Welcome to Faithful Voices

One purpose of the Faithful Path Network is to help Christian readers discover faithful voices and resources they might not otherwise encounter.

Today, I’m delighted to introduce Maury, the storyteller behind Grit & Wit.

I appreciate Maury’s ability to take ordinary experiences and connect them to meaningful lessons about faith and family. Whether he’s sharing a memory from growing up on a Tennessee dairy farm, an adventure with his children, or something he’s learned through marriage, he usually weaves a little humor into the story.

But there’s also something deeper.

Maury believes our faith should influence how we live every day, not simply how we worship on Sunday. His stories remind readers that opportunities to grow in Christ often come through the ordinary circumstances of life.

And as a fellow educator, I especially appreciate how he uses storytelling to help people understand and remember important lessons.

I’ll let Maury explain how his love for storytelling became Grit & Wit and why sharing his faith eventually became such an important part of his writing.

In His Own Words

Maury the Story: The Faith and Family Behind Grit & Wit

I’ve always enjoyed telling stories. In fact, I’ve been known to have one ready for just about any occasion. Sometimes people will even give me a subject and ask me to tell them a story about it. Usually, I can come up with something. I’ve always believed there’s a good story hiding in just about every situation. Sometimes you just have to know where to look.

Several years ago, I was selected as a SCORE educator fellow, one of a small group of educators chosen from across Tennessee. Part of our work involved learning how to communicate with stakeholders, and one of the things they encouraged us to do was use stories. Stories help people understand a situation because they can picture themselves in it.

It didn’t take long before I earned the nickname “Maury the Story.”

My students probably could have told you why.

During my years as a classroom teacher, I regularly used stories to connect lessons to real life. When test time rolled around, I could remind students of a story I’d told, and they’d remember the lesson that went with it. At one point, I was encouraged to cut back on the storytelling because it was taking up instructional time. My students weren’t too happy about that suggestion. They told me I’d better not stop because those stories were one of their favorite parts of class.

Apparently, I had an audience before I ever had a publication.

I grew up on a dairy farm in Tennessee, where I learned early that some jobs needed doing whether you felt like doing them or not. We raked hay, fed calves, fixed fences, and helped wherever we were needed. Sometimes we got paid. Sometimes we didn’t. That’s part of being a family.

Now, I won’t pretend I loved every minute of it. I was a kid. There were plenty of other things I’d rather have been doing. Thankfully, my Grandmaw understood the power of motivation. Sometimes she’d promise me a trip to Long John Silver’s, where I could order whatever I wanted, if I’d help her with a project.

You’d be surprised what a kid will do for a three-piece chicken and more with extra hushpuppies instead of coleslaw.

Those years helped build the foundation of who I am today. I learned that if you’re going to do something, you ought to do it right the first time. I learned that family means showing up for one another, even when there’s nothing in it for you. And I learned that the ordinary things we experience often leave the biggest impressions. I’ve carried those lessons into my marriage, my parenting, and eventually my writing.

My wife, Karen, and I celebrated twenty years of marriage this year, although we’ve actually been together for twenty-six. We have four children, which means our house has provided enough stories to keep me writing for quite some time. Some of my favorite articles have come from our family adventures or just the things that happen in everyday life.

At least the stories I’ve received permission to share.

I grew up with divorced parents, and that experience helped shape my desire to be the best husband and father I can be. Karen has often described me as consistent, and I take that as a pretty meaningful compliment. I try to remain calm when things get stressful because my family needs me to be. Do I always succeed? Absolutely not. But I keep trying.

Being a father has also helped me understand my relationship with God in ways I never expected. There are moments when I’m frustrated with one of my children, only to realize that God probably has far more reasons to be frustrated with me. Thankfully, He’s much more patient than I am.

A while back, I was telling stories to a couple of coworkers when one of them suggested I ought to start writing them down. My brother Andrew was already writing on Substack, and he encouraged me to give it a try.

So, in April 2025, Grit & Wit was born.

I didn’t start with a grand plan to become an author or build a ministry. I simply enjoyed telling stories and thought maybe somebody else might enjoy reading them.

When I first prayed about the idea, I actually told God that I didn’t want to write heavily about faith. I figured I’d share stories about marriage, fatherhood, and life, with a few Christian undertones along the way.

A few weeks later, I published a devotional I’d previously written for my church. It received a lot of engagement, and people connected with it. As usual, God had other plans. I began writing more about faith, family, and the lessons God has taught me along the way. The stories were still there, and so was the humor, but I realized they could all work together.

That’s really what Grit & Wit is about.

I want reading one of my articles to feel like we’re sitting on the front porch, around the kitchen table, or out on the back deck with a glass of sweet tea or a cold Sun Drop. We’re just talking about life. Maybe we’re laughing about something ridiculous that happened with the kids, or maybe the conversation turns toward something more serious. I’ve always enjoyed making people laugh. A good, genuine laugh can make a difficult day a little easier. But I’ve also discovered that stories can touch people in ways we never expect.

For our twentieth wedding anniversary, I wrote about how Karen and I met and our first date. It was a fun trip down memory lane for me. Afterward, a woman contacted me and told me how much the story meant to her after losing her husband.

I had written about a happy memory in my marriage, and somehow it brought encouragement to someone grieving the loss of hers. That’s something I won’t soon forget.

I’ve been blessed to grow up in church, and my faith has remained a constant throughout my life. I’ve served in youth ministry, taught Sunday School, led Bible studies for years, and even preached a few sermons. Through all of it, I’ve come to appreciate the way Jesus taught people through stories. He met them where they were, using familiar things to help them understand eternal truths.

I try to follow that example in my writing.

