God Archives - Jackie M. Johnson

The First Thanksgiving and a Powerful Thanksgiving Prayer

Did you know that more than 400 years ago, in 1621, the Governor of the Plymouth Colony, William Bradford, proclaimed thanks for a bounteous harvest,

a special day “to render thanksgiving to the Almighty God for all His blessings.”

From the first Pilgrims to today, we continue to thank our awesome and good God for all He has done–for his provision, protection, blessings and so much more.

Here is a special prayer for Thanksgiving.

A Thanksgiving Day Prayer
Lord, we come before you—humble and grateful—on this Thanksgiving Day. Thank you for the people gathered here. We ask You to bless this food and our time together. May it be a peaceful and joyful time of celebrating Your provision and Your many blessings. Keep us safe and healthy. Bless those in need. May our hearts find joy in helping others, as we are able. We give You thanks—on this special holiday and always. In Jesus’ name. Amen.

Blessings to you! And Happy Thanksgiving! 🦃🍂

Art: The First Thanksgiving at Plymouth. By Jennie Augusta Brownscombe, 1914

By Jackie M. Johnson

Finding Wild Hope in the Landscape of Your Life

Where I live in Colorado there’s an extraordinary park with gigantic natural red rocks called Garden of the Gods.

Some areas are not open to the public because they need repair, and a sign posted there reads, “Area Under Reclamation.” In other words, “Don’t walk here; we’re fixing this section.”

Just as the land needs ecological restoration, the landscape of our hearts needs spiritual restoration—and often emotional and physical changes as well.

That’s because “the landscape of our lives” may need repair. Life can get messy and chaotic. We make poor choices. Or, others hurt us.

Maybe the landscape of your life appears perfectly manicured on the outside, but on the inside you feel like you’re barely surviving.

Maybe it’s time for a change.

The good news is that both landscapes and lives be transformed. Restoration is possible, but often we lose sight of how it happens.

We lose sight of hope.

Focused solely on our circumstances our view becomes myopic; we see only part of the picture.

For instance, if you took a photograph of a desert landscape, all you’d see would be what the camera can capture. It’s your perspective from one viewpoint: some sand, cactus and a bit of tumbleweed blowing in the distance.

But what you couldn’t see beyond the edges of your snapshot was an oasis just ahead, or the desert’s end.

There’s more to the landscape, and more to your life.

Beyond how you feel at this moment, beyond your discouragement or desperation, there is more.

There is hope ahead.

You can have hope in hard times—in all times—when you know more fully the One in whom we put our hope, Jesus Christ, our Wild Hope.

He is “wild” in the sense that He is passionate and powerful—adoring and authoritative—yet often unpredictable.

Isaiah 55:8 reminds us, “‘For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways,’ declares the LORD.” While His ways are often surprising, He acts out of ultimate love.

Hope that is wild is extravagant hope; it is beyond your wildest dreams.

Extravagant hope is when you have only pennies left to your name and God provides the resources you need to pay your bills the very next day.

Extravagant hope is when the doctors tell you that you have less than 1% chance of ever getting pregnant and you finally have a healthy, baby girl.

Hope allows you to overcome fear and discover a life you never could have thought possible.

Hope is not crossing your fingers and making a wish, it’s folding in your hands and saying a prayer. It’s expecting God to answer, even when you have no idea when it will come.

Even when you haven’t a clue as to how things will ever change, you can have hope for the future and for this very moment because:

• God is sovereign. He is in control and you can trust Him even when you do not understand.

• God is loving. He accepts you unconditionally, despite your circumstances or poor choices. He’s chosen you; He’s just waiting for you to choose Him back.

• God is wise. He knows what He’s doing and His wisdom and ways are far beyond our comprehension.

• God keeps His promises. He is trustworthy to do what He says He will do, and that strengthens your faith.

• God is faithful. He is totally reliable and utterly dependable.

God will provide. He is good. He is loving and faithful. He is with you.

Always.

Photo: Unsplash

By Jackie M. Johnson

Powerful Life Lessons from Nature: Mountain Climbing

Where I live in Colorado we have mountains that are well over 14,000 feet tall. Yet, if you were to climb one, you’d only get there by taking one step at a time.

As you start your journey to the summit, you put one foot in front of another, again and again, until you reach the top.

In order to get to your destination—whether climbing mountains or in life—it’s essential to be prepared.

For instance, mountain climbers know the importance of staying hydrated, never climbing alone, and trusting your guide.

We can stay hydrated with refreshment from God’s Word. It’s nourishment for our souls to grow and flourish, and it’s as essential to life as water.

We need to read the Bible—an ancient text with relevance for today—for spiritual cleansing, to stay connected to God, and to learn more about how to live and love here on earth. And the glories we have to look forward to one day with Him.

We can build a team around us for support and encouragement from family and friends—so we don’t have to go it alone in life.

And we can learn to trust our guide, Jesus Christ—the One who knows us better than we know ourselves, and who will lead us into His will.

As you press on in life’s journey, know that the power of prayer helps you to persevere and to find peace.

A prayer-filled life is a powerful life. It will help you to stand strong in tough times.

When you pray, your life—and the lives of those around you—will be forever changed. You will be inspired to live with greater peace, restored hope, and more freedom.

You will discover wild hope through Jesus Christ, a hope so unexpected yet so wonderfully good, that when you begin to grasp it your life just may be transformed into one of startling kindness, lavish love, and limitless possibilities.

So, even when you feel like giving up, believe that the ascent is worth the climb. For once you reach the peak, the view is exhilarating.

