Jackie's Journey "There's a Decision Knocking at My Door!"

Decisions…decisions…

 Difficulties in decision-making are overcome when our hearts (plural) are ready to do the Lord’s will, whatever it may be.  When my husband, Ralph, was here, we put our wills in neutral and prayerfully sought the counsel of God who held our future. We allowed peace to decide…not my will or his,  but His peace in our hearts (plural). (Phil. 4: 7)

 I am finding decisions are harder for me now…

there is only one heart! (singular)

 I am reminded of the Four D”s of decision-making:

1.   Don’t – If it is the responsibility of others, let them do it.

2.   Delay – if it should be done at a better time,  wait.

3.   Delegate – if others can do it better, let them.

4.   Do It – if none of the above apply…do it!  Dr. Glen Heck

 Life is a continuous series of exchanges based on wise or unwise decisions.  We build decisiveness when we refuse to reconsider a decision that we know is right and not in harmony with God’s Word.  Proverbs 11: 14 is clear …”where no counsel is, people fall; but in a multitude of counselors there is safety.” 

 Seems  to me, there are a horde of decisions that need to be made after the loss of a partner (60 years). What do I need to be asking myself? 

1.   Is my use of things consistent with the purposes for which God created them? (money, family, food, clothes, time, friends…)

2.   Whose jurisdiction am I under? (husband, parents, government, church; The Word of God…)

3.   Can I make this decision with a clear conscience?

4.   Am I in harmony with all those involved in the decision?

5.   Have I yielded my rights on this decision?

6.   Will it cause someone else to stumble?

7.   Is  this part of God’s purpose for my life?

 The little decisions we make now determine

the big decisions we will make later.

What do you do when a decision comes knocking?

~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 mentoring 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 "Dissatisfied?"

I’ve been thinking about the mouse that made his home underneath the hood of my car a few months back and ate through the wires, costing me a lot of money to have fixed and loss of the use of my car.  Well, it has been less than six months and my little friend has done it again!!  He had another huge nest and ate through my fuel pump wires this time! 

 Needless to say, my forbearance for this little pest is running thin!  It is time for drastic measures.  Then… I remembered the lesson he taught me the first time he ate through my electrical wires and I am relenting on my determination to see him eliminated permanently!

 That little creature gave me a  good lesson in being content.  He makes his house in the most obscure places and he has the ability to make himself totally comfortable with whatever is available.  He’s content that he has all he needs.

 Contentment is realizing that God has  given me everything I need for my present and future happiness.  He is all I really need and HE is always with me.  “He will show me the path of life; in His presence is the fulness of joy; at His right hand there are pleasures for evermore.” (Psalm  16:11) 

 It has been three months since Ralph left for his heavenly home.  I am still processing how fast it all came about and what all God needs me to learn.  His Word is sweet, as is HIS presence and HIS grace is more than abundant.  I  have only praise and thanksgiving for HIS undertaking on my behalf.

 I want thank those of you who have reached out to me recently and for those of you who continue to pray me through these days of “fine-tuning”.  I have reviewed the five steps of grief and have weathered the “Shock” and skipped the middle three and went right into “Acceptance”.  God’s is sovereign and knowing HE”S got the plan continues to bring peace to my soul. I am content…

 Do you believe that God has given you all you need?

“If I am not satisfied with what I have,

 I will never be satisfied with what I want.”

Ralph Guthrie

~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 mentoring 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 "What's Worth Dying For?"

During the reign of Maximian in the third century(A.D. 286), repeated persecutions were brought against Christians.  Yet the greater the persecutions, the more  the early church grew.

 One day Maximian ordered  all his armies to assemble near the city of Gaul.  Tens of thousands of soldiers were there.  They stood at attention to give a loyalty oath which included the killing of Christians.

 The captain of 6,ooo men, known as the Thebian Legion replied to this oath by saying, ”We  will fight and die for Maximian in battle, but we will not kill Christians.  We, ourselves, are all Christians.”  

 Maximian became infuriated.  He ordered their ranks to be decimated.  Every 10th man was killed by the sword.  The remaining legion still refused!  More men were killed until the entire legion was martyred for their faith!

 The tens of thousands who watched saw men who had something worth dying for.  Soon, thousands became converted, and in A.D. 313 the entire Roman empire adopted the Christian faith.