I believe Scripture should make a difference in our everyday lives. The Jesus we worship on Sunday is the same Jesus who is with us on Tuesday when the car won’t start, the kids are arguing, or the day simply isn’t going as planned. Our faith shouldn’t be something we put away when we leave church.

That belief eventually led to my first two books, Faith With Work Boots On, a seven-week study through James, and Built to Last, a six-week journey through Ephesians. Both grew out of devotionals I’d written years earlier for my church. I added stories from my own life and practical ways readers could apply Scripture to the things they face every day.

My newest book, Waiting for the King, takes that same approach into the Christmas season, helping families prepare their hearts for the birth of Jesus. It just includes a lot more family traditions and Christmas memories from my life. I’m probably the most excited about it.

I’d love to see Grit & Wit become my full-time work someday, Lord willing. But I also believe there are things God does through us that we’ll never fully understand this side of heaven. I think we encourage and bless far more people than we realize, often through things that seem pretty ordinary to us. A story, a conversation, a kind word, or simply being there when someone needs us can make a difference we’ll never know about.

If there’s one thing I hope people remember about me someday, it’s not how many articles I’ve written or how many books I’ve sold. I hope they’ll be able to say that Maury lived what he believed.

And if you’re looking for someone who has marriage, parenting, and following Jesus all figured out, you’ve probably come to the wrong place. I’m still learning, still making mistakes, and still finding plenty of reasons to laugh along the way.

But if you enjoy a good story, don’t mind a little humor, and believe faith ought to make a difference beyond Sunday morning, I’d love for you to join me at Grit & Wit.

There’s plenty of room.

From Faithful Path Living

One of my favorite things about Maury’s story is that he didn’t begin writing with a grand plan. He simply enjoyed telling stories, and the Lord opened opportunities for those stories to encourage others.

His experience reminds me that we don’t always know how God will use what we share. Sometimes an ordinary family memory becomes encouragement to someone walking through grief. Sometimes a humorous story helps someone recognize a biblical truth in a new way.

Sometimes, the most meaningful testimony we leave behind isn’t something we’ve written at all, but the way we’ve lived. I especially appreciate Maury’s desire that people remember him as someone who lived what he believed. That’s a wonderful goal for all of us.

I’m grateful to welcome Grit & Wit to the Faithful Path Network and introduce Maury through Faithful Voices.

Discover Grit & Wit

Through Grit & Wit, shares stories about Christian living, marriage, fatherhood, family, and the lessons God teaches through everyday experiences.

His writing combines humor, personal stories, and biblical encouragement, inviting readers to consider how faith shapes life beyond Sunday morning.

Read Grit & Wit →

Grit & Wit by Maury Wood

Faith for real life, with a little grit and plenty of wit. Stories about family, marriage, fatherhood, and following Jesus through the ordinary, messy, and meaningful moments of life.

By Maury D. Wood, II

Explore Maury’s Books

Maury has also written Bible studies and devotional resources that help readers connect Scripture with everyday life.

Faith With Work Boots On
A seven-week Bible study through the book of James, exploring how faith should shape how we live.

Built to Last
A six-week journey through Ephesians that combines biblical teaching with personal stories and practical application.

Waiting for the King -

A Christmas devotional resource designed to help families prepare their hearts for Jesus' birth through Scripture, family traditions, and meaningful reflections.

Faithful Path Network

Frequently Asked Questions

What is Grit & Wit?

Grit & Wit is a Christian publication written by Maury, a Tennessee storyteller, educator, husband, and father. Through personal stories, humor, and biblical encouragement, he explores how Christian faith influences marriage, parenting, family relationships, and everyday life.

Who is Maury the Story?

Maury is a Christian writer and former classroom teacher who earned the nickname “Maury the Story” because of his love for storytelling. Raised on a Tennessee dairy farm, he draws from his experiences in education, marriage, fatherhood, and church ministry to share relatable stories that connect everyday situations with biblical principles.

What does Grit & Wit write about?

Grit & Wit focuses on Christian living, marriage, fatherhood, family life, and applying Scripture to everyday experiences. Maury’s articles often combine humor and personal stories with reflections on faith, relationships, and lessons learned along the way.

What books has Maury written?

Maury’s books include Faith With Work Boots On, a seven-week study of James; Built to Last, a six-week study through Ephesians; and Waiting for the King, a Christmas devotional resource for families. Each combines biblical teaching with personal stories and practical applications.

How does Grit & Wit connect faith with everyday life?

Maury uses relatable stories about family, work, marriage, parenting, and ordinary experiences to illustrate biblical principles. His goal is to help readers recognize that following Jesus should influence their daily decisions, relationships, and actions, not just their Sunday worship.

Discover More Through the Faithful Path Network

Mimi’s Faith Journey is part of the Faithful Path Network, created to help Christian readers discover biblically grounded writers, publications, ministries, and resources while helping Christian creatives connect with the people they hope to serve.

If you are looking for more Christian encouragement for marriage, family, and raising the next generation in faith, explore our Marriage & Family category.

Explore the Faithful Path Network to discover more faithful voices for Christian living.

Faithful Voices is a feature of Faithful Path Living and the Faithful Path Network, created to introduce readers to Christian publications and resources worth discovering.

Welcome to Faithful Voices

One of the purposes behind the Faithful Path Network is to help Christian readers discover faithful voices and resources they may not otherwise encounter.

Today, I am delighted to introduce , the writer behind Mimi’s Faith Journey.

As a grandmother myself, I especially appreciate the heart behind Mary’s publication. There is something wonderful about watching our grandchildren grow, discovering their personalities, and making memories with them. But as Christian grandparents, we also have an opportunity to share something far more lasting: our faith in Jesus Christ.

