Jackie's Journey "What is a Mother?"

“What is a Mother?”

If this had been presented to us this way, I don’t believe any of us would have volunteered to participate!

POSITION AVAILABLE

Mom, Mother, Mommy, Mama, Ma

JOB DESCRIPTION

Long term, team players needed, for challenging,

permanent work in an often chaotic environment. 

Candidates must possess excellent

communication and organizational skills and be willing to work

variable hours, which will include evenings and

weekends and frequent 24 hour shifts on call.

Some overnight travel required, including trips to

primitive camping sites on rainy weekends and

endless sport tournaments in far away cities!

Travel expenses not reimbursed.

Extensive courier duties also required…

RESPONSIBILITIES

 Commitment for the rest of your life.

Must be willing to be hated, at least temporarily, until someone needs $5.

Must be willing to bite tongue repeatedly.

Also, must possess the physical stamina of a pack mule

And be able to go from zero to 60 mph in three seconds flat

In case, this time, the screams from the backyard are not someone crying wolf.

Must be willing to face stimulating technical challenges…

Author Unknown

My mother turned 98 this past January and I am so grateful that she not only, signed up for the position but is still on the job, is my best friend, and is my most encouraging cheerleader.  She is a hard act to follow and I will be forever grateful to God who has allowed me to walk through my life with her.

                                                   My Mother on her last birthday...!

Celebrate Your Mother today...and everyday...

~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 discipling 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 "Still on the Fence?"

The fence in my backyard is a kaleidoscope of color and buzzing with activity.  There is new life in my garden…rabbits, with fluffy bunnies, squirrels and their scurrying offspring, raccoons, crows, coyotes, deer …and none is more captivating and entertaining than the assembly of fluttering birds…hummingbirds stopping on their long trek north, tiny yellow finches, chirping red robins, nesting swallows… all come in droves to eat from the sumptuous feeders that my tiny backyard provides.

While living in the jungle we expected to be awakened by the town rooster or by a flock of colorful parrots squawking loudly in the surrounding Quipo trees. Birds have habits that make them good studies for life lessons.  We live in a community that anticipates the arrival of a small bird that returns every year on or around March 19th and that little creature never fails to migrate within 48 hours of this appointed time!

The Cliff Swallow and its most notable characteristic is mentioned in Scripture four times.  “The swallows observe the time of their coming; but my people know not the judgment of the Lord.”  Jeremiah 8:7   The distinguished characteristic of the swallow is its predictable return every year in the same month to San Juan Capistrano.  We have a nest outside our bedroom window and this tiny bird returns every year and entertains our Ragdoll kitty for weeks!

Just as there are fixed times for the arrival of the swallow, there are fixed times for God’s judgment.

Do you find your walk is wrapped in His presence

or is your “up and down” spiritual life inviting God’s correction?

 “Even the sparrow has found a home, and the swallow a nest for herself, where she may have her young…a place near your altar.” Psalm 84:3   

Is your home a place that makes room for Him in your pursuits of life? 

Is your life drawing those around you closer to His presence?

The prophet Isaiah, in his many warnings to the “easily forgetful Israelites” (not unlike us!) notes Hezekiah’s anguished cries and the persistent chatter of this little bird in Isaiah 38:14  “Like a crane or a swallow, so did I chatter:  I did mourn as a dove…” I, somehow, take comfort in this petite, yet tenacious little bird as I step near my bedroom window and appreciate her gentle and non-intrusive echoes.  It resonates protective, yet nurturing.  The sound is quiet…like the wooing of the Holy Spirit. 

Can you hear the Spirits voice when He speaks to you?

Elijah did when he heard the “gentle whisper” on the mountain in I Kings 19:12.

I love the reference to the swallow in Psalm 26:2.   “Like a fluttering sparrow or a darting swallow, an undeserved curse does not come to rest.”  An undeserved curse is as unpredictable as the flight of the swallow and returns to the one who spoke it without affecting the one who is cursed.  The swallows’ flight pattern may be unpredictable but their destination and arrival time can be precisely set!

Is your speech predictable?  Do you speak truth with kindness?

