THE FRONT PORCH: Pull Up a Chair and Let Me Explain.
Welcome to the official literary home of Darin Michael Shaw—author, freelance ghost/collaborative writer, husband, father, “Bubba” to my grandkids, and Jesus Freak.
If you stumbled through the front door of this website, you might be a little confused by the menu bar. Don’t panic. If you’re here because you read one of my books, heard about my work as an in-demand ghostwriter, or worked with me as a writing mentor, you’re in the right place. If you know me from my years in pastoral ministry, my research into mental health and addiction recovery, or because you found me on social media, welcome! And if you are here because you know me as the “world’s foremost expert on the conjunction but,” come on in.
If you’ve seen the tagline on my header, you already know what to expect: “You should see the world inside my head.” This digital intersection is where you get to do exactly that, and it’s where all those different iterations of me finally collide. Because I’ve chosen to name every section of this site after a specific phrase from my own household’s history—distinct, chaotic moments my wife, my daughters, and I lived through together—the navigation can look a bit… eccentric. Consider this page your official roadmap to the madness.
I’ve built this place to be a sanctuary, so please, make yourself completely at home. Kick off your shoes, grab a cup of coffee or an adult beverage, and take a look around.
Here is a quick guide to what you’ll find hidden behind the family phrases…
DID’YA BLOW? Do you really want to know?
DID YA’ BLOW? It’s a question born in the family car—specifically, our rearview mirror, a stuffed-up toddler, and a car full of siblings scrambling for cover from a sneeze. It’s the question you ask even when you aren’t sure you really want to know the answer.
For too long, society—and too often, church culture—has treated mental health, addiction, and the messier struggles of faith the same way: offering a polite “How are you?” while quietly hoping the reality isn’t as complicated or messy as it seems. But true healing doesn’t happen in hush tones, religious politeness, or isolated silence.
On this page of my literary journey, I lean directly into the raw, unavoidable parts of the human experience. Through articles, sonnets, and soul-deep musings, I’m creating a space dedicated to honest conversations about mental wellness, recovery, and a faith that actually looks like Jesus—especially when confronting aspects of “Christianity” that don’t. This is a sanctuary for the weary, a place where no part of your story or identity is too messy for grace, and where judgment is left at the door.
JUMP UP, BUB! The way things used to be.
JUMP UP, BUB! According to my four grown daughters, this was my ultimate catchphrase—a command I apparently issued with a frequency I will neither confirm nor deny, but one they now lovingly tease me about without mercy. It stems from my own 1970s childhood, when respect, chivalry, and good manners meant you didn’t think twice about surrendering your seat on the couch the moment an adult walked into the room. So, whenever a room filled up, I’d tenderly tell my girls (whom I teasingly called Bub or Bubba), “Jump up, Bub!”—and they knew exactly what to do.
Today, the world moves a little faster, manners look a little different, and the simpler times of my youth are rapidly being replaced by the “new and improved.”
On this page, I embrace my role as a proud, if reluctant, curmudgeon. Through humorous musings, stories, and essays, I explore the shifting landscape of modern generations, the erosion of chivalry and respect, and my unapologetic longing for the way things used to be. If you occasionally look at the modern world and scratch your head, grab a seat (while you can)—you’ve found your people.
ALL THE STUFF WHAT I LIKE. What she said.
ALL THE STUFF WHAT I LIKE. This phrase is a treasured piece of family history, captured on a home video from when my youngest daughter was just a toddler. When asked what she hoped Santa would bring her for Christmas, she confidently and adorably declared she wanted him to bring “all the stuff what I like.” It instantly became a family buzz-phrase. Fast forward to the present day, and she is now a professional design influencer with millions of followers—and I marvel that her curated aesthetic is really a grown-up expression of “all the stuff what I like.”
On this page of my site, I’m taking a page out of her book and sharing exactly that. This is a purely fun space—a deep dive into my personal fancies, hobbies, and the simple pleasures that make life rich. Here, you’ll find my unfiltered thoughts on the music spinning on my playlist, the sports I’m following, books and authors I love, television, movies, and even my favorite foods and recipes. Consider this the casual living room of my literary home, where the topics are light, the vibes are good, and everything featured is simply ‘what she said’—all the stuff what I like.
