We recently had the chance to connect with Hannah B. Johnson and have shared our conversation below.
Hi Hannah B., thank you for taking the time to reflect back on your journey with us. I think our readers are in for a real treat. There is so much we can all learn from each other and so thank you again for opening up with us. Let’s get into it: Have any recent moments made you laugh or feel proud?
One of my daughters asked me recently if I was still writing books or songs. I told her I am and she just quietly said, “Good.” We both smiled, continuing our individual activities on the sofa. I felt proud that my creative endeavors were on her radar at all, let alone something she wanted me to continue. As my girls get older, it is hard to know what they think about us parents. This was a sweet, inspiring moment for me.
Can you briefly introduce yourself and share what makes you or your brand unique?
Capturing moments in time to carry onward is my passion. Moments of being known foster great encouragement for our souls. They are worth remembering. As the owner and creator at Prayerful Pieces, LLC, I get to craft quilts from the memories held in fabrics and weave stories into melodies echoed in songs.
I just celebrated 5 years since launching this small business that has been a steady space for creating meaningful works. What started as quilts and home decor made in my kitchen grew into works of word and hand – books and songs, quilts and stories – all sorts of moments creatively captured to share with people!
As a singer-songwriter, I am producing independent music in this creative flow. My songs come from a place of prayer and praise, telling stories of an ordinary life made extraordinary by the divine grace that carries me through the good days and the hard days.
What I love about the way Prayerful Pieces, LLC has evolved is the way it has kept finding it’s people. I have had the privilege of making more than 40 quilts for special moments and singing my songs for audiences, some of them even singing along with me. It is a wonderful thing to create in and for community.
Great, so let’s dive into your journey a bit more. Who were you before the world told you who you had to be?
A little girl, sitting in the windowsill looking out at the tree tops on the hills beyond my neighborhood. The soundtracks to my favorite movies played on repeat through the boombox. I re-read The Secret Garden for the fifteenth time and believed life could be as lovely as the literature that described garden walls with mystery and enchantment, despite the harsh realities I knew were unfolding around me. I felt strong and capable of surviving anything but believed in gentleness…lovely living.
I was a whole person – creative and analytical, gentle and forceful, kind and decisive. It feels like a lot to be a whole person once adolescence enters the picture. Certain parts of ourselves really take the lead or get pulled out by those coaching us into the next season of life. I became all the dominant, loud parts of myself and lost some of my favorite parts about myself that I have been rediscovering for the past decade, seeing them as equal strengths to my louder traits.
What did suffering teach you that success never could?
Suffering has taught me that nothing is ever wasted in the economy of God. The eternal economy we operate in has use for all we experience, all we go through. Savoring our moments comes back around to us along the way.
I have survived more in my adult life than I ever would have chosen to. If the pen were in my hand, I would have written this story a little differently, writing in the wisdom without the worry or the grief. I feel certain there must not be a way to get that wisdom without the path of pain for those of us who know suffering. This must be the better way.
From my suffering I have learned to slow down and savor the moments of my life, both joyful and full of sorrow. I can see leaves falling and pause to watch them fall all the way to the ground. I can contentedly watch my daughter blow bubbles for an hour. I have learned to slow down because suffering has taught me the value of my moments. I never know when the memory of something that seemed liked a meaningless moment will come back to me as such a great comfort or encouragement. Slowing down to savor moments is like collecting honey from the comb to take a spoonful of when the soul is sick. That is one lesson that suffering has taught me.
Alright, so if you are open to it, let’s explore some philosophical questions that touch on your values and worldview. Whom do you admire for their character, not their power?
The real easy answer is Dolly Parton. Hands down. Everytime. But, this time, I will add: Kelly Clarkson – truly! She seems like the real deal. I really admire her consistency. She doesn’t shift or change. She is so consistent in the way she shows up, champions others, and engages the world. She is also just a powerhouse voice and can sing anything. I think a lot of her.
Okay, we’ve made it essentially to the end. One last question before you go. If you laid down your name, role, and possessions—what would remain?
My family. I have a busy career full-time in healthcare and run Prayerful Pieces, LLC part-time. I do that for my family. If the jobs went away and the lifestyle wiped out, I would still have the most important thing. My family. Our little household of 4 little women and two parents who care deeply would remain in the love if Christ. It always comes back to that.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://www.prayerfulpiecesbyhannah.com
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/hannahbjohnsonmusic
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/p/Hannah-B-Johnson-100087568003520/
- Youtube: https://youtube.com/@hannahbjohnsonmusic?si=-yp-W7wbdzhpyA1J
