Janet F. Salazar
Author | Speaker | Recovering Pharisee
Helping believers move beyond performance-based religion into a vibrant relationship with God.
Below you’ll find official bios in multiple lengths, downloadable media resources, book information, speaking topics, and recent engagements. Janet is available for interviews, conferences, retreats, and church events.
Official Media Bios
Downloadable versions available below.
One-Liner Bio (25 words)
Janet F. Salazar is an author, speaker, and recovering Pharisee who helps believers move beyond performance-based religion into a vibrant, authentic relationship with God.
Short Bio (100–150 words)
Janet F. Salazar is a writer and speaker passionate about helping believers trade dry duty for vibrant faith. After decades of striving for a connection with God and coming up empty, she discovered the transforming power of seeking Him for who He really is. Today, she shares honest stories, fresh biblical insights, and practical tools to inspire others to walk in authentic relationship with Christ. A pastor’s wife, mother, and teacher, Janet brings warmth, depth, and encouragement to audiences longing for more.
Medium Bio (250–350 words)
Raised in a Christian home and educated through her Master’s degree in faith-based schools, Janet F. Salazar spent years longing for a genuine connection with God. She kept the rules and wore the mask of strong faith, yet inside she felt dry and distant. It wasn’t until her 40s that she set aside her preconceived ideas and began reading Scripture simply to know God. That choice changed everything. The Bible came alive, and she experienced the vibrant, soul-deep relationship she had always longed for.
Now a writer, speaker, and self-described “recovering Pharisee,” Janet shares the lessons she’s learned with honesty and warmth. Her passion is to inspire others to move beyond performance-driven religion into authentic, abundant life in Christ. Whether through her writing, seminars, or speaking engagements, she offers practical tools for prayer, Bible study, and faith that equip believers to grow.
Janet lives in Maryland with Rudy, her husband of nearly four decades. Together they enjoy exploring new places, table games with friends, and searching for great vegetarian restaurants. She continues her mission to help others step out of dry religion into life-giving relationship with God—not as someone with all the answers, but as a fellow traveler who has found hope.
Long Bio (500–600 words)
Janet F. Salazar is not your typical nonfiction author. With a warm laugh that fills a room and a heart relentlessly seeking truth, she has walked the long road from rigid religiosity to vibrant, soul-deep faith—and now she’s passionate about helping others find the same freedom.
Raised in a Christian home and educated in faith-based schools through her Master’s degree, Janet spent decades longing for a real connection with God but feeling like she was missing something essential. She kept all the “rules” and maintained the appearance of strong faith, yet her heart felt dry and distant. Like a thirsty traveler in the desert, she listened eagerly to anyone willing to share how they had found God—even while inwardly wondering if the kind of personal relationship they described was truly real.
It wasn’t until her 40s—motivated in part by a desire not to pass on her struggles to her two children—that Janet took a radical turn. She set aside her preconceived ideas and began reading the Bible, not to reinforce doctrines or check boxes, but to discover who God really is. That simple but profound shift transformed her life. Scripture came alive in a way it never had before, and she began experiencing the deep relationship with God she had always longed for.
Janet’s trademark honesty runs through everything she writes. When she makes a promise, she follows through—whether in her commitments or in her plainspoken approach to faith. Her unique mix of thoughtful reflection and warm connection gives both her writing and speaking a rare balance: she engages deeply with Scripture while also meeting readers where they are.
Her journey to becoming an author started young, fueled by an insatiable love for books. From speech competitions to storytelling performances, to writing Bible-based reader’s theatre for her husband’s church, her creative gifts kept finding outlets. After years of encouragement from audiences and readers—many asking when she would finally write a book—Janet embraced her calling as an author. Her first book, Engaging with God: From Pharisee to Disciple, was born out of this journey.
What makes Janet’s writing distinctive is her ability to bring fresh perspective to familiar biblical narratives. Her naturally inquisitive nature helps her dig deep into Scripture uncovering unique insights, then she uses her vivid imagination to make ancient texts feel alive and relevant. Her work offers practical tools for developing an authentic relationship with God—without resorting to one-size-fits-all formulas. She knows every spiritual journey is unique, and she writes as a fellow traveler sharing what she’s discovered along the way.
