Jackie's Journey "How Evil is Evil?"

The worlds in turmoil.

 There is a created stress producing evil and the instability

is rampant with unrest all around us.

People are struggling, looking for answers…

 And we have them!!

 Everyone has their own system of seeking truth in resolving issues and understanding circumstances around them.  There are a lot of lies out there!

 Do you want solutions?  How do you recognize the truth?

 Our universal and only true God has taught us how find answers. To level the playing field and see evil for what it is from God’s perspective, let’s look at how God defines it…“we do EVIL because we did not set our heart to seek the Lord”. (2 Chron. 12: 14)  

 To seek the Lord is a present progressive verb, meaning… an ongoing, never-ending action.  If we want answers to the mayhem and disorder around us…we connect with Him daily in His Word.    We are robbing God and ourselves by not “setting our heart to seek Him”!   We are created to fulfill what we, with Him, are commissioned to do.  Our designed purpose is “to do the will of God on earth, even as it is being done in Heaven”.  Matthew 6:10 “We are created for a life of good works that He has prepared before-hand for us to do”. Ephesians 2:10

 He wants to supply for His family, like any good father, as His family yields to His will and ways. We are to “seek first the Kingdom of God and His righteousness (and all these things will be added to us”) …”for this reason I say to you, do not be worried about your life, as to what you will eat or drink; nor for your body what you will put on. Are you not worth more than the birds and the lilies…”(mentioned above v. 27-32) Matthew 6:33  

 Evil is doing our own thing.  We have two choices:  Wisdom from above that comes as we seek Him or wisdom from below that is evil, Satanic, selfish, proud, and envious.  We cannot separate selfishness and pride from Satan. James 3:13-15 We are given clear understanding that setting our heart to seek Him teaches us that sacrificing our will and desires requires a surrendering to God’s will, bringing us into His will and our purpose. Romans 12:1,2

 In Matthew there was a group of people doing their version of God’s will, but doing it their own way.  Matthew 7:21,22Christ said, “depart from me, I never knew you.” They were doing, what appeared to be the same as the apostles, but it was in self-oriented, satanic power. 

 Who discerned that?  The Lord Jesus did!

 How do we know we are “setting our heart to seek Him?”

 What is His will, in general, for all believers?   Fish for men. Matt 4:19   Walk in the Spirit. Gal 5:16   Seek Him in the Scriptures daily to understand our calling.  It always involves service.  He came to serve, not to be served.  He lives in the believer to continue to do just that. If you are focused on all of the evil that is happening around you or the turmoil of circumstances that are incumbering you…set your heart to seek Him and know He has the answer and is waiting to give it to you…

 Who are you seeking today?

 He is the same today, yesterday and forever.

 (an adapted study from 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 "Inspiring Imprints"

My daughters, Christina and Kim in the hammock in our jungle house

 As a young missionary mother reading to these two little ones sitting next to me in a hammock in the middle of the Panamanian jungle, my heart yearned for books that would introduce my girls to bible-based, character-emphasized prince and princesses that they could aspire to become.  I would take every book I picked up and purpose to impose these two principles into the pages in terms they could understand that had eternal values targeted.  My two daughters, Christina and Kim, are now grown and have given me seven grandchildren!  Christina encouraged me for years to sit down and put on paper what I did to the stories I read in those early years.  Her cry for these books for her four little ones was my primary motivation.

The opportunities are unlimited when it comes to God building His character in us, and then, into the lives of these He entrusts to our care.  Understanding the need and exercising the steps of action needed to see them implemented is our challenge.  When you look at your children where do you see their primary need?  Taking into consideration their temperament, maybe the need for them to be more alert or to respond more quickly in obedience?  Maybe rebellion is the issue or selfishness?  Where would you begin to help the little prince or princess in your home? 

 Values are based on the changing opinions of what people or groups of people practice in their principles or ideals.  Character is based on universal standards that are time-tested and recognized as being ethically correct.  Character is written in every person’s heart and conscience (Romans 2:15).  Even though the basic truth of a character quality is understood, there is a need for further clarification on how to apply the truth in daily circumstances. 

