This is not the column I was expecting to write for this issue. In fact, I’m a bit incredulous at the irony that in the very issue where we focus on dreaming big and using the gifts and talents that God has gifted to each one of us, I have to announce a scaling back of my own big dream for this magazine.
This Summer 2023 issue was all ready to go to press. But our board of directors wisely chose to stop the presses and deliver this to you in digital form only. What is the reason? Funding.
It takes a great deal of capital to get a print magazine launched. We knew that going in. We prayed about it and trusted God as we contemplated starting the first print magazine sharing stories of people living their Catholic faith through theology of the body. And we always received just what we needed — just as we needed it. Not more. Not less. This quarter, we had what we needed to produce the Summer Issue (writing, photography, design, etc.) but fell short by $10,000 to see it printed and distributed.
I have learned many lessons on this journey after finally giving my yes to the continual urgings of the Holy Spirit to create this magazine. Also a bit ironically, God crafted one for me just two months ago at the SENT Summit, a conference of Catholic entrepreneurs. Of all talks to kick off with, they chose a panel discussing “Pivots, Failures, and Near Death Experiences.” Think God was sending me a message? There’s more. One of the three panelists was Kara Bach, who founded a fabulous women’s magazine that I greatly admire – Verily — in 2011 that also went digital-only after several years.
The takeaway of that talk was clearly to not give up on your dream, be able to pivot based on circumstances, to trust that God has a plan even if you feel like you’re at a dead end.
As I said, God has always given me just what I need, when I needed it. So we are pivoting and trusting.
At some point, when we exceed 5,000 Embodied subscribers, we will no longer be in need of angel donors or grant monies to cover production costs. Until then, the board of directors has decided that we will continue to work and pray for the additional funding we need to build our momentum while delivering the same high-quality content you have come to expect but through a digital format instead.
(By the way, Verily magazine is now back in print.)
Your subscription will automatically revert to a digital subscription, and you will have the option to renew that when your expiration date arrives. But we will honor your print subscription purchase. When we are able to start the print magazine again, you will automatically receive the number of issues left on your current subscription.
Until then, please enjoy Embodied in its online form at www.embodiedmag.org.
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How you can help
How can you help keep this beautiful publication growing? Share this good news with the people you know and love. Encourage them to subscribe. Or better yet…buy them a subscription as a gift. If you know of someone who can help fund our operation as we grow, please introduce them to me and I will share with them our story. And as always, keep our writers, designers, photographers, contributors and readers in your prayers. With God all things are possible.