Jackie's Journey "Faith Stroll?"

My granddaughter, Alexandra Grace, gave me the “Faith not Sight” and with its message comes, a promise of a walk unlike no other. It is in my kitchen and the daily reminder of a march of faith…like Abraham of old, “He went out, not knowing where he was going!”  When we left the United States and headed for the mission field , we had no idea where we were going.  We only knew that God had moved in our hearts to be His hands and feet to reach an unreached tribe in the jungles of Panama. With two little girls we, by  faith, found ourselves separated from family, friends and civilization.

 Faith became a series of “realizations “of  unknowns…and me, learning to see Him only…not my circumstance.  I got in the habit of asking myself…was God in control, or was I in His way? My    faith was becoming a daily stroll, rooted in his taking the lead and me learning to follow, without resistance, rationalization or excuse!  “Faith never knows where it is being led,  but it loves and knows the One Who is leading. It is a life of knowing Who makes us ‘go’”. Oswald Chambers

 Whether your faith journey is a health issue,  finances, a job loss, relationship divisions, or like me, a loss of a loved one,  the root of faith is the knowledge of a Person and his divine purpose in all that is going on around us.  For me the Person is my focus and the attainment of useful character for the benefit of His glory is the goal.  Will I be more profitable for the cross?

 “The life of faith is not a mounting up with wings, but a life of not fainting.” Oswald Chambers From  my early Christian life my faith has been tried and proved and because of His faithfulness…has stood the test.  Like Abraham…I believe God.  He’s got the plan.  My job…keep in harmony with Him!

 Have a great “faith walk” this 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 "A Divided Heart"

Sometimes, don’t you just wish you knew the future?  Just a little heads-up?  Life is so full of obstacles, decisions, and the unexpected, it would be nice to know a little ahead!  Shortly before God called my husband home, he texted me Psalm 86:11 with the note…”Prayer for our family this week”.  This was the verse…“Teach me your way, Lord, that I may rely on your faithfulness; give me an undivided heart that I will fear your name (the beginning of wisdom).  I will praise you, Lord, my God, with all my heart; I will glorify your name forever.  For great is your love toward me; You have delivered me from the depths, from the realm of the dead.”

 In a way, this was prophetic.

He left this earth for his heavenly home the following week!

Ralph had given me the verses I needed to begin to journey on… before he left!

 An undivided heart is one that uses difficult and impossible times to demonstrate our commitment to God and those HE has called us to serve.  This is called LOYALTY. Loyalty is the bonding of individuals in a long-term commitment of sacrificial support and defense. Infidelity or unfaithfulness is total betrayal to God and our designed purpose.

 Each of us has loyalties to certain people or things.  We are all loyal to something!  We are loyal to things on earth(family, friends, money, job…) or we are loyal to things in heaven (rewards, abstaining from sin, godly relationships, walking in holiness, faithful in our witness and service). Loyalty is one thing a leader cannot do without.

 All day long we are making decisions that tell us where our loyalty lies and to whom!  It reveals what our mind is focused on.  We are to make our decisions based on two things:

1 – Am I loyal to the authority responsible for me?

2 – Am I standing with those I am serving in their time of need and making them first, more successful than myself?

 I guess the question is: 

Do we doubt God’s sovereignty during adversity

or do we draw nearer to HIM?

Hence, my prayer for us this week…

“Relying on HIS faithfulness, give us an undivided 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 "A Royal Easter Story"

“And the graves were opened; and many bodies of the saints which slept arose,

and came out of the graves after His resurrection, and appeared to many.”  Matt. 27:52-53

Yesterday was a Day of Celebration!  One of the simplest definitions of Easter is that we are living in a world which God has the last word!  A Royal Easter Story was written to bring the hearts and minds of little prince and princesses into focus on our heavenly King, who is selfless and reminds us to fix our eyes on the eternal, not the temporal.  This King sent His only Son who gave the ultimate sacrifice…His life for ours on the cross of Calvary! The book motivates us to honor Christ, who died for us and rose again on the third day, giving us the promise of eternal life.

