Just Talkin' About Jesus

Jan Johnson

A place with real people sharing their real faith. What was the moment when you first realized how real Jesus is? Tell me about your But God moment. Have you had moments when you were so low you could only rely on your faith? What makes you joyful when the rest of the world isn't? These are a few of the questions that lead my interviews. Once a month we have a roundtable chat with a few people about a topic.

  1. 2d ago

    He, She, Them, and Me: Responding in Love and Truth to your LGBTQ+-identified Child

    Send me a text and let me know your thoughts! Wendy Terry grew up knowing Jesus loved her, yet spent decades hiding her real feelings and building an identity of always having it all together.  In her forties, a miscarriage, four growing children, and a major depressive episode brought it all crashing down.  Wendy shares how God met her through safe community, a prayer room, and a simple instruction to "just show up," and how she learned to ask her Creator what He says about her.  She also opens up about parenting adult children who have declared themselves nonbinary and how she holds grace, truth, and trust together.  Wendy serves with Outpost Ministries and the Twin Cities Justice House of Prayer. Chapter markers 00:00 – Welcome and Introductions 00:49 – "I Don't Remember a Time I Didn't Know Jesus Loved Me" 02:05 – The Fraud Within: Hiding Feelings Behind a Perfect Identity 03:17 – Until It Didn't: When Everything Fell Apart 04:06 – Miscarriage, Shame, and Finding the Words to Tell 05:58 – The Core Belief That Adults Don't Have Negative Emotions 07:00 – Spring 2013: The Kitchen Window and the Major Depressive Episode 07:44 – Safe Community and the Breaking of the False Identity 08:49 – "All You Need to Do Is Show Up" 10:03 – The House of Prayer: God Reveals the Core Falsehoods 11:19 – Head Knowledge vs. Heart Belief 12:19 – Matthew 11 and the Yoke We Were Never Meant to Carry 13:02 – The Freedom of Knowing What God Says About You 14:05 – The Question We All Face: Who Gets to Say Who I Am? 16:06 – Parenting Adult Children Who Aren't Walking With Jesus 19:09 – Identity Struggles in Our Family: Loving Without Losing Truth 22:07 – Seeing Past the Struggle to the Heart of a Child 23:12 – Grace and Truth: Light and Love Without Giving Offense 25:27 – "Keep My Eyes on My Own Paper" 26:54 – Outpost Ministries and the Twin Cities Justice House of Prayer 29:41 – Progressive Sanctification and Walking With Others 29:57 – Closing Thoughts: Vulnerability and Going Out to Do as Jesus Did Bensound- November (music) Music from #Uppbeat  Music: 'Essence Of Light' by Aaron Paul Low on  #Uppbeat https://uppbeat.io/c/aaron-paul-low License code: ZML1ML0ELF5JH4VJ Welcome to Just Talkin' About Jesus. I'm Jan Johnson, a seasoned believer who loves relationships and, you know, just talkin' about Jesus. Here you will find testimonies of those who God has changed through his grace. Stories of feeling unworthy because of being sex trafficked, or of radical redemption of a woman who grew up with abuse, neglect, abandonment and drugs. A story of an abortion survivor. This and more. Lean in now. Consider subscribing to this podcast, YouTube and Substack- all with the same name: Just Talkin' About Jesus! https://www.youtube.com/@JustTalkinAboutJesus https://jan-johnson.com/ https://justtalkingaboutjesus.com/ https://janjohnsonauthor.substack.com/ https://www.youtube.com/@JustTalkinAboutJesus Thanks for listening! If you have a story to tell, check out the form on my website- justtalkingaboutjesus.com. I'd love to connect with you! No, really.... hit me up!

