked today. Keep your eyes on the goal. Remember what's going to happen. This will help you not get irritated, but trust in the Lord. Remember, looking at life from the perspective of eternity helps us face and endure the hardships and injustices of this life.

Grace and peace.

Written by Elise Siklosi, volunteer with Iron Rose Sister Ministries in Arkansas

Think of a time when you had to sacrifice something or give it up. Was it an event? A nail appointment or an important dinner? Maybe you had to give up the urge to snag that Snickers bar from the checkout aisle or – as I like to say – the impulse-buying aisle. Or maybe it was something bigger, like a job offering or interview. It wasn’t all that easy, was it?

There’s always that small tinge of discomfort in surrendering something that you have no desire to give up. Perhaps the thing you’re surrendering is much bigger than a Snickers bar. Maybe you’re currently in the process of surrendering an expectation of something that you had very high hopes of. Perhaps you’re surrendering a relationship, the potential for marriage, a loved one… the list could go on. People are, without a doubt, much more difficult to give up than just about anything. Abraham, a faithful follower of God, knows – all too well – what it means to surrender something incredibly close to him: his own son.

Abraham, like the rest of us as believers, was chosen, hand-picked by God, to be the father of many nations to come. There are multiple accounts throughout Genesis when God promises Abraham and his wife, Sarah, that they will have many descendants. In chapter 12, The Lord says to Abraham (Abram at the time),

“... I will make you a great nation, And I will bless you, And make your name great; And so you shall be a blessing…” (NASB, v. 2).

The funny thing about Abraham and his wife Sarah, is that this particular couple is veryold when they are promised these things. In fact, Sarah was even barren. In other words, there was, supposedly, no possible way that she could have a child. With this, Abraham had plenty of doubts and questions. With an impatient and unbelieving heart to God’s promise for children, he even conceived a child with Hagar, Sarah’s maid, because he was so desperate for His promise to be fulfilled. But God, in His faithfulness, was unwavering from His promise.

In Genesis 17:2, He, again, reminds Abraham of this sweet guarantee by saying, “I will establish My covenant between Me and you, And I will multiply you exceedingly.” In response to this, Abraham “fell on his face and laughed” in disbelief (17:17), for he was one hundred years old at this point in time. Even still, God responded with assurance, saying “I will establish My covenant with [your son] for an everlasting covenant for his descendants after him” (17:19). To no surprise does God fulfill His promise to Abraham in chapter 21. It reads,

“Then the LORD took note of Sarah as He had said, and the LORD did for Sarah as He had promised. So Sarah conceived and bore a son to Abraham in his old age, at the appointed time of which God had spoken to him.”

What a beautiful statement! Isaac, the promised son, has finally been born. This just goes to show how unshakeable the faithfulness of our God is. It reminds me of Isaiah 55:11:

“So will My word be which goes forth from My mouth; it will not return to Me empty, Without accomplishing what I desire and without succeeding in the matter for which I sent it.”

I mean, wow. The words of God hold such power! While Abraham, with his unbelieving heart, slept with another woman and even laughed in the face of God, the Lord’s faithfulness was unmoved. He provided Abraham with security and safety with His very words. Here’s the simple truth: they do not “return to [Him] empty.” As sweet as this is, the story of Abraham’s son doesn’t end here. In chapter 22, God asks something quite unexpected of Abraham, commanding him to “Take now your son, your only son, whom you love, Isaac, and [...] offer him there as a burnt offering on the one of the mountains of which I will tell you” (NASB, v. 2). I’m sorry… what? Did God not just fulfill His promise of a child to Abraham? He even makes sure to mention the fact that Isaac is Abraham’s “only son” that he loves dearly.

Oddly, Abraham responds to this command with obedience. There is no recorded complaint from him, compared to the previous chapters where there was an evident lack of trust in God. If anything, the way he reacts shows that this task of surrendering one of his most beloved relationships is of great importance to Abraham. Genesis 22:3 says that he “rose early in the morning” to prepare for the offering before setting off to the mountain to sacrifice Isaac. As someone who is absolutely not a morning person, this mission seems to me like it was insanely important to Abraham.

After tying Isaac to the altar, he raises his arm, knife in hand, to proceed with the sacrifice. But God interrupts in chapter 22:12, sending a messenger to command him saying, “Do not stretch out your hand against the lad, and do nothing to him; for now I know that you fear God. since you have not withheld your son, your only son, from Me.” He then rewards his faithfulness by providing Abraham with a ram to sacrifice in place of Isaac. I have tears in my eyes as I write this! To reflect on such a deep and resilient love for God absolutely boggles me. What kind of faith surrenders a human life for God? What kind of faith surrenders the one son that had been prayed over for years to God?

Let’s reflect on Abraham’s change of heart throughout his lifetime: He started off as a man whose heart was hardened. With his unbelief, came a lack of trust. And with a lack of trust, came an unwillingness to surrender anything to God… including his own expectations for God to uphold His promise to him.

He slept with Hagar because, to Abraham, “God is not a faithful God worth trusting.” Therefore, he took his own initiative with hopes of fulfilling a divine promise with a human “resolution.” A God-sized guarantee being satisfied by flesh? Never! By witnessing God’s faithfulness displayed through the birth of a son, Abraham’s heart went from hard and unbelieving, to soft and surrendered.

He was so confident in God’s unshakeable power that he was willing to give up anything for God… including Isaac! He found rest from turmoil in the power of God and in the fullness of His satisfaction. Abraham knew that God would sustain him and fulfill every need. Even when he couldn’t see what God was doing in the future, he could still trust God’s deep-rooted and secure plan. If a relationship with the Lord is worth diving this deep into, then surely it must be worth surrendering to with complete trust and confidence!

#IronRoseSister #HIStories #Abraham #trust #surrender #changeofheart #guestwriter

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

Have you noticed how sometimes God does the unexpected?

When we read Matthew’s genealogy of Jesus, five women are listed in the group. Why are these women listed? None of them would have been accepted by the religious leaders for various reasons, but our Heavenly Father chose them to be in the ancestral lineage of His Son.

Tamar - She probably was a Gentile… not an Israelite. She married the two older sons of Judah, who were each described as wicked (Ge 38:7,10). Tamar pretended to be a prostitute when she realized Judah was not going to allow her to marry the third son. One of the twins she bore from the encounter with Judah became an ancestor of Jesus.

Rahab - She was a Canaanite, a resident of Jericho, described as a prostitute or harlot. When the spies entered her city, she gave them refuge. Then, she told them that she knew what their God had done in Egypt and through the years, and asked for protection when they came to conquer Jericho (Jos 2:8-13). Rahab is mentioned as having faith in Hebrews 11. She and her family were saved during the destruction of Jericho because she gave a friendly welcome to the spies. She married Salmon, an Israelite, and was the great-great-grandmother of King David.