I appreciate that Mary’s message recognizes that every family’s circumstances are different. Not every grandmother lives close to her grandchildren. Not every family shares the same beliefs. And not every grandchild is ready to have conversations about faith.

Mary reminds us that our influence is not limited to the amount of time we spend together or the conversations we are able to have. Our grandchildren can also learn about our faith through the way we live it.

Scripture speaks to the importance of passing our faith from one generation to another. Psalm 78:4 reminds us of the responsibility to tell the coming generation about the Lord and His wonderful works, and sharing our faith with the next generation begins with continuing to grow in our own relationship with Him.

That is the heart behind Mimi’s Faith Journey.

Mimi’s Faith Journey is a Christian publication for grandmothers who want to strengthen their own relationship with Jesus Christ while intentionally sharing their faith with their grandchildren. Through biblical encouragement and practical reflections on Christian grandparenting, Mary hopes to help grandmothers recognize that their spiritual influence can remain meaningful regardless of distance, family circumstances, or differences in beliefs.

I’ll let Mary share that vision in her own words.

In Her Own Words

Mary | Mimi’s Faith Journey

Why Christian Grandparenting Matters

Being a Christian grandmother is about more than enjoying time with our grandchildren, making memories, and watching them grow. It is also an opportunity to share something that matters deeply to us: our faith in Jesus.

That doesn’t mean Christian grandparenting looks the same for everyone.

Some grandmothers see their grandchildren every week. Others live many miles away and may only see them a few times a year. Some have children who share their faith, while others have adult children who are not believers or who have chosen a different path. Some grandchildren are eager to talk about God, while others may have questions or no interest at all.

Our circumstances may be different, but our role can still be meaningful.

I believe Christian grandmothers have something important to offer our grandchildren: a faith that is real, growing, and we are living in our everyday life.

And that begins with us.

We need to continue growing in our own faith. We can’t share something we are no longer nurturing in our own lives. Spending time in Scripture, praying, worshiping, learning, and allowing God to work in us gives us a faith story that is authentic; not perfect, but real.

Then we can share that faith with our grandchildren in ways that fit our circumstances.

Sometimes it may be a conversation about God. Sometimes it may be praying together, reading a Bible story, or sharing a verse. Sometimes it may simply be the way we respond when life is difficult, forgive someone, show kindness, or trust God when we don’t know the outcome.

We don’t have to preach at our grandchildren to share our faith with them.

We can live it, talk about it, and invite them into it.

That is what I hope Mimi’s Faith Journey will be—a place for Christian grandmothers to encourage one another as we continue growing in our own faith and discover meaningful ways to share that faith with the grandchildren God has placed in our lives.

Because our circumstances may look different, but our desire can be the same:

To grow in our faith and bless the generations that come after us.

From Faithful Path Living

One thing that stands out to me about Mary’s message is her reminder that sharing our faith with our grandchildren starts with our own walk with the Lord. We cannot expect to encourage the next generation to seek Him if we are neglecting that relationship ourselves.

Perhaps that is one of the greatest opportunities grandparenting gives us. As we continue growing in our own faith, we have opportunities to share what the Lord has taught us through the experiences of our lives.

I think about the words of Paul to Timothy:

“I am reminded of your sincere faith, a faith that dwelt first in your grandmother Lois and your mother Eunice and now, I am sure, dwells in you as well.” — 2 Timothy 1:5 (ESV)

What a beautiful testimony of faith being passed from one generation to another!

We may not always see the results of the seeds we plant. We may not be present for every milestone or have every conversation we would like. But we can keep praying for our grandchildren, sharing God’s Word when opportunities arise, and letting them see what it looks like to trust the Lord in our own lives.

That is why I am grateful to welcome Mimi’s Faith Journey to the Faithful Path Network. Mary is creating a place where Christian grandmothers can encourage one another in this calling, recognizing that faithful influence doesn’t require perfect circumstances.

It begins with a heart that desires to follow the Lord and share His goodness with those who come after us.

Discover Mimi’s Faith Journey

Through Mimi’s Faith Journey, Mary hopes to encourage Christian grandmothers as they continue growing in their faith and sharing that faith with their grandchildren.

Whether you live close to your grandchildren or miles apart, share the same beliefs as your adult children, or find yourself navigating differences, Mary’s message is one of encouragement.

There are meaningful ways to live out your faith and share the hope you have in Christ.

Mary

Christian, former teacher, book lover, and grammar nerd.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is Mimi’s Faith Journey?

Mimi’s Faith Journey is a Christian publication created by Mary to encourage grandmothers to continue growing in their relationship with Jesus Christ while discovering meaningful ways to share their faith with their grandchildren.

Why is Christian grandparenting important?

Christian grandparenting provides opportunities to encourage younger generations through prayer, Scripture, personal testimony, and the example of a life lived in faith. Grandparents can play a meaningful role in helping grandchildren understand God’s love and the importance of following Jesus Christ.

How can Christian grandmothers share their faith with their grandchildren?

Christian grandmothers can share their faith through everyday conversations, praying together, reading Scripture, sharing Bible stories, and demonstrating Christian values through their actions. Even simple moments of kindness, forgiveness, and trust in God can provide opportunities to demonstrate what living faithfully looks like.

How can grandparents encourage their grandchildren’s faith when they live far away?

Distance does not eliminate opportunities for spiritual encouragement. Grandparents can pray regularly for their grandchildren, share Scripture through letters or messages, read Bible stories during phone or video calls, and look for meaningful ways to remain connected. The approach will depend on each family’s circumstances and relationships.

What does the Bible say about grandparents passing down their faith?

