Jackie's Journey "We Moms Are Called A Lot Of Things, But..!"

Holy is in popularity only 10% of words.  Holy is one of the least used terms or adjectives to describe a woman.  We are called a lot of things but rarely does anyone describe us as holy.  Why is that?    New Testament letters are often addressed to holy brothers and sisters.  Could it be that the word “holy” is not understood and is an attribute only reserved for God?  Are we not called to be a “holy” people; set apart by God; dedicated to His global purpose; divinely commissioned and empowered by His grace and devoted to all that is righteous?

 “To the holy and faithful brothers in Christ at Colosse.”  Col. 1:2.3   Who is the holy brother?  Not everyone is a “holy” brother or sister.  Elisabeth Elliott said,  “We are women, and my plea is… Let me be a woman, holy through and through, asking for nothing but what God wants to give me, receiving with both hands and with all my heart whatever that is.”  The “holy” issue is even addressed in our wedding vows…we are “joined together in the bonds of holy matrimony”

Holiness is a command and a calling.  Leslie Ludy wrote to all of us moms and grandmas regarding this important decision and I quote:

“God does not want:

·      a girl who trifles with Christianity. 

·      A girl who prays tepid, lukewarm prayers

·      A girl who is self-adorning with the latest fashion and trends

·      A girl who dishonors and belittles her parents or husband

·      A girl whose Bible is an accessory to her wardrobe

·      A girl whose tongue is a deceptive weapon of pride and selfishness

God does want:

·      A woman who is radically given to Christ

·      A woman who lives in defiance of the powers of Hell

·      A woman adorned with the inner jewelry of Christ given holiness

·      A woman who honors the authorities God has placed in her life and serves them with charity and gladness

·      A woman who hungers and thirsts to know the Lord and who diligently feasts on His Word

·      A woman whose words drip with the honey of the name of Jesus.

 I Thess. 4:7 “God did not call us to be impure, but to live a HOLY life.”

“Ironically, those most holy are the least likely to see themselves that way”.  Mark Buchana   “The greatest test of our holiness is whether it produces humility in us.  The holiest will be the humblest”. Andrew Murray   Our greatest enemy is pride and selfishness…the wicked antithesis of holiness.  Alas, our understanding of “holy” takes form. We are called a lot of things because we guard our pride and selfishness instead of surrendering them to experience His holiness!   

The exchange is life changing!

“Holiness is the habit of being of one mind with God, according as we find His mind described in Scripture.  It is the habit of agreeing in God’s judgment, hating what He hates, loving what He loves and measuring everything in this world by the standard of His Word.”  J.C. Ryle      

“One of the consequences of pride and selfishness is that it makes the sinner pity himself instead of causing him to turn to God.  One of the first signs of new life is that the individual takes sides with God against himself!” Donald Gray Barnhouse

 On which side are you?

               Want to be holy? Want your kids to see what it looks like?

Walk a surrendered life with Him, aware of His presence with no unconfessed sin

and nothing between you and another person.

The key to holiness is knowing your need

and keeping short accounts with God. 

Make God’s heart happy…take a stand against yourself and choose holiness.

~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 "Eyes that See..."

“Eyes that See…”

           When was the last time you looked up toward heaven and thanked God for your sight?  “Ears that hear and eyes that see…the Lord has made them both”.  Proverbs 20:12  My granddaughter, Catherine, is leaving for college next fall and has been busy sending applications to various colleges around the country.  I was touched by an essay she wrote and I know you will be too…

 Some students have a background, identity, interest, or talent that is so meaningful they believe their application would be incomplete without it. If this sounds like you, then please share your story.

            You don't always get to choose your circumstances in life, but you do get to choose how you respond to them.  In 2005 I remember walking into the classroom of my first grade class. The teacher introduced herself and she pointed to something written on the whiteboard.  I had no idea what she was pointing at, but she kept reading what was supposedly written there.  My peers began to copy down what was invisible to me. Why could they see what was written and I couldn’t?

