Jackie's Journey "She's Gone!"

There is a grand exodus taking place today!  The moving van arrives at 9:30 and my life is being altered forever!  My eldest daughter, Christina is moving to North Carolina!  It happened sooo fast!  I am making the adjustment with great difficulty, because we have lived either together or within a few miles of each other for over 50 years.  I have been so blessed and am excited for her new adventure.

 As we went through the exercise of emptying her house with its years of memories and “treasures”, I became acutely aware of what has value and what does not. She has value, things do not!  Life will definitely be different for those of us left behind…her imprint on each of us has been profound.

Philip and Christina 2023

When the girls were small and we were living in the jungles of Panama, I knew one day they would marry and move away from us.  At that time, our young missionary commitment was to “burn out” on the mission field and the foreseeable adjustment was an inevitable supposition. However, God had another plan and has allowed us to be together as family and best friends for half a century!

 Times are changing…separations are inevitable…daily we are hearing of both young and older people just dropping dead! Families are being separated by death and divorce. Children with blood clots and hemorrhages.  Very few of us escape knowing someone in these days that has not left this earth, many abruptly.    I have a class reunion coming up and the list of those who are gone and will not be joining us is long. 

 Every one of us faces physical death.  There is no way of “dodging that bullet”. Godly obedience comes with the promise of long life…but death is inevitable and we are all dying a little each day!

 What we do with the time we have, short as it is, tells us what we value most and where are “treasure” is. When our treasure is eternal, not temporal…we receive the promise of never dying but passing from one life to another…an eternal life.

 In a society where monetary treasures are on the cusp of being devalued to nil, the temporal world is feeling pretty insecure.  If we define our “treasure” by worldly standards we are in deep trouble!

 “Treasures” are the trusts that God gives us until He calls us home. “By wisdom a house is built, and through understanding it is established; through knowledge its rooms are filled with rare and beautiful treasures.” Pr. 24: 4 

 Wisdom is seeing life’s situations from God’s point of view and acting in harmony with Him.

Understanding is application of wisdom and

Knowledge is familiarity gained by insight to (biblical) truth, experience and accumulated facts and reports.”

 As women, are we wise, understanding and “full of knowledge”?

Are our rooms filled with rare and beautiful eternal treasures?

 The realm of tribulation becomes the home of revelation and the resource of knowledge.  “Whoever loves disciple loves knowledge.” Pro. 12: 1   The test!  Do I love discipline?  Discipline is accepting suffering as God’s fastest path to growth and then, giving thanks for it! (My husband’s definition and I’ve had a multitude of opportunities to see it proven!)

 We had better love it, accept it, practice it, and endorse it because scripture states, “He who hates correction is stupid!”  I already fight stupid!  So, for me, it is imperative that I get wisdom, understanding and knowledge, because I want the fruit…” rooms filled with rare and beautiful eternal treasures.”

 How about you?

 My Treasures

People often say that the biggest treasures in life are the people that surround us.  Spurgeon puts this in perspective when he said, “We must keep all earthly treasures out of our heart and let Christ be our treasure, and let him have our heart.”  For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.  Like 12:34

 Who has your 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 "Oh no...!"

http://www.vimOeo.com/16404771 

If you have not heard the story of Jonah told by the daughter of Lindsey Douglas you are in for a treat!  Listen to the heart of a precious child who will make this Blog very understandable…

“It was not the sin and corruption of the Ninevites, although those were great.  It was not the graft-ridden police force or corrupt politicians.  It was not the false cults and religions.   The biggest obstacle to the salvation of Nineveh was found in the heart of a pious, prejudiced man named Jonah!  There was no deceitfulness in all of Nineveh like the deceitfulness in Jonah’s heart.  Jonah was the key to the salvation of Nineveh.  God’s people are the key to the spiritual climate of our nation and the world.” George Sweeting

                                                                                       Deceitfulness comes from a secret lust.

It is the result of a long sin pattern.  Jonah was foolish enough

to argue with God! He thought he could run away from God…

 Do you ever feel that way?

