Jackie's Journey "Do You FaceTime with God?

As women, we love promises. The circumstances of life, with its hurdles and opportunities, gives us great comfort in promises.  We are all familiar with the promise that  comes with the portion of Scripture that tells us not to worry because of God’s detailed  provision for us.  “Seek (His Presence), first,  His Kingdom and His righteousness and all these things (mentioned above vs. 27-32) will be given to us as well”!  Matthew 6:33  We love and embrace the promise and hang onto its content. He wants to supply for His family, like any good father.

But this promise comes with a huge condition! 

Do you know what  it is?

There is a concise definition, found in the Bible,  of what  it means to  neglect or  to not “seek” the Lord first.   “He didEVIL because he did not set his heart to seek the Lord”. (2 Chron. 12: 14)   It is called Evil!  We are robbing God and ourselves by not living in a state of seeking Him. To seek the Lord is a present progressive verb, meaning… ongoing, never-ending action.  We are to be seeking Him and connecting with Him daily…to His thoughts, His ways, His Will and then, consistently yielding to Him. (Romans 6:18)

 “Setting the heart” is fixing it on the Creator.  We are created to fulfill what we, with Him, are commissioned to do. Our designed purpose is to do the will of God on earth, even as it is being done in Heaven. Matthew 6:10  We are created for a life of good works that He has prepared before-hand for us to do. (Ephesians 2:10)

Evil is doing our own thing.  We have two choices:  Seek Him and the wisdom from above or seek the wisdom from below…which is Satanic…that which is selfish, proud, envious and  everything EVIL.  (James 3:13-15)  We cannot separate selfishness from Satan or pride.

Romans 12: 1, 2  teaches us that sacrificing our will and desires

means surrendering to God’s will, bringing us into His will and our purpose.

In  Matthew 7:21,22, we find a group of people doing their version of God’s will, but doing it their own way.  He said, “depart from me, I never knew you.” They were doing, what appeared to be the same as the apostles, but it was in self-centered, self-oriented satanic power. 

Who discerned that?  The Lord Jesus.

What is His will in general for all believers?  (Matt 4:19) Fish for men. (Gal 5:16) Walk in the Spirit.  Seek Him in the Scriptures daily to get your specific daily calling.  It always involves service.  He came to serve, not to be served.  He lives in the believers to continue to do just that.  He is the same today, yesterday and forever.

Is your Heart set on seeking Him?

Let’s grab hold of God and ask Him for a passion to  pursue Him…

“IF you seek me with all your heart,

You  will find 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 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 "Promises and Possibilities!"

Moms, have you thought about the culture our young children are growing into? Our faith is marginalized, immorality is expected and acceptable, socialism is fashionable, life is under attack, our Christian values and religious freedoms are deemed outdated and offensive.

 Time cannot be expanded, accumulated, mortgaged, hastened, or retarded.  It just keeps on…”

I usually begin my introspection regarding ‘time ‘after Christmas when facing the New Year! However, I can’t stop thinking about my seven grandchildren and how quickly time has passed from the day in the hospital when each one was placed in my arms until today when I look up (they are all way taller than I am!) and realize how adult they all are!

 They were tiny little ones not too long ago, just a blink, wrapped in a promise and a possibility not yet realized.  Time has flown and every call or contact is a special blessing, as they each find their own voice of influence.  They are the declaration for the next generation. 

 They are our future.

 I am currently the grandmother of 4 University students.  Each one has been sent as a missionary to colleges around the country.  They are courageous and are standing alone for what they believe!  Our oldest granddaughter is a graduate of USC, our second granddaughter, Alexandra, is a graduate of Biola and currently getting her MBA from Liberty University in Lynchburg, Virginia, attending with her husband, Jackson, who is also a Liberty student.  My grandson Payton, has one semester left at Liberty to graduate and his year-younger brother, Christopher, is my fourth student at Liberty and will graduate a year and a half from now.

 They are gone …in a blink! 

Alexandra, Christopher, Catherine and Payton

I never dreamed that years ago in the jungles of Panama that I would have the opportunity and blessing to have lived locally with all 7 of my grandchildren. Our hearts desire was to serve the Kuna Tribe in the Darien until…forever!  God had a different plan for us and our time here in the states became planting Spanish-speaking churches and discipling leadership to move on to a different location and start another church.  We have seen God establish seven churches (in Panama, Mexico, and in Southern California).  This has enabled us to be near our girls and their growing families.

 The challenge, now, is to not drop the ball at this stage!

