Jackie's Journey "Who's Afraid of the Big Bad Wolf?"

God designed fear for our benefit.  Its designed purpose is to keep us from harm.  It is a warning system that we are about to try something that is beyond our known ability.  Our civilization would not be able to survive without fear.

 How do you view fear?  As a friend?

How much control does fear have over your life?

 Like everything good that was created for us to use and enjoy, fear was perverted at the fall of Adam, along with everything else.  “God did not give us a spirit of timidity, but a spirit of Power, Love and Discipline!” II Tim. 1: 7   In its perversion, fear is used by Satan to control.  Fear of what people may think, fear to share our faith, fear of rejection, fear of old age, fear of the unknown, fear of the devil…all are responses to this control.  Fear eventually becomes a wall that leads to indifference. We become insensitive to its influence.  Parents use threats and fear to discipline their children into obedience.  Fear of rejection leads young people into bad social behavior (drugs, sex, pornography, alcohol…).  

 Fear has made a mockery of us!  It has left us in the prison of our imagination…the “what ifs” and “I give up” of life.  Rebellion and suicides are rampant in our society.  Anger is a common response to life’s situations.  We see it everywhere…in our homes, relationships, while driving…you know… there is always the angry person who attempts to control the crowd through fear. This ongoing virus is a good example of how fear is used to control the crowd…

 People fear responsibility.  My paratrooper husband tells me that the first step of training a soldier is knowledge of the enemy he has to overcome.  For our purposes, the question is:

 How do we learn to take control and use the enemy (Satan) for God’s glory?

(Satan’s only purpose is to exalt God!)

 Our job is to understand that everything in creation was intended for the purpose of using our hopes, dreams, talents, futures and abilities to extol God.  Any temptation to do otherwise, for whatever reason will end in defeat.  Satan, the created being, is no exception to this rule!  

 We are to fear two things ONLY…God and the consequence of sin. 

 Who we fear, will control us!

 Who controls 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 "Servant or Master?"

“The purpose of life is NOT to find our freedom, but our Master.”  P. T. Forsyth

 Computers, Iphones, ipads, and social media are only technologies…glass, metal, wires, connections and gadgets…until you place them in your home.  In some homes, they become a baby-sitter, for babies of all ages.  In other homes, they are a narcotic, an escape from reality.  Or it may be a thief, stealing time, thoughts, friendships, creativity, and opportunities for much needed recreation and genuine companionship.  In too few homes, they are a servant, providing information, insight, commentary on life, news, laughter, music, and worthwhile entertainment.

 What they become, depends on you, the user.  If you accept it as a tool, using them sparingly, wisely, and purposely, they can become a servant.  If you accept it as a friend, use them continuously, it will become your master. (my edit - David Augsburger)

 Is your technology your servant or your master?

 Moms, we are reproducing like kind!  They watch and copy what is permissible to us…they copy what we do more than what we say.  Children need models, not critics.  We wonder where the younger generation is headed,,,look where it came from!  What we do in moderation, our children will do in excess. 

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. 

Jackie's Journey "The Key to a Miserable Life!"

“The doorstep to the temple of wisdom is the knowledge of our own ignorance”.

Charles Spurgeon

 Personally, I would like to stand on the threshold side of being a wise woman, wife, mother, grandmother…however, in the light of these few miserable sentences, I am taking a solitary moment to evaluate how wise I REALLY AM…

 Misery is defined and developed by the way I:

 Think about myself.

Talk about myself.

Use “I” as often as possible.

Mirror myself continually in the opinion of others.

Listen greedily to what people say about me.

Expect to be appreciated.

Be suspicious.

Be jealous and envious.

 Be sensitive to slights.

Never forgive a criticism.

Trust nobody but myself.

Insist on consideration and respect.

Demand agreement with my own views on everything.

Sulk if people are not grateful to me for favors shown them.

Never forget a service I may have rendered.

Be on the lookout for a good time for myself.

Shirk my duties and responsibilities if I can.

Do as little as possible for others.

Love myself supremely.

Be selfish.

      Anonymous

 Do you know anyone like this?

 If we had a sane estimate of ourselves, we would panic at the thought

that our own ignorance condemns us!   “The unexamined life is not worth living.”  Socrates

Wisdom is knowing what to do next; skill is knowing how to do it and virtue is doing it!

