ALLIE MARIE SMITH
Founder of Wonderfully Made
Author of HEAL: Healthy Eating and Abundant Living
Allie is a self-described "ragamuffin girl" who has had real struggles maybe much like you -- depression, insecurity, disordered eating and loneliness. She is in love with a real God who loves the real her - with all of her flaws, baggage and quirks (which, she claims, she has a lot of!). She likes to surf waves, ride horses, laugh out loud, sing off tune and dream big dreams. Her story is a testament to God's ability to redeem the messiest parts of life and make something beautiful out of the darkest ashes. God has set her free from the bondage of severe depression, emotional eating, poor body image and a self-consuming preoccupation with her appearance, but He is not done with her yet! The cry of her heart is to see todays modern young women discover, strengthen and reclaim their true value through a real, authentic relationship with Jesus Christ. You can follow her on Twitter at @alliemariesmith.
NATALIE LYNN BORTON
Editor of Know Your Value
Director of Marketing for Wonderfully Made
Natalie is a writer, editor, speaker and the Director of Marketing for Wonderfully Made. She currently resides in Austin, TX and is married to her best friend and favorite person in the world: Brian Joel Borton. She is also a happy puppy mom to her "fur baby" Maggie. Among her favorite things in life: hot beverages, soft blankets, the sunrise, being outdoors, bonfires, cooking for friends, coffee dates, dancing, belly-laughing, the sound of the ocean, cloudy days, reading, pretty note cards, boating with her family, farmers’ markets and authentic community. Through her work, her hope is to inspire and empower women to live confident, healthy lives of true beauty. You can find more of Natalie's writing at Thoughts by Natalie and Darling Magazine, and you can follow her on Twitter at @natalieborton.
RACHEL JOHNSON
WM Spotlight Contributor
Rachel is a humanitarian, an aspiring author, a philanthropist, and a lover of the written word. She was raised in Wheaton, Illinois, and currently resides in Dallas, Texas, but considers herself a Chicagoan, Californian, Londoner, and Texan at heart. Rachel is currently the Director of Project Development at the Touch A Life Foundation where she coordinates donor and volunteer efforts to benefit trafficked and vulnerable children in Southeast Asia and West Africa. She harps on a mantra created by the Mocha Club, claiming that she needs Africa more than Africa needs her. Rachel is grateful for the little things in life, and she especially loves sunrises paired with chai tea (and sunsets paired with wine), days at the beach or the lake, new books, traveling, brunch dates, running, pumpkin-flavored anything, and remnants of Paris. You can find Rachel blogging at Through Painted Deserts or you can follow her updates and adventures on Twitter at @rachelelizj.
JEFF BETHKE
From a Guy's Perspective Contributor
Jeff is a self-described “grace addict.” Every since the Lord saved him in college he hasn’t looked back. He has dove in headfirst to a life long pursuit of his creator. However, he has had real struggles, a real past, and real suffering. Growing up in a single parent household where he was on welfare and government housing most of his life, he has had to wrestle with a God who was seemingly non-existent. Looking back he sees God in it all, and how Jesus has set him free from bondage to worldly pleasures, worthless things, and the fear of failure. Jeff is still a messy piece of work who gains a deeper knowledge of his own failure and God’s grace to save him each and every day. He enjoys reading, tossing around the baseball, and enjoying God’s creation. His hope is that women that read this blog come to a deeper and more lasting relationship with the One who created them, and in turn bring more praise, glory, and honor to Him. Jeff is simply a nobody, trying to tell everybody, about Somebody. You can follow him on Twitter at @JeffuhsonBethke. Find out more about his work, watch his videos or book him for speaking engagements at JeffBethke.com.
KRISTIE VOSPER
Dating & Relationships Contributor
You are loved. This is Kristie's favorite bit of truth to share. She believes life is a mixture of experiences, beautiful and painful, leading us towards a relationship with God. This God loves us deeply. Relationships aren’t easy, so Kristie loves to share insights on how to do life with others well. It’s through human relationships that God often meets us and reveals himself to us. Imperfect as we all are, God continues to believe we’re worth investing in, and this is what grace looks like. Kristie writes and speaks to women and men who want to live a life of honesty and beauty. She works to create life-giving Children’s Ministries through interior design, curriculum and consulting with churches and camps in Southern California. Kristie spends her days on either side of Malibu Canyon: living on one side, working on the other. She loves a day outdoors, some classic folk/rock, fresh fruit, deep conversations, laughter, and the way the day feels magical when the sun is just about to go down and it casts an amber glow across the sky. Kristie knows that life is a beautiful adventure and she feels deep gratitude to the one God, Jesus, who wastes nothing and makes it all beautiful in the end. Kristie blogs at www.kristievosper.com and you can follow her on twitter at @kristievos.
KATI SMITH
Media Commentary Contributor
Kati is a lover of Jesus, forever confounded by the overwhelming grace of God and His mercies that are always new. Originally from California, she now spends her time living in Dallas, Texas trying to learn to say y’all. She works for Women of Faith & The Revolve Tour, and feels extra lucky that she gets to fly all over the country doing it. Whenever possible there are good friends and iced coffee with soy involved in all of the above. You can find her sometimes blogging on her personal blog at www.katismith.squarespace.com, or follow her on twitter at @katismith.
ARIELLE ROYER
Photography Contributor
Arielle loves Jesus, enjoys folk music, and dreams of owning a log cabin in the rocky mountains. She is a young wife, daughter, sister, stay at home mom and natural light photographer. She once had hair extensions sewn in - a pound of them. "It was a horrible catastrophe" she says, "and put me in my place!" She has an affinity for simple country living and sometimes secretly wishes she lived with the Amish. You can drool over her photography and peek into her world at her blog, A Beautiful Journey, or follow her on Twitter at @arielleelise.
RAQUEL RODRIGUEZ
Women of the Bible Contributor
Raquel can be found in one of four places: home, church, a store or Starbucks! A total girly girl, she is a lover of shopping, fashion, heels, makeup, and chick flicks. Random fact: she collects stones, each representing a God moment in her life. Raquel has known heartache, loss, abandonment, humiliation, disordered eating, shame, and guilt, but by the same token she has been redeemed, healed, and mended. She has found purpose, accepted grace, and lives to serve her Jesus by serving His daughters. Her greatest joy is found when someone understands and accepts the truth that they are wonderfully made, wholly and dearly loved by God. Raquel blogs at A Lily Among Thorns and you can follow her on Twitter at @RodriguezRaquel
ALEXANDRA EVJEN
Style Contributor
Alex is a fashion stylist in Phoenix, Arizona, and a woman passionate about helping women become confident in who they have been created to be. She has struggled with insecurity and disordered eating, and even avoided pursuing her calling to fashion for along time out of fear of failure and disapproval. But after many road blocks, encouragement from family and friends, and listening to the passion and creativity that God had placed within her, she finally started her fashion styling business, AVE Styles. From editorial shoots to personal shopping, Alex has been working alongside men and women in the fashion industry for two years. Outside of fashion you’ll find her singing pop songs, doing project management for Promise Tangeman Creative and playing Frisbee with her goldendoole, Wendy. She hopes that her story encourages more Christian women to enter the fashion industry to help change the lie that more clothes and makeup products will make you more beautiful and valuable. Only God can provide the true value we’re seeking, and everything else will leave us wanting more. You can follow Alex on her journey as a growing stylist on Twitter @alexevjen, and follow her fashion tips and finds on her blog, www.avestyles.com.
