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Braden Johnson
Braden grew up in Kansas doing semi-professional singing, playing competitive basketball, and making content with famous YouTubers. During his freshman year of college he had a big conversion as he discovered the fulfillment and worth that can only be found in God. Braden's mission is now to inspire others to pursue a life rooted in God and virtue. He currently lives out that passion through full-time speaking at Catholic conferences, schools, and events.
Early Life:
Braden grew up never feeling like he was enough. He remembers going to school often feeling like other people were just worth more than he was. Over time, he began pouring intense energy into things like social media and basketball, believing that if he could succeed in those areas, he would finally prove his worth. But instead of building confidence, it all led to more insecurity and disappointment. Even when Braden achieved success, it still never felt like it was enough.
Singing & Modeling
In fourth grade, Braden began semi-professional singing and modeling. He signed with a local talent agency in Kansas, and before long, seven national agencies expressed interest in representing him. By sixth grade, though, he felt burnt out. On top of that, he was being bullied for it all. This eventually led him to walk away.
Basketball
At the start of middle school, Braden was not very skilled at basketball, but he was determined to make the team in seventh grade. He began working with a personal trainer, and things started to change. He quickly became obsessed with the sport, sometimes practicing up to eight hours a day. His trainer eventually warned him that without rest, he would risk injury.
Braden’s dedication paid off. He played on a nationally ranked team that competed at AAU Nationals, where he faced future NBA players including Bol Bol of the Phoenix Suns. Yet even in those moments, the satisfaction never lasted.
Social Media
By his junior year of high school, Braden turned to social media as a new way to prove his worth. He had opportunities to collaborate with two well-known YouTubers, each with over four million subscribers. But during that time, his anxiety and insecurity grew more than ever before. Eventually, he stepped away from social media, realizing it was only feeding the emptiness he was trying to avoid.
Home Life
While Braden’s family has experienced deep healing in recent years, his home life growing up had difficult moments, especially in his relationship with his dad. He sometimes shares these parts of his story in his talks to help others see that no matter what your background looks like, hope and healing in God are truly possible.
Faith Journey
Braden grew up calling himself Catholic, but he did not have a personal relationship with Jesus. By the time he reached high school, his faith was worn down, and he began drifting toward atheism. That all changed on October 7 of his freshman year of college.
He walked into Eucharistic Adoration and encountered Jesus in a way that flipped his world upside down. In that moment, Jesus revealed the love of the Father, and Braden knew his life had to change.
Everything shifted. Braden stopped going to parties, ended unhealthy friendships, and broke up with the girl he was dating at the time. To most people, it may have looked like he lost everything. But to Braden, it felt like he had finally found the Pearl of Great Price.
Many Friday nights, he would sit alone in a church, praying. And in those moments, Braden often felt like he had more than he ever had before.
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Ministry Experience & Formation
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Given several hundred talks around the world for Catholic schools, conferences, events, and retreats.
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Worked in college campus ministry for over two years at Wichita State University as Community Outreach Coordinator (similar to campus minister). During this time Braden served alongside FOCUS missionaries.
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Worked for Dr. Joshua Miller and the Inscape Center For Personal Vocation as a part of their mission program.
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Classes taken through Franciscan University which included formation in Theology, Philosophy, and Psychology.
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Started studying at Theology Of The Body Institute in the Fall of 2024.
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Trained to lead prayer sessions through Unbound.
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Attended several events and retreats put on by Encounter Ministries.
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Missionary training through Ad Gentes Missions.
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