Jackie's Journey "Crisis of Conscience!"

As a “Christian” nation, we face the unbelievable turmoil and chaos that stems from hearts that are cold and indifferent toward the things of God.  The sacrifice of the permanent on the altar of the immediate is rampant. Wrong choices are everywhere. In our homes, churches, universities, communities…

 “A seared conscience is one whose warning voice has been suppressed and perverted habitually, so that eventually instead of serving as a guide, it only confirms the person in his premeditatedly evil course.”  I Timothy 4: 2 Robert Little 

 The conscience is the ten commandments written on the hearts of man and is our moral law within. Romans 2:14-15 It is the capacity that is filled by the Holy Spirit and desires control at salvation.  “Though every believer has the Holy Spirit, the Holy Spirit does not have every believer,” A. W. Tozer “God put within each of us something that cries aloud against us, whenever we do what we know to be wrong.  It is the detective that watches the direction of our steps and decries every conscious transgression. 

Conscience is a vigilant eye before which each imagination, thought and act is held up for either censure or approval. There is no greater proof of the existence of a moral law and lawgiver in the universe than this little light of the soul.  It is God’s voice to the inner man.  Conscience is our wisest counselor and teacher, our most faithful and most patient friend.” Billy Graham

 “God commands us to be filled with the Holy Spirit; and if we are not filled, it is because we are living beneath our privileges.  If you have been born of the Holy Spirit, you will not have to serve God…it will become the natural thing to do.” D.L. Moody “It is impossible for one to despair who remembers that his helper is omnipotent!” Jeremy Taylor

“A person’s conscience, like a warning sign on the highway,

tells us what we shouldn’t do…but it does not keep us from doing it.” Frank Clark

The choice is always ours!!

~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 "Storms May Come and Go...BUT!" (Conclusion)

Spring and Summer announce time for outdoors and new adventures. After an eventful first day and night on board our floating house, the morning came early and everyone, except Ralph and I, loaded into the speedboat to water ski, wake board…etc.  The lake was calm, smooth as glass, and our vacation was now in full swing.  We watched the fast boat disappear.  For hours Ralph and I enjoyed the silence and beauty of the lake.  Another boat had pulled onto our ridge sometime in the night and we were looking for an opportunity to meet them.

 Out of nowhere, our solitude was interrupted by a sudden strong gust of wind that instantly came over the waters.  I was reminded that our God is Sovereign and controls the waters and the wind. The waves were rapidly peaking at 5’!  Our boat began to rock and sway. The next thing we knew…the moorings pulled loose from the sandbar and we were thrust into the lake…backwards, propelled toward the cliff behind us! 

 As the boat pitched and we picked up speed…my first thought was, “The kids are on the open water…where are they?”  and then… “Could we replace this massive beast if it crashed into the jagged cliffs surrounding it and sunk?!”  “Worry is assuming a responsibility that God never intended for me to have…”

 Ralph was on his feet and immediately took off like a bullet!

 On a dead run, he looked over his shoulder and, in an effort, to calm my fears, yells,” Don’t panic, Jackie…safety is in the Lord!” The promise I needed. “Those who respect the Lord will have security, and their children will be protected”. Pro. 14: 26 This event had touched HIM first and had been given with divine purpose…no reason to worry or fret!  My husband jumps the ten feet or more to the shoreline and grabs the rope that has slipped into the lake.  All the moorings were now lying flat on the sandbar!

 “Have no fear of sudden disaster or of the ruin that overtakes the wicked, for the Lord will be your confidence and will keep your foot from being snared.” Pro. 3:25-26

As I am drifting, alone, out into the lake, the neighbors we had not yet seen, came running toward our landing.  Are you familiar with the verse that says, “and with the temptation (me…on the brink of near panic), HE will give a way of escape”?  The stranger leaps into the lake and jumps on board with me!  He grabs the wheel, starts the engine and points the “ark” toward shore. He, then, instantly disappears over-board to help Ralph, yelling back to me, “keep the engine running and aim it for the sandbar!”