I have collected positive character quality definitions for years because they describe pieces of the Godhead and assist in my personal spiritual exercise and transformation.  They helped equipped me to pragmatically instruct my girls, as we walked through daily activities, living in a culture very different than our own. In the village where we lived, the Kuna practice of polygamy and early marriages combined with witchcraft and a village witchdoctor opened up interesting teaching opportunities.

My granddaughters, Catherine and Alexandra

A few years ago, the oldest of these two little princesses in the hammock saw her two daughters, my granddaughters, Catherine and Alexandra (now 23 and 21), accomplish an extraordinary act of compassion in just a few days.  I was asked to wrap a collection of gifts, gift cards and get-well cards with money that they had gathered to give to Alexandra’s teacher at school.  Her heart had been challenged to encourage this young single woman, who had recently left her parents and siblings on the East Coast to answer a call to serve in our community here on the West Coast.  She had taken a daily six-hour cancer treatment three months earlier and had quietly gone alone for the last six weeks, not wanting to burden or inconvenience anyone else.  During her follow-up appointment, the doctors found the cancer had returned…aggressively!   Alexandra tearfully shared with her sister, Catherine, the sadness she felt.  Catherine, who was the school’s “Kindness Club” director, immediately joined hearts and hands with her sister, their mother (Christina), and many who heard of the need. Within just a few days came waking through my front door with a huge box-full of “encouragement” to wrap and be delivered by hand to this teacher.

The wrapped gift!

We respond to life according to our character, good or bad.  Our wrong responses indicate our need.  Our correct responses validate our victories.  For me, this was a victory of gigantic proportion.  Three generations clasping hands to compassionately encourage a hurting heart! Princess Charity in our Princess Parable Series was faced with the same choice my granddaughters faced.  Webster’s definition of Compassion is “together + suffering; deep sympathy, pity”.  “If anyone has material possessions and sees his brother in need but has no pity on him, how can the love of God be in him?” 1 John 3:17   Compassion is doing whatever is necessary to heal the hurts and meet the need of another.  Christ is the greatest teacher that ever lived and our example. His compassion for us carried Him to the cross!  Living outside our own self-life, being alert to another’s pain and not walking by without lifting a hand is our “Call to Action”.  This time of year, certainly invites acts of kindness!

~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 "It's A Choice!"

We have all heard and probably repeated the old adage which is the biblical proverb, “Where there is no vision, the people languish and perish”.  (Pro. 29: 18) I have been focused on the vision God has for my life since I was in college.  It wasn’t until I understood that God has a designed vision for me that He makes available to any woman who desires to be a godly woman, wife and mom, powerful in her influence, firm in her faith. 

 “He has given us everything we need to live a godly life…” (II Peter 1:3)

(So, there are no excuses for patterns of failure!)

 There are two powers in relationships given by God that dominate the world.  The first is the power of authority.  It’s not a choice, its positional.  The second is the power of influence, which is a choice.  Which one is the greater or more powerful of the two?   The power of influence is the greater power because it is a choice and it chooses to have power over another person. Have you ever thought about it?  The man was given the power of authority and the women the power of influence. (Gen. 16:3)

 What determines our influence?

How is our power manifested?

 For good or evil, we woman are influencing ALL THE TIME.  We are a letter and “we are known and read of all men”. (II Cor. 3: 2) Others are always watching to see the REAL us through our responses to life’s situations and our attitudes which result in actions. We have been given a wonderful gift to benefit others, if we chose…

 In order to exercise the power of influence to glorify God and live-in harmony with others, we need to take a look at our attitudes.  “The longer I live, the more I realize the impact of attitude on life. Attitude, to me, is more important that facts.  It is more important than the past, than education, than money, than circumstances, than failures, than successes, than what other people think or say or do.  It is more important than appearance, giftedness, or skill.  It will make or break a company…a church…a school…a home.  The remarkable thing is we have a choice every day regarding the attitude we will embrace that day.  We cannot change the past…we cannot change the fact that people act in a certain way.  We cannot change the inevitable.  The only thing we can do is play on the one thing we have, and that is our attitude.  I am convinced that life is 10% what happens to us and 90% how we react to it.

 And so, it is with you (and I)…we are in charge of our attitudes.” (Charles Swindoll)

Have you captured His vision for you?

How are you exercising that vision ?

Your life is your message to the world…make sure its inspirational!

