AS IRON SHARPENS IRON, SO ONE WOMAN SHARPENS ANOTHER
ironwifey MAGAZINE
ABOUT MY FATHER'S BUSINESS
2020!
Q1 Issue www.ironwifey.com
LETTER FROM THE EDITOR
As Iron Sharpens Iron, So One Woman Sharpens Another
CEO : Jesus Founder & Editor-In-Christ: Micayla Robertson Contributing Writers: Elsonia Swarts Sheree Roux Veranique Parker Chriscynthia Woodert-Calhoun
Podcast Guest Features: Shanacee Dunn Kalieha Stapleton Denise Hamilton Meron Belachew She'lia Roby Karolyne Roberts Lucy McClure Elaine McClure Sandra McFadden Blake Benberry
Hi love! Thank you for reading the Q1 issue of IronWifey Magazine! We’ve taken the liberty to split this year in 4 quarterly issues, that help you channel your inner "christianpreneur" (christian-entrepreneur) and become a woman who is About The Father’s Business in every aspect of her life! This year, the Lord has given me a vision for IronWifey that is unlike anything we’ve done in the past, and I can’t wait to share it with you throughout each issue. Q1 took an audio approach and sought advice from amazing business women who are boldly living for God. This issue will contain many interview excerpts that share challenges and trials that "christianpreneurs" face, testimonies that prove that working for God is possible, and exclusive insight from women willing to share their wisdom on faith and business. (Full interviews can be found via iTunes, Spotify, and ironwifey.com.) I pray that this issue ignites the business babe inside of you, and propels you to start walking in the power and authority that God has given you. We each have a gift and it’s up to us to take what we have and use it to glorify God in all that we do! Be About Your Father’s Business Sis!
Become A Writer! Email us at: ironwifeymagazine@gmail.com
© 2020 IronWifey
With Love, Micayla Founder & Editor-In-Christ, IronWifey Magazine
ABOUT MY FATHER'S BUSINESS SERIES
20 Evolving In The Dark | by Veranique Parker "Sometimes in life, evolving can be one of the most difficult things one can push through in order to overcome their struggle." Find out how to push through the birthing pains of your dream and allow the Lord to transform you in a place of darkness.
CONT ENTS 7 A Sit Down With Shanacee Getting to Know Shanacee Dunn
10 Here's An Introduction Getting to Know Kalieha Stapleton 12 Watch Her Work A Q&A with Denise Hamilton 14 The Gem For A Fem A Q&A with Meron Belachew 16 The Passion Preacher Getting to Know She'Lia Roby 23 Revealing "the ONE" A Q&A with Karolyne Roberts 26 Everyday in Prayer A Q&A with Moaning Women's Prayer Ministry 28 Empowering The Storytelling Experience Getting to Know Blake Benberry
09 Your Father's Business Is Your Business | by Elsonia Swarts
18 Saved By Grace Through Faith | by Sheree Roux
31 My Journey To Promoting The Kingdom | by Chriscyntha Woodert-Calhoun
ABOUT MY FATHER'S
LUKE 2:49 NKJV
AND HE SAID TO THEM, “WHY DID YOU SEEK ME? DID YOU NOT KNOW THAT I MUST BE ABOUT MY FATHER’S BUSINESS?”
A Sit Down With Shanacee YOUTUBER CO-FOUNDER, INCREASE DESIGN & BRANDING
Spiritual Gifts &
Storytelling
At what point did you realize you had a gift for storytelling?
FULL PODCAST INTERVIEW AVAILABLE ON ITUNES, SPOTIFY & IRONWIFEY.COM
I guess I realized the gift when I started doing things for other people, like ministries. The stories I created for myself were cool, but it wasn’t until I started telling other people’s stories and taking their vision and making a product out of it when I saw that I can do this and may have a skillset.
You’re a visual storyteller and you created a short film. Where did the vision come from to produce your short film. I had always known God through second-hand experiences with my grandmother, but around the time when I started writing that script, I just got saved for real. I wanted to do everything to glorify God, and I wanted the script to mirror my life and pull from my experiences to create a cautionary tale for other people to avoid certain paths or traps that I didn’t.
How did you develop the confidence to walk in your gifts? It took a lot of me shedding the layers of what I thought I should be and shedding the layers of what I thought would be acceptable to everyone else (both as a career and who I am); then paying attention to the things I’m actually good at and the things I actually enjoy doing; and then being brave enough to do them even if it doesn’t make me money right away or make sense to everyone else. To this day, I’m still asking God to order my steps in a way that he sees fit as I’m being patient and learning to be grateful for where I am now.
