I have groaned more in the last 12 months than I have in years. I have listened to so many painful situations in the lives of people I love that my groaning has sometimes felt suffocating. One time in the middle of such deep groaning, I cried out to the Lord for a fresh word on bringing God glory in the midst of groaning. I know what it is like to trust God when facing the unimaginable but I needed fresh insight on bringing glory to God from a place of groaning. The answer began with a passage in Romans 8:18-26 where the word groaning was used. I found three groups groaning: creation (v. 22), Christians (v. 23) and Holy Spirit (v. 26).

Now I was not surprised by creation or Christians groaning, I hear their choir of groans regularly. What grabbed my heart was that the Holy Spirit, Paraclete, Comforter is a “Co-Groaner” with us.

Let’s consider the reality that whenever you groan or sigh, the “Co-Groaner” is ready to intercede on your behalf. Let this passage soak into your sighing soul right now:

“In the same way, the Spirit helps us in our weakness. We do not know what we ought to pray, but the Spirit himself intercedes for us with GROANS that words cannot express.” – Romans 8:26

We are all groaning and it is a chance to bring glory to God by Trusting Him with the unreasonable, unfathomable, unfair, disproportionate heartache, relentless sadness, etc…that we are all facing either in our lives or the lives of those we love.

“Abraham never wavered in believing God’s promise. In fact, his faith grew stronger ( Gr. Dynamo) and in this he brought glory to God. He was fully convinced that God is able to do whatever He promises.” – Rom. 4:20,21

With every new chance to “groan,” I find myself smiling at the thought of the “Co-groaner” and the chance to bring God glory by groaning yet choosing to trust God with outcome!

When Jessi was in college, she and I had several opportunities to serve together at several Mother-Daughter Conferences. Those were times I knew I would cherish forever. When she got married and went off to seminary with her husband, I said goodbye to that “Mother-Daughter Tag Team.” Well, several months ago, Jessi asked me if I would be willing to do a women’s conference for the women at her church. As the co-pastor’s wife, Jessi is in charge of this particular event. I was thrilled to be asked and shouted YES! Besides the privilege of encouraging the women she serves, I also get the privilege of serving with my daughter. Jessi will do the music and I will teach. Now all this seems simple until I started thinking about the conservative group of women that Jessi ministers to–and I suddenly was anxious about giving the women a heart attack! Even Jessi’s husband warned her that she needed to be prepared that some of the women might consider me a LITTLE OVER THE TOP!

As I pondered my son-in-laws remarks, my heart had a few more moments of self-doubt about this ministry opportunity. Then the Lord reminded me of how fearfully and wonderfully I have been made, the wild passionate woman that I am, and the one He saved on April 15, 1967. He didn’t save me to change my DNA but to borrow my body and make a difference for Him in this world. You would think after 47 years of serving Jesus, I wouldn’t need this reminder. You may be thinking-has Jackie lost some of her “holy courage?” Well, I am always the first person to admit to being a fellow-struggler and that I so desperately need Jesus 24/7. The Lord reminded me of a vulnerable moment in the life of one of the greatest prophets:

“He said to me, ‘You are my servant, Israel, and you will bring me glory.’ I replied, ‘But my work seems so useless? I have spent my strength for nothing and to no purpose. Yet I leave it all in the LORD’S hand; I will trust God for my reward.'” – Isaiah 49:3,4 (NLT)

Have you had a moment of self-doubt recently? Have you wondered lately if your “holy sweat” for God has been a little in vain? Have you had a moment when a person’s comment made you doubt that you are a chosen instrument of the King? Well, you are in good company!

Every year when I am reading through the Bible, this passage ALWAYS rocks my soul. It is such a reflection of my soul’s stunned condition-even after knowing Jesus 47 years! II Samuel 7:

“Who am I, O Sovereign LORD and what is my family that you have brought me this far?(v. 18)

“Do you deal with everyone this way, O Sovereign LORD?” v.19

“What more can I say to you? You know what your servant is really like, Sovereign LORD?” v.20

Too often I have felt so spoiled by God that I want to shout out loud; “Do you deal witheveryone this way, O Sovereign LORD?” For two years I have been mentoring a young mother (via emails) who is learning how to allow God to bring good out of the broken places in her heart. Recently I had blessed her with some of my journaling nuggets and she concluded her thank you with the phrase, HEARTFULL-A Waterfall of Gratitude. Her remark just washed over me and it captured what II Samuel 7:18-20 caused in my soul, A Waterfall of Gratitude.