 These men were strong in God’s Spirit.

Their faith was grounded in conviction, not preference.

 We live in a time when our fear of God is at an all-time low and our love of the world and all it offers, is at an all-time high!  God wants us mighty in spirit, “’To be strengthened with might by HIS SPIRIT in the inner man.’”

 This means God’s Word is dwelling richly in us, we are sensing His presence and recognizing His promptings. We are alert to spiritual dangers that would draw us away from Him and His purpose in our life and we are discerning of wrong attitudes and ideas that would neutralize our ability to make decisions with godly convictions and His blessing.

If HE is worth dying for…

HE is worth living for…

~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 mentoring 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 "Profoundly Unbecoming!"

In life we are confounded with choices, preferences and demands.  They come as fast and as remarkably contradictory, as presumably thinkable!  Demands on us and demands we make on others!  We live in an age of personal rights and what we consider a “need”.  If life and experience have taught me one thing, it would be that my “needs” are minimal and my wants are unreasonably extravagant!

 C. S Lewis said, “When I am in the presence of God, it seems profoundly unbecoming to demand anything!”  We just celebrated Christ’s surrendering HIS will completely and HIS victory over death…our promise of resurrection. “Father, if you are willing, take this cup from me; YET not my will, but yours be done.”  Luke 22: 42  In anguish our Savior cried out on the Mount of Olives, as HE faced death in our place!” 

 How often in our choices, preferences and demands do we stop and consider HIS will first?  Do we seek the author and finisher of our faith in the midst of our decision-making process? Do we take thought to get into HIS presence and acknowledge that the God of the universe has a will to be considered?  Can you hear His voice when HE whispers HIS will to you?

 Have you ever put your will in “neutral”; having no preference or will of its own in regard to making a decision?   Our battle ceases when we acknowledge HIS sovereignty and accept HIS perfect will for us.  HE’S got the plan and it is for our good…we are blessed if we find which way God is moving and get in harmony with HIM.

 The history of all the great characters of the Bible is summed up in this one sentence:

 They acquainted themselves with God, and acquiesced HIS will in all things.” Richard Cecil 

 Have a great week…

~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 mentoring 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 "Faith Stroll?"

My granddaughter, Alexandra Grace, gave me the “Faith not Sight” and with its message comes, a promise of a walk unlike no other. It is in my kitchen and the daily reminder of a march of faith…like Abraham of old, “He went out, not knowing where he was going!”  When we left the United States and headed for the mission field , we had no idea where we were going.  We only knew that God had moved in our hearts to be His hands and feet to reach an unreached tribe in the jungles of Panama. With two little girls we, by  faith, found ourselves separated from family, friends and civilization.

 Faith became a series of “realizations “of  unknowns…and me, learning to see Him only…not my circumstance.  I got in the habit of asking myself…was God in control, or was I in His way? My    faith was becoming a daily stroll, rooted in his taking the lead and me learning to follow, without resistance, rationalization or excuse!  “Faith never knows where it is being led,  but it loves and knows the One Who is leading. It is a life of knowing Who makes us ‘go’”. Oswald Chambers

 Whether your faith journey is a health issue,  finances, a job loss, relationship divisions, or like me, a loss of a loved one,  the root of faith is the knowledge of a Person and his divine purpose in all that is going on around us.  For me the Person is my focus and the attainment of useful character for the benefit of His glory is the goal.  Will I be more profitable for the cross?

 “The life of faith is not a mounting up with wings, but a life of not fainting.” Oswald Chambers From  my early Christian life my faith has been tried and proved and because of His faithfulness…has stood the test.  Like Abraham…I believe God.  He’s got the plan.  My job…keep in harmony with Him!

 Have a great “faith walk” this week…

~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 mentoring 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

 Family celebrations are on the horizon!  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, 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 Easter release to the Princess Parable Series, “A Royal Easter Story”, we have introduced our five young knights who present a challenge that draws our young princesses into a chariot race that 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 women, we are dedicated to living and then, teaching the character of Christ to 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 us and another person enables us 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 mentoring 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 Divided Heart?"