 We are saved to serve selflessly.  A true prince or princess, whatever their age, must learn to lose their life serving others first…no, “me first” attitudes.  This holiday book is currently available on ThePrincessParable.com website, Amazon.com ChristianBooks.com, etc.

 Jeanna and I trust your Easter celebration spotlighted

the story of the Royal Prince, Jesus Christ,

who came to save us from our sin, self and separation from Him…and then…

rose again!! Our eternal HOPE.

~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 "Unforeseen Journey!"

When my husband unexpectantly left to be with the Lord, “”I groaned in anguish of heart”.  I began reading Psalms, knowing I could not doubt in the dark what God had given me in the light. HE had proven Himself over and over again and I was in the habit of thanking HIM  through the unknown and trusting HIS sovereignty.  Every Psalm spoke to me and portions were jumping off the page!

When I got to  Psalm 40, the pattern through this storm was clear.  “ I waited patiently for the Lord; He turned to me and heard my cry.  HE lifted me out of the slimy pit and set my feet on a rock and gave me a firm place to stand.  He put a new song in my mouth and heart…and if that wasn’t  enough, He gave me a plan and a promise”. (vs. 1-5)

 I waited

I cried out

HE heard me

HE turned toward me

HE put a new song in me

HE gave me the plan

HE gave me the promise

 HE said “Blessed is the  one who trusts in the Lord” (vs 4 the promise) and “Many will see and fear the Lord and put their trust in HIM” (vs 3b the plan). I will look forward to sharing the wonders He has done and the things HE has planned for us. None can compare with all HE has done.  If I was to speak and tell of His  great deeds…they would be too many to declare.

 Here I am… my desire is to do HIS will…As HE leads,

I will follow with  joy…one day at a time.

Thank you for praying for our family...

 I am grateful for all the love and support that

has been showered on us throughout this journey

of tremendous loss and HOPE.

~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 "Hiding Places"

It has been 23 days since Ralph left for heaven and the Word of God has come alive.  I can remember in the jungles of Panama different times when trials and difficulties made the Word seer my heart like fire with truth, comfort, encouragement, and life-lessons.  I can attest to God’s unfailing love and faithfulness… there is  “Joy in  the morning”!  Ralph used to tell me, “Trust in the dark what God gave you in the light”.

 My hearts song this morning is, “Hear my cry,  Oh  God; listen to my prayer. From the ends of the Earth,  I call  to you, I call as my heart grows faint; lead me  to the  rock that  is  higher than I.  For  you have been my  refuge, a strong  tower against the foe.  I long to dwell in your tent forever and take refuge in the shelter of your wings.  For you, God, have heard my vows; you have given me  the  heritage  of those who fear your name.”  Psalm 61

 This is the vow Ralph and I made shortly after we married in 1965.

I found it in my Bible…

 Lord, we give up our  own purposes and plans and all desires, hopes and ambitions…(whether they be of flesh or soulish) and accept your will for our lives.  We give ourselves to YOU, our lives, our all… to be YOURS forever.  We hand over to you all our friendships, and all the people who we love are to take second place in our hearts. We surrender to you.  Fill us with YOUR Holy Spirit, work out YOUR WILL for our lives…at any cost, now and forever…

 He kept his vow…

Now…it’s my turn!

 “Whoever dwells in the shelter of the Most High will rest in the shadow of the Almighty…

HE will cover you with HIS feathers and under HIS wings you will find refuge.” Psalm 91: 1,4

 I am resting and rejoicing this morning…

 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 "OK...OK...I Surrender!"

This should be an interesting year for me…the Lord took my love and life partner on the 7th of this month …

the test of His Lordship in my life will be my next challenge…

What an incredible blessing to be able to jot down thoughts and rehearse what God continues to teach me through His Word and the people and events in my life.  Thank you to those of you who continue to follow my journey with the King.

