Faith-based Leadership in a Results-driven World
Date Published: November 4, 2025
Publisher: Lucid Books Publishing
If Jesus was a Project Manager: Faith-based Leadership in a Results-driven World launches a groundbreaking seven-book "Faith at Work" series that bridges biblical principles with modern workplace excellence.
What makes it unique:
This series provides the first comprehensive, role-specific integration of Christ's leadership model with proven professional methodologies. Unlike generic "faith in business" books, each volume tackles specific roles—Project Manager, Scrum Master, Product Owner, and Business Analyst—showing exactly how biblical principles translate to daily responsibilities.
The series masterfully connects timeless spiritual truths with secular frameworks, such as Covey's Seven Habits, creating practical tools that work in any organizational culture. It goes beyond inspiration to provide concrete frameworks and actionable behaviors for immediate implementation, while maintaining professional credibility.
Key differentiators include character-driven performance that produces excellent results, crisis leadership integration addressing layoffs and entrepreneurship scenarios, and practical frameworks that help team members discover their God-given purpose.
The complete series creates transformed lives, stronger teams, and workplace cultures that reflect kingdom values through excellence, integrity, and genuine care for others' development. It culminates in the On-the-Job-Sword-Training (OJST) devotional workbook, which reinforces daily spiritual disciplines alongside workplace excellence.
Can you tell us a little about the process of getting this
book published? How did you come up with the idea and how did you start?
The
idea for If Jesus Was a Project Manager was born at the intersection of
several worlds I’ve lived in simultaneously for decades — my Christian faith,
my career in project management, and the leadership literature that shaped my
professional practice along the way. Holy Scripture has always been my primary
source and foundation. But God also used voices like Stephen Covey — whose
books The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People and The Speed of Trust
I reference in my own writing — to sharpen how I think about principle-centered
leadership, building trust, and inspiring others toward their highest
potential. Over time, I kept seeing how these principles weren’t separate from
Scripture — they were reflections of it. And I thought, someone needs to write
that connection into a book. Eventually I realized that someone was me. The
publishing process was a step of faith in itself. I chose to pursue it
independently, which meant owning every decision — from manuscript to cover
design to distribution. It’s now available on Amazon, Barnes & Noble,
Bookshop.org, and Books-A-Million, which still amazes me when I stop to think
about it.
What surprised you most about getting your book published?
How
personal the response would be. I expected people to appreciate the
professional content — the project management frameworks, the leadership
principles. What I didn’t fully anticipate was how deeply the faith integration
would resonate with readers who felt seen for the first time as Christian
professionals in secular workplaces. People reached out to tell me they finally
had language for something they’d always felt but never knew how to articulate.
That was humbling and holy.
Tell us a little about what you do when you aren’t writing
My
life is wonderfully full. I’m a doctoral student — currently transitioning into
a structured PhD programme at the University of Limerick in Ireland, where my
research examines emotional intelligence as a mediator between project
complexity and project success in highly regulated industries. I’m also an
adjunct instructor, an independent project management consultant, and a
speaker. I serve with PMI and love connecting with PMI student chapters. And
underneath all of it, I’m the founder of Faith Forward Life, a ministry and
content brand for Christian professionals. Life rarely has a dull moment — and
I wouldn’t have it any other way.
As a published author, what would you say was the most
pivotal point of your writing life?
The
moment I stopped asking “Is this good enough?” and started asking “Is this
obedient?” But I’d be remiss not to mention that the road to that moment was
shaped by years of formation — spiritually through Scripture and devotional
practice, and professionally through writers and thinkers like Stephen Covey,
whose books The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People and The Speed of
Trust I reference in my own writing. Covey’s framework of
principle-centered leadership gave me a vocabulary for what I had already observed
in Scripture and in decades of project management practice. It all connected.
