Written by Liliana Henríquez, volunteer with Iron Rose Sister Ministries in Colombia

In the same way that a sheet of paper can take on different shapes as origami figures, interpersonal relationships can be shaped in different ways according to the expectations we have. Naturally, we expect the people with whom we relate to have characteristics that are similar to ours: the same values, same points of view, liking the same things, etc. However, this is not always the case. In the course of my adult life, I have had friends who have only stayed next to me for certain seasons of my life, and other friends that I still have and with whom I maintain a close friendship. I've had friendships that I've had to let go of because we were not on the same page anymore and it was better to go our separate ways like Paul and Barnabas in Acts 15.

Expectations not only apply at the level of friendships and couples, but also in ministry and work life. I believe that it is valid to accept that sometimes we grow in different directions, that we have different personalities, and that, as a wise Spanish proverb says, “Cada cabeza es un mundo,” or “Every head is a world.” The most important thing is that we learn to have realistic expectations, know how to communicate with others so that the relationship is strengthened, avoid idealizing people, and be aware that regardless of the type of relationship we have, our essence should not change. We are Christians and above all, love and respect must prevail.

We are light and we must shine. (Matt. 5:14)

We are salt and we must give flavor. (Matt. 5:13)

We have the Holy Spirit, and we must bear Its fruit. (Gal. 5:22-23)

I know it hurts to leave friendships and relationships that we thought would last longer. But it is important to know how to identify when we are no longer the right companion for someone and when someone is not right for us because, in the end, we likely would end up hurting each other. The first priority should always be to fix or restore the friendship or relationship, but if after working through that whole process, harmony between both parties is not achieved, it is best to say goodbye.

It is important to choose wisely the people who will accompany us in the different seasons of our lives. When developing relationships, some healthy expectations that we should have, are with nurturing people who:

• Bring out the best in us.
• Bring us closer to God.
• Rejoice in our successes.
• Support us in our saddest moments.

"A friend loves at all times, and a brother is there for times of trouble." (Prov. 17:17 ISV)

I want to continue developing relationships with people who, regardless of our different shapes and personalities, allow me to maintain my Christian essence. I want to continue being light, salt, and bearing the fruit of the Holy Spirit in all my relationships. And you? What are your expectations at a relational level?

Written byKat Bittner,Iron Rose Sister Ministries Board Member in Colorado

Discipleship is the process of learning from and following a master or teacher. In the Christian context, it specifically refers to the lifelong commitment to follow Jesus Christ, learn from His teachings, and strive to live according to His example. This includes actively applying our faith in daily life and helping others to do the same.  

For many believers, however, the word “discipleship” is unnerving. The mere thought of teaching others about Jesus and how to live a faithful life can be intimidating. Perhaps the thing most frightful for Christians is not the act of discipleship but knowing how to live out discipleship. Many of my generation, raised in the church, became accustomed to door-knocking or sharing a filmstrip series about disciples. Gospel meetings and church revivals were popular for reaching a large number of people in a short amount of time. While those means of sharing the Word of God with others were popular and could be fruitful, they were uncomfortable and ineffective ways for many Christians to make disciples. 

Yet discipleship isn’t just one thing we should do as Christians; it is the very thing we should do.If we are truly living as followers of Christ, we must share Him with others. Jesus compels us to do that very one thing!

Go and make followers of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit. (Mt 28:19 NLT)

Paul tells Timothy in 2 Timothy 3:16-17 that all scripture is useful for training us to do what is right (among other things) and to equip us to do good works. Scripture also repeatedly tells us that we have been given varied and unique talents which can be used to serve others, to make disciples, and to glorify God (1Pe 4:10-11; Ex 35:10; Eph 2:10; Ro 12:4-8; 1Co 12:4-11). 

It is with these gifts – or rather, these tools – that God has given to each of us that we should use to "disciple": to make disciples, modeling and teaching what it means to be faithful followers (Mt 28:20). I use my unique talents to share Jesus in a way that is comfortable for me yet fulfills my faithfulness in making disciples. 

For example, I love Jesus, and I love food! And I believe God has given me a love of food, the gift of gab, and the skills to cook well so that I can share common ground with others where we might not have Jesus in common. Chef James Beard said that “food is our common ground, a universal experience.” When I provide a meal for a nonbeliever, serve food at a community kitchen for the homeless, or organize a meal for a community outreach or missions event, I can use food as common ground with those who might not otherwise share Jesus in common with me. 

I meet people in their place of need and then communicate that Jesus is the reason why their need is being met. That communication might simply be saying “Jesus loves you” or “to God be the glory,” which sometimes sparks greater conversation. In this way, I am being a disciple and inviting others to be disciples through the talents God has gifted me with to do good things. The same can be said of Christians who serve on medical missions, those who minister to the sick or shut-in, or those who provide counsel and assistance to people in crisis. Christians actively doing good for others in ways they are uniquely gifted and in doing those good deeds share Jesus and their own testimony of faith are proactively seeking opportunities to be and make disciples. 

My dear sisters, a Christian disciple is one who is changed by Jesus to follow and learn from Him daily. It is one who assists in the spreading of the Good News and is committed to the mission of Jesus (1Jn 2:6; Mk 1:17; Jn 13:35; Ac 1:8). Using our unique talents – those training tools – to share Jesus could look very different for everyone. God may have gifted you a sweet voice for singing Christmas carols in your neighborhood. God may have gifted you with the skills to paint an image of what Heaven might be like. Maybe you have been gifted with patience to visit the elderly or babysit a neighbor’s child when they suddenly get called to work.

German pastor and theologian Dietrich Bonhoeffer once remarked, “Christianity without discipleship is always Christianity without Christ.” Every Christian, young or old, newly baptized or tenured in faith, must be committed to discipleship. Jesus’ command to make disciples is fulfilled each time we acknowledge Him in our good works.And we can make disciples in ways that use our tools, those God-given gifts, to share Jesus without hesitation. 

How will you be and make disciples using your uniquely gifted tools?

Written byMaria Luzia Casali, volunteer with Iron Rose Sister Ministries in Rio Grande do Sul, Brazil

It is God who arms me with strength and keeps my way secure. He makes my feet like the feet of a deer; he causes me to stand on the heights.(Ps 18:32-33 NIV)

After more than 40 years of Christian life, I can say that the journey is not easy. However, our trust in the Rock must be strong.

For who is God besides the Lord? And who is the Rock except our God? (Ps 18:31)

This psalm shows that we are not strong on our own. Our foundation in the Father is what makes us strong.

How can we stand on this foundation?

First of all: FAITH. We need to have a very strong faith in God and His promises. We need the faith described in Hebrews 11:1 to endure trials.

Now faith is confidence in what we hope for and assurance about what we do not see.

Also, believing that God fulfills His promises. I get very encouraged when I read Romans 8:28 because I know that God is not human; He does not lie.

And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose.

Our faith is tested at every moment. We need not look at the problem so as not to sink in the waters like Peter in Matthew 14:22-33. We must keep our eyes fixed on Jesus, the author and perfecter of our faith, so that we can walk with Him.

Something very valuable and extremely necessary during trials is to be in prayer, asking for patience and wisdom.

So far, I've talked about the theoretical part. But what about in life? What should I do? I will now share a few times that my faith has been tested. 

1) When my parents died. Was there suffering? Yes. However, my mind wasn't on the grave. My eyes were on my Savior. He would give me the comfort I needed.

2) When all my friends were able to get pregnant and I wasn't. When I decided to adopt, and the process took over seven years on the adoption waiting list, where was my faith? In the Father's promises. "All things work together..." including not getting pregnant and the waiting time for adoption. It's not easy, but by praying and understanding the Father's will, it becomes less painful.

3) When my marriage ended. Where did I go? I went where I'd always gone: God's house, worshiping Him because I trusted in God's promises. And Matthew 6:33 was my anchor. It's a promise.

But seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well.

And God fulfilled it in my life!!!!!

