Penny Musco
Penny is a freelance writer and performer with a B.A. in Theatre. Her magazine credits include Family Circle, More and Costco Connection, among others. Life Lessons from the National Parks, her first book, began life as a blog on her home page, pennymusco.com, which has content not found in the book.
As the first Artist in Residence at the Park Service's Homestead National Monument, Penny wrote and performed a one-woman show about the African American Exodusters, former slaves who headed north after Reconstruction ended. She now presents Steal Away: The Story of a Homesteader and an Exoduster for community groups, and at libraries and senior living residences (www.steal-away.com).
Penny Musco is the author of Life Lessons from the National Parks, a Sonfire Media publication.
"Everybody needs beauty as well as bread, places to play in and pray in where nature may heal and cheer and give strength to the body and soul alike." - John Muir, from The Yosemite, 1912 Whether you're a hiker, a museum explorer, or a reader who travels vicariously, Life Lessons will take you on a four-season tour of some of America's most glorious places within the National Park Service-and you'll meet God along the way.
In Life Lessons from the National Parks, author Penny Musco: *Brings the NPS sites to life with her first-person experiences; *Shares Scripture and inspirational anecdotes that relate to the parks' stories; *Provides tips for planning your own visits and links to the sites that are referenced
Endorsed by Michael J. Oard, co-author of the "True North National Park Series," and by Cecil Murphey, author or co-author of more than 130 books, including Gifted Hands: The Ben Carson Story and 90 Minutes in Heaven with Don Piper.
Click on the link below to learn more:
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John Chisum
John is widely known for his songs recorded by Christian artists Ron Kenoly, Steve Green, Larnelle Harris, The Gaither Vocal Band, Truth, First Call, The Cathedrals and many of Integrity’s Hosanna! Music recordings. John has been a long-time music industry professional in music publishing, artist development, songwriter, and producer roles for over 200 projects.
John studied classical voice at the University of Memphis and holds a B.A. in Interdisciplinary Studies from The University of South Alabama (Mobile) and a Masters of Arts in Worship Studies from Liberty University in Lynchburg, Virginia.
A popular clinician in the area of worship for many years, John has appeared in every major denominational church setting and many non-denominational venues. John has toured with Integrity’s Seminars4Worship and served as a core instructor for Integrity’s Worship Institute at The University of Mobile in Mobile, Alabama, and at Regent University in Virginia Beach, Virginia. He has also been a regular guest speaker at Liberty University for their Center for Worship.
John has had over 400 songs published in his career and he has co-written and produced eight children’s and youth musicals in conjunction with Word Music, Integrity Music, and Lifeway Christian Resources. His compositions are in print with every major choral music company including Integrity Music, Word Music, Lillenas Music, Lifeway Christian Resources, and Allegis Music. He has released eight worship recordings distributed through Warner Brothers, Pamplin Music, Integrity Music, Martingale Music, and Firm Foundation Worship Ministries.
In seeking to fulfill his personal call to “further wholeness and worship renewal in the Body of Christ” John served as president of Firm Foundation Worship Ministries and has served as worship pastor in six local churches since 1980. John also served as interim worship pastor for three 2,000+ member churches before moving to the Grand Rapids area two years ago to become Pastor of Celebration Arts for Fair Haven Ministries in Hudsonville, MI. John has a great love for international ministry, as well, and has ministered in Europe, Africa, and Southeast Asia over the last twenty years. He has been involved overseas with Worship International and with The Protestant Women of the Chapel, a military organization that provides ministry to military families throughout the nations. John has been married to Donna for 33 years, and they have a lovely daughter, Aly.
Visit the author’s website at www.johnchisum.org for his blog and more information about John's ministry and writing.
John is the author of the Sonfire Media title, The 5 Keys to Engaging Worship. To purchase The 5 Keys to Engaging Worship...
Tim and Tami Thurber
Tim graduated from Dallas Theological Seminary with a Master of Theology degree and currently serves as a pastor. Tami earned a Master of Arts in Theological Studies from Northeastern Seminary, and she has been involved in ministry to preschoolers, elementary age, teenagers, and adults.
