Showing posts with label devotionals. Show all posts
Showing posts with label devotionals. Show all posts

Wednesday, December 31, 2025

Devotionals for the Heart: New Year 2026 edition with new writers!



Dear Reader Friends,

Tomorrow (Jan. 1, 2026) marks the start of a New Year! 

It also begins another part of our devotional journey! I am excited to announce that this year, we have a total of 26 writers who have agreed to write devotionals for my blog's tri-weekly series, “Devotionals for the Heart”. This is the introduction post.

As always, we have writers who will contribute original devotionals on a monthly basis and a quarterly basis. We also have a team of backup writers who will fill in when one of my regularly scheduled writers cannot meet their deadline on time.

Scroll down to see pictures of ALL my writers (new and old) then read their author bios and starting on the first Friday of January 2026, read the first NEW devotional for the new year!

God-willing, a new devotional will be published every Monday/Wednesday/Friday of every week for all this New Year 2026. I hope and pray that God blesses you this New Year with His Peace, Hope, Joy and Love!

May this devotional series bless your heart too.

Love,

Alexis A. Goring, MFA
Founder of “God is Love” blog

~*~
Read on for the author bios and photos of my NEW monthly devotional writers for this year...

Author Bio:


Anne Madison is a devotional writer whose words gently guide women toward a deeper connection with God through personal reflection, scripture, and everyday experiences. 


Based in Iron River, Wisconsin, Anne is continually inspired by the natural beauty around her and the strong sense of community she calls home.

A dedicated journaler for over 46 years, Anne draws from a rich well of spiritual practice and daily life to craft devotionals that are heartfelt, relatable, and deeply rooted in faith. Her writing speaks to women seeking encouragement, stillness, and spiritual renewal amid the busyness of life.

Anne has a unique gift for noticing God in the ordinary. Whether it's a cup of morning coffee, a walk through the woods, or a quiet conversation with a friend, she uncovers sacred messages that reveal God’s goodness and the blessings hidden in everyday moments.

In addition to her writing, Anne is pursuing her certification as a Life Coach through the Life Mentoring School, further deepening her calling to encourage and uplift others.

She finds joy in simple pleasures—quilting, reading, and spending time with her beloved family and friends.

~*~
Author Bio:

Erica N. Bryant is a passionate Bible teacher, speaker, and author who desires to see believers live in the complete freedom and joy of the Holy Spirit. 


As the founder of Sparrow's Song Ministries, Erica invites a community of believers to get to know God by falling in love with His Word. Through Bible study resources, devotionals, teaching, and mentorship, Sparrow's Song encourages others to grow in intimacy with God and walk daily in the power of His Holy Spirit. She began The Word W.O.R.K.S. campaigns to help believers walk in Wholeness, Obedience, Righteousness, and Kingdom Success.

Erica is a writer with several published works including devotionals for adults and children, topical and textual Bible studies, and Scripture journals. In her debut book, Dwell: Living Life Fully Knowing that the Holy Spirit Lives in You, Erica draws from her own journey of healing from childhood trauma, rejection, and the struggles of fear and anxiety. With honesty and hope, she invites readers to embrace the life-giving truth that God's Spirit resides within them. Erica believes that when you know the Holy Spirit dwells in you, everything changes.

Erica is a passionate speaker who effectively communicates God’s Word with clarity and conviction. She speaks a relevant word to hearers and ministers to their hearts, inspires practical application, and empowers them to grow in faith and purpose.

Erica is a devoted wife and loving mother who actively serves in various roles at Strait Gate Deliverance Center, where her father, Bishop Jerome Rogers, is the Pastor and Founder.

Ultimately, she is just a girl in love with God and she is a soldier for Jesus Christ.

~*~
Author Bio:

Erica J. Hill is a wife, mother, and proud grandmother living in Georgia. 


With a career spanning both elementary education and higher education, she has served as an elementary and middle grade English Language Arts (ELA) teacher and now works as an administrative assistant in higher education. Currently pursuing her master’s degree in Instructional Technology and Media Center Specialist, Erica’s love for learning and teaching runs deep.

Raised in the Southern Baptist tradition, she has faithfully served as a Sunday School teacher and now as one of the youth directors at her church. A lifelong writer at heart, Erica once set her passion aside to pursue other career goals—but recently felt God’s undeniable tug to pick up her pen again, this time to write for His Kingdom.

She is currently working on her first book, Worthy. Whole. Woman. It is a devotional that she hopes will be an encouraging resource created to uplift and empower women—especially women of color—to walk confidently in their God-given identity.

Through her words, Erica blends faith in God, personal reflection, and practical wisdom to inspire women to heal, grow, and embrace the fullness of who God created them to be.

Originally from Atlanta (Georgia), Erica now calls Macon County home, where she lives with her husband and children. In her free time, you’ll usually find Erica curled up with a good book, working on DIY projects, or planning her next travel adventure.

~*~
Author Bio:

Heidi Lewis-Ivey is an affirmed prophet and an internationally acclaimed speaker. 


She impacts audiences with her authenticity and bold style of delivery. She has had the opportunity to minister in Trinidad, St. Thomas USVI, Manchester and Liverpool (England).

Heidi is an award-winning and bestselling author. She is the author of Can I Rest Awhile? and Black Girl CryWhat Black Women Need to Know to Amplify Their Voices. Heidi is also a co-author in Soulful Prayers (Volume 1 and Volume 2) and Soulful Affirmations. Heidi is the convener of the Encountering the Courts of God movement and the founder of Visions International, a training ground for five-fold ministry gifts.

She holds a Master of Business Administration in Organizational Leadership from Norwich University and a Bachelor of Science in Management from Boston University. Heidi is the CEO of Nael Associates Inc and franchise owner of Patrice & Associates recruiting firm. She is a member of the Pentimenti Women Writers Group, a former mentor with Year Up, former board member for Friends of Young Achievers, and a Diversity Equity and Inclusion Strategist.

Heidi is the proud aunt/great aunt of 14 nieces and nephews and two bonus nieces. They are her joy. The older nephews have become her protectors.

Heidi is an NFL football fan. As a child, she taught herself the game. In 2017 she won her NFL.com fantasy football league. Heidi is an avid reader (Audible listener) of romance novels, a lover of purses and handbags, and a tea snob who believes bling is always appropriate.

She lives in Boston, MA.

~*~
Author Bio:

Dr. Patti Schultz’s inspiring journey weaves a tapestry of compassion, resilience, and divine hope. 


Formerly a public school principal, professor, teacher, and interpreter for the deaf, she now dedicates her life to a heartfelt ministry rooted in her personal experiences.

As a mother to three miracle boys here on Earth and a member of a heavenly soccer team, Patti’s story is one of unwavering faith and profound love. Her decade-long battle with infertility and recurrent loss fuels her deep compassion for grieving mothers, guiding them toward healing through the comforting embrace of Jesus Christ’s garment. Living in northern Michigan, she cherishes precious moments with family and community, drawing strength from faith and connection.

Patti’s gentle wisdom offers a safe haven for women navigating pain, reminding them they are never alone. Through her ministry, she seeks to envelop grieving mothers in divine comfort, encouraging hope, renewal, and the reassurance that God's love is always near, wrapping them in His compassionate hem as they walk the path to healing.

~*~
Read on for the author bios and photos of my returning monthly devotional writers for this year...

Author Bio:


Colette Christopher is an empowered woman who inspires women to be who they were created to be. Her core message is empowerment. She is an author, certified life coach, podcast host, and trainer with the Maxwell Leadership team. 


Colette believes that an empowered woman empowers others and is powerful in knowing who she is and what she can accomplish. Colette is on a mission to impact the lives of the women assigned to her, whether she is their coach or trainer or shares a word that will transform their lives.

Colette utilizes her Christian principles as the base of all her engagements. She is passionate about fulfilling her life purpose of empowering women to know who they are, rebuild their confidence, and use their voices as tools to uplift themselves and others.

