For months, I fought the idea of Substack. When I felt the Lord prompting me to focus my efforts here, I immediately felt reluctant: Really? Another social media platform? I didn’t understand how it worked, and it took me quite a while to embrace the format. But as I spent time navigating it, my perspective shifted. Unlike other platforms built to keep you mindlessly scrolling, Substack is designed for people to stick around and connect.
I began discovering amazing writers and creative minds, which led me to ask: Who are these Substackers? That curiosity is exactly what brought me here to The Equipping Station. I want to meet, understand, and share the creative geniuses behind these publications.
To kick things off, I sat down with Jan Johnson, the creator of Just Talkin About Jesus, to discover the what, why, and who behind her work.
Byron: Everybody carries a creative genius—something inside them they just need to get out. When you look at the passion or conviction behind what you do, what drives you?
Jan: It really goes back to the title of my publication: Just Talkin About Jesus. Everything I’ve written, including my seven books, has been a “God drop.” It’s always Him saying, “I want you to write this,” and me responding, “Okay, I don’t know anything about that, but we’ll see.”
Before this, I started a podcast called Women of the Northwest. After over a hundred episodes, God told me He wanted me to do a faith-based podcast. At the time, I was writing two books and doing a Bible study, so I felt way too busy. But He just stands back and smiles. My very next guest was a trafficked woman from a communist country with no churches and no support system, and God just reached in and pulled her out. Hearing stories like hers made me realize the universal story we all share: God is right there. He is watching you, right up close. You just have to say yes.
Byron: I had my own struggles adopting this platform. What was the draw for you, and what transformational experience do you want people to walk away with when they subscribe to your publication?
Jan: A friend in my writing group actually suggested it as a good avenue for a free newsletter. On places like Facebook or Instagram, you’re usually just clicking past things you don’t want to see, or you’re getting a quick “like” without any real interaction. But on Substack, I found this massive community of Christians who actually want to have real conversations.
The transformational part is simply what the title of my page says. Think about it: outside of a small group or a Bible study, how often in your life do you actually go deep talking about Jesus? People are hungry for that. We get raw, heartfelt stories where people lay their hearts bare. It builds a deeper understanding of who God is. To help build that community, I make sure to send a personal note every single time someone subscribes.
Byron: I always love to end these conversations by focusing on the who. People connect with the why and the what, but they really resonate with who we are—those hidden talents and quirks that shape how we create. What is something in your life that hardly anybody knows about?
Jan: Well, there are no secrets here! I play the flute. I played for worship for many years, but just a year ago, I joined our local symphony—the Columbia River Symphony. I haven’t played in that kind of classical setting in a long time, and I'm loving it. I resonate so much with music. I love the teamwork of the sounds coming together, and our conductor is incredibly good at explaining the depths of how a piece should go. I feel very fortunate to still have that active in my life.
Thanks, Jan, for sharing your heart and intent behind it as a fellow Substacker.
Make sure to stop by Jan’s page at Just Talkin About Jesus to see if her community is one you connect with.
Next week, I’m sitting down with Christina Kopaczewski from Poured in Purpose—she is doing some truly encouraging writing and connecting that you won’t want to miss.
As always, I love discovering the real people and stories behind the publications here. If you are a Substacker and would like to share your journey and be highlighted on The Equipping Station, send me a DM. Let’s connect!
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