     The whole day seemed to pass in a blur (literally) as I tried to figure out what was wrong with me.  I remember looking at objects in the distance, like trees, as we walked to the science building, and realized that I could not see the leaves that I knew were there. My parents were concerned and set up an appointment with an ophthalmologist.  Doctor Leila examined my eyes and announced that I was legally blind.  My prescription, instead of being a perfect 20/20, was 20/-2.00.  I was seven years old and every year since then my eyesight has progressively weakened by -1.00.  As I approached my 18th birthday my sight started stabilizing.  Today I am close to 20/-6.00.  Anything -4.00 and above is considered extreme.  Without lenses I can barely recognize my own hand if it is nearly touching my nose.     

     Sight is something that we all take for granted.  It is a constant gift that allows us to carry on with our everyday activities and enjoy the world’s beauty.  Last year I attended a life changing conference in Los Angeles known as “WE Day”.  Over ten thousand people were invited to participate in this event.  I was fortunate enough to be selected along with thirteen others from my high school. I can’t imagine going more than ten minutes without being able to see clearly in such an unpredictable world, let alone a whole lifetime!  “WE Day” inspired me to help those who cannot see.  I had the opportunity to listen to speakers talk about how their particular area of interest motivated them to create change.  One inspired person can change the world.  It sparked an interest in me to pursue a career in medicine so that I can one day make a difference in someone else’s life.  There is nothing that brings me more joy than watching a child put on glasses and see clearly for the first time.

    Despite being legally blind I have been a 4.1 GPA student with four AP achievements in a highly competitive high school.  My family and my faith helped me to realize that I do not have to be defined by my disabilities.  Through hard work and determination, I realize that my academic success had more to do with intelligence than my ability to see.  I cannot see like “normal” people do, nor can I go out into the world without contacts or glasses, but I have learned that my life is not defined by the things I can and cannot see, but rather by the things I can and will accomplish. I have had the privilege of playing tennis at a competitive level since I was ten, I surf, wakeboard, volunteer at school and in my local community, play beach volleyball and snowboard with my family, and hike and explore many breathtaking places in our world.  Without the modern technological advances, I would not have been able to do any of the things I love most in life.  I have chosen to respond to these circumstances by allowing them to inspire me. 

 “So we fix our eyes not on what is seen, but on what is unseen.  For what is seen is temporary, but what is unseen is eternal”.  II Corinthians 4:18

 What do you do with your difficult circumstances?

 “Open my eyes, Lord, that I may see…” Psalm 119:18

~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. 

Jackies Journey "That was SICK...!"

 “THAT WAS SICK…!”

It is not often that our entire family can pull away for a few days.  I’m sure you know what I am talking about. With schedules that require coordinating and lots of activities and work schedules, it is a nearly miraculous feat when a good plan finally comes together! 

Listening to the chatter, daughters and cousins laughing and planning together, watching the wonder and living in the excitement of just being together is totally worth the undertaking.  Just stepping outside our regular pursuits and taking time to heed the familiar voices more carefully and more often is an instant stress releaser and sets the tone for a time of new appreciation, reminiscing and creating new memories.

It is silent, except for the roar of the boats.  The lake is crystal clear and smooth as glass.  It’s a glorious sunny morning!  .  I see the kids and grandkids fly by in the speedboat.   My mind is flooded with gratefulness.  Everything in me wants to shout out loud… How great is our God!  And this is only the first half of the first day!  Happy hearts are healing and invigorating.  Spontaneous hugs and unprompted conversations are the reward of “stopping the truck” for a second to regroup and realign our priorities to harmonize with His.  Each evening we stop to open the Word and open our hearts to His reality in our lives. 

“Thanks Grandma for the “sick” vacation!”   WHAT?!

Who calls a great vacation SICK?  This generation does…it’s a great compliment!

Definitely…worth it all!

