Jackie's Journey: Sloth!

I saw my first sloth while traveling down the potholed Panamanian Highway!   It was pitiful…my heart ached to pick it up and lift it into the tree it was approaching.  Toiling with every move, I wanted to hurry its journey along, be a good servant and speed him on his way.  He sluggishly lifted his head and peered up at me…I imagined he was beckoning my help.  However, his long claws and musty smell made him unapproachable.  His matted greasy blanket of a greenish colored coat made me hyperventilate in the heat and humidity where we stood.  His slow motion gave new definition to idleness! He seemed so needy.  I just wanted to fix it all!

Have you ever been there?

What do you think of when you look at this mammal? 

I envisioned something creeping up on this sleeping animal and his not being able to defend himself.  The sloth, I understand, sleeps 15 hours day and night!  This motionless mammal is so still that the moths move into his thick hair!  He hangs upside down 90% of his life cycle and eating is his primary occupation. When food becomes scarce, he goes hungry…a sloth will die of starvation if food is not always within grasp!!  

“Slothfulness brings deep sleep; and an idle soul

will suffer hunger” Proverbs 19: 15.

 I love to study the world of nature for insights and analogies.  As I watched the mild mannered sloth struggle to move, I realized there is a lesson to be learned.

In extraordinary times God looks for extraordinary men and women that He can count on.  This remnant does not need great intellect, talent, or resources.  But they do need to be obedient channels through which God can show himself strong. II Cor. 12: 9-10

For most of us the enemy of disobedience is the willful rebellion of crippling slothfulness.  It is crippling because its subtle characteristics are usually unrecognized until the pattern of laziness is set!

Would you consider yourself a lazy person?

As moms, we don’t like to think of ourselves as being lazy! Our lives are busy from sun-up to sundown….

Listen to the 6 symptoms of a slothful mom:

• She hears God’s Word and walks away with no change
• She does not seek the Lord with her whole heart (guilty of little surrenders)
• She does not diligently examine her life for growth and transformation
• She does not consistently engraft the Word into her mind, will and emotions
• She does not earnestly share the truth with others
• She forgets where she came from and is self-deceived Jas. 1:22-24.

Life is a race against time.  We are called to be “doers of the Word”.  We will win the race if we realize the following truths about respecting time:

• It is limited! (Make the most of what is left!)

 Do you procrastinate, live for the moment and let the future take its course?

• Death is certain!   What will your legacy be?

Are you a person of example or excuses?  Are you spiritually prepared?

“It is appointed unto man once to die and after that the judgment…” Heb.9:27

• Christ’s return is even more certain
  • Are you counting the days, aware of His return?
• God determines our days and time is short!
  • Are you busy with the task on God’s heart?  Are your children prepared?

“The length of our days is seventy years or eighty, if we have the strength; yet their span is but trouble and sorrow, for they quickly pass and we fly away”  Psalm 90:10

We are moms with a destiny!  How productive are we? 

Days must be counted. (1 week has 168 hours!)

How much time do we spend eating, sleeping playing, on social media?

              How much is left for productive work? Meditation, Reading the Word, Prayer…? 

“So teach us to number our days, that we may apply our hearts unto wisdom. Psalm 90:12

• Our time requires accountability.  (1 week has 168 hours!)
  • Do you rationalize your need to be held accountable?
• Time is given with purpose for God’s Work.

Are you busy with the task on God’s heart? Or are you preoccupied with your own busy life?

“…The night cometh, when no man can work.” John 9: 4 

We cannot recover lost time!

Are you winning the race?

~Jackie Johnson - I am a former tribal missionary to the Kuna Indians on the Colombian border in Central America.  Fluent in several languages, my husband and I currently pastor a Spanish-speaking church in Southern California.  My passion is discipling and equipping dedicated young women for life, marriage, motherhood, and beyond. I am the mother of two daughters and the grandmother of three Princesses and four young Knights. 

Jackie's Journey: A Royal Easter Story!

The Princess Parable Book Series is designed to inspire noble thoughts and actions.  We have been blessed in so many ways by those of you who buy them, read them and use them as a teaching tool to minister to the spirit of your little girls.  We have a Princess Parable Prayer Book for Toddlers and a Devotional Book coming soon.  Our A Royal Christmas to Remember is due out this fall, just in time for Christmas. We have recently been asked by our Publishing House to submit a proposal to bring you another series of books for the little princesses who started with us six years ago and are now ready for Chapter books.  We humbly seek God’s Word for inspiration and His heart for leading.

