Author: jackieo78

Notwithstanding in this rejoice not, that the spirits are subject unto you; but rather rejoice, because your names are written in Heaven. Luke 10:20

Do you ever sit and write the name of someone you love? Maybe it was in elementary school: “Sally loves Charlie”. Or, maybe it has carried on into adulthood, and you still find yourself scribbling the names of loved ones while talking mindlessly on the phone with customer service. I find myself writing down the names of my family members and becoming creative in how I write each one, even adding little designs to certain letters. I am by no means an artist, but my feeble attempts at lettering sometimes make me feel competent in my creative endeavors.

How does it feel when you write down the names of certain people who are dear to you? If you’re like me, you take special care in writing each letter in guided cursive, tracing over each angle and curve to make it look beautiful, just as that person is beautiful to you. I often think about the ways in which I love that person, whether it be a grandparent from my family tree or one of my children. When I write their names, I am thinking about them and how they bring joy to my life. I am remembering a hug or a plate of peeled oranges being delivered to my front door unexpectedly. I am thinking of playing in creeks and bedtime stories being shared. With those thoughts come an artistic flow into the letters, as well as a stream of emotion in my heart. Each artistic expression is an artistry that flows from me as a result of a great endearing love I have for each individual.

When God writes our names, what happens? Does His mighty pen swirl in colorful motion to create new ways in displaying the name, “Jackie”? Do His hands perform new creative works that reach forth to the bearer of the name and unleash miracles and wonders in them they never experienced before? Are the small everyday happenings that bring new life to our souls the result of the Maker of the Universe writing down our names?

Jesus tells us in Luke 10:20 that we should rejoice because our names are written in Heaven. Much scripture in the Bible discusses a Book of Life where the names of God’s children are written. In Isaiah 49, the children of Israel had proclaimed that God had forsaken them and forgotten them. God replied with the verses that follow:

Can a woman forget her sucking child, that she should not have compassion on the son of her womb? Yea, they may forget, yet, will I not forget thee. Behold, I have graven thee upon the palms of my hands; thy walls are continually before me.” Isaiah 49:15-16

God assures the children of Israel that even a mother should not be able to forget a child she has raised since birth, but even if she should, they should rest assured that He would never forget them or forsake them. He had their names engraved in the palms of His hands. God is thinking of His children continually.

What wonderful promises we have in God’s word of His love and compassion for us. We should continually praise Him and live in a way that glorifies His name. We should create memories for our Creator that touch His heart when He writes down our names. We should talk to Him daily, so that maybe He will be scribbling our names and thinking beautiful thoughts about us. Maybe those thoughts would stretch forth on any give day and make a beautiful rainbow for us to see or a smile from a stranger to warm our hearts. Maybe a joyous miracle would ensue for our benefit. Who knows what glorious things the mind of God can create for us in response to our faithfulness.

I can’t say what all miracles may happen when God writes down our names, but I do want to say again and again, “God, write my name.”

With love, Sister Jackie

How precious also are Thy thoughts unto me, O God! How great is the sum of them! If I should count them, they are more in number than the sand; when I awake, I am still with Thee. Psalm 139:17-18

       This week, I was gotten for a moment. I went to the mailbox, expecting to see junk mail and bills, but, instead, there was an envelope addressed by a feeble hand. I saw the return address and recognized the name as a dear saint from our hometown, whom we also attended church with regularly. This was very unusual, as we had never received mail from her before. So, I hurriedly opened the envelope to find a card inside. With her own hands, she had penned words to encourage us and to let us know how much she enjoyed getting to see us on her “telephone”, as we have been having to minister through social media since the start of this pandemic that has swept our world. So many thoughts raced through my mind. How sweet. What a thoughtful thing to do. But, then, I was suddenly overwhelmed by a sense of awe-inspiring thankfulness. Tears filled my eyes as I considered the thoughtfulness, especially in today’s time, of taking a moment to write down words in a card, finding the address of the recipient, and mailing it out, just to let someone know they were thinking about you. Without thinking, I said out loud, “Thank you, Lord, for precious things.”

