The Story Steward Show
I believe every writer is called to put Christ at the center of their work.
Too many creatives try to carry that calling alone. We push harder. We build routines. We try to stay disciplined enough to make something meaningful happen. And yet we still feel anxious, tired, and scattered.
We were never meant to do this by ourselves.
I’m Justice Tilsher, and I’m convinced the only lasting peace in a creative life comes through surrender to Jesus Christ. Not hustle. Not pressure. Surrender.
We were created for two things.
To love the Lord our God.
To love our neighbor and make disciples.
I believe our stories can be an act of worship that does both.
This show is for Christian writers who want to write with peace, freedom, and surrender. Writers who want their work to flow from their faith, not their fears.
Welcome to The Story Steward Show.
Episodes
88 episodes
Ep. 88 - Before You Start Something New... Stop.
In this episode, I’m talking about something I’m learning to do before stepping into a new season: stop trying to immediately plan, research, and figure everything out, and spend time alone with the Lord instead. Jesus constantly modeled retrea...
Ep. 87 - Whose Cross Are You Carrying?
In this episode, I’m asking a question I’ve been asking myself: when I walk into church, Story Stewards, Instagram, or any Christian community, am I looking at what I can get... or who I can serve? Today I will be talking about carrying each ot...
Ep. 86 - Start Marketing Your Book Today
Most writers wait until their book is finished to start marketing it.I think that's a mistake.In this episode, I challenge you to start building your audience today... not for fame or followers, but to faithfully steward the story...
Ep. 85 - Trusting God Through Fear ft. Héloïse van Gemerden
In this special guest episode, Héloïse van Gemerden shares how to trust God in the midst of fear, uncertainty, and self-doubt as a writer. Together, we explore what it looks like to surrender our creativity to Christ and move forward in faith, ...
Ep. 84 - The Day in the Life of a Christian Writer
What does a normal day look like when your writing belongs to Christ?In this episode, I take you behind the scenes of a daily rhythm and share what it means to approach writing as an act of surrender rather than self-achievement. We'll t...
Ep. 83 - What is A Story Steward
What does it actually mean to be a Story Steward?In this episode, I unpack the heart behind Story Stewards, what it means to faithfully steward the gifts God has entrusted to us, and why our writing was never meant to be about us. If you...
Ep. 82 - Learning to Rest (ft. Moriyah Cordova)
In a culture obsessed with hustle, productivity, and always doing more, what does biblical rest actually look like? Today, Moriyah Cordova joins us for a conversation about Sabbath, burnout, trusting God with unfinished work, and why true rest ...
Ep. 81 - The Sin of Wasting Time as an Author
What if one of the most common sins in our lives isn't obvious rebellion, but wasted opportunity? Today, we discuss perfectionism, procrastination, "unproductive productivity," and Paul's call to make the most of every opportunity because the d...
Ep. 80 - God's Not Done With You
Have you ever felt too far gone for God to love you? Today, we explore the overwhelming love of the Trinity, why Christ willingly went to the cross, and why your failures can never separate you from the love of God.
Ep. 79 – Why We Crave Story
Why are we so drawn to stories about flawed characters who discover truth and find redemption? Today, we explore how story structure reflects the human condition, and why our love for stories may point to something much deeper...
Ep. 78 - Comparison Is Stealing Your Peace
We live in a world obsessed with comparison. Today, we discuss why God isn't judging you by human standards, why He doesn't play favorites, and how the Parable of the Talents can free us from envy, self-hatred, and chasing someone else's callin...
Ep. 77 - Negative Self-Talk Is Destroying Your Relationship With God
Join me as we talk about something so many writers and creatives quietly struggle with:Negative self-talk.So many of us constantly live under the weight of shame, insecurity, perfectionism, and feeling “not good enough.” But what ...
Ep. 76 - I Don’t Think Christians Have to Write Christian Books
This might be my most controversial opinion as a Christian writer…But I genuinely don’t think Christians are required to write explicitly Christian books.Join me as we dive into questions like:Is writing still worship if nobod...
Ep. 75 - Your Value Is NOT Tied to Your Output
Join me as we talk about one of the biggest lies many Christian creatives secretly believe:“If I could just achieve more… then I’d finally be enough.”Whether you’re a writer, parent, employee, student, or creator, it’s so easy to ...
Ep. 74 - Writing Biblical Themes Into Your Story ft. B.W. Luby
Join me and fantasy author B.W. Luby (The Foxling Series) as we dive into one of the biggest questions Christian writers wrestle with:How do you write biblical themes into your stories naturally… without sounding preachy?In this e...
Ep. 73 - I Struggle with Sin as a Writer (And You Might Too)
We don’t often talk about this sin... but we should.In this episode, I share some of the real spiritual struggles that show up in the writing life, and the pressure to make writing about ourselves instead of God. If you’ve ever felt stuc...
Ep. 72 - What Does It Mean to Be a Writer After God’s Own Heart?
David is described in Scripture as a man after God’s own heart. But what would it look like for a writer to live that way?
Ep. 71 - How to Market Your Book Without Losing Your Mission (ft. Victoria Lynn)
Marketing can feel overwhelming for Christian writers, but it doesn’t have to pull you away from your purpose.In this conversation with author and entrepreneur Victoria Lynn, we talk about practical ways to share your book while s...
Ep. 70 - Is It God’s Will for You to Be a Writer?
How do you know if writing is part of God’s plan for your life?Many Christian writers spend years trying to discover God’s hidden will, while overlooking what He’s already revealed in Scripture. In this episode, we talk about wh...
Ep. 69 - Stop Trying to Write Your Book by Yourself
Creative culture tells writers to figure everything out alone. But Christian writers weren’t meant to create that way.In this episode, I talk about why we shouldn’t write our books by ourselves, and what it looks like to involve God in t...
Ep. 68 - What Does Your Writing Life Say About God?
Let me ask you something…What does your writing life actually say about God?Not what you say you believe.But what your habits, reactions, and mindset reveal.My pastor always says that your life shows what you t...
Ep. 67 - The Fountain Pen Incident… (ft. Abigail Thompson)
This one… did not go as planned.In this episode, I sit down with pro-life advocate and author Abigail Thompson (Behind the Clouds) for an open mic conversation on writing, faith, and storytelling with purpose.We talk abou...
Ep. 66 – Who Is Your Hagar?
In this episode, I dive into the story of Abraham and how he tried to fulfill God’s promise his own way… instead of trusting God to do what He said He would do.And if we’re honest?We do the same thing all the time.Especiall...
Ep. 65 - The Backstory Mistake That Kills Your Book
Let me be honest with you…Most writers are making the same backstory mistake, and it’s quietly killing their story.In this episode, I break down the one cliché I see everywhere that makes readers want to DNF the book…&nbs...
Ep. 64 – The Art of Writing Biblical Characters (ft. Kate Campbell)
How do you write biblical characters without flattening them into Sunday school versions of themselves?In this replay from our first ever Story Steward live event, I sit down with Kate Campbell and we talk about writing characters that c...