Both Tim & Tami are certified instructors for the ministries of Super Doc, Walk Thru the Bible, and UnveilinGlory; they also speak at retreats and other events. Tim and Tami live in upstate New York with their three children.
Tim and Tami Thurber are the authors of Handing it Down, a devotional book published by Sonfire Media to help parents teach their children the basic beliefs of Christianity. Click on the link below to learn more:
To purchase Handing It Down...
MB Dahl
M.B. Dahl discovered her love for writing in elementary school. At eleven, she wrote her first play, “The Nativity,” which was performed at her little country school. She is an award-winning author who has written short stories, devotionals, essays, Sunday school curriculum, and church dramas. She is a member of American Christian Fiction Writers. This is her first YA novel.
When she’s not writing, she’s volunteering with the children’s arts programs at her church or spending time with her sweet family. One of her favorite jobs has been working with students at Holman Middle School. She sees life to be a grand adventure where hardships serve to guide her to the heights.
Dahl lives in Richmond, VA with her darling husband, “wonderful ” daughters, and three ferocious mutts.
Visit the author’s website at www.marybethdahl.org for her blog and more information about Through the Balustrade, including character studies, reading group questions, and study guides.
To purchase Through the Balustrade...
David Fessenden
Dave’s understanding of the writing process comes from his experience as managing editor for CLC Publications, the U.S. publishing house for CLC Ministries International (formerly Christian Literature Crusade), and as the author of four other books.
Dave is also a frequent faculty member at Christian writers’ conferences, where he is known as a mentor for new writers.
Dave and his lovely wife, Jacque, live in Fort Washington, Pennsylvania. They are the parents of two married sons, and were recently blessed with their first grandchild.
Dave writes an informative blog based upon his newest book that was released by Sonfire Media in 2011:
Writing the Christian Nonfiction Book: Concept to Contract
Shirley Leonard
Shirley Leonard is a graduate of the Christian Writers Guild. Her devotionals have appeared in the Secret Place, the Quiet Hour, Devotions, and Penned from the Heart. Her short story, “Unexpected Shift,” appeared in Live, and she’s published articles in Women Alive, Pennsylvania, and American Window Cleaner magazines.
Shirley’s caregiving experience spans four decades as a pastor’s wife, including twenty years of nursing home ministry. She never imagined that one day her role would move from supporting church members who were caregivers to being a caregiver herself. After five years of taking care of her parents, she gained a new perspective on the needs of those she’d ministered to earlier. With Each Passing Moment is her story—a devotional memoir that reaches out to other caregivers—a story of finding help and hope in the Lord at a time when her human abilities and resources were exhausted.
For more information visit Shirley’s web page at shirleysscene.com
NEW DOWNLOAD: Study Guide for With Each Passing Moment
Todd Shaw
Todd is an author, professional speaker, and the founder and president of On Track Ministry (a motorsports outreach ministry). The principles he teaches are based on scripture, and the Scout Law, Oath, and Motto.
Todd is a master storyteller, and his heartbeat is application. His enthusiasm, quick wit, and humor engage the reader or audience and motivate them toward a closer relationship with Christ.
Todd is also the author of A Scout Is..., with a foreword by Zig Ziglar. In the work place, Todd’s background includes construction, healthcare, owning and managing several restaurants, owning an automotive shop, and serving as a youth pastor. He holds a second-degree black belt, and taught karate for several years.
Todd and his wife, Lisa, live on the Blue Ridge Parkway in Galax, Virginia. They have a son, Jason, and a daughter, Krista. When not writing, speaking, or working with Scouts, Todd enjoys racing, watching re-runs of the Andy Griffith Show, drinking coffee, telling stories, and riding his motorcycle.
