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

Tara Johnson

sharing stories through writing, speaking and singing

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

Worth

Cracked Pots

March 28, 2020 By Tara Johnson Leave a Comment

A fable A water bearer in India had two large pots, one hung on each end of a pole which he carried across his neck. One of the pots had a crack in it, while the other pot was perfect and always delivered a full potion of water at the end of the long walk from the stream to the master’s house. The cracked pot arrived only half full. For a full two years this went on daily, with the bearer delivering only one and Read More

Filed Under: Blog Tagged With: cracked pot, God's purpose, Worth

When Your Heart is Stamped “Condemned”: Part 2

May 16, 2019 By Tara Johnson 3 Comments

One of my favorite movies is It’s a Wonderful Life. George Bailey is continually baffled by the beauty his wife sees in their old, drafty, worn- down home. He only sees the creaking steps and sagging trim. But Mary Bailey’s eyes light up with hope and promise as she drinks in the sight of the big, rambling house. She sees the hidden beauty just waiting to be exposed. And I believe that is exactly how God sees us. Welcome back to When Your Heart is Read More

Filed Under: Blog, satan's lies, Walking with God Tagged With: condemnation versus conviction, condemned heart, God's forgiveness, redeemed, restored, satan's lies, the enemy's lies, when you feel condemned, Worth

The Mean Stepsister

July 21, 2018 By Tara Johnson 1 Comment

Redemption is a beautiful thing. There is something, dare I say, romantic about someone with power and position plucking a nobody from the crowd and claiming them as their own. Perhaps that’s why I’ve so frequently heard the Gospel compared to a fairy tale story. A king sweeping the lonely girl away to a land where all her dreams come true. Not long ago, I heard someone compare what God has done to the story of Cinderella. I understand the gist of this kind of Read More

Filed Under: Beyond What We Can Imagine Tagged With: broken, chosen, cinderella, Jesus, Love, love transforms, Prince, redeemed, redemption, stepsister, transform, Worth

The Broken Phone

April 14, 2018 By Tara Johnson 1 Comment

“You gonna replace your phone?” I’ve heard the question countless times. I suppose it’s a reasonable remark considering the state of my cracked phone screen. How the multiple shards of glass have managed to keep from falling out or cutting my fingers is a mystery. Still, the question rankles me a bit. Why? Because the phone works just fine despite its cracked appearance.  We are a people obsessed with perfection. If something is broken, just toss it away and replace it with a new model. Read More

Filed Under: perfectionism Tagged With: broken, broken doesn't mean worthless, brokenness, defining worth, God uses broken things, perfection, the lie of perfection, Worth

A Word for People Pleasers

October 27, 2017 By Tara Johnson 2 Comments

Patrick Hendry

Sometimes I don’t have much to say. Not enough words to fill up a haiku, much less a blog. Life gets busy, my body runs on fumes and caffeine, kids scream for attention…you know the drill. Yet despite the normal grind of living, the fear never completely goes away. The enemy is always lurking, ever hissing and flinging his accusations, preying upon my darkest secrets and coldest fears. There are some battles that must be fought over and over again. That’s okay. If you’re a Read More

Filed Under: Blog Tagged With: God, Jesus, living to please Jesus, loved, people pleasers, people pleasing, satan's lies, treasured, Worth, worth in Christ

The Broken Piano

August 7, 2017 By Tara Johnson 2 Comments

“Great musicians should have only the finest instruments in their homes.” The caustic comment from the piano tuner who had curled up his nose at my old spinet piano has bothered me for fourteen years, though I’ve had a hard time figuring out why. I thought maybe it was the man’s attitude when he entered my home. I had been desperately searching for a tuner willing to take on my pawn shop find but from the moment this guy laid eyes on it, his annoyed Read More

Filed Under: Beyond What We Can Imagine, Music, satan's lies, Uncategorized, Walking with God Tagged With: beauty in broken, broken, broken is not permanent, enemy's lies, God heals, God restores, healing, Jesus restores, melodies from the broken, Worth

Trolls on the Bridge: How to Keep Negative Feedback from Shredding Your Heart

May 15, 2017 By Tara Johnson Leave a Comment

I recently read this quote by Allen Arnold and it resonated deeply. “If God is pleased with your latest creation but the world ignores it, how do you feel? The answer reveals who you are creating for.” Excellent question. I fall into this trap far too often. I hope people like what I’ve written. This new blog was a step out of my comfort zone. Will people read it? Will they like it? This doesn’t even have to revolve around writing. This could be about Read More

Filed Under: Uncategorized, Walking with God, Writer's Life Tagged With: approval, criticism, critics, God, haters, how to handle hurtful comments, how to handle negative reviews, how to handle reviews, Jesus, love your enemies, negative feedback, people pleasing, trolls, Worth

Lie #3: “I’m Worthless” and Other Labels

August 14, 2016 By Tara Johnson Leave a Comment

Welcome back to our blog series “Liar”, a look at our enemy and the lies he tells us. As a refresher, we’ve discussed Lie #1 “God’s Main Concern is my Happiness” and Lie #2 “If my life were different, I would be different”. This week’s lie seems to be an arrow flung with far too much frequency by the enemy and one believed by far too many of God’s children. Lie #3: “I’m worthless.” Whenever I’m teaching at retreats about the enemy’s lies and I Read More

Filed Under: Beyond What We Can Imagine, Uncategorized, Walking with God Tagged With: defining worth, finding worth in Jesus, labels, more than a label, nicknames, satan's lies, spiritual warfare, the enemy's lies, Worth, worth in Christ, worthless

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

Untied Shoelaces: Insecurity’s Scream

March 16, 2015 By Tara Johnson 7 Comments

I could hear the fight from the trail below me as I climbed Pinnacle Mountain. Actually, everyone in the vicinity of the snaking path could hear the epic battle of wills between the frustrated father and his stubborn son on the crowded mountainside. “Son, I mean it. Stop and tie your shoe.” “No, I don’t want to.” “You’re going to trip and get hurt.” Silence as the determined boy marched past his father. “Ethan, I mean it. Stop right now and tie your shoe. It’s Read More

Filed Under: Blog Tagged With: Insecurity, Splinters in the Windmills of My Mind, Worth

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



FREE Book Club Kit


Click HERE to download your FREE book club kit for All Through the Night.

Where Dandelions Bloom

Where Dandelions Bloom 360X570

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

Latest Blog Posts

What’s up with the Christian Cliches?

  • Cracked Pots
  • What I Learned in the Darkness
  • Shattering the Fairytale: When Perfect Isn’t Enough
  • Where Have All the Good Girls Gone?

Click to read more . . .

Reader Reviews:

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

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

Laura Frantz

Engraved on the Heart by Tara Johnson

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

Author

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

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 © 2021 Tara Johnson. All Rights Reserved. | Contact

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