Ruth - She was from the land of Moab. Deuteronomy 23 prohibits marriage with Moabite men, because they had not welcomed the Israelites as they were passing through the land on their way to the Promised Land. Ruth had accepted the faith of Naomi and become a follower of YHWH (Ru 1:16). She returned with Naomi to Bethlehem and cared for her. Ruth married Boaz, son of Rahab, and she was the great-grandmother of King David.

Bathsheba - She was an Israelite married to Uriah the Hittite, one of David’s mighty men. King David took Bathsheba into his private chamber while Uriah was away at war, and she became pregnant with David’s child (2Sa 11). Was she a willing participant, or did she resist? Scripture does not say. She would probably have been bathing in an enclosed courtyard with an open roof when David saw her. Only someone who was at a higher elevation could have seen her. I believe it is fair to say David took advantage of a situation he accidentally encountered, and because of his power as king and the status of women, she probably could not resist. When David arranged the death of Uriah, he took Bathsheba as his wife. She gave him four sons after the first one died. Nathan was the third son of the four who lived and was in the lineage of Jesus.

Mary - She was an Israelite to whom the angel Gabriel appeared and told her that she would become the mother of God’s Son. We aren’t told what went through her mind as she realized she was facing a pregnancy out of wedlock… a situation where there would be whispers and accusations… a situation punishable by stoning. Mary’s submission is seen in Luke 1:38 when she tells Gabriel, “Behold, I am the servant of the Lord; let it be to me according to your word” (NIV).

Each of these women was in a circumstance they did not create, and which was beyond their control. God used them to serve His purpose… just as He can use each of us.

Take a look at the situation each faced and think about how you might have responded.

Tamar was widowed twice and bore twins through an illicit relationship.

Rahab was a harlot, entertaining men for a living, but gave protection to the spies.

Ruth was widowed and left her homeland to care for her mother-in-law.

Bathsheba was a married woman, called by the king for an adulterous evening and became pregnant while her husband was away at war. She is thought by many scholars to be the woman mentioned in Proverbs 31 who advised King Lemuel, possibly a nickname for King Solomon.

Mary found favor with God, was engaged to Joseph, but she was carrying a child out of wedlock… a pregnancy with a story many would not believe.

Each of these women trusted in God.

Do we trust in God when life circumstances take us down an unexpected path?

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.

Written by Nilaurys Garcia, volunteer with Iron Rose Sister Ministries in Canada

We all need people who nurture us; people we can count on in the most critical moments, both good and complicated. Knowing that we are not alone and that we can count on someone fills us with strength to face many situations. In most cases, these people can be our family, but many of us also find that support in friends—that “family” that we can choose—and give them access to the most vulnerable parts of our beings. Something I learned several years ago is that good friendships are important. Having the right people by our side can make us feel safe, loved, and can help us achieve our goals while we remain at peace. Conversely, being with people who drain, exhaust, and negatively influence us can lead us to make unwise choices and turn away from the truth. As Proverbs 18:24 says, "One who has unreliable friends soon comes to ruin, but there is a friend who sticks closer than a brother” (NIV).

For me, this year has been focused on connections; on cultivating friendships and relationships that will help me connect with who I am, and especially to connect with God. What I have learned, and am especially grateful for, is relationships that make it possible to share experiences, advice, and the same love for spiritual things. They benefit you in a way that no other relationship can. If there is someone special that comes to your mind right now, the Lord has blessed you greatly, and I invite you to take a few minutes to thank them for their friendship and to thank God for putting them in your path.

I want to thank those who have given me a word of encouragement when I needed it most; that unexpected message saying that I was remembered and prayed over, wishing me well. I thank those friends who, although I have done my best to pretend that I am well, can look me in the eye and tell me, “I will pray for you and when you are ready, I will be there to listen to you.” I thank those friends who have become part of my family, my life, and my being, who are willing to lovingly sit with me, unselfishly looking out for my well-being. And, above all, when I need it, they can make me see what I am not doing well or what I must improve. I thank those close friends who celebrate my achievements because they know the effort it took, who jump for joy with me, and know how to dry my tears in times of difficulty. Whenever I think about these relationships, I imagine that their prayers, words of encouragement, and friendship have the same effect that Aaron and Hur had on Moses as they held up his arms when he was too tired to hold them up himself (Ex. 17:12).

I do not particularly need to talk daily with these friends, but they indeed are a constant presence in my life and have marked me so deeply. They are the ones I turn to in those moments of immense joy and extreme difficulty. I am greatly blessed to have friendships who have the same spiritual beliefs and whose presence in my life helps bring me closer to the presence of our God every day and challenge me to be a better version of myself. These friendships are the answers to the prayers I have made asking God to help me stay on His path and that He will send those who are not afraid to come find me wherever I have strayed.

To you, friend, thank you for showing me God's love at all times, and thank you for being willing to share my struggles and burdens. Thank you for being the support I need to grow closer to God every day.

Written by Rianna Elmshaeuser, volunteer with Iron Rose Sister Ministries in Colorado

Imagine one fine day you are taking a walk and come across a dog in pitiful circumstances. He’s starved and filthy. His hair is patchy and his neck is swollen and dirty because of the chain around it that’s attached to a large steel stake in the middle of a patch of dirt that passes for a yard. Your heart is moved to help this pitiful creature so you knock on the door of the owner and offer to buy the dog. The price is steep, but you gladly pay it to rescue the poor creature. On your way home, you come across a lovely park so you take the chain off your new dog’s neck and set him free. Now that he's free of the chain and his terrible master, you leave the dog at the park and hope he lives a happy life from now on.

That would be absurd! Jesus does not do that with us either. He didn’t redeem us from slavery to sin and then set us free to figure out the rest on our own. Romans 8:6-7 (NIV) says,

The mind governed by the flesh is death, but the mind governed by the Spirit is life and peace. The mind governed by the flesh is hostile to God; it does not submit to God’s law, nor can it do so.

Just as you would take your new dog into your home and treat his wounds, feed him food, give him a safe place to live, teach him how to behave, and show him real love, Jesus does the same for us. Saving us from our sins entails so much more than confessing Him as Lord and getting baptized.

Jesus sent the Holy Spirit to guide us and help us grow into a Spirit-led life. This process can be excruciating at times. Facing my problems and negative behaviors, and having the humility to realize I needed to change certain things has been a long and often lonely journey. Even more painful can be embracing who God created me to be. At this stage in my life, I have learned to trust Him and bit by bit have been growing into who He wants me to be. I am so grateful for that growth and change.

