Contributors
Chris Bennett
Chris is hard at work in attaining a life ambition of being a psychologist. He holds degrees in both Psychology and English from the University of Louisville, Kentucky. His focus in graduate school is behavior analysis and cognitive research.
While Chris loves to help others help themselves, he finds writing best helps him. He loves writing with Make The Days Count and finds that, personally, making everyday count is vital to maintaining a sense of balance and fortitude needed to keep moving forward. Chris is not married and lives in Louisville, KY.
Blake Cothron
Blake Cothron is an organic gardener of 15 years, orchardist, artist, musician, writer, traveler, coconut palm climber and free thinker. He took a time out from college to travel and explore communal living. He has lived in “intentional permaculture communities” for 3 years across the U.S. He is a student of diverse spiritual traditions, and believes in celebrating diversity, tolerance and unity of all beings. He believes strongly in natural healing, permaculture, organic food and the power of heart. He enjoys not owning a car or cell phone. He strives to be as conscious as possible in every aspect of his life, in every moment. He keeps track of time with the Mayan Calendar.
Blake enjoys growing his own food and cooking for friends and family. He studies herbs and plants and prefers doing anything outside. He loves sunbathing, giving and receiving massage, teaching about the Earth and natural healing, foraging for wild foods, traveling, drumming, and close intimate communication and relations. He enjoys peace and quiet and being in the forest. He loves to swim.
Les Hollon is senior pastor of Trinity Baptist Church in San Antonio, Texas. He is a pastor, preacher, professor and writer. Internationally known Dr. Wayne Oates called him “a reconciliation artist.” Popular author and speaker, Dr. Calvin Miller says of Les, “If one were to consult the Oxford Dictionary of English for the definition of ‘pastor,’ they would see a picture of Les Hollon.” In prior pastorates Les led declining churches back to health, experiencing both spiritual and numerical growth. This has also been true at St. Matthews Baptist Church–a growing, regional, “five-generation” congregation noted for its 100+ ministries. Les often speaks from the heart about “Local-Global” missions.
Les writes in the areas of Christian faith and practice and has contributed to ten books and several periodicals. His most recent book release was Christian Reconciliation Ministries: Healing Hurts and Building Hope. He is a global strategist for Reconciliation Networks of Our World and a leader with the Baptist World Alliance, among other organizations.
Stefanie D. Johnson
Stephanie is a freelance writer and illustrator. She is a passionate student of yoga and natural healing and lives with her family and a pack of crazy critters in a small town in western Kentucky. You can see more of her work at Palidor Media, www.palidormedia.com.
Malcolm is the new Director of Pastoral Care for UAB Hospital in Birmingham, AL beginning October 5, 2009. Previously, Malcolm was the first full-time Chaplain for HIV/AIDS patients in the United States hired by a state university health system in 1994 at the University of Alabama Birmingham.
In addition to his interest in spirituality and health, he loves to identify physical, emotional, and spiritual needs of persons, then design and build programs that help meet those needs. His warmth and humor along with his powerful message of hope and grace is his greatest strength.
Malcolm grew up in Alabama and attended Clemson University (S.C.) on a football scholarship as a defensive back where he graduated with a B.A. degree in Psychology. He is a graduate of The Southern Baptist Theological Seminary in Louisville, KY with Master of Divinity and Doctor of Ministry degrees. Malcolm lives on a lake in North Alabama with the love of his life, Mary Bea Sullivan. He has two open-hearted, loving stepchildren, Brendan and Kiki who are both freshman in college. For more information or to contact Malcolm, please visit www.MalcolmMarler.com.
Marie Monroe
Marie is a writer, artist and psychotherapist. Her specialties are trauma, domestic violence, addiction and art therapy. Her art can be seen on Red Bubble and at Tangible Psyche
Judy Mosley
Judy is a freelance writer, photographer, poet, and full-time mom. She began her first journal at age 11 and has continued to chronicle her life almost every day since. Judy met her husband of six years after falling 30 feet and breaking her pelvis in two places. Together they have two children, Jonathan and Julia, and have just adopted their newest cat, Elyse.
Judy enjoys finding beauty in everyday things, making bread from scratch and traveling and exploring different places with her children. She enjoys writing about many thing, most especially life with the belief everything is connected from how you treat yourself, your spouse, your children, work … everything. Judy and her family reside in Milton, KY.
Jennifer Snelling
Jennifer Mae Snelling is a freelance writer, blogger, and amateur photographer. She first became interested in writing with poetry in the fourth grade, and publishing in the sixth grade – with a self-published school newspaper as a hurricane-relief project. Jennifer attended Stella Adler Academy of Acting in Hollywood, studying (among acting techniques) the human condition and behavior.
During that time she worked with a small company in San Jose, writing to transform their concept for a children’s show into the script for a pilot episode. She has also served as editor for her church’s monthly newsletter, of which she is a contributor. A born country-girl, she is very close to her family and family friends “back home,” and enjoys nature, family and church get-togethers, watching movies, reading autobiographies of actors, and relaxing at home.
Mary is the author of Dancing Naked Under the Moon - Uncovering the Wisdom Within, a compelling story about her pilgrimage toward wholeness. She facilitates spiritual retreats and workshops for women’s groups and faith communities. Mary Bea lives with her husband, Malcolm Marler, and their yellow (white really) lab, Daisy on Smith Lake in Alabama. For more information about Mary Bea Sullivan and her work, please visit www.MaryBeaSullivan.com.
Ann Wilkinson
Trusting her spontaneous instincts is what keeps Ann going, in her professional and personal life. Ann bought her first 35mm camera with her high-school graduation gift money. Finding her eye through travel in Europe and Asia and then running off to Hong Kong to join her boyfriend (and now husband of 25 years), Ann realized an affinity for the unexpected, the overlooked and the ability to find the tiniest bit of beauty in the most unlikely places; seeing the world through the camera.
Midwestern born and raised on the East Coast near New York City, Ann embodies the core values of honesty and reliability with a certain edge of realism and desire for the beauty within. Armed with an outgoing personality, Ann manages to engage people from all walks of life. From the homeless, to worldly business executives, and the occasional celebrity or two wherever she goes, Ann draws on those encounters in her work with her camera and in her writing (and, she can’t draw anyway). Ann truly feels that everyone has something unique to offer to this life on earth, and she has made it her job to draw out this sense of spirit and liveliness and document it.
Philip Wood
While waiting to decide what he wants to do when he grows up, Philip is a freelance writer, blogger, motivational speaker, and marketing executive. Acquainted with both great success and great failure, he has been an entrepreneur since starting his first business at the age of 15.
An accidental writer, Philip discovered that he possessed a passion for written words only a few years ago when inspired and encouraged to speak out on behalf of several local, national, and international causes via the widely recognized LieStoppers blog, which he founded in 2006. His well researched and intelligent writing here covers a broad spectrum of topics while drawing on his personal experiences in life and business.
Blessed with three sons, he currently resides again in Chicago, the city of his youth. After a twenty year tour that featured extended stays in North Carolina, Kentucky, New York, Indiana, Louisiana and other locales across the country, Philip is learning that you can go home again.