Scripture emphasizes the importance of sharing God’s works and truth with future generations. Psalm 78:4 encourages believers to tell the coming generation about the Lord, while 2 Timothy 1:5 describes the sincere faith of Timothy’s grandmother Lois and mother Eunice. These passages highlight the meaningful influence family members can have in nurturing faith across generations.

Who should read Mimi’s Faith Journey?

Mimi’s Faith Journey is especially relevant to Christian grandmothers who want to strengthen their own faith while encouraging their grandchildren to know and follow Jesus Christ. Its message is applicable to grandmothers in different family situations, including those navigating distance, changing relationships, or differences in religious beliefs.

Discover More Through the Faithful Path Network

Mimi’s Faith Journey is part of the Faithful Path Network, created to help Christian readers discover biblically grounded writers, publications, ministries, and resources while helping Christian creatives connect with the people they hope to serve.

If you are looking for more Christian encouragement for marriage, family, and raising the next generation in faith, explore our Marriage & Family category.

Explore the Faithful Path Network to discover more faithful voices for Christian living.

Faithful Voices is a feature of Faithful Path Living and the Faithful Path Network, created to introduce readers to Christian publications and resources worth discovering.

Welcome to Faithful Voices

One of the purposes behind the Faithful Path Network is to help Christian readers discover faithful voices and resources they may not otherwise encounter.

For this Faithful Voices feature, I am delighted to introduce Stewarding Faithfully.

What immediately stood out to me about this publication is the message at its heart: homemaking is stewardship, not performance.

So much pressure surrounds homemaking. Cook everything from scratch. Keep the house looking a certain way. Buy the right products. Learn all the skills. Do more for your family, and somehow find time to do it all well.

Stewarding Faithfully offers a different perspective.

Rather than encouraging women to continually pursue more, its message points us back to what God has already entrusted to us. Our homes, our food, our abilities, our time, and the people we care for can all become opportunities to faithfully steward what belongs to Him.

And this isn’t a message that grew simply from an interest in homemaking.

It grew through a season when striving, productivity, declining health, and eventually being forced to stop caused her to reconsider what faithful living actually looks like.

Her background as a nurse, ordained minister, former bakery owner, and Christian writer brings together several experiences that now shape Stewarding Faithfully. But perhaps most important is the lesson the Lord taught her through her own life:

Everything belongs to Him. We are the caretakers.

I’ll let her tell you the rest in her own words.

In Her Own Words

My mission with Stewarding Faithfully is to help women see homemaking as faithful stewardship, not a performance. I want to help them nourish their families, care for their homes and build practical skills in a way that is biblical, sustainable and full of grace.

That mission grew out of a lesson the Lord had to teach me in a very personal way.

For years, I tied a lot of my worth to productivity. I worked as a nurse for 24 years, and there were seasons when I worked two jobs because I wanted to make more money and keep moving up in the world. I owned a bakery because I wanted to build something successful. I was involved in ministry and preaching. None of those things were bad, but I kept adding more until eventually my body could not keep up with the life I had built.

My health declined and an autoimmune flare put me in bed for weeks. I didn’t choose to slow down. I had to stop.

That season opened my eyes to how much of my life had been driven by striving. I had spent years thinking about the next thing. More money. A nicer car. A bigger house. Another accomplishment. Then I read Deuteronomy 10:14: “Indeed heaven and the highest heavens belong to the Lord your God, also the earth with all that is in it.”

It clicked. Everything belongs to Him.

My house belongs to Him. My car belongs to Him. The clothes I wear belong to Him. The food in my kitchen belongs to Him. Even the ground underneath my feet is His.

I am the caretaker.

That changed the way I looked at homemaking. I used to resent housework. Dishes were another chore waiting for me after a long day. Now I can look at a sink full of dishes and see evidence that I had food to prepare and people to feed. Washing them can now be an act of gratitude instead of something I have to rush through.

Colossians 3:23 tells us, “And whatever you do, do it heartily, as to the Lord and not to men.” I had read that verse before, but homemaking gave it hands and feet for me. The ordinary work of caring for a home matters because of Who I’m doing it for.

That doesn’t mean I believe a faithful woman has a spotless house, makes every meal from scratch, or never buys convenience food. I have learned enough about striving to know where that road leads.

Sometimes stewarding your family well means letting the laundry sit so you can spend time with your children. Sometimes it means cooking with organic ingredients at home and eating Chick-fil-A when life is busy. Sometimes it means making the bread yourself. Sometimes it means buying the bread and getting everyone fed.

God gives us grace for the day. Sometimes we are the ones who refuse to give ourselves any.

Fresh-milled flour became one of the practical ways this message came to life for me. I had struggled with wheat myself, then began learning to bake with the whole wheat berry. I started looking at food differently. Instead of seeing cooking and baking as one more thing that needed to be made faster and easier, I began seeing them as part of nourishing the people God had entrusted to me.

Bread carries special meaning for me because Scripture carries that image throughout the Bible, and Christ called Himself the Bread of Life. There is something beautiful about taking the whole grain, milling it and turning it into food for the people I love. It reminds me that food is more than a task to get through. It gives life and gathers people around a table.

That is the heart behind Stewarding Faithfully.

I don’t want women to see my work and feel like they need to buy more, do more or become a perfect version of a homemaker. The world already gives us enough reasons to believe we are behind.

I want women to look around at what God has already placed in their hands and ask, “How can I care for this well?”

Your home doesn’t have to be bigger before you can be grateful for it. Mine is small, and these days I love it. Besides, a bigger house would just give me more to clean.

Your kitchen doesn’t have to be perfect before you can feed people well. You don’t need every skill at once. You can learn one thing, practice it and then learn another.

The world tells us to keep reaching for more. I want to remind women that there is deep joy in faithfully caring for what God has already given us. That is what Stewarding Faithfully means to me.

