Christian Devotions SPEAK UP!

Elizabeth Whitley currently resides in Greenville, South Carolina where she works as a university admissions counselor by day and enjoys writing by night. She attends Thrive Church and serves as a life group administrator and leader. Elizabeth feels that being generous with her personal discoveries and insights makes any disappointments and uncertainties well worth the trouble! She is currently writing a book about embracing and celebrating her season of singleness, and she hopes to inspire other singles to do the same. Discover more at her web site www.elizabethwhitley.com.

Find your voice, live your story…is the foundation of Edie Melson’s message, no matter if she’s addressing parents, military families, readers of fiction or writers. As an author, blogger, and speaker she’s encouraged and challenged audiences across the country and around the world. She’s penned numerous books, including While My Solderier Serves and Fighting Fear, Winning the War at Home.

As a leading professional within the publishing industry, she travels to numerous conferences as a popular keynote, writing instructor and mentor. Her top-ranked blog for writers, The Write Conversation, reaches thousands each month, and she’s the Director of the Blue Ridge Mountains Christian Writers Conference.

In addition, as a respected expert in social media, Edie has the proven expertise to teach others how to plug in without sacrificing valuable writing time. Her bestselling eBook on this subject, has recently been updated, expanded and re-released as Connections: Social Media & NetworkingTechniques for Writers.

She and her husband, Kirk, have been married 35 years and raised three sons. They live in the Upstate of South Caroline. Connect with her through her web site www.ediemelson.com.

Erin Whitmer is a writer, speaker and entrepreneur with an accessory obsession. She has an MFA from George Mason University in Fiction and her book, Fighting Back with Fat, was published in 2013. Her current project, Faithful, is about her resurrection of faith after tragedy tossed her into a foxhole. Discover more about Erin, her ministry and blog at www.erinwhitmer.com.

All his life Larry J. Leech II has loved to tell stories. First, to his family and now for lovers of the written word. A ghostwriter and novelist, Larry writes most days while sitting at his favorite table at what he calls his “branch office.”

Larry’s writing journey began in the sports department of the Uniontown (Pa.) Herald-Standard at age 18. After twenty-three years of writing and editing at daily newspapers and a magazine, Larry, with more than two thousand articles published, switched his focus to editing and writing books in 2004.

Since that time he has ghostwritten fifteen books and edited more than 200 manuscripts. He also teaches at numerous conferences nationwide and has become a much sought-after writing coach.

Kathy is the editor/compiler of the Fiction Lover's Devotional series (www.FictionDevo.com) and author of Proofreading Secrets of Best-Selling Authors (http://secretsofbestsellingauthors.com). She has also written numerous articles, short stories, devotionals, play scripts, and Sunday school curriculum. She has ghostwritten ten nonfiction books and a five-book novel series.

She is also a full-time freelance editor, working with aspiring, new, and experienced authors as well as publishers.

Kathy speaks at writers' conferences across the country and is the founder and coordinator of The Christian PEN: Proofreaders and Editors Network (www.TheChristianPEN.com) and the Christian Editor Connection (www.ChristianEditor.com). For more about Kathy, visit www.KathyIde.com.

Mark Caviness grew up an urban cowboy. Being a southern young man in Texas, he grew up playing football, enjoying a couple beers with his buddies and two-stepping at Gilly’s. He married the woman of his dreams Angie in 1984 and shortly thereafter, their family grew with daughters Ashely and Brook.

As life takes shape around young families where the man of the home doesn’t know who God is, trials often become insermountable. For Mark and Angie, divorce loomed, but the love of their baby girl saved the marriage. In March of 2000, the strength of these bonds were stretched to their limits, when Ashley died in a horrible train accident. As often happens in tragedy, Mark sought the only one who could fulfill an empty void in his life, Jesus Christ.

Today Mark and Angie remain steadfast in the Lord. Mark also enjoys sharing his testimony and helps others face trials through gaming frienships on Clash of Clans in the clan he’s part of knows as the Clan for Jesus. For Mark and many others, gaming doesn’t have to be a waste of time, but a chance to connect with others and encourage others in the Lord.

