Hi, I’m Mark Barger Elliott, I’m a writer, speaker, and emotional architect. In 2023, I began a journey to start every day with the goal to notice one idea, moment, or image that might help me to feel better. That decision became “On Emotions,” this daily blog. 500+ posts later they are read every month thousands of times and I’m honored you found this growing community. Welcome!
A few things about me:
- For 34 years I’ve been married to an amazing woman who is my partner in life, love, and raising three terrific kids.
- For 30 years it was my honor and joy to serve as a pastor and spend ten hours a week writing and speaking to children, teenagers, professors, scientists, future NFL players, and even a Supreme Court judge on how to live a more meaningful life.
- I’m an award-winning documentary filmmaker. Lost Boy Home tells the story of a Sudanese “Lost Boy” who returns to South Sudan to search for his parents he last saw at age five. The Last Songwriter tells the story of streaming’s dire impact on songwriters and stars Emmylou Harris and Jason Isbell.
- I’m an author of a book of poems called Easter: 21 Stations, how to find the middle of a maze, and on communication.
- I graduated from Princeton Theological Seminary with a Master of Divinity and San Francisco Theological Seminary with a Doctorate.
- As a child I was almost eaten by a lion; as a teenager, I took games off a future Wimbledon champion; and in Oxford, I gave a TED talk on finding two blue lobsters in 48 hours.
On Emotions 