On behalf of our family, we would like to extend our deepest gratitude

for the love and suppor that you have showered

upon us throughout this journey of temendous loss and hope.

 All any of us has to share with others is our weakness translated into a life message for the benefit of another.  At the Celebration of Life for my beloved husband, Ralph, so many communicated how his life had touched and influenced theirs. We both trust God has used our flaws to manifest His strength for your benefit.  Every weakness I have is an opportunity for God to show His strength in my life.

 “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

Jim Elliot, husband of Elizabeth Elliot, who was martyred at the hand of the Auca Indians, once said:

 “He is no fool who gives what he cannot keep to gain what he cannot lose.” 

 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 initiation, 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.   I instantly realized I had already pledged my loyalty to my new Savior, Jesus Christ. 

 A few months earlier, over the Thanksgiving holiday with my parents and sisters, I had attended a church service and had heard for the first time in my life that I could know God in a personal way through my total surrender to His Son, Jesus Christ.  Standing behind that curtain I was struck, profoundly, when I realized I had already given my total allegiance to the Lord Jesus Christ that Thanksgiving weekend!   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.

 What is your present commitment?

 When we talk about a total surrendering of our lives to the Lordship of Christ, we are talking about yielding all our rights and expectations! 

·      A dying to self and self-attitudes

·      A yielding of all entitlements and self-interest

 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 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.  

 Is humility a position of strength or weakness, in your opinion?

 Humility is me… seeing the contrast between my spiritual condition (a sinner) and God’s holiness and then surrendering all to receive His grace to live Christ-like, not Jackie-like!  

 Phil. 3:10   Grace is doing His will with His power!  It is acknowledging His presence and His power to live the Christian life.  Victory is living in that truth! 

 Are you living in Victory?

 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 "BROKEN HEARTS!"

“This past Wednesday was Valentine’s Day. The “heart” narrative and symbols of that day got me thinking.  We are told that it is totally acceptable to trust and follow our heart.  In fact, we are taught that our heart can decide what is right for us! A person will leave a church and say, ‘I did not feel right in my heart there’. A man may leave his wife and children for a younger woman saying, ‘My heart was not in my marriage any longer’”. (Letgdbetrue)

 What about the young couple who is confident of a life-partner because they are “following their hearts”? The phrase “I’m going to follow my heart” is used regularly to validate violations of moral, ethical and scriptural principles when decision-making.

 I recently listened to an audio, sent by my granddaughter, Alexandra Grace, that was so on point regarding the use of the word “heart”. How often do we hear the advice, “just follow your heart” when facing difficult decisions? Or “You can trust your heart”…

 This past week was Valentine’s Day. It seems appropriate to address issues of the heart.  This blog is taken from Proverbs 28: 26 and “heart” is used as a metonym for affections, inclinations and thoughts.

 “He that trusts in his own heart is a fool:

but he who walks wisely…will be delivered.”

 “Your heart is your internal set of desires and needs that affect your decision-making.  This is not your conscience.  This is your anti-conscience!  This is the set of passions that drives most men and women. God has spoken about our heart.   He said, ‘The heart is deceitfully wicked above all things and desperately wicked: who can know it?’” Jer. 19:9 (letgodbetrue)

 The fact that our heart has an opinion and passion about everything and reacts instantly to what it wants, should be our first warning sign in decision-making.  “If you follow its direction, you are a fool! If you listen to your heart, you are a fool.  If you follow your heart, you are a fool.  If you make decisions even partially influenced by your heart, you are a fool.  You are submitting to the most deceitful, depraved and dangerous source of information on earth.”

 Now that we have stated the obvious…it is clear that 

we are our own worst enemy…

 What are we to do?

