Christian Devotions SPEAK UP!

Kevin B. McAteer, originally from Philadelphia, PA., earned his B. S. from Mercyhurst College. After graduating, Kevin worked at Marriott International throughout the Mid-West, eventually returning to Philadelphia as General Manager for several Marriott Branded Hotels.

Kevin met Pamela Jenks in Philadelphia, and within a few years they were married. Kevin was promoted to VP of Sales and Marketing for Concord Hospitality, and he and Pamela (along with their three young children) relocated to Raleigh, N.C. In April 2006, just a few short months after moving to Raleigh, Pamela was diagnosed with Leukemia, and their lives were changed forever. In the midst of tragedy, Kevin led three young children through a life-altering loss, while learning the resilience to love again.

On Christmas Eve 2012, Kevin committed to a lifetime of love when he and Shayna were married—blending a beautiful family of six kids: Mason, Christopher, Mia, Amanda, Madison, and Kevin Patrick. Today, Kevin continues to lead Concord Hospitality’s sales and marketing efforts, and enjoys the blessings of raising his family in Raleigh, North Carolina. He is also the author of Daddy, Can You Make Me Pancakes?

Jane Hampton Cook is a media commentator and guest on national TV news and radio outlets, including the Fox News Channel and others. She is the author of eight books. Her Pulitzer-nominated book, American Phoenix, reveals the story of down-on-his luck politician, John Quincy Adams, his wife Louisa, and the international side of the War of 1812. Her latest, America's Star-Spangled Story: Celebrating 200 years of the National Anthem, is also drawing national acclaim. Learn more about Jane at: www.janecook.com.

Join us this week on Christian Devotions SPEAK UP! as laughter and an encouraging testimony take center stage as Scott interviews Torry Martin.

Although Martin has a long list of accomplishments as an actor, author, storyteller, and a stand-up comedian, he prefers to use his gifts for laughter, writing, and entertaining to bring serious messages to audiences through the softening blows of humor. After telling a typical “Torry Story” revolving around his own blundering and misfortune, Martin pulls in the spiritual lesson in a sometimes subtle way. “If I can keep them laughing while they’re learning, it doesn’t hurt their brains as much.”

Martin was a stand-up comic and actor in Los Angeles before he became a Christian. After finding the Lord, Martin moved to Alaska and lived in a remote cabin with a friend who was studying for ministry. He gave up acting and comedy for two years and studied the Bible while becoming grounded in his faith. After being encouraged by some friends at his church, Torry began writing comedy sketches which he entered into the national competition sponsored by the Gospel Music Association called Christian Artists, now called Seminar in the Rockies. He won the grand prize two years in a row and now returns annually as an instructor. Martin has written for Adventures in Odyssey, a children’s radio series produced by Focus on the Family. For this self-proclaimed “hippie-for-the-Holy-One,” the melding of talent and faith has also resulted in the release of several books, including Under the Circumstances, and What a Character. Both are collections of comedy sketches about Christian life.

Join us this week on Christian Devotions SPEAK UP! as laughter and an encouraging testimony take center stage as Scott interviews Torry Martin.

Although Martin has a long list of accomplishments as an actor, author, storyteller, and a stand-up comedian, he prefers to use his gifts for laughter, writing, and entertaining to bring serious messages to audiences through the softening blows of humor. After telling a typical “Torry Story” revolving around his own blundering and misfortune, Martin pulls in the spiritual lesson in a sometimes subtle way. “If I can keep them laughing while they’re learning, it doesn’t hurt their brains as much.”

Martin was a stand-up comic and actor in Los Angeles before he became a Christian. After finding the Lord, Martin moved to Alaska and lived in a remote cabin with a friend who was studying for ministry. He gave up acting and comedy for two years and studied the Bible while becoming grounded in his faith. After being encouraged by some friends at his church, Torry began writing comedy sketches which he entered into the national competition sponsored by the Gospel Music Association called Christian Artists, now called Seminar in the Rockies. He won the grand prize two years in a row and now returns annually as an instructor. Martin has written for Adventures in Odyssey, a children’s radio series produced by Focus on the Family. For this self-proclaimed “hippie-for-the-Holy-One,” the melding of talent and faith has also resulted in the release of several books, including Under the Circumstances, and What a Character. Both are collections of comedy sketches about Christian life.

Join us this week on Christian Devotions SPEAK UP! when Scott shares the life of Zena Dell Lowe.

Zena is a screenwriter, producer, and filmmaker based in Bozeman, Montana, and one of the owners of the Mission Ranch and Mission Ranch Lodge (www.missionranchbeef.com and www.missionranchlodge.com). As an actress, Zena worked successfully in Hollywood for over thirteen years in theatre, independent films, and national commercials.

In 2000, Zena transitioned to the writing and filmmaking side of the business when she attended the acclaimed Act One: Writing for Hollywood Program, which led to her first paid writing gig for the short film The Haunted Heart, for which she won a Silver and a Telly Award. Soon after, Zena was honored to become the Associate Director of Act One and began teaching at writers’ conferences around the country. In 2005, Zena moved back to Montana to help take over the family ranch after her mother’s untimely passing. Today, Zena helps run the family businesses, writes, produces, and directs full time. She also teaches classes on screenwriting and playwriting as an adjunct professor at Covenant College in Georgia, performs with the acclaimed Vigilante Theatre Company around Montana, and is the director of theatre arts at Journey Church in Bozeman.

