No matter what battle you’re facing, God has equipped you to stand, fight, and overcome through His Spirit, His Word, and His power. This message reminds us that our victory is already secure in Christ.
In this powerful message, we were reminded that God is always ready to restore, forgive, and draw us back into intimate relationship with Him. He’s not calling us to perfection—but to wholehearted return.
Pastors Hector and Miriama didn’t set out to lead a church—but God had a plan. From a spiritual awakening in a Samoan church to shepherding The Gathering in Puerto Rico, their story is one of faith, surrender, and the unexpected journey into pastoral ministry.
At our recent Ladies of Faith gathering, we explored how His strength meets us in our struggles, inviting us to trade anxiety for peace and rise in our true identity through Scripture, testimony, and shared prayer.
This Father’s Day, we reflected on God’s design for family—where Christ leads, love grows, and healing begins. Whether husband, wife, or child, we’re all called to honor Him in our roles and reflect His heart at home.
“The Lord is my light and my salvation—whom shall I fear?” Psalm 27 reminds us that faith isn’t the absence of fear—it’s the decision to trust God in the middle of it. This devotional reflects on how to speak God’s promises into our present struggles with confidence and peace.
From caring for a sick family member to becoming the youth leader at The Gathering, Jessica’s journey is one of deep faith, cultural connection, and God’s surprising redirection. What began as a temporary move to Puerto Rico became a divine calling to build community, serve, and lead the next generation.
When Barbara first walked into The Gathering, she wasn’t sure it was for her. Quiet by nature, raised in a culturally Catholic but spiritually uncertain home, Barbara wasn’t used to the loud, loving, hug-everyone atmosphere of this small English-speaking church in Puerto Rico. “We’re not huggers in my family,” she said with a smile. “At first, it was really overwhelming.” But something kept drawing her back. Born in New York and raised in Florida from age 11, Barbara moved to Puerto Rico at 21 when her mom remarried. Her family’s faith was shaped more by superstition than Scripture—deeply tied to Santería, a spiritual system that worships saints and emphasizes rituals for protection and provision. Over time, Barbara began to feel that these practices offered more illusion than hope. Then came a turning point. She started attending church casually with family, but something stirred in her—a curiosity, a hunger. She bought her first Bible and began reading from the Old Testament. “It was scary,” she laughed, “especially when I got to Leviticus.” But right around that time, she attended a revival service. “They gave an altar call and said, ‘If you want to give Jesus a chance, come up.’ I raised my hand. I didn’t know that everyone else had already done that before—I thought, why isn’t everyone running forward?” What followed was unexpected and powerful. She was baptized in the Holy Spirit that night, went home speaking in tongues, and never looked back. “It felt like a dream. But it was real.” Barbara’s role at The Gathering has grown in ways she never anticipated. Today, she wears many hats: Despite all this, Barbara often downplays her contributions. Jessica, her close friend and constant cheerleader, sees it differently. “Barbara has a huge heart,” she said. “She’s the glue in her home, and now she’s becoming the same in our church.” For Barbara, The Gathering has become a place of transformation. “I asked God for a church family, and I found it here,” she said. “It’s like having a second family, especially with most of my relatives still in Florida.” Her favorite worship song? “Tú Eres Mi Respirar” (You Are the Air I Breathe). One of the first Christian songs she connected with, it opened her heart to a new kind of worship—and a new life. To anyone thinking about visiting The Gathering, Barbara has simple advice: “Keep going. At first it might feel overwhelming. But if you let yourself stay, one day you’ll realize you don’t want to leave.”
In a heartfelt Mother’s Day message, women were encouraged to lay down the emotional “hats” of worry, stress, and fear—and trade them for peace, purpose, and God’s promises. Through personal testimony, Scripture, and a hands-on activity, the message offered hope and healing for every season of a woman’s life.
Pastor Hector reminds us that the Bible is more than a Sunday accessory—it’s our daily instruction manual. Real blessing comes not just from reading God’s Word, but from living it with faith, obedience, and urgency.