 At the fall of man in the garden, all affection for God, spiritual truth and wisdom died. Our desires became corrupted…no longer a desire to seek God, please God or obey God. We took on a new leader who is bent on destroying us; who came to do three things: steal, kill and destroy us.. (Jn. 8: 44)   Steal our joy, opportunity…; kill our bodies…; and destroy our relationships, vision and destiny.  He tells us our heart, which is led by feelings, lust and arrogance of our own thoughts, will lead us. We are fools to believe that plan, let alone follow it! “We do not have the right to our thoughts; but we do have a responsibility to right thoughts”! (Letgodbetrue)

 “True wisdom is learning to mistrust your heart, reject its voice, and make all decisions on the basis of absolute and objective truth.

 Where is the source for such fabulous decision making?

 In the inspired words of the living God recorded in the Bible! It is learning God’s words and training yourself to make decisions based on them that you can be wise and saved from the deceitful impulses of your depraved “heart”. (letgodbetrue) Fearing God and asking God to direct our footsteps according to His word is the beginning of wisdom. (Psa. 119: 133) This is the key to being delivered from the pitfalls and obstacles that clobber and confuse those who have chosen to “follow their heart” … “The degree of our wisdom is the degree to which we can crush our ‘heart’ to submit to the words of God in the Bible”! (letgodbetrue)

 How wise are 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 "WATCH OUT!"

In 2008, Angela Ramsey, a sweet friend, sent me these thoughts.  “We so easily forget the control our thoughts have over our lives, and the impact our words have on others.  By simply changing our thought process, our lives will become better and our words can positively influence the lives of others.

 As believers, some of us tend to have the idea that God should control our thoughts while we are on auto pilot.  Our free will tells us otherwise.  We should strive to be like Him and not allow our flesh to destroy us with the sharpest weapon we own......our tongue!”

 “Life and death are in the power of the tongue.” Proverbs 18: 21  Our words have the power to create conditions in our lives. In Panama when I was verbalizing my fears, my husband gave me a warning in a verse that spoke volumes to me because of all the unknowns surrounding me.  It is taken from the book of Job (3: 25).  Job said, “What I always feared has happened to me.  What I dreaded has come true.”

 What do you dread?

“Your words, which spring from your thoughts, have power to create conditions in your life.  
If you keep saying you can't stand your job , you might lose your job. 
If you keep saying you can't stand your body , your body can become sick. 
If you keep saying you can't stand your car , your car could be stolen or just stop operating. 
If you keep saying you're broke , guess what? You'll always be broke. 
If you keep saying you can't trust a man or trust a woman , you will always find someone in your life to hurt and betray you. 
If you keep saying you can't find a job , you will remain unemployed. 
If you keep saying you can't find someone to love you or believe in you , your very thought will attract more experiences to confirm your beliefs. 
If you keep talking about a divorce or break up in a relationship , then you might end up with it. 

Convert your thoughts and conversations into God-filled, power packed action of trust, faith , hope , and unconditional love. Stand back and wait for  your circumstances and situationsto change when you change the way you think and speak.”

Watch your Thoughts , they become words. 
Watch your Words , they become actions. 
Watch your Actions , they become habits. 
Watch your Habits , they become character. 
Watch your Character , for it becomes your Destiny .

 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 "Imperceptibles!"

There is a group of people that are basically

imperceptible in our culture…

 Do you know who they are?

“Is not wisdom found among the aged? Does not long-life bring understanding?” Job 12: 12

 Regardless of our involvement in the lives of our children and grandchildren, they reach an age of development (if we have done our job) where their need for us lessens.  They now have their own friends and activities that occupy the time that was once ours!  Life is a whirlwind of academics, team sports, community outreach, horses, piano lessons, theater and musical practices and performances, tennis coaches and tournaments, swim practices and meets, church youth group activities, bible studies, revivals, camps, mission  trips, etc.…!

 Finally, one day… they get drivers licenses, go to college and… get married!

