17 Comments
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Caroline Beidler, MSW's avatar

This is good. Thanks so much for sharing and affirming that indeed we do not have to. 🙏🏼

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Drew Brown's avatar

Thank you so much Caroline! It is so reassuring to meet other writers doing the same.

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Jess Leigh Hanna's avatar

The weary world rejoices at hope that isn't hurried, harsh, or heavy-laden. Thank you for this, and congratulations!

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Drew Brown's avatar

Oof. "The weary world rejoices at hope that isn't hurried, harsh, or heavy-laden." That'll preach. Thank you for sharing!

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Ali Ban's avatar

Amen and Amen 🙌 And know that the 1,000 followers and however many paids is God’s perfect blessing. What is the book you are writing and will publish?

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Drew Brown's avatar

I am learning that God has blessed me so so much to be able to even write these words. I hope to be faithful :)

And I wrote a book called "Is It Well? An Anxious Love Story" and finished it this past summer! I wrote about the book itself here: https://slowfaith.substack.com/p/i-finished-my-book

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Haley Baumeister's avatar

Ooooof. This confirms why I mostly steer clear of the *major* Christian magazines and publications for this reason. Besides the fact that there are SO MANY great, smaller publications doing just as excellent (if not better) work... the clickbaity stuff gets old. (I'm looking at you, Christianity Today. lol)

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Drew Brown's avatar

Please send me recommendations for smaller publications! My current favorite is "Fathom." I think they do an amazing job of publishing thoughtful and nuanced pieces.

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Haley Baumeister's avatar

I keep this list of favorite publications to visit on a regular basis. Well, I don't visit ALL of them regularly, mostly the highlighted ones, but it's nice to have a list of good ones, ya know? And relying on social media or even email lists gets cumbersome: https://docs.google.com/document/d/1Flr9DmqF3zW2UyQzMAuJgN0qF1WPRgzNrV6R1MFlnwA/edit?usp=sharing

As for Christian/Christian-adjacent publications sharing a variety of types of pieces.... from more academic to more theological to more pop cultural to more artistic and literary.....the best ones in my mind are:

Ekstasis

Plough

Front Porch Republic

Comment

Fathom

Mere Orthodoxy

First Things

Hedgehog Review

Touchstone

Anselm Society

The Rabbit Room

Mockingbird

Current

Dappled Things

Fare Forward

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Kensi Duszynski's avatar

Drew, you’re speaking my language. Slow growth at a pace my nervous system can handle and sustain. Or as you put it, freely limited. Thanks for your writing, and congratulations on reaching readers in a way you can be proud of!

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Drew Brown's avatar

Kensi, thank you so much for your kind words! I think there are a lot of people who want more sustainable examples in their life--unfortunately, the writing industry doesn't really reward sustainability all the time.

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Janell Downing's avatar

And so we keep walking and writing, turning over rocks and thinking, isn't that funny? I wrote about that 5 years ago and I'm writing about it again, except I'm a little different now and notice things I never used to. And God says yes, here's a little more for you to behold. Isn't it great?

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Drew Brown's avatar

Mmm I love that, "turning over rocks" :) Thank you for sharing!

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Paige Wiley's avatar

So impressed by you, as always! Thanks for your slow nature of being, doing, and writing. Grateful for it!

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Drew Brown's avatar

Paige you are too kind! Thank YOU for doing the same with your writing--I am grateful!

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Morgan Strehlow's avatar

I really appreciate this.

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Bill Branks M.A. D.Min.'s avatar

I appreciate your posts and am Recommending them. Would you be willing to recommend mine as well? billbranks.substack.com/welcome

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