Of course, I still make mistakes but rather than berating myself and losing nights of sleep, I can make it right and move on. I have learned to see people more like God sees them; that includes myself. To be totally honest, as I write this, I am at a low point. Experience has taught me that I am not here alone. Jesus is my Savior constantly, not just for the forgiveness of my sins. Zach Williams sings, “It might feel like Friday, but your Sunday’s coming.” Before Jesus rose from the grave, there were some dark, dark days when all felt lost. God has plans that we can’t see or understand. Even when it is dark, we can cling to Jesus’ hand and trust that He will bring us through it.

As Paul writes in 2 Corinthians 12:9, “But he said to me, ‘My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.’” If we were always strong and never down, we would have no need of Jesus. God uses our weaknesses to bring us closer to Him and to each other. I have learned that my weakness gives me compassion for the weakness of others. How can I judge and condemn when I myself am broken? I may be traveling through darkness right now, but “even the darkness is not dark to [God]; the night is as bright as the day, for darkness is as light with you” (Ps 139:12 ESV).

God continues to save us from our sins, from ourselves, and from Satan again and again and again as long as we follow Him.

“There is therefore now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus” (Ro 8:1).

Written by Alina Stout, volunteer with Iron Rose Sister Ministries in Oklahoma

It is no secret that Jesus was close to the family of Mary, Martha, and Lazarus (Luke 10, John 11-12). He was with them through a great trial in their life, and His faithfulness to them led to their devoted thankfulness to Jesus.

Mary and Martha lost their brother Lazarus to an illness. They asked Jesus to come and heal Lazarus, but Jesus waited to come until after He learned that Lazarus died. He did not arrive at Mary and Martha’s house in Bethany until four days after Lazarus had passed (John 11:1-17).

In their moment of grief, Jesus was there for Mary and Martha in the unique way that each of them needed Him as they grieved over Lazarus. They each expressed their faith in Jesus even though it was being tested by inner conflict.

Martha expressed to Jesus her battle between her faith and her grief. “If you had been here, my brother would not have died. But even now I know that whatever you ask from God, God will give you” (John 11:22, ESV). Jesus revealed a truth about Himself to Martha in response to her faith and challenged her to go one step further. He said, “I am the resurrection and the life …Do you believe this?” and she replied, “Yes, Lord; I believe” (John 11:25-27).

Mary expressed to Jesus only sorrow, revealing her grieved frustration that she knew Jesus could have done something to prevent this. “Lord, if you had been here, my brother would not have died” (John 11:32). Jesus was “deeply moved in his spirit” by her weeping and He wept with her (John 11:33-35).

Jesus was their friend in the moment they needed Him most. But as the Messiah, Jesus was able to raise their brother Lazarus from the dead!

Mary and Martha each showed their gratitude to their friend and Lord Jesus in different ways.

Martha showed Jesus gratitude by preparing a dinner for Him and His disciples. Her dinner in honor of Him was an expression of the faith that she had in Him. It is the way that she could give back to Jesus for the new life that He gave to her brother. She sacrificed her personal time and effort in order to serve Him (John 12:2).

Mary showed Jesus gratitude in a way that was also a sacrifice for her–almost a year’s wages worth of sacrifice. She anointed the feet of Jesus with expensive perfume and wiped His feet with her hair (John 12:3). Mary understood that Jesus is the source of all life. What did she lack? Nothing. When Mary sacrificed a costly perfume bottle, one that could have given her financial security if Lazarus died or could have been used for a future dowry, she chose to give it up out of gratitude for the Resurrection and the Life who will sustain her every need.

Mary and Martha each put Jesus above themselves out of faith and gratitude. They offered their personal sacrifice on Jesus’ behalf because they recognized Him as the Resurrection and the Life. If Jesus is life, then they wanted their life to honor Jesus.

Like Mary and Martha, we get to have a relationship with our Friend and our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ. When we face trials, Jesus is there with us. He is emotionally present with us like He was with Mary. He guides us to knowledge in the truth like He did with Martha. He is present with us like a friend, but He is also our Lord. And when we overcome our trials with Jesus by our side, we are beyond grateful!

Our gratitude to our friend and our Lord and Savior oftentimes looks like sacrifice. It sure did for Mary and Martha! Out of our thankfulness for the life that Jesus has given us, our response is to devote our lives to Him.

“I appeal to you therefore, brothers, by the mercies of God, to present your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and acceptable to God, which is your spiritual worship” (Rom. 12:1).

Think about how you can devote your life to Jesus as a living sacrifice. What do you have that you can offer to Jesus? What are you willing to give up for Jesus?

Think about how you can encourage your Iron Rose Sisters to join you in your living sacrifice. Mary and Martha might have shown gratitude in their unique ways, but they showed their gratitude together at the same dinner. Is there any way that you can partner with your Iron Rose Sisters by offering your unique methods of gratitude together?

Written by Kathy Reagan, volunteer with Iron Rose Sister Ministries in Arkansas

Rejoice in the Lord always, again I will say rejoice!


Philippians 4:4 (ESV)

God’s Word, in this passage and other places, tells us that as daughters of the King, it is His will that we live joyful, fulfilled, abundant lives here on earth.

But sometimes, it can be difficult to rejoice, can’t it? So how can we rejoice at those times?

I think one answer to that question can be found in 1 Thessalonians 5:16-18: “Rejoice always, pray without ceasing, give thanks in all circumstances, for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you.”

When we are prayerful and thankful, we are happy and rejoicing.

Giving thanks to God is a mindset.

• Check our focus. We know that whatever we focus on tends to grow bigger and bigger in our lives. Colossians 3:2 tells us “Set your mind on things that are above, not on things that are on earth.” When we’re thinking about heaven and serving the King during our time here on earth, we are thankful and rejoicing.
• Be aware of our enemy’s schemes. He wants us complaining, feeling sorry for ourselves, blaming others, and blaming God. “Your adversary the devil prowls around like a roaring lion, seeking someone to devour” (1Pe 5:8). But our Father’s will for us is to “Do all things without grumbling or disputing, that you may be blameless and innocent children of God…” (Php 2:14-15a). When we are following His directions, we are thankful and happy.
• Train ourselves. We humans naturally tend to see the negatives, hear the negatives from others, and sometimes even imagine negative things that are not necessarily even there. However, with training and practice we can develop a habit of turning the negatives into positives. God calls us to grow and strive for maturity in the faith (2Pe 3:18) so that we can eat solid spiritual food and not just milk. “But solid food is for the mature, for those who have their powers of discernment trained by constant practice to distinguish good from evil.” (Heb 5:14). We train ourselves each time we purposefully choose to take a negative thing and look for the positive so we can give thanks to God for it.