What does your husband and your children hear?

The arrival of our Savior was predicted, appointed and His mission was undeniable.  In life there are few certainties, but many variables.  However, settling the course of our eternal future is a given…it’s predictable…we will die.   As predictable as the return of the tiny swallow, death is inevitable!

What we do with Jesus Christ will determine our eternity! 

 Does His humility draw you to Himself and His way of life (Philippians 2: 1-5)

 or…are you still on the fence?

~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 discipling 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 ""What Helps the Medicine Go Down?"

“What helps the Medicine go down…?”

 I am a mom and as a mom I am continually challenged with the need to communicate clearly.  First, I have to get past the typical and prevalent counsel of the world outside Scriptural truth, finding the path that will lead my girls and grandchildren to understand the only true and absolute values in life that will free them to know themselves, their children and the ultimate plan and purpose God has for them.  This is often over-shadowed by worldly pressures and ideologies.

The challenge of communicating in a foreign language with my neighbor and friend, Mikaela

We all want to be heard.  We want our little ones to listen to us.  After all, our job is to make them successful!  Fortunately, our children are a face-to-face venture.  We are looking into cherub faces and reading what prompted their attitude or wrong response. 

Communication is a forever challenge.  There are so many “impersonal” ways to dialogue in this day and age.  A response of more than three words with an emoji of some sort is usually all that is required.  There is no face-to-face, no reading of their expression, no sensing their heart and understanding the attitude that is pre-empting their response.  Judgments are made based on guessing the heart of the person responding. 

Was I misunderstood?  Was I heard?

Was I clear and kind in my communication?

With technology as it is, one never knows for certain what is being communicated or how it is being received.  You presume the high road and trust the person on the other end of the e-mail, text, tweet, FB, etc. is open to doing the same.  We all need help and correction and the people who love us enough to tell us where and how we would be more successful if we would “grow up” in an area of our life are to be commended, specifically if the help comes with a right motive and attitude.

It’s more difficult to receive a messenger who is angry; however, it is important to listen, nonetheless.  We don’t choose the messenger God sends!  It doesn’t “make the medicine go down” easier, but if received, the benefit and blessing is the same.

As a wife, it certainly goes a long way in helping the “medicine go down” when my husband takes the time to express his understanding my response toward him, rather than just taking the issue on.  Men are programmed conquerors and the temptation is usually…just let me solve the problem, without attention to validating the personal need we have to be heard.

“Be quick to listen, slow to speak and slow to become angry.” James 1:19

Every challenge we face today will either lead us

into the victory of gratefulness

 or the trap of bitterness.

How are you communicating these days?

~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 discipling 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 Finished Work"

“The Finished Work”

“Our Lord has written the promise of the resurrection,

not in books alone, but in every leaf in springtime.” Martin Luther

Springtime, after 10 years of drought, has displayed its beauty as never before!  The parched California ground has been flooded with life-giving rain and the mountains and valleys have exploded into the most spectacular and abundant colors and fresh new life! 

Revival has come to a dry and thirsty land!

The death, burial and resurrection of Christ, which we celebrated yesterday, was the revival of revival!  Easter is the annual reminder to us of the desperate need we have for revival in our lives daily.  Revival is the power of the Holy Spirit transforming God’s Word into our soul.   There has never been a need, as great as today for revived lives, revived families, fellowships, communities and nation. The desperate need is there but the realization of our personal need is not!  And revival starts with us!  

“For revival is not a green valley getting greener, but a valley full of dry bones being made to live again and stand up an exceeding great army. (Ezekiel 37)  It is not good Christians becoming better Christians—as God sees us there are not any good Christians—but rather Christians honestly confessing that their Christian life is a valley of dry bones, thus qualifying them for the grace that makes all things new”! (Roy Hession)  For the Christian, death is a promotion!  New Life springs from our continual choosing to die to our pride and selfishness.

 “Therefore, I urge you, brothers, in view of God’s mercy,

to offer your bodies as living sacrifices,

holy and pleasing to God,

which is your reasonable service.” Rom. 12:1

Some give Him a place; some give Him prominence; but what Christ wants in our lives is pre-eminence.  The fruit of His being pre-eminent in our life is a spiritual renewal that restrains the anger of God, restores our God-consciousness and reveals His continual activity in us.

