Your definitive guide to The Veritas Daily.
What to expect. What's the difference between a post, a feature, and a chat? And what it means for you.
Welcome to The Veritas Daily, my little corner of the internet where I talk about faith and life, and generally just share good, thoughtful, and challenging writing. Originally, this space was called “Dear Jon.” But as it grew, I wanted it to be about more than just me. I wanted it to be a space for others to contribute and I wanted it to encapsulate a core aspect of what I want to put out to the world: truth. So I renamed it The Veritas Daily.
Veritas is Latin for “truth.” And that’s what we’re about here. Truth. Every morning, then, I (and others) give you nuggets of faith, hope, and life grounded in truth.
This post, then, is a guide for you about what types of content you will be getting, how often, the difference between them, and how you can become an active part of this little community.
Let’s start off with the types of content you’ll see on a regular basis…
Daily Blog Posts
I write a daily blog post every weekday morning. About what? Well, about whatever God tells me to. I’m not trying to be uber spiritual there, it’s just the truth. Every morning I wake up, I pray, I journal, and I ask God two questions:
“What do you want me to know today?”
“What do you want me to do today?”
The day’s post comes from that.
Posts also will include special features. These vary from in-depth interviews, full-length stories like the one about the holocaust survivor I met, and other special pieces of content.
Free subscribers: Access to about 3 of these posts a week. I decide which ones to give everyone access to, but it’s usually the posts on Mondays, Wednesdays, and Fridays. Free subscribers are also limited to only seeing the free posts from the last seven days. ⚠️
Paying members: Access to ALL posts, as well as the ability to comment on all of them, and receive access to the full archive. ✅
Videos
Every Sunday I publish what I call a Sunday Sit-down. I set up my phone and talk to you about what’s going on. Sometimes I give you behind-the-scenes info on a post from the previous week, sometimes I give you a sneak peek of what’s coming up next, and sometimes I explain things that I’m just not comfortable sharing with everyone else. We talk about things that are a little too intimate for me to put into writing, I even take your questions, and I get to know YOU.
Free subscribers: No access to the Sunday Sit-down. ⛔️
Paying members: Full access to the Sunday Sit-down! ✅
Features
A feature is a more in-depth piece of writing. It may be from me, it may be from someone else I think you should hear from. Sometimes it’s a story, other times it’s an interview. Maybe it’s even a list. Either way, it’s something bigger and more substantive.
Free subscribers: Generally do not get access to these. Once in a while I may make one available. ⛔️
Paying members: Get access to all features. ✅
Chats
Chats are bite-sized nuggets. It could be a picture, a link to something I find interesting, or a something I want your feedback on.
Chats also let you be a part of the conversation and the community! You can post a chat as well, and get me and others to weigh in.
Free subscribers: Access to some chats. ⚠️
Paying members: Full, complete access to chats, which also includes the ability to direct message with me! ✅
Podcast
I host a podcast called “That Was Stupid,” which is all about having candid conversations about taking chances and proving everyone wrong. The idea is to talk with people who made life-changing, world-altering decisions that so many people at the time called “stupid.”
Free subscribers: Access to the audio version. ⚠️
Paying members: Access to the video version of the podcast! ✅
Summary
OK, so what does all that mean? Here’s the simple version:
Free subscribers get access to about 3 posts a week, while paying members get access to EVERYTHING, including all posts, threads, chats, the ability to comment on everything, the video version of the podcast, ability to join video chats, plus direct message capability.
Why should you pay?
Words matter. Words are powerful. But in an age of TikTok videos and Reels, words have been devalued. If you can’t make 60-second videos, you’re relegated to the sidelines. I’m also tired of algorithms deciding what’s most important for YOU to see. They care more about keeping people on their platforms than highlighting important information.
I don’t think that’s right.
I still think there’s a place for words, for insights, for thoughts. For choice. That’s why I started, The Veritas Daily. It’s my daily (5+ posts per week) blog where I share thoughts on faith, life, family, mental health, and whatever else God tells me to write.
A little about me…
I’m a dad, a husband, and an entrepreneur. But I’m a storyteller. I’ve written nearly 10,000 posts in my lifetime, helping lead organizations like I Am Second and Kirk Cameron’s digital platform. I was in the news business before that. And even though I consult business, non-profits, and content creators, my first love — my true love — is writing. Every day.
I write about faith. About life. About my struggles and my trials. I’m radically vulnerable, maybe to a fault. In an age of filters and heavily edited videos, I bring a raw and real component to my little corner of the internet. In fact, I wrote a bestselling book on faith and mental health that showcases that approach.
By becoming a paying supporter of “Dear Jon” for just $5/month, you allow me to keep writing, keep discovering, and keep sharing with YOU with no interruptions. It allows me to say tough, hard things that may be unpopular. It allows me to say “no” to other things. I’m still going to write, don’t get me wrong. But your support makes it easier.
I’ll update this post as The Veritas Daily evolves. And I do see it evolving. Substack really is a great platform that allows for growth. You can likely expect audio and video to be added to posts in the future. Stay on the lookout as well for links to our monthly Zoom chats. This really is a place for us to gather, get to know each other, and chat about what really matters.
Talk soon.
Came here from your welcome email. Definitely one of the best I've seen. I don't understand why more Substackers don't take full advantage of it!