Recognize that we are swimming in blessings!

• It’s a matter of perspective. Proverbs 27:7 says, “One who is full loathes honey, but to one who is hungry, everything bitter is sweet.” When the enemy invites us to recount all our woes, we can be tempted to just give in and have our own little pity party. But we don’t have to give him the victory! Even in the midst of mourning or terrible tribulation, it is possible to rejoice in thanksgiving because we know heaven is our home at the end of the road here on this earth. We know we have the Spirit inside us, guiding us, strengthening us, and comforting us. We know who we are and Whose we are.

Sing out our thanksgiving to God.

• James 5:13b says “Is anyone cheerful? Let him sing praise!” I’m frankly not sure if we sing because we are cheerful or if we become cheerful by singing—maybe a bit of both. I love to sing praise and often wake up with a song in my heart. But in the past, I have purposely sung praise when I was very downcast, and God has always blessed my effort to praise Him. We can always find something to thank Him for, and it is a delight to think of our praise rising to God like a pleasant aroma in His nostrils.

It's been a little over three years now since my godly husband of 47 years passed away suddenly from Covid. God is the one who carried me through that unthinkable time. He surrounded me with loved ones who helped lift me up and bear my burdens. And now He has blessed me beyond measure by gifting me a godly man to walk with me over the finish line of life! We have been married a few months now and we enjoy praying and singing praise. (He is a wonderful tenor!) So, I can truthfully say at this time in my life that I am singing this prayer with David:

You have turned for me my mourning into dancing; You have loosed my sackcloth and girded me with gladness, that my soul may sing praise to You and not be silent. Oh Lord, my God, I will give thanks to You forever. (Ps 30:11-12)

It is much easier to overflow with thanksgiving in the good times. But as daughters of the King, it IS possible (no matter what the enemy says) to rejoice even in terrible tribulation and mourning.

Sisters, allow me to invite you to focus on thanksgiving in the good and the bad times and watch how our Father delights in blessing us with joy.

Song of praise: God is so good 

Written by Karla Cass, volunteer with Iron Rose Sister Ministries in Colorado

As a therapist I see clients riddled with anxiety walk in and out of my office daily. Anxiety among our nation’s children and youth is at an all-time high. The current generation is one of the most anxious generations in history, but Christ calls us to something different. Philippians 4:6-7 (ESV) tells us,

Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be known to God. And the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and minds in Christ Jesus.

As I ponder this verse, I am taken back to a time when I felt the most anxiety in my own life and when I felt I had very little to be thankful for. In a world full of things that can make us anxious, how can we be obedient to scripture and allow “the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding” to enter our lives?

The Trial
Dear sisters, I will confess that I often struggle with God’s timeline, which has been a main source of my anxiety in the past. I had a particularly difficult time with God’s timing in the spring of 2018. My husband and I were blessed with a beautiful baby girl the day before Christmas in 2014. We discussed expanding our family and I had a definite vision for what our family should look like. After two years of trying to have additional children, we turned to medical professionals for guidance. Right before Easter I received an infertility diagnosis and was told my eggs were of “poor quality.” The irony was not lost on me that while the world was decorated with brightly colored eggs, I was told mine were old and dusty! In a moment, the vision of my family was demolished along with my faith. The enemy used this news to separate me from God and increase my anxiety and depression. I found it very hard to be thankful for any of the numerous gifts God had previously blessed us with. My anxiety about our future and what our family would look like increased daily, and I lost faith in what I had always believed in: that God was always working for our good. Yet despite my attitude and lack of faith, He was still working on my behalf. God continued to work things out for our good and for the good of others because He can see vastly more for our lives than we ever can.

God Never Fails
During 2020, I was blessed with the opportunity to start a support group along with some church friends for women also going through infertility. We were able to lift one another up, support each other, and point one another to Christ. God used my difficult circumstances to bring myself and others closer to Him. In January of 2021, God exceeded every expectation and we found out we were pregnant with our son. He was the perfect addition to our family at just the right time. Through this trial, God worked things out for our greater good and gave me the privilege to serve others walking a similar path.

When we face great trials, how can we increase our gratitude and decrease anxiety about the future?

Relying on the Spiritual Disciplines
I found three spiritual disciplines helpful in drawing me closer to Him and increasing my faith in a time of difficulties.

1 - Keeping a daily gratitude journal helped me focus on the things God had given me and see that He has a perfect plan for my life and gives me exceedingly more than I could hope or pray for.

2 - The spiritual discipline of silence and solitude helped me to drown out the thoughts and opinions of this world and keep my eyes on Christ and what He wanted for my life. It made me carve out time for prayer and supplication. Through this practice, I was able to meditate on scripture and decrease comparison, jealousy, and anxiety which were robbing me of the joy God wanted for me.

3 - Lastly, I increased my time in the Word and was devoted to the memorization of scripture to combat anxious thoughts used by the enemy to make me doubt God and His will for my life.

Though my struggle with infertility was difficult, God used this time to increase my faith and draw me closer to Him. What spiritual disciplines can you incorporate in your daily life to stop the cycle of anxiety and start living the full life God wants for you?

Written by Ann Thiede, volunteer with Iron Rose Sister Ministries in Arkansas

I grew up going to one of two churches in our small community. The church was the building. Church also was something that happened on Sundays in the sanctuary of the building. Church did not happen downstairs in the large area with the coke machine— just get-togethers with people who went to that church.

Church had importance, yes, but not enough to cause me to continue going when on my own in college. However, when my serious search for truth began, I went to one right off the university campus. The yearning intensified as I read the gospels, and reached a climax when I surrendered to Christ and shared in His death, burial, and resurrection through baptism.

The people in that church welcomed me warmly and attendance became a priority. It changed from “I have to go to church” to “I get to go to church!” The more I read the New Testament, the more I realized my view of church was misconstrued. It wasn’t the building; it was the people who surrendered to Jesus as Lord and Savior. I found answers to questions of faith and the church within its pages. Learning occurred every time the Bible was opened. I discovered the Acts of the Apostles—all about the beginning of the church and the believers' excitement to share the Good News about Jesus’s death and resurrection. What a great accounting! I strongly encourage you to read or reread Acts with fresh eyes.

