Maddie Rey
12 min read ⭑
“I consider the Holy Spirit to be my closest friend. I can’t imagine doing anything without including him. Anytime I sit down to write a song, I want his creativity. Anytime I am preparing for a sermon, I want his insight. Anytime I am writing a book, I want his revelation. Anything I invite him into just gets better.”
QUESTION #1: ACQUAINT
There's much more to food than palate and preference. How does a go-to meal at your favorite hometown restaurant reveal the true you behind the web bio?
With my mom being from Hatch, New Mexico, she has brought so much Hispanic culture and Southwestern design to our home in Illinois and our food, too. So I'd have to say my favorite meal comes right out of the kitchen of our home—Hatch Green Chile Enchiladas!
This is a special treat in our house when my mom makes it. The green chile is shipped right out of my mom's hometown to our doorstep, and trust me, you can taste the difference. It's the real deal! It has become more of a “special occasion” meal in my family, and when a celebration calls for it, we are all excited to partake!
Now, I'm not the only one in my family who would dub these enchiladas a favorite. My brother and my dad also look forward to the times my mom blesses us with this trophy of a meal. When we all sit down and my mom serves it up, it's usually quiet for the first few minutes. We are all just digging into its goodness! After those quiet minutes, we all count to three to say, "Thank you, Mom!" Our time at the table together then shifts to laughs, stories, and life lessons from my dad to my brother and me.
These are the moments we cherish in our family. Our entire family works together in the ministry, and we give so much of our attention to it—as we should! While working side by side, we need to have moments when we stop everything, and we bring our family together for love and fellowship. Thank God for Mom's enchiladas, which help us run to the table to spend that time together!
Edwin Andrade; Unsplash
QUESTION #2: REVEAL
We’ve all got quirky proclivities and out-of-the-way interests. So what are yours? What so-called "nonspiritual" activities do you love and help you find spiritual renewal?
Most people who know me would say I’m very passionate about what I do for the Lord and at times intense in my boldness to share the gospel. So it may come as no surprise when I say that boxing and kickboxing are what get me pumped up and my heart beating fast. To me, boxing is more than just a hobby I enjoy doing. I connect with it on a spiritual level. In some ways, it represents what life looks like in the Spirit for me as I fight for a generation! With every punch, I envision the plight of what this young generation is facing, and I am knocking out those demons one punch at a time. Yes, for real! I love staying active, and I love the adrenaline rush of this sport.
If I'm looking for a rest day to recover and rejuvenate, then I want to shop and go to the spa with Mom. We love spending time together, especially after being out on the road and traveling so much. We enjoy coming back home, going to grab a coffee, looking for some shops, and ending the day with a massage. What makes it so fun is all the talking and laughing we do. We love to make each other laugh, and it's always a joy to hang out together. It's our thing, and I love it! My mom is my best friend, so if I ever want to go out and hang, it's always going to be with her.
QUESTION #3: CONFESS
Every superhero has a weakness. Every human, too. We're just good at faking it. But who are we kidding? We’re broken and in this thing together. So what’s your kryptonite and how do you hide it?
As a Christian recording artist and evangelist, you wouldn't think that I struggle with social anxiety, especially since I talk to people regularly and win people to the Lord! But I think a lot of that anxiety stemmed from growing up as a pastor's kid and dealing with the insecurity of people's perception of me.
Most pastors’ kids can relate to feeling like they have to act and behave a certain way and having people view them a certain way. But because we’re still human, it can be hard to meet those expectations, and when we miss the mark, people's perceptions of us can change. Thankfully, I did not rebel like some pastors’ kids are known to do. Instead, I chose to surrender my life to the Lord and ask him for his help to live the best life I could.
Now, that didn’t make the insecurity of how people perceive me disappear. My father helped me overcome that. My dad has always spoken into my life, giving me identity, showing me who God created me to be, and giving me the confidence to live it out for God and not for the feelings and perceptions of others.
Understanding who God created me to be and growing in my confidence have helped me to overcome social anxiety in many situations. Those two lessons have caused me to shift my focus from how others view me to how I can view others through God's eyes. By doing this, I’ve seen God move in many lives, especially when I set my weaknesses aside and allow him to be strong in my life.
QUESTION #4: FIRE UP
Tell us about your toil. How are you investing your professional time right now? What’s your obsession? And why should it be ours?
