January is recognized as National Arkansas Day, and we’re using the day to highlight our authors from {or who reside in} in the Natural State.
Malanya M. Donaho
Born in Bellflower, California, Malanya M. Donaho was six months old when her parents relocated to Arkansas. She was raised in a Christian home, accepted Jesus as her Savior when she was five, and was thirteen when writing found her. Upon graduating high school, Malanya entered the workforce, where at age twenty-one, she met the man God had created for her. A year later, they were married and now have two children: a daughter in Heaven and a son who has surrendered to be an evangelist. In addition to writing, Malanya loves singing, song writing, playing piano, playing video games, reading, storm spotting, and furthering her knowledge of American Sign Language. Malanya and her family attend Grace Baptist Church of Conway and live in Central Arkansas with her mother-in-law, their six dogs, three cats, and various goats and chickens, the number of which fluctuates on a regular basis.
Malanya is the author of contemporary romance, Amazing Grace: A Novel. When Dr. Sam Gray is sent to Africa as a volunteer physician, he is counting down the days until he can go home again. During a trip to the local school, he runs into the Cloverdales, a missionary family determined to win every soul in Africa to Christ. Try as he might, Dr. Sam can’t seem to resist the family and finds himself being pulled into their midst again and again. As he battles his own beliefs, Dr. Sam begins to find that maybe he’s in need of a Physician as well. Can anyone heal his hardened heart?
Terry Thompson
Following a rewarding twenty-four-year career as an Air Force pilot and commander, Terry was called into the pastorate of a large church in Hot Springs, Arkansas. Throughout his life, Terry has applied his writing talent to books, periodicals, proposals, promotional pieces, Bible studies, and college-level curricula. Terry is a prolific speaker and writer including a popular blog, Terry Thompson on America. He taught various business and communication courses online and in class for John Brown University for eleven years. He is an Elder of Crossgate Church in Hot Springs, Arkansas. Terry and his wife, Linda, have four children.
Terry is the author of a historical biblical fiction called Daniel: Prophet at the King’s Command. Daniel was just a teenager when he was taken captive by the Babylonians, never to see his family again. As Daniel and his friends strive to make the best of their circumstances—slaves in the king’s court—they also fight to honor their vows to the one true God amidst a people who worship only false gods. From slave to the highest position in the king’s court, Daniel shows how God can use an ordinary person to do extraordinary things.
Priscilla Peters
Priscilla Peters is a graduate of Ouachita Baptist University with a B.A. in Mass Communications and a Minor in Speech Communication. She has been married to her husband Coby for 10 years, and they have a blended family of six children. Priscilla is the Vice President of Marketing for the largest advertising agency in the transportation industry, and she’s been in the marketing and advertising business for 20 years. She serves as the Assistant Leader for the Real Women Ministry at That.Church in Sherwood, Arkansas. She speaks often, both in her professional career at industry conferences and trade shows, and at women’s ministry speaking engagements.
When Priscilla isn’t at the office working, speaking at Real Women events, or blogging, she is busy cheering on her Arkansas Razorbacks, chaperoning her daughter at her competitive dance events, and laughing way too loud about pretty much anything and everything.
Priscilla is the author of Enough of Me: Winning the Tug-of-War Between Our Flesh and Our Mission. Do you have a nagging in your heart for more purpose? Are you right smack dab in the middle of a tug-of-war between your flesh and your mission?
Often we want to live out the purpose and mission God has for us, but we’re too distracted, exhausted, and empty.
Enough of Me is an 8-week Bible study for women focused on what God’s Word has to say about the tug-of-war between our flesh and our mission. The study explores the barriers that stand between where we are today and where God wants to use us to finish His work.
Jake Tyson
Jake Tyson, a journalism graduate from Central Baptist College, has been writing creatively since he was nine years old and has been a fan of superheroes and Star Wars for as long as he can remember. He and his wife Jessica live in Conway, Arkansas. Jake works for Lifeword Media Ministry and as the youth pastor at Oak Park Baptist Church. He is the author of The Vindicators series. He has also written a flash fiction short story, Joining the Team, for gohavok.com, and a short story in Ambassador International’s science fiction anthology, Into the Unknown.
In Vigilante’s Light, book one of The Vindicators, after his rescue from guerillas in Venezuela, Gideon finds himself with super-abilities, result from genetic engineering during his capture. When he returns home, he finds his beloved city in shambles and torn apart by crime. The police are understaffed and most do not care about the poor side, The Brooks. Gideon becomes a vigilante to protect his city and uses his newfound abilities. But he learns that being a vigilante comes with a price.
C.J. Vegter
C.J. Vegter grew up as a missionary kid in Bogota, Colombia, and Quito, Ecuador. After college, she moved to Bangkok, Thailand, as a missionary for two years besides working various jobs and moving around from Florida to Missouri to North Carolina until she met her husband on a missionary kid retreat in Spain. They live in Centerton, Arkansas, with their two kids and are still involved in their local church and helping missionary kids when they can.
During the Lenten season, we have the opportunity to stop and reflect on what Christ did for us thousands of years ago and what He has done for us over the past year. During a season of extreme health issues, C.J. Vegter wrote down inspirational quotes as she spent time with God asking for healing. Now healed from many of her illnesses, C.J. wants to give others the same hope she received during some of the darkest days of her life—and what better way than to help with meditations during the Lenten season. These forty-seven days of devotions will help you to navigate the Lenten season and reflect on the goodness of God in your own life.