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 "Celebrating Mama!"

HAPPY MOTHER’S DAY!

I love you, sweet Mama…” Love is not a passion.  It is the pulse of sacrifice”.

 For seventy-seven years you have taught me about genuine love and Motherhood.  I have watched you and still watch you, as you maneuver life.  You are strong and courageous, especially in these latter years without Daddy.  You face life with grace each day with acceptance of God’s Hand and timing.  You have no fear of old age which is the assumption that we still have many years of life ahead of us. “The length of our days is seventy years or eighty, IF we have the strength; yet this span is but trouble and sorrow and passes quickly and then we fly away! (Psalm 90:10)  

 You have learned to be “satisfied in the morning with His unfailing love.  You may not sing for joy out loud but you are glad for every day.”  And you still look forward to any, or all, of us coming and visiting with you.  You are a good listener and I can remember my high school friends coming home with me… to talk and be with you!  

 You are wise, precious 101-year-old Mama.  You have taught me, by example, “to number my days, to be deliberate with my heritage, to think generations and to see how short and quickly life passes.  I am paying attention.  So, you see…your job is well done, but not finished yet…

 Thank you for leading the way, leaving a print for me to step in 

and showing me the pulse of sacrificial love…

I love 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 "Family Vacation!"

It is not often that our entire family can pull away for a few days.  I’m sure you know what I am talking about. With schedules that require coordinating and lots of activities and work schedules, it is a nearly miraculous feat when a good plan finally comes together!  

 Listening to the chatter, daughters and cousins laughing and planning together, watching the wonder and living in the excitement of just being together is totally worth the undertaking.  Just stepping outside our regular pursuits and taking time to heed the familiar voices more carefully and more often is an instant stress releaser and sets the tone for a time of new appreciation, reminiscing and creating new memories.

It is silent, except for the roar of the boats.  The lake is crystal clear and smooth as glass.  It’s a glorious sunny morning!  .  I see the kids and grandkids fly by in the speedboat.   My mind is flooded with gratefulness.  Everything in me wants to shout out loud… How great is our God!  And this is only the first half of the first day!  Happy hearts are healing and invigorating.  Spontaneous hugs and unprompted conversations are the reward of “stopping the truck” for a second to regroup and realign our priorities to harmonize with His.  Each evening we stop to open the Word and open our hearts to each other and His reality in our lives. 

 “Thanks Grandma for the “sick” vacation!”   WHAT?!

Who calls a great vacation SICK?  

This generation does…it’s a great compliment!

Definitely…worth it all!

Check out the fishing! My grandson, Payton with his catch of the day!

~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 "HURRY...Draw the Battle Lines!!"

“For though we live in the world, we do not wage war as the world does.”

II Cor. 10:3

 Is Someone Attempting to Destroy your Life?

 The answer is a resounding YES… Every moment of every day!  The enemy is lapping at our heels…we are at war.  Elisabeth Elliot wrote, “How can God remold my mind from within unless I continually test what I read and hear from the world by the ‘straight edge of Scripture?’”  Moms, we are inundated with time consuming activities of every kind that are compounded by social media platforms: Face booking, tweeting, texting, Instagraming, blogging, etc.  

 Where is the voice that speaks transforming truth?

  “Forever, O Lord, Your Word is settled in heaven”.  Ps. 119:89

 “The Word of God is living, powerful and sharper than any two-edged sword”! Hebrews 4:12

  How many days did you get in the Word this week?

 The Old Testament prophet, Jeremiah wrote in Chapter 6, “This is what the Lord Almighty says…to whom can I speak and give warning?  Who will listen to me?  Their ears are closed so they cannot hear.  The Word of the Lord is offensive to them; they find no pleasure in it…” 

 When you read His words what do you hear?

What are you looking for? (His power? His life in you? A change in your bad habits?  A better attitude…A good story time?  A verse to meet someone else’s need?  A class assignment?)   What…??

 Listening to His voice and allowing His words to “dwell richly” in us brings life and blessing. Neglecting His Word brings spiritual devastation and destruction.  The Bible is the heart and mind of God…the transformer… renewing my mind. Rom.12:2 It is the roadmap to life!  Please Lord, “open our eyes so that we can see” the road, since Your thoughts are not our thoughts and Your ways are not our ways.” Isa.55: 8   

My granddaughter, Alexandra, a student at Biola University forwarded her grandpa’s message to me.