SHANACEE DUNN | YOUTUBE: SHANACEE | IG: @SHANACEE 08 | IRONWIFEY MAGAZINE
What does it mean to you to be About The Father’s Business? Using every extension of myself to point people back to him. I run a business, I have my YouTube channel, I have my personal witness in everyday life and in all of those things I really try to be the best version of myself and check in with God at every step that I take. I may miss it sometimes and not always get it right, but I always try to get back to it so that my light can shine and other people can know that everything that I have and am comes from him. I’m always trying to point people back.
AS IRON SHARPENS IRON
BY: ELSONIA SWARTS
YOUR FATHER’S BUSINESS IS YOUR BUSINESS C ontemplating the year ahead, I can’t help but reflect back on the dying year.
For many, myself included, 2019 came with it’s fair share of ups and downs. The downs, although accompanied by anxiety and self-doubt, pushed me to seek God through prayer and rely more on Him to be my source of solution. For that, I am so grateful! Through test and trial I am thankful for the lessons and revelations that came with the downs. Indeed, the God within is greater than any external adversities (1 John 4:4 NIV): You, dear children, are from God and have overcome them, because the one who is in you is greater than the one who is in the world. The ups, proved that happiness is an inside job orchestrated by God himself. More than ever before, I realized the importance of gratitude.Through prayer and thanksgiving I was able to gain understanding and learned that there is a lesson in all situations.
ONE WOMAN SHARPENS ANOTHER
So in 2019, I learned that I am the business of the creator and He is my business.
I am His business for He “made all the delicate, inner parts of my body and knit me together in my mother’s womb” (Psalm 139:13 NIV). He is my business because “I can never get away from His presence!” (Psalm 139:7 NIV). This year, I anticipate God carrying out His business in my life and me minding God’s business.
He is in the business of giving me the desires of my heart and making all my plans succeed (Psalm 20:4 NIV). He is in the business to calm all storms in my life to a whisper (Psalm 108:29 NIV) and to turn all dry and dead situations into pools and springs of life (Psalm 108:35 NIV). My business is to seek His kingdom and His righteousness (Matthew 6:33 NIV) and to love Him with my whole heart, soul and mind and love my neighbor as I love myself (Luke 10:27 NIV).
He is in the business of giving me a future filled with hope (Jeremiah 29:11 NIV).
In 2020, business is booming and each day in the presence of God feels like living in the land overflowing with honey and milk (Exodus 3:17 NIV)!
For I know the plans I have for you," declares the LORD, "plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.
You make known to me the path of life; in your presence there is fullness of joy; at your right hand are pleasures forevermore. - Psalm 16:11 NIV WWW.IRONWIFEY.COM | 09
K A L I E H A
www.kalieha.com
FULL PODCAST INTERVIEW AVAILABLE ON ITUNES, SPOTIFY & IRONWIFEY.COM
NEW MUSIC
KALIEHA | YOUTUBE: KALIEHA | IG: @KAYNEVERSTOPS
Here's An
Introduction
Where did you first start exploring your musical gifts? My mom would always practice church songs in the car and as a child I would always mimic her and sing around my family. From there, I’d sing around other people and realized that I actually had a gift. The journey in music for me was more about honing the gift and elevating my confidence within the gift. I took vocal lessons when I was younger and did opera in high school, and it helped me learn how to sing different types of music and shaped my voice overall.
How has music impacted you spiritually? Worship is my number one spiritual love language. It holds a special place where it can be just me and God, but then also universally connects people. We feel so connected in worship because we’re all singing together and individually at the same time. When I moved to NY, I realized that I didn’t just like to sing, I needed to sing. It was my way of feeling and growing closer to God.
What lead you to pursue music as a career? Okay, so this is the perfect example of God being present when we’re not supposed to be doing something. I was on Tinder swiping left and right and I ended up swiping on a guy who had a studio. He saw that I liked music in my bio and he literally asked me to come over that day and record a song. It’s so funny because I literally wrote my first single "IBSW" in an hour and we recorded. Clearly the relationship didn’t work, but it was a catalyst for me to pursue this as a career.
What was it like recording your EP, Hai!? It was definitely a learning experience and it cost a lot of money. It was 4 songs, 6 total on streaming sites, and I learned how to pay for studio time, schedule photoshoots, arrange cover art, register to performing rights organizations, and then of course find tour destinations. It’s a lot of money and a lot of work, but I know it’s meant for me to do it because I was blessed with 6-7 shows just by people finding my music on instagram and inviting me out to perform.