Will you pray with us?

The first of our two seasonal princess books arrived the 26th of January, 2016!  We are excited it made its arrival in time for Easter.   It is not too late to get one!  A Royal Easter Story is taken from Luke 11.  We are introducing our five young knights in this book for those of you who have patiently waited for them to arrive.

A Royal Easter Story reveals the truth of a caring and selfless good Father who not only gives us good gifts, but also answers us when we seek Him. The princesses’ life-lesson is that a TRUE princess must learn to lose her life serving “Others first”— no “Me first” attitudes.  While in carriages racing the young knights to the annual Easter celebration, the girls come upon a lost little girl who desperately needs their help. They terminate their contest with the boys to give their attention to the more important needs of little forlorn Alina. Her name means “light” and she opens the eyes of the princesses to see the real race in life.

Easter is the celebration of our heavenly Father and King, who is “The Light”. He is noble and always focuses on others and what is eternal and matters most … US!  He never sacrifices the permanent on the altar of the immediate!  Our Father’s devotion caused Him to wage war against principalities on our behalf. He gave the ultimate sacrifice (His life for ours on the cross!).  Not only did He die for us, but He is alive and is available to all who ASK, SEEK, and KNOCK!                               

“So I say to you: Ask and it will be given to you; seek and you will find; knock and the door will be opened to you. For everyone who asks receives; the one who seeks finds; and to the one who knocks, the door will be opened.

Which of you fathers, if your son asks for a fish, will give him a snake instead? Or if he asks for an egg, will give him a scorpion? If you then, though you are evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your Father in heaven give the Holy Spirit to those who ask him!” Lu. 11:9-13

 Please visit Amazon  or Barnes and Noble to find our “hot off the press” A Royal Easter Story.   Also available are the Princess companion pieces (Princess Dolls, Princess Sticker and Activity Books, Princess “I Can Read” for the emergent readers, A Treasury of three Princesses or a Collection of all Five Princesses and much more…).

We are so grateful to each of you and the encouragement you give us as we continue to step into the print HE leaves behind…

Won’t you give thanks with us?

~Jackie Johnson - I am a former tribal missionary to the Kuna Indians on the Colombian border in Central America.  Fluent in several languages, my husband and I currently pastor a Spanish-speaking church in Southern California.  My passion is discipling and equipping dedicated young women for life, marriage, motherhood, and beyond. I am the mother of two daughters and the grandmother of three Princesses and four young Knights. 

Jackie's Journey: Thorns and Thistles!

“By His wounds we are healed”.  Isa. 53

The cross is the center of our commemorating the death, burial and resurrection of Jesus Christ.  His selfless and sinless sacrifice in our place is our reason to celebrate and praise His Name.  We call the holiday Easter and for a moment in time we stop and rehearse His ultimate sacrifice…His life for ours on that thorny and thistled  “old rugged cross”.  Not only did He die for us but also on the third day He rose from the dead and gave us the promise of a resurrected life after death! 

This deliberate and divine act of love was to give our lives promise, plan and purpose.  We are destined and programmed to serve others first, not ourselves.   In our new release to the Princess Parable Series, A Royal Easter Story, we introduced five young knights who present a challenge that draws our young princesses into a chariot race which ultimately reveals the truth of what the cross teaches. 

Do you live a life selflessly and sacrificially serving others?

 We cannot be consumed with a life that seeks its own and find life abundantly.  It is an impossibility.  Local churches open their doors on Good Friday to give us the opportunity to take a personal account of our commitment to our first love and renew our loyalty to live as Jesus challenges us to live…Holy!  We are reminded to live serving others, as He did, with eternal values and purpose in view.

As moms, we are dedicated to teaching the character of Christ into our little princes and princesses.  We focus on drawing their attention to the importance of serving, helping and caring for others.  That is why we find ourselves saying, “Can you comfort your little brother” or “Will you help mommy?”  Teaching by example, without excuse, is the most powerful tool in our toolbox!  We are “known and read” by these little eyes and ears.  They know if the cross is real in us, or not.  We don’t fool them, but we do confuse them when our life message does not speak the reality of Christ in us!

Are your little ones confused? 

