Renewing A Vision: The Start of IronWifey

What do you do when you feel like you have no vision?

For two years, I faced that feeling. I was complacent and unmotivated because I simply felt like I no longer had purpose or a vision for my life. It started right after college graduation and like most recent graduates, the struggle to find work became a full time job. When you go off to school, they don’t tell you that you may or not be able to find a job in your field. They simply push the “American dream” that you will graduate with a job, work your way up the corporate ladder, get married, buy a nice house and car, start a family, and live happily ever after. This was the vision I perceived for my life. Before graduation, I knew that walking across that stage to accept my degree would be the first steps I took toward achieving the dream. Unlike most though, I was already married.

Imagine it with me. You’re a 20-year-old college graduate and wife, with a Journalism degree, in a new city and state, who can’t find a job in her field to support her household and who just realized that the American dream is not a reality.

I was in shock.

In the beginning, I had hope. I applied for jobs in faith that something would open up and I was blessed with a supportive and amazing husband who was willing to move wherever my degree took us. We were both determined. His dream was to become a full-time Youtube entertainer and my dream was to become a television or magazine reporter. Eventually, I planned on having my own television show, but I knew I’d have to start at the bottom first. The two of us would spend hours working our 9am-5pm job, only to come home to spend more hours working toward the dream. What one of us did not know, the other one could teach, and when one of us felt discouraged, the other would encourage God’s word. We really are a great team.

Through it all, his Youtube dream has grown tremendously and my husband remains confident and faithful. Today, he continues to put in the work toward his Iron Angel Youtube channel and the Lord continues to bless the work of his hands.

I, on the other hand, gave up.

After receiving countless rejection emails over the course of two years, I had officially given up on my degree. I received a dreadful email for every entry -level Journalism position I applied for and every non-entry level job required years of experience. I went from working in retail, to door-to-door sales, and when I landed a job in hospitality at a hotel, I was comfortable and decided that journalism was no longer for me. I told myself that since I didn’t really like bad news, I ultimately wouldn’t have enjoyed the work anyway. My husband encouraged me to create my own opportunities and report good news through my own outlet. I gave it a shot and started a blog called TheFittingRm.

TheFittingRm served as the first stage of IronWifey.

The motto for the FittingRm was to take off sin, and try on Christ!

It was more of a spiritual mindset, than a physical place. I wrote about God’s word and shared stories he placed on my heart or taught me through life. I wasn’t very confident when it came to writing about my personal life, and I feared that I would make a mistake when it came to sharing about the Lord, but I put it out there anyway. To my surprise, people actually read the blog. They were engaged and inspired and touched by how honest and transparent I wrote. A spark was started in me, but fear of rejection still kept me partially paralyzed. I would write little words of encouragement here and there on Facebook, and upload a blog occasionally when the Lord filled my mind with great content. But when moments were quiet and I didn’t hear from God, I didn’t share anything.

My husband suggested that when I don’t have anything to write about, I should just share God’s word with people. I disagreed and it was brought to my attention that if I wasn’t comfortable simply sharing God’s Word, then I wasn’t really writing for God.

I was just writing what I wanted and mentioning His name. I was taking off sin and trying on Christ, but I was not keeping Him on me or hiding His Word in my heart. I didn’t think that God’s Word alone would be enough for readers and I had become more focused on storytelling than glorifying the Lord. I knew that if I didn’t correct myself then, I could easily stray from the Lord.

That same year, my grandmother passed away and after her death, I completely lost all desire to blog. My grandmother was my biggest inspiration and the strongest woman of God that I knew. We spoke almost everyday and when I needed encouragement, words from her mouth spoke wisdom. She was a true Titus 2 woman and instead of letting her death depress me, I chose to let it inspire me and became a true follower of Christ, like her. I began really spending time in the Word of God and changing my thoughts and actions to imitate those of my Father.