~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 "I'M A RESEARCH ASSOCIATE!"

As a young missionary mother in the jungles of Panama, I was told this true story…

 A few months ago, a young mother rushed up to me, fuming with indignation.  “Do you know what you and I are?” she demanded.  Then, in detail, she explained that the lady at the DMV had asked for her occupation and when she hesitated, the lady said, “What I mean is, do you have a job or are you just a……?

 “Of course, I have a job, she said, “I’m a mother!”

We don’t list ‘mother’ as an occupation…’housewife’ covers it,” said the recorder emphatically! (pause)

 Well, I forgot all about her story until the day I found myself in the same situation, this time at City Hall.  The clerk was obviously a career woman, poised, efficient, and possessed of a high-sounding title like “City Registrar.  And what is your occupation?”, she probed.   Now, what made me say it, I do not know.  The words simply popped out!!

 “I’M A RESEARCH ASSOCIATE in the field of CHILD DEVELOPMENT AND HUMAN RESOURCES!”

 The clerk paused, ball-point pen frozen in mid-air, and looked up as though she had not heard me correctly.  I repeated the title SLOWLY, emphasizing the most significant words!

 Then I stared with wonder as my pompous pronouncement was written in BOLD, BLACK ink on the official questionnaire!  “Might I ask”, said the clerk with new interest, just what you do in your field?” Without a trace of hesitation in my voice, I heard myself reply:

 I have a continuing program of research (what mother doesn’t!), both in the laboratory and in the field (normally, I would have said indoors and outdoors!).  I’m working for my Masters (that would be my husband, kids, dogs, one cat…!) and I already have nine credits (2 daughters, 3 granddaughters, 4 grandsons!).  Of course, the job is one of the most demanding in the humanities (I dare you to disagree!) and I often work 14 hours a day (NO!…make that 24Hrs).

 But the job is more challenging than most of the run-of-the-mill

careers and the rewards are in satisfaction rather than just money!”

 There was an increasing note of respect in the clerk’s voice, as she finished the questionnaire, stood up and personally escorted me to the door!  I HAD SCORED A BEAT ON BUREACRACY AND I HAD GONE ON OFFICIAL RECORD AS SOMEONE MORE DISTINQUISHED AND INDISPENSABLE TO MANKIND THAN” just a mother!”

 Mothers are the first book read and the last book put aside in every child’s library.  Our children are our most valued investments. They are all that is left of us when we are gone.  There is nothing in life that can replace the warmth of our child’s tiny hand in ours or the absolute trusting way in which they look to us for reassurance!

 We can’t do it all… but, we can be careful to never sacrifice

the permanent on the altar of the immediate.

~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 "Tactics and Strategies!"

Who’s the Target??

 When you look around, what do you see?  When you listen to the news, what do you hear? When you have opportunity, what do you share? It is nearly impossible to find a person living today that is not confused, disappointed, disallutioned, and seeking a reasonable answer to all the chaos in our world today.  Everyone has a complaint, an opinion, a proposed resolution or a persuasive argument.   There are tactics and strategies galore, but most miss the mark of the core issue.

 There is a line of attack aimed at a deliberate target.  The tactics have always been the same.  It is a direct assault on our mind, body, will, heart and conscience.  The strategy is lies, suffering, accusation and pride.  Its purpose: to energize the human race toward sin and lives that are lived independent of God.  It makes us ignorant of God’s will through pride and suffering, not to forget, Satan’s pacing “to and FRO” talking to God about us with the intent of bringing an indictment.

We are the target!

 Though the Devil roars and flexes his muscle among the nations, it is encouraging to remember the truth that he is a created being, not equal with God, and that he has already been defeated by the Lord Jesus Christ!  When Jesus died on the cross, was buried, then rose again, Satan’s power over believing men was broken once and for all. “And having spoiled principalities and powers, he made a show of them openly, triumphing over them in it.” Col. 2:15 

 Do you want victory over the devil’s strategy?  Satan’s tactics have always been the same.  Both Satan and God speak to us with soundless “thought bombs”.  We call them temptations.  Everyone gets them.  One is for destruction and one is for blessing to benefit others.  Satan will tempt us in the areas we have opened up to him. “Lust of the eye, lust of the flesh and the pride of life.”  He’s been busy! Does this look like his work, when you look around at the world today?  When you listen to world solutions to complex, upside-down problems?  When you see violation of biblical principles on every side and in every arena? Where each man’s opinion and lie are openly received by his own standard of truth?