When I finally wrote If Jesus Was a Project Manager, I wasn’t starting
from scratch — I was synthesizing a lifetime of living, leading, studying, and
being led by the Holy Spirit. That’s when I understood that my whole life had
been preparing me to write this book. That realization was the most pivotal moment
of all.
Where do you get your best ideas and why do you think that
is?
Honestly?
My quiet mornings with God. I wake up between 4 and 4:30 am and give my first
fruits to Him — prayer, praise, Scripture study, devotional time. Holy
Scripture is my primary source — always. It is the foundation everything else
is built on. But God has also used other voices to shape how I think and lead.
Stephen Covey’s work — particularly The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People
and The Speed of Trust — profoundly shaped my professional practice and
my understanding of principle-centered leadership long before I ever sat down
to write. What I find beautiful is that Covey’s principles don’t compete with
Scripture — they echo it. When I read about being proactive, beginning with the
end in mind, or building trust as a foundational leadership currency, I see
biblical truth expressed in the language of leadership. So my best ideas come
from that convergence — the Word of God as the root, and everything else,
including Covey, as branches that confirm and illustrate what Scripture already
established. The overcomer testimonies that inspire my writing come from
multiple streams — the timeless stories of men and women in Scripture, my own
personal journey and the tests God has brought me through, stories I encounter
secondhand through sermons and teachings, and real people I network and work
with in the project management community. It all flows together. I find that
when you are genuinely paying attention — spiritually and professionally — you
are never short of material. Life itself becomes the curriculum.
What is the toughest criticism given to you as an author?
That
the audience might be too niche — that blending Christian faith with project
management might limit the reach of the work. I’ve sat with that criticism,
prayed about it, and ultimately decided it’s the wrong lens. Every meaningful
message has an intended audience. My job isn’t to appeal to everyone; it’s to
serve the people God specifically sent me to reach. And the response from that
community has confirmed I’m exactly where I’m supposed to be.
What has been your best accomplishment as a writer?
Being trusted with other
people's stories — and learning to steward every source of testimony with equal
care. The overcomer stories that shape my writing come from multiple streams:
the timeless accounts of men and women in Scripture, my own personal journey
and the tests God has brought me through, stories encountered secondhand
through sermons and teachings, and real people I network and work with in the
project management community. Gathering written testimonies directly from
contributors is something I've pursued, and while the response has been slower
than I anticipated, it has deepened my appreciation for every single story that
does come in. Ultimately, what I've learned is that the Holy Spirit is never
short of material — and neither am I. That trust in the process, and the
willingness to be a faithful vessel for whatever stories God provides, is my
greatest accomplishment as a writer.
How many unpublished and half-finished books do you have?
More
than you might expect! I have a working draft manuscript already underway for
Book 2 — If Jesus Was a Scrum Master: Servant Leadership in Secular
Workplaces — and skeleton working drafts for Books 3 through 7 in my Faith
at Work series. So the series has a clear vision and a runway, even if the
books are at different stages of development. I wouldn't call any of them
half-finished so much as Holy Spirit-paced. Each book has its own divine
timing, and I've learned to trust that. They'll be done when they're supposed
to be done.
About the Author
Shawna Calhoun is a seasoned project management professional with over 20 years of experience across healthcare, biotech, education, and a brief venture into oil and gas. Currently serving in a remote leadership role for a major healthcare organization, she blends technical expertise with spiritual insight to lead with clarity and purpose. Holding a bachelor’s in IT, an MBA in Project Management, PMP certification, and multiple Agile credentials, Shawna is also a respected instructor, consultant, speaker, and mentor. She volunteers with PMI, contributes to university advisory boards, and is pursuing her DBA in Project Management. Born again in 2019, Shawna’s testimony is one of perseverance—overcoming personal trials including trauma, divorce, job loss, and profound betrayal. She’s gifted in “connecting the dots,” often drawing connections between Scripture and professional principles, such as those found in The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People. Her leadership encourages others to live a fruitful faith-forward life with wisdom and grace in Christ.
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