Hey, I’m Sheila.
I’m a storyteller who believes that love is the best strategy of all. I’m also a mom of three, a wife, a creative, and someone who’s built a meaningful life in the space between faith and doubt, tradition and transformation, heartbreak and healing.
For over a decade, my husband and I lived in the shadows of infertility. It was brutal—on our marriage, on my mental health, on our hope. But somehow, we made it through. We adopted two incredible children through domestic infant adoption, and—after years of appointments, procedures, and prayers—we welcomed a biological child through IVF. That journey shaped every corner of my life. It cracked me open and, eventually, gave me the family I longed for.
Out of that experience came Raising Grace, a podcast I created during one of the wildest times in modern parenting—pandemic years, political polarization, and digital overload. For one full year, I interviewed over 25 parents with real stories: divorced, married, stay-at-home, career-driven, city dwellers and small-town survivors. We talked about raising kids in chaos with compassion, intention, and (hopefully) a little grace. That podcast was a lifeline—for me and, I hope, for others. I still carry the lessons from those episodes into my own parenting every day. I mess up constantly. I apologize a lot. I worry I’m screwing it all up. But I also keep showing up—with love, humility, and a healthy sense of humor.
These days, I work at a progressive Presbyterian church where I lead music, build community, and create worship experiences that stretch across generations and denominations. I’m currently co-authoring a book with my spiritual mentor called The Roots of Heaven, a deep and beautiful story about faith, healing, and spiritual wholeness. It’s coming out in Summer 2025.
I'm also growing a new worshiping community called Good Company, designed for spiritually curious professionals who want something deeper—without the dogma. Think of it as a place for the soul to breathe, grow, and laugh a little too. I write about all of it—faith, parenting, work, wholeness, and the absurdity of it all—on Substack, where you can follow along if you're looking for some sacred sanity in your inbox.
I’ve done a lot. I continue to do… a lot. Some might say too much, but I say I’m just getting warmed up. People keep trying to give me titles—singer, speaker, strategist, spiritual coach—but I’m not interested. Titles are for name tags at awkward conferences. I’m Sheila Chester. A connoisseur of all. A storyteller in every way, shape, and form. If it involves people, purpose, or a good plot twist, I’m probably in the middle of it.
So pull up a chair, take a breath, and know this:
You’re in good company here.