4) When I discovered my son is neurodivergent. I prayed to see a specialist who was appropriate for his case. God never failed. In addition to complying with the treatment, I always loved, disciplined, and taught God's Word to my son. 

5) When my son left home to live with his father. What happened to my faith? This situation was the worst of all for me. I felt betrayed. I was very sad. But I always recalled God's promises, and today, I know it was better for both of us. 

Returning to the title of the text: Does practice make perfect?

Perfection characterizes an ideal being who possesses all qualities and has no flaws; a circumstance that cannot be improved.

For me, within this meaning, practice will not lead to perfection because we can always improve our faith and our quality of time with the Father.

However, the more time we spend walking with God, the closer we will be to perfectionbecause it is He who clothes us with strength and sustains us. Our faith must be only in Him. Whatever trial may come, we will remain steadfast.

What I've learned over the years is that we need to take the first step. Faith is ours; prayer is ours. Once we take the initiative, He acts. First, we plant our feet on the Rock. Then, He makes us strong. May we press on from faith to faith until we reach our goal, which is the salvation of our souls (1Pe 1:9).

May our God continue to strengthen and bless us.

Written by Brenda Davis, volunteer with Iron Rose Sister Ministries in Arkansas

Do not let any unwholesome talk come out of your mouths, but only what is helpful for building others up according to their needs, that it may benefit those who listen. (Eph 4:29 NIV)

In Stephen Covey’s The Seven Habits of Highly Effective People® we find Habit 5: Seek First to Understand, Then to Be Understood®. Like almost all of Covey’s highly respected writing, this is based in Scriptural truth: "To answer before listening— that is folly and shame" (Pr 18:13). “A fool takes no pleasure in understanding, but only in expressing his opinion” (Pr 18:2 ESV).

Hearing is easy. Listening? Not so much. So, what's the difference between hearing someone and listening to them? Hearing is simply being aware that they are speaking. Listening is tuning in to what they are saying in order to understand and respond.

In Matthew 15:10, we find that the Lord called on the crowd to go beyond just hearing His words: “Jesus called the crowd to him and said, ‘Listen and understand’” (NIV). Job’s friends heard him express his complaints ten times. Still, Job exclaimed: “If only someone would listen to me!” (Job 31:35a NLT). Why? Apparently, they weren’t listening with the intent of understanding.

Hearing, listening, and understanding are used interchangeably in passages such as these:

• “You have neither listened nor inclined your ears to hear, although the Lord persistently sent to you all his servants the prophets” (Jer 25:4 ESV).
• Jesus asked His disciples, "Having eyes do you not see, and having ears do you not hear?" (Mk 8:18).

Once you have listened and understood what the speaker is trying to communicate, only then is it time for your response. One of the most familiar passages about listening and responding is found in James 1:19-20: "Everyone should be quick to listen, slow to speak and slow to become angry" (NIV). I confess that this is a massive challenge for me. I often answer before listening; if not audibly, I do it in my head and then wait for the first opportunity to jump in with my thoughts. I am preoccupied with something in my life relating to what they are telling me, or forming an argument, a retort, or some “wisdom” or advice I’ll share as soon as they give me an opening. It’s as if what I’m going to say is more important than what they are trying to tell me and they will end up feeling, like Job, “If only someone would listen to me!”

The Scriptures caution us about being more concerned with what we are going to say than with wholly listening.

• “Do you see someone who speaks in haste? There is more hope for a fool than for them” (Pr 29:20).
• “Do nothing out of selfish ambition or vain conceit. Rather, in humility value others above yourselves, not looking to your own interests but each of you to the interests of the others” (Php 2:3-4).
• “Whoever keeps his mouth and his tongue keeps himself out of trouble” (Pr 21:23 ESV).

But what if someone says something hurtful or provocative? That is when we must try to be “slow to become angry” by not reacting in kind. “Let your speech always be gracious, seasoned with salt, so that you may know how you ought to answer each person” (Col 4:6).

When we respond, we have the opportunity to build others up with an encouraging, wise, or inspiring response.

• "Like a gold ring or an ornament of gold is a wise reprover to a listening ear" (Pr 25:12).
• “The Lord God has given me the tongue of those who are taught, that I may know how to sustain with a word him who is weary” (Is 50:4a).
• “Therefore encourage one another and build one another up” (1Th 5:11).
• "As iron sharpens iron, so one person sharpens another" (Pr 27:17 NIV).

What if you don’t feel that you are qualified or wise enough to give that kind of response? In Janet Dunn’s Discipleship Journal article, “How to Become a Good Listener” she recommends that we should consider

put[ing] more emphasis on affirmation than on answers… Many times, God simply wants to use me as a channel of his affirming love as I listen with compassion and understanding. Often a person can be helped merely by having someone who will listen to [her] seriously. At times what our neighbor needs most is for someone else to know.

Let us commit to creating a culture of listening and responding in our families and other relationships. Silence the smartphone. Don’t stop their story. Block out the distractions. And pray that God will open your ears and minds, and will guide and bless your responses.

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

We often sing:

Turn your eyes upon Jesus,


Look full in His wonderful face,


And the things of earth will grow strangely dim
 

 In the light of His glory and grace.

These words, by Helen Lemmel, speak of Scriptures written long ago about our focus in life. 

The author of Hebrews writes: “… looking to Jesus, the founder and perfecter of our faith…” (Heb 12:2a ESV).

Other versions refer to Jesus as “author and finisher” (KJV, NKJV, ASV), or “originator and perfecter” (NASV).

My daddy, who grew up on a farm, used the example of a farmer plowing with an old-fashioned hand plow. His rows were straight because he focused on a post or tree in the distance as he plowed instead of looking down at the ground or around at the scenery.

Paul wrote: “Set your minds on things that are above, not on things that are on earth” (Col 3:2).

Our everyday life has things that distract us; it may be necessities such as our work or family, or being focused on the pleasures of life.

When Matthew tells of Peter walking on the water, he writes: “… So Peter got out of the boat and walked on the water and came to Jesus. But when he saw the wind, he was afraid, and beginning to sink he cried out, ‘Lord, save me!’” (Mt 14:29-30).

Look at what Matthew says:
1.   Peter asked to go to Jesus (Mt 14:28).
2.   Peter got out of the boat (Mt 14:29).
3.   Peter walked on water (Mt 14:29).
4.   Then, Peter began looking around at the storm… the winds and waves… became afraid… and began to sink (Mt 14:30).

Peter took his eyes off of Jesus and began watching the storm. That is when he had a problem.

We do the same thing when we encounter the difficulties of life, whether it is relationships, finances, health, or something else. That’s what delights the evil one— for us to forget that Jesus is our Rock.

David wrote: For God alone my soul waits in silence; from him comes my salvation. He alone is my rock and my salvation, my fortress; I shall not be greatly shaken (Ps 62:1-2).

Back to Peter: the verses following his cry for help tell us that Jesus reached out His hand and took hold of Peter and together they went back to the boat. This means Peter walked on water a second time… with Jesus at his side. Redemption does this for us when we look to Jesus as Peter did.

Jesus does the same for us when we look to Him.

There is a common quotation that gives me peace about the storms of life:

“Sometimes God calms the storm, but sometimes God lets the storm rage and calms His child.”

When we focus on Jesus, trusting Him to keep His promises and always be with us, the storms of life have less power over us.

Long ago Moses wrote: Be strong and courageous. Do not fear or be in dread of them, for it is the LORD your God who goes with you. He will not leave you or forsake you (Dt 31:6).

Isaiah restated that promise in different words:

Fear not, for I have redeemed you; I have called you by name, you are mine. When you pass through the waters, I will be with you; and through the rivers, they shall not overwhelm you; when you walk through fire you shall not be burned, and the flame shall not consume you. For I am the LORD your God, the Holy One of Israel, your Savior. (Isa 43:1b-3a)

Fixing our eyes on Jesus means we look for Him in the everyday events of life, and seek to do His will. It means trusting He intercedes for me when I don’t know how to pray, when life tumbles in and the words will not come.  

