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Tara Johnson

sharing stories through writing, speaking and singing

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unconditional love

Shattering the Fairytale Part 2: Rewriting the Story

January 27, 2020 By Tara Johnson Leave a Comment

In part one, I told you all about how those pesky Disney princess messed me up, as well as diving into how perfectly unhappy I became trying to be, well, perfect. Am I the only recovering perfectionist out there? I left you dangling with this question: now that we recognize the problem, and see what causes it, what will we do about it? 1. First of all, remind yourself that God loves you no matter how well, or how poorly, you perform. “In all these Read More

Filed Under: perfectionism Tagged With: embracing imperfection, Forgiveness, people pleasing, perfectionism, safe people, unconditional love

Shattering the Fairytale: When Perfect Isn’t Enough

January 22, 2020 By Tara Johnson Leave a Comment

The Disney princesses messed me up. I confess I had quite a fascination with them when I was growing up (after I finished my Princess Leia phase, that is). I was going to be as beautiful as Aurora and I was going to have a grand adventure like Belle. And I was going to be a singer like Ariel. Or at the very least, a marine biologist. But let’s get real for a moment, shall we? There was one big problem with all those Disney Read More

Filed Under: Blog Tagged With: control, Disney messed me up, fear of failure, need for love, people pleasing, perfect, perfectionism, princesses messed me up, unconditional love

Would You Love Me Even Then?

October 9, 2019 By Tara Johnson 2 Comments

Grace is sticky. I’ve pondered the best way to describe it for years and that’s the best adjective I can use. Sticky. It won’t let go. It clings. No matter the condition, grace stays, refusing to let go or give up. It extends love and blessings over and over again. My son and I often play a little game called “Would You Love Me Even Then?” One of us asks the other if we would still love each other if crazy things altered our appearance, Read More

Filed Under: Walking with God Tagged With: Grace, grace is sticky, true love, unconditional love, would you love me even if

The Redemption of Kip

January 28, 2018 By Tara Johnson 2 Comments

“Runt.” “He’ll never live.” “He’s so scrawny.” I don’t know what I did wrong. I was born, I guess. While all my brothers and sisters were cute, wriggly little pups, I was the outcast. Never expected to do much. To be much. At the pet store, the chubby, groping fingers of girls and boys would rove over all of our heads, scratching our ears, picking us up and snuggling their cheeks next to ours. Such happy feelings filled me, I couldn’t help but lick their Read More

Filed Under: Beyond What We Can Imagine Tagged With: Adopted, dogs, God, Jesus, love transforms, redeemer, redemption, the unwanted, unconditional love, when love takes you in

An Open Letter from a Recovering People-Pleaser

March 10, 2017 By Tara Johnson 2 Comments

I’ve had to learn some things the hard way. After years of exhaustion, of disappointment, of hiding behind my masks, of dark depression, I’ve learned that people pleasing may always be a battle for me. A daily battle. It’s a lie that I believed for far too long—mainly, that approval and love are the same thing. However, as God has peeled back layer after layer of my masks and choices, He has helped me understand that approval and love are not the same thing at Read More

Filed Under: Uncategorized Tagged With: acceptance, approval addiction, approval versus love, boundaries, God, Jesus, know my worth, learning to say no, living to please, people pleasing, spiritual abuse, unconditional love, Walking with God

Jesus Wasn’t Calling: How I Learned to Walk Away from Perfectionism and Self-Inflicted Martyrdom

February 21, 2017 By Tara Johnson Leave a Comment

Jesus wasn’t calling. Okay, maybe not. Obviously, Jesus is still in the calling business. Hang with me here and I’ll do my feeble best to try to explain my muddled thoughts. I have to admit it was quite a shock to realize all those years I spent doing and running, spinning my wheels and frantically trying to be a good, little Christian girl for Jesus weren’t for Him at all. They were for me. When the truth hit, it slapped me hard. I’ll never forget Read More

Filed Under: Church Life, satan's lies, Uncategorized, Walking with God Tagged With: approval, approval addiction, Christian walk, depression, idolatry, Jesus calling, knowing Jesus voice, motives, people pleasing, perfectionism, resentment, serving, unconditional love, wounds

Lie #5: Approval Means I’m Loved

September 5, 2016 By Tara Johnson Leave a Comment

We’re up to lie #5 in our series on exposing the enemy’s schemes…”Approval means I’m loved.” This lie was nearly my undoing. 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 Read More

Filed Under: Uncategorized Tagged With: acceptance, approval, approval addiction, approval versus love, conditional love, exhaustion, idolatry, lies, Overwhelmed, people pleasers, people pleasing, satan's lies, spiritual warfare, unconditional love

An Open Letter from a Recovering People Pleaser

February 18, 2016 By Tara Johnson Leave a Comment

I’ve had to learn some things the hard way. After years of exhaustion, of disappointment, of hiding behind my masks, of dark depression, I’ve learned that people pleasing may always be a battle for me. A daily battle. It’s a lie that I believed for far too long—mainly, that approval and love are the same thing. However, as God has peeled back layer after layer of my masks and choices, He has helped me understand that approval and love are not the same thing at Read More

Filed Under: Walking with God Tagged With: approval addition, approval vs love, boundaries, learning to say no, manipulators, people pleasers, people pleasing, spiritual abuse, unconditional love, Worth

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Latest Blog Posts

What’s up with the Christian Cliches?

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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”

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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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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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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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