Naomi Johnston 10/29/24 Naomi Johnston 10/29/24

Dear Extroverts

It would be no exaggeration to say I haven’t truly been alone for a very long time. Since I was a young child, I've always craved companionship. In new situations, I would seek it out as soon as possible.

Naomi Johnston 10/6/24 Naomi Johnston 10/6/24

Grief Equals Failure and Other Lies

Now, I find myself on the precipice of another loss, feeling that familiar guilt and shame for my grief.

Naomi Johnston 10/2/24 Naomi Johnston 10/2/24

Guard Your Heart

When something painful wounds us, we need to handle it gently, taking care to assess and clean it out. But then healing needs to follow—hopefully with minimal scarring—but it definitely needs to happen.

Naomi Johnston 9/5/24 Naomi Johnston 9/5/24

Netball Courts

Why am I talking about netball courts and awkward prepubescent interactions? Because now, in 2024, at 36 years of age, I still feel the same way.

Naomi Johnston 8/9/24 Naomi Johnston 8/9/24

When Food Falls from the Sky

I don’t believe God stops talking. I think He’s speaking right now. But the noise of life and the voices in our head get in the way, and His whisper goes unheard.

Naomi Johnston 3/18/24 Naomi Johnston 3/18/24

Dear Dad

Miss you a lot. Funny how we don’t say that over the phone. But there it is. There are a few people in my life who would give a kidney to be able to say that to their dad a couple more times. So I wanted to say it now.

Naomi Johnston 1/25/24 Naomi Johnston 1/25/24

Broken Kings

Perhaps it’s best to avert your eyes, avoiding the nuances and the pain. Maybe if it’s not seen it can be tidy and clear, sparing you from wading into the unfathomable mess.

Naomi Johnston 12/12/23 Naomi Johnston 12/12/23

Digging Deep

My feelings were being confronted with truth, and truth trumps feelings.

Naomi Johnston 8/9/23 Naomi Johnston 8/9/23

24 Months

In a job where we think we’re here to do good and bring God, light, and the gospel, what I’m finding is that there is a concurrent journey of God bringing light to the darkest recesses of my heart.

Naomi Johnston 4/12/23 Naomi Johnston 4/12/23

Clinging to the Known

It’s a common misperception that only the most spiritually devout person can cross oceans and mountains to do this sort of thing, and it’s not a viewpoint that I’m not keen on upholding. The truth is that we were so comfortable in our life that in order to do anything of worth we needed to leave the nest, so to speak.

Naomi Johnston 1/17/23 Naomi Johnston 1/17/23

Not Even Named

What about those moments when you’re honing in on a dragon? What happens when it’s taking all your concentration and discipline to defeat that which is in front of you? How do you make sure your back is safe?

Naomi Johnston 10/27/22 Naomi Johnston 10/27/22

Ready For The Urn

When jumping off the couch too quickly means twisting an ankle or pulling a muscle, requiring two weeks of care and restoration, one can start to feel a little worse for the wear.

Naomi Johnston 10/8/22 Naomi Johnston 10/8/22

Jesus is Hungarian

We actually have more to learn and less to offer than we think, and the sooner we learn that the more useful we can be.

Naomi Johnston 9/28/22 Naomi Johnston 9/28/22

Kidney Beans

Well, this month has been a whirlwind and I’m in need of a fairytale ending, preferably not Grimms.

Naomi Johnston 9/13/22 Naomi Johnston 9/13/22

Turn Your Face Towards the Sun

As I’ve consistently said, this past year I’ve found myself in some of the darkest, coldest places internally; it’s been a real challenge at times. But even when I find myself in that cold place, I have still felt the warmth of the sun on the back of my neck.

Naomi Johnston 8/9/22 Naomi Johnston 8/9/22

One Year In: A Review

Never in my wildest imaginations could I have dreamed up what this year held for both me and my family.

Naomi Johnston 6/16/22 Naomi Johnston 6/16/22

Planks and Specks

Making sense of the world around us is sometimes a dizzyingly overwhelming task. I for one rely upon intuition a lot. But what happens when feelings lead us up the garden path?

Naomi Johnston 4/20/22 Naomi Johnston 4/20/22

Splish Splash My Opinion Is Trash

So how, as adults, do we achieve small moments of awakening without walking the wrong path for far too long? Well, first of all, we have to admit that most of the time we do not see the whole picture.