Jackie Troop wasn’t a big fan of Covenant Fellowship when she came in fifth grade, but a lot has changed since then! Now she serves with her husband, Rob, in the very ministry that God used to draw her to Himself.
Tell us a little about yourself, Jackie.
My husband, Rob, and I have been married for two years now. We live in Ridley Park and attend the Altieri’s Community Group. We do not have any children yet, but we get plenty of practice loving on all of our fake “nieces” and “nephews.”
What is something you’ve learned in your two years of marriage?
We’re always told that relationships are 50/50, but we learned very quickly as newlyweds that it’s 100/100. We each need to give 100% to build a strong marriage.
When did you start coming to Covenant Fellowship?
We started coming in 2004. My mom, Susan Shaika, worked at a dental office with Traci Melville. She was a member of CFC who continued to invite her to church. I was in fifth grade and remember hating it at first. A few years into it, God saved me and I ended up getting plugged-in quickly.
Are there any ministries you’re particularly excited about?
I once heard a saying that your heart for ministry stirs from how you came to Christ, and that’s definitely been the case for me. I have served on the Youth Ministry A-team for the past nine years. I was saved during middle school and grew deeper in my love for the Lord during high school. I remember so many of the A-team members reaching out and pouring into my life. God has saved so many lives through this ministry, and it brings so much joy to my heart to see the students fall in love with the Lord like I did at their age.
If you could talk to a Cross Culture-aged version of yourself, what advice would you give her?
I would tell her, “Your worth will not be found in a husband, and he will not make your problems go away. Keep working on your relationship with God and trust him in whatever way your story ends.”
Your heart for kids and youth relates to your job as well.
Yes, I am a second-grade teacher in Chester, PA. My job is very difficult but also very rewarding. I don’t know how long I will stay in teaching, but I do know one thing: I was made to teach in inner-city schools. The Lord has grown my heart to love and care so deeply for people during the past four years.
Where is a destination or activity on your bucket list?
My #1 bucket list activity was to swim with dolphins, and thankfully we were able to do that on our honeymoon in 2018. It was better than I imagined. The destination on my bucket list is to stay on one of those private villas somewhere tropical like Bora Bora or the Maldives.
Do you have a favorite verse or passage of scripture?
Isaiah 55:8-9: “For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways, declares the LORD. For as the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways and my thoughts than your thoughts.”
It’s my life anthem. God’s thoughts and plans are better than my own. I struggle with wanting control over my life, and I constantly find myself coming back to this verse when God’s plans look different from mine.
How can we be praying for you?
Please pray that I would be in the Word more and benefit from it. This is an area where I’d love to grow.
