Jackie's Journey "It's Not About Me!"

The New Year is a wonderful time to put our busy lives back into Scriptural perspective.  We just celebrated 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) The year 2025 has closed its doors…we are in week three of 2026.  How did you do in your surrender to Him last 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 celebrated last 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.

 Commitment was the turning point in my life when I seized the moment and it became an opportunity that altered 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?

 God says: “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. 

Jackie's Journey "The Real Test!"

I have never been a fan of reptiles!

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

More than once I cried out Psalm 16:1

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

  He will not fail me nor forsake me.” 

Deuteronomy 31: 16

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

Psalm 34:4 

What do you fear?

Let’s welcome this New Year of unknowns

with determination and bold trust…

~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 "Tyranny of the Urgent"

“Never Sacrifice the Permanent on the altar of the Immediate!”

 We are five days into a New Year!  “Our greatest danger in life is in permitting the urgent things to crowd out the important.”  Dr. Bob Jones, Sr. used to say, “Never sacrifice the permanent on the altar of the immediate.” 

 Everyone receives an equal supply of time.  The only difference between us is in the way we spend it.  Each week brings us 168 golden hours.  We spend approximately 56 hours for sleep and recuperation.  We spend approximately 28 hours for eating and personal duties.  We spend approximately 40-50 hours for earning a living.  We have 30-40 hours left to spend just as we wish.  But how do we spend them?  How many hours for recreation?  How many hours for family communication?  How many hours for the regular worship of God (devotion, fellowship, meditation, etc.)  How many hours for personal service in the name of Christ?  Will we rob God and the time He has given us?  We can and we do! 

 Perhaps we may be very busy with good things, yet too busy for the best things.  The great question is:  Have we made wise use of our time as good stewards of Christ?

 Henry Clay Trumbull said, “Today is, for all that we know, the opportunity and occasion of our lives.  On what we do or say today may depend the success and completeness of our entire life struggle.  It is for us, therefore, to use every moment of today as if our very eternity were dependent on its words and deeds”…

 What is this New Year’s challenge?

 Are we focused on the permanent (eternal)

or the immediate (temporal)?

~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 "Audacious Courage!"

How did your Christmas holidays go?  Was it all you expected it to be? New Years Day  is a mere two days away!  How can that be?  Another year has passed and the exciting prospects of the year 2026 are crouching at the door! At the beginning of December, we purposed to focus on the character of each of the five princesses in “A Royal Christmas to Remember”.  The last princess of the five is the youngest and most adventurous princess of them all!  Her name is Charity and she is lion-hearted and bold!

 Always daring, in “Princess Charity’s Courageous Heart”,  Princess Charity takes her horse for a ride to Pinnacle point.  She is careful to obey her father’s instruction to stay within the castle’s boundaries for her safety.  Suddenly, from her vantage point she witnesses a grave accident and is faced with a choice:  should she risk her father’s anger to save the injured boys life, or should she pass by, as if she did not see it?

 Charity’s choice, just like the one Jesus talks about in the “Good Samaritan” story, could impact her entire kingdom!  Lost in her quandary, she recalls her father telling her that a true princess shows love and mercy for those that are hurting and reaching out to help them was real “charity”- in-action.  (Luke 10:30—37)

 Princess Charity did not always make the right decision, but on this she was firm.  She was frightened and unsure, but in the end, she chose the charitable action and risked herself to save the hurt boy, Jack!  Never dreaming she would receive anything in return, her courageous heart was rewarded with peace between her kingdom and Sir Richard’s opposing kingdom…and she gained a new friend!

 As we face the coming year with its challenges,  we rehearse the last few weeks and the opportunities we were given to be charitable and kind, investing whatever we have to help those in need.  How did we do?  After all… this is the test of true charity and our calling!

 Let’s face the New Year with a “Courageous 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 "IT'S TIME!"