 Are we aggressively using the God-given tool to battle the enemy??

 Let’s explore His Word by purposing to read for a “BUMP” …a verse that jumps off the page!  It might be for someone else, but it is ours first!  It is the transforming voice of God speaking to us in an area that blinds us to what is hindering the goal of His transforming life in us, which is the key to victory over our nemesis. 

 Here are 5 questions I ask myself regarding that “bump” verse:

1.     Is there sin for me to AVOID?

2.     Is there a PROMISE for me to trust?

3.     Is there an EXAMPLE for me to follow?

4.     Is there a COMMAND for me to obey?

5.     How can this passage increase my knowledge of the Lord God (not just about Him)?

 WARNING!!

 “Many false prophets (with false philosophies) will appear and deceive many.”

Matthew 24:11

 Beware of these 5 strong voices in our 2020 culture:

 1.     Evolution:  How creation came into existence and developed

2.     Egalitarianism:  Re-Defining the role of man and woman

3.     Economics:  Contentment = Having

4.     Experience: Instant Gratification = I want, what I want…NOW! I am entitled to it!!

5.     Ego:  It’s All about Me!

 These voices are universal and give us a checklist to reveal our true convictions and the confirmation or absence of His Word in our lives. They help define strongholds that have been yielded to the destroyer. 

 “The thief (Satan) comes only to steal (our joy, youth, peace, seeds of truth, etc.) and kill (relationships) and destroy(us!); I (Christ) have come that you might have life and have it more abundantly”. John 10: 10

 Revival is the power of the Holy Spirit transforming God’s Word into our soul!

 Let’s pick up the Word of God this week and 

devastate the devil’s attempts to destroy 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 "Mom's Understand Sacrifice!"

Christina, my eldest daughter and my beautiful Mom

HAPPY 101st BIRTHDAY, MOM!

 “Love is not a passion.  It is the pulse of sacrifice”.

 For seventy-six years you have taught me about genuine love and Motherhood. January 2nd, you turned 101!!   I have watched you and still watch you, as you maneuver life.  You are strong and courageous, especially in these latter years without Daddy.  You face life with grace each day with acceptance of God’s Hand and timing.  You have no fear of old age which is the assumption that we still have many years of life ahead of us. “The length of our days is seventy years or eighty, IF we have the strength; yet this span is but trouble and sorrow and passes quickly and then we fly away!” (Psalm 90:10) 

 You have learned to be “satisfied in the morning with His unfailing love”.  You may not sing for joy out loud but you are glad for every day.  And you still look forward to any, or all of us coming and visiting with you.  You are a good listener and I can remember my high school friends coming home with me to talk to you, not me!  

 You are wise… precious 101-year-old Mama.  You have taught me, by example, to number my days, to be deliberate with my heritage, to think generations and to see how short and quickly life passes.  I am paying attention.  So, you see…your job is well done… but not finished yet…

 Thank you for leading the way, leaving a print for me to step into 

and showing me the pulse of sacrificial love…

I love 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 "Christmas...Already?"

“A blanket of powdery snow covered the castle walls.  The princess sisters found themselves 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?”

This is an exciting day!  It is only one week before we 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 to capture the true essence of why we remember the arrival of a tiny baby in a manger.  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 crunch.  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.  They encompass 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 Christmas book available to you.

 Faithful is He who called us, who has also done it… 

 I Thessalonians 5:24

~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 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 "What Do You Value?"

We demonstrate what we value by what we give our attention and affection to.  Dedicated moms know where their children are all the time.  If one is missing, even for a moment, while Christmas shopping…panic sets in.  We value our little ones!  

 The object of our devotion reveals what is important to us.

 I walked into the Mall two months ago and was greeted by sparkling lights, festive music, fully decorated Christmas trees of every size and color, and the warm scent of cinnamon and pine wafting in the air…it was September 1st!   Thanksgiving was fourteen weeks away!   Christmas was over three months away!

 The materialistic focus had begun and the most celebrated event of the year was lost in a world of themed decorations, color coordinated ornaments, hearth garlands and welcoming wreaths ready for our front doors…an obvious demonstration of what the world values.  I looked in vain for a Nativity scene.  Where was the real object of our celebration…our “reason for the season”…Jesus Christ?  