 If we learn that each temptation can be matched with a specific person’s need and we turn it into a prayer of salvation for that person, we will kill the power of that temptation and Satan will run for fear that “the prayer given will avail much” and that person will come to faith.  Satan’s has one strategy: he has come to steal your life, kill your soul and destroy your relationships. (Jn. 8:44)  He cannot be a willing part of building your prayer life!

 We are victors in HIM!

 Let’s learn to use Satan for God’s glory!

Learn to fight or be defeated…

~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 "They Are Magic!"

My paternal grandmother and grandfather, who lived in Mound City, Missouri, would welcome every summer visit of their four little granddaughters with a silver dollar each.  “What a bargain grandchildren are! You give them your loose change, and they give us a million dollars’ worth of pleasure.” (Gene Perret) I understand this so clearly now…

 I am officially feeling the emptiness of grandchildren grown and leaving, one by one. Each departure comes so quickly; there is no shadow left to contemplate!  Where these last twenty-four years have gone is a mystery!  The fulness of “grandma life” has been nothing short of supreme joy.  My grandparents had a strong influence on me. Grandmother-grandchild relationships are simple.  Grandmas are short on criticism and long on love and patience.

 I love definitions and the one for Grandmother is “a wonderful mother with lots of practice.” As a young mother on the mission field, I never allowed myself to envision the possibility of being near my grandchildren, as they grew up.  Most seasoned missionaries found their children gone and living in the U.S. or other mission fields.  I knew nobody could do for little children what grandparents do.  They offer unique testimony, both generational and spiritual. “One generation commends God’s works to another; they tell of His mighty acts!” (Psalm 145:4)  It’s been said, “Grandparent’s sort of sprinkle stardust over the lives of little ones”.  In truth, it’s just the opposite…these little one’s sprinkle stardust(blessings) on us, the minute they touch us and we are never the same! Grandmas hold their hands for just a little while, but their hearts forever. 

 Hannah Whithall Smith said that “if becoming a grandmother was only a matter of choice, I should advise every one of you straight away to become one…There is no fun for old people like it!”  Becoming a grandmother is extraordinary.  “One moment you are just a mother.  The next you are all-wise and prehistoric!” (Pam Brown) Grandma’s are moms with lots of frosting!  We are “antique little girls”, after all.

 t has been a remarkable run…a distinct privilege…a high calling to have been trusted by God to be near my grandchildren from the day they were born until the day they left for Bible school, started dating seriously, got engaged, got married and now, one by one, are flying away.  I am blessed to get weekly calls, texts and videos from them.  Missing them is to be expected, but God’s presence is not dependent on any place or person, but on a determination to bank on the reality of His presence…He has been there all the time!  (Thought from Oswald Chambers)

~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 "It Takes More Than Chains!"

This past June I received a letter from dear friends and missionaries that struck a chord.  As I make ill attempts to reconcile this upside down, backwards culture, I am reminded of the one true, unchanging standard by which I am to position myself to judge.  Everyone is screeching for freedom…freedom to abort their child, freedom to cross a border illegally, freedom to live however they want…on the street, in a house, on the open road in a motorhome, freedom to educate their children…freedom…freedom… No nation has ever failed to prosper when its people put God first and their country second.  Harold Lindsell  

 “The Bible records one of the most dramatic accounts of being set free imaginable! There was a demon-possessed man who could not be controlled, even with chains!  The Scriptures declare that he had been “often bound with fetters and chains, and the chains had been plucked asunder by him.”  Nothing could subdue this man!  But Jesus drove the evil spirits from this man, saved and set him free and made a new person out of him.  The truth of the Bible is meant not merely to inform, but also…to transform.

