Love Is Our Greatest Weapon

On January 29, 2015December 10, 2016 By happyreignIn Joel, Reflections & Musings2 Comments

“If we have no peace, it is because we have forgotten that we belong to each other.” – Mother Teresa

In the picture above with my beautiful wife is this amazing little girl. This precious treasure and her family are Syrian Refugees who fled to Jordan escaping the war. At such a young age she has seen family relatives murdered right before her eyes. It has been almost two years since they left the war torn country of Syria but she still has nightmares almost every night. She cuts herself and has tried to take her own life more times than her parents can count. My wife and I accompanied by some people who minister to the Syrian Refugee Community were asked to visit her and her family. As we walked towards their home a strong smell of smoke chocked us as we got closer to their door. Her parents tell us that she had just set something on fire. The small room where we sat was still filled with smoke. Everyone was coughing. It was almost unbearable. We came with bags of groceries, a guitar and with hearts over flooding with Love. One person on the team wanted to sing a song for her and she did. This beautiful girl sat right in front of her with her eyes beaming like flying saucers. My wife proceeded to hug her and play with her. I snapped this picture of what we were told was a rare sight. She was laughing! My heart was overwhelmed by God’s love for her and her family. This is just one story of millions who have been suffering from war. Have we forgotten that we belong to each other??? The mentality of “Us” vs. “Them” does not come from the Kingdom of Heaven. Whether we realize it or not we are ALL one! We all come from the same place. We are all His! I have found that the greatest opposition to hate is Love. Love is our greatest weapon. I encourage all who read this to love recklessly and extravagantly!

Frolicking with God in the Middle East

On January 24, 2015December 10, 2016 By happyreignIn Heather, Social Justice

Joel and I have written ‘off the grid’ about our adventures in the Middle East for three months followed by spending the holidays in Puerto Rico and now we’re writing again to announce “We’re heading back!”

GOING BACK That’s right, in the midst of our goodbyes with a plan to return in our hearts, the Lord orchestrated an open door for us. While spending our last day in the old city of Jerusalem on Thanksgiving, God had a date prepared for us with one of the most prevalent Christian influences in Iraq. Unplanned, we spent our morning with a man known as the Vicar of Baghdad or Canon Andrew White. After exchanging hearts, he extended an invitation to join him in his efforts towards peace and reconciliation in the Middle East. In tandem with this effort is relief towards the poor, the displaced, and the suffering. Andrew started an organization called Foundation for Relief and Reconciliation in the Middle East that focuses on providing food and medical care, while also meeting with leaders on all side of the divides that are alive in the Middle East, aimed at restoring the essence humanity in their midst; the compassion that enables peace.

Joel and I are possibly going to be involved in Israel, Jordan, and Kurdistan region in Iraq but we will see what God has planned for us as the time nears and as we arrive back on the ground there. All we know is that God is inviting us in the overflow of his heart towards a very hurt and defensive region that he loves so much. His glory and his image covers the land, and everyone is invited to participate in the heaven that Christ embodies toward all of humanity. God is not waiting for human dispute to end before continuing in his celebration of who he is and what he’s done; we get to participate in his rejoicing. God is not worried, intimidated, or uncertain of the path towards peace. His love is mature and patient without end towards a people who are hurting and have experienced much pain. Freedom is free and available to all. Hopefully we will get to be a part of highlighting the way to that peace.

OUR PLANS NOW Joel and I have another three months in America before our return. We will be traveling across the country in our sporty Montero with stops in Ohio, Paducah, Cairo, Missouri, and more, on our way to northern California for two months. We have a return trip scheduled towards May through Oregon, Minnesota, and back to South Carolina. We look forward to seeing friends and family, meeting new faces, and seeing some of God’s beautiful creation along the way.

OPPORTUNITIES We’re inviting you to come with and join us along the way! So many people have been so encouraging, supportive, and have believed in us! Our hearts are forever entwined with yours as you’ve sowed into our adventures with God, and this glorious journey continues! I’ve attached some more information to our happy giving page of how you can sow into God’s plans for our lives in this season if you like. One way we always need is prayer! Thank you so much for responding to the spirits leading in basking our journey in prayer. We couldn’t do this without the Christ in you and we love having your blessing and strength along for the ride. Prayer matters and changes reality, isn’t our partnership with God awesome!?

Here’s another opportunity we’re going to post on our announcement: Do you want to come join us for a week? A mutual friend of ours John Crowder is hosting a trip to come and help the Syrian refugees and minister to the church and the lost in that place. Never worry about finances. Ever. Only say yes to the desires God births within your heart and he will make a way. I only say this because when its him doing it, its worked for me every time he’s sent me. We’d love to have you. We’re going to be ministering in a town that Joel and I have visited and we’re super excited to partner with the church there as well. It will be the adventure of a life time to be a part of what God is doing on the ground in the Middle East. The deadline to sign up is March 1st. Here’s the link… see you there.

With love and blessings always from us to you, thank you!

Brave Dreaming…Brave Living

On March 12, 2014March 13, 2014 By happyreignIn Heather, Joel1 Comment

Joel: We have the privilege of dreaming together with God. Now Religion has told us that we must sacrifice our dreams, to offer them up on the altar, die to them in order to “please” God. When in reality He was the one who placed those dreams inside of us in the first place. This lie of giving up your dreams has left many depressed and not really living their lives to the fullest but merely surviving. We encourage you to dare to dream those dreams again. I see many leaving jobs that they have been working in for many years because they thought they had to and opening up their own businesses and or going to school again to go after those things they have longed for. I see a people who will no longer dread getting up in the morning to go to their boring job but jumping out of bed with joy and a great expectation of what that day will look like.

Heather: After working as a missionary giving “my all” to God, my career choice took an unexpected turn of events. While living in the midst of illiteracy, a culture of addiction, lack of adequately involved parenting, and general violence, while doing a lot of “good work” Papa said, “Quit belittling the gift I’ve given you.” In my hierarchy of perceived self-sacrifice I was “laying down everything” to do what I perceived to be God’s will. Until he had a conversation with me. I was invited by an individual to start painting. It seemed like the world was ending in the midst of my decision on this one point. I was picturing with God and I saw him through the eyes of a scared little daughter. I was tightly holding a box of 64 crayons (well used and appreciated in my childhood–mine even had the sharpener built into the back) and Daddy reached out his hand to following his leading. He was opening a door for me into the front of a building and was leading my hand to follow him and come inside. I said yes.

I’m not sure if I would have had the faith to step out into starting my own business trusting God’s leading if I hadn’t already done that on the mission field for eight years without having “produced” anything. But God made it undeniably clear that he desired my creativity and that somehow was important to him, well beyond my understanding. I was even slightly offended by my lack of understanding on how this was at all practical or effective in any regards to the kingdom of God but I decided he knew what he was doing.

To this day, two and half years later, I paint. I still don’t understand it, I still have never received training (I don’t have any concept of doing things wrong or right), I still don’t know why what I do is special, and I still often wonder how I should be doing things differently but in the meantime, I paint. I don’t paint led by money, I paint led by inspiration; sometimes those to combine nicely, other times, I am left to wonder and trust at the fruit. I find I am often challenged by the Holy Spirit–every project actually–always has something new I’ve never done before involved in it. To be honest, that’s what keeps thing challenging and intriguing and inside when I’m going to approach a project. I have to figure out the execution and that’s the part I enjoy of creation, the newness that I’ve never experienced before. I guess it’s kind of like singing a new song to the Lord. That’s a little of my story as an artist, a child, and a wonderer.