Tag: Hope

To The Aged; Redefine Your Outlook Thru Scripture

On By happyreignIn Heather, Reflections & Musings2 Comments

As I was reading my bible last night, I wasn’t reading any direct account of this, but I had a lens to see so many elderly people in scripture actually displaying the culmination of God in their lives during this season. Modern American society would have those nearing their elder years to feel comfortable dimming their vision in life, get comfortable in a viewing seat and no longer speaking up.

I want to declare that God has never overlooked someone in the story of His glory based on their age. So many circumstances in your life you endured to test your character, to strip away ego, to round out your wisdom. There has been purpose in every step along the way. If you are viewing yourself as elderly, your impact in God’s kingdom on this earth is not over with and God wants you to know he has not withdrawn his eye from you. The first supernatural encounter we hear of in Moses’ life was when he was 80 years old. Abraham didn’t receive the promise God had given him at a much younger age until the season of bearing offspring (fruit) was over at 100 years.

Do not limit God’s ability to move through your because you are reducing your perspective of his ability due to your age or season in life. He is not limited by your timeline but is limitless in the faithfulness of his promises over your life. There are great adventures in God in store yet for those of you advanced in years. Adventures you have been waiting a lifetime for. Expect God to be supernatural, expect him to move, there are yet new things in God, you are still a child of the king- heir and recipient of everything Christ died to give humanity.

Do not limit your perspective on who he is by looking around you and accepting what society is handing you. This is not your portion. Look to him for what is next in your life and continue to be open to hearing God, stepping out in faith, taking risk, and loving others and yourself extravagantly. This season is gift to be celebrated and embraced fully through the power of his spirit living inside you. You are a blessing to the body of Christ and you are needed in this hour for the fullness of his glory to be seen in His body on the earth.

The Sword of Goliath

On By happyreignIn HeatherLeave a comment

This word is about a week late to posting.

Last week, closer to the turn of the new year, I felt like not only had things we had been dealing with over recent months shift and release but almost as if the chapter of the last decade of our life had also turned.

In the bible there is a story from the life of David where, his earlier major victory of rising up to face a giant and defeating him occurred. From there he went on to do other things, minister to the king, made new alliances and gained new best friends. He walked in a new level of exposure and authority for this season. He even married into the kings family. But eventually hardship overcame his new circumstances and he could no longer remain where he was at anymore. David could not control this, despite his calling and anointing.

The very person he had gained favor with by defeating Goliath had grown the desire to eliminate David. David remained the same but the season and circumstances around him changed. This was the Lord’s doing and was a necessary part in David’s growing process. The coming hardships are what forged David’s character to lead in Christ, through Christ, and with him,

Despite his previously achieved positions of influence and authority, David needs to leave this place. David leaves empty handed with nothing and no one into his next season. To the naked eye, one could not see his calling and the fact that he had previously already been anointed King. He visibly carried nothing with him into his next season, but what he DID carry was the only thing that mattered, his history in God, his calling and his anointing for it.

I’m almost to the point in the story I’ve been getting to. David arrived at the temple of the Lord at the time while fleeing (the first place he ran to was God’s dwelling, the place of God’s presence) and while there, God had two things for him. The bread of God’s presence, Christ crucified’s living word to nourish, sustain, and feed David. And secondly, what I’ve been aiming at, it that it seems to me a season where God himself is handing his people back, and placing in their hands again, the sword of authority they gained a decade ago when they slew the giant, that big thing from your past that you gained victory in that’s been wrapped in your mantle and hidden away for some time. You may have wondered even it even really happened or if it even mattered since it feels like it was sitting in an unvisable room in your life. It feels like God is saying, I need you empty handed and with me for this next season. Here, I’ve created circumstance where you are only getting sustenance from my words to you, and in this place I’m bringing out your distant past great victory with me and I’m calling that history and authority to the forefront again to pick up, carry, and walk with into your next season.

David asked the priest do you have any weapons–what can carry in my hands to be useful with now? The priest said I only have one weapon here to give to you, your own sword back, the sword you slew Goliath with. Let me hand your beginning, the thing that started it all, your history of victory in God, back to you, it is the mantle you will walk in again. David–alone, disposed of, and running away from the city toward the wilderness again (his old stomping grounds)–was handed back directly from God’s presence what had always been stored and kept there safely all along.

We are leading a team to Puerto Rico!

On By happyreignIn Heather, Joel, Social JusticeLeave a comment

Hey Everyone!

The church we’ve been serving and working in for the past four years has invited us to be a part of leading one of the mission teams for this upcoming spring. In March, Joel and I will be leading a team of 30 adult ministry students to Puerto Rico!

