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Tara Johnson

sharing stories through writing, speaking and singing

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Freedom

How to Find Joy in Failure

May 15, 2020 By Tara Johnson Leave a Comment

The Arkansas State Police is a happening place to be, especially in the motor vehicle office and even more so from one to four when they are administering driving tests. I recently took a family member to fill out some paperwork, which provided me plenty of time to sit in the waiting room and watch people coming and going. Anxious teens milled around, some of whom were too cool to show their jitters. Nervous mothers smacking gum contrasted against parents who rolled their eyes, muttering Read More

Filed Under: Walking with God Tagged With: failure, Freedom, good attitudes, learning from failure, success, teachable

When We Fall for the Lie “Approval Equals Love”

April 30, 2020 By Tara Johnson 4 Comments

I desperately want people to like me. There. I said it. The thought of someone being displeased with me in any way drops a sick feeling in my gut. What’s one way to shake that cold feeling of dread? Work harder. Be more agreeable, more likable. Fit in. Be accepted and never, ever let them see the real you. After all, if they know what you’re really like, the acceptance will disappear. Right? That’s what I told myself, anyways. I’ve battled people pleasing all my Read More

Filed Under: people pleasing Tagged With: approval versus love, depression, Freedom, Freedom in Christ, people pleasing, satan's lies

Breaking Free Part Two

March 15, 2020 By Tara Johnson Leave a Comment

In part one, we looked at the very real possibility that many of us, although we accepted the freedom Jesus bought for us, continue to have our minds and emotions stuck in the ‘slavery mindset’. It conditions a person to accept harmful circumstances to themselves as the natural order of things. They view their own worth through their master’s eyes. They believe about themselves what they have been told to believe, whether it’s true or not. The dichotomy between our freedom and the slavery mindset Read More

Filed Under: Walking with God Tagged With: breaking free, Forgiveness, Freedom, identity in Christ, wounds

How to Break Free from the Chains

March 5, 2020 By Tara Johnson Leave a Comment

“I freed a thousand slaves. I would’ve freed a thousand more, if they only knew they were slaves.”  ~Harriet Tubman If they only knew they were slaves… In writing and researching the Civil War, I learned Confederate plantation owners often made it their goal to break the will of their enslaved.  They would make it their goal to have the slave accept their “station” as a mindset. After all, ‘normal’ is whatever you grow up with. ‘Normal’ is what you’ve always known. Frederick Douglass put Read More

Filed Under: freedom, Walking with God Tagged With: breaking free from satan's lies, breaking free from slavery mindset, Freedom, lies, satan's lies, slavery

When Forgiving Seems Impossible Part 2: Rose Mapendo

June 17, 2019 By Tara Johnson 2 Comments

“You have heard that it was said, ‘Love your neighbor and hate your enemy.’ But I tell you, love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you, that you may be children of your Father in heaven. ” (Matthew 5:43-45) I don’t know about you but loving my enemies can be a tall order sometimes. People can be hurtful. Even downright mean. It’s easy to want to defend ourselves or our loved ones, to right the wrong, or inflict the same kind of hurt Read More

Filed Under: Walking with God Tagged With: forgive, Forgiveness, forgiveness heals, Freedom, radical forgiveness, Rose Mapendo, transform

Books are Not My Babies…and Other “Idol” Chatter

June 6, 2016 By Tara Johnson Leave a Comment

Y’all, this writing gig is hard. I recently saw a pic that summed up the process perfectly. “You read a scene and think, ‘That was nice.’ Time it took you to read the scene? Five minutes. Time it took the author to write the scene? Five bazillion hours.” Okay, so maybe that’s an exaggeration but you get the idea. It’s hard work. More than I ever dreamed possible. And just when I think the sleepless nights, the outpouring of creativity, the frazzled nerves will pay Read More

Filed Under: Uncategorized, Walking with God, Writer's Life, Writing Fiction Tagged With: Build on strong foundation, Corrie Ten Boom, Freedom, God, hold things lightly, hope, idols, ministry, parenting, stories, stories are not your babies, surrender, Writing, Writing Advice

Impressions

February 1, 2016 By Tara Johnson Leave a Comment

My kids love impressions. The crazier, the better. And being a singer, I always find it a hilarious exercise to see if I can manipulate my voice enough to oblige their whims. Today I spent all day conversing like the Queen of Hearts from Alice in Wonderland. When bad manners were displayed at dinner, the Queen of Hearts yelled, “Off with your head!”, causing an eruption of giggles. In the past few months, I have spent much time as the Count from Sesame Street, Patrick Read More

Filed Under: Uncategorized, Walking with God Tagged With: approval, Freedom, God created you unique, hiding our wounds, impressions, people pleasing, perfectionism, pretending

Unchained: Breaking Free From the Slavery Mindset, Part Two

October 19, 2015 By Tara Johnson Leave a Comment

  In part one, we looked at the very real possibility that many of us, although we accepted the freedom Jesus bought for us, continue to have our minds and emotions stuck in the ‘slavery mindset’. To review from part one, here is the definition of a slave mentality: It conditions a person to accept harmful circumstances to themselves as the natural order of things. They view their own worth through their master’s eyes. They believe about themselves what they have been told to believe, Read More

Filed Under: Walking with God Tagged With: breaking free, Breaking Free of Shame, free, Freedom, Freedom in Christ, slavery mentality

Unchained: Breaking Free from the Mindset of Slavery, Part 1

October 12, 2015 By Tara Johnson Leave a Comment

  I recently finished writing my first Civil War novel about the bravery and courage of those who aided the Underground Railroad. It’s been inspiring, heartbreaking and challenging, to say the least, but so incredibly rewarding to examine the lives of some of our country’s rawest freedom fighters. In gathering research, I found this quote by Harriet Tubman and it left a deep impression in my spirit. “I freed a thousand slaves. I would’ve freed a thousand more, if they only knew they were slaves.”  Read More

Filed Under: Walking with God Tagged With: chained to past, Freedom, Freedom in Christ, slave mentality, stuck, stuck in Christian walk, transforming the mind

Caged

July 6, 2015 By Tara Johnson Leave a Comment

Yesterday afternoon, I was sitting in front of my computer, clacking away on some writing projects when I heard the familiar scratching of a bluebird trapped inside my fireplace. My poor little, clueless bluebirds. They seem to make a daily habit of curiously exploring our chimney, only to fall into the fireplace looking dazed and confused.  Seeing the brilliant sapphire feathers, it was easy to tell this was a male. My first thought was “Why don’t males ever ask for directions?” But I digress… Usually, this Read More

Filed Under: Walking with God Tagged With: chained to mistakes, chained to past, Freedom, Freedom in Christ

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Reader Reviews:

Laura Frantz

Engraved on the Heart by Tara Johnson

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

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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”

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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”

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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.

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