Journey on, my friend. With prayer and peace, journey on!

***

More resources from Jackie M. Johnson:

When Love Ends and the Ice Cream Carton Is Empty
(an essential breakup recovery guide)

Power Prayers for Women

Praying with Power When Life Gets Tough

Photo: Fabrizio Conti, Unsplash

By Jackie M. Johnson

How to Beat the Mid-Winter Blues

It’s January. Christmas is over. New Year’s Eve has passed. And the holiday celebrating has come to an end.

You may be feeling tired, or sad, or a bit gloomy these days.

Maybe it’s because the holiday season wasn’t what you thought it would be—for whatever reason. You’re still reeling from a hurtful comment from a friend or recovering from a sugar hangover from eating way too many sweets.

Or, maybe you were blessed to spend happy times with family and friends over Christmas and now you’re sad to see them go.

Then there’s the fact that, in most parts of the country, January is cold, gray, and dark most of the time. And that doesn’t help your mood.

Now what?

Here are three essential things I’ve found helpful to beat the mid-winter blues and start the New Year on a solid footing.

1. Get a new vision for your life. One of the best things about a new year is that you get to start over.

On New Year’s Eve, I love watching the gigantic glittering ball drop in New York’s Times Square on TV. Goodbye old year, hello new one!

To me, December 31 is like a period at the end of a very long sentence; it’s closure on the year gone by.

And, in a single instance, a new year begins. Boom! I have a fresh start. A new beginning.

With hope and joy, I anticipate all that God may have for me in the 365 days ahead. I think about what I want to change in my life and how I want things to be different—and better—one year from now.

Instead of resolutions, I make intentional prayers and ask God to bless my health and finances, my career and my community (family, friends and others). I ask him for the awesome man of God he has for me to marry and do life with together. I ask God for wisdom in how I can serve and bless others, and have courage and joy no matter what may come. I give Him praise and thank God for all He has done and for who He is—loving, wise, powerful and good. And so much more.

What about you?

What do you want to change in your life in the next year? How do you want this year to be different? Ask God to show you what He has for you so you can look forward with greater hope. and take actions steps to get closer to your goals.

2. Ask for God’s help. Many of us make New Year’s resolutions and then bail on them a few weeks, or days, later.

I don’t make resolutions any more. Why? Because in my own human strength (or should I say in my own human weakness), I can’t always keep the promises I make to change.

Instead, I pray. I ask the Lord, the ultimate source of power, love and wisdom—the One who created us and loves us most—to help me do what I cannot do on my own: change. Have self control. Set limits. Get up and go.

Real and lasting change is truly possible with God’s power at work in us.

So whether your goals for the year ahead include shedding pounds, getting out of debt, or finally doing that thing you just never get around to doing, ask God to empower you.

And then remember: Life doesn’t change one day at a time, but one choice at a time. Choice by choice, moment by moment—with God’s power at work in you—transformation happens.

3. Get inspired. Lastly, but most importantly, let God’s Word be the fuel for your faith.

Here are eight great Bible verses for the year ahead. May they give you courage, hope, and joy despite your circumstances.

The mind of man plans his way,
But the Lord directs his steps.
Proverbs 16:9 (NASB)

Show me your ways, Lord,
teach me your paths.
Guide me in your truth and teach me,
for you are God my Savior,
and my hope is in you all day long
Psalm 25: 4-5

As for me, I will always have hope;
I will praise you more and more.
Psalm 71:14

I will instruct you and teach you in the way you should go;
I will counsel you with my loving eye on you.
Psalm 32:8

For we live by faith, not by sight.
2 Corinthians 5:7

See, I am doing a new thing!
Now it springs up; do you not perceive it?
I am making a way in the wilderness
and streams in the wasteland.
Isaiah 43:19

“For I know the plans I have for you,”
declares the Lord, “plans to prosper you
and not to harm you, plans to give you
hope and a future.”
Jeremiah 29:11

Very truly I tell you, whoever believes in me will
do the works I have been doing, and they will do
even greater things than these, because
I am going to the Father.
Jesus, in John 14:12

Prayer for the New Year
Lord, I stand at the start of a fresh new year and I ask for Your blessing on the days ahead. Give me wisdom to make right choices. Help me to walk by faith, not my feelings. Give me strength in challenging times, and hope for better days ahead. Teach me to trust You more. And live a live filled with love and joy. I can receive all you have for me and believe for your best. For your Glory! I ask in Jesus’ mighty name. Amen.

By Jackie M. Johnson

What is Christmas Really About?

Christmas is where it all began,
An infant child who became a man.
Eternity came down so we could understand,
The child of Creator, the true Son of Man.

He was not unexpected, for the prophets foretold
The events that had happened would surely unfold.
Four hundred years later the miracle came,
The star over Bethlehem shone where He lay.

They came to attend Him from near and from far,
The shepherds and wise men who followed the star.
All were rejoicing that first Christmas night,
At the child of a virgin, a humbling sight.

So, what is the meaning of that first Christmas night?
Simply, He came to make everything right.
For the Child had a purpose in coming to Earth.
He came as a light and to give us new birth.

He gave us forgiveness and paid with His life.
What kind of love would pay such a price?
For death could not hold Him; He rose from that grave.
And freedom and life were the gifts that He gave.

No longer divided, no longer alone,
Because of His love the wall had come down.
Live free forever! O, what a gift!
Both now here on earth and forever with Him.

Wise men and angels followed Him then.
Wise men still seek Him, again and again.

— Jackie M. Johnson

Photo; A. Vonlanthen, unsplash

By Jackie M. Johnson

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