Susan Smith Bennett is a Biblical counselor for The Jonathan Project in Deland, FL. She is also on staff at Saint Andrew’s in Sanford, FL as the Women’s Ministry Coordinator where she serves the Lord through a teaching and discipling ministry. Susan is the mother of three grown children and step mother to two grown sons. She and her husband Charles share three grand children; Miria, Gavin and Wyatt. Her passions include reading, writing, painting, sewing and developing relationships within a home life where she and Charles enjoy welcoming and refreshing friends and family with Christian Fellowship (and good food).
Karlie Bigham grew up in Southern Oregon but recently moved across the country to attend college in sunny Florida. She is a student at Reformation Bible College in Sanford where she is working towards her BA in Theological Studies. After graduation, she hopes to further her education at Reformed Theological Seminary and pursue a MA in Counseling. Karlie says she didn’t always feel called to be a Christian counselor, but after the death of her mother in 2013, she knew God would use what she had experienced to help others someday. You can follow Karlie’s grief journey on her personal blog www.sowintears.com
Col
leen Craig was blessed to grow up in a Christian home with two older brothers which, she admits, taught her much about sanctification by fire. Christ graciously opened her spiritual eyes to the need of a Savior for her sins at the age of seven. She claims that she has been a work in progress ever since. Colleen received a BS in Zoology from the University of Rhode Island, but has worked everything from a paper route to government IT sales near DC. In 2003, Colleen moved to Thailand to be a Jr High Science teacher for Thai children at a bilingual school for about 4 years. She met Barrett, her husband and “the love of her life”, on a trip home from Thailand and they married in 2007. After her marriage to Barrett she was blessed to earn a masters in Biblical Counseling. Colleen and her husband now live in Puerto Rico where Barrett is stationed as a Navy Chaplain. Colleen and Barrett are parents of sweet Annabelle and have recently adopted twins Ronnie and Lydia from Ethiopia. Colleen says that although being a mom is the toughest job yet for her, she loves it! You can also read Colleen’s personal blog “Cantankerous Craigs” to learn more.
Rebecca Edwards is married to an active duty Air Force member and having survived multiple moves, they currently live in Arizona with their five children, whose ages (at the time of writing this paragraph) range from 15 – 3 years old. Though she loves many varieties of literature, art, music, and crafts—she believes her true calling is in organizing. There is a spreadsheet for just about every contingency on her computer—even down to a map of the grocery store for her shopping list (only it has not been updated lately and that bugs her). Rebecca received her BA in Political Science from Southwest Baptist University in Missouri and promptly went to work for a Congressman in Washington, DC. During that time, she met her husband, Ryan, in Arkansas at a wedding. He was in the Navy at the time, stationed at Groton, CT. Through a series of deployments, very expensive phone bills, and a ton of accumulated frequent flier miles, Ryan finally proposed and they were married. They planned (remember the organizer?) to have children a few years after the wedding—God had other plans and they were pregnant a few days after the wedding. The children have been a great blessing, however; even though Rebecca wanted no children and Ryan 12—they have happily compromised at 5. Hannah, Nathanael, Thaddeus, Seth, and Isabelle keep the Edwards hopping, laughing, and loving.
Cherry Finamore is wife to Jim, her beloved; daughter to her ‘live-in’, 92 year old mother; and mother of two grown sons, Jonathan and Matthew, who walk with the Lord and have given her three grandsons and three granddaughters–a delight to her soul. She also has a beautiful adult daughter, Jennifer Lynn, who has special needs, and brings much delight to the whole family with her gentle spirit and unconditional love. Cherry grew up in Brazil as one of those deceived MKs who thought she knew Christ because she believed the facts of the gospel. God graciously called her out of her darkness to true faith at the age of twenty-seven and it has been a forward march ever since because of God’s great preserving power and faithfulness. She has a passion for God’s Truth, the lost without Christ, the deceived in the churches, encouraging sisters in Christ–and a love for reading, politics, Italian cooking, decorating, and fellowship over a cup of coffee. She loves being a worker at home so that her family desires to return there for refuge–and for the heart of her husband to safely trust in her–ultimately for God’s great glory.
Kayla Mahnken graduated from Florida State University (Dec 2011) with a degree in English with a concentration in editing, writing, and media. Apart from her love of writing, she also enjoys singing, reading, and making memories with her friends. Kayla is 24 years old and longs to fulfill the command of 1 Corinthians 10:31: “So, whether you eat or drink, or whatever you do, do all to the glory of God.” Kayla lives in Apopa, Fl and works with Next Step as a Technical Writer. She prays that her words may serve to encourage and build up the women of God so that they may find strength to light up the darkness.
Lauren Titcomb is a stay at home wife and mother of two beautiful boys; three and soon to be a one year old. A Florida native by birth, her family recently moved back to their hometown of DeLand after her husband’s five year career in the Army came to an end. Being in the military has given her the opportunity to live in some interesting locations, the most recent of which was amidst the breathtaking nature of Northern New York where a piece of her heart will always remain. Lauren’s experience as an Army wife has also taught her much about trusting in the Lord’s sovereignty and His merciful provision in the lives of those whom He loves. Writing has been a passion of hers since she was a young child and being able to use this passion to encourage her sisters in Christ is a great blessing. Lauren dreams of one day owning a farm complete with horses, cows, pigs, chickens, and a vegetable garden where she can pursue her desire to manage a small homestead. Until then, she finds peace and contentment in the day to day responsibilities of being a godly wife, raising young children, and keeping a warm and loving home where the bread is baked fresh and the coffee is always on.
Sarah Fowler Wolfe is wife to David as well as president and CEO of Well Versed Consulting, a marketing firm for the crane and specialized transportation industries. She has a BA in English with a concentration in Creative Writing from Florida State University and more than fifteen years of professional writing and editing experience. Sarah was raised in a reformed Christian home but came to Christ after college and experienced the profound blessing of learning about grace and growing with a wonderful church family at Saint Andrew’s Chapel. After getting married at age 31 in January 2018 she moved to Sacramento, CA and looks forward to practicing hospitality and making disciples with her husband and new church family.