Story Stewards - The Sanctuary for Christian Writers

"I think I might be called to write…

but I never actually move forward.

And the longer this goes on,

the worse I feel about myself

and God."

"I think I might be called to write... but I never
actually move forward. And the longer this goes
on, the worse I feel about myself and God."

You have a book inside you.

A story that's been burning quietly in your chest for years.

You're pretty sure God put it there.

You want to honor Him with it.

You want your words to matter

— to point people toward Christ, to make Heaven crowded.

But every time you try to begin, something tightens.

Pressure. Comparison. Self-doubt.

That quiet, sickening feeling that whispers:

"You should be further by now."

You feel behind.

You feel small.

You watch friends finishing chapters, posting progress, celebrating wins

— and instead of feeling inspired, you shrink.

And beneath all of that,

there's a deeper, quieter ache —

a question you're almost afraid to say out loud:

"Am I actually called to write..."

or did I just imagine it?"

You still dream of holding your book in your hands

— not for vanity,

but because you truly believe God could use it to reach someone who needs it.

But the gap between that dream and your current reality feels impossibly wide.

And the longer you stay stuck,

the more it wears down your confidence, your peace,

and yes — even your walk with Christ.

Because it's hard to trust God with a calling

that feels like it's going nowhere.

From the desk of Justice Tilsher

Orlando, Florida. Hot and humid.

Hey, I'm Justice.

And long before Story Stewards existed, I was a Christian writer with a flaming passion:

To write and publish the book I'd been carrying for years.

Every day I pictured the finished novel.

The inky smell. The matte cover. The reviews on the back.

And most importantly, the impact.

The thought that my story could be something that moved people.

But there was one problem.

I'd go months on end without writing a single word.

I'd open the document and write and rewrite. Draft until my fingers hurt. And judge every word.

Every sentence felt wrong.

Every idea felt small.

Every writer on the internet seemed miles ahead of me.

Even my friends seemed further along in their faith and their writing.

One November, I became exhausted by the rewrites and forced myself into a challenge to finally finish my story in a month.

And it worked. Sort of.

I finished the book. Published it. And I thought,

"Finally. This is the breakthrough I've been waiting for."

The truth is, I wasn't happy for long.

Because even after releasing the book, I carried the same anxiety, fear, comparison, and frantic need for validation.

Finishing the book didn't heal anything. It only exposed a virus in my worldview.

Years went by as I continued in this ADHD-driven cycle of running in place, comparing myself, setting goals I never achieved, and trying to balance Jesus at the same time.

Eventually, all of that pressure collapsed.

In April of 2025, I fell into the darkest depression of my life.

I had graduated. I wasn't where I wanted to be in life. I had no sense of purpose.

I was lost.

And yet, in this season of depression, God met me and began working in my life.

Not through some dramatic moment. But through the slow, faithful rhythms I had neglected for years.

God brought me back.

To the church. To worship. To Scripture. To Christian community.

And slowly, I began to realize the truth behind every single one of my writing struggles.

Jesus was not
the center of my life.

I wasn't rejecting Him. I wasn't walking away from my faith.

I was treating Him like a category.

He was a checkbox. Read the Bible. Say a prayer. Move on.

I never truly surrendered.

I never said, "God, this is Yours." I never gave my creativity back to Him. I never trusted Him enough to let go.

And the truth is, I didn't trust Him because I wanted to do it alone.

So many Christians think we can do it by ourselves.

That we don't really need God. That we can manage our calling, our gifts, and our lives on our own.

But you can't do it alone.

Freedom didn't come when I tried harder.

It came when I finally said, "God, I can't do this. Please take it and do with it what You will."

And that is when everything changed.

And because of that transformation, I was able to liberate over 500 writers who were stuck in the same cycle.

Writers who were exhausted.

Who were trapped in comparison.

Who were trying to force their calling to work.

And for the first time, they began writing with peace and freedom.

Get your free welcome letter and be first in line when monthly Sanctuary enrollment opens.

