Today I interview Rachael Jackson, the Editor-in-Chief of Shattered Magazine. This is a quality magazine for Christian readers.
What provoked you to start Shattered magazine?
I am West Point graduate, for Army Captain, and Apache Pilot. At one point, my identity was firmly planted in that of soldier. I took the road less traveled and excelled in my demanding environment. Feeling a sense of pride and accomplishment, yet still missing something in life, God began to systematically dismantle everything I thought I was and teach me what it truly means to rely on, satisfy myself with, and pursue a relationship with Jesus.
Through experiencing and overcoming the challenges in my life and witnessing hardships in the lives of people I love, a strong desire grew in my heart to reach out to those who struggle in life (and we all do at one time or another) and connect them with an all-powerful and loving God who cares enough to walk us through our valleys and rejoice with us on our mountaintops.
As the founder and editor-in-chief of Shattered Magazine, my desire is to create a publication that can cut through the noise of the rest of the world and help point people towards a truly satisfying and rewarding life (now and in eternity) – regardless of temporary afflictions or momentary struggles.
Who is the target audience?
We currently find that our target market is Christian women ages 25 – 60. However, we hear feedback that their men and children love our magazine as well.
What makes the magazine unique and different from other Christian magazines?
We stand apart from other magazines because we focus solely on real stories full of real purpose and real hope. We are ordinary people, living out our stories in light of God’s extraordinary story. By sharing our experiences, we hope to encourage others to discover a new perspective on life. We desire to reveal the bigger picture behind what can happen when God works through our shattered stories. No matter who we are or where we’re from, we believe God has pieced our stories together for His purposes.
We encourage our readers in everyday issues they face with their relationships, homes, and personal lives. We equip our readers with real hope as they navigate through the challenges of life’s journey. We embolden them to discover their real purpose so they can serve others together and share their stories with the world.
We believe that there is no way to prove that God exists to an unbeliever, it isn’t easy to tell someone that God is good if all they’ve known is pain, and that there are hard questions about God that just can’t be answered in the realm of the black and white. But what those who have experienced Christ have is their story. It is in our shattered moments that we realize our need for a Savior, where we come to know Him personally, and where He frees us – shattering our chains so that we may live with hope. And when we share our stories for God’s glory, they have the power to help plant the seeds for the Gospel to take root.
How many subscribers do you have?
We currently have 780 subscribers. We started last May with no money, no experience, and no clue what the future held. God has faithfully provided along the way. We raised $7,000 through a Kickstarter campaign to print our first issue and keep taking steps of faith forward. To grow from 0 subscribers to almost 800 in just over a year with absolutely no marketing money has been an incredible journey of learning dependence on Christ and His faithful provision.
What sorts of articles do you feature?
We tell personal stories in our articles. We have three main categories: Real Life, Real Hope, and Real Purpose. All of our stories are meant to offer up a new and eternity-focused perspective to our readers. We want to motivate the body of Christ to stand up and do something together! If we all, especially us Christian Americans, come together with Gospel intentionality to reach the world, we could literally usher in the Kingdom of God. But you have to reach people where they are in their lives and gently encourage them, equip them, and embolden them to step outside of their story and into His!
How often does the magazine go out and how can people subscribe?
We publish quarterly and you can subscribe by going online here.
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