Jen Mickelborough

JEN MICKELBOROUGH is a British artist, creating from her garden studio in Sheffield, England. Her work resonates with color as she explores the beauty of nature and everyday wonder. Jen has been married to her husband Fran for 18 years and they have two children. For more information, visit jenmick.com.

Chelsea Patterson Sobolik

CHELSEA PATTERSON SOBOLIK is the author of Longing for Motherhood: Holding On to Hope in the Midst of Childlessness, and works in Washington, DC, as the Director of Government Relations for a nonprofit organization. Previously she’s worked for the leading evangelical child welfare organization in the country, the Ethics and Religious Liberty Commission (ERLC), and on Capitol Hill. Chelsea has been published at the Wall Street Journal, USA Today, The Gospel Coalition, Christianity Today, and other outlets. Chelsea was adopted as a newborn from Bucharest, Romania, grew up in North Carolina, and holds a BA in International Relations from Liberty University. She and her husband, Michael, are welcoming their son home through international adoption.

Paul White

PAUL WHITE, PHD, is a psychologist, author, and speaker who "makes work relationships work." He has consulted with a wide variety of organizations, including Microsoft, the US Air Force, the Million Dollar Round Table, and Princeton University. He and Gary Chapman coauthored The 5 Languages of Appreciation in the Workplace.

Deborah Alcock

DEBORAH ALCOCK (1835-1913) is best known as the author of historical fiction on religious themes. She was born in Ireland, where her father, the Venerable John Alcock, became Archdeacon of Waterford. She lived with her father, writing a memoir of him on his death, and stayed unmarried for her entire life. Her work The Spanish Brothers, published in 1870, was set in the 16th century and was a tale of Protestant martyrdom. Other works include The Czar (1882), set during the French invasion of Russia; Archie's Chances (1886); and Prisoners of Hope (1894). A biography of her life, The Author of Spanish Brothers, was written by Elisabeth Boyd Bayley.

Peggy Bodde

PEGGY BODDE is an entrepreneur and the founder of Sacred Work, an organization that provides free career and leadership support for Christian women in the workplace. Peggy spent 25 years as a corporate executive and then pivoted to start a freelance writing business. Her clients include marketing firms and major textbook publishers. Peggy's passions are writing about the intersection between faith and work and empowering women to show up boldly in both spaces. She lives in the heart of the San Juan Mountains of Colorado alongside her husband, George, and rescue pup, Quill. Find her at peggybodde.com.

Edythe Draper

Deborah E Gorton, PhD

DEBORAH GORTON (B.A. Arizona State University; M.A., Ph.D. Fuller Theological Seminary) is the Gary Chapman Chair of Marriage, Family Ministry, and Therapy at Moody Theological Seminary and Graduate School. For more than fourteen years Deb has worked as a change agent for individuals, organizations, and emerging leaders, helping them refine, embrace, and thrive in their purpose. Built on the foundation of relationship, her core philosophy is that collaboration in community produces radical transformation. She resides in Chicago and loves the Cubs. If she's not home in the city or traveling for work, you're likely to find her with family in Colorado, Oregon, or Oklahoma.

F. B. Meyer

F. B. MEYER (1847-1929) was an internationally known British minister of the Gospel, a public servant, and an evangelist for more than sixty years. A good friend of D. L. Moody, he began preaching at Christ Church in London, when there were only 100 regular attendees. Within two years he was preaching regularly to over 2,000 people. Charles Spurgeon once spoke of him, saying "Meyer preaches as a man who has seen God face to face." Meyer was also active in the temperance movement, worked to close more than 500 houses of prostitution, and formed a prison aid society. Meyer authored more than 40 books, including biographies, devotional commentaries, sermon volumes and expository works. He also authored several pamphlets and edited a number of magazines.

Dr Issam Smeir

ISSAM SMEIR is a clinician, author, and advocate committed to serving refugees and trauma-affected communities worldwide. He holds a doctorate in Clinical Supervision and Educational Counseling from Northern Illinois University, a master’s degree in Clinical Psychology from Wheaton College, and completed post-doctoral training at Harvard University in Global Mental Health. Issam bridges research, clinical practice, and humanitarian work, applying his expertise to create meaningful, trauma-informed interventions.He is the author of the Amal series, a collection of therapeutic children’s books, and the Amal for Children animation series, both used globally to help children navigate and heal from trauma. An expert in the Narrative Exposure Therapy approach, Issam blends storytelling with evidence-based guidance to support caregivers and professionals in their work with vulnerable populations.Through his work, Issam centers the voices and experiences of those he serves, believing that every story carries the power to restore dignity and hope. He and his wife, Stephanie, are raising four boys who remind them every day of the importance of faith, resilience, hope, and the enduring strength of the human spirit.

Merrill F. Unger

MERRILL F. UNGER (A.B., Ph.D., Johns Hopkins University; Th.M., Th.D., Dallas Theological Seminary) pastored several churches before joining the faculty of Dallas Theological Seminary in 1948. There he served as professor of Old Testament studies until his retirement in 1967. He was the author of many books including such monumental reference works as Unger's Bible Dictionary, Unger’s Bible Handbook, and the two-volume Unger's Commentary on the Old Testament.

Dorie Van Stone

DORIS VAN STONE is a graduate of St. Paul Bible Institute. She works with Precept Ministries of Chattanooga, Tennessee, and travels widely in a ministry of testimony, Bible teaching, and counseling. She is co-author of Dorie: The Girl Nobody Loved and No Place To Cry: The Hurt and Healing of Sexual Abuse with Erwin Lutzer. Doris resides in Chattanooga, Tennessee.

Cheri Appling

MATT AND CHERI APPLING live and work in Kansas City, Missouri. Cheri (DVM) is a veterinarian while Matt (M.Div) writes, mentors and teaches. He has been featured by numerous publications and radio programs and is the author of Life After Art: What You Forgot About Life and Faith Since You Left the Art Room, released by Moody Publishers.

Amanda Cleary Eastep

AMANDA CLEARY EASTEP is an award-winning children’s author and a book editor. She works in a cabin in the mountains of North Carolina, but she has lived most of her life in the suburbs of Chicago, the home of the Tree Street Kids. Amanda and her husband, together, have eight grown children and a border collie named Annie who wakes Amanda up early every morning to write.

Chris M. Coursey

CHRIS COURSEY is an ordained minister, pastoral counselor, published author, and international speaker. He and his wife, Jen, lead and design the THRIVE Training Program that uses brain-based exercises to train leaders, families, and communities in the 19 relational skills and the Immanuel Lifestyle. They are passionate about helping people acquire the skills to make relationships work. Chris and Jen have two boys, Matthew and Andrew.

Drew Dyck

DREW DYCK is an editor at Moody Publishers and the former managing editor of Leadership Journal. He is the author of several books, including Your Future Self Will Thank You: Secrets to Self-Control from the Bible and Brain Science (Moody, 2019). Drew’s work has been featured in Christianity Today, Relevant, and CNN.com. He lives with his wife, Grace, and their three children, near Portland, Oregon. Connect with Drew at DrewDyck.com or on Twitter @DrewDyck.