Why I’m moving.
Hey friend,
I’ve talked a lot recently about obedience. About taking steps of faith when you don’t really know what’s going to happen. About doing what you know you need to do even if it’s hard or scary. What you’re reading right now is the culmination of all of that.
I’m moving my blog and my email to Substack. If you’re not familiar with it, Substack is the marriage between a blog and and and email platform. In addition, it allows you to support me through a paid subscription (if you’re so inclined — I’ll explain more in a bit). From now on, my writing will live here.
What does this mean?
The short version? Using this platform allows me to focus more on who I’m called to be and what makes me, well, me. I’m a dad, a husband, and an entrepreneur. But I’m a storyteller. I’ve written nearly 10,000 posts in my lifetime, helping lead organizations like I Am Second and Kirk Cameron’s digital platform. I was in the news business before that. And even though I consult business, non-profits, and content creators, my first love — my true love — is writing. Every day.
I write about faith. About life. About my struggles and my trials. I’m radically vulnerable, maybe to a fault. In an age of filters and heavily edited videos, I bring a raw and real component to my little corner of the internet. In fact, I wrote a bestselling book on faith and mental health that showcases that approach.
But daily writing takes time. It takes attention. I know I’m called to do it, and I will do it. But I want to really do it. I want to be able to say “no” to other things so I can operate in my full identity as a bold, courageous, and decisive storyteller via radical vulnerability — the radical vulnerability you’ve told me you appreciate and are blown away by.
With Substack, you’ll now be able to support that both for free and via a small fee: $5/month, which is an average of $0.25 per post for the monthly option and $0.15 per post for the yearly option (which also averages out to $0.10 per day).
HOWEVER, EVEN IF YOU AREN’T A PAID SUBSCRIBER YOU WILL STILL BE ABLE TO ACCESS A CERTAIN AMOUNT OF POSTS EVERY WEEK.
In fact, if you’re receiving this post, you’re ALREADY a free subscriber. You signed up for my emails in the past, so I simply moved you over from my former platform.
I want to make that clear. What will that look like for you, then? About 1-2 posts a week will be free. I’ll choose ones that I think are appropriate for that. The rest (5+ per week) will be for subscribers only. You can see all the subscriber options, including the “free” one, by clicking the button above.
Why this? Why now?
Three reasons…
I could be wrong, but I think there’s an appetite for writing. Good writing. Dare I say deep and interesting writing. Writing that you can’t just skim. We’re living in a video world where TikToks and Reels cater to short attention spans. But those don’t leave room for deep thoughts. For rich encouragement. I think there are people out there who want more. Who appreciate more. I want to give that to them. Subscriber posts, then, will include rich stories, keen insights, important updates, greater access, and hope-filled prose. That’s what I’m called to do, and that’s what you will get.
Creating good writing takes time, focus, and money. Each post over the last two weeks, for example, took several hours to produce, from idea to final product. They required a lot of thought and research. They required time and focus. They required me to say “no” to other things. And you know what? I want to say “no” to a lot more things so that I can focus on bringing you the type of writing, insights, and encouragement that you have been telling me you want.
I’m getting ready to talk about something controversial, and this format makes that possible. Why? Because I don’t have to worry (as much) about losing out on other opportunities because of what I’m about to say. The people here — you — are the kind of people that will want to hear what’s been stirring in my heart, but there are others outside of here that won’t. Having subscribers gives me the freedom to say what needs to be said.
That said, I want to keep this affordable. I’m not looking to make this my only venture, although if the demand is there I’m certainly open to it. Instead, I want to secure enough supporters and readers to give this the attention it deserves.
So the cost will be $5/month or $50/year. If you really want to support this endeavor, you can become a founding member for $150. That includes some extra benefits, including ones I’m still figuring out. But no pressure.
What do paid subscribers get?
Paid subscribers will get access to every single post. God has told me to write and post every weekday, so that’s what I’m going to do. As a paid subscriber, you will be able to read every single one of those posts in full. In addition, you’ll get access to the full archive of posts, be able to comment, and also take advantage of monthly video sessions with me and others just like you who appreciate faith- and hope-filled writing.
Anything else?
No… and yes. As this grows, you can expect other benefits. There are chat, podcast, and video capabilities here that I’d like to take advantage of. For example, I see a future where paid subscribers also get a little behind-the-scenes video about how the day’s post came about and some of my additional thoughts that didn’t make the cut.
I have some other ideas, but let’s see how this goes first.
Does this mean you won’t be posting on Facebook anymore?
I’ll still be posting on Facebook and social media, but my full thoughts are going to be reserved for Substack. Frankly, I’m tired of algorithms deciding what’s important and what is not. I’m tired of leaving what I know God is telling me to say to chance. In the current environment, maybe you’ll see it, but most likely you won’t. But by joining me on Substack, even by only utilizing the free tier, YOU get to decide what you see. Want to make sure you see everything? You can subscribe and never miss a post.
Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, and all the other tech platforms want to decide for you. Not Substack. I like that. I think you will, too.
When does this start?
Well, now. This post is the kickoff. I did my first “real” blog post this morning giving an update on my Wife’s Mayo Clinic visit. Don’t worry, it was one of the free posts.
How many emails can I expect?
If you are a free subscriber, you can expect 1-2 emails a week. That’s because each post gets sent right to your inbox.
If you’re a paid subscriber, you can expect around 5 emails a week. Once again, though, those aren’t solicitation emails; they are simply the posts you get access to showing up in your inbox.
What if I don’t want this?
I get it, change can be hard. I have to adjust, too. But if you don’t want to take part in any of this, I understand. All you have to do to opt out is hit the “unsubscribe” button in the email. That will be it.
If you change your mind, you can always come back later. I’d love to have you. But I get it.
Thanks for reading this. If you made it this far, maybe you’re the kind of person that appreciates writing and you might want to hit the subscribe button above. Again, it averages out to $0.25 per post for the monthly option, and only $0.15 per post for the yearly option. Can you support encouraging, insightful writing for $0.15/post (or $0.10 per day)? Only you can answer that. Maybe just try it for a month?
That’s it for now. See you on Substack.
Jon
Me and my family: My daughter (Annie), my son (Jack), and my wife (Brett).