 Jonah deceived himself!  His prejudice against a people he was called to preach repentance caused his own downfall. Sound familiar?  His job was to take the message of God to Nineveh, the capital of Assyria.  The Assyrians were old enemies of Israel and he was not fond of these people and did not want salvation for an enemy, among other things.  So, he decided to run from God…

 We are called to stand in the gap for those lost and in need.  Have you ever felt the call of God to do something that was inconvenient or outside your “wheelhouse”?  Did you rationalize your situation and argue with God or did you instantly obey?

 Rationalizing the clear “prompting voice” away is difficult the first time, but gets easier as we pass the responsibility onto another person or time causes the prompting voice to almost disappear.  Rationalization is nothing more than allowing my mind to find reasons to excuse what my spirit already knows is wrong.  Romans 2: 21

 As a people, we are in dire need of accepting responsibility, stepping up to the plate, letting our voice be heard and recognizing the fact that we are the key to change in the spiritual climate of our homes, communities and nation. 

 Jonah was disobedient to his calling and he reaped the consequence.

  His willfulness not only caused problems for him, but others…sin has a way of doing that!

 We only deceive ourselves by believing the lies that come with rationalizing our sin:

I will do it later…

I am too busy right now…

I will only eat one bite…

I can stop any time I want…

I exercised poor judgement…

I can do it myself and I can do it my way…

I made a mistake…

It was poor communication…

I couldn’t help it…

Nobody’s perfect…

I just can’t help myself…

It wasn’t that bad…

I am a victim of my circumstances or I take full responsibility

 What excuse do you use most frequently?

 An intelligent person can rationalize anything, a wise person doesn’t try!

Jen Knox

 Obedience is following God-given instructions under the protection of God-given authority so the one being served will be fully satisfied.  Like Jonah, God gives each of us a choice multiple time…daily!  II Cor. 10: 15

 Jonah missed the blessing by disobeying God.  He repented but his sin still carried a consequence.

How do you reply when God speaks to you?

Do you instantly respond to the initial promptings of His Spirit

or do you argue with God…rationalizing?

When you rationalize, you do just that.  You make “rational lies”!

~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 "Age is Just a Number"

Age is just a number, until its NOT!  I have currently lived 29,200 days; 4,160 weeks and 960 months! Probably 20 years of that was sleeping; 30 years of work; 17 years of screens/pixels; 3 years getting ready in the morning; 2 years doing laundry and 79 days of brushing my teeth!  With eternity in full view, the brevity of life glaring me in the face (and everywhere else), time needs to be treasured and there is no stopping the clock…

 I ask myself, “Is what I am doing worth dying for?”

 If not, 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.  That gift of power is given when we exchange it in unconditional surrender. My life purpose is not seeking a ministry but anticipating the fruit of a disciplined life.  In my early Christian life, I was introduced to the “terms of discipleship” and it changed everything.  A mortal (body) life will end, but an eternal life lives forever.

 We are to be stewards of the mysteries of God and each “man’s work will become evident and each will receive his own reward according to his own labor”. (I Cor. 3: 5-16) What opportunities has God recently given me to serve Him?  What earthly things take the majority of my mental energy in this season of life? Keeping eternity in view and our responsibility for an obedient life makes us wise and ready…

 Where do you see yourself in the scheme of age and mortality?

The edge of eternity is closer than you think…

“…For what is your life, it is a vapor, that appears for a little time and then vanishes away.”

 Is what I am giving my time and attention to, given with eternity in full view?  Are my priorities temporal or eternal-focused?  Sacrificing the permanent on the altar of the immediate will end in a futile life span. 

 Being wise with HIS time and numbering our days, will give us a future and hope…

both now and in the time to come…

Let’s make this New Year 2023 the best one yet!

Ralph and I…New Years Eve 2022

~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 "Keeping Current!"

When the concept for “The Princess Parable Series” came about, our purpose was to put in the hands of young moms, grand-moms, aunties, etc. a series of books that would introduce a little teachable princess, a biblical parable and a character quality that a child could identify with and aspire to become.  At the end of each book the “life-lesson” from the parable was expressed in the words of the Princess.  Each book became a teaching tool for moms.

 Keeping current with what is happening with what are children are being taught and what they are given to read is becoming increasingly difficult because of the speed with which we are being bombarded with information.  The fact and reality that we cannot keep up with what is being legislated, whether by state or federal governments, should set off every alarm system we have!  WE are commissioned to nurture and protect those given to us… and I fear for my grandchildren!