    He, She, Them, and Me: Responding in Love and Truth to your LGBTQ+-identified Child
  2. Oct 10

    Cyclones, Calling, and a Sheep Farmer’s Son: Ian Reilly’s Story

    Send me a text and let me know your thoughts! Engineer, painter, entrepreneur, and author Ian Reilly joins Jan to talk about growing up on a sheep farm, building a tech startup at 52, and the two cyclones that shaped his years teaching in Samoa.  Along the way, Ian shares what he learned about cultural Christianity, connecting across language barriers, and the quiet influence of a life lived faithfully. His memoir Encounter recently won the New York City Big Book Award. https://uppbeat.io/t/tobias-voigt/hope-and-wonder License code: XXAPHVLRL1JYTHLD Chapter Markers00:00          Welcome and sheep farming in common 00:49          Why every pastor should visit a sheep farm 01:07          Creativity: flute, fiber arts, watercolor, and pastel 01:53          The pastel portrait of Ian’s father 02:44          Engineering as art in a different medium 03:09          Building a livestock virtual fence startup at 52 05:12          Melbourne and the pull of the farm 06:37          The smell of lanolin and home 06:53          Volunteering in Samoa 07:57          Lost passports and a sweltering arrival 09:02          The first cyclone 10:16          Crisis as normal life 11:13          Farm skills and engineering in Samoa 13:17          Heather’s gifts as a teacher 15:01          Language barriers 17:01          Samoan food: sea cucumbers, umu, and mutton flaps 19:22          Faith in Samoa and cultural Christianity 21:52          Bible studies and being an example 22:57          Connecting without a shared language 23:57          The second cyclone and leaving Samoa 25:04          What lasted: students and relationships 26:29          Mentoring and the weight of influence 27:21          Where to find Encounter 28:10          Visiting Oregon and wrap-up Welcome to Just Talkin' About Jesus. I'm Jan Johnson, a seasoned believer who loves relationships and, you know, just talkin' about Jesus. Here you will find testimonies of those who God has changed through his grace. Stories of feeling unworthy because of being sex trafficked, or of radical redemption of a woman who grew up with abuse, neglect, abandonment and drugs. A story of an abortion survivor. This and more. Lean in now. Consider subscribing to this podcast, YouTube and Substack- all with the same name: Just Talkin' About Jesus! https://www.youtube.com/@JustTalkinAboutJesus https://jan-johnson.com/ https://justtalkingaboutjesus.com/ https://janjohnsonauthor.substack.com/ https://www.youtube.com/@JustTalkinAboutJesus Thanks for listening! If you have a story to tell, check out the form on my website- justtalkingaboutjesus.com. I'd love to connect with you! No, really.... hit me up!