​​She is the founder of the M.E.E. Movement L.L.C., a faith-based empowerment ministry business that helps women of faith rebuild their confidence and use their voice to walk in their purpose through life coaching, mentoring, and empowerment speaking. Colette believes in using the gifts God has given her to help women be who God has called them to be and ultimately fulfill the purpose for which they were created. She lives by Romans 8:28 (NIV), that promises, “And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose."

A native of Jamaica, Colette resides in Fort Lauderdale, Florida. She is the mother of two beautiful young women, a son-in-love, and two grandsons. Colette enjoys reading, writing, watching good movies, and chatting with her daughters and friends.

~*~
Author Bio:

Colleen C. Howard is a follower of Jesus Christ, educator and writer. She lives with her husband in the Arizona desert where the sunsets are spectacular, the summers are relentless and the winters are a little slice of heaven. 


Colleen earned her Master’s Degree in Educational Leadership. This degree opened opportunities to write science curriculum, develop district programs, work with Arizona teachers, community leaders, and more. With NASA Grant funding, she was also able to work with teachers all over the country and expand their knowledge of teaching science as a collaborative effort.

Over the last few years God has placed a strong desire in Colleen’s heart to shine a light on God’s presence throughout ordinary days and encourage women in their faith walk with Him. Although some days bring trials and others bring joy, Colleen believes that if you fix your eyes on Jesus then you will see the heart of God.

Colleen’s writing has been published in the following online publications: Living By Design, Her View From Home, Inside Out Worldwide, Inkspirations, and in anthologies like From Ruins to Restoration, Mountains Moved: 45 Devotions of Bold Faith, and The Miracle of Prayer. She is a monthly blogger for Dressing in God’s Love.

~*~
Author Bio:

Jessica Brodie is an award-winning Christian novelist, journalist, editor, blogger, and writing coach. 


She is also the editor of the South Carolina United Methodist Advocate, the oldest newspaper in Methodism. Her two Christian contemporary novels, The Memory Garden and Tangled Roots, are Amazon bestsellers.

Learn more about Jessica’s writing ministry and read her faith blog, http://jessicabrodie.com. She has a YouTube devotional, and you can also connect with her on Facebook and Instagram.

Jessica also produced a free eBook, A God-Centered Life: 10 Faith-Based Practices When You’re Feeling Anxious, Grumpy, or Stressed.

~*~
Author Bio:

As a wife and Marmee to three adult children—two of whom are married—and a new grandson, Kerry Sue’s life is very full. She met her husband in college and served on the mission field with him for a few years before settling down back in the States to raise their family. 


Kerry Sue’s family was a homeschooling family for 20 years and they enjoyed it immensely. For the last 26 years they have lived on a small farm in Northern California where they have raised many farm animals, along with growing and preserving their food. Kerry Sue’s family farm has been a great source of enjoyment and a place to host many family gatherings. She maintains an open-door policy for dear friends—old and new.

Following and serving Jesus Christ is an integral part of Kerry Sue’s life as well as her family’s. Whether it’s singing in the church choir, teaching children or leading and lecturing at a women’s Bible study, Kerry Sue loves to demonstrate her love for Jesus by giving to Him in service. She’s been a blogger for more than 10 years, a Bible study writer for six years, and a devotional writer for more than four years.

Kerry Sue feels led to write about finding God’s Sovereignty in our suffering because of her own journey of more than five years with broken feet. She hopes to to encourage others with her faith walk and real-life stories.

~*~
Author Bio:

Award-winning author Melissa Henderson writes inspirational messages sometimes humming with humor. With articles, devotions, and stories in print publications and online, Melissa shares her love for God and life. Some of the inspirations for her writing come from family life. 


Melissa and her husband Alan have been married for over 46 years. Their son Mike, and daughter-in-love Christine have blessed the family with two precious children: Rowan and Eden. These precious souls bring laughter, love, and many funny experiences, which can often be found in Melissa’s writing. The family motto is “It’s Always a Story with the Hendersons”.

Melissa is a member of ACFW (American Christian Fiction Writers) South Carolina Lowcountry Chapter, AWSA (Advanced Writers and Speakers Association), CWFL (Christian Writers for Life), and many other organizations.

Melissa’s books for children include Licky the Lizard and Grumpy the Gator.

Melissa serves in Christian ministry as an Elder, Deacon, and Stephen Minister.

~*~
Author Bio:

Patricia is a worship leader, songwriter, speaker and compiler of her 2020 best-seller anthology Stronger Resilience: Stories to Empower the Mind, Body and Spirit, as well as Lord I Trust You: Words of Encouragement to encourage readers and share life lessons during her cancer journey. 


Patricia writes, speaks, and teaches on the power of God’s Word to heal and empower you to become all that you are purposed for. She has traveled internationally and shared her gifts with audiences to encourage, empower and share life lessons through word and song. Patricia has sung on national television broadcasts and shared the stage with several respected speakers including Anne Graham Lotz and Rev. E.V. Hill.

Her greatest joy is being married to her husband, Wayne, for 36 years. Together, they serve the community through their local congregation as well as providing premarital and marriage coaching. They have two adult children, Raquel and Benjamin. As a two-time breast cancer overcomer, Patricia serves as a coach for people to develop resilience and live life to their fullest.

Patricia has released two gospel music recordings: “Draw Me Nearer” and “Lord, I Trust You”. In March 2022, she launched her podcast “Becoming Resilient” which can be downloaded wherever you get your podcasts and also seen on YouTube.

When not reading or studying, Patricia loves to eat Thai food and spend time with “Lucy”—her daughter’s Yorkie-poo who has taken up room in her heart.

~*~
Read on for author bios and photos of my quarterly writers (new and returning) this year…


Author Bio:

Alicia Searl is a Christian author, writer, coach, and speaker who is passionate about sharing God’s Word to spread hope and healing. 


She is a contributing writer for iBelieve, Crosswalk, Christianity.com, and Your Daily Prayer. She has authored two devotionals, several Bible studies, a children’s book and coloring book top comfort grievers.

When she isn't writing her heart on a page, she enjoys sipping an oat milk latte while soaking in a bit of peace on her back porch swing. Otherwise, she is playing house with her rowdy little family of five or handing a hammer to her hubby for their next DYI project.

~*~
Author Bio:

Jennifer Reese obtained a Bachelor of Social Work, a Master of Ministry in Intercultural Studies, and certifications in Biblical Counseling. 


Her educational training has afforded Jennifer the opportunity to work with various populations—such as foster care and adoption, refugee women, homeless, under-resourced youth, international students, and local churches. It has been through these experiences that she has seen a need for women of all ages to understand their true identity as a child of God in order to experience the promised abundant life and freedom.

By working as a Biblical Counselor and Coach, Jennifer focuses on helping women and teen girls discover who God is and to know their true identity in Jesus Christ. Through her professional work and ministry, she helps people learn how to carry out their specific purpose and calling in building God’s Kingdom that is not of this world.

On a personal note, Jennifer recently got married on May 24, 2025. The day was filled with abundant joy and peace, bringing glory to the Lord and wonderful fellowship with their closest friends and family. After many years of praying and waiting for this gift, Jennifer is excited to step into this new season and ministry of being a wife and hopefully, one day soon, a mom.

~*~
Author Bio:

Lynette Allcock Yoon is a writer, teacher, and former radio host. 


She grew up in three countries and now lives in South Korea with her husband.

Lynette writes about life abroad, faith, and relationships from an expat, Third Culture Kid (TCK) perspective.

Outside of work, Lynette enjoys musical theatre and long walks with good friends.

~*~
Read on for author bios and photos of my backup writers (new) for this year…

Author Bio:


Heather Jeffery is a Christian author, mentor, and certified mental health coach specializing in emotional and spiritual abuse recovery. 


Her mission is to empower women with Biblical truth and practical tools to navigate life’s most confusing and painful circumstances. Heather’s passion for this work stems from her own experience of walking through a progressively destructive marriage and divorce, where she discovered the healing power of God’s Word. Today, she helps women set healthy boundaries and tune into the guidance of the Holy Spirit, offering hope and clarity in the midst of chaos.