 When Jesus got out of the boat, a man with an impure spirit came from the tombs to meet him.  This man lived in the tombs, and no one could bind him anymore, not even with a chain.  For he had often been chained hand and foot, but he tore the chains apart and broke the irons on his feet.  No one was strong enough to subdue him. Night and day among the tombs and in the hills, he would cry out and cut himself with stones.’ Mk. 5: 2-7NIV

 It takes more than chains to make a man what he ought to be.  Our society is filled with social programs attempting to deal with the unleashed violence, wickedness and lawlessness of our generation.  Drugs are produced to help suppress irrational behavior.  Treatment programs are prescribed the condition the addicted are to believe and that he will never be anything other than what he has always been.  Prisons and jails are constructed to restrain the violent or habitual offender.  The truth is that none of these measures can or will solve the problem.  Incarceration is a necessary part of the judicial system, but it only deals with the symptoms, not the root cause!

 Only Jesus can break the chains and deliver

the sinner from the sin that binds him.

This is true for every life.

 There is an unconverted need for the Gospel of Christ and the transforming power of salvation. Some are not bound by violent behavior, but are equally enslaved by their pride, prejudice or trust in a false religion that holds no hope…”

 What chain binds you today?

 It takes more than chains to bind us to sin, when HE came to set us free!

The doorstep to the temple of wisdom and freedom is

the knowledge of our own ignorance.  Charles 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 "Cultural Suicide!"

There is a godly man in the Old Testament called “The Weeping Prophet” because of the immense sorrow he felt over the destruction of the nation of his people.  His name was Jeremiah. I am feeling like Jeremiah this morning!  As much as, I would like to blame big government for the current confusion and distress in our country, we are a nation that has “followed the stubborn inclination of our own hearts!”   We have become stiff-necked and deaf to the God-given promise that is ours, IF we would but return to His management and direction and “obey His commands (clearly written in His Word) and walk in obedience to His leadership and …(wait for it)…ALL WOULD GO WELL WITH US!” 

 Our nation has not listened to the God, who by-the-way, created and owns this universe; but instead, has adopted and accepted detestable practices, contrary and in violation to God’s teaching…sexual immorality (adultery and fornication), impurity(slander), lust (pornography), evil desires (perverted life-styles and child-trafficking), woke ideology and self-indulgence…all of which, God calls idolatry!  This list only mentions a few of the deceptions that have led us astray.  Let’s not forget the current appetite for abortion, drugs, alcohol, and witchcraft…  You fill in the blank…it’s exhaustive!   

 Truth has vanished.  Lies and deception prevail.

 Has the Lord rejected and abandoned this generation?  Our culture has idols on every level…everywhere!   The cry of Jeremiah was “but my people do not know the requirement of the Lord”.  Contrarily, we have no excuse because we are warned in Colossians, “See to it that no one takes you captive with hollow and deceptive philosophy, which depends on human tradition and the elemental spiritual forces of this world (Satanic), rather than on Christ (who is Head over every power and authority, including Satan!).  Disarming the worlds power and authority (Satan), triumphing over them by the cross.” (Col. 2: 15)

 The wounds of this nation and its people are being addressed today, as though they are not serious; but instead, culturally acceptable and carry no consequence!  There is little shame, not even a blush, for the perversion of a nation once founded on Godly principles.

 “Why is there no healing for the wounds of my people?”

cried Jeremiah in his day. (Jeremiah 8)

 The answer is easy…” For I know the plans I have for you”, declares the Lord, “plans to prosper you and not harm you, plans to give you hope and a future. Then you will call on me and come and pray to me in repentance and I will listen to you.  You will seek me with all your heart and I will be found by you…”   Jeremiah 29:11-12               

~Jackie Johnson - I am a former tribal missionary to the Kuna Indians on the Colombian border in Central America.  Fluent in several languages, my husband and I currently pastor a Spanish-speaking church in Southern California.  My passion is 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 "Ever Feel Like This?"

Do you ever just wish for more?

 Some things just have to go…once you start growing up, that is.  If you are not careful you can wish your life away!  Just suppose you had a chance for just one wish.  The most important wish in your life.

What would that wish be?