For those who have humbled themselves under the mighty hand of God at that place where sin is washed away, it has meant revival of their Christian lives in the truest and simplest sense of the word.

As we celebrated the finished work of our Savior yesterday, let’s use this reminder to revisit our need for personal and continual revival.  His death and resurrection came with plan and purpose.  It was to give us life from death.  New life does not begin with someone else.  It begins in each of us.

Let’s exchange dry bones for New Life!

 “If you are risen with Christ, seek those things which are above,

where Christ sits on the right hand of God.”  Col. 3:1

~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 discipling 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 "Princess Prayers"

“Princess Prayers”

Once upon a time, in a magnificent castle perched high on a hill, lived five princesses.  Their names were Joy, Grace, Faith, Charity and Hope.  They were blessed to be the daughters of the King…together they explore the kingdom, grow in virtue and discover the importance of beauty within.

As moms we prayerfully believe God to reach each of our little prince and princesses for His kingdom.  Our greatest joy is to know our little one is secure in the heart of the King of Kings.  We look for ways to creatively take the Word of God and through reading and teaching, to see each one come to understand the acceptance and provision of our loving God.  Developing character and virtue is included in those teachable moments we are given consistently every day!

Inspired by Jesus’ Parables our little girls can learn about God, His Kingdom and His love for them from a princess perspective.  This month The Princess Parable Series is overjoyed to announce the arrival of our newest release, “Princess Prayers”!

The five princesses invite you to join them

as they begin to pray verses of God's Word

into the heart of your little one

through the pages of Princess Prayers.

Arriving just in time for Easter, “Princess Prayers” is available at www.Amazon.com, www.Barnesandnoble.com  or a local bookstore near 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 discipling 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. 

Jackies Journey "Obedience Required?"

As moms we’ve got this wired.  When we talk about obedience, our mind instantly goes to the need we have to teach our little prince and princess to be obedient, to listen and respond to our voice and learn the difference between the peace obedience brings and the chaotic consequence that comes when disobedience triumphs. After all, we are convinced that the right choice will determine their success in the future.  In the Princess Parable Series we were careful to reinforce the principle of obedience to their authority and father, the King.  It is important that our little ones learn to respect us and hear our voice, so, that one-day, they will hear the voice of the King of Kings.

This is great for the kids, but what about us?

Obedience should be the inspiration of every action and approach to Him.  As moms we are confronted continually with circumstances that call us to note if obedience to God’s truth is the rule in our life or just the exception.  If our obedience is the exception to the rule and disobedience is the practice, we need to be reminded that the provision for our success has already been made for us!  We have been given everything we need to live in godliness (obedience required!)…so we have no excuse!  “His divine power has given us everything we need for life and godliness…!” II Peter 1: 1

Obedience to what the Word says has supreme importance in the Bible

and should have in our hearts and minds.

 Have we given obedience that supreme place of authority over us?

 It is easy to get up running and not look back until we collapse in bed at night!  Often disregarding that little voice that calls us to yield to the one certificate of Christian character…obedience to what He says.  “Seeing you have purified your souls in your obedience to the truth. I Pet. 1: 22   “The whole acceptance of the truth of God was not just a matter of intellectual assent or strong emotion; it was a subjection of the life to the dominion of the truth of God.   The Christian life was in the first place obedience”.  Andrew Murray 

”He that says I know Him but does not keep His commandments is a liar”! I John 2: 4 Obedience is the demonstrated fruit that authenticates a new and productive life.  Obedience is the secret of a good conscience and assures us that God hears us.

“And whatsoever we ask we receive of Him,

Because we keep His commandments

and do the things that are pleasing in His sight.” I John 3: 22

Our little ones know when we are lying on the phone (that so and so is sick or not home).  They know when we write a doctors excuse for the school office for an unexcused absence.  They watch us text and drive.  They listen to our attitudes and conversations with others and our spouses.  They watch as we take notes in church and nothing changes.  They see us consumed with social media, FB, Pinterest, Instagram, etc. They read our spirit when we are fearful.  They are continuouslywatching and listening…

Are we living a double standard where disobedience is accepted behavior

or do they see a confirmation that obedience

has that supreme place of authority in our lives?