Mark Caviness grew up an urban cowboy. Being a southern young man in Texas, he grew up playing football, enjoying a couple beers with his buddies and two-stepping at Gilly’s. He married the woman of his dreams Angie in 1984 and shortly thereafter, their family grew with daughters Ashely and Brook.

As life takes shape around young families where the man of the home doesn’t know who God is, trials often become insermountable. For Mark and Angie, divorce loomed, but the love of their baby girl saved the marriage. In March of 2000, the strength of these bonds were stretched to their limits, when Ashley died in a horrible train accident. As often happens in tragedy, Mark sought the only one who could fulfill an empty void in his life, Jesus Christ.

Today Mark and Angie remain steadfast in the Lord. Mark also enjoys sharing his testimony and helps others face trials through gaming frienships on Clash of Clans in the clan he’s part of knows as the Clan for Jesus. For Mark and many others, gaming doesn’t have to be a waste of time, but a chance to connect with others and encourage others in the Lord.

Michelle Medlock Adams is an award-winning journalist and best-selling author, earning top honors from the Associated Press, the Society of Professional Journalists and the Hoosier State Press Association. Author of over 70 books, Michelle’s latest release, Love & Care For The One and Only You (Worthy) was recently featured on the “Praise The Lord” program on the Trinity Broadcasting Network. Since graduating with a journalism degree from Indiana University, Michelle has written more than 1,000 articles for newspapers, magazines and websites; acted as a stringer for the Associated Press; written for a worldwide ministry; helped pen a New York Times Bestseller; served as a blogger for Guideposts for two years; and successfully run her own freelance writing business for 16 years.

In January 2016, Michelle’s book When Chocolate Isn’t Enough: An Inspirational Survival Guide for Moms (Worthy Inspired) earned “The Gold” for best devotional in the 2016 Illumination Awards. In October 2014, her book Encouraging Words for Mothers (Barbour) won the Award of Excellence for Nonfiction Books from CLASS Christian Writers Conference Book Contest. oks for celebrities, politicians, and some of today’s most effective and popular ministers. Michelle is also a much sought after teacher at writers conferences and universities around the nation. In fact, she has served as an adjunct professor at Taylor University twice and the University of Wisconsin, teaching “Writing for Children.” Find her work at http://www.michellemedlockadams.com

Sherry Sharp and her family are strong supporters of Alzheimer’s disease research. Mrs. Sharp’s late husband, Richard L. Sharp, founded the car dealership chain CarMax and V-Ten Capital Partners, served as CEO of Circuit City electronics and was chairman of the board of Crocs shoes. He passed away from posterior cortical atrophy, a rare form of Alzheimer’s disease, at age 65. In her husband’s honor, Mrs. Sharp has joined the board of Cure Alzheimer’s Fund to further our mission of preventing, slowing or reversing Alzheimer’s disease.

Sherry has devoted herself to improving the lives of others through education, children’s services, and medical research. In addition, she had devoted time to Christian Ministry and writing, including publishing Chicken Soup for the Soul, Alzheimer’s and Other Dementias Edition. Her story, Life Interrupted, was inspired by her experience as caregiver to her husband after he was diagnosed with Alzheimer’s. Mrs. Sharp lives in Richmond, Virginia.

Having traveled along a journey of healing and redemption, Sherry’s greatest joy is the LORD. She leads women’s Bible studies, speaks at Christian retreats, and co-chairs a community James 1:27 Team (support group for those of us who care for elderly parents). Her wildlife photography from the South Carolina Lowcountry is featured at women’s prayer and healing services. She and her husband are blessed with three sons, two daughter-in-laws, and an adorable granddaughter.

Sherry’s first novel, The Christmas Bracelet, was published by WestBow Press. She also published an Easter drama, They Knew No Easter, by Lillenas.

Grandparents play a unique and profoundly influential role in the lives of grandchildren—second only to parents—yet they are one of the most underserved groups in the church. Today’s grandparents don’t consider themselves to be “seniors” in the traditional sense. They are generally healthier and more vital than any other generation of grandparents in history. 21st Century grandparents are just as likely to be rocking to their favorite tunes as they are to be rocking in their favorite chairs.