 Where are you in the growth of your family?

 Are they being prepared to face the culture

that is clamoring for their souls?

~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 our theprincess parable 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…

~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 "Unconventional Springboard!"

What do you do with temptation?

Do you believe that everything God created is for God’s Glory?

 Does that include Satan?

 Then, how do you think Satan is used to glorify God?

 John 10:10 says that Satan has come to do ONLY three things…steal, kill and destroy. 

Steal our joy, contentment…

Kill our ambitions, goals…

Destroy our life, our destiny our purpose…

 The word ONLY needs to be understood.  It’s inclusive, all-encompassing and means…ONLY…No more and no less! God has limited Satan in his scope and ability to those three paradigms. Therefore, the big secret to this is, “How do we use Satan, instead of him using us!!

 How do you use Satan for the glory of God?

 Satan’s means of communicating to us is through temptation, using ideas (my husband calls them thought bombs!). Our job is to acknowledge the temptation and use that as “a springboard to pray”. For instance, a lustful thought comes…we know if we follow it, it leads us too nowhere good or profitable. 

Our response needs to be:  Take the temptation as a signal (a red flag warning) to pray for the same unsaved person for his/her salvation for each specific temptation.  That prayer is using Satan for God’s glory!  HOW?  By forcing Satan to build our prayer life!

 Once you’ve done that, you have neutralized Satan’s power in your life, because he has only come to steal, kill and destroy.  So, he has no choice but to leave you alone.  Your consistency in resisting him in this way sets you free to serve others.   

 Most believers spend their time playing Satan’s game… (I tempt you; I make you feel guilty and weak and convince you that God cannot give you victory or the joy of your salvation).

 What do you do with Satan’s scheme to destroy you?

 The “gates” of hell will not prevail against the church (believers). Matt. 16: 18 The idea is “the door” (that separates the church from hell) does not chase anyone; but now, with Satan in his place; we can open that door and rescue some of the lost. 

 We are, now, actively using Satan to develop our prayer life and glorify God!

 How long did your New Year’s resolutions last?

 Do you have a nagging pattern in your life that needs breaking

or a hidden area in your life

 that you just can’t seems to get victory?

I challenge you, this week, to use “the springboard for prayer” …

(Study Given by Pastor Ralph Johnson)

~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 "ARACHNIDS...Scared but not Defeated!"

Washday in the jungle was an event, not just a necessity!  It required a trip to the river with two little ones under three years of age in tow, a washtub (like great-grandma used) full of clothes, diapers, sheets, etc., a bar of soap and a washboard.  Finding a rock that wasn’t already being used was the next challenge, after descending the 12’ bank to reach the river’s edge!  The swirling river was the agitator and the most difficult part of the whole exercise was wringing the dripping clothes tight enough, so they would dry after being hung.

The Kuna women would laugh at me, while their little ones entertained mine by chasing, splashing, and diving around us.  Those were the “good old days”.  One blessing, and there were many, was that my girls learned to swim like little fish very early, against the raging current!

 If it was dry season, the wash would dry in 2 hours.  During rainy season we might hang the clothes two times, or more, in one day. Most garments were mildewed and never really dried completely until dry season returned!

 One spring day, my clothes carried in an unwanted visitor inside the house.  We had open wooden shelves and as I lifted the last folded clean sheet, I caught something moving in my peripheral vision.  Now…let me be understood…I will take a snake, any size, over a spider…any day.

 This particular arachnid was a creature of undeniable presence!! I screamed so loud that half the village came streaming through my front door.  One look at the intruder and my husband and Arturo, our neighbor, told us all to get out! Apparently, this venomous feral spider was dangerous!  I could not understand their hesitation in just eliminating it!  I wanted that trespasser DEAD…I did not want him alive for an encore another day…

Earlier that month, our cat found a huge, and I mean huge, scorpion under our bed.  I picked up Ralph’s size 14 army boot, stretched under the bed with one hand and squashed its 12” body dead, in one fell swoop, as our 8-month-old daughter came rapidly crawling into the room!  Now…“hear me roar” …I’m not kidding…I REALLY wanted that spider DEAD!

 Fear is our friend…it is an emotion induced by a threat, which causes a change in brain and organ function and ultimately…a change in behavior.  My husband, Ralph, used to tell me, “Courage is being scared to death…and still walking through the door of fear to victory”. 

 In the book “Hinds Feet in High Places” I would clearly be “little “Much Afraid”.  Shortly after being challenged to carry the name of Christ to unreached tribal people, I read in Luke 10: 19 where Jesus sent out the seventy-two with the promise, “I have given you authority to trample snakes and scorpions and to overcome all the power of the enemy; nothing will harm you”! 

