How I became editor of the magazine that rejected me
Rejection stings, but God's plan is always better
In 2002, I was a young mom and a fledgling freelance writer. I had a passion for words and a deep desire to share stories that could encourage, uplift, and connect people in meaningful ways. I didn’t have many contacts in the industry. I had no formal training or insider connections. Just a clunky laptop, a prayerful heart, and a whole lot of hope.
That year, I sent a pitch to Catholic Digest, a magazine I admired and dreamed of writing for. I don’t even remember what I submitted—but I do remember what I received in return: a rejection letter.
They said no.
I probably shouldn’t have been surprised. I was just getting started, after all. But still—it stung. Rejection always stings, doesn’t it? I remember holding that letter in my hands and feeling embarrassment, doubt, and discouragement rise up.
Maybe I wasn’t any good. Maybe this dream wasn’t meant for me.
But instead of throwing the letter away, I tucked it into a file folder where I kept a few other early writing attempts. Not because I was proud of it, but because something inside me knew this wasn’t the end of the story. I didn’t have any proof. I didn’t know where this road would lead. But I did know that I loved to write—and I believed God had put that desire in my heart for a reason.
So I kept writing. I kept submitting. I kept getting rejections.
But here and there, little yeses began to sprinkle in. A blog post got published. A small column ran in a diocesan newspaper. A larger assignment came through.
Year after year, I built slowly, quietly. Amid the chaos of family life and laundry and dishes and doubt, I kept showing up to the page.
Fast forward to 2011.
Nearly a decade after that rejection letter from Catholic Digest, I was named editor-in-chief of that very magazine.
One year later, I was promoted to publisher.
Think about that.
The very publication that once rejected my work entrusted me with leading it.
This is not a “look at me!” story. This is a look at God story.
It’s about how he works through our rejections. How he uses every “no” to redirect, refine, and reshape us into the people he’s calling us to be. It's about how the path to success is almost never straight or smooth—it’s marked with closed doors, hard lessons, and long stretches of waiting.
That rejection letter wasn’t the end of my story. It was the beginning.
I’m sharing this with you today because maybe you’ve been hearing “no” a lot lately. Maybe you’ve been rejected, discouraged, or tempted to give up. Maybe you’ve started to believe the lie that you’re not good enough, not talented enough, not worthy of the calling God has placed on your heart.
Let me tell you the truth:
One “no” is never the end of your story.
If God has placed a dream in your heart, keep going. Keep showing up. Keep submitting the pitch, writing the song, applying for the job, parenting that child, building that business, praying that prayer.
Keep trusting that God’s working through it all—even the disappointments.
You may not see the full picture yet, but God does. And he’s not finished with you.
Ever.
With grace,
If this hit home for you, you’re not alone.
So many people of faith feel called to create, lead, or build something meaningful—but they’re stuck in rejection, burnout, perfectionism, or fear of doing it “wrong.”
That’s why I’m hosting a free webinar just for you:
✨ From Stuck to Started
How to Break Through Overwhelm and Take Your First Bold Step as a Faith-Based Creator
We’ll talk about the real reasons you’re feeling stuck—and how to finally move forward without burning out or selling out.
Come as you are. Leave with clarity, confidence, and a practical plan.
This is so wonderful, Danielle! I knew you had worked as the publisher of CATHOLIC DIGEST (may it rest in peace), but I didn't know the backstory.
I can relate to a lot of your journey from mom with no writing/publishing credentials to, bit by bit, getting pieces published--then books, too.
But it's been a long three years for me since I walked away from Catholic publishing. Sometimes I wonder if I did the right thing, but it took me two years to discern. The content about which I was writing seemed "outside the box" for what most Catholic publishers were willing to stand behind. And I think, since I had been a grief writer and speaker for ten years, I learned that many hurting Catholics needed a way to ask the unthinkable questions and shake their fists at God without fearing recrimination or reprimands.
That's a big part of why I walked away. That, and God basically spoke to my heart: "You're playing it too safe."
A few friends told me, "Your message is needed for a broader audience than just Catholics."
So here I am, plugging away, receiving rejection after rejection from the mainstream industry. At the same time, I feel as you once did when you tucked that rejection letter away--that it's not the end of my story and that I just need to hang on and trust in God's timing.
So I show up every day with a good heart, like my spiritual director tells me. And it is good to be here with you!
I first met you when you were the editor at Catholic Digest! Thankfully, you said yes to my submission. My sting came from Ave Maria Press, OSV and AngelusNews. So true to trust that "No" is in God's plan and an opportunity to grow.