 In life we have things we hope for, things we desire and dream about, things we crave…  Even kings and queens have wishes like we do.  Wouldn’t you think that a king could have anything…just by taking it?  Look at King Saul, King David, King Solomon, Queen of Sheba…they all wished for things they couldn’t just take. Each of these “wished for” good things, bad things, irrational things, not to mention impossible and unreasonable things that were all unfulfilled desires.

 t seems to be programmed into our DNA.  We see it with Eve in the Garden of Eden! Some of us wish we were taller, shorter, healthier, stronger, thinner, smarter, wittier, richer, younger, more sparkling and vivacious…  The wish sometimes comes with lust for power and position. We have been told that “If you wish it, it will happen!” (Disney-Pinocchio-a real boy! The song, “When You Wish upon a Star…”)   Of course, we know this is untrue!  It is great in animation, but unrealistic in real life.

 Sometimes we wish we could “fudge on the truth” and get away with it.  We can’t!  Sometimes we wish ill on someone when we are mistreated.  The usual result is a case of guilt!  With all the self-help books available, it is clearly evident that we all have a built in “wisher”, full of personal desires.

 Contentment is realizing that God has provided everything thing that I need for my present happiness. (I Tim. 6: 8)   Our desires determine the choices we make.  We are controlled by them. “The strongest principle of growth lies in human choice.” (George Eliot)  Paul said, “I have learned in whatsoever state I am, to be content.” (Phil. 4: 11)  “Genuine contentment is the power of getting out of any situation all that there is in it.”  (G.K.Chesterton)  

Most people are about as content as they make up their mind to be!

 How do you find yourself today?

 Content?  In harmony with His desires?

~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 "Life Unraveling!"

                   “Though he slay me, yet will I hope in Him…Job 13:15”                               

 Our village was tucked away near the Colombian border and we lived in the silence of the jungle and its peculiar sounds.   One late morning there was an unfamiliar roar in the distance.  A large helicopter appeared and began circling our village, dropping low, looking for a place to land.  Before we knew what was happening, dust flew and the door slid open.  Men dressed in full military uniforms with machine guns jumped out and stormed into our house. Guns drawn, pointed directly at us, they began shouting commands with accusations!

 My life started unraveling before my eyes!  I quickly grabbed little Kim and Christina came running, clutching my legs. I reached down to reassure her, as Ralph stepped in front of us, whispering to me, “Remember, Jackie, this touched God’s hand first”. 

 We were being accused of being spies for the United States and they demanded we turn over our only means of communication to the outside world…our two-way radio!

I was trembling, imagining every plausible scenario of how we could be easily disposed of in the river and no one would know for months!  The truth that came surging into my consciousness was Job 13:15, “…though he slay me, yet will I hope in HIM”. 

 Still standing between the enemy and us, Ralph appeared calm and was responding in Spanish with an absolute, “We are not spies from America.  We have permission from your government to bring medicine to help this isolated group of people.” 

                              How had this happened?  What could we do?

 The next few moments stood still…their shouting gestures and my seeing no way of escape brought the verse in Job home to my heart.  I resolutely accepted His will, whatever that was going to be and instantly, peace prevailed.  What happened next was beyond belief!  To our utter astonishment, as abruptly as those militant soldiers barged in…they hastily, mid-sentence, without another word, turned and left!!  They did not ask for our passports or visas, nor did they take our rifles that were in plain view, hanging on the wall!  God had blinded their eyes, and in an instant, redirected their path.

 In the aftermath of my processing through this current event, Ralph gave me a definition for “tribulation” that comes to mind every time I am faced with a trial and I just want it gone…no processing…just gone!  “Tribulation is God’s fastest road to maturity”.  Well… missionary life had definitely put me in the fast lane to grow up!  The more life I live, the more I realize how much growth I need!

 This is that definition in a “mathematical” formula that changed my life and the way I look at trials, inconveniences, suffering and contentment.  It goes like this:

 Trials + Acceptance of the trial with joy and thanksgiving = Growth/Maturity

 I can respond to trials:

1.     By Benefitting from them

          The pressure of trials produces (Jas. 1:2-4):

2.     With Faith

3.     With Patience

4.     With Perseverance

5.     With Maturity

6.     With Wisdom

where I am …Lacking Nothing!

 OR

  Reacting to them and locking down emotionally with:  Impatience, Fretfulness, Why me?, Depression, Complaining, Rebelliousness or bitterness. 

 I choose to yield with gratefulness this morning and to recognize any form of tribulation, as a means to create a greater purpose in my life for the benefit of others. 

  What is your response?