Articles from Jackie
Here you’ll find encouragement, sage advice, and godly counsel I wish I’d had while going through the difficult seasons of life.
Finding Faith and Purpose Through Grief
Twenty years ago, life as I knew it forever changed when my husband underwent emergency brain surgery for a Glioblastoma Multiforme Stage IV brain tumor. This unexpected turn of events threw our family into a journey marked by profound challenges, intense emotions,...
Taking Charge From the One in Charge
“Behold, children are a heritage from the LORD.” Roy and I didn’t have to remind ourselves of the truth embedded in Psalms 127:3 ESV. We were thrilled when we realized we were expecting our first baby. We immediately set to work outlining everything we had to...
Seasons of Life
As winter begins to fade, teasing us with the promise of spring, it’s tempting to rush ahead. The melting snow and gentle breezes hint at warmer days to come. Like clockwork, I find myself eager to jumpstart the season, already planting seeds indoors under a grow...
The What Ifs
My husband has been gone for several years, yet at times, grief washes over me like the ocean’s waves – especially when I see a couple strolling in the park or entering the theater hand-in-hand. These scenes are certain reminders that my cherished memories remain, but...
That Beautiful Name
Once upon a time my Momma directed our church pageants. While going through her papers, I discovered she left me with many pages of scripts, notes, and music for performing the Christmas story. I've chosen 12 of those beloved songs and written Unwrapping Christmas:...
Sticks and Stones
I love September! As a student and then an educator, this month has always meant new beginnings loaded with possibilities. Every August, my mother bought me new shoes and a new start-of-school outfit. I proudly carried a new box of crayons and a handful of brand-new...
Hope For The Grieving Heart
Recently, a dear friend died—very suddenly, completely unexpectedly. Only days before, we had rambled through her flower beds, rich in lush color, while we enjoyed the sounds of life on her farm – birds chirping, horses running, donkeys braying, tractors chugging,...
City On The Hill
Recently I visited a third-grade classroom and watched the students recite, “I pledge allegiance to the flag of the United States of America and to the republic for which it stands, one nation, under God, indivisible with liberty and justice for all.” Do they know the...
What is your legacy?
Five years ago, the woman who brought me into the world left this world. Five years ago, our last words were, “Love you, Mom.” “Love you too, Jackie. Keep your prayer life up.” Mom always—always—always ended our conversations with those words, “Keep your prayer life...
9-1-1 What’s Your Emergency?
We teach children at a very early age to dial 9-1-1 to get help in an emergency. And emergencies come when least expected throughout our lives. So, the question is: Who do we turn to for help? What—or who—is your first line of defense for the demands you face? I...
Grow Where You’re Planted
Spring never fails to bring me surprises: every year, a random flower blooms in an unexpected spot. My daddy always said the squirrels and chipmunks were his landscape designer. They’re mine, too. I can always count on four-footed helpers to dig up and replant bulbs....
The Lord’s Prayer
Music is a universal language. When words fail, music speaks, as I have learned repeatedly. Once vibrant and deliberate in her demeanor and actions, the frail woman lay still on the bed that seemed to swallow her up. Her eyes were closed. I paused at the doorway and...
Caring For Those Who Care For Others — Even When The Caregiver Is You!
I’m a fixer. I take care of people, places, and things. Just give me a list of what needs to be done, and it’s DONE. Ask me to organize a woman’s tea reception, coordinate and facilitate a training program for a crowd, serve as room mother, bake dozens of cookies for...