 Will good books with biblical truth become obsolete?  Will materials that carry our values, be available to us in the future? Our children are counting on us to deliver principles and values that are in harmony with biblical veracity. It is past time to step up to the plate and take a stand against the tsunami of disinformation being doled out in our local schools.  Our counter-teaching against all that is being thrown at us is more imperative than it has ever been!

 When you take God out of government, schools, communities…you have no truth, other than relative truth, which is that we each become our own God with our own truth!  What can we expect for the upcoming generations that are the future of His message and our society?   Cultural acceptance of ungodly teaching and behavior is destroying us, as a people and as a nation…

 We can rationalize and say it has gone too far and we have no hope of turning back the tide or we can stand with those who are in the fight to preserve our heritage.  Will you be one of those?

 There are multiple platforms that support biblical truth. 

Can I encourage you to be aware and be informed?

Jackie's Journey "The Princess Star!"

With the new telescope that far surpasses what we have seen in space before, Solar and star gazing has become an official pursuit.  Follow the perspective of a very bright little princess…

 There is a story of a little princess who anxiously waited for the day of the Christmas pageant.  She was so excited about her part that her parents thought she must be one of the main characters, though she had not told them what part she would play. 

 The day finally arrived and her parents enthusiastically entered the auditorium and watched as each of the children was called to take their place.  The shepherds nervously waited in the corner of the stage holding two sheep.  Mary and Joseph were placed near the manger.  In the back were the three Wise Men eagerly waiting with a small camel.  Each and every child was placed in position…except for the little princess.  She contentedly sat quietly.

 The music started and the director began the narrative.  “A long time ago, Joseph and Mary went up from Galilee to be taxed. It was there that Mary and Joseph had a baby and they named Him Jesus,” the narrator began.   “And when Jesus was born a bright star appeared over the stable.  That was her cue!  She quickly jumped up from her chair, picked up a large, sparkling star and walked behind the manger, holding the star up high for everyone to see.  It flickered in the lights and all eyes were drawn to baby Jesus in the manger.

 The story continues and finds the shepherds in the field with their sheep.  That was her cue…the little princess moved into position on stage, wiggling the shiny star to show the shepherds where to arrive at the manger.  When the director mentioned the Wise Men…the little princess quickly moved to meet them and lead the way to the Christ child.  Her face was beaming as bright as the star she was carrying!

 The play ended with a round of applause and a standing ovation.  In the car on the way home, the little princess was happily chattering, “I had the main part, did you see?”   “You did?” her mother questioned.  “Yes” she said enthusiastically,

 “I showed everybody how to find Jesus!”

 This could not have been truer!  Showing others how to find Jesus Christ, the Savior of the world and to be the light that would draw them to Him has got to be the finest role we can play in life!

 May the Light of the Christ Child be your focus

this Christmas Season and throughout the New Year…

~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 "Woman-Power!"

We have all heard and probably repeated the old adage which is the biblical proverb, “Where there is no vision, the people languish and perish”.  (Pro. 29: 18) I have been focused on the vision God has for my life since I was in college.  It wasn’t until I got to II Peter in the New Testament that I understood God has a designed vision for me that He makes available to any those of us who desire to be a godly woman, wife, mom, grandma, powerful in her influence, firm in her faith. 

 “He has given us everything we need to live a godly life…”

(So, there are no excuses for patterns of failure!)

 There are two powers in relationships given by God that dominate the world.  The first is the power of authority.  It’s not a choice, its positional.  The second is the power of influence, which is a choice.

 Which one is the greater or more powerful?

 The power of influence is the greater power because it is a choice and it chooses to have power over another person. Our family, friends and every other relationship is affected…either inspired or manipulated by our use of influence. We learn to appeal to persuade our children and others to make right choices. (Esther is a good example!) We’ve all heard of “woman-power”.  Have you ever thought about it?  The man was given the power of authority and the women the power of influence. (Gen. 16:3)

 What determines our influence?

How is our power manifested?

 For good or evil, we woman are influencing ALL THE TIME.  We are a letter and “we are known and read of all men”. (II Cor. 3: 2) Others are always watching to see the REAL us through our responses to life’s situations and our attitudes which result in actions. “The serene silent beauty of a holy life is the most powerful influence in the world, next to the might of God”. (Blaise Pascal) Holiness vanishes when you talk about it but becomes gloriously conspicuous when you live it!