As moms, our lives are not always moments of noteworthy exhilaration.  More often they are days, weeks, and months of focused commitment to the task at hand.  Jungle living was an exercise of endurance at times, as the days and weeks passed into months of isolation with every moment of the day packed with non-stop responsibilities…not unlike what you may be experiencing. 

Our girls were 3 months and 3 years old when we moved into Kunaland.  Our tribe had never had missionaries living among them and there were many adjustments to be made for both of us.  “Life isn’t measured by the number of breaths we take but by the moments that take our breath away”!  There was no lack in finding moments that took my breath away!  It was learning to relish those moments in the midst of a multitude of interruptions.  That quiet moment of discovery without the regular pursuits of daily living and ministry was often times beyond my reach.   My fear was that I would miss “the life-changing moments” in all that was going on around me!

Sitting in the hammock strung across our living room reading to my little princesses was a gift that rarely came without numerous disruptions.  The luxury of having the girls “all to myself” was more often an unfulfilled aspiration.  Learning to thoroughly enjoy my girls within the sphere of my life calling was a transitory exercise as the girls grew so fast.  Giving thanks for my girls, my circumstances, and my challenges brought those real “moments that take my breath away” into focus.

Today I face the same mayhem of life with the same challenge to stop and refocus on Him, His will and His design for my life.  Taking a quiet moment of reflection and conversation with Him allows me to step outside my regular pursuits and recognize that those moments that take my breath away are His gifts through those interruptions, wherever I am, whenever I have eyes to see them.

Will you join me in pausing long enough to focus on His heart?

Taking time to acknowledge that His interruptions

are those very moments we seek?

~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. 

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Jackie's Journey: What? A Balanced Life!

Is Your Life in Balance?

“The worth of a book is to be measured by what you can carry away from it. To be wise, study the Bible; to be saved, believe it; to be righteous, practice it.”

Shortly after God walked into my life while attending the University of Arizona, Navigators, a campus Christian group, heard of my conversion and began to equip me with a powerful tool to maintain a dynamic Christian Life.  I made a note of it in my Bible and as I rehearsed its significance this morning, I decided to jot down the visual principles, in the event you girls might have an opportunity to apply them and to share them with your children.

There is a definition (you know I love definitions) for the word Bible that my husband gave me, as a young mom, when I was struggling with survival living and needing to take time daily to get in the Word.  It went like this:

 The Bible is the heart and mind of God.

One day you will spend eternity with Him, Jackie…get to know Him

THE NAVIGATORS WHEEL was that tool!

THE GOAL:  Keep the wheel balanced by keeping the spokes balanced.

THE HUB OR CENTER of the Wheel is Christ.  If He is not pre-eminent in your life, your life is already out of balance!

OBEDIENCE IN ACTION manifests itself in humility, growth and maturity.  (Phil. 3: 10)

The Key is learning to accept trials with joy and thankfulness!

PRAYER is the first spoke and is me talking to God.

“…Satan trembles when he sees the weakest saint on his knees.”

The evil one laughs at our toiling but he shudders when we pray.

Satan knows that power comes from prayer and…he needs to fear!

The WORD is the second spoke and is the foundation spoke.  It's when God talks to me.

 Other books are given for our information; the Bible is given for transformation.

I am my neighbor’s bible:

He reads me when we meet,

Today he reads me in my house,

Tomorrow in the street;

He may be a relative or friend,

Or slight acquaintance be;

He may not even know my name,

Yet he is reading me.

II Cor. 3: 2

FELLOWSHIP is the third spoke and focuses on maintaining my relationship with God and man.

Fellowship with God means warfare with the world.  Charles E. Fuller   Martin Luther is quoted as saying, “To gather with God’s people in united adoration of the Father is as necessary to the Christian life as prayer.”  To be in fellowship ask yourself two questions:

1) Do I have any unconfessed sin?

              2) Do I have any unresolved relationships?

If you can answer "no" to both questions you are in fellowship with God and man.

 WITNESSING is the remaining spoke and is my sharing what I am; what I believe and what I am learning.