"A blanket of powdery snow covered the castle walls.  Princess Joy found herself in a scene right out of a fairytale.  The most remarkable winter in years has arrived.  Christmas is only a night away.  Princesses Joy, Grace, Faith, Charity and Hope are surrounded by glittering gifts, a huge Christmas tree in the parlor, sparkling candles, and a dramatic night sky with one star bigger and brighter than all the others.  A sudden rap at the door of the castle puts the kingdom on immediate alert!  Will a marauding band of outlaws ruin the princesses’ perfect Christmas Eve?” How will Princess Joy respond to this pending danger? (An excerpt from “A  Royal Christmas to Remember”)

 It is coming down to crunch time with only two days before we intentionally set time aside to gather with family and friends to celebrate the birth of our Savior. Our seasonal book,  “A Royal Christmas to Remember” was written for your little princess, like Princess Joy, to capture the true essence of why we remember the arrival of a tiny baby in a manger.  Princess Joy learns to think others more important than herself!  Joy comes from giving, not receiving. This book is available through Amazon.com, christianbooks.com, Barnes and Noble, your local Christian book store… 

 This is the second of our seasonal books.  Its appearance before the holiday season is perfectly timed to arrive before the Christmas dash.  Its story is timeless, taken from Luke 12:15-21, the “Parable of the Rich Young Ruler”.  It is dedicated to the parents who strive to rescue their children from the materialistic focus of this time of year.  It is for those of you who desire to introduce your child to the person, who is the “reason for this season”…Jesus Christ.

 In Sally Clarkson’s book “Ministry of Motherhood” she wrote:

 “Children need the authentic strength that comes from the true foundation of a biblical worldview and a proper understanding of the real Christ who is worthy of their worship!  They need an unwavering moral and spiritual compass that will help them weather today’s storms and will guide them for the rest of their lives.  They also need to see what a real faith looks like when lived day in, day out, so they will have a pattern to follow.”

 The Princess Parables have been written with God’s worldview that teaches biblical character, eternal values and is designed to cultivate a desire to be a child of the true King of Kings!  The Princess Parable Series is bible-based on a parable taught by the greatest teacher that ever lived.  Each book encompasses character-emphasized prince and princesses with eternal values targeted.  “A Royal Christmas to Remember” is written with these principles imposed onto every page. 

 Jeanna and I are blessed with the privilege of working together

to make this Series available to you.

 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 "Hidden Treasure!"

Life is simply 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. (Eph. 2: 10) This is the beginning of the holiday season when we begin spending time and money on gifts and essentials that make this time of year delightful and challenging.  Christmas, after-all, is less than two weeks away! 

 In The Princess Parable Series, “The Royal Christmas to Remember “seasonal book finds Princess Hope pre-occupied and ecstatic about opening all their presents on Christmas morning.  Her frivolous chatter was checked by their father the king, reminding her that giving and sharing is necessary to being a true princess. He would say, ”Be on guard against all kinds of greed, we are stewards of what we have”.

 In the “Princess Hope and the Hidden Treasure” book, we find the princess sisters’ shopping, when Princess Hope discovers her grandmother’s lost ring!  It’s in a store window for sale, but the price is high…even for a princess.  How far will Princess Hope go to buy it? 

  John McArthur has a tape called “Mastery of Materialism”. He said, “16 out of 38 of Christs parables deal with money.  More is said in the New Testament about money than Heaven and Hell!  Five times more is said about money than prayer.  There are 500 plus verses on prayer and faith, but there are 2,000 verses dealing with money and possessions.”  Obviously, the point is the Bible has much to say about money management!

 There are four basic biblical principles of money management in Matthew 25: 14-30. The first is simple…God owns it all!  Hence, He has the right to whatever He wants, whenever He wants it. It’s all His and the Owner has rights and I, a steward, have only responsibility.

 A good example of this is when my daughter started driving my car.  I’m the owner; my daughter has only privilege, while I maintain all responsibility.  I can take it back for any reason, at any time. In the same way, every single possession that I have comes from His hand.  I possess much, but own nothing.