    Cyclones, Calling, and a Sheep Farmer’s Son: Ian Reilly’s Story
  3. Oct 3

    Feeling Left Out? How God’s Chosen Identity Heals Rejection: Joanna Immanuel

    Send me a text and let me know your thoughts! Have you ever felt left out? In this episode, Jan Johnson talks with Joanna Immanuel (from Germany) and Angie Clayton, editor of the anthology Chosen, Sacred Journeys with a Faithful God, about how God turns the hard places of our lives into places of calling. Joanna shares how an acorn and Isaiah 61 reshaped her view of the “dirt” in her story, and how being called forth by God healed the little girl who felt she never measured up.  Angie explores the great exchange, beauty for ashes, and why the comfort we’ve received is meant to be shared.  Then hear Joanna’s remarkable airport story that taught her to give thanks in every circumstance. If you’ve been holding your pain with a closed fist, this conversation invites you to open it. As a passionate writer and author whose heart is to scribe God’s Papa-heart (www.rewritten.life), Joanna’s desire is to see writers and scribes released to co-author their books with God.  She is the creator of the online course WRITE YOUR BOOK WITH GOD, and the founder and host of both the virtual INKLINGS “Balloon Ride with God” Writers’ Retreats and a free live Zoom meeting that invites you to "Write with God for 33 minutes daily" on weekdays and encounter God in each of your writing times.    Joanna is a born and trained language teacher (K5-12) and lecturer (Developing English Skills). She has also been trained and certified in counselling and SOZO tools.    In her free time, Joanna loves traveling the world together with her beloved husband, playing with her two tomcats and cultivating her garden.  Joanna Immanuel (www.rewritten.life) is the author of:     • Rewritten Life. COME AND SIT WITH ME FOR A WHILE https://amzn.to/3ZGwZfj  Love Letters from a Lavishly Loving God     • Speak Only One Word – A true story https://amzn.to/3yB6yvC    • Write with God for 33 minutes daily Join our FREE daily Zoom writing sessions at 10:30 a.m. EST    • Write Your Book With God online course – www.writeyourbookwithgod.com    • Contribution to Angie Clayton's latest volume: "Chosen: Sacred Journeys with a Faithful God" --> Chapter: "Chosen. Beloved All Along" Isaiah 61:3: “To appoint unto them that mourn in Zion, to give unto them beauty for ashes, the oil of joy for mourning, the garment of praise for the spirit of heaviness; that they might be called trees of righteousness, the planting of the LORD, that he might be glorified.”  2 Corinthians 1:4: “Who comforts us in all our tribulation, that we may be able to comfort them which are in any trouble, by the comfort whitch we ourselves are comforted of God.”  1 Thessalonians 5:18: “In every thing give thanks: for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus concerning you.”  Music from #Uppbeat https://uppbeat.io/t/ra/flow-state License code: U8LCZSJQYF0FUAP6 Music from #Uppbeat https://uppbeat.io/t/tobias-voigt/hope-and-wonder License code: XXAPHVLRL1JYTHLD Chapter Markers 00:00  Welcome: Meet Joanna, Angie, and the Chosen anthology  01:26  Feeling left out: the child who never felt good enough  01:54  Isaiah 61 and the acorn that holds an oak tree  04:17  Dirt, hiding, and the seed the squirrel buries  05:00  Jesus' mission: roots down, then called forth  06:26  "God must have had a really good day": words that heal  08:12  Angie jumps in: garland instead of ashes (Isaiah 61:3)  11:04  Ashes can't reignite: open hands and the crown  11:51  Incense: worshiping God while things burn down  13:07  David, the overlooked one God chose  14:07  Days written before we were born, and not looking back  14:58  The year of the Lord's favor, and the day of vengeance  16:19  Words that give life: a prayer over the listener  17:27  Comfort received, comfort shared (2 Corinthians 1)  19:24  The "holy opportunity" and accepting who God says we are  20:24  Sozo ministry and being made whole  21:10  The airport story: a princess, a boarding pass, and business class  26:26  Giving thanks in the storm: the emergency landing  27:41  Angie as spiritual mom: a "love gift" from Papa  28:04  Countenance and light: what a joyful face says  29:03  Recap: the acorn, the dirt, and the power of thanks  29:45  In all things, not for all things  30:13  Romans 8:28 and "double for the trouble, triple for the trauma"  31:00  Joanna's books, Papa Letters, and the daily writing Zoom  34:13  Final words: search "chosen" in the Bible  36:03  Wrap-up and thank you Welcome to Just Talkin' About Jesus. I'm Jan Johnson, a seasoned believer who loves relationships and, you know, just talkin' about Jesus. Here you will find testimonies of those who God has changed through his grace. Stories of feeling unworthy because of being sex trafficked, or of radical redemption of a woman who grew up with abuse, neglect, abandonment and drugs. A story of an abortion survivor. This and more. Lean in now. Consider subscribing to this podcast, YouTube and Substack- all with the same name: Just Talkin' About Jesus! https://www.youtube.com/@JustTalkinAboutJesus https://jan-johnson.com/ https://justtalkingaboutjesus.com/ https://janjohnsonauthor.substack.com/ https://www.youtube.com/@JustTalkinAboutJesus Thanks for listening! If you have a story to tell, check out the form on my website- justtalkingaboutjesus.com. I'd love to connect with you! No, really.... hit me up!