The question I ask is: In my life, what keeps me from focusing on Jesus, my Redeemer?

Written by Aileen Bonilla, volunteer with Iron Rose Sister Ministries in Ecuador

“And I promise to be faithful to you in sickness and in health, in abundance and in scarcity, and to love and respect you all the days of my life until death do us part.”

We all know these beautiful words, whether because we are married or, if you are not married, I am sure you have heard them at someone else’s wedding or in a movie. In the same way, God uses human language to better communicate with us. He uses our traditions, and one of them is the marriage vow, those promises we make to our future husband. In fact, God compares marriage to the relationship we should have with Him.

He wants us to see Him as a spouse whom we always seek to please with passionate, respectful, faithful, and unbreakable love. For this reason, faithfulness is very important for God since it will “measure” our faith. But what do I mean by faithfulness? This word comes from the Hebrew “emet,” which is associated with paternal kindness. This quality or attribute is characteristic of God and is received freely. Furthermore, this quality gives strength to the personal relationship we have with our Creator.

It is easy to understand that we have a God who is faithful to His promises; we know that if He tells us that we will not lack food, we must believe Him and sleep peacefully. However, when we are tested in faithfulness, we must be attentive whether we will always be there for Him. While it is true that this attribute belongs to God by nature, He wants us to be faithful to Him no matter the circumstances we are going through.

For me, this is a hard theme to talk about; during this time of mission alongside my husband, God has tested us in this. Our monetary circumstances have been difficult, and at the beginning of the mission, my oldest son's health was deteriorating. However, we tried to fight day by day with the discouragement that often wanted to take over our minds.

Despite the adverse circumstances and deserts that God allows in our lives, I must realize that these painful processes teach us a lot, even to pray, not more intensely, but to know how to ask. Usually, we pray for God to solve all our problems, but we do not pray for Him to give us the wisdom to seek a solution (James 1:5).

Faithfulness is a gift that we must ask for every day because our nature is to be the opposite. We see this in the people of Israel who were constantly unfaithful to God despite having seen all His wonders.

Like the Israelites, in our time I have seen how easily people go after other gods, reflecting their lack of commitment to God. They do not wish to know their Lord as their spouse. They do not want to study His Word and live in awe of all He has done, but rather, they live in pursuit of earthly things. That is why God demands that we love Him above all things (Deut. 6:5-9), not with a religious love subjected to rituals, but with a pure and sincere love, like the love of a bride—always tender, always fresh.

Are you pursuing this kind of faithfulness in your walk with God as your faithful spouse?

Written by Jennifer Percell, volunteer with Iron Rose Sister Ministries in Missouri

As I followed two pickup trucks filled with our possessions, my heart was full of all the reasons I didn’t want to move. Suddenly my four-year-old son's treasure box bounced off the back of the truck in front of me. Could this day get any worse? I cried as we scoured the ditch for his penny collection and the favorite rocks my little boy thought irreplaceable.

“God, I signed up for this when I married a preacher, but I didn't realize how it would hurt to watch my children sacrifice. They are so sad about leaving our home. I want to help people find all the wonders of knowing You, but I don't know how to do that when three children depend on me for everything. God, I will go to this tiny church in this dreary town, but I don't know where I will find the time to meet the people who will listen to your Word. I am completely overwhelmed. Please bring people I can teach right to my door; I don't have any energy to go find them!”

Two days later I sat on the curb drenched in sweat and grape Popsicle. Cleaning and unpacking were brutal tasks in 100-degree weather and the squirming baby on my lap looked as unkempt and exhausted as I did. The tinny music from the ice cream truck had brought us running for relief.

“Welcome neighbor!” I can still remember looking up at the smiling face wreathed in sunlight, as my embarrassment gave way to joy. How I needed that smile! She introduced herself as the local Welcome Wagon President. She lived two doors down, and she was holding a ginger-haired toddler as messy as my own!

“That house has been empty for a year— it must be filthy. I’ll get some rags and be right over!”

God certainly sent this wonderful woman to lessen my load. We became fast friends, and her three children were instant playmates for mine. Through my new friend, I met many others and had lots of opportunities to show the love of Jesus. But God answered every detail of my prayer because the first person we baptized into Jesus in that town was my precious Welcome Wagon neighbor. She and two of her children have served God for over 30 years now.

During 45 years of ministry, God has given my husband and me countless relationships. Sharing His love always results in new Christian family. When He gave His precious Son to pay the price for our souls, He ensured that we would never be alone among His people. The reconciliation we receive because of His atoning sacrifice sets the tone for reconciling with like-minded hearts throughout our spiritual journey.

Paul expressed so well how great relationships are born of the atoning love of God.

Therefore if you have any encouragement from being united with Christ, if any comfort from His love, if any common sharing in the Spirit, if any tenderness and compassion, then make my joy complete by being like-minded, having the same love, being one in spirit and of one mind. Do nothing out of selfish ambition or vain conceit. Rather in humility value others above yourselves, not looking to your own interests but each of you to the interests of the others. (Phil. 2:1-4 NIV)

The love of our God fills us to overflowing, and from the overflow, we develop relationships that will last for eternity. Again, Paul says it best.

I pray that out of His glorious riches he may strengthen you with power through His Spirit in your inner being, so that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith. And I pray that you, being rooted and established in love, may have power, together will all the Lord's holy people, to grasp how wide
and long and high and deep is the love of Christ, and to know this love that surpasses knowledge—that you may be filled to the measure of all the fullness of God. (Eph. 3:16-19)

My cry to the Lord all those years ago on the side of the road was for the strength to lead others to Him. He always responds with so much more than I ask for. I asked Him to send me people who would respond to Him because I had no strength to seek them. He sent a friend who strengthened me as Keith and I led her to the Word and to salvation.

Our God is the God of relationships; don’t you want to reach out to others and see how He will satisfy every longing of your heart?

Written by Kathy Thompson, Office Assistant for Iron Rose Sister Ministries in Arkansas

In the gospel of Luke, towards the end of chapter 10, we read the story about Jesus when He came to have dinner at Martha’s home in Bethany. As women, we may have heard multiple lessons about how stressed and distracted poor Martha was when Jesus and His apostles came to eat dinner at their house.

But I’d like to take a minute and look a little closer at Mary in this story.

Let’s suppose that Mary had come over to her sister’s home to help prepare and serve dinner for a very special visitor and His 12 friends – no small feat. Even in modern times, with refrigeration and large indoor kitchens, it isn’t a cake walk to serve dinner to 13 guests! There were many details to take care of, much preparation that had to happen so that the meal would come off in a smooth and timely manner. And, of course, it had to be especially delicious, in honor of their special guest. I imagine that hospitality was very important to Martha, and, on this occasion, she depended heavily on her sister to help make that happen in the most seamless way possible.

In some ways, we women haven’t changed much over the centuries. We all want to offer visitors to our homes a clean and comfortable environment and delicious meals. And make it all look easy, even effortless, while in fact, there has been a large amount of thought, preparation and work put into it beforehand, right?

Let’s imagine that as Mary busily helped her sister in the kitchen, she caught snippets of what the men were talking about in the living room. The more she heard of what Jesus was teaching His apostles and her brother, the more she wanted to hear. Before long, she couldn’t resist slipping into the room and finding an out-of-the-way place to sit and listen. Then she began just drinking in every word that came out of His mouth. His words were unlike any she had ever heard! They were sinking deep into her heart, penetrating her soul and she just couldn’t get enough. His teachings made perfect sense to her, on many levels, some she didn’t even understand herself. They uplifted her, challenged her, inspired her, and I can imagine that these were words she had longed to hear all her life, but had never heard until now.

