“A wise woman puts a grain of sugar into everything she says to a man, and takes a grain of salt with everything he says to her.”
~ Helen Rowland quotes (English-American writer, 1876-1950)
Welcome! While this blog is for everyone, I anticipate that my main audience will be women. It seems—at least for myself, and perhaps for many of us—that we often speak rather sharply to others while expecting them to respond with sweetness. As we explore communication and its impact together, let’s remember this: our words matter, and even more so, how we season them.
Elizabeth Elliott’s words capture my current season of life beautifully:
“When I was young, I knew all the answers, but no one asked me the questions. Now I am old, and everyone asks me questions, but I don’t know any of the answers.”
For the past 51 years, I’ve had the joy of walking with Jesus. For 38 years, I’ve been married to an incredible man, and for 37 years, I’ve been parenting nine children. My journey has also included 30+ years of educating at home and abroad.
This blog is less about offering answers and more about wrestling with the questions that life presents. I hope to approach these conversations with grace—striving to speak with sugar and live as salt, knowing full well that I am a mass of contradictions.
Let’s explore together!
Welcome
Be sweet,
Mary
My Bio
Mary Gunther understands what it means to operate in a rapidly changing environment. And she likes it that way!
A graduate in the 2nd class of women from the United States Naval Academy in 1981 and a mother of nine, she has been involved in leadership education for the past 30+ years.
As a certified spiritual director and former executive leader with a global nonprofit, I dedicated my career to equipping Christian students to engage their culture with wisdom and grace. I developed leaders of all ages, helping them grow in communication, collaboration, creativity, critical thinking, and cultural intelligence.
An “active contemplative,” I am currently pursuing a Master’s in Spiritual Formation through Richmont Graduate University and the Renovaré Institute. I cherish learning alongside a diverse community and discerning God’s call for this next season of service.
I am passionate about witnessing lives transformed in Christ within vibrant, life-giving communities. I still call Annapolis home, living in the house where I grew up, and enjoy biking, hosting, and feeding joyful crowds.
Mary’s interests are varied and diverse: from graphic design, organizational health, strategic action, latest tech trends, and visual storytelling. Along with her experience and training in leadership development, Mary holds a certificate in Art Integration across Curriculum from the Kennedy Center in Washington DC, as well as a certificate in Christian Nonprofit Leadership from the Christian Leadership Alliance.
Make sure to subscribe to my weekly blog and follow me on Instagram!