In the Apostle Paul’s first letter to the Christians in Corinth, he paints a detailed picture of the church in chapter 12, referring to it as the body of Christ. Here is a portion:

Just as a body, though one, has many parts, but all its many parts form one body, so it is with Christ. For we were all baptized by one Spirit so as to form one body—whether Jews or Gentiles, slave or free—and we were all given the one Spirit to drink. Even so the body is not made up of one part but of many. (1Co 12:12-14 NIV)

It meant so much realizing I was part of Jesus’s body here on earth, His representative! Paul speaks as well to the church at Rome with these words:

For just as each of us has one body with many members, and these members do not all have the same function, so in Christ we, though many, form one body, and each member belongs to all the others. We have different gifts, according to the grace given to each of us. (Ro 12:4-6a)

“Each member belongs to all the others.” That is a radical concept. The church is not meant just to be Sunday worship, but members caring about each other daily, even as we care about the parts of our own body — all new to self-centered me. Over the years, I learned valuable and sometimes hard lessons in each church made up of gifted but imperfect people. One lesson: “Bloom where you’re planted.” Struggling to make connections within a large church, I began grumbling until hearing this: “What are you going to do about it?” So I began reaching out to unfamiliar people and hoping to meet visitors. Some new families became our lifelong friends. I also became part of a prayer chain. With joy, I met members we had prayed for when they recovered and returned to worship. Becoming an active part of a small group provided ways to encourage and be encouraged.

For fifty years within various bodies, God has patiently taught me. My first church had many who were gifted in sharing the Good News with others, and teachers who made the Scriptures, both Old and New Testaments, come alive in powerful and often convicting ways, increasing my love for the Word and a deeper love for God and others. In other churches I have been blessed to learn from those gifted with serving, praying, showing hospitality, giving, showing mercy, humbly leading, and encouraging others, to name a few. Sometimes God has allowed me to look back from wobbly steps in sharing my faith or encouraging others to a greater working of His Spirit. Always it is He who works in us for His good pleasure (Php 2:13). Above all, may love be our motivation as Paul admonishes in 1 Corinthians 13.

How are you blooming where you’re planted? The Holy Spirit excludes no one. You are of great value in the body!

Written by Beliza Kocev, Brazil Coordinator for Iron Rose Sister Ministries

“…I was pouring out my soul to the Lord.”(1 Sa. 1:15b NIV)

Imagine something you really want. Now imagine that in addition to really wanting it, people expect it of you. On top of that, they think there is something wrong with you because you don’t have what you “should.” Imagine having someone make fun of you for this.

This was the life of Hannah. Her name means “favored,” which seems ironic in a time when infertility was shameful, not only for the woman, but also for the family. And on top of dealing with the pain of infertility, she was humiliated by Peninnah, her husband Elkanah’s other wife (1 Sa. 1:6). Peninnah’s provocations distressed Hannah. She would cry and not eat.

Every year Elkanah went with his wives to Shiloh, where there was a temple. And the story repeated itself every year: go to the temple, be provoked by Peninnah, cry, stop eating, and despite her husband’s attempt to comfort her, remain in the same condition (1 Sa. 1:7-8). He would try to satisfy her with good treatment, even being more generous with Hannah than with Peninnah, but he didn’t understand Hannah’s pain.

We don’t know how many years this process repeated itself. But throughout all of this, Hannah continued to share her anguish and pain with God. In one of these journeys to Shiloh, “Hannah got up. She was deeply distressed, and she cried bitterly as she prayed to the Lord” (1 Sa. 1:10 GNT). Hannah got up! Before the pain and anguish, the humiliation and the sadness, like Hannah, we need to seek God, as it is only Him who can give us relief and comfort our hearts. Often, there are times that we will not be able to get up on our own. For this reason, it is so important that we have sisters close to us to share our pain and to battle with us in prayer.

One of the interesting things about Hannah’s prayer is that she was specific in her request. Hannah knew herself, and she had a clear understanding of what she longed in anguish for. She knew exactly what she wanted from God and made it clear that if her prayer was answered, she would dedicate her child to the Lord (1 Sa. 1:11).

When Eli the priest saw her, he thought she was drunk because she was only moving her lips as she prayed (1 Sa. 1:13-14). She explained her situation and shared the affliction that she was feeling. Eli responded: “Go in peace, and may the God of Israel grant you what you have asked of him” (1 Sa. 1:17 NIV).

After this prayer and the conversation with Eli, Hannah fed herself and her face even changed and became more expressive (1 Sa. 1:18). Hannah returned home and got pregnant! Imagine her joy! Have you ever received a blessing for which you had waited a long time? Remember your joy to get something that you waited for, prayed for, and asked of God, pouring out your heart? “I prayed for this child, and the Lord has granted me what I asked of him” (1 Sa. 1:27).

Hannah fulfilled her vow. After Samuel was weaned, she took him to the temple. She received the long-awaited blessing, but remembered that everything we have should be used for the Kingdom of God. After the humiliation, shame, and anguish, she was able to sing and praise with thanksgiving for the grace she received. She proclaimed out loud what the Lord did. “There is no one holy like the Lord; there is no one besides you; there is no Rock like our God” (1 Sa. 2:2).

Hannah’s example teaches us the important lesson of how prayer is a powerful weapon: bending our knees and lifting our voices to God is something Jesus taught us and gave as an example. We should persevere in prayer!

Hannah’s was a bitter prayer that created within her a deep realization of her need to seek God. It was a prayer committed to consecrating to the Lord the blessing she received. We live in difficult times. May the Holy Spirit help us, like Hannah, persevere in prayer and remember our commitment to God.

Written by Katie Forbess, Board President of Iron Rose Sister Ministries in Missouri

You did not choose me, but I chose you and appointed you so that you might go and bear fruit—fruit that will last—and so that whatever you ask in my name the Father will give you.(Jn 15:16 NIV)

Iron Rose Sister Ministries actively does things to help women by equipping and encouraging them to grow closer to God and one another, bearing fruit that will last, and hearing their prayers along the way.

Last year, the theme of “Practice like a Wise Woman” shook the ministry and blessed it in ways never imagined. Thankfully, we trusted and sought wisdom, and we truly moved in the ways we felt God calling us. Not perfectly, but faithfully. 

That Godly wisdom brought us this year’s theme of “Bear Fruit,” which will touch many parts of our lives and relationships. Personally, I have come to define bearing fruit as this: When I am living in such a way that I am connected to God, like a healthy vine to the branches, and I allow God to work through me, fruit is produced.

While remaining in the love of God, I believe part of bearing fruit is the fruit of the Spirit in me, and another part is the sharing of the truth of the gospel of Christ to someone in a way that they become capable of reproducing that gospel themselves. And all future fruit will go on to do the same. The fruit of more disciples will last long past my time here on earth, and long past the people who know me or will even know about me. This fruit is eternal, so it will last in heaven. In the end, I believe we will all feel connected to the same Vine and the same roots and truly be one in Christ. 