Imagine her reaction as she slowly began to understand that she had, sitting in front of her: the Son of God! The Messiah that was to come into the world! The One that she had been taught her whole life to expect and wait for. He was here! In her small town! Sitting in her sister’s living room!
All thoughts of the meal preparation disappeared from her mind. The fact that she had come to help Martha was no longer important. All that mattered was this amazing Man and His teachings! All she wanted was to get to know this Man better and hear more of His life-giving words!

Are we ever that focused on Jesus?

A song comes to mind that I love to sing: Turn Your Eyes Upon Jesus.
“Turn your eyes upon Jesus, look full in His wonderful face; and the things of earth will grow strangely dim, in the light of His glory and grace.”

I imagine that is exactly what happened to Mary on that afternoon in Bethany, so many years ago: Mary focused on Jesus. Not the meal she was supposed to be helping with, not her sister. Only Jesus. And everything else faded to dim.

What did Jesus think of Mary’s laser focus? When stressed-out Martha asks Him to direct her to help, His reply is: “Martha, Martha, you are worried and bothered about so many things; but only a few things are necessary, really only one, for Mary has chosen the good part, which shall not be taken away from her” (Luke 10:41-42). The good part: feasting on Jesus’ teachings.

We read in Colossians 3:1-3 “If then, you’ve been raised up with Christ, keep seeking the things above, where Christ is seated at the right hand of God. Set your mind on things above, not on things that are on earth. For you have died and your life is hidden with Christ in God.”

Mary was seeking the things above, not the things of earth.

So now we ask: How can we do the same? How do we focus on Jesus like Mary did? And set our minds on things above? Life tends to go flying by in a blur, doesn’t it? We have so many responsibilities and activities and interests…so many things distracting us from putting our full attention on our Savior.

How do we stop and take time for the Lord every single day, every hour?

What would it take for you to turn your focus to Jesus? It’s different for everyone.
For me, the change in focus, came with the sudden death of my husband, last summer, to Covid. We had just moved to a lovely small town to retire. Then he passed on to his reward in paradise and I found myself in a new town, in a new church where I didn’t know anyone yet, without my sweet husband, feeling, in essence, completely alone...

But you know, I was not alone. God was there with me. He gently picked me up and carried me through each painful step. He provided a loving Christian family who reached out to me, cared for me, and prayed for me, even though they hadn’t known me up until now. I drew closer to God than I had ever been in my lifetime. Laser focused on Jesus.

Each of our journeys through this life are different. It doesn’t take a death in the family to refocus our eyes on the Savior. What would it take in your life? You can decide at any moment, like Mary, to set your eyes on Him, to listen to Him and feast on His teachings.

Today, in 2022, we can sit at Jesus’ feet anytime we desire. We have, sitting in front of us, the Son of God. We can drink in His every word. We can allow His words to sink into our hearts, penetrate our souls, and we won’t be able to get enough. You know that His teachings still make perfect sense today, they uplift us, challenge us, and inspire us. We just open the Bible and there it is, all that He had to teach us, laid open in front of our eyes.

Sisters, I’d like to encourage us all to be like Mary and allow Jesus’ teachings to fill us up, to the extent that it’s all we want to focus on. Let’s allow the things of earth to grow strangely dim as we read about His life, hear His parables, and understand the will of God for our lives in His Word.

“See how great a love the Father has bestowed on us that we should be called children (daughters) of God, and such we are…” (1 John 3:1a).

It’s so great a love that we can’t help but turn our eyes upon Jesus, until everything else fades.

#IronRoseSister #HIStories #childofGod #focusonJesus #turnyoureyesuponJesus #laserfocusonJesus #guestwriter #blog

Written byKim Solis, volunteer with Iron Rose Sister Ministries

This year, IRSM’s goal is to encourage women to be wise, hear God’s Word, and put it into practice. Doing this, we are building our house upon the ROCK (Lk 6:46-49). 

The idea of a rock comes up many times in Scripture. In Matthew 16:18, Simon’s name is changed to Peter (which means rock), and Jesus tells him that on the rock of his confession that Jesus is the Christ, the church will be built. Years later, in his first epistle, Peter will again mention a rock.

In 1 Peter 2, he tells us about the living stone and then says that we are built up as living stones to form a spiritual house, one that will proclaim His excellence as sojourners—ones who keep their conduct honorable so their good deeds may be seen, God may be glorified, and foolish people silenced. But Peter warns there are times when we will need to be subject to masters who are unjust, and we will suffer.

It is in this context that Peter pens the famous words that have become titles of books (In His Steps by Charles Sheldon is a quick and interesting read) and initials on bracelets with the WWJD (What Would Jesus Do) campaign:  

“For to this you have been called, because Christ also suffered for you, leaving you an example, so that you might follow in his steps” (1Pe 2:21, ESV).

What would Jesus do? Well, Peter thought you might ask. Just read the following verses. Even when suffering unjustly, He did not sin. He did not speak deceit. He did not respond in anger or with threats. He simply trusted God to judge justly. 

Jesus was a revolutionary then, and His words continue to be so today.  

But they are taking advantage of me! Go the extra mile(Mt 5:41).  

But they are verbally slapping me with their scorn and accusations! Turn the other cheek(Mt 5:39).

Politics, opinions, laws, social media – our world is more divisive than ever (or at least so it seems). Treat others as you would have them treat you(Lk 6:31). Love your neighbor as yourself(Mk 12:31). It doesn’t matter who they are, what they believe, or how they act. Love your enemy(Lk 6:35). 

Walk as He walked. Treat as He treated. Love as He loved. 

With the rise of social media, we often say we “follow” someone when all we really do is observe what they do or say and give it a thumbs up to indicate approval. Occasionally, if we really admire the person, we may buy a product they endorse, watch a movie they are in, and maybe even repost a catchy phrase they use or mirror our fashion after theirs. But that is the extent of our “following.” 

But what if you were hired to portray this person in a movie? What would you do to study their voice inflection, habits, and mannerisms? If you really wanted to present an Oscar-winning performance, you would have to convince the public that they were actually watching the original person, not just some random fan. 

In 1 Corinthians 11:1, Paul says, “Be imitators of me, as I am of Christ.” 

Imitators. The type of followers who step in the exact footprints, with the same actions, the same words, and the same attitudes.  

I yearn to be a wise woman, one who builds her house and life on the Rock. Do you?

Let us cling to the Living Stone, allowing Him to build us into a spiritual house, glorifying God with His light that shines through us. 

We are portraying Jesus to the world and when they see us, they shouldn’t just see an avid fan, they should say: “She looks like Kim, but she sure doesn’t act like her. If I didn’t know better, I would say I’m seeing Jesus!” 

Let me leave you with a few Common Threads to consider: 

• What is lacking in your portrayal to reflect Jesus to the world? 
• Is there something in your actions or attitude that keeps sneaking through and hampering your imitation of Christ?
• How can you study Jesus to better portray Him to those around you?

Written byClaudia Malaquias, volunteer with Iron Rose Sister Ministries in Minas Gerais, Brazil

There is a fable about two donkeys who were walking to make deliveries, one with a load of sugar, and the other with a load of sponges. After walking for a while, they came across a fast-flowing river. 

The donkey with the load of sponges said, “How will we cross? What if the river takes us?”

To which the other responded, “Nothing is going to happen! Follow me and you will see that we are safe.” 

As he entered the river, his load of sugar dissolved and, becoming lighter, made the crossing easier. “What did I tell you? Now follow my example and come!” 

But, to no surprise, as the other donkey entered the river, the load of sponges swelled with the water, became much heavier, and the current carried the poor animal away.

It is human nature to seek to belong to a group and to do so we often succumb to social influences, which experts call conformism: the passive acceptance of norms, rules, customs, and ideas that shape behavior without any reflection on our part. Therefore, following others without due diligence can result in serious consequences!

When I was first converted, still inexperienced in the Word, I tried to join one of the women's small groups in my congregation just by observing how they presented themselves. Following human instincts, I chose a lively, talkative group that was well-informed about everything that was happening in the church.