A Bit of Background

I am a retired nurse after 24 years in healthcare, an ordained minister in my denomination, a former bakery owner and now a Christian writer and creator behind Stewarding Faithfully.

My years in nursing taught me a great deal about caring for people, while ministry shaped the way I think about Scripture and service. Owning a bakery deepened my love for baking and eventually became part of the road that led me to fresh milled flour.

My own experience with burnout and declining health changed the direction of my life. After years of working, building, serving and trying to keep everything going, an autoimmune condition forced me to stop. That season became part of the foundation for what I teach now about rest, contentment, and faithful stewardship.

Through Stewarding Faithfully, I write about biblical homemaking, fresh milled flour, cooking from scratch and practical skills that help women care for their families without turning homemaking into another impossible standard.

At the center of all of it is this…. we don’t have to chase more to live faithfully. We can start with what God has already placed in our hands.

From Faithful Path Living

There is something deeply freeing about the distinction at the heart of Stewarding Faithfully: faithful stewardship is not the same thing as perfect performance.

Biblical homemaking does not have to become another measure by which women decide whether they are doing enough.

Instead, it can begin with a much simpler question:

What has God already placed in my hands, and how can I care for it faithfully?

That may look different from one household or season of life to another. The circumstances may change. Our capacity may change. What we are able to make ourselves, grow, cook, clean, or accomplish may change too.

The One to whom it all belongs does not.

That is one reason I am grateful to include Stewarding Faithfully in the Faithful Path Network and to share her story through Faithful Voices. Her work offers women practical encouragement while continually pointing beyond the work itself to the One we are ultimately serving.

Discover Stewarding Faithfully

Through Stewarding Faithfully, readers can explore practical and biblical encouragement surrounding homemaking, fresh-milled flour, cooking from scratch, contentment, rest, and developing skills for caring well for home and family.

Read Stewarding Faithfully →

Shannon- Stewarding Faithfully

I mill my own flour, bake on Saturdays, and tell Roy he’s lucky I love him. Jesus, bread, home, that’s the whole story.

Explore her Faithful Path Network listing →

Frequently Asked Questions

What is Stewarding Faithfully?

Stewarding Faithfully is a Christian publication that encourages women to view homemaking as faithful stewardship rather than a pursuit of perfection. Its content combines biblical encouragement with practical skills for caring for home and family.

What is biblical homemaking?

Biblical homemaking approaches the care of home and family through principles found in Scripture. At Stewarding Faithfully, that means recognizing that everything ultimately belongs to God and seeking to care faithfully for the people, resources, abilities, and responsibilities He has entrusted to us. It emphasizes stewardship and service rather than achieving a particular image of the perfect home.

Does biblical homemaking mean doing everything from scratch?

No. Stewarding Faithfully emphasizes stewardship rather than perfection. Different families and different seasons require different choices. Faithful homemaking may include cooking from scratch and developing traditional skills, but it can also mean choosing convenience when time, health, or family needs make that the wiser choice.

What does Stewarding Faithfully write about?

Stewarding Faithfully covers biblical homemaking, fresh-milled flour, cooking and baking from scratch, practical homemaking skills, contentment, rest, and caring for family without turning homemaking into another impossible standard.

What does stewardship have to do with homemaking?

Christian stewardship begins with recognizing that everything ultimately belongs to God. This perspective can transform ordinary responsibilities such as preparing meals, caring for a home, managing resources, and serving family members into opportunities to faithfully care for what God has provided.

Why does Stewarding Faithfully write about fresh milled flour?

Fresh milled flour became part of the author’s own journey toward thinking differently about food and nourishment. Her experience with baking and whole wheat berries helped her see preparing food not simply as another task to complete, but as one practical way to nourish and care for the people God has entrusted to her.

Discover More Through the Faithful Path Network

Stewarding Faithfully is part of the Faithful Path Network, created to help Christian readers discover biblically grounded writers, publications, ministries, and resources while helping Christian creatives connect with the people they hope to serve.

Explore the Faithful Path Network to discover more faithful voices for Christian living.

Faithful Voices is a feature of Faithful Path Living and the Faithful Path Network, created to introduce readers to Christian publications and resources worth discovering.

Welcome to Faithful Voices

One of the purposes behind the Faithful Path Network is to help Christian readers discover faithful voices and resources they may not otherwise encounter.

That is why I am especially excited to introduce the second publication featured through Faithful Voices: Adrian Warnock

What first drew me to Adrian Warnock was actually Christian Book Finder, where we are both editors. I wrote a feature for his book Raised with Christ: How the Resurrection Changes Everything and was immediately intrigued. I had just completed a course with Dr. Gary Habermas through Faith Bible Institute that spring, and Adrian referenced Dr. Habermas’ work several times throughout the book. I especially appreciated the way Adrian made those findings accessible to his readers.

Today, Adrian, , and I work together through Christian Book Finder, helping Christian authors connect their books with the readers they were written to serve. Through advance reader teams, podcast interviews, publishing guidance, and other resources, the goal is to help worthy Christian books find their audiences.

But Adrian’s work reaches well beyond books.

His experiences as a physician, psychiatrist, researcher, church leader, author, and someone who has personally walked through years of chronic illness give him a perspective that is uniquely his own.

One of the themes running through Adrian’s work is that healing and lasting change take time. Sometimes years or even decades. He encourages readers to be patient as the Lord works in us, recognizing that His work does not always happen according to the timetable we might choose.

Adrian brings an unusual breadth of experience to these conversations. He is a qualified medical doctor and psychiatrist who has worked in medical research and served in pastoral leadership in a local church. He also writes from the deeply personal perspective of his own challenging decade of chronic illness.