On a personal level, as I look at this year, I see there will be a lot of changes, such as a son who will be graduating and going to college, a daughter who could be engaged by the end of the year, and another daughter who plans to start driving by the end of the month. There are always changes. There will be ups and downs. Joys and sorrows. The real question is: Will I bear fruit that lasts during these times?

I’m reminded of Abraham, whom God told that his family would be as numerous as the stars. It took a few failed attempts on Abraham's part and a baby born many generations later to completely fulfill that promise. That baby grew up to make disciples, died for the sins of the world, and then arose, sending all His disciples to go out and make disciples.

The fruit that God is asking me to bear is only possible through this blessing of Abraham’s descendent, Jesus Christ. Abraham could never have known how eternal his fruit would be. The fruit we bear is under God’s control, as well. I may never truly understand what will happen with the fruit He has called me to bear. What a blessing to be part of something so much bigger!

How can we bear fruit that will last during this time in our lives?

How can we trust God with the eternal impact of the fruit we will bear in His name?

Written by Karoline Diogo, volunteer with Iron Rose Sister Ministries in Campo Grande, Brazil

Beloved, I recently heard the phrase, “The good news is that there is oil for all of us, until Jesus returns!” Reflecting on this phrase, I read Matthew 25:1-13, the Parable of the 10 Virgins. This parable helps us to have hope in Christ’s return and to know if we are prepared for this event.

Being filled with the Holy Spirit is an individual decision. We can’t overflow with the Spirit and give a little to others. It’s a personal decision; God does not decide for us.

Like the virgins, we can analyze our Christian life—whether it’s on track or off. I often ask myself, and I ask you all so we can reflect together: What Christian life are we leading? How do we know if we are ready for Christ’s return? Matthew 24:36-37 says that we don’t know the day nor the hour, but the days will be like those of Noah: People were so consumed with worldly pursuits that they had no thoughts about the consequences God would impose. Have we already reached those days?

To be prepared we must be filled with the Holy Spirit, who is the fuel for our Christian life.

In Acts, we can see that a person who is filled with the Holy Spirit is fruitful, takes pleasure in serving the Lord, has a joyful life, is a promoter of peace and communion in the church, and has a powerful life before God and men.

In Luke 21:34-36, we read about the constant care we must have with our life and to look at our walk. We must be careful that no matter what happens in our life, we don’t lose our focus: CHRIST. Verse 36 tells us to be attentive and praying. Often with the rush of everyday life, we forget to take care of our spiritual life and we lose the way of salvation!

In Hebrews 12:14, we see that we need the process of sanctification to see the Lord. Being holy means being farther and farther away from sin and closer to God, focused on practicing the Word of God. In Ephesians 5:25-27, Paul speaks a little about how Christ sanctifies the church. Beloved, our hope in the things of God and in eternity is infinitely greater than the expectations of things of this world.

Read Revelation 21:1-14. This has to be our true hope! What is being prepared for us is incomparable to anything on this earth. Our expectations must be in eternity (Rom. 8:18).

Today I want to encourage you. Many of us don’t know the true meaning of hope, and when something bad happens we become discouraged with God. Revelation 3:8 is an encouragement for us to keep the Word of the Lord and practice it, just like in James 1:22, which tells us to not be just hearers, but doers. Our faith must be unshakeable in the face of opposition.

When thinking about a wedding like that in the parable, the following reflection came to me: “What is the entrance of a bride like?” Everyone wants to see her, but in reality, the bride wants to see the groom and the groom wants to see the bride! Did you get that? May we not lose our hope in Christ and when He comes, like the bride, may we be prepared and long see Jesus as He is. May we keep our hope alive and may we exalt Him on that day with much joy! Stand firm in the Lord Jesus Christ.

“Further, my brothers and sisters, rejoice in the Lord! It is no trouble for me to write the same things to you again, and it is a safeguard for you” (Phil. 3:1 NIV).

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

Humble yourselves before the Lord, and he will lift you up. (Jas 4:10, NIV)

The word humility connects me to the divinity of God. Today, I reflect on the depth of its meaning, which I have sought and seen so many times as I continually strive to live God’s purpose personally and spiritually.

I define humility as an act of the Spirit, which leads me to an attitude of the soul. Using the letters of the word, I break it down into the following characteristics:

       Honesty
       Unity
       Meekness
       Intelligence
       Loyalty
       Inclination (willingness)
       Tenderness (love)
       You serving the Heavenly Father

Each of the characteristics above has invited me, since the day I met Him, to stay in tune with Christ. By allowing me to be used by God, His beloved Son Jesus, and in the power of His Holy Spirit, I have seen His example of humility under submission, obedience, and continual awareness of putting the Father's will before my own, always with an eye toward the great goal that leads me to keep looking up to reach the prize of eternity.

I am also attentive to Peter’s admonition to “Humble yourselves, therefore, under God’s mighty hand, that he may lift you up in due time” (1Pe 5:6).

Therefore, being humble, in my experience, is a necessary spiritual action that undoubtedly brings me constantly into the presence of the Lord. In every area where I find myself, out there all around me, I require large portions of the Eternal Father's wisdom to be a humble child of God, chosen and called to service.

To be a child of God today, as the Bible says, is the greatest privilege I can have. It is a unique honor that has required in me great self-control.

At the beginning of my Christian life, I was filled with human pride, which counteracted humility in every situation. Many times, without realizing it, I felt self-sufficient, and my trajectory was more and more human than spiritual. I wanted to continue doing everything through my own strength rather than through God's. As time went by, I realized that I had to seek more vigorously at every moment the presence of God in everything, since only He knows and is capable of everything.

My first struggles, and the hardest, were with myself, thinking that I just needed to know that I had God, without the need to continue knowing Him fully. However, in those moments, the inner struggle of faith and humility had to continue to develop in me.

Through emotional trials of anxiety, later physical trials of sickness and loss, scarcity, and many more, and even wanting so many things in my timing and not in God's, He has allowed me to recognize, frontward and backward, the full authority of the Heavenly Father, the One who comes from above, for surely He alone is almighty, and in His infinite, true, and matchless mercy He will give me victory here on earth and there in heaven.

I have been able to experience the humility that God gives me in life through times of silence; in the solitude and peace of knowing Him in me, in wisdom, and in the prompt help that comes from Him. Humility is acknowledging His dominion, power, and glory forever.

So, I continue to fight to live consistently in the humility of God and not in the humility of humanity— to be able to live and make known the power of the Holy Spirit in the society in which I live. In this way, I intend to attain the wisdom of valuable and essential humility to arrive at eternal life with God.

We should not forget the beautiful examples and teachings of Jesus, who, with the power of the Holy Spirit, remained humble and overcame every trial and temptation, and we can also overcome them in His will. Are you humble today? Looking up to the eternal home? Do you radiate the humility of the Lord Jesus Christ here and now?