 A good example (instead of a bad excuse!) is the most inspirational influence.

 What’s your vision for your family?

How are you using your power of influence

to see that vision fulfilled?

 As a basic principle, what we do in moderation our children will do in excess.

Let’s commit to using our power of influence for a life of godly influence,

 that others might speak well of Him because of 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 "Inspiring Imprints"

My daughters, Christina and Kim in the hammock in our jungle house

 As a young missionary mother reading to these two little ones sitting next to me in a hammock in the middle of the Panamanian jungle, my heart yearned for books that would introduce my girls to bible-based, character-emphasized prince and princesses that they could aspire to become.  I would take every book I picked up and purpose to impose these two principles into the pages in terms they could understand that had eternal values targeted.  My two daughters, Christina and Kim, are now grown and have given me seven grandchildren!  Christina encouraged me for years to sit down and put on paper what I did to the stories I read in those early years.  Her cry for these books for her four little ones was my primary motivation.

The opportunities are unlimited when it comes to God building His character in us, and then, into the lives of these He entrusts to our care.  Understanding the need and exercising the steps of action needed to see them implemented is our challenge.  When you look at your children where do you see their primary need?  Taking into consideration their temperament, maybe the need for them to be more alert or to respond more quickly in obedience?  Maybe rebellion is the issue or selfishness?  Where would you begin to help the little prince or princess in your home? 

 Values are based on the changing opinions of what people or groups of people practice in their principles or ideals.  Character is based on universal standards that are time-tested and recognized as being ethically correct.  Character is written in every person’s heart and conscience (Romans 2:15).  Even though the basic truth of a character quality is understood, there is a need for further clarification on how to apply the truth in daily circumstances. 

I have collected positive character quality definitions for years because they describe pieces of the Godhead and assist in my personal spiritual exercise and transformation.  They helped equipped me to pragmatically instruct my girls, as we walked through daily activities, living in a culture very different than our own. In the village where we lived, the Kuna practice of polygamy and early marriages combined with witchcraft and a village witchdoctor opened up interesting teaching opportunities.

My granddaughters, Catherine and Alexandra

A few years ago, the oldest of these two little princesses in the hammock saw her two daughters, my granddaughters, Catherine and Alexandra (now 23 and 21), accomplish an extraordinary act of compassion in just a few days.  I was asked to wrap a collection of gifts, gift cards and get-well cards with money that they had gathered to give to Alexandra’s teacher at school.  Her heart had been challenged to encourage this young single woman, who had recently left her parents and siblings on the East Coast to answer a call to serve in our community here on the West Coast.  She had taken a daily six-hour cancer treatment three months earlier and had quietly gone alone for the last six weeks, not wanting to burden or inconvenience anyone else.  During her follow-up appointment, the doctors found the cancer had returned…aggressively!   Alexandra tearfully shared with her sister, Catherine, the sadness she felt.  Catherine, who was the school’s “Kindness Club” director, immediately joined hearts and hands with her sister, their mother (Christina), and many who heard of the need. Within just a few days came waking through my front door with a huge box-full of “encouragement” to wrap and be delivered by hand to this teacher.

The wrapped gift!

We respond to life according to our character, good or bad.  Our wrong responses indicate our need.  Our correct responses validate our victories.  For me, this was a victory of gigantic proportion.  Three generations clasping hands to compassionately encourage a hurting heart! Princess Charity in our Princess Parable Series was faced with the same choice my granddaughters faced.  Webster’s definition of Compassion is “together + suffering; deep sympathy, pity”.  “If anyone has material possessions and sees his brother in need but has no pity on him, how can the love of God be in him?” 1 John 3:17   Compassion is doing whatever is necessary to heal the hurts and meet the need of another.  Christ is the greatest teacher that ever lived and our example. His compassion for us carried Him to the cross!  Living outside our own self-life, being alert to another’s pain and not walking by without lifting a hand is our “Call to Action”.  This time of year, certainly invites acts of kindness!

~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 "I'M A RESEARCH ASSOCIATE!"

