Articles by Mary Yerkes
A writer who tends souls. A director who tends words.
For nearly thirty years, I’ve written across two worlds that might seem far apart — the contemplative life and the corporate boardroom. What holds them together is the same thing that holds a spiritual direction session together: careful listening, honest reflection, and words chosen to land with weight rather than just fill space.
The articles below serve as a sampling of my work and come from both of those worlds. I offer them here not as a résumé, but as an invitation to know both the writer and the director.
On Faith, Formation, and Ministry
These pieces span the terrain of the Christian life — from the interior movements of the soul to the public witness of men and women called to ministry. You’ll find articles on spiritual formation, profiles of faithful ministers, and reflections on what it looks like to follow God across a lifetime. Whatever the subject, the aim is the same: to point toward the One who is already at work.
Conversations Journal
Focus on the Family
AG News
- All AG News Articles
- Highlighted AG News Articles
Miscellaneous Articles
Mary is currently accepting assignments for print and online publications.
On Work, Leadership, and the Life of Organizations
Before I left the corporate world to answer God’s call to devote my life fully to being a Spiritual and Ignatian Director and a Spiritual Direction supervisor, I spent decades helping executives and institutions find the right words for their most important moments — strategic communications, white papers, executive bylines, and ghostwriting. I include these samples because they reveal how I listen and how I think, qualities that shape my work as a director just as much as any formation program ever did.
Independent Banker Magazine (Articles appeared in print and online)
- Could a Fintech Help Your Community Bank Keep up With Faster Payments
- Navigating the Payments Solution Maize
- Future Proof Your Community Bank’s Core
- How Your Bank Can Build Its Construction Loan Profile
- Secrets of Four Community Bank/Fintech Partnerships
- Is Robo-Advisor Right for Your Bank?
- How Banks Can Use Influencer Marketing
Book Contributions
Some writing finds its home not in articles but in anthologies — collections where many voices gather around a shared theme. I’m grateful to have contributed a devotional to A Cup of Comfort for Christian Women (Adams Media), a beloved series that has offered spiritual encouragement to readers across the country. It was an early reminder that words written from a quiet, attentive place can travel far.
Other book contributions include:
A quick note:
Good writing and good spiritual direction grow from the same root — the willingness to pay close attention and tell the truth gently. If something you read here stirs a question or a longing, I’d love to hear from you.