    Feeling Left Out? How God’s Chosen Identity Heals Rejection: Joanna Immanuel
  4. Sep 19

    From Single Immigrant Mom to Bestselling Author: Stefania Leao's Story of Prayer

    Send me a text and let me know your thoughts! Stefania Leao came to the United States from Brazil for a one-week visit and stayed almost ten years. As a single mom who didn't speak English, she began each morning reading the Bible and writing a prayer.  Those simple notes became a devotional book now available in five languages, reaching a church in Malawi, the Brazilian national team, and people on the streets of San Francisco.  Stefania and host Jan Johnson talk about prayer, humility, obedience, and how God uses ordinary people. If you've ever wondered how to start praying, this episode will encourage you to begin with just five minutes. Links to Stefania's book and projects are below. Official links: Website: https://stefanialeao.com The Prayer: https://readtheprayer.com Mission & Impact: https://stefanialeao.com/impact Malawi / Chichewa mission: https://readtheprayer.com/malawi Press, media and official author photo: https://stefanialeao.com/media/press-coverage Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/stefanialeaoofficial/ TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@stefanialeao Welcome to Just Talkin' About Jesus. I'm Jan Johnson, a seasoned believer who loves relationships and, you know, just talkin' about Jesus. Here you will find testimonies of those who God has changed through his grace. Stories of feeling unworthy because of being sex trafficked, or of radical redemption of a woman who grew up with abuse, neglect, abandonment and drugs. A story of an abortion survivor. This and more. Lean in now. Consider subscribing to this podcast, YouTube and Substack- all with the same name: Just Talkin' About Jesus! https://www.youtube.com/@JustTalkinAboutJesus https://jan-johnson.com/ https://justtalkingaboutjesus.com/ https://janjohnsonauthor.substack.com/ https://www.youtube.com/@JustTalkinAboutJesus Thanks for listening! If you have a story to tell, check out the form on my website- justtalkingaboutjesus.com. I'd love to connect with you! No, really.... hit me up!

    From Single Immigrant Mom to Bestselling Author: Stefania Leao's Story of Prayer
  5. Sep 19

    Church Hurt, Panic Attacks, and Learning to Be Angry at God with Dustin Kleinschmidt

    Send me a text and let me know your thoughts! Pastor and author Dustin Kleinschmidt joins host Jan Johnson to talk candidly about church hurt, ministry burnout, and the process of grieving and healing after stepping away from full-time pastoral leadership.  Dustin shares how he was called back to lead a church in crisis, the "trifecta" of events that nearly destroyed it, the breaking point that led him to resign, and the panic attacks and anger at God that followed.  Together they explore identity, boundaries, lament, and what it looks like to keep loving Jesus and the church even after being wounded by it. Psalm 34:18 — "The Lord is close to the brokenhearted and saves those who are crushed in spirit." Lamentations 3:22–23 — "The steadfast love of the Lord never ceases; his mercies never come to an end; they are new every morning; great is your faithfulness." Revelation 21:4 — "He will wipe every tear from their eyes. There will be no more death or mourning or crying or pain, for the old order of things has passed away." Music from #Uppbeat https://uppbeat.io/t/braden-deal/a-movement License code: JF75OPN6HGFTNGNG   Chapter Markers  | 00:00 | Welcome & Introduction  | 00:49 | Dustin's Unexpected Path to Faith  | 02:00 | The Moment Faith Became Real  | 03:38 | Worship, College Ministry, and Discovering His Gifts  | 04:57 | Walking Away from a Music Career  | 06:55 | A New Chapter in Dallas  | 07:21 | Planting a Church, Then COVID Hit  | 08:01 | Called Back to Lead a Church in Crisis  | 09:05 | The "Trifecta" That Breaks Churches  | 10:19 | The Breaking Point: Stepping Out of Ministry  | 13:17 | Whose Voice Are You Listening To?  | 17:03 | Values, Identity, and What Really Broke  | 19:42 | Panic Attacks and Finding the Right Counselor  | 21:23 | Anger, Grief, and Getting Honest with God  | 26:14 | Living in the Wilderness: Already but Not Yet  | 29:00 | Learning to Name and Grieve Small Losses  | 33:19 | Rebuilding Friendships and Setting Boundaries  | 36:01 | Closing Thoughts and Where to Find Dustin DustinKleinschmidt.com Welcome to Just Talkin' About Jesus. I'm Jan Johnson, a seasoned believer who loves relationships and, you know, just talkin' about Jesus. Here you will find testimonies of those who God has changed through his grace. Stories of feeling unworthy because of being sex trafficked, or of radical redemption of a woman who grew up with abuse, neglect, abandonment and drugs. A story of an abortion survivor. This and more. Lean in now. Consider subscribing to this podcast, YouTube and Substack- all with the same name: Just Talkin' About Jesus! https://www.youtube.com/@JustTalkinAboutJesus https://jan-johnson.com/ https://justtalkingaboutjesus.com/ https://janjohnsonauthor.substack.com/ https://www.youtube.com/@JustTalkinAboutJesus Thanks for listening! If you have a story to tell, check out the form on my website- justtalkingaboutjesus.com. I'd love to connect with you! No, really.... hit me up!

