• Skip to primary navigation
  • Skip to content
  • Skip to primary sidebar

Tara Johnson

sharing stories through writing, speaking and singing

TwitterLinkedInFacebookYoutubetara@tarajohnsonstories.com
  • About Tara
  • Blog
  • Books
    • Where Dandelions Bloom
    • Engraved on the Heart
    • Hollow Victory
  • Speaking
  • Singing
    • Songwriting and Everything In Between
  • Writing
    • Writing Fiction
  • Gallery

Family Life

An Open Letter to my Son: What Kind of Girl Should You Date?

March 29, 2019 By Tara Johnson 2 Comments

I know. This isn’t your world right now, buddy. You’re into Mariokart and Legos. Captain America and sharks. But while your mind is busy soaking up the wonders of learning letters, numbers and who put their mouth on the water fountain at school, I’m praying for your future…more specifically, I’m praying for you and your future spouse.  It’s important. The people you choose to surround yourself with now determines the person you’ll become ten years down the road. The books you read, the music you Read More

Filed Under: Family Life, Walking with God Tagged With: character, christian dating, christian dating for guys, gossip, immodesty, letter to my son, picking a christian girl, Pursuing God

An Open Letter to My Girls: Who Should You Date?

March 25, 2019 By Tara Johnson 1 Comment

It seems like yesterday I was welcoming you into the world. I thought you would always be in diapers, watching Sesame Street and learning your alphabet. I blinked and suddenly we’ve traded Cheerios and sippy cups for makeup and iphones. And now, much to your father’s dismay, your heads have begun to turn when a handsome boy gives you a wink and a smile. Boyfriends will come and go. You’ll face heartbreak and joy, tears and laughter. As someone who is, ahem, a bit older Read More

Filed Under: Family Life, Walking with God Tagged With: christian dating, christian dating for girls, Dating, men of character, mom's dating advice for her daughters

Abortion: Speaking for the Silenced and Wounded

January 24, 2019 By Tara Johnson 6 Comments

It’s taken me some time to process all the thoughts and emotions swirling through my heart with the passage of New York’s recent abortion law. Shock. Horror. Outrage. Nausea. Heartache. A throbbing, overshadowing heartache. We cry for civil rights, women’s liberation, and racial equality, yet we kill future civil rights leaders, murder females and males alike, and show no discrimination in the races we destroy. We insist on protecting immigrant children at the border but find no problem killing children next door. Who knows if Read More

Filed Under: Family Life Tagged With: abortion, baby, defenseless, life, New York abortion law, New York law, prolife, right to life, speak, unborn

Charlotte Elliott: Just As I Am

May 28, 2018 By Tara Johnson Leave a Comment

It’s been a rough couple of weeks. End of the year school activities. New summer schedules. Church classes to teach. Writing deadlines and an upcoming book to launch. Loved ones in the hospital and children going through tough stuff. Life can sometimes keep us spinning. To use a Southern turn of phrase…I’ve been dragging tail. I confess I’ve begun to wonder, “What if the demands never ease? What if I fail my kids? My family? My church? What if I can’t keep it together until Read More

Filed Under: Beyond What We Can Imagine, Family Life, Walking with God Tagged With: Charlotte Elliott, God can use you, God uses broken vessels, just as I am, Story behind Just as I am, strength in weakness, strength is made perfect in weakness

The Problem with Perfectionism: Conditional Love

February 12, 2018 By Tara Johnson 4 Comments

Perfectionism can be the sneakiest of beasts, bleeding not only the pages of our own stories but marring the chapters of our children and grandchildren’s stories as well. Not long ago, I had the privilege of visiting a beautiful riding ranch for children with disabilities in northern Arkansas. This equestrian center is set up like a miniature western town, complete with a post office, general store and chapel. Children, and even adults, with a wide range of disabilities come each week for riding lessons and Read More

Filed Under: Family Life, perfectionism, special needs, Walking with God Tagged With: Christian parenting, finding worth through our children, parenting, parenting special needs children, perfectionism, perfectionism and conditional love, perfectionist, what we pass along to our kids

An Open Letter to My Girls: Here’s What to Look For When You Date

October 16, 2017 By Tara Johnson 3 Comments

kids

It seems like yesterday I was welcoming you into the world. I thought you would always be in diapers, watching Sesame Street and learning your alphabet. I blinked and suddenly we’ve traded Cheerios and sippy cups for makeup and iphones. And now, much to your father’s dismay, your heads have begun to turn when a handsome boy gives you a wink and a smile. Boyfriends will come and go. You’ll face heartbreak and joy, tears and laughter. As someone who is, ahem, a bit older Read More

Filed Under: Blog, Family Life Tagged With: 1 corinthians 13, christian dating, Christian parenting, Dating, Dating principles, looking for boys of character, love like God, open letter to my girls, respect, what to look for in a boyfriend, what to look for in a mate

