We’re looking forward to introducing you to Tonya McCleary. Check out our conversation below.
Good morning Tonya, it’s such a great way to kick off the day – I think our readers will love hearing your stories, experiences and about how you think about life and work. Let’s jump right in? Are you walking a path—or wandering?
I believe I am walking a path. A path has direction, intention, and purpose—even if it isn’t always straight or perfectly paved. God’s path is rarely a straight line. Instead, He allows us choices, and each decision becomes part of the road we are carving out toward our destiny. Sometimes those choices lead us to smooth stretches, and other times to rough terrain, but even the detours and delays are shaping us for what lies ahead.
From the outside, it might look like wandering, but I know that every step is guided by God’s hand. I have learned that walking a path doesn’t mean having all the answers or seeing the full map laid out in advance. It means trusting the process, trusting His timing, and knowing that even when the way feels uncertain, He is still directing my steps.
Wandering may bring moments of discovery, but walking God’s path brings destiny. My journey is not about drifting—it is about faithfully moving forward, step by step, believing that God is aligning my life with His greater purpose.
Can you briefly introduce yourself and share what makes you or your brand unique?
My name is Tonya Anderson McCleary, and I like to say I wear many hats—but they all tie back to one purpose: helping people find wholeness and hope. I am the Co-Founder of the McCleary Foundation, which I proudly lead alongside my husband, Brian McCleary. Our mission is simple but powerful: empowering communities one blessing at a time. Through initiatives like our Blessing Bags project, we provide women, youth, and veterans with essentials and encouragement during some of life’s most difficult transitions.
I’m also an author and speaker, passionate about sharing my journey of faith, resilience, and transformation. My book The Gift of Wholeness reflects not only my story but also a message I believe belongs to many—that healing and self-love are possible when we root ourselves in faith and intentional care.
What makes my work unique is that it’s deeply personal. I have walked through seasons of brokenness, healing, and second chances, and I bring that lived experience into everything I do—whether it’s HR leadership, nonprofit work, or ministry. My brand is built on the belief that self-love, compassion, and faith are not just lofty ideals, but practical tools that can transform lives.
Right now, I am especially excited about launching my new website, expanding my author brand, and creating retreats and workshops around my book that help others embrace their own journeys. At the same time, I’m focused on growing the Foundation’s reach and impact so that more people feel seen, valued, and supported.
My story is still being written, but at its heart it’s about showing people that no matter where you start, you can embrace your journey, rediscover your purpose, and emerge whole.
Appreciate your sharing that. Let’s talk about your life, growing up and some of topics and learnings around that. What breaks the bonds between people—and what restores them?
I believe that what often breaks the bond between people is growth. As we grow, our values, our priorities, and sometimes even the way we see the world begin to change. That growth can be good, but it can also create distance when two people are not growing in the same direction. I’ve seen it in friendships, in family, and even in ministry—sometimes what once felt so connected can suddenly feel foreign, simply because life has shifted.
But I’ve also learned that what restores those bonds is acceptance. Acceptance doesn’t mean pretending nothing happened or agreeing on every issue. It means extending grace, the same grace God shows us daily, and choosing to love people where they are. God’s path is never about perfection—it’s about reconciliation. He models for us that even when we drift, His love restores.
When we extend that kind of acceptance to each other, we create space for forgiveness, healing, and the possibility of a stronger bond than before. Growth may stretch us apart, but God’s grace and our willingness to accept one another can knit us back together.
What have been the defining wounds of your life—and how have you healed them?
The defining wound of my life was insecurity—an uninvited whisper that told me I wasn’t enough, that I didn’t measure up, that my light was too dim to matter. Insecurity cut deep, shaping how I saw myself and how I walked through the world.
But God, in His mercy, began my healing by teaching me to love myself unconditionally. His love was the mirror that finally told me the truth: that I am fearfully and wonderfully made, that I am chosen, that I am worthy. Slowly, I began to silence the lies of doubt and lean into the voice of love.
Healing also came through finding love—love in my marriage, love in community, love in the people God placed around me to remind me that I am not alone. Where insecurity once spoke of lack, love began to sing of abundance.
This healing has not been instant—it has been a journey. But with every step, I’ve discovered that wounds can become wisdom, and brokenness can bloom into beauty. I no longer live defined by what was taken from me, but by the love that restored me.
And so I continue to walk, not in insecurity, but in confidence—choosing daily to embrace who I am in God, and to emerge whole, radiant, and free.
Next, maybe we can discuss some of your foundational philosophies and views? What’s a belief or project you’re committed to, no matter how long it takes?
A belief I am committed to, no matter how long it takes, is that healing and wholeness are possible for everyone. I’ve seen how easy it is for people—especially women, youth, and those in transition—to feel overlooked, unseen, or broken. But I believe with all my heart that God created each of us with purpose, and that through faith, love, and intentional care, we can rise again.
That belief fuels the project I am committed to: the work of the McCleary Foundation. Through initiatives like our Blessing Bags, we are determined to reach people one by one, meeting their practical needs while reminding them of their worth. It may take years to reach the scale we envision, but I am committed to this mission until lives are changed and communities are empowered.
At the same time, my writing and speaking are lifelong projects. Books like The Gift of Wholeness are not just words on a page; they are seeds of transformation. Whether it takes months, years, or decades, I will continue to write, speak, and pour into people so that they, too, can embrace their journey and emerge whole.
Okay, so before we go, let’s tackle one more area. If you laid down your name, role, and possessions—what would remain?
If I were to lay down my name, my role, and every possession I hold, what would remain is my faith in God. Names can be forgotten, roles can be replaced, possessions can vanish like dust in the wind—but faith endures.
It is the flame that will not burn out, the anchor that holds when storms rage, the song that rises even in silence. Faith has been my shelter in brokenness and my compass in the unknown. It is the thread woven through every season of my life, binding me to the heart of God.
Strip everything else away, and faith still whispers: You are mine, and I am yours. That is what remains. That is what sustains me. That is my forever treasure.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://www.tonyaamccleary.com
- Instagram: brown_sugar528
- Linkedin: www.linkedin.com/in/ tonya-anderson-mccleary-226b2643
- Facebook: Tonya Anderson McCleary
Image Credits
all my photos