 Obedience is not optional!

~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 discipling 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 "Who Keeps the Ten Commandments...Anyway?"

How often have I heard my husband ask this question?  Maybe 10,000 plus times!  This blog is his study, developed in a small town in Nebraska the months before leaving for Panama and over the years it has become mine.  Please join me for a walk down a memory lane that is forever current! You won’t be sorry…

Clearly our lives are fraught with choices.  Life happens and the consequences of our daily decisions become the testimony of a life well spent or the one that was wasted!  The Ten Commandments were given to show us our spiritual condition and our great need for God in those decisions.  They were never given as a guideline for us to live by because there is no way we could ever measure up!  They do, however, clearly and consistently illustrate that the choices we make between obeying or violating them determines the end result! (Exodus 20: 3-17)

Why did God give us the Ten Commandments?

Are they a mirror into our souls to reveal who we really are?

Does everyone have these moral laws written on their hearts? Romans 2:15

1.     The first commandment is to have no other gods before Him.  Selfishness and pride have become gods in our culture!  How much time do you spend on the Internet, social media, etc.  Do Hollywood personalities interest you more than time with God?

2.      Do not tell lies.  Who do you know who does not tell lies? Easy to answer a cell call or text while driving.  Slowing down when police are spotted.  Making promises that are too often not kept.

3.      Do not steal.  We rob joy from others.  We steal emotionally through anger, selfishness and pride.  Is immorality in mind or body a theft?

4.     Love God above all things.  Is He not below most of our pursuits?  Our “rights”, what we put before our eyes, sex, drugs, sports, alcohol and much more, are often first.

5.     Do not commit adultery in mind or body is the command.  Where are the innocent of this?  How do you respond when lust and adultery are accepted in music, social media, etc.  Do you turn it off?   Today morals are mocked!

6.     Do not murder.  Jesus said hatred in our hearts is murder! Do you have bitterness in your heart?

7.     Do not use the Lord’s name in vain.  “Oh my God, it’s going to rain.” “Oh my God” is spoken without thought and listened to in most communication and on every media. It’s commonplace in our culture! We can’t turn it off!

8.     Do not desire your neighbor or their things?  Surely, we see coveting, envy and jealousy as a prevalent problem! What car does your neighbor drive? Just asking…

9.     Keep the Sabbath day holy.  Sunday is our resurrection day. How is it used? After church, most of the day is reserved for me, myself and I!

10. Do not bear false witness (gossip).  Who do you know who is not a gossip?

11. Obey your mother and father.  Who does that?  Some do better than others, but we are all rebellious at heart. What do you do when authority is challenged, rejected, belittled or neglected in the media or personally?  Do you accept it and say or do nothing?

How is it possible to break all the commandments and love God?

I’m a mom and I know nobody but a perfect God has kept all of these!  The pathway to God is to first examine our hearts in the reflection of these commands.  They reveal the spiritual cancer in our souls, that sinful nature which draws us to the dark side of life.  An honest evaluation will strip us of self-confidence and turn our hearts to the only one who can rescue our souls.

God said that every inclination and thought of the heart is only evil continually.  Gen 6:5   There is none good, no not one. Romans 3:10-12  

What is the purpose of the 10 Commandments? 

Its purpose has never changed.  It reveals our true self and our desperate need for Him.  His life in us requires our death to self.  “If anyone wants to come to me, He must first deny himself, pick up the cross daily and follow me.” Luke 9:23

Those who obey His commands live in Him, and He in them.

 And that is how we know He lives in us.”  I John 4:24

~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 discipling 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 "Keep 'em Busy" Part Two

HELLO.  This is your friend the devil writing again. This is our follow-up meeting from last week’s guidelines with some specifics that will help us accomplish our goal.  At our last convening we discussed the topics for our worldwide convention.  This morning’s assembly will be shorter in length, but more personal and direct in our reaching optimum success.

