I’m Stephen Maynard. I grew up between West Virginia and Florida, and these days I call Jacksonville home. If we were sitting down over coffee, I’d probably tell you that a lot of my life started with two things: a cheap acoustic guitar and a Bible that kept asking more of me than easy answers.

I picked up guitar around 12 years old after passing one in a Wal-Mart, and it slowly turned into something more than a hobby. Music led me into worship teams, youth ministries, directing teams, arranging sets, and learning how to serve people well. Over the years, I’ve played, directed, and coached in all kinds of church and event settings. Music has taught me discipline, humility, and how much preparation matters when what you’re doing is meant to point beyond yourself.

At the same time, something else was quietly forming. Consider the Word started before me — as a radio show my dad hosted in West Virginia back in the ’90s. It was his way of pushing past shallow faith and inviting people to slow down and really wrestle with Scripture. When I was in high school, I picked it up as a blog, not because I had everything figured out, but because I was trying to make sense of what I believed and why it mattered.

That heart hasn’t changed.

This space exists because I believe Scripture still has the power to shape real life — not just opinions, hot takes, or religious noise. We live in a world full of voices telling us what to think, including about the Bible, and a lot of it feels rushed, distorted, or hollow. My hope here is simpler than that: to help you slow down, reflect honestly, and apply God’s Word in ways that actually take root.

I’m not here to hand you answers to memorize. I’m here to invite you into the process — to read carefully, think deeply, and let truth do its quiet, steady work. If this helps you ask better questions, live with more intention, or take Scripture more seriously, then it’s doing what it’s meant to do.

That’s the heart behind everything you’ll find here.