Hello, and welcome to my little corner of the internet! My name is Erick Johnson, and if you want to read about me for some reason then you’ve come to the right place.
A Little About Us
On October 12, 2024, I married the love of my life Stella. Together, we’ve made our home in Aurora, IL living out the Great Adventure.
We’ve also got a pretty cute Cockapoo named Rocky. Rocky’s passions include fetch, the dog park, cuddles, ice cream and shredded chicken. He is still a puppy.
Nerd Stuff
I have way too many interests, but this is what you can expect to read about from me:
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Software Development: I have been known to develop full-stack applications when duty calls. I’ve got experience building apps across all kinds of languages and frameworks. My favorite languages are Python, TypeScript and PHP (Laravel, Angular and Flask are awesome. I think I’ll build my next webapp with Django).
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Teaching: I’m a guy who knows a little bit about a lot of things. I’ve taught high school programming, competitive marching band, Bible studies, wrestling class, and probably other things too.
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Grappling: Currently, I am a BJJ purple belt and technically a Judo green belt, but I’ve been grappling for many years. I teach a wrestling class at my local gym and serve as an assistant coach at a local high school.
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Music: Ever since high school, music has always been a big part of my life. To me, it’s all the proof I need that God is real and loves us deeply. As a band director, Stella plays pretty much all of the instruments. I play euphonium and jazz trombone, plus I am technically “profficient” at piano. We’re both DCI alumns.
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Ministry, Leadership, Travel: Stella and I are big fans of cross-cultural experiences. I’ve loved visiting places like Kenya, India and Vietnam for extended periods of time. We’re both pretty active in our local church and participate in various ministry-related efforts during the week. I’m a big fan of ministry and missions related audiobooks and podcasts (reading is just so boring to me, lol). I think two of the most influencial ministry/leadership books I’ve read so far include The Innovation Crisis by Ted Esler (love the Substack!) and The Making Of A Leader by J. Robert Clinton. Stella and I are also trained Perspectives Coordinators.
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Finance: I became pretty interested in personal finance recently. At this point, I know enough to offer recommendations and build out reasonable portfolios (more than just VT and forget, at least).
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Actual Nerd Hobbies: I have been fighting a Magic: The Gathering addiction for over a decade. I was never exactly a grinder, but there was a time when I travelled around the Midwest competeing in Modern with UR Murktide and CEDH with Atraxa. Big fan of tabletop RPGs and CRPGs (been a dungeon master since I was about 10). I really enjoy fitness and cycling - I catch myself always wishing I could have more time just to ride my bike. I started fishing with my brother Luke, but we aren’t very good at it yet.
The Call
Above all else, my life is dedicated to worshiping my Lord Jesus Christ. My passion for following the Way compels me to join God’s work in fulfilling the Great Commission by proclaiming the Gospel among the world’s most unreached places. I believe that God has fundamentally called each of us to 3 things: 1. to carry your cross, leaving everything behind and following Him, 2. make disciples among all tribes, tongues and nations, and 3, love your neighbor.
What’s Next?
My wife and I are awaiting big news on the future of the Johnson family. Our hearts are deeply burdened to create disciples among the unreached. Expect some exciting ministry updates on a regular basis soon, and a big post with an exciting announcement :)
Let’s Connect
I’d love to hear from you! Get in Contact with us anytime.
Lastly, I’ll leave you with this final charge from Paul:
But you, man of God, flee from all this, and pursue righteousness, godliness, faith, love, endurance and gentleness. Fight the good fight of the faith. Take hold of the eternal life to which you were called when you made your good confession in the presence of many witnesses.
1 Timothy 6:11-12