People sometimes ask me why I care so much about the little details of how we publish. Why every story has to be written fresh. Why we list our sources. Why we would rather skip a day than put out something thin or borrowed.
My answer goes back a long way. One of the lines I wrote in my memoir, Neglected But Undefeated, is the one readers share most:
“You know my name, not my story. You’ve heard what I’ve done, but not what I’ve been through.”
Jonathan Anthony Burkett, Neglected But Undefeated
I wrote those words because I know what it feels like to have people decide who you are without knowing what you have lived. A name can be repeated, copied and passed around. A story has to be told truthfully, by someone who cares enough to get it right. That is how I want Upstormed to treat every story we tell, including other people’s.
Why our stories now live on Upstormed News
This month we made a decision about our home. Every Upstormed Family Magazine article is now published in full on Upstormed News. The magazine on Blogger still welcomes you with a short introduction, and it points you to the full story here.
The reason is simple. I want each story to have one clear, original home. When you read an Upstormed article, you should know it was written for you, researched carefully and published by us first. No copies scattered around the internet. No borrowed paragraphs dressed up as something new.
We have also written down how others can share our work. If someone wants to republish an Upstormed story, they are welcome to, as long as they credit it and link back to the original. You can read the details in our Original Content and Republishing Policy. Sharing is good. Taking credit for someone else’s work is not.
A good name is built one honest choice at a time
I did not grow up with much to call my own. I was homeless at fourteen. I learned early that the things people cannot take from you are your faith, your character and your word. When you have been through storms, you learn to protect those things.
That is why I believe originality is not just a business rule. It is a matter of integrity. Paul wrote something I keep close as a founder:
“Providing for honest things, not only in the sight of the Lord, but also in the sight of men.”
2 Corinthians 8:21 (KJV)
Honest before God, and honest before people. If we say a story is ours, it should be ours. If we tell you a fact, we should have checked it. If we quote someone, those should be their real words. That standard costs more time. It is worth it.
What I hope you take from this
You may not run a magazine, but every one of us is building something with our name on it: a family, a business, a reputation at work, a witness in our community. Here is what the storms have taught me about building it well:
- Do your own work. Your voice, your effort and your gifts are enough. You do not need to borrow someone else’s to matter.
- Give credit freely. When someone helps you or inspires you, say so. Gratitude makes a name stronger, not weaker.
- Choose quality over noise. One true, helpful thing beats ten rushed ones. That goes for words, products and promises.
- Tell the truth, especially when it is slower. Shortcuts can build a name quickly, and they can tear it down just as fast.
- Let faith carry you. As I wrote in my memoir, “Faith is why I’m here today and faith is why I made it through.” Integrity is easier when you trust God with the results.
Thank you for being part of this family
Upstormed exists to help families live better, happier and healthier lives, and to remind every reader that our Father God carries us through every trial. Telling you the truth, in our own words, is part of how we keep that promise.
So the next time you read one of our stories, I hope you will know it was written with care, for you. Through every storm, we rise together.
— Jonathan Anthony Burkett, founder of Upstormed
What is one honest choice you are making this week to build a good name for your family? Share it in the comments below.
Learn more about Jonathan at www.jonathanburkett.com. Follow him on Instagram and Facebook.
Sources: Jonathan Anthony Burkett, Neglected But Undefeated (quotes via Goodreads); Upstormed News, “Original Content and Republishing Policy”; KJV 2 Corinthians 8:21 (Bible Gateway).
Leave a Reply