What do you want people to experience when they hear your music? In my mind, I just want people to hear the song and take from it what they need. When I write music I give a template of what I believe the song is and I give space for the listener to write their own story inside of that.
ONE WOMAN SHARPENS ANOTHER
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WATCH
A Q&A with Denise Hamilton
WORK What is WatchHerWork? WatchHerWork is a video based online and offline learning community for professional women. We help women go further faster by giving them access to the advice they need to take their careers and lives to the next level.
What does it mean to you to be “About the Father’s Business”? This is such an important question because often times messages can be manipulated and it’s so important to go back to the foundation of what you’re supposed to be doing. Who you are and what is expected of you is a gift we’re each given and expected to use it. So when I think of being about the father’s business it’s knowing that I have the responsibility to use the gifts that I have been given by God to do the maximum. So for some, it’s being a singer, or a teacher, or a leader. Whatever your gifts are, you are singularly responsible for maximizing them in your life and giving as much as you can to change and impact the world positively.
What are your gifts? I believe I have a powerful gift of discernment. I can slice through nonsense pretty quickly and I’ve been given the unique ability to see almost all sides of any situation. I see inter-relatedness and intersectionality and sometimes I even see how something well intended can have negative impacts down the road. When I look at what I consider to be my gift, it’s the ability to deconstruct situations and reveal what’s really happening beneath the veil. One thing that’s really sad about our time, which is actually made worse by social media, is that we covet other people’s gifts. Everyone wants someone else’s gift, but if you can get to a space where you just love the gifts you were given and work to develop, hone, and maximize those gifts, you’re ahead of 90% of the population.
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A S I RAS OIRON N S HSHARPENS A R P E N S IIRON RON
Keep Up with Denise Website: www.watchherwork.com Instagram: @watchherworktv Twitter: @watchherworktv Facebook: @watchherworktv
FULL PODCAST INTERVIEW AVAILABLE ON ITUNES & IRONWIFEY.COM
THE GEM FOR A FEM A Q&A WITH MERON BELACHEW
What lead you to start a jewelry business? After a series of 9-to-5 jobs, the market crashed and I took a six month break trying to figure out what to do. During that time, I was walking up and down Venice beach and I saw a young lady with a baby strapped on her back and a table in front her with a line of people. It was a very hot day and I was very concerned that the baby was frying in the sun. As I walked closer I recognized the jewels on her table. She had lapis, rubies, onyx, turquoise and some very amazing pieces. The girl was only asking for $8 and I heard the tourist in line offering less than $5, and trying to take advantage of her. She had no clue the gold she had on her table and how much she could have made. I walked up to the table and told her that I’d buy the whole table if she can get the baby out of the sun. I bought the whole table! Now, I had all of this jewelry, so I started fiddling with it and selling it for market value. I made $3500 off of the beads that I bought for the $150 that I spent. I tried the same process 2 more times, and found myself making $600 a day. At that point, I decided to pursue the jewelry business full-time and never looked back. It all started from just wanting to help someone. If I hadn’t seen that girl, I would have never known.
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AS IRON SHARPENS IRON
What is one of the most challenging parts of owning your own business? There are many aspects, but self motivation is definitely a challenge. No one is going to make a schedule for you, no one is going to book shows for you, and no one is going to research for you. You have to get up and do it yourself.
JEWELS & CO
You have to get up and check your inventory, work on your craft, set appointments, call around and hear a lot of no’s before you hear yes. You have to take risks, stay up late, say no to friends, and sacrifice.
FULL PODCAST INTERVIEW AVAILABLE ON ITUNES, SPOTIFY & IRONWIFEY.COM
How do you determine the value of your product? That is probably the best question regarding business. In my case, I’ve always been around gemstones. It was a hobby of my father and when he was in the service he would always take us to mines. I used to watch huge pieces of rubies and even diamonds being pulled out of mines and I can tell the real from the fake from miles away. Since I grew up with them, I understand their value and know what to buy.
How has faith impacted your business? For me, walking by faith means operating according to scripture. Proverbs 14:23 KJV says, “In all labor there is profit.'' So, if I work, the Lord will work with me. If I can stand on that word, make an effort, find my craft, market it properly and work it properly, then there is profit. There’s also a scripture that says, “I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me” (Philippians 4:13 NKJV). So if I find my gift and I work at it, I CAN do all things through Christ. However, when it says I can do all things, it doesn’t mean I can be a jack of all trades. It really means one, that I can do everything that I need to do through Christ, and two, that I can achieve everything that is meant for me to achieve through whatever the Lord has given my hands do.