However, with time and maturity, I realized that the spiritual fruits that I needed to grow were not really being practiced there. The apostle Paul’s phrase: “Follow my example, as I follow the example of Christ” (1Co 11:1 NIV) is an invitation to imitate him, who clearly reflected our Lord, Christ Jesus, the perfection of love and sacrifice, while at the same time warning us to keep company with those whose choices are guided by God’s will.

At each step of our journey in the Kingdom, we need to direct ourselves to imitate those who have already matured in faith—people who show in their lives the fruits of the Spirit that we may still need to polish in our lives. In this way, little by little, we too will be an example for other brothers and sisters.

Paul felt confident in inviting others to become disciples of Christ by following his example. Do we have the same courage? 

Knowing the Scriptures, developing intimacy with God through prayer, meditating on the life of Christ, and obeying His commandments are important for deepening our faith and communion with the Holy Spirit. With these practices as the load we carry, we will be an example for others, and it will become easier to discern good examples for us to follow as well.

In the fable of the donkeys, the mistake was to imitate without considering the load of each one. Sometimes that can be our mistake, too. May we seek our spiritual growth each day through the imitation of those who truly practice the example of Christ.

Written byNaijuvelin Díaz Leal, volunteer for Iron Rose Sister Ministries in Venezuela  

The word “follow” indicates that we go after, imitate, accompany, or give continuity to something. As far as repentance is concerned, we understand it as ceasing to do evil and changing one's attitude, grieving, and feeling pain for having offended God.

In Luke 22, the Lord Jesus predicts Peter's denial: 

‘Simon, Simon, Satan has asked to sift all of you as wheat. But I have prayed for you, Simon, that your faith may not fail. And when you have turned back, strengthen your brothers.’ But he replied, ‘Lord, I am ready to go with you to prison and to death.’ Jesus answered, ‘I tell you, Peter, before the rooster crows today, you will deny three times that you know me’. (Lk 22:31-34 NIV)

When we decide to follow someone or something, that implies commitment on our part; change, union, fidelity, firmness, and transformation, which are all parts of a continuous process that leads us to adopt certain characteristics by which we imitate a model. 

Peter experienced the tragic situation of his denial (described in Luke 22:61-62), which he thought he would never do. However, he proved otherwise with his actions, which is why many label him as a traitor or hypocrite. And likewise, turning his eyes to Jesus, he perhaps remembered His repeated questions: "Peter, do you love me?" (Jn 21:15-19) and even though the Lord knew his heart, He gave the great responsibility of caring for the early church to a man with errors, imperfect. 

Throughout the book of John, we observe the dominant characteristics of Peter, passionate about Jesus but, at times, dominated by his emotions, in which his impulsive ego reigned more. But in the presence of Jesus, he bowed down. We notice a fragile, grieved Peter, who leads us to recognize changes in attitudes and behaviors that imply recognizing errors, feeling remorse, and taking measures to not repeat them.

To follow Peter in repentance should be to imitate him in the decision to acknowledge sin, turn from it, and follow the Lord faithfully. It is a commitment to change, bearing fruits resulting from repentance, renewing the way of thinking and acting from a spiritual perspective, according to God's will.

Acts 2:14 teaches us the invitation that Peter makes in Jerusalem in response to that repentance that brought about in him restoration and obedience, fulfilling Jesus' previous command, "strengthen your brothers" (Lk 22:32). It is, then, how Peter revalidates this request, strengthens his commitment to follow Jesus and, in turn, leaves us the great teaching that during this process the mercy of God is glorified, which transforms us through the Holy Spirit. This is living in faith in Jesus, fueled not by emotions, but by the Holy Spirit.

Like Peter, you and I go through processes, perhaps on a daily basis, in the face of a world so convulsed that it weakens us until we fall into sin or we err. Let us remember the faithful witness of Peter, who wept bitterly then went on to seek, through his repentance, our Father's forgiveness. Are you willing to follow Peter in repentance? Do you want to be transformed just like Peter was?

To follow Peter in repentance is to reflect him at every step, to regret or feel deep pain for having offended God. By the grace of Christ, are you willing to revalidate the commitment to change and transformation—to continue in holiness?

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

“I forgive you… and I love you!” What sweet words when sin has created a breach in a relationship!

Forgiveness comes from our Heavenly Father. Even before the world was created, He knew forgiveness and reconciliation would be part of the plan (Eph. 1:4; 2 Tim. 1:9).

In Exodus 34:6-7 we read one of the earliest descriptions of our God, “… merciful and gracious, slow to anger, and abounding in steadfast love and faithfulness, keeping steadfast love for thousands, forgiving iniquity and transgression and sin” (ESV). God’s desire to forgive is part of who He is—it’s part of His character. It is why He sent Jesus to earth and why Jesus was willing to die for our sins.

When the disciples asked Jesus to teach them to pray, part of the prayer he taught them was, “… forgive us our sins, for we ourselves forgive everyone who is indebted to us” (Luke 11:4). We ask God to forgive us—but that means we must also have a heart to forgive others.

In Colossians 3:13 Paul wrote, “… bearing with one another and, if one has a complaint against another, forgiving each other; as the Lord has forgiven you, so you also must forgive.”

When Jesus was teaching His disciples, Peter asked Him how often he should forgive someone, then suggested, “’Seven times?’ Jesus replied, ‘Seventy times seven’” (Matt. 18:21-22).

The Jews looked back to Amos 2:6 and concluded that they were only required to forgive three times. By asking Jesus if seven was enough, Peter had more than doubled the traditional limit, using a number that in those times symbolized completion or perfection rather than a literal limit to how many times we are to forgive.

Forgiveness from God is unlimited when a person is repentant.

Two things to remember:
       When I forgive, the person may or may not accept it.
       When I ask for forgiveness, the person may or may not give it.

Either way, I have done what God wants me to do.

When I forgive, it takes away my anger and resentment. It means I no longer focus on the sin or hurt, and I may choose to forgive, even if the person has not asked for forgiveness. We live in a world where there are unintentional slights and hurts, and sometimes the offender is totally unaware of how his actions are received.

When I am forgiven, it means the person no longer holds me accountable for those actions.

However, forgiveness does not always mean reconciliation. There may be consequences that can’t be repaired. Some things can never be fixed. The relationship may never go back to what it has been.

That is where our God is different. When He forgives, our sin is forgotten, and the relationship with us as His child, which He intended from the beginning, is restored.

Having a forgiving heart does not mean overlooking sin and brushing it aside. It may mean we confront the person, in love. Galatians 6:1 reads, “If anyone is caught in any transgression, you who are spiritual should restore him in a spirit of gentleness. Keep watch on yourself, lest you too be tempted.”

We have a responsibility to watch out for others and confront them as Nathan did David (2 Sam 12). We all need a friend who will come to us if they see us doing something that will separate us from God.

The ultimate goal of forgiveness is to be able to return to a holy relationship with our Heavenly Father.

When we pray for forgiveness from our Father, let’s never forget that this forgiveness cost Jesus pain, suffering, and death. That’s how much we are loved!

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

Grace is defined as undeserved favor. “We love, because He first loved us” (1 John 4:19 NIV).

I wanted to tell you how saying and hearing, “I forgive you,” is an important part of the forgiveness process. But in the story I will tell, no one told us they were sorry, and we could not say, “I forgive you.” However, I can certainly tell you about the healing that can happen through forgiveness and the fulfillment of the ministry of reconciliation that Christ has called us to.

Grace is defined as undeserved favor, and it is very connected to forgiveness.

Last fall when someone did something unthinkable against my family, we sat at the dining room table and forgave them before we even knew who or what was going on. We knew the whole situation was based on a lie that God would have to bring to light. It was a serious “the truth will set you free” situation.

Why did we choose to forgive? We couldn’t have lived with the waiting and the stress and the unknown of what the following three weeks would bring if we hadn’t. We had been told every Sunday of our lives that Christ died for our sins and we are all sinners and no one is without sin and we must forgive others. Now we had to put it into practice, and we learned that like everything God does, He does it for the good of those who love Him.

