Friends,

I’ve been thinking about a phrase we often see on social media: Make it make sense. Most of the time, it is used to poke a political opponent, suggesting that the inherent hypocrisy is downright befuddling. Sometimes it is used in a humorous way, which is refreshing. But the last few days it’s struck me that it’s actually a deep-seated, universal need.

We need things to make sense. We need to understand why we are here. Where we are going. Why we face suffering. Why people we love die. Why natural disasters keep happening. Why the world cannot keep itself out of wars.

In our heart of hearts we really do have a longing for it to make sense. When my sons were little, they went to a school that was very explicit in teaching from a biblical worldview. The students were often asked– in the midst of various kinds of lessons — about evidence of God’s created purpose, how that purpose was marred by sin, how Jesus’ death on the cross and resurrection can redeem and one day — when we are in heaven — fully restore God’s design. This framework gives such meaning. Even so, answers rarely come in HD clarity. Still, I will gladly take an answer with blurred edges over no answer! And that really is the alternative. Rejection of the biblical narrative of creation, the fall, redemption and restoration leads to no answer at all.

As I’ve been more faithful in reading through the whole Bible the last couple years, some answers have come into focus for me in profound ways. I am grateful for those. Others still require faith. But there’s peace in trusting that God is loving and good and that He is sovereign. Perfect understanding is not required. A solid biblical framework, with a few areas of clarity and a growing faith is not a bad place to be. We should never stop seeking to understand. We should continue praying for wisdom, while acknowledging we won’t graduate from faith until we meet Jesus face to face.

But what about kids who are not given even the flimsiest of frameworks to sort out life’s deepest questions? How can we expect them to flourish as humans? Is it any wonder that we have a population that is increasingly apathetic? What was the expected result when we’ve taught the masses that there is no objective truth? Tell people nothing really matters and then expect them to thrive? Make it make sense!

Relatedly, earlier this year I joined the advisory board of LifeWise Academy of Palm Beach County which aims to bring Bible education to public school students. My sons were blessed with the ability to analyze all that they were learning through a biblical worldview. I have no doubt that this framework — given to them very young in age-appropriate ways — has been vital in shaping who they are today. Why wouldn’t we want public school parents to also have the option for their kids to receive a solid Bible education?

Jesus tells us that He came so that we could have life to the FULL. (John 10:10b). I don’t think the full life He is referring to is possible without Him answering some of our deepest questions, do you?

Blessings,

Kristie

P.S. The picture above is from a LifeWise Academy event in Palm Beach Gardens on Monday. Your prayers for continued momentum from this event are appreciated. If you are local and would like to learn more, I’d love to meet with you. You can also find out about LifeWise Academy in your area by visiting the website.

This week I took a trip with my youngest son to Chattanooga. We left in 2022 and haven’t visited in over two years. On Wednesday, we flew into Chattanooga’s delightful little airport which has added two gates since we left. We rented a car and headed for the mountain. The trek up was a reminder of how insane it is that all three of our sons learned to drive there. The margin for error is tiny — the slightest mistake could be deadly. Many of the roads are dangerously narrow, the guardrails absurdly flimsy. But dang is it charming! We drove by our old house and it looks prettier than ever. The snow from that morning stuck peacefully to the trees, and having not seen snow in years, it looked downright magical. And I was able to connect with a few friends, too. A beautiful place with wonderful people. Mostly.

It would be a lie to say that our departure from Chattanooga was 100% joyful. There were some aspects that were really hard. It’s weird to know people have it out for you. And that’s an understatement! The malice, the lies, the downright evil — it’s surprising and disconcerting. We are such easygoing people. It is jarring to know people are genuinely committed to your demise. It often felt like an overwrought drama. I mean, “C’mon. You are overreacting!” Yet unbelievably, it was real life.

Thankfully, what others may have meant for evil, God has meant for good. Despite the efforts of others to destroy us, we landed at the beach. We have had the sweetest three years as a Jackson trio. I can see how God has specifically blessed us in ways we would not have imagined. I did not know I needed this slower-paced season. But the rhythm of often seeing both the sunrise and sunset and getting a mega dose of Vitamin D on the daily has been a gift.

Yesterday I saw this quote from Charles Spurgeon:

We are too prone to engrave our trials in marble and write our blessings in sand.

Do you engrave your trials in marble and record your blessings in sand? I think the temptation is to memorialize how we’ve been wronged in granite, with the font of a chainsaw. But the older I get the more I am convinced that the trials– even those that cut the deepest and are hardest to understand — need to be as erasable as my footprints in the sand. Bitterness longs for permanence. But grace is more like high tide, wiping the slate clean a minimum of twice a day.

We need to record the blessings with a sharpie, but the trials in expo dry erase. We need to understand that all of it will be used for our good and God’s glory. In fact, remembering the trials at all should be for the sole purpose of building our faith –God was faithful in that season and He does not change.

I’ve been mediating on these words from Colossians:

“Continue steadfastly in prayer, being watchful in it with thanksgiving.” (4:2). My brief visit to Chattanooga this week filled me with such thanksgiving for so many blessings of our time there. Perhaps you too could benefit from revisiting a season that was not 100% wonderful and let the ceaseless tide of grace wash over the pain. You may walk away with a renewed sense of gratitude for the blessings.

