Conversations with Jada McClintick

Today we’d like to introduce you to Jada McClintick.

Hi Jada , so excited to have you with us today. What can you tell us about your story?
I have always loved words. Books. Stories. Paper, pens, stickers, highlighters, pencils, paperclips. Office supply stores and bookstores are like Disneyland for me. I love to tell a good story. Especially one of my own. Especially one I’ve learned from, it if will help someone else from wandering down the same path.

I had dreams when I was young of writing and sharing beautiful words and images with the world. My dream didn’t really die; I just pressed the pause button on it for long time as life took over. I coasted for a while. I had a family, raised babies, made a career. I worked for a couple of decades in 911, emergency management and victim advocacy.

I lived and gained experience, both good and bad. And eventually that dream I had tucked away in a box started to make a racket and get my attention again. It was persistent. Or rather God was persistent. I haven’t had my love affair with Jesus as long as I have with words and books, that came later in life, but of course, He was right on time and waited patiently for me to come around.

My old dream clattered and banged about, smashing pots and pans and always tugging at my subconscious. God urged me to write. He was the one who had put the dream there inside of me in the first place. I was already putting my thoughts and prayers down in a journal anyway, so what harm would it do? No one was ever going to see them.

Or so I thought, God had other plans.

As I began writing He continued to urge me to organize my words and stories. Before I knew it, I had a title to a book, “54:10” from the verse in Isaiah that God had spoken to me many years before, through the voice of Whitney Houston of all people, singing “I will always love you”. I thought when God gave me that message and that verse decades ago that it was just for me. Something personal between us that let me know that I was chosen and loved by God. And that was enough for me.

Once again, God had other plans.

As my writing began to shape into something resembling a book, God let me know that he planted that verse in me, and it WAS for me…but it was not to be kept to myself. He gifted me with writing and storytelling because he intended for me to share it with all his daughters. But it had to grow into belief within me first. I had to truly believe that God meant it when He said, “I will always love you, no matter what. Even if hills shake and mountains are removed, my love for you will not falter.”

Once I believed those words enough that they became the very fabric of who I am, it was time to share that kind of love with other women. When I started writing 54:10 I had no idea of the journey that God was planning to take me on and how many of his girls he intended to reach with my words. I still don’t fully know where or how far he’s taking this. But what I DO know, is that God’s words are true, and his promises always stand, even when everything else around us seems to be falling apart. So, I did what God asked me to do. I shared not only my life stories, but His unshakable love and I bled my heart out onto the pages of 54:10.

Would you say it’s been a smooth road, and if not what are some of the biggest challenges you’ve faced along the way?
Writing and storytelling, especially the autobiographical kind, requires the author to be vulnerable and raw. Honest in a way that most would prefer to keep tucked deep inside their psyche. Sharing the pleasant experiences is just that … pleasant. What readers are most drawn to are the hard things. The struggles, the pain, the shameful and heart wrenching things. These are the stories that touch the reader and make them feel normal, seen and not so alone in their secret thoughts and feelings.

Writing words themselves can sometimes be a struggle, but most often it is freeing and exhilarating. The scary part is releasing your words out into the world, for all to see and judge. Imposter syndrome grows like a beast that threatens to swallow you whole as soon as you hit the enter key. My mind reels and a nasty little voice begins to chant all my fears on repeat.

This isn’t good

YOU aren’t good

Who do you think you are

You are fake

No one likes you

Everyone is laughing at you

The only way to combat the imposter’s voice is to just do it anyway. Share your heart with others. Your love, your passion, your talents are not meant to be selfishly tucked away and kept to yourself. It has given me immense comfort to read the vulnerable words of other authors that I highly respect say that they too experience the notgoodenoughness of the imposter’s lies.

As you know, we’re big fans of you and your work. For our readers who might not be as familiar what can you tell them about what you do?
I started my public safety career as a teenager working in the 911 center at the St. Joseph, MO police department. I did this for 18 years and it was the most fulfilling, meaningful and fun job!

I completed my degree in Public Safety Telecommunications as well as my bachelor’s in emergency management. I went on to be the Emergency Management Director in St. Joseph for a number of years.

After that I became a Law Enforcment Victim Advocate, working with survivors of domestic violence and sexual assault. I worked within the St Joseph Police Department Detective Division and walked with survivors from the moment of incident all the way through court and prosecution.

Although writing has always been my passion it has not been my full-time job. I wrote and published my Book, “54:10 A Woman’s Honest Talk with God About His Unshakable Love”. This book started out as my simple journal entries where I sat and talked with Jesus. A back-and-forth conversation – me -God – me – God. I typed my prayers and conversations because it was quicker to type than to write them out by hand. I eventually ended up with one really-long-Word-document of the heartaches and everyday worries I shared with God and His answers back to me – always highlighting his unending love for me.

I felt God urging me to publish my really-long-Word-document.

To which I promptly replied. No way. Not gonna happen.

When God wants something to happen, He is persistent.

I published my book and then thought I would puke from the anxiety of putting my most vulnerable parts and pieces out in the universe for anyone to see. I would have rather ran naked around our local university football field. The one where the Chief’s Training Camp is. That’s how nerve wracked I felt.

I now have no regrets about sharing my really-long-Word-document. It has touched many women’s lives and they have felt God’s love for them in a real and new way.

I also had two devotions published by Proverbs 31 Ministries:

“God is in the Gap” – 40 Reminders God is in Control – Lysa Terkeurst, Proverbs 31

“Diamonds and Dumpster Fires” – Proverbs 31 Ministries 

Is there something surprising that you feel even people who know you might not know about?
I have six kids, three grandkids and one a hairless cat named KeMo (pronounced chemo).

Contact Info:

• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/jadamcclintick/
• Other: https://www.amazon.com/54-Womans-Honest-about-Unshakable/dp/1400328632