The last time Joel and I were on the island was while doing disaster response work after Hurricane Maria in 2017 before moving to Redding. It will be 4 and a half years since going there and we can’t wait to bring 30 brothers and sisters in Jesus along with us. These adult ministry students are from all over the world and are excited to serve practically while bringing the presence and power of God with them.

We are serving locals on the ground who are committed people with a vision to bring long-term restoration to the island. With natural disasters and other issues persisting, the local people continue to suffer, some without basic needs being met. Carlos desires to restore dignity and bridge that gap by empowering people to rise up and seize their place in God’s kingdom and authority to bring life back to their own neighbors. Having built a network of love over the last four years, Carlos and his family are committed to releasing practical justice alongside tangible love.

If you want to check out a quick two minute video seeing Carlos’ ministry featured on CBS News CLICK HERE

If you want more information about Carlos’ ministry called The Happy Givers NPO CLICK HERE

If you want to financially sow into Joel and I’s ministry trip expenses CLICK HERE


If you have any questions about our trip feel free to email joel.quinones@bethel.com.


Please pray for this team, this trip and for Puerto Rico!

Have a lovely day!

Good News

On By happyreignIn HeatherLeave a comment

The below words aren’t mine. I listened to an online prayer meeting last night and heard the message I could listen to everyday for the rest of my life. I have heard this all over the world and spoken it to others myself. I get absolutely emotionally lost in this good news. My spirit becomes so satisfied and rich with the presence of God basking in this truth. I couldn’t help but go back to the recording, transcribe it, and share it here. May it bless you.May it touch you. May you feel God’s spirit, his presence, his life in the room with you as you read this.

“In last January and February I did a deep dive into Romans.

I want to meditate together on what’s been purchased for us, on what Christ has done in us. How many of us ever look at yourself, or you make a mistake, you do something stupid, and you feel bad. Right thinking produces right living. Often times in religious cultures we try to do right living first  before right thinking, right believing. But repentance is to change the way we think. It means to go up to the next place. And so let’s just meditate.  I’m not going to preach at you.

Romans Chapter 4,5,6,7 and 8. I’m convinced you can’t actually know your identity in Christ outside of these passages. When I begin to read these, Romans 4 really shows how faith works. 

Abraham is the father of faith.  He believed God before he had the sign of circumcision. Before you feel the breakthrough, before your family is saved, before your healing is manifest. Before you feel saved, before your prayer language. Before he saw all those things, he believed God and it was credited to him as righteousness. That’s how faith works and he’s the Father of faith.

Romans Chapter 5 Therefore having been justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ. Peace of mind starts with God. Peace of mind starts with Faith in Christ.

Faith in what he’s done.  And you can’t add to the blood of Jesus.

How many of you have felt the unrest and the anxiety and the fear of America and all that’s going on in the world.  How many of you guys have felt that? I have to continually go to the heavenly places, Ephesians 2.  I’m present with Christ in the heavenly places and just dwell above the storm.

We’ve been justified by faith. Just as if we’d never sinned. Thank you Jesus for Peace.  Jesus thank you for peace. Somethings you have to cast out. Other things you crowd out. We’re going to crowd out anxiety right now. Holy Spirit come. Peace rush in like a river. If you have been battling anxiety and fear, lift up your hand. We just release the peace of God over you right now.

We have access by faith into this grace by which we now stand. We stand. We’re standing and we rejoice in the hope of the glory of God. Thank you Lord. Peace is not the absence of chaos, its the presence of a person. Thank you for your peace Lord.  Come Holy Spirit, thank you Lord.

You know it says in Romans 5:17, If by the one man’s offense, death reigned through the one man, much more those receive the abundance of grace, ABUNDANCE of grace and GIFT of righteousness. How much grace do you need? It’s never going to run out. No, you don’t understand Tom, I’ve had a tough week, tough day. I know me too but its an abundance tho that is never going to run out. It’s a gift of righteousness that we reign in life through the one Jesus Christ.  How do we reign in life? Through receiving the abundance of grace, the gift of righteousness. Put your hand on your heart and say, “Thank you God that you have made me righteous. I am righteous in your sight. Thank you Lord.

How many of you need grace today? God is my source of everything. I have nothing without him.  How much do I need? An abundance of grace. Romans 5:20 says where sin abounded, grace abounded much more. Grace abounded much more. I feel like some of you guys we’ve been listening to accusation. We’ve allowed the enemy to make ourselves the worst enemy and we’re accusing ourselves. How many people need to let that go right now? Yes, let that go right now.

Speak to yourself, “Heather, time to receive some grace. Time to give yourself some grace. Time to give yourself some grace. God has more than enough grace for us but sometimes we’re the hardest on ourselves, right? Say this over yourself, “Say Heather, You’re not the judge. You’re not God. Jesus Christ is Lord. 