Written by Deanna Brooks, volunteer with Iron Rose Sister Ministries

2 Timothy 2:2 reads: “What you have heard from me in the presence of many witnesses entrust to faithful men, who will be able to teach others also” (ESV).

Paul is reaching the end of his life, and he wants this precious message to continue to be passed on. 

“Entrust” indicates responsibility and stewardship. “Faithful” means those who will treasure what they have and handle it as God intended. 

We, as disciples of Jesus, are the only way others will learn about Jesus and why He came to earth. We have been given a mission, and in John 15, Jesus shares His plans with His disciples. 

Jesus paints a word picture of Himself as the Vine and His disciples as the branches that bear the fruit. Some of His statements are:

Verse 2: “Every branch in me that does not bear fruit he takes away, and every branch that does bear fruit he prunes, that it may bear more fruit.”

Verse 4: “Abide in me, and I in you. As the branch cannot bear fruit by itself, unless it abides in the vine, neither can you, unless you abide in me.”

Verse 5: “Whoever abides in me and I in him, he it is that bears much fruit, for apart from me you can do nothing.”

Verse 8: “By this my Father is glorified, that you bear much fruit and so prove to be my disciples.”

Verse 16: “You did not choose me, but I chose you and appointed you that you should go and bear fruit and that your fruit should abide, so that whatever you ask the Father in my name, he may give it to you.”

When a branch bears fruit, it provides the way by which other fruit can be produced. The branch that does not bear fruit is considered dead.

If you have ever grown a garden or fruit trees, you know an important part of having a healthy plant is to cut off dead or diseased limbs, so they do not weaken the healthy branches. Likewise, Jesus says He will remove those branches that are not bearing fruit.

Some of Jesus’ last words were, “Go therefore and make disciples of all nations…” (Mt 28:19).

There is joy in seeing someone you have taught become a follower of Jesus. 

“Each one teach one” is a common saying among believers, indicating each of us is responsible for reaching someone who can then reach someone else, just as 2 Timothy 2:2 says. 

Teaching about Jesus should be a normal part of our lives. Deuteronomy 6:4-9 emphasizes the importance of teaching when you sit in your house and when you walk by the way, when you lie down, and when you rise.

Some ways to reach out to others are:

• Invite someone to VBS, gospel meetings, or a Bible study.
• Invite your friend for coffee and tell her you have good news you want to share… Then share your faith story and the path that led you to be a Christ follower (to discipleship).
• When you are with a friend, ask what she believes, then listen. Be ready to share your common beliefs, but if she mentions something not in Scripture, gently ask where she gets the authority for what she said.
• When you are asked a question, turn to Scripture instead of sharing your opinion.
• Stay “on target” in your study with others.

If you do not know how to teach someone, find a friend who does and ask them to help you learn.  It may be that you are like Andrew and can seek people out and invite them to a Bible class or worship services, leaving the more formal teaching to someone else. 

It is important to be alert and realize when a friend may be receptive. Life changes often create an interest that has not been present. When a new family moves into the neighborhood and is making new friends can be an excellent time to set up a study. 

For us, it is important to:

• know who our authority is.
• know what and why we believe.
• be willing to search if asked a question we don’t know.

Are you willing to put 2 Timothy 2:2 into practice in your life?

Written by Abby Ramirez, volunteer with Iron Rose Sister Ministries in João Pessoa, Brazil

Every Sunday when we celebrate the Lord’s Supper, we meditate deeply on the sacrifice that He made for us on the cross. When we take the bread and the wine, we remember all the pain and suffering that Christ went through. His death brings us sadness, but we stay in this state of emotion for only a few moments because our Lord RESURRECTED. He defeated death and saved us. His return to life brings us immense joy and peace. His death testifies to His love and His resurrection testifies to His power.

For us, Jesus Christ’s resurrection should be of utmost importance, even more to be celebrated than His death. It’s a fact that Jesus died and His body was resurrected on the third day. Let’s consider together what this event means for us.

In Philippians 3:10 (NIV), Paul writes about the power of Jesus’ resurrection, “I want to know Christ—yes, to know the power of his resurrection and participation in his sufferings, becoming like him in his death.”

Paul had different personal experiences with our Lord Jesus in his life of mission. The apostle lived to preach the gospel, and his understanding of the resurrection was deep. In this verse, Paul expresses his desire to know Jesus. To know our Lord goes beyond knowing about His historical life and teachings. To thoroughly know Jesus means to believe in the power of His resurrection.

Jesus defeated death, and this lets us experience the power of this sacrifice by participating in His suffering. Romans 6:5 says, “For if we have been united with him in a death like his, we will certainly also be united with him in a resurrection like his.”

If we believe the gospel, we will put Him on in baptism, buried in the water, and resurrected to eternal life, knowing that our life will not end with death, but we will be resurrected like Him in a glorified body when He returns.

Jesus says in John 11:25-26, “I am the resurrection and the life. The one who believes in me will live, even though they die; and whoever lives by believing in me will never die. Do you believe this?” The resurrection of Jesus powerfully demonstrates His divinity. He defeated death and showed His supernatural power. This event shows us that Christ is God.

His resurrection has the power to defeat death, which is the price of sin. When Jesus was raised from the dead, He defeated Satan and gave us the same power. Now we are no longer slaves to sin, rather we are more than conquerors in Jesus Christ.

But thanks be to God that, though you used to be slaves to sin, you have come to obey from your heart the pattern of teaching that has now claimed your allegiance. You have been set free from sin and have become slaves to righteousness. (Ro. 6:17-18)

His resurrection has the power to bless all nations without any kind of discrimination. Jews, Gentiles, and all people have access to salvation through Christ. His resurrection fulfills God’s perfect plan. The resurrection sealed the gospel and God concluded His plan of salvation for humanity.

In His wisdom, He planned it this way from the beginning and fulfilled it perfectly.

His resurrection has the power to justify us. It was the proof that the sacrifice of the cross was fulfilled and accepted. We were bought with the blood of Christ and the debt of our sin was paid in full. His resurrection has the power to give us life, which means that all of us who belong to Jesus Christ will receive the same resurrection.

Romans 6:8 says, “Now if we died with Christ, we believe that we will also live with him.” His resurrection has the power to comfort. It promises that our loved ones who have already died in Christ will live with Him.

Our Jesus was resurrected! He is alive! How many times a day do we remember this extraordinary fact? Do we understand the power of the resurrection of our Lord? Many Christians are still trapped in the grave without the hope of the resurrection, or only focused on the cross and the suffering. It’s good to remember and reflect on the death of our Lord Jesus, but we must not forget that He was raised. Let’s remember this important truth and consider what the power of the resurrection means for us.

