Hi! I’m forty years old and wrote a book to celebrate! It’s a collection of lessons of faith from my first forty years of life all in one place. It’s filled travel, adventure, risk, and FAITH!
One random winner will win a free copy each Friday this month. To enter to win, go to my facebook and share or my instagram and comment! You can send the prize to yourself or a friend!
Or if you want to buy it now for the price of two coffees, click this link!
May it be an encouragement to your faith!
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yourself as elderly, your impact in God’s kingdom on this earth is not over with and God wants you to know he has not withdrawn his eye from you.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.
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.
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!
happyreign 