Jackie's Journey "Why is This Happening?"

When was the last time someone found fault

 in something you said or did?

What was your response?

Were you offended?

“Great peace have they that love HIS law

 and nothing will offend them.” 

Psalm 119:165

 Life is full of criticisms, comparisons and judgements. We live in an insecure world of increasing unknowns and the plight to be the best, have the best, have the most knowledgeable and educated kids, and be a person of position and authority is the central exercise… whatever the sacrifice. How do we measure up to everyone else??

Whether we are functioning out of right or wrong motives, the goal of learning to respond correctly to life’s situations is often neglected in our teaching.  Taking up offense for someone else or being personally offended is more common place.

 If you are a mom, Pilates instructor, Pastors wife, or… the temptation to follow the crowd (the podcasters, the pundits, the newsmongers) and its opinion is always hounding our path.  Being discerning enough to recognize the difference between the worldly and spiritual perspective regarding offenses is forever the challenge. They have become so synchronized!  

One offers peace, the other chaos!

 As discerning moms, which means we are taking the time to see through the surface problem (when offended, insulted, or slighted), to a possible root cause, enables us to understand the why things happen from the decisions being made by us and the choices our children are electing. 

 “Discernment is the power to interpret what we see and hear.” 

Oswald Chambers

 When teaching our little prince and princesses to avoid being hurt when affronted and instructing them not to be afraid to stand alone and respond correctly, we use the eyes, ears, nose, tongue, hands , mind and heart to increase their ability to make right choices…which gives us lots of teaching moments! Focusing on building good character and meeting our child’s deeper needs brings peace, instead of conflict.

Let’s commit ourselves this week to ask more questions,

to not judge too harshly and to look for understanding

the deeper reason why things are happening around 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 "Pardon me...I am Not Wrong!"

Have you ever been grievously offended? 

Can you recall someone who deeply hurt you?

 With five little girls in “The Princess Parable Series”, there is always the challenge of learning how to maintain mutual respect and harmony.  In life, our pain often turns to anger, and if not dealt with, becomes  resentment and bitterness, which ultimately torments us and damages our peace and our health!  Bitterness is like leprosy.  It loses any sensation of pain.  People are then, unaware of when they are hurting themselves or others with their words, attitudes, and actions.

There is only one solution.Being able to forgive is an act of the will and “if we forgive others their offense, then God will forgive us.  If we choose not to forgive, God will not forgive us!”  Matt. 6:14-15  You may have a story of anguish…a time in the past where you felt betrayed and your heart was broken…your dreams shattered. 

True forgiveness disregards any thoughts of cynicism, retaliation or revenge. 

 How forgiving are you toward offenders?

Are there people you have not forgiven?

 The more we comprehend how much we have been forgiven, the easier it is for us to forgive others.  Forgiveness is mentioned over 120 times in the Old and New Testaments.  In reality, the offender is the instrument God is using to develop our character.  To be offended is a choice we make; it is not a condition inflicted or imposed on us by someone or something else.

 The offenses of others should cause us to become aware of others needs . It gives us the opportunity to allow God to heal them through us, instead of our self-protection with anger and self-pity…”woe is me”, victim mentality.  “God has a BIG eraser!”   We are commanded to forgive to maintain a clear conscience and to fellowship with our forgiving God.

 “Great peace have they that love thy law and NOTHING shall offend them.”

Psalm 119: 165

 Are you willing to forgive?

”I will permit no man to narrow and degrade my soul

by making me hate him.”  Booker T. Washington

~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.