 Princess Hope was learning that stewardship is the God-given resource for the accomplishment of God-given goals.  It is an active definition, not theoretical. It acknowledges God’s ownership over my possessions and His direction of my use of these resources. Not only is my “giving” decision a spiritual one, but “spending” decisions are also.  There is nothing more spiritual about giving than buying a car, taking a vacation, buying food, paying off a debt, paying taxes, paying for college…These are all uses of His resources.  Princess Hope learns that giving is far more rewarding than receiving!

 The second money management tenet is that God uses money as a tool to teach us, as a test of our trustworthiness and as a testimony to distinguish us from the world.  The third rule is not the amount we have but how we handle what God has entrusted to us and lastly, the fourth, is that stewardship requires faith and volitional action.

 Hope’s first response to finding her grandmother’s ring in the store window was, “I will sell everything I have to buy that ring back!”  My husband always said, “You can’t take it with you, but you can send it ahead”.  “Lay not up…treasures on earth, but lay up for yourselves in heaven…for where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.” (Matt. 6: 19-21)   His point… invest in eternity! (Lu. 16: 1-9)

 The countdown is on…Christmas is just around the corner!

 Our stewardship of His resources will come to light…

 How are we doing?

~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 "Mysterious Garden!"

Meet Princess Faith

In “A Royal Christmas to Remember”, there is an exceptionally curious princess with a grateful heart.   In “Princess Faith’s Mysterious Garden”,  Faith found a hidden parkland within the castle walls!   It was in ruins and she was determined to make it alive and beautiful again.  But when big and even scary problems destroyed the seedlings, Faith doubted and became discouraged and disappointed.  Will she have the courage to push through and keep planting?  But most of all, will she trust the planting that God is doing in her heart?  Even though we don’t understand why things happen around us, God uses these things to grow our hearts…

 In this demanding season of planning and preparation for our family and friends to join us in celebrating the birth of our Savior, we can find ourselves confounded by circumstances way beyond our control.  We, too, are preparing to plant seeds of truth in the hearts entrusted to us over the holidays.  Each opportunity is treasured and our careful attention to staying out of God’s way with our heart disposition is imperative.

 As we work our way through each situation allotted us, we, with a grateful outlook, choose to live and serve under God-control, trusting He will receive the glory due Him.  Princess Faith withstood the storm that washed her seeds away, the scary black birds that ate her newly planted seeds and the lost seeds that were scorched by the sun. Her doubts that her garden would ever grow were neutralized by her faith in her heavenly Gardner that knew what He was doing.

 Princess Faith trusted God even though she didn’t understand what was happening around her.  She was reminded of the parable where Jesus tells how the seeds that fell in the garden were like the words of God falling on our hearts. God wants us to listen to His words and like good soil to soak them in. These are days when we do not want to get too busy and neglect His Word.

 His words nourish us and make us strong, so that we are in “full bloom” for His plan and purpose for our life.  Troubles, difficulties, worries and uncertainties are simply reminders to trust, not doubt what He is doing. Matthew 13: 3-9. 

 Have a “Faith”-Centered 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 "Lost and Found!"

During this month of December, our focus is going to be on the character of the princesses of our seasonal book, “A Royal Christmas to Remember.”  There are five weeks and five princesses.  Princess Grace, who is also found in “Princess Grace and the Little Lost Kitten”, finds herself on a journey, not unlike my own…

 Princess Grace promised her father that she would care for the kittens she had found.  Poppy, the curious one was forever in trouble and ran away.  Princess Grace must find her, even if it means searching the entire kingdom…even braving the dark Black Woods!  Along the way, she remembers a parable Jesus told about His great love for each of us and how He too searches for each one that is lost.

 While in missionary training,  we heard about a remote tribe of Indians, deep in the Darien jungle that had never heard the name of Christ.  Like the challenge of Princess Grace, our hearts longed to find this hidden tribe and bring the message of truth to these lost in darkness.

 Princess Grace stood as her father staunchly instructed her to “search everywhere for the lost kitten and bring her back safely to the castle.”  Her love for her father and fondness for the lost kitten propelled her initiative to obey and respond instantly to her father’s wishes.  We too, listened to the voice of our heavenly Father and responded to God’s call and the need of this remote indigenous group of lost people.