“Then said Jesus to his disciples, IF any man will come after me,

 let him deny himself, and take up his cross, and follow me.”

Matt. 16: 24

The cross holds the hope of humanity.  Denying self-life (our pride and selfishness in all its ugly forms)…and taking up His cross (His desires and His perfect Will for us)…  authenticates His life in us.  Living life consistently with no unconfessed sin and nothing between another person and myself enables me to follow Him.  “His crucifixion is the key; His resurrection the door…it is only by His death that we have the mandate to enter into the gates of eternal life.  His door is open always.  Christ is King.”  Isrealmore Ayivor

 “I am crucified with Christ: nevertheless I live;

yet not I, but Christ lives in me:

and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by the faith of the Son of God,

who loved me, and gave himself for me.”

Gal.  2: 20

“There are no crown-bearers in heaven who were not cross-bearers here below.”

Charles H. Spurgeon

~Jackie Johnson - I am a former tribal missionary to the Kuna Indians on the Colombian border in Central America.  Fluent in several languages, my husband and I currently pastor a Spanish-speaking church in Southern California.  My passion is discipling and equipping dedicated young women for life, marriage, motherhood, and beyond. I am the mother of two daughters and the grandmother of three Princesses and four young Knights. 

Egging

This morning while the grass was still wet and the drops still hung on the roses from the California spring rain, my daughter and I set off to EGG her best friend's house.

EGGING???

When I was in high school, EGGING was a popular tradition, not one I remember enjoying. Egg guts can take the paint off any new car.

No, this was a different sort of EGGING, in the spirit of Easter and Christ, who died for our sins.

 “Mom, how many eggs should I fill with candy?”

 “Can we put a dollar in each of them for fun?”

 “They are going to be so surprised!!”

Being a mom means we find fun traditions to tie the heartstrings of our kids to us and ultimately to Jesus. Creating a life-giving home oftentimes means engaging my family in the world and the neighborhood we live in. Teaching our children to serve others and share the gospel begins in small ways. This Easter we are starting a new tradition – “egging” our neighbors and friends.

We filled 12 colorful plastic eggs and copied off the sign for their door. We headed off to their house without them knowing. We filled some eggs with candy because God is “sweet” on them. He just loves them so much. We put a dollar in a couple because it cost Jesus everything to die for us. And we left one empty because HE HAS RISEN! While everyone was inside, we taped the EGGED sign to the door and quickly hid the eggs around their yard. When we were finished, we knocked on the door for them to come out. The kids had so much fun finding the hidden Easter eggs.

Sharing Christ’s love this Easter can be as easy as EGGING a neighbor’s house. You can share them with friends by secretly doing it and leaving or sticking around to say ‘hi’. Either way, the blessing is just sharing this Easter tradition and sharing Christ’s love for others.

Of course, we had to leave our new book, A Royal Easter Story, hidden in the bushes for them to enjoy. Your princesses or knights will love the newest book in the Princess Parable series.

How will you be sharing the Joy of Easter this year?

Be sure to check out the giveaway we're doing for a custom princess parables dress! Head on over to the Princess Parables FB page to find out the details!

Photos Courtesy of CYD Weeks Photography

~Jeanna Young

When Jeanna is not writing, speaking, event planning, or homeschooling, she can be found scrapbooking her life, redecorating her home, loving on her husband, planning fun events for her kids or eating healthy to stay cancer-free!

Jackie's Journey: Bunnies, Baskets, and New Beginnings!

Ah…Spring!  Don’t you just love it?  Martin Luther wrote, “Our Lord has written the promise of the resurrection, not in books alone, but in every leaf in springtime.”

In Panama we had only two seasons…Dry Season and Rainy Season.   I used to miss spring in the jungles.  With the introduction of spring comes Easter, refreshing the garden and the promise of new life everywhere! 

 As Moms, we try to make every holiday one that will commemorate the occasion and create a family tradition.  We decorate and plan special family gatherings with a menu that is reminiscent of the day being celebrated… Christmas Dinner, Fourth of July B-B-Q’s, and Easter Brunch with Easter baskets filled with colored eggs!  Our homes become “show pieces” for enhancing the lesson of the season. Easter affords us one of the most amazing opportunities to rehearse again the enormous sacrifice of our Savior and His Resurrection that is our living hope after death!