THOSE OF YOU WHO ARE HOT, TAKE OFF YOUR CLOTHES AND GIVE THEM TO THOSE WHO ARE COLD. Wisdom and solutions.
THOSE OF YOU WHO ARE HOT, TAKE OFF YOUR CLOTHES AND GIVE THEM TO THOSE WHO ARE COLD. This mouthful of sheer brilliance I still consider one of the most illustrious parenting triumphs of my life. It happened an hour into a family vacation in our brand-new minivan—the one with the fancy dual-zone climate control. Despite my best efforts behind the wheel to twist every knob, adjust every vent, and appease the chorus of whining, crying, and fighting from the back rows, “I’m cold!” “I’m hot!” No one could agree on the temperature. Finally, pushed past my limit, I set the dial exactly where I wanted it and declared, if you’re so uncomfortable, barter your way to comfort. Problem solved! Decades later, my kids still tease me about my problem-solving skills.
On this page, I’m bringing that exact same level of unfiltered, practical problem-solving to the rest of the world. Here, you’ll find a collection of articles, writings, and musings on the topics we’re told are “too complex” to fix—like politics, faith, and cultural issues. No sweat.
At the end of the day, I truly believe we always have far more in common than we do differences. If we could all just sit down over a cup of coffee, a cold beer, or a glass of wine, we’d find that common ground isn’t as far away as it seems. Let’s get some sense about us, people! Chill. I got this.
JESUS LOVES ME, THIS I KNOW… Love God. Love others. That is all.
JESUS LOVES ME, THIS I KNOW…This title, of course, comes from the timeless children’s hymn we all know by heart. Over the course of my life, I have earned a bachelor’s degree in Bible and two master’s degrees—one in Biblical Studies and a Master of Divinity. Yet, after seven intense years of Bible college, seminary, and deep academic scrutiny, the two most important, foundational theological truths I have ever discovered come from two children’s songs. The first is that Jesus loves me, this I know, for the Bible tells me so. The second, courtesy of a chorus of animated vegetables my kids watched on VeggieTales, is that God is bigger than the Boogie Man. Get those two truths down, it’s amazing how everything else falls into place.
The older I get, the more I realize that the gospel is not rocket science. When Jesus was asked to name the absolute most important commandment of all, He didn’t hand down a complex theological dissertation. He kept it beautifully simple: Love God. Love others. Good news isn’t something we have to exhaust ourselves trying to reach or attain; it is something meant to wash over us.
On this page, I simply write about and marvel at God’s goodness in all its beauty, grace, mercy, and love. The sweetness of Jesus! There are no prerequisites here, no hoops to jump through, and no heavy burdens to carry. Come exactly as you are—He welcomes you with open, loving arms, and so do I.
I’M SO HAPPY TO BE HERE! The best seasons of life.
I’M SO HAPPY TO BE HERE! This phrase was born on a home video during one of our treasured family vacations—a summer tradition we kept alive for fifteen years as the kids were growing up. We had just sat down at our absolute favorite annual stop, Fat Buddy’s BBQ. One of my daughters aimed the camera at me and asked, “How are you doing, Dad?” as I was proudly tying on my plastic Fat Buddy’s bib. I swooned for the camera and declared, “I am so happy to be here!” It instantly became a legendary family tease, often imitated and repeated whenever we gather to this day.
On this page of my site, I’m inviting you to come alongside the Shaw family. This is a digital living room where I share writings, media, and reflections on the special family moments that span from my own childhood to the present day. We have an expansive, beautifully chaotic family history filled with stories, recollections, and milestones that I look back on with absolute gratitude and wonder. A celebration of the very best seasons of life. By the way, I am truly so happy that you’re here.
THE WRITING LAB Darin Michael Shaw, Author
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THE DAY JOB Freelance Ghost & Collaborative Writer
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DARIN MICHAEL SHAW 