Marriage

CURT HAMNER is a pastor and cofounder along with his wife, Rhonda of Between Two Trees (betweentwotrees.org), a marriage ministry designed to resource couples and communities with tools to pursue God's design for marriage. Curt is also the founder of Bed and Breakfast with Purpose Retreats, and is a mentor with The Master's Program (a three-year marketplace leadership coaching ministry). Together Curt and Rhonda speak throughout the US and around the world helping couples enrich their marriages. They host DreamMaster Retreats for second half couples working together on vision and strategic plans for the years after career and family. Curt is a graduate of Dallas Seminary and served with Chuck Swindoll at the church they pastored in Fullerton, CA. The Hamners have three adult children and five grandchildren. They live in the mountains of southern California.

JOHN TRENT, Ph.D., is the President of StrongFamilies.com, a ministry committed to building strong relationships in these stressful times. Dr. Trent's main focus includes writing and speaking at retreats, conferences, business settings, churches, and seminars across the country. In addition to building family teams, Dr. Trent regularly speaks to corporate America on team building, recruiting and retaining outstanding employees. He has authored and co-authored more than a dozen books for both adults and children, including Love For All Seasons, The Language of Love, and The Blessing. In addition to writing books, Dr. Trent has written numerous articles for both professional and popular publications. He and his wife, Cynthia, live in Scottsdale, Arizona and have two adult daughters.

BECKY BYRD has a rich depth of ministry experience ranging from youth and camp ministry to adult ministry. She earned a BA in Bible and Theology from Moody Bible Institute, a MA in Historical Theology from the Litfin Divinity School at Wheaton College and is currently working on a PhD in theology. She has worked with bestselling author Dr. John Trent of Strong Families and currently serves as an adjunct professor for both Moody Bible Institute and Moody Theological Seminary. She writes and speaks on topics such as the special needs family, hospitality, ministry, history, and theology. She is married and has been blessed with four children. Her story of being a special needs mom is featured in Sharing Love Abundantly in Special Needs Families by Dr. Gary Chapman and Jolene Philo.

ERIC L. JOHNSON (PhD, Michigan State University) trained as an academic psychologist and is the Lawrence and Charlotte Hoover Professor of Pastoral Care at The Southern Baptist Theological Seminary in Louisville, Kentucky. He is the author of Foundations for Soul Care; coeditor of God Under Fire and Christianity and Psychology: Four Views; and associate editor of the Journal of Psychology and Theology. He serves on the executive board at the Institute for Christian Psychology.

DR. ERIK THOENNES (B.A., Central Connecticut State University, M.A., Wheaton College Graduate School, Ph.D., Trinity Evangelical Divinity School) is Professor and Chair of the Theology Department at Biola University and is a pastor at Grace Evangelical Free Church in La Mirada, CA. He was voted Professor of the Year twice, and was awarded the Faculty Excellence Award by his colleagues at Biola University. He is the author of Life's Biggest Questions: What the Bible Says About the Things That Matter Most and Biblical and Theological Studies: A Student's Guide. Erik and his wife Donna have four children: Caroline, Paige, Samuel, and Isaac.