Grace is Enough A novel by Christopher Watne They weren’t searching for anything dramatic—just a new church, a new rhythm, a place to belong. When the Whitaker family relocates to a quiet Southern town, they carry with them a deep but quiet faith, a well-worn sense of routine, and the kind of hope that doesn’t need much—just somewhere their kids can grow up safe and rooted, somewhere they can serve without fanfare, somewhere that feels like home. Riverstone Baptist looks like it might be that place. It’s small. Simple. Unpolished. The sermons are thoughtful. The people are kind. The building smells like lemon oil and old Bibles. No one is trying to impress anyone. And after the whirlwind of moving and starting over, the Whitakers are ready to settle in. Rachel takes her place in the nursery rotation. Daniel begins showing up early and staying late. The kids—Emma, Isaac, and little Nora—start to plant roots of their own. It’s not perfect. But it feels promising. Until slowly, quietly, they begin to notice the undercurrents. Not division. Not scandal. Just… patterns. The same voices always hold the microphone. The same people always make the decisions. New ideas are welcomed, but rarely acted on. Volunteers are needed, but influence is guarded. And when the next generation starts to rise—when their own children begin to show up, serve, and speak—those moments are often met with polite hesitation or quiet dismissal. At first, they tell themselves it’s just the way things are. Every church has quirks. Every community has its blind spots. But over time, the questions get harder to ignore: What does faithfulness look like when the doors are open, but not the tables? How do you raise children in the church when the ceiling for them is lower than it should be? And when is it grace to stay—and when is it courage to speak? Grace is Enough is a novel about the quiet tensions of spiritual life—the kind not born of crisis, but of accumulation. It’s about showing up week after week, serving without applause, giving more than you take, and beginning to ask whether that’s still enough when the space you call home stops making room for what’s growing. This is not a story of deconstruction or disillusionment. It’s a story of small decisions and subtle shifts. Of parents trying to model something lasting for their children. Of a church that means well, but sometimes gets in its own way. Of ordinary faith, honest questions, and the grace that persists even when recognition doesn’t come. Told with tenderness, nuance, and a sharp eye for the beauty and complexity of church life, Grace is Enough invites readers into a family’s unfolding journey—not toward bitterness or rebellion, but toward clarity, conviction, and a deeper trust in a God who sees every quiet act of obedience. For anyone who’s ever served in unseen ways… For anyone who’s ever felt the tension between gratitude and growth… For anyone who’s ever believed that faithfulness doesn’t always mean silence— This novel is for you.