Join us this week on Christian Devotions SPEAK UP! when Scott shares the life of Zena Dell Lowe.

Zena is a screenwriter, producer, and filmmaker based in Bozeman, Montana, and one of the owners of the Mission Ranch and Mission Ranch Lodge (www.missionranchbeef.com and www.missionranchlodge.com). As an actress, Zena worked successfully in Hollywood for over thirteen years in theatre, independent films, and national commercials.

In 2000, Zena transitioned to the writing and filmmaking side of the business when she attended the acclaimed Act One: Writing for Hollywood Program, which led to her first paid writing gig for the short film The Haunted Heart, for which she won a Silver and a Telly Award. Soon after, Zena was honored to become the Associate Director of Act One and began teaching at writers’ conferences around the country. In 2005, Zena moved back to Montana to help take over the family ranch after her mother’s untimely passing. Today, Zena helps run the family businesses, writes, produces, and directs full time. She also teaches classes on screenwriting and playwriting as an adjunct professor at Covenant College in Georgia, performs with the acclaimed Vigilante Theatre Company around Montana, and is the director of theatre arts at Journey Church in Bozeman.

Join us this week on Christian Devotions SPEAK UP! when Scott brings in world traveler and author Sharon Leaf.

Sharon Leaf is the author of Lady and the Sea, a novel based on her adventures as a volunteer aboard WWII ship MS Restoration in the 1990s, secured for a hazardous mission to rescue Russian Jews from Sochi, Russia to Haifa, Israel. Born in South Carolina and raised in Southern California, since turning forty Sharon has traveled to over eighteen countries, lived in Sweden for a year while attending an international Bible College, and traveled to sixteen cities on the Trans-Siberian Railway. At the age of sixty she received a degree in theology, proving that it is never too late to fulfill another dream. Sharon and her husband now enjoy their southern lifestyle in South Carolina.

Join us this week on Christian Devotions SPEAK UP! when Scott brings in world traveler and author Sharon Leaf.

Sharon Leaf is the author of Lady and the Sea, a novel based on her adventures as a volunteer aboard WWII ship MS Restoration in the 1990s, secured for a hazardous mission to rescue Russian Jews from Sochi, Russia to Haifa, Israel. Born in South Carolina and raised in Southern California, since turning forty Sharon has traveled to over eighteen countries, lived in Sweden for a year while attending an international Bible College, and traveled to sixteen cities on the Trans-Siberian Railway. At the age of sixty she received a degree in theology, proving that it is never too late to fulfill another dream. Sharon and her husband now enjoy their southern lifestyle in South Carolina.

Join us this week on Christian Devotions SPEAK UP!as Scott welcomes Lighthouse Publishing of the Carolinas author, Elaine Cooper. 

Elaine Marie Cooper is the author of The Road to Deer Run, The Promise of Deer Run, and The Legacy of Deer Run. Her passions are her family, her faith in Christ, and the history of the American Revolution, a frequent subject of her historical fiction. Her latest book, Fields of the Fatherless, explores more of this passion. She grew up in Massachusetts, the setting for many of her novels.

Originally from St. Louis, Deborah Sprinkle received her Bachelor Degree in chemistry from the University of Missouri-St. Louis in 1971. She worked as a research chemist for many years at both St. Louis University Medical School and Washington University Medical School. In 1991, she and her family moved to Memphis, where she completed her teaching certification at what was then called Memphis State. Deborah taught chemistry for ten years at a private Catholic girls' school in Memphis before retiring.

Kendra Armstrong is an attorney, writer, speaker, patriotic American, and proud mother with a passion for seeking and teaching God's perspective on political and social issues, and using that knowledge to change her world for Christ. She received her Bachelor of Arts from Rhodes College, her Master of Science in Psychology from the University of Memphis, and her Juris Doctor from the Cecil C. Humphreys School of Law at the University of Memphis. Exploring the Faith of America’s Presidents was skillfully co-written by both Kendra and Deborah.

Originally from St. Louis, Deborah Sprinkle received her Bachelor Degree in chemistry from the University of Missouri-St. Louis in 1971. She worked as a research chemist for many years at both St. Louis University Medical School and Washington University Medical School. In 1991, she and her family moved to Memphis, where she completed her teaching certification at what was then called Memphis State. Deborah taught chemistry for ten years at a private Catholic girls' school in Memphis before retiring.

Kendra Armstrong is an attorney, writer, speaker, patriotic American, and proud mother with a passion for seeking and teaching God's perspective on political and social issues, and using that knowledge to change her world for Christ. She received her Bachelor of Arts from Rhodes College, her Master of Science in Psychology from the University of Memphis, and her Juris Doctor from the Cecil C. Humphreys School of Law at the University of Memphis. Exploring the Faith of America’s Presidents was skillfully co-written by both Kendra and Deborah.

Elaine Marie Cooper is the author of The Road to Deer Run, The Promise of Deer Run, and The Legacy of Deer Run. Her passions are her family, her faith in Christ, and the history of the American Revolution, a frequent subject of her historical fiction. Her latest book, Fields of the Fatherless, explores more of this passion. She grew up in Massachusetts, the setting for many of her novels.