We heard the bell ringing across the parking lot before we saw the red bucket and the Santa-capped volunteer sitting in front of Walmart. My son knows the drill. His chubby fingers lifted towards me. “Money, Momma?” I smiled and sighed inwardly, reaching into my purse to scrape for loose change. I had already given out most of it to other bell ringers throughout the past week. Still, I was proud of my little guy who loved to drop change into the charity collections. Give Read More
Walking with God
An Open Letter from a Recovering People-Pleaser
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
Unquenchable: The 2016 Mount Hermon Christian Writers Conference
I don’t know where to begin. For starters, I’ve been to several writers conferences. All of them were inspiring and beneficial. All of them taught me something valuable and allowed me to meet other writers, but Mount Hermon is different. Never have I been at a conference that is so incredibly organized, yet feels so laid back and unscripted. The familial, intimate atmosphere permeated every single workshop, worship service and the times in between. The entire conference was Christ-centered and deeply moving. In short, I Read More
Embracing Inadequacy: The 300s.
“I can’t do this. I don’t know how.” “It’s too hard. I’m not any good at this kind of stuff.” “I’m not qualified.” “I’m too old.” “I’m too young.” “What if I fail?” “People will laugh at me.” “It’s too risky.” “There are people better at this than I am.” Do any of these excuses sound familiar? I confess, several of them, if not all of them, have found their way into my but-I-can’t repertoire at some point. So insecure. So scared. Sometimes, just so Read More
Euphoria in a Rice Field…I Think Not
Euphoria in a Rice Field…I Think Not by Tara Johnson I was getting a bit bored, driving through soggy rice fields on my way to a prison in Arkansas, preparing to speak to inmates on a drizzly Sunday morning. Maybe it was the lack of scenery that made me notice it. Maybe it’s because it was the only building around for miles other than a few silos. But when I saw the building perched on the side of the road, I shook my head. There Read More
Bless Her Heart: Code Words and Torn Labels
Here in the South, we love sweet tea and cornbread, family and friends, pickup trucks and fishing. Walmart cashiers call their customers “Sweetie” and “Honey”. Deer hunting and frog gigging is a thing. Some schools even shut down for the opening day of deer season. Shopping carts are buggies and all sodas are called “Cokes”. Yes, it’s a whole other culture. Where else could you get by with saying, “This is so good, it makes me wanna slap my Momma!”? We have several code words Read More
Sour Fruit
Sour Fruit I’ve had a week. I mean, one of those weeks. A hormonal, pre-teen, an almost two year old who made it his mission in life to scream through every square inch of Walmart when he saw the M&Ms, homeschooling frustrations, recuperating from illness, looming deadlines and a string of speaking engagements to prepare for. Worst of all, no chocolate. Yes, this past week I was Allyson from Mom’s Night Out. Despite, having one of those weeks, I was determined to stay close to Read More