The forgiveness we gave had nothing to do with who the offender was because we didn’t know who told the lie. We didn’t forgive because of how awesome we are, because we are not. The only way I can explain it is that the love we have for God and the desire we have to follow the example of Christ in our daily lives made forgiveness our first response. We felt the power of His forgiveness and knew that it was something that we were called to share.

Forgiveness doesn’t have anything to do with me or the other person. Forgiveness has everything to do with obedience and our true reconciliation with God.

Jesus is clear in the Lord’s Prayer regarding the connection between forgiving others and God forgiving us. We have to forgive others in order to be forgiven. I think this is because we can’t even start to fathom God’s forgiveness until we go through the process of forgiving others. The difference is that we are sinners just like the one we are forgiving, unlike God who is perfect and forgives us anyway, in the most complete way.

Can you remember the feeling of being forgiven of your sins when you came out of the waters of baptism? Can you remember the feeling of taking the Lord’s Supper for the first time as a member of the church?

Do you remember a time when you hurt someone and had to ask for forgiveness? Do you remember the worry of wondering whether they would forgive you or not? With God, we do not have to wonder. We are forgiven and we will be forgiven. What will we do with that within our other relationships?

“And forgive us our debts, as we also have forgiven our debtors” (Matt. 6:12).

Written by Elesa Mason, volunteer with Iron Rose Sister Ministries in Texas

Do not be afraid, for I am with you; Do not be afraid for I am your God. I will strengthen you; I will also help you. I will also uphold you with my righteous right hand. (Is 41:10 NASB20)

Fear. It’s probably the loudest voice inside my head: Will I ever be enough? Will I always walk with a cane? Will I ever be able to do the things I used to? These thoughts and so many more flood my mind, especially when I am still.

On November 12, 2020, I told my husband I didn’t feel well. Praise God he recognized I was in trouble and called 911. I woke up several days later in the ICU having just been removed from life support. Those days were frightful as my prognosis was uncertain due to numerous blood clots. Our family endured gut-wrenching conversations to say goodbye; conversations I couldn’t reply to or remember.

After seven weeks of recovery, I came home, weak and unable to walk alone. That tremendous loss of freedom meant I couldn’t do anything; things I believed to be my gifts in service to the Lord. And my life lessons didn’t end there; my body was so riddled with arthritis that the following year I endured three joint replacements just to walk. More recovery, therapy, doing nothing, and worst of all, more fears.

I am a half-glass-full gal. I was so grateful for my improvement as I no longer needed a walker! But why was I still unhappy? Why was I angry about walking with a cane? Bottom line: why did God let me stay if He was going to take away my freedom and ability to do what I wanted: things for Him? I prayed fervently, but for so long there was silence. Silence, until I began to listen.

Music has always been the lifter of my soul. Listening stabilizes my mood and centers my mind away from me and on to happier things. Steven Curtis Chapman touched my heart when he sang, “My Redeemer is faithful and true. Everything He has said He will do. And every morning His mercies are new.”

I came to realize that God let me stay here because He is faithful and true. He answered the prayers of many who loved me. He loved me so much that He needed me to stay here longer, not because He still had much for me to do, but because I still had much to learn about myself and my place in His Kingdom that I could still do with a cane.

But before any of that, I had to deal with my faith.

Faith is the antithesis of fear. Fear made me question everything about the unknown. Faith is belief that God has my unknowns in His hands because He says He does. The prophet and musician Asaph sang “My flesh and my heart may fail, but God is the strength of my heart” (Ps 73:26). After years of stillness, I realized I was not connecting to God through his Word other than snippets that blessed me. Paul teaches “Faith comes by hearing and hearing by the Word of God” (Ro 10:17).

God wants me to rely on Him without reservation. It took God out of the equation when I felt responsible for all the good things I had done. I believe that rain came into my life for a reason; I needed to appreciate the Son. So, I try each day to recognize and praise God for everything in my life by going into his gates with thanksgiving and his courts with praise. God gives me protection and strength but praising Him must come first.

By taking small opportunities to show the love of Christ, conversing with God on a more intimate level, and daily consuming His Word, I am emerging from a me-centered world to one full of possibilities. I still slide back into jealousy when I see pictures of friends skiing or taking walks along the beach. The old Elesa emerges with questions of “why me?”.

God loves me dearly and chose my specific path with all its hills and valleys. His “still small voice” in my quiet moments keeps me centered and focused on the truth. His truth. I continue to do what I can to strengthen my body. But as His precious creation, His truth is I am enough, whether I walk with a cane or not.

My fears are gradually giving way to faith. He has always been faithful and always will be. I look forward to the future God has for me. If I keep Him in my heart and mind, He will never leave me or forsake me, and I believe Him! And so, I use music to fill my soul and remain Christ-centered. What about you?

Written byLuzia Casali, volunteer with Iron Rose Sister Ministries in Porto Alegre, Brazil

The Word of God applies the symbolism of marriage to the relationship between Christ and His church. Through personal sacrifice, He chose the church to be His bride.

Husbands, love your wives, just as Christ loved the church and gave himself up for her to make her holy, cleansing her by the washing with water through the word, and to present her to himself as a radiant church, without stain or wrinkle or any other blemish, but holy and blameless. (Eph 5:25-27 NIV)

In biblical times, after the groom committed to marriage, he would leave his parents’ house to build his own house. After the house was ready, he would marry and take his wife to live in it. We have the same comparison of Christ with the church in Revelation 19:7: “Let us rejoice and be glad and give him glory! For the wedding of the Lamb has come, and his bride has made herself ready.” 

In the Gospel of John, chapter 14, when Jesus spoke to His disciples, He had this Hebrew custom in mind (vv2-3). The following advice, given during that conversation, is useful for the church today. 

• Do Not Be Troubled

Jesus advises that even when we face personal struggles and trials, we should follow His steps. He is the way (v. 6). He is the one who will give us the right direction for our lives. We can have the peace that surpasses all understanding only by trusting in Him, having the full conviction that He is preparing the rooms and will come to take us to our eternal home. 

• Believe in Jesus and God

He clearly states that we must believe in both the Father and the Son. And if we know Christ, we will know God as well. Whoever sees Christ sees God.

The way we know Christ is by reading the Gospels. They contain the life, teachings, miracles, death, and resurrection of the Son of God.

• Obedience to Christ is a Demonstration of Love

Jesus makes it clear that love for Him and obedience to His commandments always go hand in hand. And how can we obey His commandments? By knowing them.

How can we know them? By studying the Word of God. The Bible is the “mouth” through which God speaks to us. It was written by men, but they spoke on behalf of God (2Pe 1:20-21; 2Ti 3:15-16). It is in the Word that we will know the will and commandments of the Heavenly Father.

• Prayer 

Christ wants to have an interpersonal relationship with us. Just as He wants us to know the Father's will and His, He wants to know ours too. 

He wants us to ask the Father in His name. It's as if He were our guarantor. While this is fantastic, on the other hand, it creates a lot of responsibility. We can't ask for just anything; we need to be aligned with the Father's will. We need to be grounded in His Word. If it is God's will, it will be granted. We also can't forget that He has sent the Comforter. He promised and fulfilled it. He sent the Holy Spirit, and we are His sanctuary (1Co 6:19).

It is the Holy Spirit who helps us in our prayers. In addition to comforting us, He helps us in our weaknesses and in our prayers (Ro 8:26). 

• Remain Faithful

Just as the bride had the responsibility to be faithful to the groom, the church of Christ must remain faithful to sound doctrine and His commandments.

We cannot worship other gods. For God, this is like committing adultery, according to Jeremiah 3:13: “Only acknowledge your guilt— you have rebelled against the LORD your God, you have scattered your favors to foreign gods under every spreading tree, and have not obeyed me.”