 Just as Grace braved the dark Black Woods, we chose to face our fears;  understanding, that the Kuna Indians were loved and important to God and needed to hear His message to them!  God came with us, protected us, was our refuge in times of distress and encouraged our hearts, just as He was with Princess Grace in the Black Forest.  

 Our family,  like Grace, walked through the door of fear and was faithful to pursue the one that was lost and is now found safe in the care of the one true King  (.Matt. 18: 12-14)

 This is the month we celebrate the coming of our Lord and Savior, The One True King.

 Join me in rejoicing that He came, paid the price, sought and found us…

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

FROM MY FRONT DOOR TO YOURS!

 Thanksgiving is not a season.  It is a posture of our hearts.

 “Oh, give thanks to the Lord!  Call upon His name;

Make known His deeds among the peoples!” I Chronicles 16: 8

 LET US GIVE THANKS…

…for God’s grace and forgiveness

…for God’s blessing in our lives

…for the freedom to worship as we see fit

…for God’s promise of provision in response to our giving

…for the modern technology which enables us to receive and share the Gospel

…for the guidance of God’s Word, the Bible

…for the work of the Holy Spirit directing our paths day- by- day

…for the sustenance, the shelter, even the clothing which we so take for granted

…for the strength to carry on

…for the “hope of glory” (Colossians 1: 27)

“Oh, give thanks to the Lord, for He is good!  For His mercy endures forever.”

I Chronicles16: 34

Examining the posture of my heart…what about you?

From the heart of our home to yours…we are thankful for each of you!

~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 "On Guard!"

Our friends have a five-year-old Downs Syndrome boy who was having a fabulous time at Sea World.  In an instant, his parents realized he had wandered off, and in a panic, they began to run in every direction, calling his name.  After a few minutes others joined in…frantically searching the vast pools of deep water filled with every aquatic fish imaginable. 

 Finally, after a series of hopeful leads, he was spotted…head to toe, dripping wet and muddy…running to his dad, who scooped him up in relief and hugged him reassuringly! Upon arriving home, they bathed him and tucked him into his cozy warm bed and proceeded to get his wet clothes out of his over-stuffed backpack.  In disbelief and total amazement…out popped the cutest little live penguin they had ever seen! (Story shared by Yvonne Foust)

.Our little ones can certainly identify with this little happy and excited boy…I know I do!

 We are sometimes like that little boy.  We see or hear something that captures our total attention.  We get caught up in the exciting moment and throw “caution to the wind”.  The something may not be bad, but the distraction keeps us from following the best.  God has given our children a safety net in times like these by giving them…US!  Parents carry the responsibility of protecting their children.  They make sure these little ones are taught and learn to choose to stay close to where mom and dad can see and hear them.  Hence, they sense protection and security. 

 Alertness is the awareness that we are being stalked by a deadly enemy.( I Pet. 5: 8)   Listening and obeying…especially when we are in new places…keeps us alert to danger!  When little ones slip away where they cannot be seen or heard, they not only hurt themselves…they hurt others.  That little boy’s daddy and mommy were afraid because they love him.  That little boy had been in water somewhere and could have been in great peril!  That little boy took something that wasn’t his (his friend penguin). That little boy took iniative and made a bad decision on his own…without asking permission from his parents.  That little boy made the circumstance life-threatening for the baby penguin and himself!

 We need to stay alert under the umbrella of protection.  Our authority keeps the rain and pain of life from hitting us and gives us peace and security, IF we stay under its shelter.  When we choose NOT to listen and go off on our own, we walk away from our safekeeping.

 This, of course, is true for us, adults, too…

Do we remind ourselves in these busy days that we are in a spiritual war?

Do we maintain and guard our daily time with the Lord and His Word?

Do we see the need to be on guard to the subtle dangers

creeping into our lives and homes?

 Let’s be alert this week to our spiritual condition…

and  aware of what is taking place around us

so we can have the right response.

HAVE  A HAPPY THANKSGIVING!

~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.