At its heart, Story Stewards is built on two things:

Biblical stewardship

The rhythms of the early Church

"As each has received a gift, use it to serve one another, as good stewards of God's varied grace."
1 Peter 4:10

Interestingly enough, the word steward comes from the Greek oikonomia, meaning manager of the household.

And this word matters more than we realize, because stewardship is often misunderstood.

A steward is not someone who simply watches the house while the master is away. A steward is entrusted to care for it. To cultivate it. And this part is crucial.

To return it in better condition than when it was given.

I will say that again.

To return it in a more prosperous state.

God has placed creation, people, stories, imagination, and creativity into our hands.

And it is up to us to steward those resources well.

I personally believe this means we are called to use our God given creativity not only to serve others, but to point people toward Christ.

To share His truth.

In essence, to make heaven crowded.

Our creativity is not separate from God. It is an act of worship.

Most writing communities were never designed to hold your faith.

They focus on output.

Word counts.

Algorithms.

Hustle.

Over time, that leads to burnout, comparison, stress, and a quiet dissatisfaction with writing that once brought joy.

Story Stewards focuses on relationship.

We take the heart of Christian community and bring it into the creative life.

"For where two or three are gathered in my name, there am I among them."
Matthew 18:20

We asked a simple question.

prayer

open conversation

worship

Scripture

accountability

care

and bring it directly into the writing life?

A place where writers can bring their doubts, burdens, questions, joy, and awe before an all powerful, gracious God — and walk the journey together.

Story Stewards is a Sanctuary.

Get your free welcome letter and be first in line

when monthly Sanctuary enrollment opens.

But this is not just something I believe in.

This is something I have watched take root in hundreds of writers, in real time.

Voices from the Sanctuary

I didn't know how much I needed this until I got here. I've never been this excited about writing, or connected with so many people for the sake of God's glory. Every day I wake up excited to return, because this is where I've found hope, peace, joy, and freedom. There is truly nothing like this.

— Zoey

This is the first time anyone has ever told me the truth of storytelling. That you don't have to be a writer. Sometimes God just wants you to trust Him and take a step forward.

— Lisa

Being here feels safe.

This community helped me push through chapters that never would have been written otherwise. God is slowly changing my mindset to show me it's not about quality, but obedience. Our souls needed this. Our words needed this. And our future readers needed this.

— Grace

I've never felt more encouraged.

I usually take weeks to decide before joining anything like this. I joined within ten minutes. I have not regretted it once, and I truly believe God led me here.

— Virginia

This is the best thing God has opened in my life so far.

This community is different.

This completely changed my mindset. I almost broke down in tears by the end. I wish my past self had known this truth, but now that I know it, I'm not letting go.

— Lisa

Right now, this community is overflowing with encouragement, prayer, and joy. This is the future.

— Sunny

Today I am fully surrendering my desires for publication, recognition, and success to the Lord. It's not about me. It's about Him.

— Mira

Get your free welcome letter and be first in line

when monthly Sanctuary enrollment opens.

What Life Inside the Sanctuary Looks Like

Story Stewards is not something you keep up with.

It is a place you return to.

Some days, that looks like opening a prayer thread and asking for help.

Some days, it looks like quietly writing beside other believers who understand the struggle.

Some weeks, it means joining a devotional or showing up to a live gathering.

Other weeks, it simply means being reminded that you are not alone.

Inside the Sanctuary, we move at a different pace.

We move like a family.

We pray together.

We write without comparison.

We talk honestly about faith, doubt, calling, and creativity.

And we keep Jesus at the center.

There are rhythms here.

Devotionals.

Discussions.

Worship.

Writing time.

But there is no performance.

No hustle culture.

No pressure to produce or contribute.

You show up as you are.

You participate as you are able.

And over time, something shifts.

Writing stops feeling lonely.

Faith stops feeling compartmentalized.

Your calling feels steadier.

Creativity becomes an act of worship, not a weight you carry.

That is the rhythm of the Sanctuary.

How do I sign up?

The Story Stewards Sanctuary is 100% free to enter, because we do not believe in charging for prayer or Christian fellowship.

Because of that, the main Sanctuary is always at capacity.