    Church Hurt, Panic Attacks, and Learning to Be Angry at God with Dustin Kleinschmidt
  6. Sep 12

    From Gang Life to Gospel: Ariel Aguilar's Story of Faith | Just Talking About Jesus

    Send me a text and let me know your thoughts! Before he was a pastor, church planter, and missionary, Ariel Aguilar ran with gangs.  In this conversation with host Jan Johnson, Ariel shares how a medical crisis —  his wife's cancer diagnosis during pregnancy —  became the turning point that led him to give his life to Christ.  From there, his story takes us through freezing mission trips in Mongolia, a young man named Togi who came to faith weeks before he passed away, and Ariel's current ministry, Door Knocker Apologetics, where he trades ten minutes of listening to a sales pitch for fifteen minutes to talk about Jesus with whoever shows up at his front door.  Practical, funny, and deeply rooted in scripture, this episode will change how you think about the next conversation you have with a stranger. Music from #Uppbeat https://uppbeat.io/t/oliver-massa/brighter-days License code: KTTDO32WFSGDAR5H Chapter Markers 00:00   Welcome & Introduction 01:01   From Gang Life to Giving His Life to Christ 02:00   Pastor, Church Planter, and Missionary 02:50   The "But God" Moment: Jessica's Cancer Diagnosis 04:02   Making a Deal with God 06:04   The Birth of Micah and Marrying Jessica 06:46   The Miracle of Johnny Glenn's Word 09:38   Micah Today 10:48   What Drew Him to Missions 11:32   Mongolia and the Cold That Had to Be God 12:09   Hospitality Among the Mongolian and Chinese People 13:31   The Story of Togi 16:41   Togi's Passing and Eternal Hope 17:44   Getting a Mongolian Name: Dala 18:37   Door Knocker Apologetics Begins 20:03   The Ten-Minutes-for-Fifteen-Minutes Deal 23:40   Starting the Conversation: "Are You Spiritual?" 24:24   The Columbo Tactic 24:38   Role-Playing a Door Knocker Conversation 28:25   The Four Questions: Creation, Purpose, Morality, Eternity 30:24   "It's the Same God" — Addressing a Common Objection 33:08   Why Christianity Is Different from Other Religions 35:37   The Dentist Bill Illustration 36:28   Final Word: Go Love More Welcome to Just Talkin' About Jesus. I'm Jan Johnson, a seasoned believer who loves relationships and, you know, just talkin' about Jesus. Here you will find testimonies of those who God has changed through his grace. Stories of feeling unworthy because of being sex trafficked, or of radical redemption of a woman who grew up with abuse, neglect, abandonment and drugs. A story of an abortion survivor. This and more. Lean in now. Consider subscribing to this podcast, YouTube and Substack- all with the same name: Just Talkin' About Jesus! https://www.youtube.com/@JustTalkinAboutJesus https://jan-johnson.com/ https://justtalkingaboutjesus.com/ https://janjohnsonauthor.substack.com/ https://www.youtube.com/@JustTalkinAboutJesus Thanks for listening! If you have a story to tell, check out the form on my website- justtalkingaboutjesus.com. I'd love to connect with you! No, really.... hit me up!