ONE WOMAN SHARPENS ANOTHER
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SHE'LIA ROBY FULL PODCAST INTERVIEW AVAILABLE ON ITUNES, SPOTIFY & IRONWIFEY.COM
ABOUT MY FATHER'S BUSINESS Q&A SERIES
IG: @SHELIAROBY
You wrote a book and titled it, Pressure Doesn't Change Purpose. What lead to the title of the book? I’m going to ask you this: "Does it change it?" Once you become aware of your purpose in Christ, there’s no way your purpose will shift of change. There is nothing, not even pressure, that can change what God has called you to do. He will leave the 99 just to make sure you're on track.
I believe that God reveals purpose to children at a young age, and you write that you were called to ministry at age 12. How did you know that was your calling?
GETTING TO KNOW
THE PASSION PREACHER
My grandfather was sick and had heart issues, but everything in me believed that I could heal my grandfather. One day, my sisters and I were singing and I walked up to my grandpa and put my hand on his chest, believing I could heal him. I went to my grandmother, an evangelist, and asked her, “How do you know that you're called by God?” She smiled at me and said, “You had to ask.” The experience itself where you have to ask if God is calling you to do something is a download. Having that feeling or unction and questioning it is when I knew I was called to ministry.
In the book you wrote: “The spirit of molestation and perversion are sneaky, and they move silently. Out of all the spirits I’ve encountered these ones have an appetite for children.” You fell victim to this and you actually write about how you attempted suicide at age 15. What advice do you have for young girls or even women of all ages who are struggling with childhood trauma or suicidal thoughts? My advice is not to run away from it. The thing with suicidal thoughts and trauma is when you try to cover them up, or hide them, or stuff them away or run away from them, that’s when they chase you harder. I had to specifically make the decision in my mind to say "No" to each thought. Don’t run from it and don’t accept it. People think you can be spiritual and things don’t bother you because you are, but really they mainly bother you because you are spiritual. Many people who claim to preach Jesus are dealing with the attack on their minds. It’s like being enlisted in the army of the Lord. We’re not enlisted to celebrate, we’re enlisted to go back to war. It’s a constant battle and spirit that we have to fight. I encourage everyone dealing with trauma to deal with the pain because there’s purpose in that pain. I am an advocate for mental health and it’s so important to be mentally stable and will over your thoughts. We can’t do anything else if we don’t do that.
ONE WOMAN SHARPENS ANOTHER
Your grandmother had a huge impact on your life spiritually and you write about how watching her taught you how to pray. What does your prayer life look like? Prayer was the only thing that made me feel better. A lot of my prayers took place with my grandmother because I was with her a lot, and through her I learned how important prayer was. There’s levels to it and dimensions to having a prayer life, and my prayers specifically came through writing. I always asked for journals at the book fair and I felt like I had so many secrets. I would write them down in prayer, reread my diaries and journals, and it was literally a one on one conversation. There was always a sign of a writer because that’s how I communicated with God. I don’t care where I am, prayer will always be my altar, and I thank God that I was and am unashamed of the Gospel of Jesus Christ.
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SAVED THROUGH By: Sheree Roux
GRACE FAITH BY
My story is filled with broken pieces, bad decisions and some ugly truths. However, it is also filled with a major comeback, peace in my soul and a grace that saved me. Today, I speak with humility, knowing I am not perfect or better than anyone else. My purpose for sharing my story is to motivate you to make the right choices, and to ask our Heavenly Father for direction.
My name is Sheree Roux and I am a recovering drug addict. I was addicted to tik, prostitution, cigarettes and gambling, as well as a rape victim who suffered emotional abuse. A native to South Africa, I grew up in a very caring household with my grandparents and mother, and I received a good education both at home and in school. My spiritual foundation and manners were emphasized strongly and I was a happy and blessed child. Aside from sporadic visits to Capetown, my father was not present in my life which made it difficult growing up without a father figure. In 2003, my matric year (final year of high school), I became pregnant with my firstborn. I was extremely shy and worried about what my friends would say or think about me becoming a mother at such a young age. The school discouraged teen pregnancy and referred me to the Head of Schooling Department where I was given forms to enroll as a private student. The reality of the school’s decision hurt me a lot, and caused me to realize that I had made a very poor choice in having sex at an early age. The father of my child asked me to have an abortion, but my grandparents and mother opposed the idea.
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“We’re going to raise this child, and God will help us through this."
Before
After
They told me, “we’re going to raise this child, and God will help us through this." Unfortunately, I did not pass my matric year and without a certificate of completion it was impossible to continue my education further. In 2004, I was able to land a job but the wages were low. My financial situation was discouraging and with a baby a few months old I was unable to cope and turned to drugs. Tik became my drug of choice.