As a young missionary mother in the jungles of Panama, I was told this true story…

 A few months ago, a young mother rushed up to me, fuming with indignation.  “Do you know what you and I are?” she demanded.  Then, in detail, she explained that the lady at the DMV had asked for her occupation and when she hesitated, the lady said, “What I mean is, do you have a job or are you just a……?

 “Of course, I have a job, she said, “I’m a mother!”

We don’t list ‘mother’ as an occupation…’housewife’ covers it,” said the recorder emphatically! (pause)

 Well, I forgot all about her story until the day I found myself in the same situation, this time at City Hall.  The clerk was obviously a career woman, poised, efficient, and possessed of a high-sounding title like “City Registrar.  And what is your occupation?”, she probed.   Now, what made me say it, I do not know.  The words simply popped out!!

 “I’M A RESEARCH ASSOCIATE in the field of CHILD DEVELOPMENT AND HUMAN RESOURCES!”

 The clerk paused, ball-point pen frozen in mid-air, and looked up as though she had not heard me correctly.  I repeated the title SLOWLY, emphasizing the most significant words!

 Then I stared with wonder as my pompous pronouncement was written in BOLD, BLACK ink on the official questionnaire!  “Might I ask”, said the clerk with new interest, just what you do in your field?” Without a trace of hesitation in my voice, I heard myself reply:

 I have a continuing program of research (what mother doesn’t!), both in the laboratory and in the field (normally, I would have said indoors and outdoors!).  I’m working for my Masters (that would be my husband, kids, dogs, one cat…!) and I already have nine credits (2 daughters, 3 granddaughters, 4 grandsons!).  Of course, the job is one of the most demanding in the humanities (I dare you to disagree!) and I often work 14 hours a day (NO!…make that 24Hrs).

 But the job is more challenging than most of the run-of-the-mill

careers and the rewards are in satisfaction rather than just money!”

 There was an increasing note of respect in the clerk’s voice, as she finished the questionnaire, stood up and personally escorted me to the door!  I HAD SCORED A BEAT ON BUREACRACY AND I HAD GONE ON OFFICIAL RECORD AS SOMEONE MORE DISTINQUISHED AND INDISPENSABLE TO MANKIND THAN” just a mother!”

 Mothers are the first book read and the last book put aside in every child’s library.  Our children are our most valued investments. They are all that is left of us when we are gone.  There is nothing in life that can replace the warmth of our child’s tiny hand in ours or the absolute trusting way in which they look to us for reassurance!

 We can’t do it all… but, we can be careful to never sacrifice

the permanent on the altar of the immediate.

~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 "Fairy Tale or Reality"

Since the beginning of time there has been a battle of good against evil. In our present day, we find our lives inundated with children’s books, novels, cartoons, T.V. programming and movies filled with magical fiction, romance, and fantasy with the all too predictable witchcraft and the evil, scary villain! A point in fact is the new face of this fight found in the fairy-tale princess phenomenon.

 The cry from the masses is met with a barrage of the supernatural and literary narratives brimming with dramatic imaginary story lines. This particular genre with its fairy-like spirits in ethereal, heroic and monstrous forms is captivating to children, young people and adults alike. Children are especially susceptible to its alluring charm because their worldview is literal and it speaks to their inner understanding of spiritual reality.

 We do have spiritual needs (issues of pride, anger, rebellion and selfishness, to name a few!) that are often beyond ourselves and we tend to fill the vacuum with “make-believe” to make up for the difference we feel we lack. We allow it to offer us a few moments of escape from the real battle with good prevailing, if only, momentarily.

 Most of us acknowledge the struggle and know we are going to live somewhere forever, but have little understanding of the what, when, where, why and how. The surge of fantasy-ridden books and films is an after-effect of this need and exposes a society, seemingly, without direction or defined purpose.

 From their earliest memories our little girls are swamped with a princess course that introduces them to an unreal world filled with wizardry and lacking strong moral themes with eternal values. They are asked to define love and romance by standards that are not true to life or a representation of clearly defined biblical standards. Our child is needlessly exposed to the illusion of love through the many Prince Charming’s that are so readily available to her in most story lines; however, she is not exposed to the truth of genuine love. She is caught in a quagmire of choices that offer her temporal values, but not eternal ones. Her personal identification with a fantasy character is deceiving on many levels because the charge to discern the good and evil is often obscured by wrong motives and intentions on the part of the “hero” in the story line. Often the attitude of the leading characters is questionable and the continual interjection of clairvoyance and magical fantasy is confounding. The child is left to choose from bad and really bad, instead of from good and bad. Neither choice is particularly clear, but the medium being used (book, film, cartoon, etc.) is “thought” captivating and attention binding. Both of these goals are shortsighted and not fulfilling for the long term.