To some, this act may seem small and even insignificant, but it is not. This lady may never know how deeply this act touched me on that day. She may never realize how loved I felt in that moment, to think that someone thought enough of us to send us that card and to say those kind words. It is these small, insignificant things that I believe we have forgotten about in recent years, or maybe decades. The love notes between lovers, the thoughtful gestures of kindness between strangers on the street, the waving of hands to passerby’s regardless of your affiliation with them. After all, it is the small things we often neglect to be thankful for, and thus, it is those things we often lose sight of doing.

When this thought came to me, I began looking in my concordance for the word “precious”, and to my surprise, “precious things” was actually in the book of Deuteronomy several times. It is stated in Chapter 33, when Moses is giving his blessings upon the children of Israel before his death. To the tribe of Joseph, he states many times, “precious things”. Moses mentions precious things four different times in his blessing to Joseph, and it is only in his blessing to Joseph that this phrase is uttered. Other Bible translations change this phrase to “finest” and “choicest” or “best”. How peculiar. For, when I was thinking of the precious things, I was thinking of the simple joy that comes from hearing the laughter of a child or watching a kitten play tirelessly with string or with air. I wasn’t thinking of things of grandeur or finery. To my heart, precious is something that cannot be measured. It is something that invokes a feeling inside your heart that cannot be described and an emotion that cannot be replicated by any other means. We often think of things that are precious as things that are small in the eyes of the world, but in reality, they are truly the greatest – the finest, choicest, and best – in the world.

In Isaiah 28:16, God refers to a foundation stone as a “precious corner stone”, referring to Jesus. Ecclesiastes 7:1 says “(a) good name is better than precious ointment” or the most costly ointment, and Proverbs 3:15 says “wisdom is more precious than rubies”. In Psalm 49, we find that the redemption of our souls is precious. Surely, precious things are of much more value than anything that can be attained in this world.

So, how humbling, yet uplifting it is when we read Psalm 139:17-18 and realize that God’s thoughts toward us are precious and innumerable. To imagine that the Lord of the universe, Creator of all, and Lord of all, has innumerable thoughts of us and that those thoughts are precious. That the thoughts of us bring a joy that cannot be described by mortal words or measured by human abilities. This tells me that our God thinks mighty highly of His people. We should never doubt the love God has for His people. It is precious.  With love, Sister Jackie

The grass withereth, the flower fadeth; but the word of our God shall stand forever.  Isaiah 40:8

Who knew? I guess everyone but me. I thought the yellow dandelion was its own flower, not merely the first incarnation of the same flower I had always come to call the daffodil.  I know, I know. I’m from the mountains of Eastern Kentucky, so I should automatically know the wildflowers that grow so rampant in our neck of the woods; nevertheless, I have obviously been confused for all of my years on this earth. All my life, I have considered the yellow flower that overtakes so many lawns and mountainsides to be dandelions and its reincarnated fluffy white form to be daffodils. A huge mistake on my part that almost resulted in a full blown argument with my husband until he called a lady in our church to corroborate his side of the story.

The fact that I had been so wrong for so long about these two flowers bothered me. So, I took to the internet to read up all I could about the two flowers, and I found out some very interesting facts. However, what surprised me more than anything was the fact that so many people consider the dandelion to be a weed. I was in shock because the dandelion in both of its forms has always held a special beauty to me. In its first form, it is the pretty little flower that popped up among all the green of our yard, bringing its vibrant color to a monotone landscape. In its second form, it was the cotton top flower that tempted me always to take a deep breath and blow its little white seed all over my mom’s yard. Both versions of the dandelion have always held a special beauty to me, and both have always been a flower in my mind, not a weed.

Do you know that dandelions have medicinal properties that have been used by people for centuries? That they are safe to be consumed by humans and actually provide many vitamins? That much wildlife flourishes because of the dandelion diet, including small birds, rabbits, and bees? That their roots can penetrate the soil up to fifteen feet and their stalk can reach up to two feet in height? That their roots pull nutrients from deep in the soil and makes these nutrients available to other plants whose roots don’t go so deep? That their wide spreading roots loosen hard, packed soil, which aerates the earth and reduces erosion? That the milky substance that comes from their stem when cut can be used as a laxative and mosquito repellent?  In fact, dandelions were purposely brought to the New World by the Pilgrims because of their many uses.