Together, these experiences shape what Adrian describes as a biopsychosocial-spiritual approach: considering the biological, psychological, social, and spiritual dimensions of our lives as we think about healing, growth, and wholeness.

The passion behind his mission is perhaps best explained through his own story.

In His Own Words

Adrian Warnock

During a challenging decade marked by chronic illness, blood cancer, and unexpected losses, my faith was often faint. I wondered if this was the end of my story. I was not strong enough to live for Jesus the way I wanted to. I could not change myself. But hope reminded me: Jesus doesn’t just give us time to change. He patiently helps us grow.

My journey is not one of miraculous healing, but of seeing my life crumble. Then, through a slow process of healing and rebuilding, I learned that the resurrection really does change everything. Just not all at once. Our healing takes time, and only compassion and patience can sustain us over a whole lifetime of change.

In my writing I wrestle with big questions like:

• What does Jesus’ resurrection mean for you?

• Why is change so difficult? What causes the resistance?

• Why is change so slow? How does grace lead us over a lifetime?

• How do you become a Christian? How can you know if you really are one??

While I have been writing a regular personal column on the internet since 2003, I only joined Substack on 1st June 2026. I have found a wonderful community of Christians from all kinds of walks of life and denominational backgrounds. Although I theoretically have large followings on various forms of social media and, according to the statistics, quite a few people read my Patheos blog, I have found for years there has been very little feedback. I have had much more interaction and feedback here than I have ever had elsewhere! You are a great bunch of people, and the community seems much more patient and ready to really wrestle with difficult questions, finding answers that are not just self-help tips dressed up in spiritual language.

A Bit of Background

My first two books were traditionally published: Raised with Christ (Crossway, 2010) and Hope Reborn (Christian Focus, 2014). It was over the next couple of years after publishing that second book that I felt my energy levels and motivation gradually reduce. I wondered if this was what backsliding feels like until a day that will forever be etched on my memory. On 28 April 2017, I was on my way home from a busy, responsible office job in the city of London. I found that as I stepped off my train, I couldn’t walk properly along the platform. I was breathless, muddle-headed, and ended up being carried off the platform on a stretcher. Pneumonia was the diagnosis, but undiagnosed blood cancer had made my immune system very weak and unable to fight it off for weeks. I never fully recovered and have had a series of other medical diagnoses since, as well as undergoing chemotherapy. Many things changed in my life, and there were months where I could not write or even go to church.

For about the last year, whilst my fatigue is still a constant companion, I have been able to write more than I have for years. There is an urgency and enthusiasm about it that has driven me to write in order to help others. I have self-published a new edition of my first book, and am working on two others, which are available in their incomplete early access form. The Traitor Within explains how many of our real problem are caused by the deceitful and broken heart inside each of us. Amazing Grace is a compilation of writings by John Newton which I have updated into modern English, and including some chapters which explain why his work is so important to us today.

As a sneak preview, I am letting you know here first that I will soon be releasing part of that library of John Newton’s work as a stand-alone book, titled An Authentic Narrative in Modern English. This is an updated form of his first book, which tells his remarkable testimony of how God saved him, and why he had no problem with describing himself in his famous hymn as a “wretch.”

There are two main pillars for my writing. In Faith & Spirituality, I aim to write about theology that makes a real difference in our daily life. In Health & Wholeness, I address healing from a truly holistic perspective.

My background allows me to attempt to explain medical science, including psychology and neuroscience, simply. I also have two community publications which aim to help people, whatever their faith background, who have blood cancer or chronic illnesses.

But I do also love doing podcast interviews and writing about the latest books I read. My work has always been a bit eclectic. I write about whatever interests me, and hope my readers benefit along the way.

From Faithful Path Living

Adrian’s story is a reminder of something we can easily forget: God’s work in a life does not always happen quickly. Sometimes faithfulness looks like continuing to trust Him through years of questions, limitations, healing, and change.

That combination of biblical conviction, professional knowledge, lived experience, and compassion is one of the reasons I am grateful to welcome Adrian Warnock to the Faithful Path Network.

Connect with Adrian Warnock

Adrian’s work extends across several platforms and formats. You can read his writing here on Substack as well as on his long-running Patheos blog, one of the longest-running personal Christian columns on the internet.

He is also the author of several books and hosts a video podcast through Substack that is distributed across major podcast platforms.

Adrian also serves as an editor with Christian Book Finder, helping Christian authors and their books connect with the readers they were written to serve.

Read Adrian on Substack → adrainwarnock.substack.com

Explore his Patheos writing → patheos.com/blogs/adrianwarnock

Listen to the podcast → https://adrianwarnock.substack.com/podcast

Visit Christian Book Finder → christianbookfinder.com

Frequently Asked Questions

Who is Dr. Adrian Warnock?

Dr. Adrian Warnock is a Christian author, writer, podcaster, physician, and psychiatrist whose work brings together biblical faith, medical science, psychology, neuroscience, and lived experience. He has also served in medical research and pastoral leadership and writes from his own experience of chronic illness and blood cancer.

What does Adrian Warnock write about?

Adrian writes primarily about faith and spirituality, health and wholeness, and the process of lasting personal change. His work explores questions surrounding the resurrection of Jesus, grace, spiritual growth, chronic illness, emotional and physical healing, and what it means to follow Christ through difficult seasons of life.

What is a biopsychosocial-spiritual approach?

A biopsychosocial-spiritual approach considers the biological, psychological, social, and spiritual dimensions of a person’s life rather than treating them as entirely separate. Adrian draws upon his medical and psychiatric background, Christian faith, pastoral experience, and personal experience with chronic illness to explore healing and wholeness from this broader perspective.

What books has Adrian Warnock written?