Sometimes, don’t you just wish you knew the future?  Just a little heads-up?  Life is so full of obstacles, decisions, and the unexpected, it would be nice to know a little ahead!  Shortly before God called my husband home, he texted me Psalm 86:11 with the note…”Prayer for our family this week”.  This was the verse…“Teach me your way, Lord, that I may rely on your faithfulness; give me an undivided heart that I will fear your name (the beginning of wisdom).  I will praise you, Lord, my God, with all my heart; I will glorify your name forever.  For great is your love toward me; You have delivered me from the depths, from the realm of the dead.”

 In a way, this was prophetic.

He left this earth for his heavenly home the following week!

Ralph had given me the verses I needed to begin to journey on… before he left!

 An undivided heart is one that uses difficult and impossible times to demonstrate our commitment to God and those HE has called us to serve.  This is called LOYALTY. Loyalty is the bonding of individuals in a long-term commitment of sacrificial support and defense. Infidelity or unfaithfulness is total betrayal to God and our designed purpose.

 Each of us has loyalties to certain people or things.  We are all loyal to something!  We are loyal to things on earth(family, friends, money, job…) or we are loyal to things in heaven (rewards, abstaining from sin, godly relationships, walking in holiness, faithful in our witness and service). Loyalty is one thing a leader cannot do without.

 All day long we are making decisions that tell us where our loyalty lies and to whom!  It reveals what our mind is focused on.  We are to make our decisions based on two things:

1 – Am I loyal to the authority responsible for me?

2 – Am I standing with those I am serving in their time of need and making them first, more successful than myself?

 I guess the question is: 

Do we doubt God’s sovereignty during adversity

or do we draw nearer to HIM?

 Hence, my prayer for us this week…

“Relying on HIS faithfulness, give us an undivided heart”…

~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 mentoring 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 "Listen Up!"

Are you a mom?  Not yet?  I have been thinking about my life spent as a mother, first and then, a grandma and I am, as I am sure you are, desperate for our little princesses and young knights to be equipped to face the world waiting to devour them!  They will be required to be wise and disciplined, ones who understand the words given for help in direction and insight, able to willingly receive instruction in prudent behavior, ever learning to discern good from evil and accept guidance in making right choices, etc.

 Are we not urgently seeking answers in preparation?

 We get on google (the new ‘how to’), read books on how to love and nurture our little ones, etc.  We get pre-occupied with how our friends are raising their children. We join groups of young moms desiring instruction.  We ask, “What should be our goal for their benefit?  What works best in this  or that situation? What words should I use? How should I address this?”

 It is a huge responsibility!

 When all the time the tools are readily available and written in uncomplicated and straightforward terms…the work has been done for us, ladies.   It calls to us every day and screams for our attention to its clear teaching.

 Where…you say?

These tools are found in the Word of God.

If you feel you are too busy to spend time studying the Bible…

you ARE too busy!

I started reading Proverbs this morning and the first verses

give the key to attaining these desired goals mentioned above and

are written in one long sentence!

 “Listen children to your father’s instruction and do not forsake your mother’s teaching.  For attaining wisdom (is seeing life’s situations from God’s point of view and acting in harmony with HIM) and discipline (accepting trials as God’s fastest path to growth and giving thanks for it) for understanding (applied wisdom) words of insight; for acquiring a disciplined and prudent (projected wisdom; a person who thinks consequences!) life, doing what is right and just and fair; for giving prudence to the simple (without wisdom), knowledge (familiarity gained by insight to truth, experience and accumulated facts and reports) and discretion ( the God given ability to understand why things happen) to the young…let the wise child listen and be discerning (seeing through surface problems to root causes).”Proverbs 1:2-4, 8

 The definition of a word has a way of putting feet to its purpose.  God calls us to get in HIS Word, to call out for insight, to cry aloud for understanding and to search for wisdom as for hidden treasure. Proverbs 2: 3

 The reward is we will understand what God says is right and just and fair…”for wisdom will enter our heart andknowledge will be pleasant to our soul (our mind, will and emotions).  Discretion will protect us and understanding will guard us!  Proverbs 2:10

 I will meet you in the morning…

 Let’s read Proverbs this month…31 Chapters…one chapter a day

~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 mentoring 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 "NEVER-ENDING CHALLENGE!"

Wednesday is Valentine’s Day!