Today, God has blessed us with five beautiful children. We both serve the Lord in our own unique ways and while we are not perfect, we strive to be better individuals, better parents, better friends to our loved ones, and better neighbors in our community as the bible declares. I decided to go back to school and on May 19, 2018, I received my diploma in Early Childhood Development.
Year in and year out, the addiction escalated to the point where I lost self-worth, I lost self-respect, and I lost my identity. Drugs made me do things I never imagined myself ever doing such as: lying, stealing, and being careless with my body. These choices led me into prostitution and I totally lost control. I did not care about my health and I remember the countless tears I cried during sex with strange men. I knew that this wasn’t me, but the power that the drugs had over me. I felt helpless. So there I was, a drug addict with no hope insight. Even worse, I had no fight left.
Until one day, God rescued me and saved me from the mess I had made in my life. I met Rian Roux during the last 2 years of my 8 year addiction. We both used drugs together, but in time we were saved by grace through God’s salvation. We made a vow to each other to get clean, and exchanged vows of marriage in 2014.
What I thought was impossible, God made possible! I now walk in my salvation purposefully and serve children that have learning and physical disabilities. My faith is found in Jesus and I continue to enjoy my journey with God and fellowshipping with my family and church. I want to conclude by letting you know that if God can take my abuse, addiction, pain, and imperfection and use it for His glory, then no matter your situation, there is always Hope.
By: Veranique Parker
EVOLVING IN THE DARK 45 | IRONWIFEY MAGAZINE
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Sometimes in life, evolving can be one of the most difficult things one can push through in order to overcome their struggle. I am finding, currently, that it is within that birthing process where the most pain, discomfort, and uncertainty of what the future truly holds, is tested. A birthing process that requires one to push out something they never knew existed within them. Gripping on to that faith, believing in God promises, and trusting that He will never leave them nor forsake them during a time when the unknown is inevitable. It is within "letting go of the old" version of who you once were and affirming God's word over your life, where God can reveal His power and sovereignty and say, "Behold, I am making all things new." (Revelation 21:5 ESV) God entrusted us as His children to surrender our hearts and release our palms to Him so that He can take on our burdens and make them light. In Matthew 11:30 it states that God's yoke is easy to bear and the burden He gives us is light. However, society can show us that comparison and acceptance is an easier burden to carry because it takes our mind to a fake reality of who we wish we could be, verses who God tells us we can be. For example, we can be overcomers. We can start the business. We can achieve the impossible. Even though, at times, the enemy whispers through society by telling us we can't. It is within those moments when we coward at the war and surrender to the wrong power, instead of putting on our armor and fighting the great fight for the Lord, by becoming the strong version of us He created in our mother's womb.
I am learning that I must not grieve the birthing process, I need to fight for it. To understand that the battlefield in my mind is less about me and more about the enemy's tactics to defeat me. His schemes to convince me that I am nothing, nor will I ever become anything. He doesn't want me to birth out my new beginning because it unveils who I am in Christ and the prize it is to living in eternity. More importantly, he is a snake who slithers on the ground trying to trip me up so I don't find the strength to stand up tall and figure out whose I am. He'll use society and what they say or don't say to try to push me down to nothing, even though I have the power within to crush the head of the serpent. It is my responsibility as a Christ follower, to put on my armor and fight the good fight for God's kingdom. More importantly, for His children. If I don't save myself, then how can God save the next person who needs my testimony to bring them hope to save themselves for Christ. Birthing out a new version of ourselves is not easy, but God tells us to, fear not for He is with us; be not dismayed, for He is our God; He will strengthen us, He will help us, He will uphold us with His righteous right hand. (Isaiah 41:10)
All we have to do is take His hand, take a deep breath, and push! ONE WOMAN SHARPENS ANOTHER
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Push out our new beginning. Push out the calling He has planned for our lives. Push out the fear and insecurities, push out the struggles and addictions, and push out the doubts! God did not give us a spirit of fear, but of a sound mind. (2 Timothy 1:7) A mind that we need to renew so we can embrace our new beginning and step into the divinity He has planned for us through His business to empower us. God never promised us that things would be easy, He promised to prosper us. Running a business takes a sword of a warrior to fight a battle that only we can fight. It takes evolving from our own worries and fears and looking the serpent in the eye and defeating him. Sometimes, even defeating him in the darkness. Evolving in a place where no one can see us until it is time for the Lord to unveil His masterpiece; slowly evolving us into the light for all the world to see. A perspective I am beginning to see as a blessing, not a job.