 Keeping pace with all of this is a tremendous challenge…for all of us!  I am a grandmother of seven; my mother, at 101, was a great-grandmother of 25 great-grandchildren! She lived on her own, cared for herself and was alert with a memory that would put an elephant to shame!  She gave new meaning to the verse in Job 12.  There are very few topics that have applicability to our everyday life, that if asked, she could not wisely put in perspective, yet she often felt invisible and spoke of her sense of loneliness and need to keep relevant.

Christina, my eldest daughter, Mom (100 years old) and I

 I have thought about her statement and Job’s proclamation and wondered why in our 21st century culture the advanced in age feel they are being set to one side, listened to less and invisible in a large group of the younger generation.  

 These vital soldiers have earned their place among those that should be the most honored, respected and valuable in our culture. Titus 2: 3-5 admonishes “the older women to be reverent in the way they live and to train the younger...”  There is so much to be gleaned from these seasoned veterans that have gone before us, paving the way.  We will quickly step into the print they have left behind!

 Our local churches defer to the younger generation. The young fill the jobs in women’s ministry and teach the even younger.  They no longer turn to the older generation.  They have been replaced with quick and empty answers found in the latest technology, social media and their peers.

 BUT…“Is not wisdom found among THE AGED”?

 While in Panama, our good friends, the Jenkins, a couple with perfect pitch and harmony, put this definition below to music.  I have been humming it for years and sing it out loud when my natural inclination to think “I’m all that!” overrides what Scripture says should be my godly point of view!

 Reverence is acknowledging that God is using in my life,

people and events to produce the character of Christ in me”. (Gothard)

It is wisely looking at life’s situations (all of them!) from God’s point of view, not my own.

 THEN… the warning:

 Soooo… be wise my son (daughter), heed my instruction (instantly placing myself in harmony with Him and His will and directives), leave that road that leads to destruction, hallow my name don’t walk in shame…Proverbs 23: 17,18

 I want to be a wise mom, wife, grandma and whomever else I am purposed to be.  That means I am commissioned to look at all of life’s situations from God’s point of view and get out of His way. There is no way I can produce reverence and wisdom apart from Him.  He uses the people and events in my life to produce His character in me!  My job is to wisely yield all circumstances with a grateful heart, regardless of how it looks, seems or feels to me.  He knows what He is doing…It’s His plan…

The reward is Wisdom!

 Will you join me in applying reverence

to your life this coming year?

 It’s a win…win.

~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 a New Year 2024!"

Time Flys Away Fast!!!

The question I am asking myself, “Is what I am doing currently with my life worth dying for?”

 If I cannot answer the question, then it is not worth living for!

 We are called to live a supernatural life.

We do not have the power in ourselves to live it…we need divine power.

The gift of this power is given in the exchange of our self-life for unconditional surrender.

 How  do  we measure  the effectiveness of the last year of our life?  It has been said the things we have done with the last twelve months must have been reasonably important: we have traded  hours,  days, weeks for them that we will never again  have.  

 Do you have a test that you can apply to discern if 2023 was a triumph or failure?

 Ask yourself:

 1.      Do you know God better today than you did a year ago? (This can only be a result of time spent witHIM, in His word and in prayer).

2.     Are  you more effective today as a Christian (woman, mom, mother, grandmother…), both in your living a practical Christian life, and in your ability to communicate your faith to others? (This comes as a result of a disciplined life, doing those things that do not come naturally).

3.     Are there people who have been brought closer to God because of your influence in their life? (This generally demands open involvement with people, not “undercover” Christianity).

4.     Will the course of eternity be any different  because of this past year of life God gave you to invest? (This is the continual test of good stewardship).  “Life is simple, a stewardship and not an ownership; a trust and not a gift.  With a gift you may do as you  please, but with a trust you must give an account!”

This uncomplicated test taken periodically through the year will  keep us focused and on track on our eternal-journey, which will one day be called into account with God, who  is trusting us to  walk humbly and make right choices.

 Let’s face this New Year, together, with new determination…

~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.