In 2012, a few months before my Dad unexpectantly left me to be with the Lord, he asked, “How have you invested your life, Jackie?” I was caught off-guard and his always “Chatty Cathy” daughter was at a loss for words! I was speechless. I was so busy living my life, I never stopped to think how I had spent my life up to the moment of that question! It was definitely worth reflection and I began to jot down a few ideas after thanking him for the thought-provoking request. My thumb-nail sketch began the year of my encounter with God at the University of Arizona.
It is a challenging question
and if I were to ask you the same thing…
how would you respond?
I began to mentally line up my priorities. We have such a short time here on earth and what we do for Him is the onlyeternal investment that carries value or goes on after we leave this earth. “Only one life will soon be past; only what’s done for Him will last!” We are to be busy about His work, which is exactly what Jesus would do if He were in my situation. Matt. 6: 10
We are women with massive responsibility and job descriptions. We are stewards of the time allotted to us and accountable one day to a sovereign God who is trusting us to find Him sufficient in all areas of our lives. No excuses or rationalizations for our commission and duty. No blaming, laziness or procrastination for what we know we are called to do as women of faith, mom’s, grand-mom’s, professional’s, aunts, etc.… Because He has given us everything we need to lead a godly life and made every provision for His living His life out of us, we have no justification for walking any other way!
Many of us have reason to double down and find that path of peace in turbulence, contentment in chaos, wisdom in the battle with our natural inclinations; authentic love over “me first!” selishness; gratefulness over unfulfilled expectation’s; humility over arrogance; self-control over self- indulgence; joyfulness over self-pity; meekness instead of anger; etc…. As women, we are prone to live in the “I am going to survive this” mode (there is certainly enough controversy and activity in it!) and not in God’s focus…the “what is going to count for eternity” mode.
How have you invested your life?
We can be inspired to get “on point “
with what is going to withstand time and space
and put our energies there… what do you think?
Just saying…
~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.