My Father's business is a reward because I am serving a Father who loves me and is honored to be my Father. When God asked me to step into a recover ministry, I was ready and on fire! Then, I started to see the fight it was taking me to beat, to achieve it, and I crumbled in fear, giving up on a purpose He put on my heart because it was not where I "wanted" it to be. You see, God answers prayers! Those prayers just might not unfold the way one had envisioned it; which is okay because there’s beauty in that. Reminding me of the verse, "Whoever can be trusted with very little can also be trusted with much." (Luke 16:10) I have had to evolve in the dark because that has been where I have been, cowering in the darkness because I am petrified of evolving in it. I have gotten so used to being in the dark and in this comfort, that I forgot that the Lord was a lamp to my feet and a light to my darkness.
My struggles do not define me, they propel me. I encourage you to evolve in the dark, if that is where your struggle is; so God can rise you up out of it and into the light for all the world to see. Don't give up on His business over your life and the power there is within it, push through it, birth it out, and watch God work in ways one had never imagined. For Romans 8:18 NLT said it best:
"Yet what we suffer now is nothing compared to the glory He will reveal to us later." 22 | IRONWIFEY MAGAZINE
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REVEALINGÂ
THE "ONE" A Q&A with Karolyne Roberts
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What lead you to write The One Revealed, Vol. I? In the "One Revealed Volume I", I share the story of how God showed me who my earthly husband was, Kal Roberts, but that’s really not what lead me to write the book. I wrote the book during a season of my earlier years of marriage where I realized, my husband is amazing, marriage is amazing, and God has put us together for a specific purpose and a reason. But, I think I came into marriage with certain expectations thinking that he (my husband) was supposed to fill all of these expectations that I have. It was a very tainted and unhealthy view that I had of marriage especially because I grew up idolizing the idea of it and thought it would fulfill every need or every desire. It was a void that I felt in my heart. So when I got married, after the first few years, I had a crazy revelation: marriage is beautiful, this is amazing, I love my husband, but marriage is not the end goal. God is the end goal. God is the One.
What can readers expect differently in The One Revealed, Vol. II? Volume II has 13 new chapters! I promise I’m not republishing the same exact book and you don’t have to read volume I first, before reading volume II. I really go deeper and bring greater revelations and clarity concerning the topic of “the One” and what that means, and I bring back the main revelation of the book, which is to lead everyone back to Christ.
There’s a section in the book entitled: How to hear God's voice. How do you discern the voice of God? Well, the Bible says, “my sheep know my voice and the voice of a stranger, they will not follow”. So if God is a stranger for you, if you’re not reading his word, if you don’t have him as a friend and if you’re not spending time in his presence, then you’re not going to recognize his voice. Just spending time with God has helped me grow in really hearing his voice, knowing his voice and accepting that God speaks to us in different ways. The way that God speaks to someone else, may not be the way God speaks to me and vice versa.
What advice do you have for other women who know God told them who their husband is going to be? My advice is, Girl, don’t be obsessed! Don’t make it an idol and don’t think about it all day and night. God gives and God can take it away. The last thing you want to happen is God saying it’s not going to work out because the promise He gave you is being put before Him as an idol in your life. You have a life, and you still have a purpose, so be busy about the father’s business.
FULL PODCAST INTERVIEW AVAILABLE ON ITUNES, SPOTIFY & IRONWIFEY.COM
God told you Kal was going to be your husband, but not until he was saved. You speak on unequally yoked relationships in the book. What exactly does it mean to be in a unequally yoked relationship? Being in an unequally yoked relationship is being with someone who doesn’t share the same faith system. Amos 3:3 NLT says, “Can two people walk together without agreeing on the direction?” So if you are with someone who is not able to walk together with you , is not able to push you toward Christ, and they’re pulling you away from Christ, then it means the relationship is not balanced.
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KAROLYNE ROBERTS WWW.KAROLYNEROBERTS.COM @KAROLYNEROBERTS
AS IRON SHARPENS IRON
ORDER YOUR COPY TODAY!
Karolyne Roberts' bestselling book, The One Revealed, is now back in a NEW & IMPROVED VOLUME, that is, Volume II. In The One Revealed, Karolyne delves deeper into the topic: "Does 'The One' Really Exist?"