Of course, the beauty of a daffodil (now that I actually know which one it is) is undeniable. It, too, can grow wild along mountainsides, and it also has some medicinal properties, but it contains a toxin that induces vomiting. So, it isn’t a flower humans should be consuming. Also, its beauty fades rather quickly. It only lasts for a small season. Its blooms can last for up to three weeks, but only as long as temperatures stay within the comfort zone of the daffodil. The daffodil has special needs, such as six hours of bright sun each day and well-drained soil. Without a doubt, the daffodil is a beautiful flower, but it can be a little needy. This is in sharp contrast to the sturdy, self-sufficient dandelion.

As a Christian, we may look like weeds to some people. We may be “nuisances” that try to tell them about a loving Savior and try to deter them from a path of unrighteousness. These things can seem bothersome to people who are enthralled by the things of the world. On the other hand, they may see us as flowers when the things of this world begin to darken and lose their appeal. When this happens, for some people, we may suddenly look like flowers. When they are hungry, sick, or in need of help, they may see our Christian lives as a source of medicine or food to their circumstances.

Don’t be bothered by the fact that you may seem like a weed to some people in this life. What many people consider to be qualities of a weed are actually what makes you strongest. Your roots are deep because you had to dig deep into God’s word, and you always make sure you find your way to the Sonlight, where you can bathe in His presence every single day. You won’t wait for someone to water you and coddle you to keep you healthy and alive for a short period of time. You have dug yourself fifteen feet deep into the soil, latching hold of the nutrients of God’s word so you can withstand storms, circumstances, and extreme heat, all while blooming that pretty little yellow flower so delicate and strong. You can rest a while as you close your petals for a short time only to emerge again and again, this time with white petals that drift out into the wild gardens of this earth, spreading the love of God, the word of God, and the peace of God throughout the land.

Yes, you may not be the plant most desired to look upon by the world, but you are strong. You have staying power. When the temporary beauty of those flowers who did not dig deep fades with the changing of the weather, you continue to grow even two foot tall – you continue to flourish and make the world a more beautiful place.

If that is a weed, Lord, let me be a weed. Lord, let me dig deep into Your word and into Your presence and become so strong and deeply rooted that no amount of opposition or degradation from the world can make me change.

Some may think that being considered a weed is a bad thing. People will not want me in their group, or I’ll be seen as different and even a little strange. I’d rather look like the daffodil – a beautiful flower, loved and accepted by the world. But look at the dandelion. She is not concerned with whether or not she is a weed or a flower, she just keeps on blooming.

Keep on blooming little dandelion. Be all that God has called you to be.

With love, Sister Jackie

And Elijah said unto Ahab, Get thee up, eat and drink; for there is a sound of abundance of rain. 1 Kings 18:41

      In the verses preceding this scripture, we find that Elijah had prophesied that there would be drought in the land, and his prophecy came true. At this point, it had not rained for three and a half years, but God had told Elijah to go to King Ahab and tell him He would send rain. Obediently, Elijah spoke the words from the scripture above to old King Ahab. At these words, Ahab went to eat and drink as he was instructed, while Elijah waited for the answer. Yes, he had not yet heard the sound of rain, nor had he seen any sign of it, but he told Ahab that there was a sound of abundance of rain. In fact, he had his servant go look seven times for him before there was any sign of a cloud or anything to indicate rain was coming, yet he spoke these words confidently, trusting that God would honor His word.
In this life we may find ourselves continually going back to the window hoping to see some sign of the promise God has given us. We may see nothing each time, just as Elijah’s servant did. We may grow weary in this process, giving up hope after the fourth, fifth, or even the sixth time, but let’s look at what Elijah did.
First, he proclaimed that his promise was coming before there was any evidence of it when he declared that “there is a sound of abundance of rain”. Have you given a proclamation that you know your promise is coming?
Next, he put himself in a posture of prayer. We should continually pray with humble expectation that God will bless us and honor the word He has spoken to us.
Lastly, Elijah took the first sign of the promise being fulfilled as an opportunity to run in hopeful anticipation to the place where the promise would be fulfilled. Our hearts should be so certain of God’s faithfulness, that we run expectedly to receive His promise. We may be the only ones who can hear the sound of the abundance of rain, but we must not lose hope that others will soon see the rain fall and see the faithfulness of God working in our lives.