Heather believes every story matters and has a purpose, just as the stories we read about in the Bible. In her mentoring and coaching, she weaves together her personal journey with the stories of women in Scripture, uncovering deeper insights below the surface that traditional teaching often glosses over. Her approach is both compassionate and practical, equipping women to reclaim their identity and live in freedom.

Heather lives in Maryland with her two teenage daughters, where she works as a physical therapist. She loves spending time outdoors, especially near and on the water, where she finds reminders of God’s faithfulness in the beauty of His creation. She believes God’s Creation has messages for all of us if we take time to look, whether it be the fluttering butterfly that happens to cross your path signifying God sees you or the twinkling of the sunrise as a reminder of God’s unending faithfulness.

She is most at peace floating in a kayak taking in the sights and sounds around her as she spends time reflecting on God’s goodness.

~*~
Author Bio:

Coming from a Mormon childhood and agnostic belief, Kelly Patterson found Jesus Christ after wrestling with God for many years. 


Kelly has a hunger for the Word and has spent a lifetime following Jesus and going (not always joyfully) where the Spirit leads. It has been a roller coaster, but Jesus has been with her the entire ride. Kelly has a passion for sharing the freedom she found in Jesus with believers and unbelievers alike.

Kelly is a wife, mother of four adult children and has two grandchildren. Kelly still enjoys cultivating intimacy with God, time with family and friends, pickleball and her job at a mental health clinic. Kelly considers life with God an adventure that she loves to share with others.

~*~
Author Bio:

Kim McGovern is passionate about helping women reorient their hearts to the uninterruptible love of Jesus Christ. 


A former IT professional turned writer, she meets women in the messy middle of faith—where grief, joy, doubt, and hope often collide. Her work draws from decades of ministry leadership, special needs advocacy, and personal seasons of surrender that deepened her dependence on God's presence.

Kim's writing has been featured by Proverbs 31 Ministries, Encouragement for Today, Joyful Life Magazine, (in)courage ministries, Truly Magazine, and numerous other faith-based publications.

She and her husband savor the quiet rhythms of life on Florida's west coast in Homosassa, where the river serves as their backyard playground. They have four grown children and grandchildren who daily remind them that the best stories are still being written by God's grace.

~*~
Author Bio:

Maureen Miller is an award-winning author with stories in more than twenty collaboratives. 


She contributes to All God’s Creatures published by Guideposts, her local newspaper, and several online devotion sites, including the award-winning Arise Daily and Inspire A Fire.

Married for 36 years to her childhood sweetheart Bill, she enjoys life with their three born-in-their-hearts children and three grand-girls, not to mention a variety of furry beasts. They live on Selah Farm, a hobby homestead nestled in the mountains of western North Carolina.

Maureen is a speaker, as well as the chaplain of her local Word Weaver critique group. She writes posts online via the “Windows and Wallflowers” blog where she tells of God’s extraordinary character discovered in the ordinary things of life.

Her favorite thing is to encourage others in their journey with Jesus Christ.

~*~
Author Bio:

Regina Marcazzo-Skarka is a writer, a journalist, and a lover of Jesus, her family, church, mission trips, travel and foreign languages. 


Having traveled to over 25 countries, her exploring the world has only just begun. She has also been part of numerous mission trips both domestic and international. She loves getting to know people, their languages and their culture. A life dream of hers is to speak five languages. So far, she speaks English, French, Italian and some Spanish. Her goal is to improve her Spanish speaking skills and to learn a language with a different alphabet, perhaps Arabic.

Regina holds a Bachelor’s Degree in Economics with a minor in Romance Languages from City University of New York, Hunter College; a Master’s Degree in Journalism from New York University; and a Master’s Degree in Teaching Foreign Language from SUNY Stony Brook. Regina has studied in France. Regina has also studied, lived and worked in Italy.

She taught high school French and Italian for 17 years before retiring from teaching. Prior to teaching, she worked as a journalist, both freelance and as a staff writer for local Long Island, New York weeklies. She also spent two years as a United Nations employee in the Department of Public Information. She currently writes fulltime for a weekly newspaper in St. Lucie County, Florida.

Regina is currently working on proposals for two books that she is writing.

She is blessed with an awesome husband of 34 years and two children, their spouses and three treasured grandchildren.

~*~
Read on for author bios and photos of my backup writers (returning) for this year…

Author Bio:

Adriana Watt, founder of “Framing Your Health in Christ” supports Christian women who find themselves running on empty from pouring themselves out in caring for others struggling with mental and emotional exhaustion and chronic stress because they have forgotten to rest and prioritize their health. 


She helps them to live a guilt-free, nourishing, full, and sustainable life by helping them climb out of the trenches to see the bigger vision of their calling and God’s purpose for their lives.

Adriana is a gentle and encouraging author and speaker with a critical message for the current caregiver crisis. She is a living testimony of how it is possible to rest in Jesus Christ for your strength, healing, and to serve others well without sacrificing your health to feel fully alive again.

~*~
Author Bio:

Angela Anderson was born in Brooklyn (New York) and raised in New Jersey. 


She started writing at an early age and realized in elementary school that it was both a strength and a passion. She continued writing through high school, college, and into adulthood. Angela is the author of a devotional book titled Just When I Thought I Knew God. She is currently working on another devotional book.

This is Angela’s sixth year as a devotional writer for Alexis A. Goring’s “God is Love” blog. In 2021, Angela was a winner of a devotional writing contest where her words were featured in a book, Hope When Your Heart is Heavy, that was published by Proverbs 31 Ministries. The following year, another one of Angela’s devotionals was featured in Living Unbroken, which is another publication produced by Proverbs 31 Ministries. Angela has a passion for inspiring and impacting others through her writing as well as speaking.

Angela is a life coach for mothers. She empowers mothers who want to identify their God-given purpose and live it fully while taking care of their family. Angela develops mothers into mompreneurs by providing them with the necessary tools to be successful and fulfilled in life. She works to help them to see their value, understand their importance, and reclaim their identity.

Angela is also the host of “The Angela Anderson Show”, a virtual talk show that launched in April of 2023 on YouTube and Facebook. The show is designed for mothers who want to pursue their dream while managing family life. The audio version of the show is also available as a podcast on platforms such as Spotify, Apple Podcasts, Amazon Music, iHeartRadio, and more.

Angela has been married to the love of her life, Duane Anderson, for 21 years. Together they have two sons: Thomas (age 13) and Ryan (age 8). Angela’s favorite pastime is journaling, and she also enjoys spending quality time with her family.

~*~
Author Bio:

Cherie Mendez is a professional actress and photographer. 


Her passion is to help women understand their true worth and walk in their God-given purpose. After many years working as a Christian in the entertainment industry, she is thankful to be able to share all her learning experiences in her blog posts and on Instagram.

Some of the topics Cherie loves to write about are:

· Coping with rejection

· Finding your purpose and using your talent for God’s glory

· How God always looks at the heart and the meaning of inner beauty

· Understanding that we are all a work in progress and God is not done with us yet

Cherie’s TV credits include “The Equalizer”, “Bull”, and “Blue Bloods” (CBS). She also appeared in the PureFlix film “Revelation Road 3: The Black Rider”.

Cherie and her husband Jimmy live in New York. They are thankful to have been married for 30 years. In their free time, they enjoy traveling, photography, and movie night.

~*~
Author Bio:

Leslie Bake grew up Lutheran in Des Moines, graduated from the University of Northern Iowa with an undergraduate degree in English, and with a new understanding of what a relationship with the Lord could look like. 


She spent a few years reporting and editing in small town journalism and then began pursuing a master’s degree at Iowa State University in teaching English to speakers of other languages. Then she got married and later went through a divorce, which deepened her relationship with God and transformed her life.

Leslie taught English as a second language for three years at Kansas State University, then returned to writing and earned a master’s degree in creative non-fiction in Pittsburgh. Her memoir will eventually be published. It details the process of how the Lord created beauty from the ashes of divorce.