Volume II contains over 13 BRAND NEW CHAPTERS and expounds upon ideas that were originally presented when the book was first published in 2015. In this book, Karolyne thoroughly addresses many questions pertaining to the quest for "The One" and hearing God's voice. One of your very own questions may be: "Did God really show me who my husband is?", "Is there such thing as 'The One'?", "Did I marry the wrong person?" or "When will it finally be my time to get married and have children?"In The One Revealed, Karolyne dissects the desire to be married by bringing the heart-struggles that women face to the forefront. Karolyne takes a unique approach by sharing how women can redirect their yearning to be in a relationship, in a way that brings God glory and ultimately fosters a life of hope and fulfillment. Are you ready to discover The One Revealed?
WWW.KAROLYNEROBERTS.COM/BOOKS/
AUTHOR: KAROLYNE ROBERTS
Everyday in
FULL PODCAST INTERVIEW AVAILABLE ON ITUNES, SPOTIFY & IRONWIFEY.COM
Prayer
A Q&A with Moaning Women's Prayer Ministry
What is the Moaning Women’s Prayer Ministry? We are a group of women that love the Lord and are on a mission to lead as many people to Christ as we can.
What does your typical day in prayer look like? Elaine: The first thing I do is thank the Father for waking me up in the morning. Then, I read scripture. The Holy Spirit shows me the words to say and will speak to me through the parts in the scripture that touch my heart. After that, I will address the words spoken to me to the people in my presence throughout the day. At night. I thank the Lord for the day, both good and bad, and allow the peace of God to come over me to rest.
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Sandra: Prayer is a practice. We’re practicing. The more you practice anything, you get stronger. We gain strength in prayer like someone who exercises and lifts weights. As you continue to pray, it becomes a part of you to the point where you don’t feel like you’ve done what you need to do until you’ve prayed. I pray in the morning, then in the noon-day and into the evening. It’s so natural it’s become a part of my spirit. I have to pray because if I don’t it doesn’t feel right. The more I pray, the stronger I get.
Lucy: The first thing I do is wake up in thanks. I thank him for saving me and I ask him to lead me, guide me, and cover me as I go about my day. I’m anointing where I’m going and I’m anointing those areas that may cause obstacles and distractions. I know that in situations that may be challenging, he’s already prepared me. So as I pray, I’m also praising and worshipping him for all that he’s done, is doing, and will do for me.
AS AS IRON IRON SHARPENS SHARPENS IRON IRON
STAY IN CONTACT! PRAYER LINE: 602-668-6153 EMAIL: MOANINGWOMEN@GMAIL.COM
How do you pray? Lucy: When I pray, I have a conversation with my father the same way I talk to you. Trust me, He speaks back. There’s no certain way to pray and people need to get that out of their minds and work on having a relationship with Him. It’s as simple as.a conversation. If you don’t know what to say, just call his name. Keep doing it and before you know it you’ll be talking to him. You don’t have to know what to say because he knows our hearts. Just open your mouth, trust him and have faith that he’s there, that’s the most important.
Where did the name Moaning Women’s Prayer Ministry come from? Sandra: The name is actually a biblical name. It comes from the book of Jeremiah where it talks about women that are wailing when they go before the Lord. As they lay out, the women are looking for the Lord to come in and bless through their prayers. Their moans are like a travailing in the spirit realm asking for God to pour out his blessing upon his people. So, this ministry is not just for a particular group of people, but for the entire body of Christ that we’re praying for. We want to see changes made in the hearts and minds of people everywhere, not just in the area we live, but throughout the world. ONE WOMAN SHARPENS ANOTHER
How do you sustain a relationship with God through trials? Elaine: First of all, you have to believe. Like a lamb that follows a shepherd, you have to stay constantly behind the shepherd. When He calls you as his sheep, you answer him and allow him to direct you. God says he will never leave you or forsake you. He won’t go off and leave you as a sheep in the pasture all by yourself. He stays there with you through the trials, but you have to care about and believe what he says. The more you have a relationship with God, the closer you are to him. So the things that are so difficult alone, with Him, become easy.
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BLAKE BENBERRY
EMPOWERING THE STORYTELLING EXPERIENCE www.makonnen.agency
What is Makonnen Agency? Makonnen Agency is a professional and personal writing haus on a mission to empower the storytelling experience. Our services include custom professional biographies and custom writing projects centered around a person, brand or business ready to tell authentic stories of why they exist. My mission is to tell as many stories as possible authentically.
What does it mean to be About Your Father’s Business? For me, it means to own my truth and apply it to every aspect of who I am. Being about his business, in a sense is an assignment. So I’m keeping my eyes open to what my assignment is whether daily, hourly, short term or long term. His business does not stop, it’s always open. So, as I carry out my business I am consistently, openly, and actively calling on him throughout my day. Being about my Father’s business is stopping what you're doing at all times and knowing that you have someone completely available and accessible to you when no one else is.