Have you had “A Waterfall of Gratitude” in your soul recently? You can share mine-just write out II Samuel 7:18-20 and place it somewhere to be seen regularly!

Waterfall of Gratitude,

Ken & Jackie

Ken received a very special Father’s Day gift this year; the news that our son will be a father this year. As I pondered our son finally becoming a father, I cried with joy, knowing that Ben is going to be a great dad. Ben has had the most amazing tutorial in relation to being a great father. Ben has had 3 plus decades of tutoring and here is just a glimpse of the tutorial by his father.

1. Read and prayed with our kids each night at bedtime!

Ken even taught MLB players how to do this. Only

requirement: ability to read and a few minutes of time.

2. Double-stuffed Oreos: our family code for a group hug.

Ken did not come from a family of huggers but daily

hugged and said, “I love you”.

3. Ken was a student of our kids.

4. Ken’s favorite hobby was his kids. Ken would pass on an

invitation to golf on Saturdays because he didn’t want to

miss free time with our kids.

5. Ken was always willing to drive the kids and their friends

to activities because he understood that car-pooling was

a great time for Theology lessons.

6. Ken planning game night which included indoor flash

light tag! Ken would even design scavenger hunts for

the kids inside our house.

7. Ken would give up his end of a work day “agenda” to

play in the yard with the kids after a long day at work.

For example, Ken purchased a battery powered super

soaker water gun and would chase the kids screaming

around the yard.

8. Ken embraced the reality that our children deliver the

mission field to our door. He saw their friends as God’s

assignment not just playmates for our kids. Prayerfully

responding to things he often over heard.

9. Ken allowed our children to express their frustrations

with teachers and coaches; listened and then reminded

them to pray for their teachers & coaches.

10. Ken took Ben on several mission trips to help expand

his world view and serve others.

A dear friend of mine has had a “trinity” of suffering and sometimes when I have been listening to her; I felt so helpless. She is one of the most faithful followers of Jesus I know, so the breathless suffering has left me sometimes without breathe! Then on Facebook a precious college friend of my daughter, posts the most incredible quote. I read it several times, copied it to a file for this letter and then printed copies of it to take to three conferences I will be doing. WHY? Because it is the coolest, bestest (I know it is not a word) and most comforting quote on suffering that I have read in a long time. When I read it to Ken, he said, “That is so deep and so true.” Here is the quote:

The burden of suffering seems to be a tombstone hung around our necks. Yet, in reality it is simply the weight necessary to hold the diver down while he is searching for pearls.” – Strum

I have tears simply re-reading this quote. During the first three months of this year, several dear friends have faced a “knock-your-breath out trial.” What an amazing thought to view suffering as a weight-belt on the sea of life to help escort us to the deeper places where the pearls are hidden. I think the prophet Isaiah would AMEN this quote. He wrote something similar:

“See, I have refined you, though not as silver; I have tested you in the furnace of affliction” -Isaiah 48:10

As I typed Isaiah 48:10, I couldn’t help but think about the woman who first showed me this passage and the “knock-your-breath out trials” that too often filled her life. This verse became wall paper in my soul and comforted me often as a college student.

Recently, Ken and I went to dinner with an old friend who we have not seen in 15 years. After catching up on all that has transpired over the years; we begin to discuss our friend’s burden that she feels so distant from God. She admitted lacking the passion she once had. These two “spiritual midwives” knew exactly what had caused these “symptoms!” She had been neglecting her time with God and His Word! The next night, Jackie had a discussion with a dear young friend who is a THEOLOGIAN IN TRAINING and the young friend mentioned sometimes she is a little too busy for her “quiet time with God and His Word.” This brilliant theologian was facing the battle of reading God’s Word for her doctorate degree and neglecting the privilege of reading God’s Word to enhance the relationship she has with Jesus!