Pittsburgh is also where she met and married her second husband. They are now the parents of two wonderful children—one in fifth grade and one in first grade.

Leslie and her husband make their home in the Blue Ridge Mountains of Virginia. Leslie has been a stay-at-home mom for the past 11 years and actively growing her writing career alongside her two growing children.

She now maintains a monthly blog of her own and is working toward expanding her writing ministry on Substack. Her heart’s deepest desire is to help others connect with God through writing.

~*~
Author Bio:

Suzanne Felton is a wife, mother, writer, reader, teacher, birder, deep thinker, and sinner saved by grace. 


She has worked in a wide range of settings, from non-profits to science labs to government contracts to educational classrooms. Amazed by the power of words, she currently uses her passion and experience to help authors and students as a writing coach. Encouraging others to find the words and the courage to share their stories is one of her greatest joys.

Suzanne’s devotionals have been published in periodicals and blogs including Truly Magazine, The Upper Room, The Love Offering, Keys 4 Kids, and The Swallow’s Nest. She is also a two-time finalist in the Cascade Christian Writing Contest for poetry.

Suzanne and her family reside in Northern Virginia, but Suzanne will always call her native South Carolina home.

Married to her best friend for twenty-six years, Suzanne is active in her church, where she and her husband serve as deacons and small group leaders. They enjoy watching sports and visiting national parks with their two college-age sons.

~*~
Author Bio:

Terry Overton is a retired university professor of educational and school psychology. She has an Ed.D. in Special Education and a Ph.D. in Psychology. 


Her professional experience includes teaching public school, teaching at the university level, and being a college dean.

She has two children, seven grandchildren, and one great granddaughter.

Her previous writing and publication experiences include textbook and journal articles in the fields of special education and school psychology. She now seeks to answer God’s call to share the good news and grow the church by writing Christian books and devotionals.

Over the years, Terry’s books have won the Mom’s Choice Award, Christian Indie Award, Firebird Book Awards, American Writing Winner Awards, Bookfest Winner Awards, Pencraft Award, Reader Views Silver Reviewers Award, and International Book Award Finalist. Her writing examines real world events with a Christian worldview. She enjoys writing for young children, middle grade readers, YA fiction, and adult level novels.

Terry’s background in teaching adults and children shine through her stories that often include a character with educational or learning challenges. Her Christmas series, The Oddball Ornaments, features a box of misfit ornaments who first learn the meaning of Christmas and then discover the meaning of forgiveness. In The Underground Book Readers series, one of the main characters is on the autism spectrum yet is one of the leaders of the group of teens. Book one of a new series, The Messiah Brigade, features an awkward middle school nerd who helps his school turn around a bully gang of kids. Adoption and family issues are the focus of her new book, Charlotte McMaster and the Messenger Angel.

Terry lives in Texas and enjoys reading, taking pictures for devotional posts on social media, visiting with her family, playing golf, and writing.

~ The End ~

Thursday, December 31, 2020

Devotionals for the Heart: New Year 2021 edition with new writers!


Dear Reader Friends,

Tomorrow (Jan. 1, 2021) marks the start of a New Year!

And it also begins another part of our devotional journey!

I am excited to announce that this year, we have nine NEW regularly scheduled writers, six original writers from 2020 who are continuing to write devotionals this new year, and six backup writers contributing to my blog's tri-weekly series, “Devotionals for the Heart!”

This is the introduction post. Scroll down to see pictures of ALL of my writers (new and old) then read their author bios and starting tomorrow, read the first NEW devotional for this year!

Note: My backup writers will only contribute their original devotionals in emergency cases when my regularly scheduled writers for this year cannot meet their deadline. God-willing, a new devotional will be published every Monday/Wednesday/Friday of every week for all of this New Year 2021.

I hope and pray that God blesses you this New Year with His Peace, Hope, Joy and Love!

May this devotional series bless your heart too.

Love,

Alexis A. Goring, MFA
Founder of "God is Love" blog

~*~
Read on for the author bios and photos of my NEW and OLD regularly scheduled devotional writers for this year...

NEW Author Bio:

Angela Anderson was born in Brooklyn, New York. She was raised in a Christian home in New Jersey. Angela dedicated her life to Christ and was baptized at the age of 12.


As a child in elementary school, she developed a penchant for writing book reports and entering writing contests. By high school, she was taking advanced placement courses in English and Speech & Creative Writing. Angela’s love for journaling also had its beginnings in high school and it evolved into prayers journals and detailed notes for prospective book ideas. As a result, Angela is the author of a published 40-day devotional book titled Just When I Thought I Knew God. She also wrote a children’s book that is not yet published.

Although Angela wanted to somehow incorporate writing in her life, she is currently a Certified Human Resources Professional. Angela graduated from Rutgers University in NJ with a double bachelor’s degree in Labor/Employment Relations & Sociology. She also has an MBA from Strayer University.

Angela founded a non-profit 501(C)(3) organization called Head to the Sky, Inc. It was formed in order to assist those in prison with their transition into society and to reduce the rate of recidivism in the community. During this venture, Angela received a certification in grant writing from The Edyth Bush Institute for Philanthropy & Nonprofit Leadership at Rollins College. Angela was very passionate about teaching, training, and sharing the love of Christ in this ministry; but she had to refocus her passion when she and her husband decided to start their family.

Angela has been married to the love of her life, Duane Anderson for 16 years. Together they have two sons: Thomas (age 8) and Ryan (age 3). Angela’s favorite pastime is journaling and she also enjoys spending quality time with her family. Her personal mission is to empower others to achieve their goals and dreams.

~*~
OLD Author Bio:

Chaplain Anderson served for 20 years as a U.S. Navy chaplain. Over 26 years of active duty, he was promoted through the ranks from Seaman Apprentice (E2) to his final rank as Commander (O5) in the Chaplain’s Corps. 


Prior to his Naval career, Chaplain Anderson pastored in the Allegheny East and Potomac Conferences of Seventh-day Adventists. His undergraduate preparation for ministry was completed at Columbia Union College (WAU) in Takoma Park, Maryland.

He has subsequently earned four graduate degrees–a Master of Divinity from Andrews University in Berrien Springs, Michigan, a Master of Education in Counseling and Personnel Services from the University of Maryland in College Park, Maryland and a Masters of Sacred Theology in Religion and Culture from Boston University. His Doctor of Ministry degree was conferred by Wesley Theological Seminary in Washington, D.C.

Chaplain Anderson also completed four units of Clinical Pastoral Education at Walter Reed Army Medical Center. He also holds certifications in Suicide Awareness and Prevention, Civil Mediation, Alternative Workplace Dispute Resolution, Temperament Analysis, Marriage Enrichment, Workforce Diversity, and is a certified Life Coach.

~*~
OLD Author Bio:

Christa MacDonald is a 2017 Carol Award finalist for contemporary Christian fiction. She began her writing career at the age of eleven, filling a sketchbook with poems and short stories. 


After publishing a few short pieces in her college's literary magazine she took a long hiatus during which she embarked on a few different careers, got married, had three kids, and renovated an old barn masquerading as a house.

Sweet River Redemption is her three-book Contemporary Christian Romance series published by Mountain Brook Ink.

When not working or writing Christa can be found ferrying her kids around, reading, or attempting something crafty. She and her family live along the coast of New England.

~*~
NEW Author Bio:

Cyndi Staudt is a Jesus-loving, adrenaline junkie who is devoted to living her life for Jesus Christ until the day she is living with Him. 


With a passion for cultivating a craving for God’s Word, her devotions and Bible studies are saturated with faith and hope to stir your soul to connect with God in deeper, more intimate ways.

Through her writing she hopes to ignite your desire to read God’s Word, invite your heart to experience God’s love, and inspire you to live your live life “souled out” to the One whose love has no limits.

