Wess Stafford

WESS STAFFORD From the poor of Africa's Ivory Coast to President and Chief Executive Officer of Compassion International, Dr. Wesley K. Stafford — Wess — has maintained one simple belief: God's children are priceless resources. To that end, Wess leads Compassion's efforts to break the cycle of poverty for children everywhere. Wess joined the staff of Compassion International in 1977 and has worked with the ministry, both overseas and at headquarters, for 34 years. He has served as president since 1993. Wess lives on a small ranch near Colorado Springs, Colorado with his wife, Donna, of 32 years who was a Compassion sponsor even before she met Wess! They have two daughters, Jenny and Katie — the two children in the world for whom Wess is the greatest advocate of all.

Rhett Smith

RHETT SMITH is a Licensed Marriage and Family Therapist (LMFT) in private practice at Auxano Counseling in Plano, TX. He is a graduate of Fuller Theological Seminary (MDiv, MSMFT) and former college pastor at Bel Air Presbyterian Church in Los Angeles. Rhett has a passion for helping people navigate significant areas of transition in their lives such as parenting, marriage, and the adolescent to young adult journey. He also serves on staff at The Hideaway Experience in Amarillo, TX where he helps couples work towards having great marriages. Rhett lives in Frisco, TX with his wife Heather and their two children. You can find out more about Rhett at his blog www.rhettsmith.com or his counseling practice www.rhettsmithcounseling.com

William Nicholson

Gary Chapman

GARY CHAPMAN, PhD—author, speaker, counselor—has a passion for people and for helping them form lasting relationships. He is the #1 bestselling author of The 5 Love Languages® series and director of Marriage and Family Life Consultants, Inc. Gary travels the world presenting seminars, and his radio programs air on more than 400 stations. For more information, visit his website at www.5lovelanguages.com.

S Maxwell Coder

DR. S. MAXWELL CODER was a graduate of Temple University, Dallas Theological Seminary, and Bible Seminary of Los Angeles. After twenty-four years in various capacities at Moody Bible Institute, Dr. Coder was named dean of education emeritus.

Robert A. Cook

ROBERT A. COOK was chancellor of the King's College, Briarcliff Manor, New York. He conducted a radio ministry at the King's College and served as president of the National Religious Broadcasters Association.c.1977

Becky Wilson

BECKY WILSON has nearly twenty years experience in Christian publishing, having served in the retail division of Lifeway Christian Resources. She has served many years as a pastor's wife and is currently a homemaker.

The Voice of the Martyrs

THE VOICE OF THE MARTYRS is a nonprofit, interdenominational missions organization dedicated to serving the persecuted church worldwide through practical and spiritual assistance and leading other members of the body of Christ into fellowship with them. Voice of the Martyrs was founded in 1967 by Pastor Richard Wurmbrand, who was imprisoned for fourteen years in Communist Romania for his faith in Christ; his wife, Sabrina, was imprisoned for three years. In 1965 they were ransomed out of Romania, and soon thereafter they established the global network of missions of which Voice of the Martyrs is a part. They based these missions on Hebrews 13:3, "Continue to remember those in prison as if you were together with them in prison, and those who are mistreated as if you yourselves were suffering." (NIV)

Kevin A. Thompson

KEVIN A. THOMPSON is a teaching pastor at Bayside Church, overseeing the global Married Life Ministries across nine locations. He’s the author of Friends, Partners & Lovers, Fearless Families, and Stay In Your Lane.

Kara Durbin

KARA DURBIN has enjoyed continually serving in various roles of children's ministries. She has a degree in elementary education from Texas A&M University and homeschools her children part time. Kara's inspiration for the book was her mother, who blessed her life by parenting her with Scripture. When thinking about how to best parent her own children, Kara looked for a reference book that would have Scriptures to use for specific parenting moments. Not finding one, she began work on Parenting with Scripture. Kara and her husband and two children make their home near Dallas, Texas.

J. C. Brumfield

J.C. BRUMFIELD, D.D., served as a pastor of Faith Baptist Church in Yorba Linda, California for many years and also ministered widely to children through radio. Pastor Brumfield is author of Comfort for Troubled Christians.

Matt Appling

MATT APPLING teaches Pre-Kindergarten through sixth grade art, as well as high school art history. He has taught and ministered in a variety of school and church settings. He has also been a popular blogger for four years, as the author of www.thechurchofnopeople.com, and as a featured contributor to many other online publications. Matt lives with his wife, Cheri in Kansas City, Missouri.

David J. Fant Jr.

David J. Fant, Jr. became influential in the Christian and Missionary Alliance beginning when, fresh out of college, he accepted an appointment to The Alliance Weekly staff. Fant used his considerable literary skills to write numerous articles, booklets and books including Modern Miracles of Healing, Foundations of the Faith: Twelve Studies in the Basic Christian Revelation (an exposition of the Apostles Creed), All about the Sunday School (with Addie Marie French), and a biographical sketch of his father, Ambassador on Rails: David J. Fant--Engineer Evangelist.

Jayme Hull

JAYME HULL is an author, speaker, and ministry leader who motivates audiences to invest in mentoring. Shaped by countless mentors over the past thirty-five years, Jayme now has the privilege of mentoring millennial women. Through her mentoring, teaching, blogging and devotionals, Jayme has no greater joy than to pour into women's lives -- whether over a cup of coffee or through the written word. Jayme resides in Tennessee, with her husband, John. They have three married children and are the proud grandparents of four grandchildren.

Edward G. Shaw

EDWARD G. SHAW, MD, MA, is dually trained as a physician and a mental health counselor. He is the primary care partner for his wife, Rebecca, who was diagnosed with eary-onset Alzheimer's disease at age 54. He was a practicing radiation oncologist for 23 years. In 2010, inspired by Rebecca's journey, his medical interest shifted to dementia diagnosis and treatment, and with his additional training in mental health counseling, he founded the Memory Counseling Program that is now part of Wake Forest Baptist Health in Winston-Salem, North Carolina. His moving personal story of caring for his wife, coupled with his innovative use of the five love languages in dementia counseling, inspired the central message of Keeping Love Alive as Memories Fade.