Adrian’s books include Raised with Christ: How the Resurrection Changes Everything and Hope Reborn. His newer projects include The Traitor Within, Amazing Grace, and An Authentic Narrative in Modern English, which brings John Newton’s testimony to modern readers.

Where can I read or listen to Adrian Warnock?

Adrian writes on Substack and on his long-running Patheos blog. He also produces a video podcast that is distributed through Substack and podcast platforms. In addition, he serves as an editor for Christian Book Finder, where he helps connect Christian authors and their books with readers.

Faithful Voices is a feature of Faithful Path Living and the Faithful Path Network, created to introduce readers to Christian publications and resources worth discovering.

Welcome to Faithful Voices

One of the purposes behind the Faithful Path Network is to help Christian readers discover faithful voices and resources they may not otherwise encounter.

That is why I am especially excited to introduce the very first publication featured through Faithful Voices: Christians Who Thrive.

What first drew me to Christians Who Thrive was the practical way Mike and Susan approach the places where faith and everyday life meet. Their work does not treat spiritual growth as something disconnected from grief, relationships, anxiety, emotional struggles, or the patterns of thought we carry with us.

Instead, they seek to help Christians apply biblical truth while also drawing upon the wisdom gained through decades of professional experience.

Their mission is described simply:

At Christians Who Thrive, we help you turn everyday struggles into stepping stones for spiritual, emotional, and relational growth using Scripture-based principles and psychological skills that make faith work in real life.

As Mike and Susan enter a new season of their work, they are building something I believe many readers within the Faithful Path community will want to know about.

Rather than tell their story for them, I invited them to share it with us in their own words.

In Their Own Words

Christians Who Thrive

At Christians Who Thrive, we help you turn everyday struggles into stepping stones for spiritual, emotional, and relational growth using Scripture-based principles and psychological skills that make faith work in real life.

Real Life. Real Faith. And Practical Skills to Help You Thrive.

A Bit of Background and A New Direction

Since moving our weekly newsletter, Christians Who Thrive, to Substack about five months ago, we have begun to focus in a new direction for this next phase of our life and work—which is for Mike to transition from psychotherapy and counseling to writing full time.

This shift allows us to begin building our library of psychospiritual books, guides, and other resources that will grow out of our 36 years in private practice. And in the process we will be fulfilling a dream we’ve been incubating for a decade now.

Mike’s driving passion, in his own words, is to “learn all I can and share what I learn.” In fact, a quote from Chaucer sits on his desk, “And gladly wolde he lerne, and gladly teche.”

His desire is to start transitioning from seeing clients which he can only do one at a time, to writing books and articles which allow us to help many people at once.

Not only that, after working with clients from all walks and backgrounds in our practice, we want to spend the rest of our years directing everything we do to our fellow Christians.

This explains why we have been diligently looking for and praying about the right social media platform on which to share and grow our Christians Who Thrive newsletter.

So when we discovered Substack and the amazing network of believers we’ve connected with here, we knew we had found our place!

This singular move, as I said above, has allowed us to pivot toward our new direction. And the first phase of this new direction is the creation of the Christians Who Thrive Resource Library.

Thrive Guides

Integral to our ever-growing Library, Thrive Guides are a series of value-filled and reader-friendly books exploring singular topics with seasoned wisdom, encouragement, and practical, effective steps that promote healing and growth.

Because these shorter books (averaging 100 pages each) are written specifically for Christians, they are grounded in Scripture, informed by sound psychological insights and practices, and enriched by decades of real-world counseling and psychotherapy.

And let me add one further point.

You can be assured that everything we create, whether article, Thrive Guide, or full-length book, is actually written by us. Not AI. We believe this is important to say in today’s world.

Book 1 in the Series is Grace in the Ashes – the Soul’s Journey Through Grief.

We chose this topic for the first Thrive Guide for several reasons.

First, in a continuing way, every life is touched by loss of one sort or another.

Which means grief is everywhere… because grief is the emotion of loss. Not just of death.

In other words, all loss carries grief.

In fact, we find that a lot of our clients suffer the effects of trapped grief simply because they misguidedly believe that grief is a process reserved for dealing with death.

Second, Mike felt an urgency… almost a compulsion… to write this book. An experience he described to me as really unusual.

Any author feels drawn to their project (or at least should feel drawn to it). However, he indicated that Grace in the Ashes just felt somehow different.

In fact, he was actually working on another project, which he set aside in order to write this one because he just had the sense that Grace in the Ashes should take precedence.

Third, throughout the entire editing process the impact of the truths found in this work genuinely moved us both (I was tearful most of the way through our first edit).

So we pray that God will use this book to comfort, instruct, and fortify all those who read it, all those who are carrying the weight of grief.

More to Follow

Book 2 in the Thrive Guide Series is The Unbreakable Mind: The Biblical Path to Changing How You Think. We plan to release Book 2 within the next 30-45 days.

And of course, we’ll let our Christians Who Thrive Subscribers know as soon as The Unbreakable Mind is available.

Beyond that, our goal is to release a new Thrive Guide every several months.

You might be wondering how such a release schedule could be possible (especially if you yourself are an author).

The answer is that we have had five books in process over the last six years. And we are delighted to see the first two of these come to life (more about the second book in a moment).

But before we leave this topic, we want you to know that the Christians Who Thrive Resource Library was created primarily with you, our valued Substack reader, in mind.

It is our intent to fill this library with a wealth of trusted resources providing practical, grace-filled guidance that equips you to live and grow in every area of life as God intends.

Now for the second phase of our new direction.

Books

Whereas Thrive Guides are spiritually-forward content with a psychological backdrop, our books are more psychologically-forward content set in a biblical context. This is purposeful… with the intent of reaching unbelievers as well as Christians.

