Christian Authors

Julie Bayles, a mom to seven children, recognizes the power of community. Through faith, collaboration, and a boatload of coffee, she is a strong advocate for the marginalized. Julie is well-respected for her ongoing efforts to pave the way for a more promising future for patients and their caregivers. She, her husband, and children are the seventh and eight generation to reside on the family's midwestern farm.

Lynn Eldridge is an acclaimed author, motivational 

speaker, mentor, teacher, life and inner healing coach,

entrepreneur, and an international minister based in

Nashville, Tennessee. Her newly released, gripping and

raw book, Bipolar to Beloved, is the true story of Lynn’s

journey from battling bipolar symptoms (age 15),

depression, anxiety, eating disorders, drug additions,

suicidal thoughts and a failed marriage to, 35 years later,

finding true freedom and healing.

Lynn was born in Illinois into a difficult family situation,

having been conceived out of wedlock to parents who

got married out of family pressure instead of love. Even

though her family was heavily involved in the church, the

environment at home was full of resentment, control and

rejection, especially from her Mother. She felt her Mother

resented her Father’s love for her. Lynn rebelled and

discovered drugs at age 15, where she entered the party

scene. At age 17, she moved in with her 30 year old

boyfriend, who was a drug dealer.

Next, she found herself carrying hundreds of thousands

of dollars for drug cartels in Florida. Because she was a

minor, the authorities (FBI) gave her parents a chance to

get her out of town, before they made arrests. Lynn’s life

was in danger, because she knew the drug dealers and

their criminal activity, and she could be a possible

witness. So her Mother said, “We will put you where they

will never find you - Bible College.” It was there she

encountered the love and power of God. But Lynn didn’t

have a revelation of how to stay free, so she reopened

every door the Lord had shut. Hosea 4:6 says, “My people

are destroyed for lack of knowledge.”

After going into a treatment center, Lynn was diagnosed

with bipolar and borderline personality disorders. For

years she tried multiple medications and therapy, but she

found herself continually pulled back into her old lifestyle.

Out of fear of dying and crippling depression, Lynn cried

out to God and her family for help. She checked herself

into Baylor University Hospital’s mental institution in 2011.

But her transformation didn’t occur until after she was

released and walked into a healing room, where she

experienced a powerful touch from God.

Lynn had been told that there was something wrong with

her and she believed the lies. Today she knows the truth,

Jesus Christ and what the Lord says about her. “It began

to dawn on me that I had unforgiveness toward myself.

Then I realized I also had unforgiveness toward God.

That’s when the walls started coming down — the walls of

pain; the walls I had built up in my heart, to keep people

out, God out, and emotion out. The walls actually kept

the pain trapped inside where it was destroying me,” says

Lynn. “As I began to realize that I had all this hurt, anger

and unforgiveness in my heart, the pain inside me started

breaking.” Today, Lynn continues to live in freedom and

joy. She likes to tell people, “If your god can’t do this for

you, you’re welcome to borrow mine.”

Lynn has developed exceptional course materials and

published testimonials to help those who might find

themselves “stuck” and in need of change and restoration

in their lives. Her empowering teachings, Time for a

Turnaround, weave together evidence from neuroscience

and wisdom gathered from her own journey, as living

proof that mental disorders can be healed. Lynn also has

written a devotional with the same title, Time for a

Turnaround, available on the YouVersion Bible App.

Gary and Kim Elliot are devoted to knowing God and His ways. They gave their single years specifically to knowing His ways in the romantic and experienced an unmatched fullness in Christ through undistracted devotion and fulfilled promises in God’s perfect timing. As co-founders of God of the Romantic Presentations, they are passionate for the unmarried to rest in God’s design, desire, and providence for the romantic desires of their own hearts. Having authored a number of books to help singles grow in faith with the God of the Romantic, they are also frequently requested teachers, storytellers, and personal waiting coaches. They reside in Nashville, TN.

Amanda Lauer is the author of the award-winning Heaven Intended Civil War series, time-travel novels Anything But Groovy and Royal & Ancient, and the sweet contemporary Christmas romance A Very Chapel Falls Christmas. Amanda and her husband John have been married 44 years, have four married children, and eight grandchildren.

Tom Varano is from Upstate New York. Over 25 years ago, with the support of his wife, family and friends, Tom Varano opened his portrait studio as a professional photographer. Adding to his repertoire Tom now also uses fingertips, palms and multiple brushes to paint custom portraits and famous people on a 4 foot by 5 foot canvas in just a matter of minutes. His creations are all choreographed to loud music that is powerful and draws the audience into what is being created on the blank canvas. Tom's Emotion Into Art is described as taking his audience through an amazing journey of excitement, suspense, cheer, motivation and surprise. His ability to captivate his audience and share the experience of color, music, and action is a way to bring people into the world of art, inspiration and creativity. During the show Tom will inspire his audience with personal stories that have transformed his life. The stories he shares relate the audience between the incredible relationship of having a dream and using passion to fuel that dream. There is a simple message weaved throughout Tom's entire show: Be yourself, be creative, follow your dreams and take chances. You never know what you might discover. Whatever your passion, do it with all of your heart. Tom recently performed in Las Vegas for Disney, Carnival Cruise Lines and MGM Resorts. In addition, Tom painted for over 18,000 people at Penn State's main campus, raising money for pediatric cancer at their THON event.