Let’s tell others that Jesus defeated death. His body did not remain in the grave. Therefore, our faith should be based in this great truth of the resurrection. His resurrection was seen and testified by many. The resurrection of Christ gives meaning to our Christian life, as Paul says in 1 Corinthians 15:14, “And if Christ has not been raised, our preaching is useless and so is your faith.”

Let us rejoice in His resurrection!

Written by Corinne Faneus, Ministry Coordinator at Iron Rose Sister Ministries

“Well, there is nothing left to do except pray.”
“Sorry, I can’t do anything else, but I’ll pray for you.”
“The least I can do is pray.”

And the prayer offered in faith will make the sick person well; the Lord will raise them up. If they have sinned, they will be forgiven. Therefore confess your sins to each other and pray for each other so that you may be healed. The prayer of a righteous person is powerful and effective. (Jas 5:15-16 NIV)

We read throughout the Scriptures multiple prayers that had incredible and powerful results—Hannah in 1 Samuel 2, Hezekiah in 2 Kings 19, and Elijah in 1 Kings 17 and 18. Prayer is shown countless times as the means by which we put our faith and trust in God as the means for God to fulfill His promises and plans in our lives. Yet, often unintentionally, with our own words, we take away the very power that prayer holds. Like the phrases above, we often minimize prayer as a last resort or as a small, almost insufficient service to those around us.

Prayer is one of the greatest gifts we have been given. That God allows and plans for our prayers to be how He is moved to action is amazing, confusing, wonderful, mysterious, and awe-inspiring. God’s hand is moved by the prayers of His creation.

If we know all this to be true about prayer, how can we be women who offer powerful and effective prayers? How can our prayers bear fruit?

It may sound cliché, but for our prayers to be powerful and effective, we must have faith in God— faith that our prayers serve a purpose, and faith that God is working through our prayers. We can often wonder, “What difference will our prayers make? If God is sovereign and has everything all planned out, what difference does it make to pray for a dear friend to be healed from sickness? Does it really matter if I pray for my unbelieving relative, if God’s will is going to be accomplished regardless?”

“Jesus replied, ‘Truly I tell you, if you have faith and do not doubt, not only can you do what was done to the fig tree, but also you can say to this mountain, ‘Go, throw yourself into the sea,’ and it will be done.’” (Mt 21:21)

Our prayers of faith make all the difference, not because we can change God’s plans, but because part of God’s plan is that we pray! We pray to bring about what God has planned. Do you trust and believe that your prayer is part of God’s sovereign plan? Do you believe that God has planned to act because of your prayer?

In James 5:17, we see James give an example of a righteous person’s powerful and effective prayer, “Elijah was a man with a nature like ours, and he prayed fervently that it might not rain, and for three years and six months it did not rain on the earth” (ESV). Being a spiritual superstar like Elijah is not what makes our prayers effective and powerful. James points out to us that Elijah was a man with a nature like ours; he was a normal human being who prayed. He was just a man who prayed fervently, and his prayers were answered. Normal average women like you and me have that same ability as Elijah because prayer is about God and not about us. Just like Elijah, we can be righteous by offering fervent, faith-filled prayers.

Ordinary women submitted to God can offer effective and powerful prayers because we pray to an extraordinary God.

Written by Débora Amaro, volunteer with Ministério Irmã Rosa de Ferro in Campo Grande, Brazil

There are several accounts about Jesus where His divinity is expressed with great power, and I believe that resurrecting people is one of the biggest demonstrations of that. We have some biblical accounts, like the widow’s son in Nain (Luke 7:11-17), Lazarus (John 11), and Jairo’s daughter (Matt. 9).

But, for the moment we will focus on Jairo’s daughter. We don’t know her name, her age, or even what she looked like. The only information we have about her is her ancestry: she’s Jairo’s daughter. Let’s take a look at the whole history:

‘‘While he was still saying this, a synagogue leader came and knelt before him and said, “My daughter has just died. But come and put your hand on her, and she will live.”
Jesus got up and went with him, and so did his disciples [...]
When Jesus entered the synagogue leader’s house and saw the noisy crowd and people playing pipes, he said, “Go away. The girl is not dead but asleep.” But they laughed at him. After the crowd had been put outside, he went in and took the girl by the hand, and she got up. News of this spread through all that region. (Matt. 9:18-19, 23-26)

This complex history demonstrates Jesus’ compassion for women and children, whom, most of the time, were undervalued during the first century’s Jewish society.

We know that Jesus has power to resurrect the dead. He was resurrected himself after the crucifixion and lives today at the Father’s right hand. But, one thing is knowing, reading and listening about it. It’s another thing to actually experience it.

And that’s where the mystery lies: We are not Jairo’s daughter, but we were also dead and we were also resurrected!

Look at how beautiful the reality of what Christ did for us is, in the words of the apostle Paul:

‘‘As for you, you were dead in your transgressions and sins, in which you used to live when you followed the ways of this world and of the ruler of the kingdom of the air, the spirit who is now at work in those who are disobedient.
All of us also lived among them at one time, gratifying the cravings of our flesh and following the desires and thoughts. Like the rest, we were by nature deserving of wrath.
But because of his great love for us, God, who is rich in mercy, made us alive with Christ even when we were dead in transgressions—it is by grace you have been saved.
And God raised us up with Christ and seated us with him in the heavenly realms in Christ Jesus, in order that in the coming ages he might show the incomparable riches of his grace, expressed in his kindness to us in Christ Jesus.” (Eph. 2:1-7)

Like Jairo’s daughter, we didn’t have (at least not in any biblical account) a name or an identity.

And just like Jairo interceded to God on behalf of his daughter, Jesus interceded to God on our behalf.

Just like they doubted the power of God during that time, they doubt God’s power to transform lives today.

Jesus knew there was hope for Jairo’s daughter, because He is powerful to bring LIFE, and HE knew there was hope for us also, through His sacrifice.

When Jesus says there was no reason for mourning, they laughed at Him. Those who doubt God’s power can laugh at us and at our faith, but they can’t contest a miracle: a life made new is a miracle!

This HIStory also speaks a lot about us: Christ has the power to resurrect! It’s incredible to know that the same power that resurrected Jesus lives in us today:

‘‘(...) and his incomparable great power for us who believe.
That power is the same as the mighty strength he exerted when he raised Christ from the dead and seated him at his right hand in the heavenly realms…” (Eph. 1:19-20)

Is there something that our God cannot do? He already performed the greatest miracle ever, giving us new life.

God bless us!

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