A testimony (sharing what I am) is merely translating my weaknesses into a life message for the benefit of another person and the glory of God. Bill Gothard

 “What the world expects of Christians is that Christians should speak out,loud and clear…in such a way that never a doubt, never the slightest doubt, could rise in the heart of the simplest man”. Albert Camus

The Provision Comes through The Word

The Peace = Comes through our Obedience

The Power = Comes through Prayer

The Production =Witnessing

This is a new year, new opportunities, new visions, and new goals …

Let’s make 2017 a year that others will speak well of our Lord because of us.  Let’s determine to allow His plan for a balanced life to become reality in us…

 Will you join me?

~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 "Happy New Year: Where do We Begin?"

Where Do We Begin?

Oh, no…can it possibly be this time again?  We are starting another new year with everything that comes with it!  A new president, new responsibilities, and new opportunities… We set new goals and evaluate how we did with last year’s resolutions.  No, really…what happened to last year!!  There is a slight letdown after weeks of traveling, company and celebrations.  The re-grouping of priorities, getting the house back in order, school beginning after vacation and the need to get all that Christmas paraphernalia back into storage boxes is lapping at our heels.

Seriously, where do we begin?

“Our greatest danger in life is in permitting the urgent to crowd out the important.” Charles Hummel

Life is a race against time.  Time is limited and irrecoverable.  It is no respecter of persons.  We are accountable for how we spend our time and God establishes the number of our days.  Life at the longest is amazingly short. 

A converted Hindu who had been given a Bible and a clock said, ‘The clock will tell me how time goes, and the Bible will tell me how to spend it.”. Anonymous

The Bible uses several metaphors to help us visualize just how brief our life is.  My life is wind Job 7:7 and My days are swifter than a weavers shuttle. Job 7:6  The psalmist compares life to a fading flower or a falling leaf.  As for man, his days are as grass; as a flower of the field, so he flourishes…for the wind passes over it, and it is gone.  Ps. 103:15-16  Our days on the earth are as a shadow, and there is none abiding. I Chron. 29:15  And Psalm 90:9 reminds us; We spend our years as a tale that is told.  James 4:14 asks us, What is your life? It is even a vapor that appears for a little time, and then vanishes away.

“Life is so short that the wood of the cradle rubs up tight against

the marble of the tomb!”  George Sweeny

All of us are given an equal amount of time.  The only difference between us is in the way we spend it.

We are given 168 hours each week.

We spend approximately 56 hours for sleep, rest and recuperation.

We spend approximately 28 hours for eating and personal duties.

We spend approximately 40-50 hours earning a living.

We have 30-40 hours left to spend just as we wish!

How do we spend them?

Is the bulk of that time spent on:

Recreation and Entertainment

Devotions (Family and Private); Meditation  

Exercise and health

Family mentoring and fellowship (Mom's are blessed with more time in this area)

Regular worship of God

Personal Interests and Achievements

Conversations (Snapchat; Twitter; Instagram; E-mail; Pinterest; Facebook...etc.!)

Time entrusted in the name of Christ (Witnessing, discipling, teaching…)

The question is…

What do we do with our time?

Have we made wise use of our time as good stewards?

Maybe we are very busy with good things, yet too busy for the best things;

those things that have eternal value.  That is where we need to begin…

A New Year is an anniversary and “the chief value of an anniversary is to call us to greater faithfulness in the time that is left.” William Manning   Every hour that is lost is gone forever!

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

~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. 

Jackie's Journey "A Bright Star"

A Bright Star

There is a story of a little princess who anxiously waited for the day of the Christmas pageant.  She was so excited about her part that her parents thought she must be one of the main characters, though she had not told them what part she would play. 

The day finally arrived and her parents enthusiastically entered the auditorium and watched as each of the children was called to take their place.  The shepherds nervously waited in the corner of the stage holding two sheep.  Mary and Joseph were placed near the manger.  In the back were the three Wise Men eagerly waiting with a small camel.  Each and every child was placed in position…except for the little princess.  She contentedly sat quietly.