    From Gang Life to Gospel: Ariel Aguilar's Story of Faith | Just Talking About Jesus
  7. Aug 29

    Walking the Camino: A Pilgrim's Journey Toward Repentance and Joy

    Send me a text and let me know your thoughts! At 78, retired pastor Jerry Heslinga walked 160 miles of the Camino de Santiago with his son-in-law — and came home with more than sore feet. Jan Johnson talks with Jerry about faith conversations on the trail, a stranger's story of reconciliation, and the lifelong lesson of repentance that met him somewhere between Portugal and Spain.  A conversation about journeys — the ones in Scripture, and the ones we're still walking. Psalm 92. The righteous will flourish like a palm tree, they will grow like a cedar of Lebanon, planted in the house of the Lord. They will flourish in the courts of our God. They will still bear fruit in old age  Hebrews 12 — let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us  📖 Scriptures referenced: Isaiah 40:31, Psalm 92:12–15, Hebrews 12:1–2, Psalms 121–134 https://uppbeat.io/t/kurtz-martin/divine-fate License code: BFHW6GEPXJNX866H | 00:00 | Introduction: Meet Jerry Heslinga | | 00:36 | Why Jerry decided to walk the Camino | | 02:14 | Training, blisters, and getting ready to walk | | 04:05 | Starting the walk in Porto, Portugal | | 04:39 | The pilgrim's passport and how the Camino works | | 05:22 | Walking 160 miles from Porto to Santiago de Compostela | | 05:43 | Conversations on the road and meeting fellow pilgrims | | 06:22 | Faith conversations with his son-in-law Matt | | 07:21 | Journeys throughout the Bible | | 09:21 | Connecting to Jan's Bible study, "Discovering Your Journey" | | 11:00 | A 50-year-old memory resurfaces on the trail | | 12:13 | Reflecting on mission trips to Mongolia, China, and beyond | | 12:48 | Teaching conversational English in Mongolia | | 13:25 | Singing Isaiah 40:31 on the walk | | 13:50 | Matt carries Jerry's pack up a difficult climb | | 14:21 | A stranger's story of reconciliation with his daughter | | 15:42 | What that story reveals about hidden pain | | 15:46 | Daily mileage and the route across two countries | | 16:12 | Where they stayed and what they packed | | 17:27 | The Spirit of the Camino and the Pilgrim's Prayer | | 19:12 | Decompressing after the walk | | 19:44 | Comparing the Camino to other Christian pilgrimages | | 20:20 | The 12th-century Pilgrim Prayer, in full | | 21:28 | The lifestyle of repentance Jerry rediscovered | | 22:33 | Jerry's guiding verse: Psalm 92 | | 23:31 | Hebrews 12 and running with perseverance | | 24:03 | Did Jerry ever imagine doing this when he was young? | | 24:26 | Closing thoughts and thank-you |   Welcome to Just Talkin' About Jesus. I'm Jan Johnson, a seasoned believer who loves relationships and, you know, just talkin' about Jesus. Here you will find testimonies of those who God has changed through his grace. Stories of feeling unworthy because of being sex trafficked, or of radical redemption of a woman who grew up with abuse, neglect, abandonment and drugs. A story of an abortion survivor. This and more. Lean in now. Consider subscribing to this podcast, YouTube and Substack- all with the same name: Just Talkin' About Jesus! https://www.youtube.com/@JustTalkinAboutJesus https://jan-johnson.com/ https://justtalkingaboutjesus.com/ https://janjohnsonauthor.substack.com/ https://www.youtube.com/@JustTalkinAboutJesus Thanks for listening! If you have a story to tell, check out the form on my website- justtalkingaboutjesus.com. I'd love to connect with you! No, really.... hit me up!

    Walking the Camino: A Pilgrim's Journey Toward Repentance and Joy
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About

A place with real people sharing their real faith. What was the moment when you first realized how real Jesus is? Tell me about your But God moment. Have you had moments when you were so low you could only rely on your faith? What makes you joyful when the rest of the world isn't? These are a few of the questions that lead my interviews. Once a month we have a roundtable chat with a few people about a topic.