Then the very next day I receive this email:

“Today in my One Year Bible one small verse jumped at me today, “Hold on to instruction; don’t let go, guard it, for it is your life.” (Proverbs 4:13) Two words “take hold” of my instruction. Not READ it. Take HOLD is a much more powerful verb (GUARD) it. I think of it in my own language like “get a Kung fu grip on my instructions!!” Oh to GRIP the word of God like our lives depend on it (because they do!). This was a wonderful nugget to my heart today! Love you wild woman, forever grateful that 2+ years ago you told me that the Word of God would be the very thing that would heal my heart. Over 700 days later I am absolutely hooked to Papa’s medicine with a Chuck Norris grip! P.S. I am LOVING my one year bible, more than any other devo format I have used and so are the other 20 gals doing it with me. They don’t know the idea to buy the One Year bible came down from you. I told the group how you are doing it for your grandkids (this year I am personalizing a message each day to Emma Grace) and now TWO of the ladies are marking up their bibles with specific notes for their grandkids. Like a little mini food chain…one feeds the other…shares…feeds another!! Love you. Christina”

After back to back discussions on the critical reality and impact of neglecting our quiet time with Jesus; Ken and I knew we wanted to share this sweet reminder with those we love so much; which is all of you on our team! God forbid that we would be so busy that we neglect the critical “discipline” of time with Jesus in the Word.

Recently I was sharing with a Pastor the critical gift of one’s presence during a person’s time of adversity. I shared with him my clear memory of every person who showed up during times of trouble during the last 4 decades of my life. I can even remember the food people during the MANY funerals Ken and I were hosting. As I pondered this often neglected ministry by so many Christians in a BUSY world, this verse came to my mind:

“A friend loves at all times, and a brother is born for adversity”. – Proverbs 17:17

I spent some time looking more closely at this proverb and found several nuggets. The word “friend” actually means ‘part of the family’. We as Christians are part of a massive family with so many needs. God forbid we are too busy to be available when a friend, family member is facing a crisis. The verse states that a friend loves at all times; whether one’s friend is in a crisis or finally exiting the crisis.

Then I looked up the word adversity and found the word tightness and opponent. When a crisis arrives it crowds its way into one’s life and the trial feels like an opponent. As I considered a crisis an opponent, I immediately say the preceding phrase “born for”. Spiritual siblings are not just related they are “born” for the days of tightness and opposition. I looked at the verb “born” and found the word “midwife”. As I meditated on the reality that ‘a brother is the MIDWIFE for adversity’, I decided to look at the term “midwife”. We assume it refers to child birth and that is one definition but the second definition for “midwife” is: “one who assists in or takes part in bringing about a result”. The light came on as I realized that we as Christians have the privilege of assisting our siblings during their time of crisis. Each of us as a Spiritual Midwife can help “bring about the results that God intends”. The Spiritual Midwife’s presence during a time of crisis, gives the one facing the adversity the courage to continue and hope in God’s faithfulness.

“Carry each other’s burdens, and in this way fulfill the law of Christ”. – Galatians 6:2

Love from a wildwoman and Spiritual Midwife,

Jackie

“So take a new grip with tired hands and strengthen your weak knees. Mark out a straight path for your feet so that those who are weak and lame will not fall but become strong.” – Hebrews 12:12-13

As Ken and I watched Norm share God’s love with everyone that came within 12 inches of him, we were so inspired that even when one is weak, God’s strength can just flow through a weak vessel and make this weak person a great leader for others! How ironic, Ken and I go to Seattle encourage and inspire Norm and he inspires us. We returned knowing that God can use us even when we are weak, tired, discouraged, or very sick. Norm reminded us that our circumstances are never an excuse to not share the love of God and rest in God’s Grace. Please pray often for Norm’s long road of recovery and his dear wife Bobbe as they navigate this difficult journey.