Imitate God, therefore, in everything you do, because you are his dear children. – Ephesians 5:2

I became an imitator.

The more I read, the more I noticed that everything happening in the world today had already happened before in the past and was found in the Bible. I was able to find situations I was going through in the Word and received instructions on how to overcome my situations. .

That’s when I realized how easy life is as an imitator. By copying off of Jesus and being obedient to God’s Word, all of the pressures and worries of this world become nonexistent. I must admit that I am still a work in progress, and must crucify my flesh daily, but I have learned to be content in whatever situation the Lord places me in and His desires have become my own. This renewal in perspective pushes me to focus on living out God’s word and becoming the best Christian, wife, friend, sister, daughter, niece, and women that I can be, which brings us to IronWifey.

A couple of months ago, I was a guest on one of my husband’s Youtube videos and he asked his audience what my name should be. Since he goes by the name of Iron Angel and I am his “wifey”, it only made sense to call me Iron Wifey. When I studied the Word to find out if the “Iron Angel” dream was biblical and led by God, I was highly surprised by what I found and how the very essence of the name carries power.

As Iron sharpens Iron, one friend sharpens another. – Proverbs 27:17

Iron, an element of great strength, is pure in its purpose and is often used to sharpen another strong element. The irony of iron, is that only iron can sharpen iron.

Anything made of gold, silver, bronze, iron, tin, or lead—that is, all metals that do not burn—must be passed through fire in order to be made ceremonially pure. These metal objects must then be further purified with the water of purification. But everything that burns must be purified by the water alone. – Numbers 31:22-23.

My husband embraces the Iron Angel name and walks in spiritual purity and love. Strong like iron, he endures the fire or challenges in life that shape and sharpen him in Christ. He is aware that with God he will remain un-scorched which presents him as a messenger of God (as Angels are defined) who loves like Christ and shares God’s Word with those in need. As an Iron Angel, he sharpens me in love and faith, giving up his life for me as Christ did the church and as his wife, my purpose is to help him, sharpen him in Christ, and submit to him as I submit to the Lord. My journey of submission became a desire to be the best IronWifey that I could be, which meant I needed to be strong in order to match his strength and sharpen him.

Remaining focused on my journey toward spiritual submission, I came across a magazine and had a vision that I started my own. In the vision women were gathering in fellowship and sharing their stories to encourage one another. They held each other accountable and prayed for one another and it was truly a beautiful sight. Although I had no idea how to start a magazine, nor did I have content written to share, the vision was plain and clear and I knew in my heart that it was from God. After weeks of research, trying to talk myself out of it, and much thought surrounding a title, I decided to just go for it and I was led to use the name that embodies me and my current role in life: IronWifey.

Thus, IronWifey Magazine was born.

The purpose of this magazine is to provide an outlet for expression and create a community of women encouraging and sharpening each other in Christ. Therefore, for the purpose of this literature, Proverbs 27:17 is transformed to suit our sisterhood and as Iron sharpens Iron, one woman sharpens another.

All of us, single or married, young and old, are daughters of the most high God and belong to the body of Christ. This makes us the bride to Jesus Christ, and like most engagements, we must become rooted in the Word in order to present ourselves to Christ flawless and without spot. This magazine is a reflection of my obedience to God and my acceptance of his plan for my life. The site originally used for TheFittingRm now serves as the website for the online magazine and blog, and the dream of becoming a magazine reporter has been renewed and re-established as a Kingdom reporter and a magazine publisher.

Never let your fears stop you from doing what you know you are meant to do in your heart. With one leap of faith and complete trust in God, you’ll Be amazed by the vision and potential He’s placed inside of you.

When you feel like you no longer have a vision for your life, give yourself completely to God and watch Him transform you into the woman He’s created you to be. God will renew the vision that He’s placed inside of you, but it’s up to you to seek his Kingdom, trust in Him with all of your heart, and patiently wait for your moment of renewal.

-M