Chapter 6 So What are we going to say, that continue in sin so grace may abound? Certainly not! How should we who died to sin live in it any longer? Don’t you know that those of you who were baptized in Christ Jesus were baptized into his death? There we were buried with him through baptism into his death, just as Christ was raised from the dead by the glory of the father, even so we also should walk in the newness of life. If we have been UNITED together in the likeness of his death, certainly we shall be in the likeness of his resurrection.  We have been made one with Christ. He is Lord. We’re made ONE with Christ. We are united, co-crucified, co-buried and co-raised in Jesus. 

Oftentimes we get a religious mindset and we say I am going to go and I’m gonna pray to God, and that’s okay, but more than that God wants us to commune with him, commune together. The blending of two pitchers of water. They no longer cease to be separate entities, they become one. Impossible to separate. This is a perfect picture of our relationship with God, because we have become one with him. One with Christ. Isn’t that a good word? You are one with the superpower. You’re one with somebody who is gracious and kind, he is constantly true, it’s who he is. 

Put your hand on your heart, we’re going to receive this. This is an encounter time, say “I’ve been united with Christ through his death, burial, and resurrection. I am crucified with Christ. The old me is dead. DEAD DEAD. Dead dead dead. Dead to offense, dead to lust, dead to lying. Dead to everything else that ’s not Jesus, so I let it go.  Thank you for the blood of Jesus. That we’ve been made one with you Lord. One with you Lord. Knowing that our old man was crucified that our body of sin might be done away with that we should no longer be slaves of sin.

We died to the husband of sin as the authority over our lives. I died to my overshadowing husband of sin over my life and my perspective of my life, and now the wife has been set free to marry another. And this other that she just married wasn’t another man but the spirit of God, Christ. So she has been united with Christ. There is a marriage union that has happened. There has been a death, I have died to the law, I am no longer married to that, instead I am united in one spirit with Christ. I am one, united with him. Forever.

And the same spirit that raised Christ from the dead now lives inside of me.  This is why God has taken away our ability to enjoy sin. Which is why sometimes stuff starts kicking up and can come to God and there is a fountain that has sprung up, it’s never going to dry out.  That’s a fountain called the blood of Jesus. There is ONE hope for a life burdened down with guilt and shame and that’s the blood of Jesus that the cross of Christ has purchased.  Can I say it’s not your enneagram number? It’s not your personality profile, its the blood of Jesus, one blood. Amen. Makes us new.

Romans 8:1 Therefore there is no condemnation to those who are in Christ Jesus, because through Christ Jesus the law of the spirit of life set me free from the law of sin and death, for what the law was powerless to do, God did by sending his own Son in the likeness of sinful flesh that we might be united with Christ.

This is the gospel.  There is only way to the father, one way to hope and that’s through faith in Jesus, that’s through trusting in him and what he’s done in our lives. We have been set free from the spirit of this air.

An untrained, unschooled, unqualified woman meets the son of God, goes home and becomes the first missionary evangelist the world has ever seen, possessed with conviction of the Son of God she has seen face to face.  When you see the Lord as who he is, you don’t have to have all the qualifications, you’ve seen something and you’ve come alive.

Quit managing an image for everybody else to think that your something and step into freedom! Do not let pride keep you from getting right with God. I’m going to lose my life to get right with him, washed clean in the blood of Jesus.  You’re going to get free tonight and leave here so full of HOPE.

Thank him for righteousness, peace, and joy in his holy spirit, the free gift of righteousness. I feel like there’s about to be a blast of supernatural risk. The currency of faith of heaven touching earth. Taking risk, going for it, its messy sometimes, terrifying, ABIDE IN HIS GRACE, ONE WITH CHRIST.  When I realize I’m united with Christ, that puts me on a foundation, to look at all the thoughts that come across my screen and to sift those things that are not him, and drink the things that are him. When condemnation comes across my screen, keep going, when accusation comes across my screen, nope that’s not it, keep going, and I just worship. Just stay seated with Christ in heavenly places.

Jesus thank you that we are united with Christ, one with you, we worship you God. Come holy spirit, fill us up. For the rest of this meeting I want us to come with authority.  John 1:12 says as many as who have received him he has given the right to be called sons of God, a badge to cop, its the authority to come as sons and daughters, with risk and faith, we are going to pull down heaven, peace, salvation. We have the authority of heaven as ambassadors in Christ to declare things that are not as though they were and see heaven come!”

–Tom Crandall, Bethel Church Sunday Night Prayer Meeting, June 13, 2021

WATCH HERE