~*~
NEW Author Bio:

With an ever-growing desire to continually learn the Word of God and present teachings based on Biblical principles, Erin M. Handley is committed to her calling of teaching and inspiring others to ‘be more by doing more.’ With this in mind, Erin mentors young women and appreciates seeing the growth and change in the lives she impacts. 


While she sincerely enjoys mentoring and speaking to young people, she is most passionate about educating and empowering women from various stages of life about biblical womanhood and how to live out those principles in today’s world. 

For over 15 years, Erin has worked with youth and adolescents in the fields of mental and behavioral health, education, and ministry. When reflecting on her experiences in ministry and non-ministry settings, her most memorable encounters have been those that allowed her the opportunity to teach the Word of God in a way that is most relatable to the audience she served in that moment. She has enjoyed writing since her youth, but only recently felt the call to share her writing with the world.

With an undergraduate degree in English and a graduate degree in Ministry and Pastoral Counseling, Erin M. Handley has been fortunate to be able to leverage her gifts and her passions throughout her career in Education. Aside from reading, writing, and mentoring, Erin enjoys dancing, interior design, cooking, and most other activities which allow her to utilize her creativity.

~*~
NEW Author Bio:

Gena Anderson is a Jesus-lover, writer, nurse practitioner, and blogger who loves to share wellness information and inspiration with the world around her.


She is the author of The Well Woman: A Journey to Wellness Through Loving Jesus, which is available on Amazon.com.

Gena proudly holds the title of wife, mom, and the world’s most average CrossFitter. She loves writing, reading, traveling, and brownies. She's working on that last one.

Gena lives in Hutto, Texas with her husband and two children.

~*~
OLD Author Bio:

Glynis Becker enjoys writing devotions, inspirational short fiction, novel-length fiction, and screenplays. Her film Sinking Sand is available for streaming at Amazon and TubiTv and on DVD and she’s always working on a manuscript, hoping to publish a book someday.


Glynis spent her childhood traveling the country as an Air Force brat, until she attended college at the South Dakota School of Mines and Technology. Once she got her mechanical engineering degree, she decided she couldn’t leave, so she has made her home for the last thirty years in the beautiful Black Hills of South Dakota with her photographer husband, their two college-age children, and one very cat-like poodle.

She has worked as a software engineer for a defense contractor, an adult ministries director at a church, and currently does paperwork and intake for an adoption agency.

When she’s not writing, working or volunteering, you’ll find her reading everything from Christian fiction to epic fantasy novels, watching TV or cheering for her favorite sports team, the Minnesota Vikings.

~*~
NEW Author Bio:

Hello, my name is Heidy (Reynoso) De La Cruz. 


I am Dominican-American and I’m passionate about writing! I write poetry, encouraging blog posts about personal experiences and any message that God has stored in my heart. I am working on publishing my first poetry book.

First and foremost, I am a daughter of Jesus Christ. I am also a wife and a mother. I have my master’s degree in Healthcare Administration through Belhaven University’s online course. I have my bachelor’s degree in Science with the concentration of Psychology and Healthcare Administration.

I currently work in the medical field as a Medical Billing and Coding Specialist, and I’ve been in the medical field for the last six years. I love my career!

My hobbies include writing, reading, watching documentaries, listening to podcasts, traveling, and spending time with my family.

~*~
OLD Author Bio:

Jessica Brodie is an award-winning Christian journalist, author, blogger, editor, and devotional writer. For the last decade, she’s been the editor of the South Carolina United Methodist Advocate, the oldest newspaper in Methodism, which has won 118 journalism awards during her tenure.


She is the author of Feed My Sheep: A 40-Day Devotional to Develop a Heart for Hunger Ministry (2019) and More Like Jesus: A Devotional Journey (2018) and editor of Stories of Racial Awakening: Narratives on Changed Hearts and Lives of South Carolina United Methodists (2018), all from her newspaper’s Advocate Press.

She is a seasoned speaker and contributor to Crosswalk, Christianity.com, and the United Methodist News Service, among many others. She has a weekly faith blog at JessicaBrodie.com and is part of the team at Wholly Loved Ministries.

Represented by Bob Hostetler of The Steve Laube Agency, she is seeking a publishing contract for her two contemporary women’s fiction novels, The Memory Garden and Tangled Roots. The Memory Garden won the 2018 Genesis Award for Contemporary Fiction from American Christian Fiction Writers, and Tangled Roots placed in Contemporary Romance at the Blue Ridge Mountains Christian Writers Conference in 2019.

Married, Brodie has four children and stepchildren and lives in Lexington, South Carolina.

~*~
NEW Author Bio:

Jessica Collazo is a Chicago native with a heart that beats for Jesus. Her passion is to challenge women to think differently, gain a new perspective and live confidently. Because she knows it’s possible.


Using God’s Word, a little bit of humor, along with a strategic way of thinking and sharing personal stories, Jessica offers a fresh take on where to go when women feel stuck, overlooked or overwhelmed.

Jessica’s greatest passion is to help women take off the identities they have been given by the world and realize who they are in Christ: known, dearly loved, set apart, and chosen.

Jessica is the customer experience manager at Proverbs 31 Ministries who lives in Charlotte, North Carolina with her husband, Jerry, two sons and dog, Sawyer. Prior to working at Proverbs 31 Ministries, Jessica has over 10 years of experience working in women’s ministry, marriage ministry and outreach.

~*~
NEW Author Bio:

Learning to read as a young child opened a world of adventure for Kay Pflueger. She came to realize that words can have a unique power and beauty. 


Choosing to share those words in her devotional writings has become a joyful and rewarding experience for her. As a widow, she feels a special affinity towards those who are grieving or experiencing loss.

When she is not spending time with her married son and three grandchildren, she is either reading, cooking, writing, or working on pursuing her Copyediting Certification.

Kay is an avid baseball fan who looks forward every summer to following her favorite team, the Chicago Cubs. Kay is an active member of Victory Lutheran Church in her hometown of San Diego California.

She enjoys writing devotions to be shared on her church’s website and personal social media.

~*~
OLD Author Bio:

Mirachelle Canada is a writer, playwright, screenwriter, and theatre director/producer from Northern Virginia, where she teaches television production at her high school alma mater.


She earned her Master of Fine Arts in Script & Screenwriting from Regent University and is an alumnus of Act One: Hollywood Film & Television Writing Program.

Mirachelle is a member of American Christian Fiction Writers, American Fiction Writers Virginia Chapter, The Jerry Jenkins Writers Guild, and Your Novel Blueprint.

She is currently working on her first historical fiction novel set during WWII.

~*~
NEW Author Bio:

Monique M. Anderson is a writer, wife, and bonus mom to a 14 year old. 


She just recently unleashed her always present yet hidden talent of writing to the masses. 

She was born and raised in Mount Vernon, NY where she still resides, and serves on the prayer team of her church The Gathering Harlem.

Monique always felt like God was chasing after her, but never felt the need to surrender. Until that is when life started veering left, and she no longer wanted to steer so she finally gave Jesus the wheel. After forming her relationship with God she always felt compelled to share the revelations that the Word gave to her. She always felt the Holy Spirit prompting her to write, but was afraid of what people might think. So her writing started in her journal. The journal turned into a book, and the book into a blog.

Slowly but surely God’s love started to cast out all fear. She started to consistently update her bi- weekly blog called “Yours Truly, Moe.” Her obedience led to further revelation. God revealed to her that He would use her to help others along their walk the same way God helped her along hers. Since Monique did not grow up in church she always felt intimidated by the Christian life. She thought that she would be losing so much of herself, not realizing that she would actually find her TRUE self.

Since God has shown her who He really created her to be, she now feels it is her life’s work to help those that are taking their first baby steps in this walk with Christ. She is doing so through her blog, and soon to be published book. Monique is excited to extend her reach to podcasts and speaking engagements in the near future.

Her blog is the stepping stone to fulfilling the vision God gave to her – “Sharing God’s revelations so we can all reflect his image and fulfill his purpose.”

~*~
NEW Author Bio:

Patricia Russell is a speaker, worship leader, author, certified life coach and songwriter.


