Meet the Team
Sarah Nash
Executive Editor
Meliah Apa
Managing Editor
Braden Nash
Creative Director
Our Contributors
Meet our ever growing list of contributors! A team that is ever growing and changing. Here are the many faces behind The Hephzibah whose writings and artistry make this magazine a reality. Each of them are made in the image of the great Creator and generously have shared their gifts for the furthering of the gospel of Christ!
Writer & Artist
Meliah Apa
is a new mama, a lifelong storyteller, and wife to her first love and high school sweetheart, Michael. They met and fell head-over-heels for each other while studying at an Int. school in PNG (an island they both call home). The couple have a common goal of giving back to the country in both health & education, and through their unique giftings as powerful storytellers, business strategists, and their creative media company, "One Little Big Shop". Together with their daughter, they are wrapping up their time spent in WA and will return to PNG as soon as a few more personal things fall into place and Jesus tells them it’s time to (finally) come home.
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Writer & Photographer
Salena Beltran
was born and raised on the Eastern Oregon/Western Idaho border and currently lives in a small town in Idaho. She has been married to her wonderful husband for seven years and they have one toddler boy running around their home these days. Her hobbies include reading (mostly audiobooks) and crafting. She has been a believer for over 10 years now.
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Writer
Jonathan Wilson
lives in Papua New Guinea. For the past 30 years he has worked faithfully with the Binendari people translating the Word of God into their heart language. He grew up in rural New York and enjoys playing frisbee and bird watching in his free time. He has a beautiful wife named Kathy, and three children who have all started families of their own.
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Writer
Stephanie Nygaard
lives in Illinois with her husband and three daughters and spends her days homeschooling, reading, and writing. The Bible, beauty, and books offer an endless supply of inspiration for her writing, which she hopes will point people to God. Stephanie shares her poetry, writing, and other creative offerings on Calla Press, Wallflower Journal, The Way Back To Ourselves, and Instagram.
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Writer
Laura Zhao
is a wife and new dog mom living in Los Angeles, California. When she’s not writing her dissertation on eHealth and type 1 diabetes language, she is either hiking a new trail, visiting a new coffee shop, or exploring the LA food scene with her family and friends. She has loved and walked with Jesus for 24 years, developing a deep passion for the marriage of both Scripture and the active welcoming of the Holy Spirit in the Church.
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Writer & Youtuber
Beth Neisinger
Bethy's Bible Bites is a ministry to kids and children's ministry servants offering quick video object lessons, conversation starters, and training material. This husband and wife team presents great tools for parents, Sunday School teachers, and ministry leaders looking for a little boost in their Bible lessons.
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Writer
Marissa Severson
is a believer, wife, mother, writer and Midwesterner living in the suburbs of Chicago. She loves spending time with her family and being curled up with a good book. She is completing her first novella and is honored to be part of the Herald.
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Writer
Rev. Jen Snow
serves as a Deacon at All Saints Anglican Church in Weddington, North Carolina, where she teaches, leads a small group Bible study, heads up the local outreach ministry, and assists in weekly communion services. She is also a student at Gordon-Conwell Theological Seminary, former missionary in Papua New Guinea and Cameroon, wife to Dan, and mother to three teenagers. In all of these roles, it is her deepest desire to proclaim the excellencies of Jesus. She takes great delight in the beauty of the changing seasons, curling up with a book, and long conversations with friends over good food and drink.
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Writer & Artist
Stephanie Eims
is adventurous, deeply loving, and won't let fear have a say in her life. She is first and foremost a follower of Christ. After living in three different countries throughout her Uni. years , she moved to DC where she began her work with the Foreign Service Inst. Realizing her deepest desire was to be near family she moved home to Colorado and married her best friend. After seven years in Cross Cultural Comm. and Int. Edu., she began her own business: mentoring other women in health and wellness as well as in business ownership. This allows her to stay home with (& homeschool) her three daughters. She spends most of her free time reading the Bible and creating Bible art.
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Writer
Alessandra Gugliotti
is currently studying Journalism at Patrick Henry College. She loves sabbaths, coffee shops, journaling, spending time outside, and fellowshipping with the people she loves. She enjoys sharing her heart through writing about what God is teaching her in different seasons.
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Writer
Marissa Fogarty
was born and raised in Papua New Guinea. Since returning to the U.S., she has been a part of a ministry that focuses on discipleship, and training to assist, mentor, and replenish ministers and ministries.A few years ago, she felt the Lord whisper that her journal entries weren’t just for herself, but that they would be used to minister to hundreds of women if she was willing to submit her pen and her heart. She works as a private homeschool teacher, a church youth leader, and a full time mother and wife. She is passionate about health and wellness and raising up the next generation of warriors for the Lord.