Therefore, the groom has already fulfilled His part: He went to prepare a place and sent the Comforter, the Holy Spirit of God. We, as the bride of Christ, should not be worried because we believe that the groom has gone to prepare our home and will come for us. We should, however, have faith in God and in His Son, maintain a constant dialogue with Him through reading the Bible, obey the Word, and remain faithful to our merciful God.

Written byElesa Goad Mason, volunteer with Iron Rose Sister Ministries in Texas 

Have you ever loved something or someone so much that you knew in your soul God had a plan for your life with your greatest desire in it? Well, even if you don’t, Jacob did— at least when it came to love. In the beginning of Genesis 29, Jacob begins his journey to find a place to work and live, with his mother’s brother Laban. He needed to find a place to “hide out” to avoid his brother Esau’s anger and desire to kill him for pulling off the successful “deceit of the century” of his father, Isaac, for Esau’s birthright and blessing as the oldest son.

Fear took him there, but love at first sight kept him there in Harran. After staying with his uncle for a month, Laban approached Jacob about a paid position working for him.

Jacob was in love with Rachel and said, “I’ll work for you seven years in return for your younger daughter Rachel.” (Ge 29:18)

Laban readily agreed, and the beautiful wedding was set in motion. However, upon waking up after the wedding night, when the alcohol wore off and the veils were removed, to his dismay, Jacob realized that he had bedded Leah, the older sister, instead of his heart’s desire.

Therefore, he was tricked into an additional seven years. The next morning, Jacob’s ranting led Laban to agree to let Jacob marry Rachel after he completed Leah’s one-week marriage bed, but only with the guarantee of seven more years of labor. I often wonder why Jacob was so shocked at the whole plan. After all, wasn’t it his own deception and struggle for redemption that landed him there in the first place?

By marrying both daughters, he created a very complex, eclectic family of his own. Both women competed for his love and attention. In biblical times, the sign of a successful wife was a fertile woman who could bear many children for her husband, particularly males who would carry on the name as well as the bloodline of the father. Leah, the older daughter of Laban, was described as tender-eyed, while the younger, Rachel, was described as lovely in form and beautiful. It was well known that Jacob deeply loved Rachel and was silent about his feelings toward Leah.

This rivalry leads to the birth of twelve sons, who become the ancestors of the twelve tribes of Israel. The birth of these sons symbolizes the continuation of Jacob's lineage and the fulfillment of God's promise to make his descendants as numerous as the stars.

I often wonder how taking circumstances into our control, such as Laban deceiving Jacob with the “wife switch” wedding ordeal, shows the glory and compassion of the Lord in ways we could never imagine. Leah may have thought she was getting quite a catch, but in the end, she turned out to be unloved and unwanted. God showed Leah empathy by opening her womb to six sons for Jacob, who had no idea during his lifetime what she really did for him… More than 30 generations later (Mt 1), Jesus was born through the line of Judah, Jacob’s fourth son through Leah. Who knew!? God knew! 

God uses our unmet expectations to meet His needs— His plans for us. The smile across the grocery store, moving out of the way of an impatient driver, helping a stranger who appears to be in need are ways in which we may have no idea that we are meeting God’s expectations of us. And that’s just the little stuff. When children run away, when marriages fail, when dear friends pass away much sooner than we think they should, God has a purpose and a plan for everything in our lives and decisions. 

When we just can’t understand why our plans aren’t turning out the way we had hoped they would, we must believe that God may be changing the wedding ceremony from the dress rehearsal for a reason.

Find a way to encourage those in your lives, including yourself, to trust in the journey deviations that God places in our path to fulfill His desire for salvation for everyone (2Pe 3:9).

byElesa Goad Mason, volunteer with Iron Rose Sisters Ministries in Texas 

I have a message from God in my heart concerning the sinfulness of the wicked: There is no fear of God before their eyes. In their own eyes they flatter themselves too much to detect or hate their sin.(Ps 36:1-2 NIV) 

I spent the first 13 years of my life growing up with one brother. Typical brother/sister relationship; friends one minute, then not the next. We never really had that much in common, so our lives and interests went in different directions. It wasn’t until after college when we both were married and building our own families that we grew closer and were more involved in each other’s lives.

Fast forward many years to when most of our children were grown and our lives were successfully running full steam ahead, or so it seemed. One afternoon at the end of a long day, I received a call from him, emotional and very remorseful. He felt God had placed it on his heart to confess a sin that could put his life as he knew it in jeopardy. I was stunned because, other than dad, my brother was the one person in my life whom I felt had such a strong relationship with the Lord that I never dreamed he would ever have to confess a sin publicly, much less to me privately. I was crushed by his sorrow but also amazed by his strength to do the right thing, not knowing the consequences, and to begin a process of confession and subsequent healing that has taken many years to complete.

Since the beginning of time, God has used the sinful nature and weaknesses of man with various personalities to fulfill His will and accomplish His purposes. Apostle Peter comes to mind readily as a sinful man who was impetuous when he quickly lost his faith in Jesus and began to sink in the stormy waters out of doubt and fear (Mt 14:29-31), and as an impulsive man who cut off the ear of Malchus, the high priest’s servant, out of anger because they were arresting Jesus in the garden that fateful night (Jn 18:10). He also quickly declared his loyalty to the Lord and just as quickly denied him three times to protect himself from the angry mob (Mk 14:66-72).

It's so easy to have good intentions in doing the right thing, and just as easy to not. All of that about Peter is to say that God used him in miraculous ways for His will. God channeled Peter’s bold nature to speak an amazing sermon that resulted in the salvation of over 3,000 souls and used him as a pillar in the New Testament church (Ac 10, 15). God is loving and forgiving and used the sinful natures of many people to complete His spiritual purposes; David, “a man after God’s own heart,” Moses, Jonah, Rahab, and the list goes on and on.

After recently talking with my brother, who graciously relived a very difficult time in his life to help me, he explained that, like David in Psalm 38 after his sin with Bathsheba, he felt physically sick and totally crushed down by the Lord because of his sin. He, my brother, had no choice but to confess his sin to his wife and family and throw himself on the mercies of the Lord and those he loved dearly to face whatever consequences he was given. He believed with all his heart that his salvation was because of Jesus on the cross, and not for anything he’s done or could ever do.

God’s favor in us is because of His covenants and promises, period.Like David, despite his sinful nature, God blessed my brother beyond measure, full and packed down. He blessed him with an amazing wife and a long, beautiful marriage, and children and grandchildren who look up to him and honor him as a man of God. As do I. And like Peter, God uses my brother as a pillar in the spiritual community both locally, statewide, and around the world. All because he chose God over sin.

Our relationship with God is wholly dependent on our grateful hearts and true penitence in our sinful natures. God wants to be first, to be loved, and to be trusted in all aspects of our lives and everything we do. Confession is part of that. But living a life with less judgment, filled with loving others more than ourselves, is equally as important in our journeys through this life. 

Our reward is an eternity with the very God we worship and the ones we love dearly who have gone before and will follow us after we’re there. I can’t wait!

Written by Sadia Morales, volunteer with Iron Rose Sister Ministries in Mexico

Has your life been full of confusion? Have you come to feel so confused that you have had to run to your room or someplace where you could be alone? In that place, have you felt as if you were sitting under a juniper tree where you just wanted to die; where you cry so much that you fall asleep tired, exhausted, afraid, with many lies rolling around in your head and in your heart?

On one of those days, I received a message that filled my life with confusion—a confusion that caused me to flee into the darkness of the night where only lies, fear, and tears accompanied me.

A great confusion seized me... just like Elijah in that desert. Do you know the story? He was confused even though he had come from many victories, victories in which he showed the power of God. Elijah came to feel this way in 1 Kings chapter 18.

Many of us, despite many victories won, arrive in the desert on day one of our journey through a time of confusion and sit down under the juniper tree just wishing to die (1 Kings 19:4-18). We eventually fall asleep, and while we rest, God works. But many times, instead of resting and letting God work, we do the opposite. Many times, we work without stopping so we do not allow ourselves to feel. But really, we must stop to rest (Ps. 46:10).