 His wife began shouting, “accelerate and hit the sandbar as hard and fast as you can!” That was the most logical and easiest command I had obeyed in a long time…I full-throttled that massive, flat-nosed craft “up onto” the sand, not realizing the job was so well done, it took eight campers to get us loose the day we left!!

 The storm was raging and the rocking boat was once again secured, but our children and grandchildren were still out on the open water.  Had they found refuge in a cove or were they trying to get back to us?  “Jesus Christ is no security AGAINST storms, but HE is perfect IN storms.” L.B. Cowan

 Ralph and I watched across the lake…praying.  The storm raged on. Within an hour we heard in the distance an outboard motor and through the mist saw our heritage coming toward us. They had fought the wind, waves and strong current and God had brought them to us safely.  The excited stories shared by my grandchildren that day were a grandma’s nightmare!

 As quickly as the storm hit, the wind subsided and calmness was restored.  The next few days were a tranquil dream…and a memory that will last a lifetime.  “We will steer safely through every storm, so long as our heart is right, our intention fervent, our courage steadfast, and our trust fixed on God.” Francis de Sales

 Lest I fail to put real courage into perspective, “when John Huss was about to be burned to death, they asked him to give up his teachings.  Huss answered, ‘what I have taught with my lips, I now seal with my blood’”.  That is REAL courage!

 Let’s face these days and this week courageously…

trusting our Sovereign God who is in control and calms the storms in life.

~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 "Can a Promise Become a Reality?"

Once born, a wildebeest calf has 15 minutes to stand and run with the adult herd, or it will be killed by predators (usually, hyenas).  The wildebeest mother will take on a pack of hyenas and sacrificially, single-handedly fight…until death, to preserve the life of her calf. (Bill Gothard, Character Sketches) There are countless “hyenas” that will be used to devour the life of these God is entrusting into our care.               

What is our commitment!??

Our Alertness to His Will and His Way Is Imperative!

Being intentional is our only option!

“Life is a stewardship; not an ownership; A TRUST; NOT A GIFT. With a gift you may do as you please; but with a trust you must give an account (Ephesians 2:10).  God holds us responsible. We will answer to HIM!

AND…Time is short!!

 The journey of life brings trials, triumphs, tragedy and achievement.  Through all of this, a dedicated mother’s love remains constant.  Would you consider yourself to be a dedicated mom: a mom that is committed to the success of your child first, above yourself? I know we are fraught with the demanding activities and social media that keep us exhausted from one day to the next; but are we, through it all, rejoicing mom’s that keep the ultimate goal in view?  By the way, what is your “ultimate goal”?  Do your children view the goal and actively participate, involved in “giving” of themselves or are they “me first”, “takers”, full of entitlement?

  Let me encourage you with all that you are in Christ and to give you the promise He left with all of us that bear the titleMOTHER: “Faithful is He who calls you, who will also do it.” I Thes. 5: 24 However, it is a conditional promise…we have to let HIM!  On that day of accountability there will be NO excuses!    This is our call to action…

HOW DO WE DO THIS??  Where do we start?

 When I think “steps of action” I think work, HARD WORK!  In that same thought comes the comfort of new direction and hope for a positive change.  In the introduction of our Princess Parable Blog site, we looked back at 2014 only to find 2015 “approaching with stomping feet demanding Action” …Steps of ACTION!

 Are you ready, Mom’s?  Here is a test of our dedication and commitment…

 1) Do we “Walk Our Talk?!”  Or do we make excuses for our wrong responses!  Do we call impatience what it really is…ANGER? And how about overuse of social media…CHILD NEGLECT?  Or MISSED OPPORTUNITY?!  There are no “socially acceptable sins” … Rudeness is self-first; Discouragement (or “I deserve better”) is Entitlement (the very attitude we battle in our children!)  Purpose to pursue holiness; moment-by-moment… Mothers of conviction, not compromise!

 (2) Are we open to Teachable Moments? Please note: Most interruptions are the teachable moments!  Purpose to take advantage of the moments we are least wanting to take advantage of!