I am very passionate about this young generation coming to know the life they were created to live. There is a life that God intends for us to live out. A life full of identity, purpose, and confidence. When I create music, I try to write songs that empower a generation to live confidently in Christ.
When I travel as an evangelist, I preach messages that stir our generation to live completely dedicated to the Lord. When I write books as an author, I do it not only to show young people the life that they can and should live but also to show them how to live it.
In my newest release—the expanded edition of my first book, The Dwell Book—I talk about how God desires for us to dwell in his house, in his presence, and in his will. As the younger generation continues to leave the church, I believe this message is so important for young people to hear and read. In this book, I share my life and my testimony of how I grew up in the church, chose to resist temptations, and have continued living my life for the Lord.
I believe God wants to use my testimony to be an example of how it is possible to choose not to go out into the world and live according to the culture. It is possible to remain in the place God intends for you to be and serve him all the days of your life. My passion is that young people would come to know this truth through the books that I write, the sermons I preach, and the music I sing.
QUESTION #5: BOOST
Cashiers, CEOs, contractors, or customer service reps, we all need grace flowing into us and back out into the world. How does the Holy Spirit invigorate your work? And how do you know it's God when it happens?
I remember a time in my life when I began to hit a wall because I was not including the Holy Spirit in areas that I should have. I have a deep desire to please God with everything that I do. When I feel like I am not giving God my best, it can feel like everything is crumbling. In that season of hitting that wall, the Lord took me to his Word and showed me 2 Peter 1:3 in the Message version, which says, "Everything that goes into a life of pleasing God has been miraculously given to us by getting to know, personally and intimately, the one who invited us to God.” That’s the Holy Spirit!
I can honestly say that reading this verse changed my life. I went from trying to do everything for God to doing everything with God. I came to know this powerful truth that the only way to please God was by way of my intimate and personal relationship with the Holy Spirit.
Now, I consider the Holy Spirit to be my closest friend. I can't imagine doing anything without including him. Anytime I sit down to write a song, I want his creativity. Anytime I am preparing for a sermon, I want his insight. Anytime I am writing a book, I want his revelation. Anything I invite him into just gets better. Working with him positions me to create in a way that pleases God and brings change and transformation to others. We must include the Holy Spirit in everything because his Word says that he delights in every detail of our lives.
QUESTION #6: inspire
Scripture and tradition beckon us into the rich and varied actions that open our hearts to the presence of God. So spill it, which spiritual practice is workin' best for you right now?
One of my favorite spiritual practices is creating prayer confessions during my times with God. When I need God’s help or want to change in a certain area of my life, I Google the topic and look for all related Scriptures. Then, I pull my favorite ones and put them all in a note. I use that list to pray those Scriptures every morning. I believe confessing God's Word over your life is the greatest way to see change. By praying those Scriptures, I have seen God's Word alive and active in my life, producing his fruit that comes from his Word.
Another practice I enjoy and that I often share with others is taking time to open a notebook, grab a pen, and ask God to speak to me. Far too often, we go looking for people to give us a word from God when God is always with us, desiring to give us a word directly. So I take moments with my pen and paper and ask God to speak to me. I usually wait to hear a recurring phrase or word that resonates with something I have read in the Bible and then write it down. As soon as the pen hits the paper, God starts talking in a way that seems to have no end. When I get to the point that my hand starts cramping and I can't write anymore, I look up and I see pages upon pages of God's words to me. I know it's God because it's filled with his love, his truth, and his thoughts toward me.
I always encourage anyone to try this practice because I believe with my whole heart that it works. The right question isn't “Is God speaking?” God is always speaking. The right question is “Are we willing to sit down with a pen and paper and listen to him speak?”
QUESTION #7: FOCUS
Our email subscribers get free ebooks featuring our favorite resources—lots of things that have truly impacted our faith lives. But you know about some really great stuff, too. What are three resources that have impacted you?
I love sharing resources that help people grow in their relationships with Christ. One of the most impactful books I’ve ever read was The Holy Spirit: An Introduction by John Bevere. This was the book that opened my eyes to what my relationship with the Holy Spirit should look like, which changed my life. Many times, the church neglects the third person of the Trinity. We don't always talk about the Holy Spirit as a person. We talk about how he moves in our services or how he makes us feel, but we don't talk about the intimate relationship we can have with him. I received so much revelation and understanding from John Bevere's book, and it equipped me for the life I have today.