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Writer
Grace Gamb
lives in Idaho with her husband and two kids while awaiting their first foster placement. She loves creating yummy food and peaceful spaces for those she loves.
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Writer & Artist
Michael Apa
is a new dad to the most vivacious and beautiful little girl, and husband to his first love, Meliah. He spent a lifetime chasing empty pursuits until one year ago, when a life-altering and extremely traumatic event forced him to his true purpose— a reason for surviving what had happened. Together with his wife, they founded "One Little Big Shop", a creative media company whose goal is to echo the gospel story across Papua New Guinea. It is their goal to give back to his community and instill confidence and purpose in the lives of his people, as a businessman, strategist, and writer.
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Graphic Designer
Bethany Snow
is a teen with aspiring dreams to become an author. She currently lives in North Carolina, and among other things, does Taekwondo and enjoys drawing. She recently got into graphic design as a way to create covers for some of her writing projects and has been expanding into creating social media posts, banners, and newsletter headers.
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Writer & Artist
Melissa Thomsen
was born in Iowa and raised in multiple states. She is a northeastern woman with a mission to share God’s Word, through inspirational and interpretive works of art. Residing in a pleasant northeastern Ohio city with her family, she is surrounded by the beauty and peacefulness of nature and an ever-changing sky. She believes in the importance and life-giving power of the Word of God, and she desires to draw hearts closer to Jesus Christ and God the Father, through her work.
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Writer & Photographer
Kristen Brewer
lives in Northern Idaho with her husband and three kids. She enjoys coffee, a good book, being outside, and spending time with her people. Most of all, she desires to be about the business of the Kingdom and be an encouragement to women in their walk with Jesus. Occasionally she shares her ponderings on her website and on Instagram. She’d love to meet you there.
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Writer & Photographer
Kelly Havens Stickle
Kelly lives in rural Ohio in an old home that she is restoring with her husband and two little boys. She has a deeply romantic heart and loves simple, natural beauty. From childhood she has had a fierce passion for God and the truth of His ord. She seeks to open our eyes to the beauty and power of God through her devotional writing on Instagram, her spiritually challenging podcast, and her Etsy sewing shop where she sells timeless country styles!
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Artist
Katie Harris
was born and raised in rural Idaho, and is daily inspired by the land and sky around her, the history of the disappearing farms, and the seasonal rhythms of the Idaho high desert. As a homeschooling mom of 4 boys, she began creating art with watercolor in 2017 as a way to more fully engage with the world around her.
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Writer
Sharon Izzard
is a Christian wife, mum, and ‘NanNan’ to two little cuties. She lives in Southern England near the sea and South Downs, and loves to share God’s Word and encourage others in their walk with the Lord. She enjoys all things creative and has been so grateful for this blessing through years of chronic illness. She owns an Etsy shop, and what she sells she uses to raise funds for her friends’ mission.
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Writer
Mariah Ferkel
and her husband live in the piney woods of East Texas on their beautiful “quarter acre farm” with their two bio kids and current foster babies. They serve with Christian Homes and Family Services and love being surrounded by family and their church. Ryan serves clients in real estate, and Mariah has the privilege of working at a nearby church daycare (part-time), while also staying at home with their kiddos.
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Artist
Erin Lenn
grew up on the mission field in Papua New Guinea and now lives in Indiana. She enjoys being outside in God’s creation and printmaking. She discovered writing during a difficult season and now uses writing as a way to connect with God and encourage others in their faith.
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Writer
Stephanie Weaver
is a children's ministry enthusiast who is passionate about teaching kids God's Word, character, and love. When a nearly fatal suicide attempt left her with several physical disabilities, including the loss of her voice, writing children's books became a wonderful new avenue for her to continue to teach the kids she loves so dearly, about the loving and faithful God who saved her life and gave her a second chance to live victoriously in Christ. Having grown up as a missionary's kid overseas in Guatemala & PNG, she is passionate about missions and feels called as a missionary to the world's largest unreached people group: KIDS!
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Writers
Aaron & Rachel Vanderbeck
have eight children and have lived all over the country. They are on a quest, as a family, to know God deeper and more intimately every day and to share His love and redemption to a dark and hurting world. Onward they go along this pilgrim’s journey.
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Artist
Ulissa Wilson
lives in Ontario Canada with her husband Liam and together they are committed to the work of Jesus Christ, His church and sharing the Gospel in their community. Ulissa has always loved art as a way to give praise to God and celebrate His incredible creation. She has worked in the past with palliative patients and art and is pursuing Art Therapy to continue using her love of art and people to bring hope and healing to individuals who have experienced trauma or loss. Her art can be found on Instagram
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If you are interested in contributing to a future issue of Hephzibah we would love to hear from you! Categories included are everything from watercolor and poetry, to devotionals and testimonials.