Her gifts have been shared internationally with audiences to encourage, empower and share life lessons through words and songs. She has sung on national television broadcasts and shared the stage with several respected speakers. Over her 30 years in ministry, she has been a featured artist in musical cantatas locally and the United States of America.

Patricia had the honor of leading worship at the kick-off event for the 2006 the “Just Give Me Jesus” Toronto Revival with Anne Graham Lotz who is the eldest daughter of Billy Graham, a well-known American evangelist.

Patricia serves in ministry along with her husband Rev. Wayne Russell. Together, they have served as guest hosts on a local early morning call in program called “Nite Lite Live” that formerly aired on the CTS Television Network. They have two adult children Raquel and Benjamin.

Patricia has recorded two CD’s: “Lord I Trust You” and a live recording “Draw Me Nearer.” She is also an author. Her first book is titled Lord I Trust You: Words of Encouragement is meant to further encourage and share life lessons as a result of her cancer journey. She is a co-author of a #1 bestseller book titled Crushed Diamonds Still Sparkle, and she has compiled the recent #1 bestseller book titled Stronger Resilience.

~*~
OLD Author Bio:

Temeka Borden, better known by her pen name “Positivity Inspires,” is an author, speaker, minister, PharmD, multi-state licensed pharmacist, founder and owner of Positivity Inspires, LLC, and most importantly, a servant of the Lord.


She was introduced to Christ at a very early age and was raised in the church. Her ministry focuses on encouraging Christians to love God first, to love all people, to continually strengthen their bond with Christ, and to study His Word, and live His Word daily.

Dr. Borden has been blessed with a variety of gifts, and she has gained much professional experience in a variety of settings. She also has served in administrative roles in the professional and church settings. In addition to obtaining her PharmD, she also obtained her bachelor’s degree in biology (minor in English), and she is working on her third degree. What’s more, as stated in her words, “I completed a specialty pharmacy residency that prepared me for the workforce and made me a force to be reckoned with.”

Temeka is a long-distance runner, a drummer, a singer, and she has a strong “fashion sense.” She also can read and type at almost supersonic speed in some instances.

Dr. Borden loves to learn and is constantly looking for new ways to challenge herself.

She loves God and she loves people. She is “crazy about her family,” and she adores her friends. She strongly encourages others to show kindness, respect, and love to everyone.

Temeka loves and welcomes diversity and flourishes in culturally diverse environments.

Dr. Borden loves to laugh and loves to make other people laugh. She also is passionate about giving back to the community. Her favorite sayings are “Speak Up!” and “Watch God Work!”

~*~
Read on for the author bios and photos of my backup devotional writers for this year...

OLD Author Bio:

Karen Marstaller is a retired high school teacher who spent most of her career challenging creative students to write. Her heart is for her readers.


She writes to encourage them, to make them laugh, to show them that life is a beautiful journey, and regardless of their past, to show them that there is joy ahead if they will just keep looking.

Karen and her husband live in central Texas in a sweet little home that they completely remodeled. They enjoy spending time with their family, which includes seven precious grandchildren.

Most of all, Karen writes in obedience to the command to love your neighbor, to offer a cup of water to those who are dying of thirst, and to comfort others with the comfort she has received.

~*~
OLD Author Bio:

Kathleen Rouser is the award-winning author of Rumors and Promises, her first novel about the people of fictional Stone Creek, Michigan. She is a multi-published author of historical and contemporary Christian romance.


Kathleen is a longtime member in good standing of American Christian Fiction Writers and a current member of Novel Academy. She has loved making up stories since she was a little girl. She was so enthralled with the books her mom read to her she wanted to be a writer before she could even read. She’s in the grip of God’s grace and is a fan of the three Cs—cats, coffee, and chocolate.

Kathleen is proud to be the mother of three adult children and mother-in-law to one. She is a former homeschool instructor, a mild-mannered dental assistant, and current Community Bible Study kids’ teacher.

Kathleen lives in Michigan with her hero and husband of thirty-some years, and two sweet cats who found a home in their empty nest.

Her writing is represented by Linda S. Glaz of the Hartline Literary Agency.

~*~
OLD Author Bio:

Malinda Fugate writes from the heart. 


Though she serves full time as the Children’s Education Director at a church in Southern California, she is also a crafter of words published in books. Her writing includes children's faith resources, commercial copywriting, and various faith-based stage and screenplays.

Malinda invites you to explore the various 3:16s in the Bible with her new book, The Other Three Sixteens (published by Ambassador International in May 2020).

She also invites you to read her previously published books: Bible Time for Active Kids, which is an activities-based devotional that is available for purchase on Amazon.com, and The Pen and the Sword: Connecting With the Word of God, which is an interactive creative writing journal.

Malinda earned a communications degree with a theatre emphasis from Azusa Pacific University, and then worked behind the scenes at the Los Angeles Salem radio stations, including The Fish and KKLA.

When she’s not writing or working at church, Malinda might be creating art, reading, or exploring the many adventures to be found in the Los Angeles area. She lives by the beach with her pup, Yoshi.

~*~
NEW Author Bio:

Shirley A. Denson is a native of Statesboro, GA. 


She found out at a young age that she had a creative mind and a way with words. Later on in life, she learned to cultivate her passion for writing as a budding author.

Shirley is very passionate about writing. Each book that she releases will be a product of God stirring and cultivating the gift He’s entrusted her with. She has won numerous writing awards/certificates, and is a published poet and blogger.

For the past six years, Shirley has worked as a professional ghostwriter, editor, and author. It is her joy and goal that through print, she might impact lives and leave the imprint of the King.

Visit her website to stay in the loop about her new book releases, current projects, and to read her blog posts.

~*~
OLD Author Bio:

Writing stories that take the reader on a journey to parts unknown has been a lifelong love for Tema Banner. She enjoys all history and continues daily to hone both her knowledge of history and her writing skills.

God is her guiding light and the reason for every endeavor in her life. She is a member of the South Carolina ACFW chapter as well as an active member of her local RWA chapter, Carolina Romance Writers.

Tema has served as past President and Secretary as well as holding various chair positions. She is the honored recipient of the Harold Lowery Service Award, presented by the Carolina Romance Writers.

God has gifted her with a loving husband, two children and three grandchildren who are the delight of her life.

In her spare time, she gardens and digs into genealogy for nuggets to use in her stories.

~*~
OLD Author Bio:

Wendy Wilson Spooner, Lic. G., LCoT, is a professional Genetic Genealogist by day, a writer by night, and an artist in between. 


Her love of what we can learn from history compels her to write the true stories she unearths during research, and she’s found that truth is indeed, much more exciting and inspiring than fiction.

Wendy writes about family, faith, grief, art, and overcoming obstacles in life by coming to know who we really are—children of God, and, the descendants of remarkable people who paved the way for us—even if they really struggled. She believes in learning from ancestors, honoring them, and then standing on their shoulders to become someone even better. 

As an award-winning author of professional articles and poems, Wendy Wilson Spooner turned to novel writing to share what she knows with a greater audience. When she is not writing or researching, she currently serves as National Vice Chair for Daughters of the American Revolution over Art & Sculpture in the annual American Heritage contest. She also serves as Chairman of the Advisory board for Century Vital Records in Bengaluru, India.

Wendy loves to read, hike, paint, travel, binge on Bollywood movies, and spend time with her greatest loves—her family.

Her debut novel, Once Upon an Irish Summer, released April 3, 2020. It has been a best-seller in the several different genres. She’s looking forward to releasing book two in the series!

~ The End ~

Tuesday, December 31, 2019

Devotionals for the Heart: New Year 2020 edition with new writers!


Dear Reader Friends,

Tomorrow (Jan. 1, 2020) marks the start of a New Year!

And it also begins another part of our devotional journey!

I am excited to announce that this year, we have 7 NEW regularly scheduled writers, 8 original writers from 2019 who are continuing to write devotionals this new year, and three back-up writers contributing to my blog's tri-weekly series, "Devotionals for the Heart!"