The music started and the director began the narrative.  “A long time ago, Joseph and Mary went up from Galilee to be taxed. It was there that Mary and Joseph had a baby and they named Him Jesus,” the narrator began.   “And when Jesus was born a bright star appeared over the stable.  That was her cue!  She quickly jumped up from her chair, picked up a large, sparkling star and walked behind the manger, holding the star up high for everyone to see.  It flickered in the lights and all eyes were drawn to baby Jesus in the manger.

The story continues and finds the shepherds in the field with their sheep.  That was her cue…the little princess moved into position on stage, wiggling the shiny star to show the shepherds where to arrive at the manger.  When the director mentioned the Wise Men…the little princess quickly moved to meet them and lead the way to the Christ child.  Her face was beaming as bright as the star she was carrying!

The play ended with a round of applause and a standing ovation.  In the car on the way home, the little princess was happily chattering, “I had the main part, did you see?”   “You did?” her mother questioned.  “Yes” she said enthusiastically,

“I showed everybody how to find Jesus!”

This could not have been truer!  Showing others how to find Jesus Christ, the Savior of the world and to be the light that would draw them to Him has got to be the finest role we can play in life!

May the Light of the Christ Child be your focus

this Christmas and throughout the New Year…

~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 "'Twas the Week Before Christmas"

‘Twas the Week Before Christmas…

Well, here we are again…one week before Christmas Eve…in the throngs of chaos and deadlines!  The Nativity is center stage in every room, trees are dressed, the wreaths are hung, gifts are wrapped, the oven has not been turned off in days and music fills the house.  Friends and family are arriving from distant places, guest rooms have been readied and excitement is already in the air.  Expectations are high and time left is short and slipping precipitously by the nanoseconds.   The countdown has begun!  The blessing of fellowshipping with family and people we don’t have an opportunity to see all year makes it worth it all.

With the hustle and bustle of the holidays in full swing, we become acutely aware of our limitations.  Opening our home and believing God to use us to make others successful is the goal of hospitality.  It has been our joy over the years to have a home that is available to those God would bring our way.  Christmas is a lonely time for many who have not experienced the joy of His Coming. 

As moms, this time of year offers a multitude of opportunities to make ourselves accessible to others.   It starts in our homes with our husband and children.  The Christmas time of year offers the perfect training ground to introduce our children to the “real reason for the season”.  We, as parents, have the example of the One who left his home and dwelt among us.  He set the standard…

“Each of you should look not only to your own interests, but also to the interests of others.

Your attitude should be the same as that of Jesus Christ:

Who being in the very nature of God, did not consider equality with God to be something to be grasped,

But made himself nothing taking the very nature of a servant, being made in human likeness.

And being found in appearance as a man, he humbled himself and became obedient to death

Even death on the cross”!

Philippians 2: 4-8

 An open home means a heart that is wrapped in the needs of others before our own.  It is that life in opposition to comfort and convenience.  It is welcoming and finding joy in a life of servitude, humbly listening to His voice and instantly obeying.  It brings with it the blessing of experiencing His promise of grace with its power and the continual fascination of watching Him faithfully do it!  Philippians 2:13 and I Thessalonians 5: 24

 The dictionary defines hospitality as the friendly and generous reception and entertainment of visitors or strangers providing food, drinks, etc. for people who are guests.  We are commanded in Scripture to be hospital women. To invite people into our homes is to respond with gratitude to our God who made a home for us!

“Be hospitable to one another without complaint”.  I Peter 4: 9

“Do not neglect to show hospitality to strangers,

for by this some have entertained angels without knowing it”!  Hebrews 13: 2

 At our front door, we have the words “As for me and my house we will serve the Lord.”  As a mom with young children it was a challenge to keep it all in balance when the house was already full of noise, continual movement and the regular activities that keep the ship afloat!  The joy of youth is that there actually is enough energy to do it all, if the attitude is that of an obedient and humble servant!

From our house to yours,

Have a Blessed Christmas!