 (3) Are we Intentional and Consistent?  All decisions we make carry a consequence…positive or negative.  Purpose to teach your child this truth and in doing so, enable him/her to learn to hear the voice of God.  Dial your life into the kingdom of God…Have HIS purpose wrapped in HIS WILL, not your own!

 (4) Are we Character-focused? Note the attitude in which the words or eyes are speaking to you…read your child’s spirit and you will identify the REAL NEED!

 (5) Are we Grateful…regardless of the circumstance?  Gratefulness wards off discouragement.

 (6) Are we Diligently Prayerful? Lamentations 2:19 “Pour out your heart like water in the presence of the Lord.  Lift up your hands to HIM for the life of your child”!

 The definition of the word “purpose” means “resolute,

unwavering, deliberate” …Commitment requires sacrifice.

 Whether a bush nurse, a missionary mom, a city mom, or whatever our title may be…each of us is called to be a godly mother with a profound and sacrificial love for our children.  The calling is to “count the cost” and to love with the purpose of making these entrusted to us more successful than we could ever be for HIS glory!

~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

 This Friday is Good Friday!  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 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 "Unconventional Springboard!"

What do you do with temptation?

Do you believe that everything God created is for God’s Glory?

 Does that include Satan?

 Then, how do you think Satan is used to glorify God?

 John 10:10 says that Satan has come to do ONLY three things…steal, kill and destroy. 

Steal our joy, contentment…

Kill our ambitions, goals…

Destroy our life, our destiny our purpose…

 The word ONLY needs to be understood.  It’s inclusive, all-encompassing and means…ONLY…No more and no less! God has limited Satan in his scope and ability to those three paradigms. Therefore, the big secret to this is, “How do we use Satan, instead of him using us!!

 How do you use Satan for the glory of God?

 Satan’s means of communicating to us is through temptation, using ideas (my husband calls them thought bombs!). Our job is to acknowledge the temptation and use that as “a springboard to pray”. For instance, a lustful thought comes…we know if we follow it, it leads us too nowhere good or profitable. 

Our response needs to be:  Take the temptation as a signal (a red flag warning) to pray for the same unsaved person for his/her salvation for each specific temptation.  That prayer is using Satan for God’s glory!  HOW?  By forcing Satan to build our prayer life!

 Once you’ve done that, you have neutralized Satan’s power in your life, because he has only come to steal, kill and destroy.  So, he has no choice but to leave you alone.  Your consistency in resisting him in this way sets you free to serve others.   

 Most believers spend their time playing Satan’s game… (I tempt you; I make you feel guilty and weak and convince you that God cannot give you victory or the joy of your salvation).

 What do you do with Satan’s scheme to destroy you?

 The “gates” of hell will not prevail against the church (believers). Matt. 16: 18 The idea is “the door” (that separates the church from hell) does not chase anyone; but now, with Satan in his place; we can open that door and rescue some of the lost. 

 We are, now, actively using Satan to develop our prayer life and glorify God!

 How long did your New Year’s resolutions last?

 Do you have a nagging pattern in your life that needs breaking

or a hidden area in your life

 that you just can’t seems to get victory?

I challenge you, this week, to use “the springboard for prayer” …

(Study Given by Pastor Ralph Johnson)

~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 ""Don't Panic!"

If you have been following me or know me, you are aware of the “fear factor” that revealed itself, as I became more and more transparent in the early days of living in the jungle. Fear of death by arrow or fear of huge scorpions, snakes or spiders is not where we are going with this blog. But the fear issue of being creatures with natural fears is the springboard for where we are going. Why do we have a “fear response” at all?

 Reflecting glory back to God with my fear has been a profitable exercise of faith in understanding the purpose of it to begin with.  Why is fear so prevalent and practiced?  Why is it misused and abused?  When you look at what we face in our families, churches, communities, nationally and globally, you get a clearer picture of how we have been deceived.

