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Tara Johnson

sharing stories through writing, speaking and singing

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parenting

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

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

How Miss Perfection Stole Christmas

November 28, 2016 By Tara Johnson Leave a Comment

I’m a beautiful mess this time of year. And I’ve learned that’s okay. For years I lost precious sleep, valuable hair and added circles under my eyes to achieve the perfect Christmas. For my kids. For my husband. For my church. For my own ridiculous ideals. Christmas is the mother ship for us perfectionist types. Correction, recovering perfectionists, because that’s what I am. I wanted to give my family the Norman Rockwell paintings of Christmas memories. You know, something they could look back on and Read More

Filed Under: Uncategorized, Walking with God Tagged With: Christmas, Christmas stress, God, grinch, Jesus, juggling holiday stress, letting go, mom, parenting, parenting at Christmas, perfectionism, perfectionist, simple living, stress

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

The Heart Beat

May 22, 2016 By Tara Johnson Leave a Comment

The scream jerked me out of a dead sleep. I groaned as my feet slapped against the cold floor. Not again. I padded to Nathan’s room, grunting as my shin collided against the sharp edge of an unknown object in the dark house. More nightmares. The interruption of sleep was wearing thin. I opened the door to my son’s room with a soft creak. My weariness melted away when he reached out his pudgy arms for me, sniffing and crying out in relief, “Mama.”  “Oh, Read More

Filed Under: Uncategorized, Walking with God Tagged With: children, comfort, crying out to God, fear, God's heart beat, held by God, Jesus, nightmares, parenting, scared

Taking the Anger Out of Interruptions

March 22, 2016 By Tara Johnson Leave a Comment

“Mom, I need help.” Hearing that plea several times a day is sweet. Endearing. After all, I’m Mom and that’s what I’m here for. I hesitantly confess when it becomes a continual, whiny plea of frustrated, disgruntled children, I begin to lose my cool. I sit down to eat and my son spills his drink. I’m steadily typing away on a book project and my girls decide they cannot even fathom how to work their math problem without having me stand over their shoulder. A Read More

Filed Under: Family Life, Walking with God Tagged With: Change, disruptions, embracing discomfort, God, God's plans, interruptions, parenting, planner, schedules, working

How To Handle Critics While Raising Your Strong-Willed Child

July 13, 2015 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. At the end of my rope. 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 Read More

Filed Under: Splinters in the Windmills of My Mind Tagged With: Christian parenting, exhausted mom, how to handle critics of your strong willed child, parenting, strong willed child

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Engraved on the Heart

Engraved on the Heart by Tara Johnson

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

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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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