I became an author when I was 6 or 7. My first book told the story of my elementary class field trip to the circus during its tour in Ohio. In the style of a children’s picture book, I wrote page by page about the highlight performances of the show, drew and colored illustrations, and bound the pages together myself by constructing a cover out of thin cardboard wrapped in fabric and stitching the spine with yarn. I don’t remember how I got the idea to self-publish my own first edition cloth “hardback” book as a first or second grader in the 1980s. But with that story, my writing life began.
Throughout childhood and adolescence, I wrote more stories and explored fiction, poetry, and journalism. I started writing reflections on faith, God, and Christian life. I went to college and fell in love with philosophy and theology and yet used my electives to earn a minor in writing.
After college, I embarked on a path toward becoming a theology professor. I completed two master’s degrees in religion and theology and then made it through a doctoral program in theology to receive my Th.D. in 2016. When I found no success in an academic job market with few economically sustainable faculty positions and also found myself drawn toward writing and teaching for churches, I ventured into the arena of Christian formation. I directed formation programs for children, youth, and adults at a church for several years. Then I became an editor for a website dedicated to Christian formation, where I write articles and work with writers to help them share their ideas for formation ministries.
Amid the twists and flows of my vocational journey, I have come to realize that writing has been an abiding presence (and not just because of the volume of writing assignments that come with grad school). Writing is much more than a tool, hobby, or craft for me. It is like breathing. It is how I think, speak, pray, and create. When I write, I feel like I am most fully myself and alive.
By no means is my writing process without waves and walls, obstacles and rewrites, frustration and uncertainty. Nevertheless, my writing life has sustained me as a human being and as a person of faith. At this point in my journey, I am interested in attending more deeply to the creative and transformative power of written words, not only for my own life, but for the lives of all people and creation in this God-beloved world.
I launched this website in 2021 as a way to do this work. At Writing Faith Studio, I bring together my theological training, passion for creativity, and personal experience to explore both writing practices and lived faith. I write articles about theology, scripture, and church life on the ground. I develop curriculum and other resources for adult Christian formation. I also share devotional reflections for entering into scripture and church seasons.
I hope you will join me in the studio and take part in this work, too! I invite you to contribute your comments on the blog and to subscribe to my newsletter. I invite you to get in touch as well if you have questions, ideas, or a project with which I may be able to help you or your community.
~ Jodi