Remember the goal is to keep those moms busy while we steal, kill and destroy them from within. Jn. 8:44             Let me give you the key to see this plan successfully accomplished:

Teach them to think about themselves.  Talk about themselves.   Use “I” as often as possible.  Mirror themselves continually in the opinion of others.  Listen greedily to what people say about them.  Make sure they expect to be appreciated and that they are suspicious, jealous and envious.  They should be self-sensitive to slights from others and never forgive a criticism.  They should trust nobody but themselves.  Make sure they insist on consideration and respect.  They should demand agreement with their own views on everything.  They should sulk if people are not grateful to them for favors shown them.  Teach them to be on the lookout for a good time for themselves and to shirk their duties if they can. Instruct them to do as little as possible for others and to love themselves supremely.  Make sure they are not only selfish but full of pride, seeking comfort and convenience.  Teach them to focus on the temporal and superficial…”  

Does this paragraph sound like anyone you know?

 It’s a full proof plan.  When families are busy stealing joy from one another, killing Godly opportunities and destroying relationships and godly pursuits of righteousness…we will have them defeated. Division and fragmentation of the family will expedite our efforts. 

As moms we need to know the evil plan against us and take courage in the power of our Conqueror, Jesus Christ.  We do not want to be the door that opens activity into our homes to the evil one.  We are at war…there is no room for lethargy, rebellion and disobedience, pride or selfishness!  We don’t shoot our wounded.  We take action!  We walk in His holiness and set the pace for those coming after us. We commit ourselves to the One who has already won the victory.  We become aggressive followers of the King of Kings and do what His instruction book commands us to do without rationalization.  We enthusiastically seek the lost and disciple the saved.  We humble ourselves under the mighty hand of our Almighty God (I Pet. 5:6), practice His presence and give our little ones an example to follow and a hope for the future.

Doesn’t that sound like a better plan?

 We can’t walk with God holding the hand of the devil…

Whose hand are you holding?

~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 discipling 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'sJourney "Keep 'em Busy!" Part One

“Keep ‘em Busy!” Part One

 HELLO.  This is your friend the devil writing.  I want to thank you for following my suggestions in the past.  You have been a big help in what I’m trying to build. Let me remind you of some guidelines to follow.  Your support has been a big help in the past and will help even more in the future.

I am calling a worldwide convention.  In my opening address to my dark angels, I said, “We can’t keep them from reading their Bibles and knowing the truth.  We can’t even keep them from forming an intimate abiding relationship experience in Christ.  If they gain that connection with Jesus, our power over them is broken. So, let them go to their churches.  Let them have their conservative lifestyles, but steal their time, rob their joy, and destroy their relationships.

This is what I want you to do. Distract them from gaining hold of their Savior and maintaining that vital connection throughout their day!

“How shall we do this?” the dark angels shouted.  “Keep them in nonessentials of life and invent innumerable activities to occupy their minds.” Never bring up controversial topics such as, abortion, pornography, gambling, drinking, drugs, sexual immorality or any such private sins.  Let someone else do it.  Your plate is already full. Put your emphasis only on corporate sins. Forget individual responsibility.

Always remember that there is no such thing as absolute truth.  All things are relative.  Be sure and place spiritual needs at the bottom level of life. Never speak out on any issue using Christian values as a perspective.  Remember the only thing necessary to be a good Christian is to go to church when you can, give a little money if you can.  Remember that your faith should be a private matter.  Never try to apply it anywhere else.  Remember… separation of church and state!

And when they meet for spiritual fellowship, involve them in gossip and small talk so that they leave with troubled consciences and unsettled emotion. Don’t speak of the consequence of sin. Encourage them to continue to ignore the Bible. Like the Constitution, it is outdated and useless.

Go ahead; let them be involved in soul-winning.  But busy their lives with so many good activities that they have no time to seek power from Christ.  Soon they will be working in their own strength, sacrificing their health and family for the good of the cause.  It will work!  It will work!