That verse came pounding into my consciousness and I claimed that promise, given to those who take the gospel into uncharted territories.  As jungle living became my daily experience, I would often return to those precious words that brought peace that day, and over and over again during those years of the unforeseen and unexpected…I would claim its truth when I was tempted to yield to fear and panic.

 Not too much has changed over the years.

These days, in this asphalt jungle, events seem to fall into

the same category of unforeseen and unexpected events.

We can fret and panic in defeat or

we can claim the promises and maintain our peace…

~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 "Never Sacrifice the Permanent on the Altar of the Immediate!"

 In 2015 I was asked to write a weekly blog for the Princess Parable website.  At that time, I had never seen a website, a Facebook page, Pinterest or a Blog.  I officially welcomed a new world of technological communication with the opening of all four at once!  With its availability came a huge responsibility to use them wisely…they have altered our means of communication and have become intensely time consuming!  

 “Our greatest danger in life is in permitting the urgent things to crowd out the important.”  Dr. Bob Jones, Sr. used to say, “Never sacrifice the permanent on the altar of the immediate.” 

 Everyone receives an equal supply of time.  The only difference between us is in the way we spend it.  Each week brings us 168 golden hours.  We spend approximately 56 hours for sleep and recuperation.  We spend approximately 28 hours for eating and personal duties.  We spend approximately 40-50 hours for earning a living. We have 30-40 hours left to spend just as we wish.  But how do we spend them?  How many hours for recreation?  How many hours for family communication?  How many hours for the regular worship of God (devotion, fellowship, meditation, etc.)  How many hours for personal service in the name of Christ?  Will we rob God?  We can and we do! 

 Perhaps we may be very busy with good things, yet too busy for the best things.  The great question is:  Have we made wise use of our time as good stewards of Christ? Life is simply a stewardship, not an ownership; a trust, not a gift.  With a gift you can do as you please but with a trust…you must give an account.

 Henry Clay Trumbull said, “Today is, for all that we know, the opportunity and occasion of our lives.  On what we do or say today may depend the success and completeness of our entire life struggle.  It is for us, therefore, to use every moment of today as if our very eternity were dependent on its words and deeds”…

 Welcome 2023…Let’s make it count…

~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 "An Extraordinary Life!"

“Where is the Life we have lost in living?” T.S. Elliot

 My daughter Kim walked into my bedroom with a list of 15 components for a satisfied life! Now…who wouldn’t want that inventory?   I was really interested in knowing what was on her mind and what was on that list!  She was so enthusiastic and I was REALLY curious…

I knew it was NOT going to be money, a big house with a pool, a Lamborghini or fame, beauty, maybe being 10 years younger or 20-pounds lighter!  No…this daughter doesn’t roll that way.  Sooo…what could those 15 “pieces of life” be?

Let’s take a look:

1.     A Divine life

2.     A Life with Purpose

3.     A Life of Faith

4.     A Life of Continuing Surrender

5.     A Life of Joyful Obedience

6.     A Life of Prayer and Praise

7.     A Life filled with the Holy Spirit

8.     A Life of Total Dependence

9.     A Disciplined Life

10.  A Challenging Life

11.  An Unshakeable Life anchored in God’s Truth; Resting in God’s Promises; Focused on God’s principles; Strengthened by examples in God’s Word

12.  A Fruitful Life Invested in other’s

13.  A Rich Life Saturated in God’s Word

14.  A Life of Love

15.  A Rewarding Life

 “Life is so short that the wood of the cradle rubs up tight

 against the marble of the tomb!”  G.S.

Let’s take a look at our life this week and take caution to focus on

the 15 qualities of this eternal, “extraordinary life”…

These notes Kim shared with me came from a Charles Stanley sermon. 

I’m so glad she shared with 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 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 "Time Out to Take Time!"

“Nothing lies beyond the reach of prayer

except that which lies outside the will of God.”