 Easter reminds us of the Life the invisible Creator has given us. Rom. 1: 20   The barren ground exploding with magnificent splendor, as far as the eye can see.  The magic of new life bursting from the earth bringing forth flowers of every imaginable color and size…tulips, lilies, lilacs, daffodils… Tiny bunnies, fluffy chicks popping out of eggs, foals, fuzzy lambs and every other living being confirm the wonder of revival of life after a long winter. 

Revival can also be personal and immediate.  It is the power of the Holy Spirit transforming God’s Word into our soul.   There has never been a need, as great as today for revived lives, revived families, fellowships, communities and nations. The desperate need is there but the realization of our personal need is not!  And revival starts with us!   

“For revival is not a green valley getting greener, but a valley full of dry bones being made to live again and stand up an exceeding great army. (Ezekiel 37)  It is not good Christians becoming better Christians—as God sees us there are not any good Christians—but rather Christians honestly confessing that their Christian life is a valley of dry bones, thus qualifying them for the grace that makes all things new”! (Roy Hession)  For the Christian, death is a promotion!  New Life springs from our continual choosing to die to our pride and selfishness.

 “Therefore, I urge you, brothers, in view of God’s mercy,

to offer your bodies as living sacrifices, holy and pleasing to God,

which is your reasonable service.” Rom. 12:1

Some give Him a place; some give Him prominence; but what Christ wants in our lives is pre-eminence.  The fruit of His being pre-eminent in our life is a spiritual renewal that restrains the anger of God, restores our God-consciousness and reveals His continual activity in us.

For those who have humbled themselves under the mighty hand of God at that place where sin is washed away, it has meant revival of their Christian lives in the truest and simplest sense of the word.

As we look forward to celebrating our Savior in the coming days, let’s use this time to revisit our need for personal and continual revival.  His death and resurrection came with plan and purpose.  It was to give us life from death.  New life does not begin with someone else.  It begins in each of us!

Let’s exchange dry bones for New Life!

 “If you are risen with Christ, seek those things which are above, where Christ sits on the right hand of God.”  Col. 3:1

~Jackie Johnson - I am a former tribal missionary to the Kuna Indians on the Colombian border in Central America.  Fluent in several languages, my husband and I currently pastor a Spanish-speaking church in Southern California.  My passion is discipling and equipping dedicated young women for life, marriage, motherhood, and beyond. I am the mother of two daughters and the grandmother of three Princesses and four young Knights. 

Jackie's Journey: A Treasure Found!

This little dolly is the granddaughter of a dear friend.  She is reading her Princess Parable Grace book and clutching her Princess Grace Doll.  I was reminded of the message of the parable in this book and challenged again to live in the blessing of God’s pursuing love, understanding that grace “is the will and power to do what God desires.” Phil. 2: 3   Not my desires with my will in my power!

What is it that God desires?  What is His will?  Do we care? 

I certainly know what my will is!  I am tempted daily, multiple times to give in to the cry of what my will wants!  We live in an age where entitlement and personal demands are rampant.  We see it in our homes, relationships, schools, churches and communities.  We saw it in the jungles of Panama.  The human heart is wicked and deceived.  Deception believes a lie that begins when our mind and emotions agree on an error and it is fulfilled when we will to do it.  The world is screaming for personal rights…we hear it every day when one of us is complaining!  Contentment is elusive and unattainable by the ungrateful heart.  Whining and “woe is me” has become an acceptable sin!

As moms, God’s desire is for us to learn to walk in His way and to teach our little ones His way.  They learn our way by watching and listening to us!   We will be held accountable for the spiritual teaching our children receive from us.  Seeing that they are nourished from God’s Word and given godly instruction is within our sphere of responsibility.

Many years ago, I sat in a hammock deep in the middle of the Panamanian jungle with my two little princesses, reading to them. Each book I picked up presented a unique challenge.  It told a story but did not introduce my girls to a biblical worldview or a character quality they could incorporate into their young lives.  I would purpose to impose these two principles into the pages of every book I picked up in terms they could understand that had eternal values targeted. My heart was burdened for just such a book, not just for myself but also for other young mothers who needed a tool that would give their little princesses both of these elements with a clear application and a pragmatic understanding of the Word of God.

My two little jungle princesses!