It is in those moments when God Himself will send angels to pick you up and tell you, “Eat.” It can be your husband, your children, your family, your friends, your acquaintances, or God Himself giving you the strength to get up and eat and drink so that you are able to go back to bed for the rest needed to continue your journey. And again, the angel will touch you saying, “Get up and eat, woman, because a long road awaits you.”

That physical food, as well as spiritual, will strengthen us to take the road to Horeb, the mountain of God. It took Elijah 40 days and 40 nights to get there. And you? How long have you been in this fight where lies overwhelm you, where you feel persecuted, where you fear for your life, and you continue to hide in a cave of fear or shame because a tragedy or some message or news brought confusion to your life and you don’t know how to get out or what to do?

You may have been in the cave for a long time, but today, Jehovah your God says to you, “Daughter, what are you doing in here?” Go outside and stand on the mountain before Jehovah, for Jehovah your God always passes by; He has always been there. Just go out to see Him. But first sharpen your physical and spiritual senses, because a great and powerful wind will blow through the mountains and break the rocks. And just as it was for Elijah, Jehovah will not be in the wind. And after the wind, an earthquake will pass, but Jehovah will not be in the earthquake. And after the earthquake, a fire will pass, but Jehovah will not be in the fire.

Life itself is full of confusion. It may tear us, break us.

Perhaps our problems make us feel that we are at the center of an earthquake, or in the midst of a troubling situation we feel a suffocating fire that does not let us breathe. It seems like that fire will consume us. But today I tell you, He is a God of peace. He will arrive! Of course, He will come, just as He came to Elijah in a gentle and delicate wind. Elijah heard it, covered his face, and went to the door of the cave. Then a voice came to him whispering, “What are you doing here, _____?” (add your name).

Jehovah tells you, “Go my daughter. Go back to your path— you still have a lot to do.” “Keep all the things I have commanded you. I will be with you every day, until the end of the world." Amen (Matt. 28:20).

Written by Rayne Gomes, volunteer with Iron Rose Sister Ministries in Salvador, Brazil

“Be merciful, just as your Father is merciful.” (Lk 6:36 NIV)

At my job, we provide services to a public organization responsible for granting benefits to citizens. It’s a normal day for me to serve dozens of people who have had their benefits denied, even though they have every right to receive them. Therefore, they contest the decision because, from a human perspective, everyone should receive what is due to them and it is unfair to not give someone what they deserve.

The spiritual perspective of mercy consists precisely of not granting something that is deserved. For us, this is a tremendous blessing because if we take into consideration what we deserve to receive due to our sinful nature, there would be nothing left for us but eternal condemnation.

The writer of the book of Hebrews talks a lot about the mediation and granting of this mercy in our lives. In chapter 2, verse 17, he states: “For this reason he had to be made like them, fully human in every way, in order that he might become a merciful and faithful high priest in service to God.” It is interesting to see the emphasis that the author puts on the fact that when Jesus came in the flesh, He experienced the same situations as us and lived through the same reality as all humans. However, we know that He did not subject Himself to sin. Therefore, what would make someone turn God’s wrath onto themselves and receive the sentence that we deserved? M-E-R-C-Y.

When we deserved death, condemnation, and eternal distance from God… Jesus came and took our place so that we would not receive what was due to us. What a true relief!

Not only that, but Christ also destroyed that which could disable us eternally, brought us back to the family of God, and can claim that He knows exactly what we go through because He experienced the same pains, temptations, and trials so He could help us while we are in this life. And because He has also experienced this same life, He truly has compassion for us.

We can rest assured that, enjoying this immense benefit provided by Jesus as followers in His steps, there is nothing more important than imitating Him in our lives by also offering mercy to our neighbor. Of course, the application will be different. We cannot make atonement, nor do we need to, because Jesus has already done so, once and for all. However, extending a merciful hand to our brother or sister in forgiveness, love, and empathy leads us to an attitude of mercy, an example left by the Teacher who instructed His disciples in Luke 6:36, “Be merciful, just as your Father is merciful.”

Take a moment to reflect: How can you be better at expressing your mercy towards others?

Remember, Christ has already done the hardest part, and He will help you along the way!

Written by Elesa Goad Mason, volunteer with Iron Rose Sister Ministries in Texas

When I think of faithfulness and loyalty, the first picture in my mind is a dog: a being that keeps coming back regardless of how it’s loved or treated, that is loyal and protective even at the risk of its own peril. I would like to think that my beloved pets will be there with me, sharing in our eternal home.

In the Bible there are many people who were faithful and loyal to God. Some who are lesser known and showed great faith to the Lord, even if only to touch His garment, are the Roman officer who begged for his daughter’s life (Matt. 8:5-13), the woman in the crowd who desperately had to touch His robe (Mark 5:25-34), and finally the persistent Gentile woman pleading for her daughter’s sanity (Matt. 15:21-28).

One of the most famously loyal people in the Bible, of course, is Jesus Himself. There were many other great ones including Abraham, Elijah, John the Baptist, and Ruth, whose loyalty took the path of greatest resistance (Ruth 1:12-13). My favorite though is Moses, the only character the Bible described as a “friend of God” (Ex. 33:11 ESV). I can only imagine what it would feel like to be so close to God that He considered me His friend.

When Moses was 40, his journey of faithfulness took an abrupt turn when he killed an Egyptian soldier (Ex 2:11-15). He spent the following 40 years building what he thought was his life as a shepherd in the desert of Midian. Things certainly changed when he was 80 years old and encountered God in a burning bush. I don’t know about you, but if I were 80 and had this massive ask from God like Moses did, I’d be wondering what took Him so long to give me a call!

If nothing else, Moses trusted God so deeply that he left the throne of Egypt to become a lowly servant and shepherd in the desert. In that moment, God saw his faith and groomed him to be one of the most important men in the Old Testament!

God and Moses had a very faithful and loyal relationship. His exciting life has been the subject of many Bible class stories taught for generations. Moses did everything God asked him to, and he did it well. In turn, God gave Moses everything he needed to accomplish what He asked. Throughout all the journey from Egypt to the Promised Land, God provided what the people needed so they would believe Moses and put their faith and hope in the One True God.

Having such a close relationship with God had to have been overwhelming. Imagine being able to hear the voice of God and have His glory literally pass before you – so close that God would have to lift you into the cleft of a rock to protect you from dying should you see his face (Ex. 33:18-20). Moses was a pinnacle of faithfulness and loyalty that was built on the Firm Foundation, which is later revealed to us in the bodily form of Jesus Christ. It is in Him that we are to put all our loyalty and faith.

To have a solid faith as Moses did is what we should strive for. But sometimes faithfulness isn’t as easy as we might think, even for Moses.

Numbers 20 tells the story of God providing water through Moses to an ungrateful people. Moses struck the rock twice with his staff instead of speaking to it as God commanded and told the people that we will provide this water. God was so angry at Moses and Aaron that He told them they would never enter the Promised Land with the Israelites. That seems to me to be quite a rough punishment for such a technical slip.

However, by saying “we,” not only did Moses fail to teach the Israelites about God’s power, but he minimized God’s strength by striking the rock. I don’t believe God felt Moses had lost his faith in Him. But He is a jealous God (Ex. 34:14) and will not tolerate anything less than our total conviction. Moses broke faith with God and his lack of humility kept him out of the Promised Land. How many “Promised Lands” do we miss out on due to our lack of humility?

Even though Moses couldn’t cross over, God’s grace showed His faithfulness to Moses when He allowed him to see the land and later, I’m certain, welcomed him home with great love. Deuteronomy 34 tells us God himself buried Moses in the land of Moab.

What can we learn from this? When we fall in love with who we are or what we can do instead of what God has given us or what only He can do, we break faith and fail to acknowledge everything God is. At those moments when God says no because our faith fails us, and it will, His eternal grace says yes!