Butterfingers: Interruptions & Learning How to Be a Servant

June 18, 2017 By Tara Johnson Leave a Comment

Back and forth I went. Kitchen to bedroom, bedroom to living room. Every time I sat down to write, it seemed I heard yet another cry. “Mom! I need you!” “Mom! The dog just peed on the floor!” “Hey, honey, have you seen my socks?” “Momma! I want candy!” Through the chaos of barking dogs, calling children, buzzing dryers and ringing phones, I couldn’t suppress the inner voice bearing down on me. You have to get this book finished by the end of summer. You’re Read More

Filed Under: Family Life, Uncategorized Tagged With: Christian parenting, giving, interruptions, like Jesus, loving others, ministry, ministry begins at home, parenting, putting others first, servant, walking like Jesus

Raising a Wild Child Without Losing Your Mind

April 10, 2017 By Tara Johnson Leave a Comment

  Wild child. Stubborn. Headstrong. Independent. Strong-willed. Although, having been one of those myself, I suppose I’ve always preferred the term “steadfastly-minded”. You know the type of kid I’m talking about. If you’re not sure, here’s a checklist. You might have a wild child if… -You’ve considered purchasing a taser as a disciplinary tool. Okay, not really. (But maybe.) -The medical personnel at the ER know you and your kid by name.  – Your kid can unlock any child-proof device invented in under 3.7 seconds. Read More

Filed Under: Family Life, Uncategorized Tagged With: children, Christian parenting, family living, God, parenting, raising a wild child, raising children, raising strong-willed child, strong willed child, wild child

5 Tips for Handling Criticism While Raising Your Strong-Willed Child

February 12, 2017 By Tara Johnson Leave a Comment

by Tara Johnson “You need to wear your son out.” I blinked slowly, trying to understand what the older woman who had approached me had said, a task made difficult by my son’s screams of temper and my own strangled nerves. I felt frayed. Exhausted. The excursion into Walmart was not going well.  I’d had high hopes for the grocery store run. After all, my son’s terrible two fits were getting better. I had been diligent with him at home. He seemed to comprehend life Read More

Filed Under: Family Life, Uncategorized Tagged With: criticism, critics, God, handling criticism while parenting, kids, parenting, raising children, strong willed child

When Your Kid is…Different

January 29, 2017 By Tara Johnson Leave a Comment

Sometimes, Moms just know. They know when all isn’t as it should be. When the other three year olds are able to count to ten but their child can’t articulate “one”, “two” or “three”. Moms know when it’s strange that their three old son can’t ask for a specific food when he’s hungry, but instead opens his mouth and yells, “Eat!” She knows that something is wrong when her adorable little boy is three and she’s still not heard him say his own name. She Read More

Filed Under: Family Life, Uncategorized Tagged With: children, Christian living, cognitive therapy, delay, God, kids, Love, parenting, special needs, Special needs kids, speech therapy

Next Page »

sidebar

Blog Sidebar

Get to know Tara . . .

Writing

Writing

Speaking

Speaking

Singing

Singing

Free gift from Tara!

Join Tara’s email community and you’ll receive a FREE short story, In the Shadow of His Wings.


Subscribe to our mailing list



Engraved on the Heart

Engraved on the Heart by Tara Johnson

Engraved on the Heart
Click to view purchasing options for Engraved on the Heart.

Latest Blog Posts

What We Can Learn from the MacArthur/Beth Moore Debacle

  • Am I Good Enough?
  • When Forgiving Seems Impossible: Part 3
  • When Your Heart is Stamped “Condemned”: Part 2
  • Civil War Trivia 101

Click to read more . . .

Reader Reviews:

Robin Lee Hatcher

Engraved on the Heart by Tara Johnson

“Tara Johnson delivers a stirring tale of danger and hope.” Read more “Robin Lee Hatcher”

RITA and Christy Award winner

Jocelyn Green

Engraved on the Heart by Tara Johnson

“Lovers of Civil War fiction will rejoice to add Engraved on the Heart to their collections.” Read more “Jocelyn Green”

Award-winning Author

Sarah Sundin

Engraved on the Heart by Tara Johnson

“Engraved on the Heart brings Savannah, Georgia, during the Civil War to life.” Read more “Sarah Sundin”

Award-winning Author

Laura Frantz

Engraved on the Heart by Tara Johnson

“Johnson weaves a tale of selflessness, and service . . .” Read more “Laura Frantz”

Author

FREE Blog Updates!

Enter your email address:

Meet Tara

Tara JohnsonTara Johnson is a writer, singer, speaker and passionate lover of stories. Tara uses fiction, nonfiction, song and laughter to share her testimony of how God led her into freedom after spending years living shackled to the expectations of others. She lives in central Arkansas with her husband and children.

Trailer for Engraved on the Heart

Copyright © 2019 Tara Johnson. All Rights Reserved. | Contact

Terms of Use | Privacy Policy | Sitemap | Disclaimer | Contact