John Bevere is such a great teacher of the Word of God. He and his wife, Lisa, have produced many resources through their ministry Messenger International. Their entire family and the way they teach the Word inspire me.
I would also recommend John Bevere's most recent book, X: Multiply Your God-Given Potential, which is all about moving from spectatorship to active participation in God’s kingdom.
Lastly, I would recommend his son Addison Bevere's book, Saints: Becoming More Than “Christians,” which is all about restoring us, as God's people, to being the saints we were called to be. There are so many more of the Beveres’ resources that I could recommend, so I would highly encourage anyone reading this to visit Messenger International’s website to learn more.
We all have things we cling to to survive (or thrive) in tough times. Name one resource you’ve found indispensable in this current season—and tell us what it's done for you.
In this season of my life and my ministry, I have been so hungry for God's Word. As a minister of the gospel, I understand the importance of being a student of the Word, knowing it, and gaining revelation from it to minister to others. I love going deep and getting a contextual understanding of the Bible. So I love listening to men or women of God break down God's Word and give great insight.
One of those men of God I enjoy listening to is Rick Renner, a great Bible teacher, theologian, and teacher of the Word. Rick Renner teaches the Word with great depth and insight with contextual understanding. I first
came across Rick Renner while I attended a School of Ministry Bible College and have continued to receive from his ministry ever since. His teachings can be found through his podcast and YouTube channel.
In continuing to go deep in God's Word and gain a contextual understanding of it, I have also come across a woman of God who’s helpful in that regard. I enjoy listening to the teachings of Dr. Cindy Trimm and her perspective in approaching God's Word. As an intellectual woman of God, Dr. Trimm has helped me grow in my spiritual maturity, leadership, faith, and biblical understanding. Her teachings can be found on her 4 Points Podcast, YouTube channel, and the Cindy Trimm Ministries app, where she teaches through empowering series
QUESTION #8: dream
God is continually stirring new things in each of us. So give us the scoop! What’s beginning to stir in you but not yet fully awakened? What can we expect from you in the future?
Over the past year, I’ve been grateful to see God awaken a gift in me that I didn't know was there—the gift to write books. This past year, I released four books (one of which is a children's book) that you can find on Amazon or my online store, thedwellshop.com. My most recent release is the expanded edition of The Dwell Book. I am excited that God has awakened this gift, and I’m looking forward to writing and releasing many more books in 2022, not only to this young generation but also to the body of Christ in general.
The Lord has been stirring in my heart to share more on the Holy Spirit, the fear of the Lord, and understanding the culture we are living in today. I want to use my voice and platform more to call a generation to complete separation, consecration, and dedication unto the Lord.
I also look forward to releasing the music I’m currently writing, which includes Christian contemporary and pop styles as well as a bit more of a hip-hop flare. I believe music can be a key to unlocking the door of a young person’s heart to share the gospel of Jesus Christ.
Lastly, I’m excited about ongoing opportunities to speak in front of God's people and preach the Word of God to them at churches, conferences, and Christian events. I have such a fire and passion within me to see revival come to our nation, a revival in which our hearts are turned to the Lord again. I’m expecting God to use me to reach this generation, and I believe God is also raising up many others to establish his kingdom and carry out his will here on earth.
What do our personal times of prayer look like? For many of us, prayer can seem like a one-way conversation. We may spend the entire time thanking God and asking for things we believe to be his will, but do we also take the time to listen?
God promises his people in Jeremiah 33:3, “Call to me and I will answer you, and will tell you great and hidden things that you have not known” (ESV).
And in Isaiah 30:21, he says, “Your own ears will hear him. Right behind you a voice will say, ‘This is the way you should go,’ whether to the right or to the left” (NLT).
God assures us that, when we speak to him, he responds. When we ask, he answers. The question is, are we listening?
Maddie Rey is a Christian recording artist, evangelist, and author with a heart to reach and empower young people to live the life God created them to live. At a young age, she was able to launch Maddie Rey Ministries, where she offers her music, books, videos, merchandise, and teaching for young people. All of her resources are available online through her social media, YouTube channel, and online store. Her parents are Pastor Luis R. Reyes and Tricia Reyes, founders of Church of Joy and Reach a Generation in Waukegan, Illinois. Maddie also has a little brother, Matthew.