Fully engage their minds so they cannot hear that still, small voice. Entice them to the Internet, Facebook, Twitter, Snap chat, Instagram, Pinterest… etc.  Keep the T.V., Cable, Video games, C.D.’s Music…etc. going constantly.  And see to it that every public building in the world plays secular music constantly.  This will jam their minds and interfere with any God-consciousness.

Don’t worry about the moral character of our leaders. Blame government and big business. Make sure they depend on the government to do things for them.  Let the government raise, educate and teach their children right and wrong. Remember common sense can never compete against bureaucracy!   See to it that the children are neglected by their parents.  The evil one continued.  Tempt them to spend, spend, spend and borrow, borrow, borrow. Persuade them to do whatever it takes to maintain their lifestyle. Even in their recreation, let them be excessive…keep them busy, busy, busy. The family will divide and splinter and the pressures will cause destruction from within. The goal is to steal, kill and destroy the family!

It was quite a convention.  And the evil angels went eagerly to their assignments causing Christians everywhere to get busy, busy, busy and to rush here and there. 

I guess the question is:

Has the devils plan been successful?

In the course of the year 2000, I read three separate articles that I have combined and revised here for us in 2017.  The message is as relevant today as it was 17 years ago.

You be the judge!            B – Being

                                         U – Under

                                         S – Satan’s

                                         Y – Yoke

 How BUSY are you?

There are many suggestions I want to share with you later, the evil on continued.   I will write again.  Next week I will give you the key to see this plan successfully implemented.  You are excused for now.  See you next 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 discipling 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 "Monotony is the Worst!"

To the degree a person is not developing his own ability toward a common objective… he will experience boredom!  To offset monotony and to escape a meaningless life and a sense of lack of purpose we find ourselves pleasure seeking.  Boredom and pleasure seeking are both signs we have set shortsighted goals or no goals at all.

At the first of the year we set lofty goals and our intentions were good.  I Thess. 5: 21 says to “hold on to the good…” but good intentions are not enough to combat the lethargy of our spirit!  Verse 22 says to avoid every kind of evil. Verse 23 says , “May God himself sanctify us through and through.  May our whole spirit, soul and body be kept blameless…Verse 24, and then He says, HE is faithful and HE will do it!

We have no excuse for being bored or having unfulfilled goals!

“It is not the critic who counts; not the man who points out how the strong (woman) stumbles, or where the doer of deeds could have done better.  The credit belongs to the (woman) who is actually in the arena, whose face is marred by dust and sweat and blood; who strives valiantly; who errs, and comes short again and again; because there is not effort without error and shortcomings; but who does actually strive to do the deeds; who knows the great enthusiasms, the great devotions; who spends (herself) in a worthy cause, who at the best knows in the end the triumphs of high achievement and who at the worst if (she) fails, at least fails while daring greatly, so that (her) place shall never be with those cold and timid souls who know neither victory nor defeat.”  Theodore Roosevelt

 As moms, we are consumed with the desire to dare greatly in the lives of our husband, children and the success of our home.  We want to be the wife whose husband is admired and spoken well of at the gate because of our testimony and loving service.  We are living in a spiritual war zone and we can’t shelter warriors…we train them to prepare for battle and fight.  We have two goals…how do we reach a darkened, lost world and how do we heal a broken world.

We aspire to carry His burden by being equipped to reach the lost and encourage the saved.   We teach our children to recognize the enemy and to keep their eyes on the Victor and Savior of our souls.  We pray and focus on eternal goals and teach our little prince and princesses to see God in circumstances and struggles with grateful hearts, as we set the example before them.  We read the Bible to them and teach them how to hear God’s voice.  We teach them to fear God and the consequence of sin. 

There is no time to be world-weary or consumed with pleasure seeking.  We are pressed to dare greatly for the cause of the cross, following the One who actually knows where we are headed in this maze called life.  Inspired by His example we keep busy with the things on His heart and find our lives are filled, full and content.

Where do you find yourself this morning? 

Are you bored or are you enthusiastically looking for what God is going to do today?   Have your goals been shortsighted or are you on point?

My birthday was last Monday and I am choosing to tackle

the opportunities of another year and dare greatly…

Will you join me?

~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 discipling 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.