My friend’s little granddaughter is being given the opportunity at a very young age to fall in love with a biblical parable. She will be challenged to respond to God’s pursuing love in the diary of Princess Grace at the end of the book.  Her heart will be inspired to live outside herself and to adopt attitudes that will bring blessing on her life.  This is the book I dreamed of as a young mom living on the Colombian border!    Jeanna, my co-author, and I are blessed to be able to make The Princess Parable Series, plus our newest release, “A Royal Easter Story” available to you and your little princesses.  

I am an 18” Princes Grace doll!  I am a Limited Edition and available at

www.theprincessparables.com

~Jackie Johnson - I am a former tribal missionary to the Kuna Indians on the Colombian border in Central America.  Fluent in several languages, my husband and I currently pastor a Spanish-speaking church in Southern California.  My passion is discipling and equipping dedicated young women for life, marriage, motherhood, and beyond. I am the mother of two daughters and the grandmother of three Princesses and four young Knights. 

Jackie's Journey: Snakes!

I have never been a fan of reptiles!

Panama is the home to some of the most frightening snakes on the planet.  Our corner of the dense jungle was full of boa constrictors, pit vipers, fer-de-lance (this snake bears 60 live babies at a time!), etc.  We were cautious not to poke under rocks or fallen branches, always scanning for any slithering menaces.  Behind our house there was a massive tree that extended its immense roots out into the river shoreline where the girls and I bathed and swam.  The thick mangrove swamp harbored snakes that would lie in the hollow places of the trunk of that tree.  

More than once I cried out Psalm 16:1

 “Keep me safe, Oh Lord, for in you I take refuge.”

Fear is no stranger to me.  I am habitually challenged to walk through the door of fear.   I was told during Missionary boot camp that courage was not the absence of fear, but the conquest of it.  Years ago, while reading Hind’s Feet on High Places, I had no difficulty in identifying with “Little Much Afraid”! 

“The highway of fear is the shortest route to defeat”.  William L. Brownell

Ralph had built a screened-in back porch to the house.  It became home for our gasoline-run wringer washing machine.  The Indians thought the machine was the most ridiculous apparatus.  It was noisy, the water had to be carried from the river (or in rainy season, we could utilize the convenience of the rain barrels).   The agitator was a mystery (why would you jerk clothes around in dirty cold water when the river is running and clear!) however; the wringer was another story…it worked really well.  Hand wrung clothes could not match that wringer!  I had to agree with them on all counts!  

While I washed, Kim would play on a blanket or crawl around the porch.  The floor was slightly elevated, lined with wooden planks roughly cut and loosely fit together.  It was not quite finished and as I washed I saw Kim crawling toward something moving under the slats.  I turned off the deafening machine, snatched Kim up into my arms and yelled for Ralph!  Right under our feet, only a few inches away, was a 5’ venomous snake! He had quite possibly been a houseguest for “who knows how long” before we noticed him! Let me repeat…I am not a fan and I intensely dislike reptiles!

Arturo, our nearest neighbor had heard me scream and came running, He quickly surveyed our predicament, raised his machete and removed the head of that reptile with one swift blow.  He held it up like a prized Marlin…its length was above his head and its tail draped to the muddy ground!

This story could have had a much different ending, were it not for our Sovereign God, His plan and the life-lessons He was busy teaching me!  School is always in session if we have eyes to see it. The need to grow and mature will never end on this side of eternity. Fear has been my biggest challenge.  I am to fear the consequence of sin, not snakes.  Easy concept until put to the test!

“Be strong and of a good courage, Fear not, nor be afraid of them (in this case…snakes); for the Lord your God, He it is that does go with me, He will not fail me nor forsake me.”  Deuteronomy 31: 16

“I sought the Lord and He heard me and delivered me from all my fears.”

Psalm 34:4

What do you fear?

~Jackie Johnson - I am a former tribal missionary to the Kuna Indians on the Colombian border in Central America.  Fluent in several languages, my husband and I currently pastor a Spanish-speaking church in Southern California.  My passion is discipling and equipping dedicated young women for life, marriage, motherhood, and beyond. I am the mother of two daughters and the grandmother of three Princesses and four young Knights. 

Jackie's Journey: True Greatness

Who doesn’t want to be acknowledged and occasionally praised at the gates?

