A Tapestry of Grit and Grace: Embracing ‘A Sound Mind’ in the Heart of the Valley
An intimate, honest look at the journey behind A Sound Mind. Janet Griggs shares the raw stories of faith, family, and the quiet miracles that sustained her through years of trials, infertility, and life in the East Valley. Discover the story behind the memoir, now on sale.
SOUND MIND LIVINGJUNE 2026THE AGENDAFEATURED
Understanding the Concept of a Sound Mind
Over the last few years, our community has watched the DailyPhoenix.org grow from a quiet digital footprint into a thriving, independent regional magazine. We’ve tracked local infrastructure, deep-dived into town planning logistics, and parsed the civic developments that shape our daily lives in the East Valley. But behind every article, publication, and community milestone is a foundational narrative—one built on resilience, hidden battles, and an unshakeable sense of purpose.
Now, that foundational narrative is stepping into the light. We are thrilled to share an exclusive, early look and wholehearted endorsement of A Sound Mind: Things You Should Take to the Grave, the deeply anticipated debut memoir by our very own founder, entrepreneur, and local digital architect, Janet Griggs.
Published through Resource Publications (an imprint of Wipf and Stock Publishers), this powerful manuscript offers an intimate, raw, and fiercely honest exploration of faith under fire, spiritual warfare, systemic health trials, and the quiet miracles that sustain a modern family through generations.
The Architecture of Legacy: Writing for the Future
For many in the Phoenix area, Janet is known for her sharp analytical mind—a product of her Applied Mathematics background from Arizona State University—and her high-strategy creative services under the Sound Mind brand ecosystem. Yet, A Sound Mind reveals that her greatest architecture isn’t digital or mathematical; it is the deliberate preservation of her family’s history.
In the moving preface of the book, Janet establishes her true intent with striking candor:
"This book is intended as a meaningful legacy for my children to provide an account of their origins and our family's history... While sharing personal details does not come easily to me, I believe it is important to offer my own perspective rather than allow assumptions to shape my story."
Dedicated to her husband Jeff and her beautifully rowdy household, the memoir reads as a roadmap of survival, navigating everything from the terrifying realities of long-term stalking to the exhausting medical mountains of severe pediatric allergies and infertility. It is a book written under a sacred banner, drawing its title from 2 Timothy 1:7: "For God hath not given us the spirit of fear; but of power, and of love, and of a sound mind."
Facing the Shadows: The Reality of Spiritual and Physical Warfare
The memoir’s opening chapters grab the reader with the pacing of a psychological thriller, detailing a persistent, multi-year stalking situation that began when Janet was just a teenager working in a storefront and later a bank teller. From deceptive phone calls that sent her brothers racing to her workplace in terror, to unsettling, anonymous encounters behind bullet-proof glass, Janet pulls no punches about the psychological toll of being targeted by predators.
"Lurking behaviors are not flattering," she writes, capturing the pervasive anxiety that disrupts a victim's focus. "They are creepy and unnerving. You don't know when you are being watched and why." Strikingly, she connects these early trials to a continuing stalking situation in her middle life, proving her own thesis that the trials we face are rarely isolated—they are waves we must learn to ride with increasing spiritual preparation.
Yet, the true core of A Sound Mind lies in how these external terrors intersected with internal, structural crises of faith. Janet details her deep roots in the Arizona and California evangelical movement—specifically Calvary Chapel—and explores both the vibrant revivals and the devastating systemic failures of religious subcultures.
With unwavering bravery, she chronicles the painful reality of "falling from grace" within church leadership, detailing her personal history with a young-adult pastor who seemed adored by the masses but harbored a dark, abusive reality when the monster let his mask slip. Janet examines the concept of apostasy and the destructive nature of church-sanctioned codependency, offering a vital lifeline to readers who have experienced their own church trauma. Her message is clear: human leaders will inevitably fail you, but your personal testimony must remain anchored in a higher power, not the performance of fallible people.
Overcoming Infertility and Medical Mountains
For East Valley couples walking the agonizing path of reproductive challenges, Chapter 5 (*Infertility*) and Chapter 6 (*Medical Mountains*) will undoubtedly serve as a sanctuary. Janet and Jeff’s journey through the labyrinth of complex-factor infertility, and the heavy emotional weight of failed clinical procedures is told with a refreshing mix of raw vulnerability and sharp, situational humor.
From navigating the unsolicited, superstitious advice of "Job’s friends" within strict fundamentalist circles to surviving the financial and emotional toll of fertility and adoption costs, the Griggs family’s path was anything but linear.
The book honors the quiet, devastating grief of early miscarriage—vividly recalling a moment where an early pregnancy was lost amidst severe emotional stress—while simultaneously celebrating the rule-breaking miracles that followed. Against all statistical odds they built a life and a family despite a terrifying medical battles.
The medical mountains didn’t dissolve in the delivery room. Local parents will deeply resonate with Janet's descriptions of managing severe and rare disease Food Protein-Induced Enterocolitis Syndrome (FPIES)—a delayed, dangerous gastrointestinal allergy that turned normal life into high-stakes hazards. A Sound Mind demonstrates what it means to look for "magic in the mundane" and find rest in a season of drought and pain.
Why the Valley Needs This Book
A Sound Mind is more than a compilation of personal hardships; it is an intellectual and spiritual triumph. It balances the analytical precision of a mathematician with the profound warmth of a mother who has looked into the valleys of death, illness, and betrayal, and emerged with her humor and integrity completely intact.
Throughout the book, hilarious domestic anecdotes—the books serves as a beautiful reminders that joy and laughter are our greatest defensive weapons when navigating an imperfect world.
As we collectively anticipate the official summer 2026 release of A Sound Mind: Things You Should Take to the Grave, we encourage our DailyPhoenix.org community to prepare for a book that challenges superficial labels, exposes the flaws of rigid legalism, and champions an enduring blueprint for grit, love, and family resilience.
Keep your eyes on this space for upcoming book signing announcements, local pre-order events, and exclusive excerpt features right here in the Valley. Janet Griggs has given her children a definitive map of where they come from; in doing so, she has given the rest of us an inspiring guide on how to keep moving forward when the road goes dark.
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