 The directive has always been to fear one thing only.  That would certainly simplify the “fear” issue, wouldn’t it?  We are told to “Fear God”!   Fear the consequence of sin.   Why do I need to fear God? Isn’t His very character loving and protective? Why would I fear God?

 There is a very good reason this should be a top contender of consideration.  We are told that the “fear of the Lord is the beginning of knowledge.” Pro. 1: 7 I gain knowledge of biblical truth by “fearing the Lord!”

 Let’s let the Bible define what it means “to fear the Lord”.  “It is to hate evil, pride, and arrogance, evil behavior and perverse speech.” Prov. 8: 13 The greatest visible evidence of our fearing God is simple obedience to what He says in His Word.

 Ladies, this means no “acceptable sins” are permitted:

·      No Deception

·      No Covetousness

·      No Fearfulness

·      No Loneliness

·      No Stinginess

·      No Dominance

·      No Double-mindedness

·      No Disrespect

·      No Slothfulness

·      No Presumption

·      No Apathy

·      No Hypocrisy

·      No Extravagance

·      No Wastefulness

·      No Anger

·      No Rudeness

·      No Irresponsibility

·      ETC….ETC…

 Where do you find yourself?  Accepting His sovereignty? Fearing God by obeying Him brings blessing and peace.  Focusing on God’s purpose for fear frees us to be useful, instead of paralyzed. It motivates us to see what God has in whatever circumstance we find ourselves in and it empowers us to see from His frame of reference and get in harmony with Him and what He is doing. To fear God is to fear sin. To fear sin is to fear God.

 Do you “fear the Lord” and the consequence of your sin?

 This is the “fear” we need to heed…

NOT the fear of future, failure and futility!!

It’s a faith issue…obedience is the fruit of faith…

~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 "She's Gone!"

There is a grand exodus taking place today!  The moving van arrives at 9:30 and my life is being altered forever!  My eldest daughter, Christina is moving to North Carolina!  It happened sooo fast!  I am making the adjustment with great difficulty, because we have lived either together or within a few miles of each other for over 50 years.  I have been so blessed and am excited for her new adventure.

 As we went through the exercise of emptying her house with its years of memories and “treasures”, I became acutely aware of what has value and what does not. She has value, things do not!  Life will definitely be different for those of us left behind…her imprint on each of us has been profound.

Philip and Christina 2023

When the girls were small and we were living in the jungles of Panama, I knew one day they would marry and move away from us.  At that time, our young missionary commitment was to “burn out” on the mission field and the foreseeable adjustment was an inevitable supposition. However, God had another plan and has allowed us to be together as family and best friends for half a century!

 Times are changing…separations are inevitable…daily we are hearing of both young and older people just dropping dead! Families are being separated by death and divorce. Children with blood clots and hemorrhages.  Very few of us escape knowing someone in these days that has not left this earth, many abruptly.    I have a class reunion coming up and the list of those who are gone and will not be joining us is long. 

 Every one of us faces physical death.  There is no way of “dodging that bullet”. Godly obedience comes with the promise of long life…but death is inevitable and we are all dying a little each day!

 What we do with the time we have, short as it is, tells us what we value most and where are “treasure” is. When our treasure is eternal, not temporal…we receive the promise of never dying but passing from one life to another…an eternal life.

 In a society where monetary treasures are on the cusp of being devalued to nil, the temporal world is feeling pretty insecure.  If we define our “treasure” by worldly standards we are in deep trouble!

 “Treasures” are the trusts that God gives us until He calls us home. “By wisdom a house is built, and through understanding it is established; through knowledge its rooms are filled with rare and beautiful treasures.” Pr. 24: 4 

 Wisdom is seeing life’s situations from God’s point of view and acting in harmony with Him.

Understanding is application of wisdom and

Knowledge is familiarity gained by insight to (biblical) truth, experience and accumulated facts and reports.”

 As women, are we wise, understanding and “full of knowledge”?

Are our rooms filled with rare and beautiful eternal treasures?