With Love,

Kristie

P.S. The picture above is from a spot I used to walk to regularly. From that vantage point I could see the boys’ school and my husband’s work. I would often pray for them as I took in this amazing view. But I can guarantee I never walked there when it was less than 30 degrees. But maybe the cold air makes the view even crisper. It was well worth the brisk walk from the rental car!

Hi Friends,

It is freshly-squeezed orange juice season in Florida. The OJ pictured above is literally $15 per gallon and I can testify that it is worth every delicious penny. It’s like sunshine in a glass. I am utterly obsessed! I am also obsessed with this little water bottle that my son, an SEC athlete, gave me. Since I have two favorite SEC schools, and may add a third Fall 2025, it is just perfect for me. But today I found out that combining OJ and my SEC bottle may cause a nuclear reaction.

Last Thursday I left my beloved bottle — half filled with orange juice — at Bible study. I meant to swing by and get it during the week but I never did. I had no idea such a mistake would cause a near death experience. I am not exaggerating when I tell you that the force with which it exploded upon untwisting was many many many orders of magnitude stronger than the most intense champagne uncorking you’ve ever witnessed. Plus this “cork” is metal. David killed Goliath with a stone to the head, and so I praise God that somehow no one was injured. I mean the ceiling is scarred but you’d have to know where to look to see it. Once again my life is marked by grace upon grace!

But you know what else is a dangerously atomic combination? Godlessness and political fervor. I have strong political convictions and I always vote. But no matter the outcome, I know God is sovereign. In fact, even when things haven’t been decided how I may have liked, I have been blessed to see how God has used certain aspects to grow me personally. I believe God is at work in my life no matter who sits in the Oval Office. I believe the calling on my life to be invested in the people where I live is the same no matter who controls the Senate. I am certain we were never intended to have our identities wrapped up in politics. The meltdowns confirm that something is really wrong.

I am praying that a revival breaks out in our country — that all people would stop pretending that their “works” earn them anything. Instead may we daily adopt a posture of gratitude. Guess what? We woke up today. We live in a free and prosperous country. More importantly, Jesus died for our sins. Our works don’t mean a thing, but He wants to wrap us in His completed work. We don’t have to do anything — it is done. When we accept His offer, we can rest in His robe of righteousness.

Look with skepticism on those who want to push you towards victimhood, or towards identifying with a group. Reject identifying with a voting bloc or even an oppressed group. You are you unique. You were knit together with love and intention in your mother’s womb. You are loved beyond measure because you are YOU, made in the image of your Creator. No one “sees you” like He does. No one loves you like He does. Every single person on this earth will disappoint you. But you don’t have to be devastated by that when you find your identity in Christ.

He will never leave you nor forsake you. And His love is the more powerful, more transformative than nuclear energy. His love is the most powerful thing that exists. Why would you reject that?

For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life. For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but to save the world through him. John 3: 16-17

With Love,

Kristie

My Friends,

I haven’t posted on my blog for over two years. In 2022 I gave Substack a whirl and it was the right platform for the right time. In fact, I could not have known what a comfort it would be to write only for my people (subscribers) in that season of life. I demonetized it as the end of 2023, and planned to write more on other projects. I cannot overstate how epically I have failed on this front. I either self-impose deadlines and structure, or I simply don’t write. So, I’ve been thinking about how to get myself back to writing more regularly. I enjoy the process of writing so much, and I invariably walk away with greater clarity, so it is selfish in its fulfillment as well. I am going to start writing here again twice a week (even if the posts are super short). On Tuesdays I’m going to do a series on the Psalms and then onThursdays I’m going to do a series on the Puritans. Psalms and Puritans may sound dry, but I’m excited to convince you otherwise!

As for today, Happy Friday. If you have followed my blog from years ago, you know that I did a series called Jackson Five Friday for about a decade. I used funny stories from my boys and life in general. I now have four giant volumes of my old posts — they are like Jackson family yearbooks. But the problem is my sons are all grown up — the youngest is a senior this year. They are still funny, but certainly don’t want me blogging about them, understandably. Will and I are not quite as entertaining, so Psalms and Puritans it is!

Of course everyday life always gives me ample experiences to write about. This morning I saw a woman putting caution tape around some trees.

“Baby coming,” she said. And I looked down. Yes, a baby agave plant was sprouting up next to the adult agave plant. She was taking precaution to protect this new little life from pedestrians who might cut the corner. Her loving concern for this baby plant has been on my mind all morning.

What a contrast to our world! I am praying today and in the days ahead that new human life, that all human life, will be cherished and protected. I am also praying for the protection of my own well-being. The evil of those who throw away every shred of caution tape can get me feeling down and defeated.

May we remember that God knit us together in our mothers’ wombs and in His own image. We are of infinite worth, as is the person who drives you most crazy. Plus, we know how this all ends.

And I heard a loud voice from the throne saying, ‘Behold, the dwelling place of God is with man. He will dwell with them, and they will be his people, and God himself will be with them as their God. He will wipe away every tear from their eyes, and death will be no more.’ Revelation 21:3-4a

With Love,

Kristie