Writers & Speakers
“. . . you asked me to write under no constraint whatever would come into my mind. It is not, then, my life, properly so-called, that I am going to write; it is my thoughts on the graces God deigned to grant me . . .”
-St. Thérèse of Lisieux
The authors and speakers at JRM are imbued with our mission to “spread the love of Jesus by sharing the stories of our souls, one intimate moment at a time.” They strive to share the stories of their souls in real, relatable, and raw ways as a means to inspire others to do the same, especially with God. They desire to point others to Christ, leading them into an ever-deepening relationship with Him. For, as Scripture itself tells us, “. . . how can they call on him in whom they have not believed? And how can they believe in him of whom they have not heard? And how can they hear without someone to preach? And how can people preach unless they are sent? As it is written, ‘How beautiful are the feet of those who bring [the] good news!'” – Romans 10:14–15
Interested in sharing the story of your soul by publishing your journal or becoming one of our speakers? Check out this video about how journals become books in the JRM office. Or begin your journey with a Spiritual Companionship meeting with Julia.
Julia Monnin, OCDS
Author of The World Is Noisy – God Whispers series
Julia Monnin is a small-town girl whose “rocky” young adult years were followed by a massive conversion in her late twenties. After living a life of deadly sin for more years than she would like to admit, she eventually found God’s endless love and mercy and her fresh start in the practices of the Roman Catholic faith she grew up in. Since rediscovering her faith and, by God’s grace, turning her life around, she now serves God joyfully and gratefully in her vocation as a wife, mother, Carmelite, and Catholic writer, speaker, and spiritual companion.
Angela Schwieterman
Author of Finding Foundation: My Journey to Catholicism & Close to God: Our Journey Home
Angela L. Schwieterman is the proud mom of five children. She carries a Bachelor of Science degree in Business Administration, with a previous career in accounting. However, the call for writing has awakened a new aspiration—to document her journey of faith and their family’s unique life, through an unfiltered lens. Angie works from home in rural west central Ohio, where she shares a blessed life with her husband, Ryan, and their farming family. She is a member of St. Sebastian Catholic Church, where she serves as Lector and a member of the choir. In addition to writing, Angie enjoys the simplicities of country life, including bike rides, listening to podcasts, and camping.
Amy Tester
Author of Jesse’s Journey: Through His Mothers Eyes
Amy was born and raised in Wapakoneta, Ohio where she currently resides with her husband and children. She works full time outside of the home and volunteers as a youth catechist at her parish during the school year. She enjoys taking trips to the ocean and feels especially close to the Lord while she is there soaking up the beauty of His creation. Though Amy would be the first to admit that she is a work in progress, her faith in God—even during the pain and struggle—has always carried her through. She trusts, as she always has, that He will never leave her side. In fact, this trust runs so deep that those who know her best would all easily attest to the fact that, even in the tearful moments of life, a smile rarely leaves her face.
Beth Dunn
Author of Finding My Feminine
Beth Dunn is a woman married to a good man, John, and stepmother to his three children. From working fifteen years in Hollywood, she’s learned it’s not what you know as much as who you know that will take you to the places you want to go. To date, the most important Person she has met, Jesus Christ, has been leading her journey up and down, in and out, and through thick and thin, always moving toward an eternal destination she hopes to eventually experience. All are invited along the narrow road to heaven.
Nancy Mazur
Born in Lima, OH and raised by parents with a strong faith who were both actively involved in parish life at St. Gerard’s church in which she was raised, Nancy’s Catholic education started early. She attended elementary school at St. Gerard’s and high school at Lima Central Catholic. Nancy admits that all of her life her faith was very important to her, and she learned at an early age that this faith would be challenged.
Nancy married her husband Mike in April of 1976. Together they have two daughters. They reside in Wapakoneta, OH.
Kara Danaher
Kara was born and raised in Saint Mary’s, Ohio and is the youngest of three girls. She holds a bachelors degree in Organizational Leadership with a minor in Psychology. Kara is very active in a local young adult Catholic group, has taught high school religion for six years, and currently works for Crown equipment building controllers.
Kara’s love for reading and writing goes back as early as her elementary school days. Her collection of journals, poems, and short stories blossomed into her story “The Clutter: Sorting Through Life in Light of Christ’s Love.”
Krista Schulze
Author of the Running to Jesus blog
Krista is a wife and mother who, with her wonderful husband, is trying to raise seven much wanted and prayed for, crazy, stubborn, ornery, silly children to become saints. She has a strong devotion to Mary through Schoenstatt and the rosary, has witnessed some pretty amazing miracles, and is involved with CRHP.
Maria Valentina Almeida
Author of Though the Fig Tree
Maria is a Catholic young adult living in a season of waiting—waiting for healing, clarity, and God’s timing. In her words, “Through my experience with chronic kidney disease, I’ve learned that faith is often forged in surrender. This blog is a testimony to choosing trust, gratitude, and praise, even when the fig tree does not blossom.”
Audrey Weatherhead
Author of Pilgrim Letters
Raised Catholic, Audrey experienced the beginnings of the growth of a deep love for the Lord, the Faith, and prayer as a young woman and dove into the interior life alongside a desire to chronicle everything in the written word. She believes the world is littered with hidden souls living rich interior lives, and that to find one another is one of the richest gifts in life. In sharing her writing in JRM’s Pilgrim Letters in an “old-fashioned” way, she desires to introduce simplicity, beauty, and a desire for the Good as a respite from the current culture of constant noise and superficiality.
Grace Weatherhead and Valerie Christman
Hosts of the Red Sunflowers podcast
Grace and Val, are young Catholic women trying to navigate this life together with the intention of sainthood. In their monthly podcast, you can expect everything from embarrassing and ridiculous personal stories to discussions about faith and Jesus (and how the two can even be tied together).