You can learn more about Todd from his book's website,
Thomas Smith
Thomas Smith is an award-winning writer, newspaper reporter, TV news producer, playwright and essayist. His published articles, short stories, essays, celebrity profiles, and travel writing articles appear in numerous books, magazines, journals and multi-media outlets including: Barbour Publishing, Adams Media, Group Publishing, Pocket Books, BarCharts Publishing, The PPI Group, Barnes and Noble Books, Borderlands Press, and Zondervan Publishing.
He was selected as part of the writing team (including Rick Warren, Chuck Colson, Lee Strobel and Ravi Zacharias) to create Zondervan’s New Men’s Devotional Bible. He writes monthly columns for The Christian Communicator magazine, and Christian Fiction Online Magazine.
Thomas has been a joke writer for Joan Rivers and a comedy writer for The Steve & Kathy Show (Emmy winning Christian TV variety show). His novel, Something Stirs, a Christian supernatural thriller, was released in 2011 - click here to view the Something Stirs book trailer. He is currently working on a new novel and you can follow his blog, Thomas Smith Online: Chronicling the Things That Go Bump in the Night, at:
Marsha Hubler
Marsha Hubler is a prolific writer with thirteen books in print. Sonfire Media is proud to be the publisher for her newest book, The Secret of Wolf Canyon, a book that combines her love for God, horses, and children with a light-hearted juvenile mystery. Marsha loves to hear from her readers. She is available to speak to school groups, writers’ groups, and women’s retreat groups.
Visit her at www.marshahubler.com to learn more about her many books, to share your thoughts about her books, or to schedule her to speak at your event.
Marsha also writes two blogs:
Marsha is the director of the Susquehanna Valley Writers Workshop, held annually in October. To learn more about this opportunity for writers, visit the conference blog.
Luke and Trisha Priebe
Luke and Trisha currently live in Allen Park, Michigan, where Luke is in his final semesters of earning an M.Div from Detroit Baptist Theological Seminary. Trisha is a full-time writer and editor. Between the two of them, their book budget is bigger than their grocery bill.
More importantly, Luke and Trisha are Christians who have been transformed by Jesus Christ. Their goal is to serve Him with their lives in whatever way He sees fit.
In the summer of 2007, their first child was born on the other side of the world. In early 2009, they saw him for the first time via a DVD. They anticipated bringing their son home within the year. They prepared a bedroom, notified family, and imagined how their lives would change. And then nothing.
God has taught them incredible things through the process of waiting on Him. They believe that waiting—though painful—is a gift. Trust. Hope. Pray. is a compilation of the lessons they have learned about waiting. Though they cannot help but think of their own recent experiences, it is not primarily a book about adoption. It is a book about the grace of God experienced while waiting.
Dr. John Stiles
Dr. John Stiles is an author and speaker
based in North Carolina, USA. He earned his Ph.D. in Communication and Culture at the University of Southern Mississippi. Formerly Dean and Professor of Communication at Hannam University (HNU) in South Korea,
Dr. Stiles now serves as US Director of HNU’s Center for International Relations.
An authority in the field of Cross-Cultural
Communication, Dr. Stiles has traveled to over seventy countries and all seven continents. He is in demand internationally for his innovative seminar, Intercultural SuperHighway. He challenges his audiences to step outside their individual comfort zones and overcome barriers by genuinely relating with others. Throughout a lifetime of venturing into uncharted territory and building cultural bridges, Dr. Stiles has arrived at a definitive conclusion: “To know culture is to know people.”
Dr. Stiles is a graduate of Montreat College in North Carolina and Gordon- Conwell Theological Seminary in Massachusetts. He also shares his passion for reaching out to others as the founder of Cutting Edge International Ministries, Inc.
In addition to his writing and speaking, Dr. Stiles thrives on experiential travel involving the pursuit of deep relational culture within the lives of the individuals he meets. He enjoys comedic films, diverse music, and ballroom dancing. A former college basketball player, he is an avid sports fan and participant. Dr. Stiles is available for speaking engagements and interactive seminars based on this book. Please visit his website for more information or to schedule a
presentation for your group.
Dr. Stiles is the author of All the Damn Christians, a Sonfire Media publication. Click on the link below to learn more:
To purchase All the Damn Christians ...