Open Hands: Faith, Work, & Generosity in the Life of Steve Wilson

What does it take to build a successful business—and then hold it loosely enough to give it away?

Steve Wilson spent five decades learning the answer. A former Associated Press correspondent, he came to faith in a Bradenton prayer meeting and launched a self-storage business within months. What began as a modest venture grew into Hide-Away Storage, a regional enterprise built through diligence, persistence, and trust in God. But the real measure of his life would not be what he built. It would be what he was willing to release—and what he chose to give while he was still alive to see the results.

Open Hands tells the story of a man who refused to separate his faith from his work. Drawing on exclusive interviews, Chris McDaniel traces Wilson’s journey from journalism and entrepreneurship to business succession, decades of support for Christian workers in India, and the development of Hope Village, a housing ministry for homeless families.

This is not a polished portrait of a flawless Christian businessman. Wilson speaks candidly about panic, personal limitations, family tensions, and the ongoing struggle to trust God with outcomes he cannot control. His story includes both the practical demands of building a company and the harder questions of generosity, stewardship, and knowing when to let go. Even in his eighties, he remains a student, continuing to study, write, and invest in others.

Through his example, Open Hands challenges business owners, families, and Christian leaders to reconsider their relationship with money, influence, and control. Reflection questions throughout the book help readers apply these lessons to their own lives and decisions.

The central question is simple, but demanding: If God is good, what would it mean to hold your business, your resources, and your future with open hands?

One dollar from every copy sold supports Hope Village at Help to Home.