Women all over America look forward to this day

that is set aside to receive and to share

our devotion by gift-giving and celebratio0n.

 A child is the most undeniable gift given to us…and “to him who is given much, much is required”. This verse from Luke 12 is a call to action and we, women, are being given the endless challenge of our lives!

 My first child, Christina, was born during our missionary training in Boot Camp. I sat on an imaginary precipice with a volume of great practical and biblical preparation and instruction, facing a world of unknowns and in my arms…the unbelievable responsibility of a new, beautiful, precious child that was pure magic…

 That tiny loving and compliant daughter brought such joy into my life.  I was sure my heart would burst!  She also brought a fear of failure, because I know me…the real me…and I knew I could not do this job right.  God gave me a wonderful promise verse during this time that I claimed for my own.  “Faithful is He who called me, who will also do it (ifI get out of His way!).”

 Over the years, I have drawn strength from God’s promise in that verse and I have journaled these truths… both my failures and God’s faithfulness.  The only part of us that goes on and carries us into the future when we are gone is found in our heritage.  They “will pass the baton” of our beliefs, our character, our philosophies, our ideologies, etc., into the next generations.

 Motherhood is the most significant investment we will make in our lifetime!

 “Without a vision, the people perish.”  What is your vision for your child?  Do you believe that God laid out a plan for your child’s life, taking into consideration his personality, engiftment, talents and abilities?  Are you convinced that God knows best? 

 What goals and priorities have you set in order to see that vision fulfilled?  Does your husband share that vision? “We have been created in Christ Jesus for a life of good works that HE has already prepared for us to do.” Can you hear the intention and resolve in that verse?

 Each child God has entrusted to us has a personal destiny and designed purpose.

 What is your commitment?

 Our investment today will determine the fulfillment of tomorrow.

“…to whom much is given, much is required.” (Luke 12)

 Have a great week!

~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 mentoring 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 "Don't Worry...I've Got Your Back!"

A protective Panamanian sloth high up in the tree-top!

 “I’ve got your back”…we love those reassuring words. Mom’s are great, aren’t they? They always have our back.“ God said, I will show them ‘my back’ and not my face…”  in Jeremiah 18:17.  NOT reassuring words.  In fact, I can’t think of any words more distressing than to have the Creator of the universe turn His back on me!  The Israelites had exchanged their first love of God, forgotten Him and chosen instead disobedience and idolatry.  They were proud, stiff-necked and against God’s ways…

Sound like anyone you know?

 Jeremiah, the weeping prophet, speaking from the Potter’s house to the people of Judah and those living in Jerusalem, receives a message from God.  These people had ignored God and the consequence of their sin came with the words, “I will scatter them before their enemies and ‘I will show them my back’ and not my face in their day of disaster”!! Jer. 18:17

 In those days people from many nations passed by and asked, “Why had the Lord done such a thing?’  And the answer was: “Because they have forsaken the covenant of the Lord their God and have worshipped and served other Gods.’”

 In this day the “song and dance” is the much the same.  Our very culture is full of seekers of pleasure, people of entitlement, and the masses consumed with their own ways.  Our biggest enemy is…US!

“How do I know?” you ask.   Look around.  What do you see?  Wars and rumors of wars, international uncertainty, disorder, lawlessness, absence of strong biblical leadership, broken homes and relationships, independent and divisive spirits, debates on gender, spiritual deadness, lethargy toward good works and service, self-first mentality, absence of hospitality, (me first…gimme’ mine!)…just to mention a few…

 What did God do when the Old Testament nation of Israel decided to walk contrary to His plan, purpose and way?  My grandson, Christopher sent me a verse from Proverbs from Chapter 1.  God said, “…they will call to me but I will  not answer; they will look for me but will not find me, since they hated knowledge and did not choose to fear the Lord and would not accept my advice and spurned my rebuke…” 

 We all want the protection and safety, but often choose the consequence of disobedience and compromise.  The day is coming when we will be held accountable, as individuals and as a nation.

 Do our convictions line up with what God gives us in His Word

or has the world drawn us away to drink the cool-aide?!! (Jim Jones)

My grandsons, Payton telling Maverick while attempting to climb the stairs…

”We can do this…I’ve got your back…let’s go!”

~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 mentoring 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.