Once a month, we open a drawing to invite a new group of writers into the Sanctuary.

You can be part of that drawing by joining what we call the Outer Court.

The Outer Court is your way of staying connected to the ministry and receiving meaningful value, even while the Sanctuary itself is full.

When you join the Outer Court, you get:

Benefit #1

Welcome

A personalized welcome letter mailed to your front door at no cost

Benefit #2

Ongoing Connection

Access to all updates and announcements

Access to weekly free live events, writing sprints, and guest speakers

Benefit #3

Access

Priority access to the monthly Sanctuary drawing

Get your free welcome letter and be first in line

when monthly Sanctuary enrollment opens.

Why am I doing this?

Before you go any further, I want to be clear about why this exists and why it is free.

I am doing this because I have seen what happens when creativity is formed inside real Christian community.

I have seen what happens when writers stop striving alone and begin walking alongside other believers who pray together, create together, and keep Christ at the center.

Story Stewards is free because I believe prayer, Christian fellowship, and spiritual formation should never be hidden behind a paywall.

It is free because I have watched God work powerfully when access is opened rather than restricted.

I believe the greatest impact happens when this space is available to writers who may not be able to afford another program, course, or membership.

My only hope is that this becomes a place where you feel safe, known, and rooted.

And that, through it, your creativity deepens and your love for Christ grows.

That is why Story Stewards exists.

Get your free welcome letter and be first in line

when monthly Sanctuary enrollment opens.

Frequently Asked Questions

Story Stewards is for writers who want to pursue their creativity with Christ at the center.

It is for writers who feel stuck, burned out, overwhelmed, or unsure how their faith and creativity fit together. You do not need to be experienced, published, or confident. You just need a desire to grow in faith and create with peace.

The Sanctuary is the interactive group space.
It is where writers engage daily with one another, pray together, write side by side, and participate in ongoing community conversations.

Because it is a shared group environment, the Sanctuary is intentionally limited in size to keep it safe, personal, and well-moderated.

The Outer Court keeps you connected while the Sanctuary is full.
Outer Court members receive updates, attend live events, join writing sprints, and are entered into the monthly drawing to join the Sanctuary.

The Sanctuary is the shared room.
The Outer Court is how you stay close while the room is full.

Yes.

Story Stewards is free because we do not believe in charging for prayer, Christian fellowship, or spiritual formation.

All live events, teachings, and community spaces are offered without cost.

If you are not selected in a given month, you remain in the Outer Court.

You will still have access to live events, writing sprints, teachings, updates, and community connection. Each month, a new drawing takes place, and members are continually invited into the Sanctuary over time.

The Outer Court is not a waiting room. It is an active, meaningful place to belong.

No.

Story Stewards is not a traditional writing class, course, or curriculum.
It is also not a formal Bible study.

This is a community where writers pray together, talk honestly about faith and creativity, and learn how to steward their gifts with Christ at the center.

Live teachings are offered, but participation is always optional.

Not at all.

We have writers at every stage, from beginners to published authors.
All forms of writing are welcome, including fiction, nonfiction, poetry, screenwriting, and more.

If you write, you belong here.

No.

There are no word count goals, quotas, or pressure to produce.
This community values formation over output.

The Sanctuary is ongoing.

However, to keep the space healthy and active, members who are inactive for an extended period may be rotated out and re-entered through a future drawing.

Yes.

Our primary community includes writers ages 13 to 18, along with college students and some older adults.

The entire community is moderated, private messaging is disabled between members, and parents are required to supervise participation for minors.

No.

Private messaging between members is not available.
Members may only message administrators.

This is intentional and helps keep the community safe and focused.

No.

Story Stewards is non-denominational and focused on Scripture-centered Christian faith.

No.

You are never required to turn on your camera or speak during live events. Participation is always optional.

That is completely okay.

Many members have never finished a project before joining. Story Stewards is designed to help writers find peace, consistency, and confidence, not pressure.

Yes.

Parents are encouraged to be involved, especially for writers under 18. Parental permission and supervision are required for minors.

All forms of writing are welcome.

As long as you write, you belong.