Emily Maynard Johnson earned the title of America’s Sweetheart. As the winner of season 15 of ABC’s The Bachelor, she said yes to a proposal on national television and thought she was headed for happily ever after. Unfortunately, that relationship didn’t last.
But soon after that experience, ABC came calling once again – offering her the chance to turn the tables on season 8 of The Bachelorette.
Emily had her choice of 25 guys on the reality dating show, and finally whittled them down to one. Once again, she fielded a marriage proposal on network TV. Once again, she said yes. And once more, the relationship ended soon after. Emily shares the range of emotions she experienced after having such a personal process aired for all of America to see:
“It was one of the hardest things I’ve ever had to go through, to be honest, with all these emotions and pressures. But, at the same time, I couldn’t talk to my friends about it, because there’s things being written about me, and I just don’t know who to trust. I really became a hermit. I didn’t leave my house, and I didn’t know who to turn to.”
It was in this place of deep disappointment and doubt that God reached into Emily’s life and kindled a journey of purpose and hope in her heart.
“I would go online and read all these nasty things people would say about me, and I would just feel really rotten. You can read a hundred nice things, but forget every nice thing people said and only remember that one hateful thing. I can remember so clearly sitting at my kitchen table and going numb. I am really not moving. And the Holy Spirit saying, ‘Open your Bible. Just stop reading that, and open your Bible.’”
“And I tried that, and I really didn’t know where to turn because it can be very intimidating. So I just looked up what the Bible said about different feelings I was having – like guilt, and judgment. I started reading the books in the Bible that were about women – like Esther and Ruth – and those really spoke to me, and it was through those that I just really fell in love with God’s Word and His promises. I just started slowly started coming out of my funk.”
As her faith deepened, she found her perspective reshaped.
“I realized soon that I had what I thought I wanted two times through the show. I had the guy, and I had what I thought was going to fill the hole in my heart, but it just made it even bigger. And it wasn’t until I started that relationship with Jesus that I felt that hole getting smaller and smaller. I just felt complete and hopeful again, and excited about my life.”