All of us want to be important…to be accepted… to be successful…to experience meaningfulness…to get to the end of our life and have accomplished something that will live on after our departure.  God builds a desire for greatness into us.  Our understanding of the term and means of achieving it will surely vary depending on our character.

While in missionary Boot Camp training we were privileged to have a veteran missionary from Brazil as our instructor.  His hip had been crushed in a boating accident on the Amazon River.  He was bravely battling cancer and in constant pain, yet his focus was on us succeeding and getting us to a foreign field.  His name was Jim McKnight.  He and his wife, Betty, would never claim greatness, but those of us who knew them would say their character was marked by it. They walked with God and taught us by example how to live and selflessly serve.

“Greatness is not a goal to be sought after but a by-product of learning to serve.” (ATIA)

Man’s idea of greatness and God’s idea are diabolically opposed.  We all know of successful people who have sacrificed their family while reaching their goal.  Their marriage is in shambles and their children have no honor for them.  They are in the Hall of Fame by the world’s standard, but have failed to reach true greatness by God’s standard.

What price would you be willing to pay for a sense of importance?

True greatness is accomplished by understanding the difference between God’s view and man’s view of importance.  We tend to focus on possessions, power, position and prestige.  God’s focus is on humility, service and character.  Our concern is on what we will gain…God ‘s concern is on where and to whom can we give.  We spend a lot of time seeking the approval of men…not the approval of God.  We strive to be out front leading others…rather than striving to follow God.   We are competitive…God’s interest is in cooperation and being a team player. Does our spirit function independently of Him and others, or do we understand how to live in harmony with the success of the other person being our priority?

Do we clearly understand the difference between the two views?

By whose standard do you live your life?

We are often tempted to fulfill God’s vision for us with human effort.  If we yield to that temptation, we will experience continuing negative consequences and totally miss the blessing God has for us, and for others through us!  It’s a choice we make…

When the disciples disputed among themselves as to who would be the greatest in the Kingdom of Heaven, Jesus said, “… The greatest among you, should be as the youngest; and the one who rules like the one who serves.”  Luke 22: 26

 When He, their Lord and Teacher, washed the feet of His disciples, He said,  “I have set an example that you should do as I have done for you.  I tell you the truth, no servant is greater than his master...”  Jn.13: 15,16  

He clearly set the bar for us.

Do we think more highly of ourselves than we ought?

 “He that is greatest among you shall be your servant.  And whoever exalts himself shall be abased; and he that shall humble himself shall be exalted.” Matt. 23: 11,12  

~Jackie Johnson - I am a former tribal missionary to the Kuna Indians on the Colombian border in Central America.  Fluent in several languages, my husband and I currently pastor a Spanish-speaking church in Southern California.  My passion is discipling and equipping dedicated young women for life, marriage, motherhood, and beyond. I am the mother of two daughters and the grandmother of three Princesses and four young Knights. 

Dedicated to Inconvenience

I rush to put my shoes on as I am yelling to my children, “Hurry up!  Get your shoes on and meet me in the car!” I grab my purse, turn off a couple of lights and fly down the stairs.  Thinking to myself, We are so late! If we hurry we will just make it. . .

As I round the corner, I stumble upon my youngest sitting at the bottom of the stairs crying.  Big crocodile tears stream down his face.  He is half dressed and no shoes to be found. Oh no, I don’t have time for this. I gave the kids ample time to get ready . . . 

My first instinct is to speak sternly and explain to him loudly that he has to get in the car, right now, or we will be late.  Where are your shoes? Why aren’t you dressed?

A small voice barely audible over my own selfish expectations says, Slow down!  Be patient! Extend grace!

AHHHHH! I don’t have time for this!

Truth is a person and He reminds me. Who are you dedicated to? Who do you follow?  What is the right response?

Early on in my Christian walk, I learned the phrase “Being dedicated to Inconvenience”.  In other words, it is a practical way to live out the Biblical principle “To die to Oneself”.  This principle was much easier as a single woman.  I have struggled ever since I got married and have had children.  Mostly because the inconveniences come more often and they are right in my face, daily.

The disruptions in my day may look like . . .

A daughter who wants Mommy to come play house when I am busy doing housework

A son who wants me to throw the baseball when I am working on the computer

A husband who asks to talk (or other things) when I am tired in the evening

A child who wakes me in the middle of the night because they had a bad dream

A friend who reaches out for help when my schedule is full

An argument between my kids right when we are leaving to go somewhere

A need at church when we already have plans to do something else

Inconveniences arrive in all shapes and sizes.  They are as different for each of us as the days are long.  But I promise you one thing, they will happen.