Today, Janet lives in Maryland with Rudy, her husband of nearly four decades. When she’s not writing or speaking, you’ll find her and her husband exploring new places, enjoying table games with friends, or hunting down great vegetarian restaurants. Her mission remains simple and steadfast: to help others step out of dry, duty-bound religion and into the vibrant, abundant faith life God has waiting for them—not as someone with all the answers, but as one who has found hope and wants to point others toward it.
Speaking Overview
- Speaker Type: Keynote Speaker / Presenter
- Specialties: Deepening prayer, meaningful Bible study, growing faith, and developing an authentic relationship with God
- Seminars Offered:
- Developing a Living Relationship with God
Helps believers transform prayer and Bible study from routine religious habits into a living, daily relationship with God. - Growing a Faith That Endures
Explores how faith grows, how God strengthens it through His promises, and how believers can maintain trust in Him even in life’s most difficult seasons. - Knowing and Revealing Christ’s Love – An End Time Message
Explores how receiving God’s unconditional love transforms the heart and empowers believers to reveal Christ’s character of love to a watching world. - Set Free Through Forgiveness
Clarifies what forgiveness is—and is not—while guiding participants toward spiritual freedom and healing.
- Developing a Living Relationship with God
- Custom Topics: Available upon request for women’s retreats, church seminars, camp meetings, and special events.
- Audiences: Janet has spoken to groups ranging from church seminars to multi-day retreats and camp meetings with several hundred in attendance
- Recent Engagements (Highlights):
- Keynote Speaker – Wisconsin Women’s Retreat (2024)
- Mid-day Keynote Speaker – Indiana Camp Meeting (2024)
- Keynote Speaker – Pennsylvania Pastor’s Wives Retreat (2024)
- Worship Speaker – Ephesus SDA Church, Toronto (2025)
Engaging with God: From Pharisee to Disciple
A transformational journey from performance-based religion to an authentic, life-giving relationship with Jesus.
Janet F. Salazar
Pacific Press® Publishing Association
Release Date: September 2025
About the Book
Engaging with God: From Pharisee to Disciple invites readers to move beyond religious obligation into a vibrant, personal walk with Christ. Drawing from Scripture, personal testimony, and practical spiritual tools, Janet F. Salazar guides believers who feel spiritually dry or stuck in cycles of duty. She invites them into a deeper experience of prayer, relational Bible study, and enduring faith. This book speaks especially to Christians longing to know God relationally rather than merely serve Him dutifully.
Quick Facts
-
24 chapters in 8 themed sections
-
Christian Spiritual Growth / Discipleship
-
Ideal for women 40+ and believers shaped by performance-based faith environments
-
Includes practical spiritual tools and guided practices for deepening prayer and relational Bible study.
-
Available through the ABC and Amazon
- Author available for interviews, podcasts, and conference events
Talking Points
- Janet’s personal story: from rule-keeping faith to authentic relationship with God.
- God never called us to be legalistic law keepers—He called us to be disciples (John 17:3).
- Prayer is meant to be a conversation between you and God.
- Scripture is meant to reveal God’s heart, not just provide information.
- Distractions, busyness, and digital overload are spiritual battles for our minds.
- Faith is belief plus action. It is not based on feelings.
- God’s love restores identity and heals emotional wounds.
- Gratitude, praise, and Scripture help us endure trials with strength.
Sample Interview Questions
- You describe yourself as a “recovering Pharisee.” Can you share what that means and how your personal journey inspired this book?
- Many believers do all the “right” things yet feel spiritually dry. What helped you move from performance to a relationship with God?
- Prayer can feel like a duty. What helped you rediscover prayer as an authentic connection instead of a ritual?
- You write about reading the Bible relationally, not just academically. What does that look like in practice?
- How do you define faith, and what would you say to someone wrestling with doubt?
- Shame and guilt can keep people stuck. How does God’s unconditional love transform our identity?
- You talk about the “battle for your mind.” What are the biggest distractions Christians face today—and how can they fight back?
- Storms come to all believers. What practices help us stormproof our faith?
- What practical tools from your book can readers start applying right away?
- If readers remember one thing from From Pharisee to Disciple, what do you hope it will be?
Author Statement
“This book was born out of my own struggle with dry, performance-based faith. My deepest prayer is that it helps readers discover the joy of an authentic relationship with Jesus.” – Janet F. Salazar