What has been your greatest challenge? I believe my biggest challenge has been being patient with my process because everyday you feel like you’re questioning what to do on top of fighting against what society is trying to tell you do. That stuff doesn’t matter. God is around covering you and putting the technical things in place. Completely relinquishing the control I thought I had on my life was the biggest challenge, but also my biggest gift. To receive God's grace after releasing control helped me stop chasing titles and realize that God’s going to put me where he wants me in different seasons. I don’t hold the power so I learned to be comfortable with checking myself and accepting his way for my life.
BLAKE BENBERRY WWW.MAKONNEN.AGENCY IG: @MAKONNENAGENCY
If you were to ask yourself, "Why me?" what would be your answer?
FULL PODCAST INTERVIEW AVAILABLE ON ITUNES & IRONWIFEY.COM
I believe God chose me to be a storyteller because he needed me to touch lives. I always wanted to help people, and He’s been revealing to me how storytelling can be done in so many different formats. Some stories are seasonal and change by the season. All of the different seasons and steps lead to a compelling story. Being totally used by him to tell stories in as many ways as possible is always the mission. Whether through documentary realms, long form storytelling, news or storytelling in any other platform, the mission remains the same. ONE WOMAN SHARPENS ANOTHER
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MY JOURNEY TO PROMOTING THE KINGDOM
BY: CHRISCYNTHIA WOODERT-CALHOUN
At this juncture of my life, being about my Father’s business has become my main focus. To really do the work of the kingdom, I am learning that I must first work on the things in my life that require attention and maintenance. As always, I look to the hills from which cometh my help, for it certainly does and must come from the Lord. It is incumbent upon me to:
take care of my health prepare myself by becoming a serious student of the Bible take the time to invest in grant writing for charitable programs surround myself with like-minded people who are really passionate about their purpose in God’s service as well.
And Here’s Why. . .
INVEST IN GRANT WRITING Grant writing has always been of great interest to me. Acquiring this skill would afford me the opportunity to bless faith-based organizations and community programs, while continuing to further my passion to bring resources, and comfort to the homeless and needy in our community.
BECOME A SERIOUS STUDENT OF THE BIBLE It is a simple fact that obedience will always be better than sacrifice. Therefore, in order to do the will of the Lord, by aligning myself with the holy scriptures, I must first study and embrace the instructions, covenants, precepts and promises therein. “Study to shew thyself approved unto God, a workman that needeth not to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth.” - 2 Timothy 2:15 (KJV).
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TAKE CARE OF MY HEALTH
SURROUND MYSELF WITH GOD SERVING PEOPLE Truly, the time is now to live for the Master. One must be willing to prepare themselves for the journey. We all achieve this task in various ways. Yet, we must be led by the Lord. Being about our Father’s business always starts with a humble heart, and an obedient spirit. Mistakes will be made, that is a certainty! Nevertheless, I will continue to strive to be found doing my part to promote the kingdom.
This past year has been a true eye opener in multiple ways and I’ve learned so much about myself. For the last 2 1/2 years, and up to this past summer, I have been hyper-focused on moving back to Los Angeles because I missed my family, home church and friends. Along the way, I have been endeavoring to work on improving my health and wellness. Yet, as much as I applied for several positions that would provide transfers back to Southern California there was no movement in the government job market. In the interim, my daughter transitioned out of the military in June 2019, and accepted a great job opportunity for a government contractor near a local military base. Even so, as thrilled as I am to have my daughter move back to California, I also realize that her life is on a different trajectory than mine and I must focus on my path. The moment I gave my family and my desires to the Lord and asked Him to order my steps, a position opened up that not only brought me home, but also provided an opening for me to follow my spiritual path as well.
“Beloved, I wish above all things that thou mayest prosper and be in health, even as thy soul prospereth.” - John 3:2 (KJV).
AS IRON SHARPENS IRON
“I LIVE FOR THOSE WHO LOVE ME, FOR THOSE I KNOW ARE TRUE, FOR THE HEAVEN THAT SMILES ABOVE ME, AND AWAITS MY SPIRIT, TOO; FOR ALL HUMAN TIES THAT BIND ME, FOR THE TASK BY GOD ASSIGNED ME, FOR THE BRIGHT HOPES LEFT BEHIND ME, AND THE GOOD THAT I CAN DO” - GEORGE LINNAEUS BANKS A Quote By George Linnaeus Bankshttps://www.goodreads.com/quotes/375158-i-live-for-those-who-love-me-for-thosewho
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