 Living in a post-Christian era, we seek to carve out a more excellent and realistic milieu for our children, these little ones that are so literal and entrusted into our keeping for so short a time. We have found that Christian parents are seeking an alternative to the present princess culture trend in books and films presently available. Their main reason is that worldview influences all areas of life. Every exposure a child has (visual or auditory, etc.) is adding to their life experience and their worldview. Presently, how would you describe your child’s worldview?

 Articulating a biblical worldview within our sphere of influence is what The Princess Parables series is all about. They are written to strengthen the belief that God made our little princess special and designed her with destiny and purpose.

 The mission of The Princess Parables series is to introduce and encourage the disciplines necessary to step outside fantasy and into the magical realism and authenticity of a loving and accepting God who teaches finding contentment in serving others, not in serving oneself. Although written in fiction, each Princess story is based on fact. It teaches a specific character quality in the name of its Princess and takes the storyline from a Parable that was taught by the greatest teacher ever born. It has been specifically created to put a functional tool into the hands of young mothers (urban, suburban, rural, stay-at-home, teen moms, single moms and married moms), grandmoms, aunts, and teachers, each with a different lifestyle, but all who share a similar desire to be the very best power of influence they can be! The passion to meet the need of every person desiring to cultivate what God has programmed into her Princess potential has been a huge source of motivation and it allows parents to nurture their little ones into genuine greatness.

 The innocent imagination of a small child is a book yet to be written and images of truth, hope, loyalty, joy, grace, charity and faith are but a few of the myriad of opportunities lost when the exposure to truth is clouded and “synergized” with fantasy.

~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 "Would the REAL Mom Please Stand Up!"

Etching by Michelle Akerman

 Where have all the real Mothers gone?  Dr. Brenda Hunter wrote, “It’s difficult to be a mother today.  At every turn, we are told how to exercise, diet, dress-for-success, find fulfillment in a career, be politically and philosophically correct and share tasks equally with our husbands.  Additionally, we are encouraged to rear good children on minimal time!  The ideal mother by todays standards, is one ‘who can do it all’”.  As family demands and responsibilities are changing, mothers are required to work harder at keeping proper balance between what is priority and what is not.

 Are we convinced that “she who rocks the cradle, rules the world?”

 Mothers are “the first book read and the last book put aside in every child’s library.”   There is no more influential role on earth than a mother’s role.  As significant as political, military, educational or religious figures may be, none can compare to the impact made by mothers on their children.  Their words are never fully forgotten, their touch leaves an indelible impression and the memory of their presence lasts a lifetime.  Who else is anywhere near that influential??

 I am the mother of two daughters and the grandmother of seven grown prince and princesses. I had the privilege of teaching each of them to read and basic math. My first child, Christina, was born during Missionary Training Boot Camp where a world of unknowns was facing me with the unbelievable responsibility of a new beautiful child…who, by the way, was pure magic!

 “For everyone to whom much is given, from him much will be required”. Luke 12:48

 A child is the most undeniably, magical gift given to us…and to us to whom it is given…much will be required.  No pressure…just a little harmless verse tucked away in Scripture that not only challenges us, but…calls us to action!

 That little girl brought such joy into my life I was sure my heart would burst!  She, also, brought a fear of failure because I knew me…the real me, inside, and I knew I could not do this job right.  When we talk about motherhood, we are talking about a celebration of our heritage…acknowledging that the only part of us that goes on and carries us into the future…our beliefs, our character, our philosophies, our ideologies is our children.

 Motherhood is the most significant investment we will make in our lifetime!

 “Without a vision, the people perish”.  The Bible is clear.

What is your vision for your child?

Do you believe that God has laid out a plan,

taking into consideration your child’s talents, abilities, and engiftments?

Do you believe God knows best?

Then the question is: How do we get in harmony with His vision

and plan and stop pushing our own?

~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.