This is the introduction post! Scroll down to see pictures of ALL of my writers (new and old) then read their author bios and starting tomorrow, read the first NEW devotional for this year! :)

Note: My backup writers will only contribute their original devotionals in emergency cases when my regularly scheduled writers for this year cannot meet their deadline. God willing, a new devotional will be published every Monday/Wednesday/Friday of every week for all of this New Year 2020.

I hope and pray that God blesses you this New Year with His Peace, Hope and Love!

May this devotional series bless your heart too.

Love,

Alexis A. Goring
Founder of "God is Love" blog

~*~
Read on for the author bios and photos of my NEW devotional writers for this year...

Author Bio:
Alexis Newlin is a 36-year-old lover of Jesus, loose leaf tea, roller coasters, writing stories and going on adventures. Originally from Marietta, GA, Alexis now resides in Fresno, CA. 


You can always find Alexis outdoors enjoying a walk in her neighborhood, scoping out the newest food truck, hanging out with friends or planning her next trip.

Her church, The Revival Center, and family mean the world to her. They have supported her through the loss of her mother and her own cancer diagnosis.

Alexis enjoys encouraging others by reminding them not to look at what they see, but to always look to God, who is working in the unseen.

Alexis currently writes for several online ministries and hopes to launch her first podcast – The Brave Podcast – in January 2020.

~*~
Author Bio:

Amy Odland has been serving in church ministry as a volunteer leader for over 16 years, in various worship, prayer and women’s ministry roles. Her passion for helping women stems from her own struggles and lessons learned in her journey as a Christian since first deciding to follow the Lord in 1994. 


Amy’s priorities after her faith include her family — husband Rick and their four kids — as well as extended family who all live close in proximity and the many friends she’s made over the years.

In addition to a love of teaching and helping her husband with the bookkeeping for their many businesses, Amy has recently expanded her stay-at-home work to include leading author’s book launch teams for publishing companies like Baker, Revell, Barbour, and Lifeway.

She also enjoys teaching new authors about platform building, self-launching, and online marketing.

~*~
Author Bio:

My name is Julia Wilson but I also go by Christian Bookaholic. 


I live with my husband and five cats in a small town in Worcestershire on the banks of the River Severn (England). We have four grown up children and three granddaughters.

I have always loved reading and have always been surrounded by books. I used to work as a teaching assistant for special needs in the local high school. Ill health forced me to stop working in December 2015. I have Chronic Fatigue Syndrome (known as M.E.) and fibromyalgia. I now have plenty of time to read and review books!

Our eldest son set up my Christian Bookaholic blog. I review every book I read. I read over 300 books a year. I read Christian and mass market. I prefer stories set from 1850 onwards. My favorite type of books to read are stories set in WWI and WWII, and Russia under Czar Nicholas II.

I am a historian, having a Combined Humanities degree where I majored in History and minored in English. I also love swimming. I only learned how to swim in 2017 and go swimming four mornings a week for 90 minutes before breakfast. It keeps my joints going.

I am also a crazy cat lady. I absolutely love my cats. I have grown up with cats and cannot imagine life without them. My dream is to own an old fashioned seal point Siamese … but not while we have our young rescue cat as she hates other cats!

I love God and love going to a large, lively church called Lifecentral. I cannot imagine life without God. He gives a peace even when life does not. He guides my life. He is my Rock.

~*~
Author Bio:

Karen Marstaller is a retired high school teacher who spent most of her career challenging creative students to write. Her heart is for her readers. 


She writes to encourage them, to make them laugh, to show them that life is a beautiful journey, and regardless of their past, to show them that there is joy ahead if they will just keep looking.

Karen and her husband live in central Texas in a sweet little home that they completely remodeled. They enjoy spending time with their family, which includes seven precious grandchildren.

Most of all, Karen writes in obedience to the command to love your neighbor, to offer a cup of water to those who are dying of thirst, and to comfort others with the comfort she has received from God.

~*~
Author Bio:

Malinda Fugate writes from the heart. 


Though she serves full time as the Children’s Education Director at a church in Southern California, she is also a crafter of words, including The Other Three Sixteens (her book that is scheduled to release in 
May 2020 with Ambassador International), Bible Time for Active Kids (which is an activities-based devotional that is available for purchase on Amazon.com), and The Pen and the Sword: Connecting With the Word of God (which is an interactive creative writing journal). 

Malinda earned a communications degree with a theatre emphasis from Azusa Pacific University, then worked behind the scenes at the Los Angeles Salem radio stations, including The Fish and KKLA.

Her writing includes children's faith resources, commercial copywriting, and various faith-based stage and screenplays. Malinda lives by the beach with her pup, Yoshi.

When she's not writing or working at church, she might be creating art, reading, or exploring the many adventures to be found in the Los Angeles area.

~*~
Author Bio:

Writing stories that take the reader on a journey to parts unknown has been a lifelong love for Tema Banner. She enjoys all history and continues daily to hone both her knowledge of history and her writing skills. 


God is her guiding light and the reason for every endeavor in her life. She is a member of the South Carolina ACFW chapter as well as an active member of her local RWA chapter, Carolina Romance Writers.

Tema has served as past President and Secretary as well as holding various chair positions. She is the honored recipient of the Harold Lowery Service Award, presented by the Carolina Romance Writers.

God has gifted her with a loving husband, two children and three grandchildren who are the delight of her life.

In her spare time, she gardens and digs into genealogy for nuggets to use in her stories.

~*~
Author Bio:

Wade Webster is a farm boy turned city slicker, heathen turned born-again Christian, truck driver turned writer doing his best to point folks to his best friend, Jesus Christ.


He currently lives in Plano, Texas. He's the author of 100 Prayers of a Writer, a book that didn't begin as a book, just weekly prayers to a group of writer friends. 

He enjoys spending time in nature, running for exercise and dark chocolate, though not necessarily in that order. Apart from driving 18-wheelers for a living, he has a part-time job painting houses on the side ... and the front and back and inside.

As a teenager, he told his friends he never wanted to be considered normal. So far he's done a pretty good job of living up to that aspiration.

~*~
Read on for the author bios and photos of my OLD devotional writers returning this year...

Author Bio:
A very early reader and lover of the written word, Allison M. Wilson has been writing since the age of 8 with the heart to impart stories and God's truth. 


She has judged countless contests for the last 25 years, reviewed for several online publications, professionally edited, and written articles and devotionals.

Wife, mother, writer, editor, teacher, mentor, and mompreneur, God keeps her busy while living in east central Florida with her family.

~*~
Author Bio:
Chaplain Anderson served for 20 years as a U.S. Navy chaplain. Over 26 years of active duty, he was promoted through the ranks from Seaman Apprentice (E2) to his final rank as Commander (O5) in the Chaplain’s Corps.


Prior to his Naval career, Chaplain Anderson pastored in the Allegheny East and Potomac Conferences of Seventh-day Adventists. His undergraduate preparation for ministry was completed at Washington Adventist University (WAU) in Takoma Park, Maryland.

He has subsequently earned four graduate degrees–a Master of Divinity from Andrews University in Berrien Springs, Michigan; a Master of Education in Counseling and Personnel Services from the University of Maryland in College Park, Maryland; and a Masters of Sacred Theology in Religion and Culture from Boston University. His Doctor of Ministry degree was conferred by Wesley Theological Seminary in Washington, D.C.

Chaplain Anderson also completed four units of Clinical Pastoral Education at Walter Reed Army Medical Center. He also holds certifications in Suicide Awareness and Prevention, Civil Mediation, Alternative Workplace Dispute Resolution, Temperament Analysis, Marriage Enrichment, Workforce Diversity, and is a certified Life Coach.

~*~
Author Bio:
Christa MacDonald is a 2017 Carol Award finalist for contemporary Christian fiction. She began her writing career at the age of eleven, filling a sketchbook with poems and short stories. 