 “Christ is not valued at all unless He is valued above all!”

In our seasonal release,  “A Royal Christmas to Remember” the princesses found that  although the entire village had been ransacked by a band of marauding outlaws, they were amazed to find that the Nativity scene had been left unscathed. They stood gazing down at the baby Jesus and thanked God that He had come into the world and that no one was injured in the attack. Their focus was on the Savior who had come to bring peace.  Regardless of the circumstances around them, their hearts were captured by the wonderful gift God gave us in His Son!  They were filled with unspeakable joy.

 “Christmas is not a myth, not a tradition, not a dream.  It is a glorious reality.  It is a time of joy.  Bethlehem’s manger crib became the link that bound a lost world to a loving God.  From that manger came a Man who not only taught us a new way of life, but also brought us into a new relationship with our Creator.  Christmas means that God is interested in the affairs of people; that God loves us so much that He was willing to give us His Son.”  Billy Graham

 “For unto us a child is born, to us a son is given…and he will be called Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace.” 

 Isaiah 9: 6

Who is the object of your attention this season??

~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 Do We Think We are Fooling?"

As women, it should startle us to realize our power of influence.  Even though we are more than acquainted with the call to “walk our talk” and not be an excuse for bad behavior in our little ones (and big ones!), we should sense the intense obligation.

My very observant Grand-niece, Olivia, enjoying Fall Harvest…

  We never know who is watching!  Pressures to “walk our talk” are those continuing opportunities for others to observe our true character.  (II Corinthians 4: 17)   A hypocrite willfully lives in conflict with his or her mind, will and emotions.  He or she is motivated by a desire for the appreciation of men rather than the approval of God.  (Proverbs 27: 21)  It is an incredible responsibility when you stop to think about it!

 Can you pass the test for a “Walk your Talk” mom?

 1.     Do you get in the Word of God daily? 

2.     Do you keep a record of the things God brings to your attention, as He teaches you, so you are continually fresh and ready to share with others?

3.     Do you understand how to maintain a consistent “walk in the Spirit”?

4.     Are you presently witnessing to someone who is in need of our Savior?

5.     Are you mentoring at least one person at this time?

6.     Do you know you are born of God…no doubts?

 How did you do?  

 Our Western culture is consumed with an attitude of “I deserve this”, I am entitled to this!”   “Gimme, gimme!”.  The quality of spiritual life we are going to address in this blog is rarely experienced because we are so busy demanding personal rights.  We have learned to call “our rights” by acceptable, “politically correct” terms.  

But rights, nonetheless, are the separators of us from authentic spiritual reality.

 Here are some acceptable signs (oops, sins!) that tell us our “best” has been compromised and our “walk” may need some attention:

  1. “In everything give thanks; for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus concerning you.” 1Thess. 5: 18   

   Do you give thanks in everything? Or are you selective in the area of gratefulness…maybe you’re a complainer or worrier…?           

·  2.  “Do not think more highly of yourself than you ought to think.” Rom. 12: 3 

             Are you proud of YOUR accomplishments, YOUR talents, and YOUR family?  

         Do you fail to see others as better than yourself, more important than yourself, in your relationships in the body of Christ?  Is your goal the success of others?         

·     3. “Let all bitterness, and wrath and anger and clamor and evil speaking be put away from you, with all malice.”  Eph. 4: 31           

         Do you find fault, carry a grudge, anger easily, hold people to your expectations and speak unkindly about people when they are not present? 

             Do you enjoy listening to gossip?  Do you pass it on?

     4. “Lie not one to another, seeing that you have put off the old man with his deeds.”  Col. 3: 9  

         Do you ever lie?  Exaggerate? Do you tell things the way you want them rather than the way they are?  

 5. “Even so, you outwardly appear righteous to men, but within, you are full of hypocrisy and iniquity.”  Matt. 23: 28        

        Do you smile self-righteously during the sermon on Sunday but live in your bad attitudes all week?  Are you the same person in your home, as the one who is trying to impress people outside your home?  

          We are fooling no one!  We are a book… known and read by all men …

especially, children… they read our spirit!

               How authentic are you?         

       What is your demonstration of truth?

       What is your fruit?        

      Will your young knight or princess say you 

       are an unpretentious, genuine mom 

       that “walks her talk”? 

~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.