ASSOCIATE Magazine FBINAA Q1-2026

Kevin Jensen A MESSAGE FROM OUR CHAPLAIN

Keep Looking Up

G reetings, FBINAA Family. As I write this message in January 2026 for the April edition of The Associate, I realize I have just completed my first six months of service. I am deeply grateful for the many stories I have heard—stories of excellence, compassion, and service lived out daily by our FBINAA brothers, sisters, and partners. During this time, I have also witnessed—and where pos sible, walked alongside—those struggling with life’s hurts and hardships. I’ve become increasingly mindful of the turbulent times we face and the heavy strain under which so much excel lence is accomplished. Stressful circumstances arise not only in the macro issues of our world and profession, but also in the micro realities of health, finances, relationships, and loss. Two major stressors seem to touch so many within our association: the loss of family and friends—both blood and blue—and the cumulative weight of prolonged conflict and uncertainty. My wife and I continue to pray for you and your families during our daily morning devotional time, even as we remem ber our own loved ones and others placed on our hearts. Over many years, we have found that intentionally beginning each day lifting our eyes above the chaos, to the place where our help comes from…with gratitude, prayer, and reflection…enables us to remain in the calmer waters of faith, hope, and rational concern—rather than drifting toward the rougher seas of anxiety, fear, or despair. Most of us would agree that staying informed about local and global events is necessary for wise personal and profes sional decision-making. Still, I must confess that I sometimes oversaturate myself with news—much of it negative—until a sense of hopelessness and helplessness presses in. It’s a chal lenge I see not only in my own life, but I hear acknowledged from many within my sphere of influence. Perhaps you can relate. When left unabated, this condition can be daunting and de bilitating, but over the years I’ve often found hope and comfort, even in the toughest of times, when I read and put into practice the kinds of precepts and positive actions I’ve come to trust and internalize. One such lifeline is Philippians 4:4–7, where the Apostle Paul speaks of releasing anxiety through prayer and with thanksgiving, resulting in God’s promise of peace that tran scends understanding—peace that guards our hearts and minds. The following two verses offer further wisdom, reminding us of our God-given free will to choose our thoughts: “Finally, brothers and sisters, whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable—if anything is excellent or praiseworthy— think about such things… And the God of peace will be with you.” (Philippians 4:8–9, NIV) While it isn’t always easy to shift my focus toward what is beautiful and good—and to act accordingly—I am profoundly grateful for the peace and perspective that follow when I do.

It is with this mindset that I encourage us to look ahead to 2026 and beyond, recognizing the opportunities we have—in dividually and collectively—to make a positive difference in the lives of those entrusted to our care. As I reflect on 2025, I’m reminded how deeply each passing year leaves its mark on each of us. In conversations with friends and colleagues across the country, many shared that it was an especially difficult year. I can say the same for my family. In August 2025, I made the decision to resign as President/CEO of the South Bay Regional Public Safety Training Consortium due to serious and escalating health concerns affecting several family members. In the months that followed, I lost a sister, an aunt, a father-in-law, a cousin, and several friends—while others continue to face critical health challenges. For those who experienced a healthy and joyful 2025, I am genuinely grateful. For those who endured loss, I grieve with you and stand beside you in spirit as we hold our loved ones close in memory and heart. As I prayed about how to share this message I realized that we all experience moments and sometimes seasons of conflict, loss, and uncertainty. Even after years of walking alongside oth ers through their pain and grief, I find myself still learning how to process these experiences in healthy ways—and how to mutually share those lessons with others. In my reading, listening, and searching, I’ve encountered many perspectives. Not all aligned with my beliefs. Some suggest that we eventually “get over” our deep wounds and losses, or that we must let go of those people and things in order to move on. Others imply that grief reflects a lack of faith. I believe differently. One particular Bible verse on this topic is often misquoted and misunderstood. 1 Thessalonians 4: 13 does not say we shouldn’t grieve, but rather that we shouldn’t grieve as those who are without hope. We grieve because we have loved, yet through faith we have hope that death is not the end. In this paraphrased portion of writings on loss attributed to an unknown author, we discover that: Love does not simply van ish when someone is no longer physically present. It transforms. It becomes quieter, more reflective, woven into who we are.

continued on page 31

30 FBINAA.ORG | Q1 2026