As we are on a path towards Easter, I am reflecting on this verse.

"If anyone would come after me, he must deny himself and take up his cross daily and follow me. For whoever wants to save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for me will save it."  Luke 9:23-24

Jesus calls us to die to ourselves, if we are his followers.  For me, this death to self looks a lot like “dedication to inconveniences”.  If I am committed to drop my own agenda, for others, daily, then this is an active way for me to die to myself.  If I stop and spend time with my husband, meet my children’s needs at my expense and serve others in my sphere of influence, then I am “taking up the cross” on a regular basis. 

I love our new book, A Royal Easter Story, as it is a perfect example of this principle of “Being Dedicated to Inconvenience”.  The princesses are racing the newly-introduced knights.  The girls desperately want to win (just like our kids do!) They happen upon a lost little girl who needs their help.  They have to abandon their own plans to serve Alina.  They have to be “dedicated to the inconvenience” God allows in their life.  This is not only a lesson for us, but also for our kids during Easter!

Here is where I struggle.  I am selfish.  I have so many thoughts about me daily.  I don’t like to be interrupted in my plans.  Do you feel the same way? 

I love the small still voice of the Holy Spirit reminding me daily where I can “take up my cross and follow Him”.  I just need to strain to listen to it and not allow the loud voices of selfishness to drown out His voice!

How are you taking up your cross daily?

What is a story of inconvenience in your life?

~Jeanna Young

When Jeanna is not writing, speaking, event planning, or homeschooling, she can be found scrapbooking her life, redecorating her home, loving on her husband, planning fun events for her kids or eating healthy to stay cancer-free!

Jackie's Journey: Raising a Triumphant Knight

Little boys are born with an adventurous spirit!  Our young boys search for answers on how to translate their personal manhood into a viable and productive reality in a culture that is guilty of misrepresenting their calling.  As parents, we are seeking other role models than the secular similes that are readily available for our sons to emulate.  These “hero” images are not giving clear instruction against evil and worldly attitudes, but are actually encouraging them!

Little boys want heroes who take risks and slay dragons.  The fact that we can’t keep a weapon whittled out of a stick from their hands tells us our knights-in-the-making dream of being daring conquerors.  They sense the need to become strong…the champions of good over evil…defenders of the Universe!

Strength is often misunderstood.  Pride and bullies are the result of the world’s view.  As moms we desperately need a Godly worldview and a path into the “wild” heart of our little man.  “The only way to live in this adventure…with all its danger and unpredictability and immensely high stakes…is an ongoing, intimate relationship with God.” (John Eldredge) Humility is the natural response of being in the presence of God. It is the qualifier for receiving grace. James 4: 6

I love the animated film “Charlotte’s Web”.  The whole premise is outrageous, yet the characters represent exactly what real strength is.  It comes from the heart of a tiny insect…Charlotte, the spider.  She single-handedly saves the life of a pig, destined for slaughter, with vocabulary words of genuine strength.  Humble was the word that turned the heart and mind of the farmer and a whole community!

Humility is seeing the contrast between God’s holiness and our sinfulness!  Humility provides the critical, fundamental heart for any other character quality.  Without humility any other character quality is worthless!  There is no pride in humility.  Humility recognizes that God and others are responsible for any achievement in our life.  Real success is investing in the lives of others and seeing them succeed.  Humility seeks forgiveness and lives life for others, experiencing the joy of God.

Sir Timothy illustrates the character quality of Humility.  His anger and pride find him alone and afraid, encountering unimaginable danger and wishing he had never fled from the safety of the castle!  Young Sir Timothy learns a life-lesson that not only brings him back to the castle but into the heart of his family. 

We hope Sir Timothy will encourage and inspire your little knight as you teach him to live triumphantly by walking in humility. I Peter 5: 5

~Jackie Johnson - I am a former tribal missionary to the Kuna Indians on the Colombian border in Central America.  Fluent in several languages, my husband and I currently pastor a Spanish-speaking church in Southern California.  My passion is discipling and equipping dedicated young women for life, marriage, motherhood, and beyond. I am the mother of two daughters and the grandmother of three Princesses and four young Knights.