~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 It's Beginning to Look a Lot Like Christmas

♫ It’s Beginning to Look a Lot Like Christmas ♬

In life we cannot anticipate what our future holds but we know who holds the future.  In our just released Christmas book, “A Royal Christmas to Remember”, our 5 princesses and 5 young knights are blissfully busy preparing for the upcoming Christmas festivities.  Opening the castle doors over the holidays is a tradition that opens the hearts of the entire village to the message of Christmas.  In an instant all their plans are dashed when a message of imminent danger arrives at their front door! The King instantly leaves with his knights to protect their kingdom.  The real meaning of Christmas quickly comes into focus. The girls choose to seize the moment of turmoil changing their destiny and bringing joy to their father and the whole kingdom.

December has arrived here in California and the events and activities of the season are already in full swing.   Having our “castle doors” open to family, neighbors and friends is a tradition we welcome each year. 

♫ It’s truly beginning to look a lot like Christmas. ♬  

In the midst of preparations and a very busy afternoon, I received an urgent call from Kim, my youngest daughter, who was teaching at an Elementary School a mile or so from our house.  The school had abruptly been put on “lock-down”!  There were policemen on campus and helicopters were swirling in circles overhead.   She was yet to be informed of the circumstances…was it a bomb threat, someone with a gun, …what??

Her daughter Megan Joy, my “pocket-baby”, was in the classroom next door huddled down behind locked doors and desks!  The teachers and students had been in this imposed silence and been inaccessible for almost two hours!   Frantic, my mind immediately went to pictures of Columbine in Colorado…

Now that… is a wake-up call!  In an instant my holiday plans took second place to the more important, as my priorities slipped back into a more realistic focus.  Dr. Bob Jones, Sr. used to say, “Don’t sacrifice the permanent on the altar of the immediate!”  No chance of that happening here.  What could I do?  Where was I needed?  When would we know my daughter and granddaughter were safe? 

As I watched and listened to the helicopters circling, hovering overhead, my curiosity overwhelmed me.   A song that comforted me in the jungles of Panama immediately came to mind.  ♫ He is my hiding place, He always fills my heart with songs of deliverance whenever I am afraid, I will trust in Him … ♫   Psalm 32:7   “God is our strength and power and makes our way perfect.”  2 Sam. 22:33   Our sovereign God was in control and He brought His “peace that passes understanding” in the turmoil.  I began to pray “the God of hope fill you, Kim, with all joy and peace as you trust in Him, so that you will overflow with hope by the power of the Holy Spirit!” Romans 15:13  

 Two weeks from today families will gather to rehearse and celebrate the birth of the Savior of the world.  Christians will pause to praise their blessed promise and hope fulfilled in a manger bed.  Many will kneel and pray together giving thanks for His coming, His life and His sacrificial death in our place and His glorious resurrection.

 Will you be one of these?

Somehow… this particular Christmas 2016

 is going to be a singularly outstanding one for our family…

 A Christmas to Remember!

                                    Megan Joy reading "A Royal Christmas to Remember"

~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: Christmas Pledge

Christmas Pledge

Inspired by the September 11th attack on the United States, the Groenewalds moved to Afghanistan in response to God’s call to serve the people who had purposely killed thousands of our own! They lived and served and were martyred by Taliban fighters, as their obedience to God’s call was greater than their fears.   The only surviving member tells the story and it profoundly touched my heart.  The testimony of that horrific day of murder with AK-47’s and the self sacrificing bomber who obliterated their home is a wake-up call to my commitment to His directing and leading in my life.

“Some give Him a place; some give Him Prominence:

but what Christ wants in our lives is pre-eminence.”

In my spiritual journey, I was a “nominal Christian”, a fan of all things spiritual for the first 18 years of my life.  I was the proverbial good girl with this huge longing hole in my life that I had no idea how to fill.  How would I find meaning and purpose in a world that was full of others in the same state I was? 

Who had an answer?