With Love, Sister Jackie

Stir up the Gift
Wherefore I put thee in remembrance that thou stir up the gift of God, which is in thee by the putting on of my hands. For God hath not given us the spirit of fear, but of power and of love and of a sound mind. 2 Timothy 1:6-7

We live in a scary world. Viruses, wars, natural disasters, and the murder of innocent children seem to be the only news stories we hear about anymore, and it can make us feel scared. Sometimes, it may even make it difficult to operate in faith. Paul also lived in a very scary time. There was the overreaching regime of the Roman Empire that impeded liberty among citizens, especially those who chose to worship Christ during those times. In fact, it was not only the Roman Empire that discouraged Christian worship, there was also the Jewish leadership that made sure any individual found worshipping as a Christian would be imprisoned, tortured, or even killed.

In the scripture leading up to 2 Timothy 1:6-7, Paul is talking about the faith of Timothy’s mother and grandmother, which he had also seen in Timothy. It is then that Paul tells Timothy to “stir up the gift of God, which is in thee”. I believe the gift he is encouraging Timothy to stir up is the faith he had seen in him.

Sometimes, we may be overwhelmed by negative thoughts or the negative input of others, and we may lose sight of the fact that the gift of faith is already inside of us. Romans 12:3 says, “….to think soberly, according as God hath dealt to every man the measure of faith.” Every man has been given a measure of faith, so it is already within us, we just have to stir it up.

Paul goes on to encourage Timothy by saying that God did not give him a spirit of fear, “but of power and of love and of a sound mind”. This tells me that fear is the very opposing force of faith and that a spirit of power, love, and a sound mind are the complementary forces of faith. If we live in fear, we will not have a sound mind, but we will live with worry and doubt for the future. If we live in fear, our hearts will not be moved towards love because we will selfishly be thinking only of ourselves when fear overtakes us, as our human nature of survival will always kick in. Living in fear prevents us from operating in the power of God, for fear is the opposite of faith.

In these troublesome times, let us use wisdom, but more than ever let us operate in faith. That means we operate in the power God has given us, while showing love and compassion to our fellow man and fixing our thoughts on God and His word, rather than the rhetoric of the enemy that would cause us to fear. Faith is within us, but we have to stir it up. We have to speak words of faith and have a vision of good things to come.

When we talk about stirring anything up, we are usually referring to cooking. We are talking about adding several different ingredients to a bowl and then we stir those ingredients all together. The same is true of our faith. It takes some ingredients we can only get from God: the assurance of His faithfulness, the encouragement of His promises, the speaking of His word, and the trusting in His timing. Put all those ingredients together with assurance that the final result will be worth your time and effort. Stir it up and leave the final result with God. For, God has not given us a spirit of fear but rather the gift of faith.

With love, Sister Jackie Continue reading “Stir It Up!”

“O taste and see that the Lord is good: blessed is the man that trusteth in Him. O fear the Lord, ye His saints: for there is no want to them that fear Him. ” Psalm 34:8-9 (KJV)

It truly is the little things in life that can bring the most joy.  The simple things we often take for granted are usually what we miss the most once they are gone. The laughter of a child, the kind smile of a loved one, the sounds of home. It is the simple things, the little things, the small things, that make life full. Many times, we think it is the big stuff that fills up our lives, but we often look back and find those little things filling in every nook and cranny that make our lives complete.