 The realm of tribulation becomes the home of revelation and the resource of knowledge.  “Whoever loves disciple loves knowledge.” Pro. 12: 1   The test!  Do I love discipline?  Discipline is accepting suffering as God’s fastest path to growth and then, giving thanks for it! (My husband’s definition and I’ve had a multitude of opportunities to see it proven!)

 We had better love it, accept it, practice it, and endorse it because scripture states, “He who hates correction is stupid!”  I already fight stupid!  So, for me, it is imperative that I get wisdom, understanding and knowledge, because I want the fruit…” rooms filled with rare and beautiful eternal treasures.”

 How about you?

 My Treasures

People often say that the biggest treasures in life are the people that surround us.  Spurgeon puts this in perspective when he said, “We must keep all earthly treasures out of our heart and let Christ be our treasure, and let him have our heart.”  For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.  Like 12:34

 Who has your 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 "Age is Just a Number"

Age is just a number, until its NOT!  I have currently lived 29,200 days; 4,160 weeks and 960 months! Probably 20 years of that was sleeping; 30 years of work; 17 years of screens/pixels; 3 years getting ready in the morning; 2 years doing laundry and 79 days of brushing my teeth!  With eternity in full view, the brevity of life glaring me in the face (and everywhere else), time needs to be treasured and there is no stopping the clock…

 I ask myself, “Is what I am doing worth dying for?”

 If not, it is not worth living for?

 We are called to live a “supernatural life”.  We do NOT have the power in ourselves to live it!  We need divine power.  That gift of power is given when we exchange it in unconditional surrender. My life purpose is not seeking a ministry but anticipating the fruit of a disciplined life.  In my early Christian life, I was introduced to the “terms of discipleship” and it changed everything.  A mortal (body) life will end, but an eternal life lives forever.

 We are to be stewards of the mysteries of God and each “man’s work will become evident and each will receive his own reward according to his own labor”. (I Cor. 3: 5-16) What opportunities has God recently given me to serve Him?  What earthly things take the majority of my mental energy in this season of life? Keeping eternity in view and our responsibility for an obedient life makes us wise and ready…

 Where do you see yourself in the scheme of age and mortality?

The edge of eternity is closer than you think…

“…For what is your life, it is a vapor, that appears for a little time and then vanishes away.”

 Is what I am giving my time and attention to, given with eternity in full view?  Are my priorities temporal or eternal-focused?  Sacrificing the permanent on the altar of the immediate will end in a futile life span. 

 Being wise with HIS time and numbering our days, will give us a future and hope…

both now and in the time to come…

Let’s make this New Year 2023 the best one yet!

Ralph and I…New Years Eve 2022

~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 "ARACHNIDS...Scared but not Defeated!"

Washday in the jungle was an event, not just a necessity!  It required a trip to the river with two little ones under three years of age in tow, a washtub (like great-grandma used) full of clothes, diapers, sheets, etc., a bar of soap and a washboard.  Finding a rock that wasn’t already being used was the next challenge, after descending the 12’ bank to reach the river’s edge!  The swirling river was the agitator and the most difficult part of the whole exercise was wringing the dripping clothes tight enough, so they would dry after being hung.

The Kuna women would laugh at me, while their little ones entertained mine by chasing, splashing, and diving around us.  Those were the “good old days”.  One blessing, and there were many, was that my girls learned to swim like little fish very early, against the raging current!

 If it was dry season, the wash would dry in 2 hours.  During rainy season we might hang the clothes two times, or more, in one day. Most garments were mildewed and never really dried completely until dry season returned!

 One spring day, my clothes carried in an unwanted visitor inside the house.  We had open wooden shelves and as I lifted the last folded clean sheet, I caught something moving in my peripheral vision.  Now…let me be understood…I will take a snake, any size, over a spider…any day.