Anonymous

God has said that He will answer those prayers that are in His will. This is a dedicated Mom’s prayer for her Prince and Princess that is in the perfect will of God.  Pray with me…

 As a Mom, Lord, seeking only Your will, I come to you on behalf of the heritage You have given me, to pray for their:

Salvation -Lord, let salvation spring up within my children, that they will obtain the salvation that is in Christ Jesus with eternal glory.  Isa. 45:8; 2 Tim. 2: 10

Growth in Grace – I pray that they will grow in grace and knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. 2 Peter 3: 18

Love – Grant Lord, that my children will learn to live a life of love through the Spirit who dwells in them.  Eph. 5: 2; Gal. 5: 22

Honesty and Integrity – May integrity and honesty be their virtue and their protection. Psa.25: 21

Self-control – Help my children not be like many others around them, but let them be “alert and spirit-controlled” in all they do. I Thessalonians 5: 6

A Love for God’s Word – May my children grow to find Your Word “more precious than gold, than much pure gold; and sweeter than honey from the comb.”  Psa. 19: 10

Justice – God, help my children to love justice as You do and to “act justly” in all they do. Psa. 11: 7; Micah 6: 8

Mercy – May my children always be merciful, as their Father in heaven is merciful”. Luke 6: 36

Respect (for self, others, authority) – Father, grant that my children may show proper respect for everyone, as your Word commands. I Peter 2: 17

Strong Biblical Self- Esteem – Help my children develop a strong self-esteem that is rooted in the realization that they are perfect, “God’s workmanship, created in Christ Jesus.” Eph. 2: 10

Faithfulness – “Let love and faithfulness” never leave (my children) but “bind these two virtues around their necks and write them on the tablet of their hearts”. Prov. 3: 3

A Passion for God – Lord, please instill in my children a soul with a craving for You, a heart that clings passionately to You.  Psa. 63: 8

Responsibility – Grant that my children may learn responsibility, “for each one should carry his own load”, to take responsible and not be blamers or victims.  Gal. 6: 5

Kindness – Lord, may my children “always be kind to each other and to everyone else.”  I Thess. 5: 15

Generosity – Grant that my children will “be generous and willing to share (and so) lay-up treasure for themselves as a firm foundation for the coming age”. I Tim. 6: 18-19

Peace, Peaceability – Father, let my children “make every effort to do what leads to peace”. Rom. 14: 19

Hope – May the God of hope grant that my children will overflow with hope and hopefulness by the power of the Holy Spirit. Rom. 15: 13

Perseverance – Lord, teach my children perseverance in all they do, and help them especially to “run with perseverance the race marked out for (them).”  Heb. 12: 1

Humility – Lord, please cultivate in my children the ability to “show true humility toward all.” Titus 3: 2

Compassion – Lord, please clothe my children with the virtue of compassion. Col. 3: 12

Prayerfulness – Grant, Lord, that my children’s lives may be marked by prayerfulness, that they will learn to “pray in the Spirit on all occasions with all kinds of prayers and requests.” Eph. 6: 18

Contentment – Father, teach my children to be grateful, “the secret of being content in any and every situation…through Him who gives (them) strength.” Philippians 4: 12-13

Faith – I pray that faith will find root and grow in my children’s hearts, that by faith they may gain what has been promised to them. Lu. 17:5-6; Heb. 11: 1-40; Eph. 2: 8

A Servant Heart – Lord, please help my children develop servant hearts, that they will serve whole-heartedly “as if (they) were serving the Lord, not men.” Eph. 6: 7

Purity – “Create in (them) a pure heart, O God.” And let their purity of heart be shown in their actions.  Psa. 51: 10

A Willingness and Ability to Work Hard – Teach my children, Lord, to value work and to work hard at everything they do, “as working for the Lord, not for men.” Col. 3: 23

Self-Discipline – Father, I pray that my children will develop self-discipline, that they will acquire “a disciplined and prudent life, doing what is right and just and fair.” Pro. 1: 3

A Heart for Missions – Lord, please help my children to develop a heart for missions, a desire to see your glory declared among the nations, your marvelous deeds among all peoples. Psa. 96: 3

Joy – May my children be filled “with the joy given by yielding to the Holy Spirit.” I Thess. 1: 6

Courage – May my children always “be strong and courageous” in their character and in their actions.  Deuteronomy 31: 6

 Take time this week to appeal on behalf of your heritage…

 “And Satan trembles when he sees

The weakest saint upon his knees.”

Anonymous

~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 "Who Needs a Title?"

In a global environment where who you are is an imperative and keeping track of your every move and accomplishment or failure is a priority, it might serve us well to take a look at our titles…because they describe our responsibilities!  Knowing and doing what God and others are expecting from us gives meaning to what responsibilities are all about. (Rom.14:12) 

Abraham Lincoln said “You can’t escape the responsibility

of tomorrow by evading it today.”   