With that in mind, our first book (published some years back) is Shadow Work: A New Guide to Spiritual and Psychological Growth.

Shadow Work explores the repressed part, or “shadow side” of our personality. And though this is a complex reality to unpack, Mike’s warm, approachable, and reader-friendly style makes the subject comfortably accessible.

His purpose for writing Shadow Work was to show, using biblical principles, historical examples, and real-life case studies, that we cannot truly grow spiritually and psychologically until we are willing to confront and heal those aspects of our self and our story that we historically have refused to own.

In fact, until we’re willing to own them, as he explains, we are just busy “rearranging furniture in the living room” of our life, and not truly transforming.

The late psychiatrist and best-selling author of The Road Less Traveled, M. Scott Peck, M.D., reviewed the manuscript prior to its publication and remarked that it was “One of the truly great and well-written books about our human journey.”

This book is of course available in our online bookstore.

And here’s an announcement we’re truly excited about–

In addition to Book 1 in the Thrive Guide Series, our second full-length book, Anxiety and How to Conquer It, was just published! It is also now available in our online bookstore as well as through Amazon (and very soon, other familiar outlets like Barnes & Noble).

As mentioned earlier, we have been working on five different manuscripts as time allowed for the last six years.

However, we chose to prioritize completing Anxiety because, as we all know, anxiety is such a struggle for so many today.

In fact, along with whatever presenting problem led them to first call our office, we estimate that about 70 percent of our clients also struggle with anxiety.

But what makes Anxiety and How to Conquer It unique is the fact that Mike tackles head-on what most every other author and clinician on the subject avoid—the reality that anxiety is not just a clinical issue.

Indeed, many… if not most… of the anxieties we experience as human beings are sourced in matters spiritual, moral, and/or existential. Not clinical.

So in addition to helping the reader see how anxiety develops throughout the lifespan, Mike also explores its other sources with compassionate wisdom, while guiding the reader to a place of peace and healing.

This book, therefore, provides a much more complete understanding of this prevalent problem as well as how to conquer it, regardless of the source.

And I’m excited to tell you that the final section of the book deals with Anxiety and the Anxious Christian.

Coaching

On a personal note, while Mike intends to transition away from his practice in the not-too-distant future to focus completely on research and writing, my plan is a bit different.

I intend to continue my coaching practice, as well as contributing to our Thrive Guides Library.

You can find out more about our Coaching Services here.

The Bottom Line

Whether you’re battling self-doubt, struggling in a relationship, navigating a life transition, or just hungry to explore a deeper level of personal and spiritual maturity, Christians Who Thrive is here for you.

Our aim is to offer you a wealth of resources that are Scripture-based and psychologically-informed in order to help equip you to navigate life well.

Because the truth is that living well—living as God intends—does not come naturally for any of us.

The ability to thrive isn’t without effort.

So it is important that we take responsibility for pursuing the life God has called us to. And when we do, He will supply the grace, and the means, necessary for the journey.

We hope you join us on that journey.

Dr Mike & Susan

From Faithful Path Living

Mike and Susan’s story captures much of what I hope Faithful Voices will accomplish.

There are Christians faithfully creating thoughtful, Scripture-centered resources in many different areas of life. Yet finding those voices can sometimes be difficult amid the enormous amount of content available online.

Faithful Voices exists to help change that.

Through these features, I hope to introduce you not simply to another article to read, but to Christian writers and publications worth getting to know.

I am grateful to Mike and Susan for agreeing to be the first Faithful Voices contributors, and I am delighted to welcome Christians Who Thrive to the Faithful Path Network.

If their approach to spiritual, emotional, and relational growth resonates with you, I encourage you to visit their publication, read some of their work, and follow along as their resource library continues to grow.

About Christians Who Thrive

Christians Who Thrive helps believers approach real-life struggles through Scripture-based principles and psychologically informed practical skills. Drawing from 36 years of experience in counseling and psychotherapy, Mike and Susan create resources addressing spiritual, emotional, relational, and personal growth.

Their growing collection includes the Christians Who Thrive newsletter, Thrive Guides, full-length books, and coaching resources.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is Christians Who Thrive?

Christians Who Thrive is a Christian publication focused on helping readers grow spiritually, emotionally, and relationally through Scripture-based principles and practical psychological insights.

Who writes Christians Who Thrive?

Christians Who Thrive is created by Dr. Mike and Susan, who draw upon 36 years of experience in private practice as they develop articles, books, guides, and other resources for Christian readers.

What are Thrive Guides?

Thrive Guides are shorter, reader-friendly books created specifically for Christians. Each guide explores a focused area of life through Scripture, psychological insight, practical guidance, and the wisdom gained through decades of counseling and psychotherapy.

What topics does Christians Who Thrive cover?

Their work explores areas where Christian faith intersects with everyday life, including grief, anxiety, relationships, personal growth, emotional health, thought patterns, life transitions, and spiritual maturity.

Where can I read Christians Who Thrive?

You can read and subscribe to Christians Who Thrive on Substack and explore their growing collection of books, Thrive Guides, and other resources through Growth Resources.

What is Faithful Voices?

Faithful Voices is a feature of the Faithful Path Network created to introduce readers to Christian publications, writers, ministries, and resources whose work aligns with the Network’s commitment to faithful, biblically grounded Christian content.

Discover More Through the Faithful Path Network

Christians Who Thrive is part of the growing Faithful Path Network, a community created to help Christian readers discover trusted publications and resources while helping faithful Christian creators find and support one another.

Explore the Faithful Path Network to discover more Christian voices and resources for your walk with Christ.

Faithful Voices is a feature of Faithful Path Living and the Faithful Path Network, created to introduce readers to Christian publications and resources worth discovering.