Meet Amber Ginter Johnson

We caught up with the brilliant and insightful Amber Ginter Johnson a few weeks ago and have shared our conversation below.

Amber, we’re thrilled to have you sharing your thoughts and lessons with our community. So, for folks who are at a stage in their life or career where they are trying to be more resilient, can you share where you get your resilience from?

I believe my resilience began before I was born. As a premature infant, I entered this world almost 2 months before my due date and spent the first 31 days of my life in the NICU fighting for my life. By God’s grace, I overcame with little to no health issues.

Growing up in a ‘Christian home,’ I was taught that someone always has it worse, and to be thankful. It wasn’t until after college, when I started counseling, that I realized just how chaotic my home life had been.

When I was 10, I answered the phone, and my half-brother threatened to kill me. That was just one of hundreds of abusive situations—physically, mentally, and emotionally—that I endured over the next decade. I always knew my half-siblings struggled with addictions, but I had no idea how deeply their issues would affect me and my family.

At 14, my father was placed on disability, and I quickly became the second parent in the house. The verbal and emotional abuse only worsened, and I sought support from my mom. Even amid the chaos, I saw God as her strength. She was resilient—and so, I became resilient. Every ounce of strength we had came from the Lord.

Looking back, I see countless instances that required resilience:

*Graduating college, while being diagnosed with over 10 mental and physical health conditions nearly overnight.
*Pursuing my career as a full-time author, leaving my teaching job despite the fear.
*Losing one of my half-brothers to an overdose and using that loss to help others heal.
*Choosing to use my pain and struggles to show others they are seen and loved.

So where do I get my resilience from? Jesus Christ, who endured the greatest suffering known to man, so that I could learn how to serve and help others.

Appreciate the insights and wisdom. Before we dig deeper and ask you about the skills that matter and more, maybe you can tell our readers about yourself?

Hi, friends! My name is Amber Ginter Johnson, and I’m a teacher-turned-author, freelance writer, and a third-year nonfiction Author Conservatory student. After spending a decade in education, with the last five years teaching high school English, I’ve transitioned into full-time writing. I’m excited to share that I’ve recently signed with an agent, and my debut book will be traditionally published within the next year or two!

Along with writing, I’m also certified in Master Christian Mental Health Coaching and Youth Mental Health First Aid (USA). These qualifications align perfectly with my book, Tired On The Inside: Finding Hope When You Aren’t Okay, which offers practical, faith-based tools for young adult Christians struggling with mental health. This book is my answer to the common, but often unhelpful, advice to “just pray more” or “read your Bible more” when dealing with anxiety or depression. I believe God’s people need real solutions, not simple ones. Having anxiety doesn’t mean you lack faith—it means you’re human.

For years, I struggled to find resources that combined biblical wisdom with practical advice for mental health. Frustrated by one-size-fits-all solutions, I began writing, speaking, and blogging on the subject. Now, I wear many hats: I’m an author, speaker, teacher, dancer, singer, and passionate follower of Jesus.

I adore my husband Ben, our goldendoodle Oso, and I have a deep love for granola, travel, and staying active. Nature and the mountains are my happy places. I’m currently in the process of launching writer’s mentor coaching, guided meditations for anxiety, a podcast, and—of course—my first traditionally published book! My husband and I also run an adult dance ministry- Light in the Darkness Adult Dance Company.

I’m incredibly excited about what’s ahead, and I can’t wait to continue helping people discover practical hope and healing.

Looking back, what do you think were the three qualities, skills, or areas of knowledge that were most impactful in your journey? What advice do you have for folks who are early in their journey in terms of how they can best develop or improve on these?

1. Faith- Without Jesus, I never would’ve made it through this journey.
2. Resilience- Without bouncing back from failure and setbacks, I wouldn’t be where I am today.
3. Grit- Without passion and perseverance, I wouldn’t have a heart for those who need help the most.

If you’re early on in your journey, be encouraged! No matter what phase of life you find yourself in, Jesus is always with you (even when you can’t see or feel Him) and He cares about what you’re experiencing. Through Him, you have the resilience and grit to carry on, even in the face of adversity. At the end of the day, we must remember that Jesus Christ came not to be served, but to serve others, and that’s also our call (Matthew 20:28; Mark 10:45; John 13:1-17). Developing these skills starts by having a personal relationship with Jesus and humbling yourself to His will. It’s then about taking practical action steps as we grow and asking Him to lead, guide, and direct us along the way (Proverbs 16:9).

What is the number one obstacle or challenge you are currently facing and what are you doing to try to resolve or overcome this challenge?

Definitely anxiety. I’ve struggled with anxiety for as long as I can remember, but since my early twenties, it really started impacting my life. I’ve been in therapy since 2019, and am just now in a place where I feel ready to try medication. I still pray, tap into coping skills, read my Bible, and rely on my personal relationship with Jesus.

But over the years, while therapy has helped, I’ve learned it’s not enough.

I used to think that meant I wasn’t strong enough. Intelligent enough. Working hard enough. Praying and seeking God enough. Believing enough.

I started asking God what He thought about this. I started asking my therapist, and my husband. Good and trustworthy friends and family.

I learned that if I need medication for my thyroid and physical health, it’s okay if I need it for my anxiety and depression, too.

I learned that I can have peace about taking this medication in hopeful expectation, not because it’s a cure-all, but because I believe in God who can use things like therapy and medication to heal, every single day.

And so today, though I’m still scared of the side effects and unknowns, I know it’s worth the risk. I’m not jumping blind. I’ve done my research and prayed without ceasing.

But I’m trying the thing that scares me most because God deserves the best version of me. My husband deserves the best version of me. My readers deserve the best version of me.

I deserve the best version of myself.

Here’s to trying the things that scare us the most—especially the things we’ve been shamed or judged for.

Because you and I have no reason to be ashamed. And we will wait in hopeful expectation for our healing whether that comes this side of Heaven or not until we reach eternity.

Whether that comes through medication and therapy or God decides to someday take away this thorn supernaturally (Psalm 39:7; Psalm 5:3).

And we will trust the process. He will get the glory for this.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://AmberGinter.com
• Instagram: @amberginterauthor and @aginter1996
• Facebook: Amber Ginter Johnson and Amber Ginter Author
• Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/amber-ginter-83161017a/
• Twitter: @aginter1996
• Youtube: a11123rd
• Other: AmberGinter.com/gift
  https://www.instagram.com/aginter1996/
  https://www.instagram.com/amberginterauthor/
  https://www.instagram.com/lightinthedarknessadc/

Image Credits

Wedding Photo- Anna Chaffin
N/A for all others