More From Jackie Johnson

In 2017, I went to my first writer’s conference and someone asked me, “Where do you share your work?” Those words left me speechless because I knew I wasn’t sharing my work anywhere. I was hoarding all of it—stuffing it into journals, notebooks, and my nightstand drawer! I wasn’t sharing it because I was afraid. I didn’t have the confidence to share anything I’d written.

At that same conference, I attended a session explaining how to write for The Upper Room. I had already been writing devotions for myself, so it sounded like something I really wanted to try. But that year was an incredibly busy one for me. I spent the first part of the year caring for a parent after surgery, and the remainder of it caring for my newborn grandchild. I didn’t have much time or energy for writing! But one evening, I came across the notes I’d taken at that writer’s conference and decided I’d make the time, push past my fears, and send in a few meditations.

It took some time, but eventually I received an email saying one of my meditations was accepted and would be published. I was overjoyed! This was the first step I’d ever taken toward sharing my work. It gave me a huge confidence boost!

A lot has changed in the few years since I wrote that meditation. My husband has retired, and we moved from Colorado, spent a few months in Mexico, and are currently in the process of relocating to Arizona. I’ve had lots of opportunities to grow and lots of new experiences to write about! My confidence has grown, and I no longer think of writers as “other-worldly” people to compare myself to. Writers are everyday people sharing everyday experiences in hopes of helping and blessing others and glorifying God.

I love seeing myself as being in partnership with God, and I look forward to sharing more of what God has given me!