1.      I am called a wife; mother; mother-in-law; daughter; daughter-in-law; grandmother; aunt; teacher; missionary; bush nurse; author; Pastors wife…to name a few…each with unending expectations and responsibilities.

2.      Ralph, my husband, is called a Pastor, Missionary, Nutritionist; CRA Doctor; Husband; Father; grandfather; father-in-law; teacher; provider, protector…

3.      A policeman may be a traffic or patrol officer; a detective or a Captain. Responsible for our safety and to a community at large. 

4.      Soldiers carry all kinds of titles depending on their rank. Responsible for our national security and defense. We are “soldiers of the Cross”. Responsible for being “battle-ready” to defend the faith & promote the gospel. II Tim.2:2

5.      We are “Priests”. Responsible to pray & represent Him to the lost and encouraging the saved to be alive and functioning. (I Pet.2:5,9)

6.      We are called “chosen” people. (I Peter 2:5,9)

7.      We are “Saints”. Taken from the world; sanctified and set apart for His service. Serving Him in every attitude, thought, word, action, opportunity with pure motives is our primary responsibility. (Phil.4:22)

8.      We are called “Disciples”. Responsible to delight Him as followers & students of His heart, will, purpose and plan for us. (Deut. 30: 15-18) 

9.      We are called “Ambassadors” …Responsible to make Him known & to represent Him to the world everywhere. (II Cor. 5:17-19)

10.    We are called “Believers” (Present Progressive!)  Responsible to “trust in the Lord withALL our hearts and lean not to our own “stupidity” (my husband’s rendition), in ALL our ways make him known and He will direct our path.” … (Proverbs 3:5,6)

11.    We are called the “light of the world” to light the way. We are known and read by all men. (II Cor. 3:2) Responsible for our daily walk and life-message. (Matt. 5:14)

12.    We are called “Spirit-controlled.” Responsible for yielding to His control, priority & purpose. (Gal.5:22,23)

13.    We are called “slaves of righteousness”. Responsible for our choices…right or wrong! (Rom.6:16-18)

14.    We are called “Servants” for the success of others, dedicated to pleasing Him first. (Matt.20:26-28) 

This is not an exhaustive list, but a starter…

One day we will be held accountable to God for how we worked out our salvation and God-given responsibilities… (Rom. 14:12)

Are you ready?

~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 Price of Liberty"

“We hold these truths to be self-evident:  That all men created equal,

that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable rights,

that among these are life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness.”

 We are all familiar with these words but, not so well-known, the concluding words of the Declaration of Independence reads, “And for the support of this Declaration, with a firm reliance on the protection of Divine Providence, we mutually pledge to each other our lives, our fortunes and our sacred Honor.”  Fifty-six signatures of great patriots follow these profound words. These were the American heroes to the core!

 And what did they get for pledging their lives, fortunes and honor for our country?  

·      Five signers were captured by the British as traitors and tortured before they died.

·      Twelve had their homes ransacked and burned.

·      Nine of the 56 fought and died from wounds or hardships of the Revolutionary War.

·      Carter Braxton of Virginia, a wealthy planter and trader, saw his ships swept from the seas by the British Navy.  He sold his home and property to pay his debts and died in rags.

·      Thomas McKean was so hounded by the British that he was forced to move his family almost constantly.  He served in Congress without pay and his family was kept in hiding.  His possessions were taken from him and poverty was his reward.

·      Vandals or soldiers looted the properties of Dillery, Hall, Clymer, Walton, Gwinett, Heyward, Ruttledge, and Middleton.

·      At the battle of Yorktown, Thomas Nelson, Jr. noted that the British General Cornwalls had taken over his home for his headquarters. He quietly urged General George Washington to open fire.  The home was destroyed and Nelson died bankrupt.

·      Francis Lewis had his home and properties destroyed.  The enemy jailed his wife and she died within a few months.

·      John Hart was driven from his wife’s bedside as she was dying.  Their 13 children fled for their lives.  His fields and his gristmill were laid to waste.  For more than a year he lived in forests and caves, returning home to find his wife dead and his children vanished.  A few weeks later he died from exhaustion and a broken heart.  Norris and Livingston suffered similar fates.

 Such were the stories and sacrifice of the great Declaration of Independence and the American Revolution.  These great men were not wild-eyed, rebellious ruffians.  They were soft-spoken men of means and education. They had security…but they valued liberty more!

 So… this July 4th, as we celebrate our freedoms with family and friends,

take a few minutes to silently thank these founding fathers 

who paid such a great price for America’s freedom?

 Freedom is never free!

~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.