While reading this testimony of this mother who had lost her husband and two teen-age children, I was again struck with the mandate that “counting the cost” is an imperative, not an option, regardless of our geographical location.   When the three men from our village in Pucuro were captured and killed by FARC, a militant group from Colombia, I was reminded of a time in our missionary training when we were challenged to “count the ultimate cost” as a possibility of our decision to be followers of Christ and not just enthusiastic fans!

Being a follower means their will be a price to pay.  Salvation is free but it cost you your life!  “If Jesus Christ died and died for me, then no sacrifice can be too great for me to make for Him.”  C.T. Studd

“For me, on the field, it was a life of sacrifice, difficulty and struggles,

and in that the Lord gave us the reward of His presence,” Hannelie said.

“He revealed Himself to us, who He is.” (Hannelie Groenewald)

The reward of His presence, ears to hear His voice and a sense of who He is, is my truth also.  A total dependence on an all-knowing God whose plans for me are to prosper me, not harm me, plans to give me hope and a future.  Jer. 29: 11   When God walked into my life at age 19, I found the reason for my existence!  There was no more longing; there was completeness with purpose and destiny. 

As a busy mom is your life filled with Him, His thoughts and His ways?  Do your little ones see the Christ that lives in you?  Are you struggling to integrate Christ into your demanding life or is He the master of your course…leading, directing?

“There are two kinds of people:

Those who say to God, ‘Thy will be done',

And those to whom God says, ‘All right, then, have it your way!’”

 C. S. Lewis, The Great Divorce

~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: Fan or Follower?

In 1963 William McDonald nailed some principles of New Testament discipleship on my heart!  I had seen them in the Word, but somehow concluded that they were too extreme and impractical for the complicated age we lived in.  During my last year of college I was challenged to take a good look at what the Word said and to admit to myself it was applicable today…not for someone else, not just weekends, or not when I retire or when I was more mature spiritually to receive its truth!  A life dedicated to the cross is one that obeys Him in all that He has commanded; whatever the cost may be… a total commitment.  

As a young mom, the message of these words would sear my conscience as my demanding life was processing its truth.  Nothing less than unconditional surrender could ever be a fitting response to His sacrifice on Calvary.  To this day He is still seeking the heart that is solely satisfied with Him, plus nothing!

Recently someone put a book in my hand called Not A Fan.  The same demand and those same passages in Luke 14, again, speak volumes to a new generation.  The challenge of those verses is still being shouted in the wilderness. The urgency to respond is still there for us to forsake all and to follow Him!

The author, Kyle Idleman, defines a fan as a person who has made a decision for Christ; she is an enthusiastic admirer of Christ; but no sacrifice is required.  He defines a follower as a person who has made a commitment to Christ; she counts the cost in following Him; and the commitment requires sacrifice.  He continues:

Fans are unaffected by their Christian responsibility.

Followers have their lives turned upside down.

Fans don’t mind Jesus doing a little touch-up.

Jesus wants a complete renovation!

Fans come to Jesus thinking tune-up.

Jesus is thinking overhaul!

Fans want Jesus to inspire them

Jesus wants to interfere with our lives!

“Jesus was never interested in having fans.  When He defines what kind of relationship he wants…enthusiastic admirer is not an option!  Many American churches have gone from being sanctuaries to becoming stadiums, and every week all the fans come to the stadium where they cheer for Jesus but have no interest in truly following him.  The biggest threat to the church today is fans that call themselves Christians but aren’t actually interested in following Christ.  They want to be close enough to Jesus to get all the benefits, but not so close that it requires anything from them.” Kyle Idleman

 Are you a Fan or a Follower?

The young knights and princesses in our newest release “A Royal Christmas to Remember” worked tirelessly to assure the villagers that they would be able to celebrate Christmas after a devastating event threatened to destroy it all.  Their commitment to their Father, the King, motivated them to step outside themselves to sacrifice and serve others instead of selfishly serving themselves.

A follower of the King of Kings would have her life affected and turned upside down for the benefit of others and the glory of God.

~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.