After publishing a few short pieces in her college's literary magazine she took a long hiatus during which she embarked on a few different careers, got married, had three kids, and renovated an old barn masquerading as a house.

Sweet River Redemption is her three-book Contemporary Christian Romance series published by Mountain Brook Ink.

When not working or writing, Christa can be found ferrying her kids around, reading, or attempting something crafty. She and her family live along the coast of New England.

~*~
Author Bio:

Glynis Becker enjoys writing devotions, inspirational short fiction, novel-length fiction, and screenplays. Her film Sinking Sand is available for streaming on Amazon.com, TubiTv, and on DVD. 


She spent her childhood traveling the country as an Air Force brat, until she decided to attend college at the South Dakota School of Mines and Technology.

Once she got her mechanical engineering degree, she decided she couldn’t leave, so she has made her home for the last thirty years in the beautiful Black Hills of South Dakota with her photographer husband, their almost-grown two children, and one very cat-like poodle. She has worked as a software engineer for a defense contractor, an adult ministries director at a church, and currently does paperwork and intake for an adoption agency.

When she’s not writing, working or volunteering, you’ll find her reading everything from Christian fiction to epic fantasy novels, watching TV or cheering for her favorite sports team, the Minnesota Vikings.

~*~
Author Bio:
Jessica Brodie is an award-winning Christian journalist, author, blogger, editor, and devotional writer. She is the editor of the South Carolina United Methodist Advocate, the oldest newspaper in Methodism, which has won 113 journalism awards during her tenure. 


She is the author of Feed My Sheep: A 40-Day Devotional to Develop a Heart for Hunger Ministry (2019) and More Like Jesus: A Devotional Journey (2018) and editor of Stories of Racial Awakening: Narratives on Changed Hearts and Lives of South Carolina United Methodists (2018), all from her newspaper’s Advocate Press.

She is a seasoned speaker and contributor to Thrivent Magazine, Crosswalk, and the United Methodist News Service, among many others. She has a weekly faith blog called "
Shining the Light" that is published on her website, www.JessicaBrodie.com and is part of the team at Wholly Loved Ministries. 

Her novel Tangled Roots won a third place Foundation Award in Contemporary Romance at the Blue Ridge Mountains Christian Writers Conference in 2019. An earlier unpublished novel, The Memory Garden, won the 2018 Genesis Award for Contemporary Fiction from American Christian Fiction Writers.

Married, Brodie has four children and stepchildren and lives in South Carolina.

~*~
Author Bio:

Mirachelle Canada is a writer, playwright, screenwriter, and theatre director/producer from Northern Virginia, where she teaches television production at her high school alma mater. 


She earned her Master of Fine Arts in Script & Screenwriting from Regent University and is an alumnus of Act One: Hollywood Film & Television Writing Program, and a member of American Christian Fiction Writers, American Fiction Writers Virginia Chapter, The Jerry Jenkins Writers Guild, and Your Novel Blueprint.

Mirachelle is currently working on her first historical fiction novel set during WWII.

~*~
Author Bio:

Sharon Musgrove is a self-proclaimed sociologist. The opportunities opened to her over the years, have led her on a fascinating journey observing human behavior. 


She has a diverse background in business, fitness and health industries. This background led her to a unique position writing curriculum and teaching for two private, Christ-based, residential recovery programs. Both recovery programs served women primarily from the homeless community.

Sharon has traveled multiple times to Kenya, serving on medical teams and teaching in the rural Maasai communities. She's been privileged to participate in Leadership camps for maturing young women. These annual camps have a mission of encouraging and empowering the impoverished, underprivileged, and often abused young Maasai girls.

Easily identifying personally with the brokenness of the women she's served, Sharon now sees all people as needing more encouragement regardless of cultural or socioeconomic status. Within these ministries, Sharon has witnessed the transformative power of loving words spoken to the broken-hearted. Sharing God’s love and witnessing its transformative power has become her passion.

In her leisure time, Sharon enjoys her garden, health food, travel and a good story. She and her husband, Jeff, make their home in Oregon’s Willamette Valley. They have two grown children. Currently, Sharon is writing her first Christian historical fiction novel utilizing her study, experience, and understanding of self-destructive behaviors.

~*~
Author Bio: 

Temeka Borden, better known by her pen name “Positivity Inspires,” is an author, speaker, minister, PharmD, multi-state licensed pharmacist, founder and owner of Positivity Inspires, LLC, and most importantly, a servant of the Lord. 


She was introduced to Christ at a very early age and was raised in the church. Her ministry focuses on encouraging Christians to love God first, to love all people, to continually strengthen their bond with Christ, and to study His Word, and live His Word daily.

Dr. Borden has been blessed with a variety of gifts, and she has gained much professional experience in a variety of settings. She also has served in administrative roles in the professional and church settings. In addition to obtaining her PharmD, she also obtained her bachelor's degree in biology (minor in English), and she is working on her third degree. What's more, as stated in her words, “I completed a specialty pharmacy residency that prepared me for the workforce and made me a force to be reckoned with.” She is a long-distance runner, a drummer, a singer, and she has a strong “fashion sense.” She also can read and type at almost supersonic speed in some instances.

Dr. Borden loves to learn and is constantly looking for new ways to challenge herself.

She loves God and she loves people. She is “crazy about her family,” and she adores her friends. She strongly encourages others to show kindness, respect, and love to everyone. She loves and welcomes diversity and flourishes in culturally diverse environments.

Dr. Borden loves to laugh and loves to make other people laugh. She also is passionate about giving back to the community. Her favorite sayings are “Speak Up!” and “Watch God Work!”

~*~
Read on for the author bios and photos of my backup devotional writers for this year...

Author Bio:

Erin Mifflin lives in the beautiful Missouri Ozarks.


She works as a one-on-one tutor with grades 6-12 at a Christian school. 

As a lifelong lover of words, she is passionate about stories and has been a book blogger since 2010. She's always written in one form or another, and in recent years has begun to develop this gift more seriously. 

Her nonfiction articles have appeared in Chicken Soup for the Soul, as well as various Christian magazines and blogs.

She's hard at work on a historical fiction manuscript as well. Erin is a homeschool graduate and comes from a large family, which now includes nearly 20 nieces and nephews.

She's active in her church as a Sunday School teacher, choir member, and church officer.

When she has a spare moment, she enjoys cooking, decorating cakes, watching British period dramas, and helping care for her large and crazy family.

~*~
Author Bio:

Kathleen Rouser is a multi-published author who has won the 2017 Bookvana Award for her first novel Rumors and Promises, which is about the people of fictional Stone Creek, Michigan. She also wrote its sequel, Secrets and Wishes, as well as a few anthologies. 


Kathleen is a longtime member in good standing of American Christian Fiction Writers. 

She has loved making up stories since she was a little girl and wanted to be a writer before she could even read. She longs to create characters who resonate with readers and realize the need for a transforming Savior in their everyday lives. 

A former homeschool instructor, mild-mannered dental assistant, and current Community Bible Study kids’ teacher, Kathleen lives in Michigan with her hero and husband of thirty-some years and their two sweet kittens. 

She is still on the quest to brew the perfect cup of coffee to drink while she’s writing.

~*~
Author Bio:

Wendy Wilson Spooner is a professional Genetic Genealogist by day, a writer by night, and an artist in between.


Her first book, Once Upon an Irish Summer, is a YA crossover historical fiction novel. It is the first in a trilogy, traditionally published by Ambassador International and set to release April 3, 2020 in five countries.

Wendy’s love of history compels her to write the true stories that she unearths during her research, and she’s found that truth is indeed, stranger, and way more exciting than fiction. 

Wendy writes about family, faith, grief, art, and overcoming the obstacles in life by coming to know who we really are—a child of God, and, the descendant of incredible people who paved the way for us to have the lives we have now—even if they really struggled. She believes in learning from ancestors, honoring them, and then standing on their shoulders to become someone even better.

Wendy is an award-winning author of professional articles and poems. She turned to novel writing to share what she knows with more people.

~The End ~