 This particular arachnid was a creature of undeniable presence!! I screamed so loud that half the village came streaming through my front door.  One look at the intruder and my husband and Arturo, our neighbor, told us all to get out! Apparently, this venomous feral spider was dangerous!  I could not understand their hesitation in just eliminating it!  I wanted that trespasser DEAD…I did not want him alive for an encore another day…

Earlier that month, our cat found a huge, and I mean huge, scorpion under our bed.  I picked up Ralph’s size 14 army boot, stretched under the bed with one hand and squashed its 12” body dead, in one fell swoop, as our 8-month-old daughter came rapidly crawling into the room!  Now…“hear me roar” …I’m not kidding…I REALLY wanted that spider DEAD!

 Fear is our friend…it is an emotion induced by a threat, which causes a change in brain and organ function and ultimately…a change in behavior.  My husband, Ralph, used to tell me, “Courage is being scared to death…and still walking through the door of fear to victory”. 

 In the book “Hinds Feet in High Places” I would clearly be “little “Much Afraid”.  Shortly after being challenged to carry the name of Christ to unreached tribal people, I read in Luke 10: 19 where Jesus sent out the seventy-two with the promise, “I have given you authority to trample snakes and scorpions and to overcome all the power of the enemy; nothing will harm you”! 

That verse came pounding into my consciousness and I claimed that promise, given to those who take the gospel into uncharted territories.  As jungle living became my daily experience, I would often return to those precious words that brought peace that day, and over and over again during those years of the unforeseen and unexpected…I would claim its truth when I was tempted to yield to fear and panic.

 Not too much has changed over the years.

These days, in this asphalt jungle, events seem to fall into

the same category of unforeseen and unexpected events.

We can fret and panic in defeat or

we can claim the promises and maintain our peace…

~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 "Christmas Surrender!"

Christmas is a wonderful time to put our busy lives back into Scriptural perspective.  We celebrate the coming of our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ…the One who gives us everything we need to live a godly life. (II Peter 1: 3) This year 2022 is closing down…how did you do in your surrender to Him this year?

 Genuine Christianity is an unconditional surrender to His Lordship.

 While attending the University of Arizona, I was invited to join Kappa Alpha Theta, a national sorority.  I had a sense of acceptance and grew to love the girls and the accountability.  After a semester of pledging, we had a night of mild hazing that culminated in stepping, individually, behind a veil for the final step of becoming a Theta.  As the “pledge of loyalty” was read and the words were spoken to me…I was asked to repeat them…

 A few months earlier, over Thanksgiving holiday, I had attended a church service and heard for the first time in my life that I could know God in a personal way through His Son, Jesus Christ.  Now, standing behind that veiled curtain in the Theta House, listening to the call to Theta loyalty, I was profoundly struck and realized I had already given my total allegiance to the Savior that we celebrate next week!  When He walked into my life, everything changed…I had no more allegiance to give.

 Time has tested on life’s stage that unconditional surrender

I made to my loving Savior and Sovereign Lord, in those college days.

 What is your present commitment?

 Commitment was the turning point in my life when I seized the moment and converted it into an opportunity to alter my destiny. When we talk about total surrendering of our lives to the Lordship of Christ, we are talking about yielding all our rights and expectations! 

 What…?

 Wait a Minute!

 Don’t we run from the people and circumstances that call us into total commitment?  It is much easier to go with the flow as the secular, ungodly world dictates to us woke, relativity, independence and “I have MY rights!”  The world’s motto: “Strength only, show no weakness!”  The human struggle wants HIS POWER TO DO OUR WILL…no humility here.

 Is humility a position of strength or weakness, in your opinion?

 “My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.

Therefore, I will boast all the more gladly in my weaknesses,

so that Christ’s power may rest on me.  That is why, for Christ’s sake,

I delight in weaknesses, in insults, in hardships, in persecutions, in difficulties.

 For when I am weak, then I am strong.”  (II Cor. 12: 9-10)

 Humility is me…seeing the contrast between my spiritual condition (a sinner) and HIS holiness and then receiving His grace to live Christ-like, not Jackie-like!  Grace flows in our weakness. Grace is doing HIS WILL WITH HIS POWER! (Phil. 2: 13)   It is acknowledging His presence and His power to live the Christian life.  Victory is living in that truth!

 Have you surrendered your life to His Lordship?

~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.