I’m reminded of a summer day a few years back when my family and I had taken a trip to Gatlinburg, Tennessee.  The sun was beating down on us that day, and we had walked up and down the strip of that town, relentlessly, veering in and out of every store door we came to, and if you have been to Gatlinburg, you know that was a lot. We were tired, wet with sweat, depleted of all nutrients, but still eager to see what was behind each store window.  For me and the kids, it was time to sit down and eat lunch, but for my eager husband, it was still time to search out every store and find whatever it was we were searching for. The only relief from the elements of the sun and humidity was the air conditioning that was blaring in the doorway of each store we entered.

By the grace of God, we entered a shop that had ice-cold beverages. My husband excitedly exclaimed that they had Peach Nehi. We all eagerly reached into the floor model cooler and pulled out a beverage of choice. I lingered, warily, between water, which I knew was what my body really needed, and that liquid coral sweetness housed in a glass bottle and nestled so perfectly in a bed of ice.  There was no question in my husband’s mind – he reached for the Peach Nehi. My daughter pulled out an Orange Nehi, and my son grabbed a bottle of water. I also reached for water, knowing it was the right thing to do, and also knowing that I could always steal a sip from my husband’s drink.

We paid for our refreshments, popped open the lids, and walked back outside into the hot, sweltering sun. Immediately, my husband took a man-sized drink, which is equivalent to about five of my sips. He sighed a refreshing sigh and handed the bottle to me. I was hesitant. It had been so long since I had taken a sip of one, I wasn’t even sure I would still like the taste. I turned up the bottle, and immediately my mouth was filled with the flavor of peach carbonated goodness, and I sighed, as well. Not only did I sigh, but I took another sip and just looked at the bottle, angry for having denied myself the pleasure of this drink for such a long time.  Oh, to tell you it tasted good is an understatement.  My daughter tried to claim the orange was better, but I knew otherwise. I gave it a try, but it did not compare to the exquisite flavor of those first three ice-cold sips of Peach Nehi that I took on that hot summer day.

Of course, I realized I only liked it in small doses. After only a few sips, I was done. The excitement of its flavor, the refreshment of its carbonation, and the appeal of its sugary goodness only lasted a few moments, but what wonderful moments they were. I was soon quite satisfied to return to drinking water and had no more need for the Peach Nehi to satisfy my craving. My husband finished the bottle. About half of the bottle of Orange Nehi ended up being thrown in the garbage. I knew the peach was better.

Looking back on that day, I realize that I haven’t craved for Peach Nehi since then. I have since had the opportunity to drink it again, but, just as that day, a few sips was all I needed to satisfy that craving. Like the old expression, “a little dab will do ya”, I only needed a little.

Often, we approach the things of God in this same way. We may find that we have not encountered Him in quite some time, and when we do it is so sweet. However, we often believe “a little dab will do ya” and go along our merry way, as if having an intimate, long-enduring relationship with God is unnecessary. We may whisper a little prayer in the morning before leaving for work or offer a little thanks for a beautiful morning when we awake, but this seems to satisfy us. We often replace reading His word with social media posts and Netflix. Sometimes, we may find ourselves allowing a scripture we read on a social media post or even an inspirational blog to suffice our daily reading ritual. Indeed, we neglect to take any more time than what is absolutely necessary to spend with our Heavenly Father. God wants us to talk to Him in prayer, and He wants us to listen to Him through the reading of His word. Even small doses throughout the day are beneficial and rewarding.
Yes, time with God is much like those few sips of Peach Nehi I took on that hot summer day. It is refreshing, joyful, and highly concentrated in even the smallest doses, but unlike the carbonated, sugary drink, it can be consumed daily and as often as you want. It will provide the utmost satisfaction in even the most desert places, and it will sustain you far beyond the reach of your consumption. Also, unlike the sugary beverage, time spent with God provides nutrition for your daily walk with Him. There is no place for guilt or gluttony when you take the highly concentrated sip of TWG (time with God). On the contrary, there is an excess of joy, peace, humility, kindness, and love to be cultivated in your starving spirit. Sure, His presence is much like that sip of ice-cold Peach Nehi on a hot summer day, small doses can have a fulfilling, long-lasting effect. But what kind of effect can large, daily doses have on our lives?

Why not taste and see?