Valerie Bell is an award-winning author and sought-after speaker who shares her spiritual journey with refreshing honesty, gentle humor, and a hunger for God. For 10 years she was heard regularly on The Chapel of the Air, a nationally-syndicated daily radio broadcast featured on more than 500 outlets across North America. She has written numerous books—including Getting Out of Your Kids’ Faces and into Their Hearts; Real Survivors: Finding Hope and Courage in Times of Crisis; Made to Be Loved; Faith-Shaped Kids; A Well-Tended Soul—and her most recent publication, An African Awakening: My Journey into AIDS Activism, a collaborative project with World Vision.

Frequently invited to be the guest speaker for churches, denominational leaders, conferences and retreats, Valerie also makes appearances on radio and television. Her writing and speaking ministries have led to ongoing partnerships with World Vision, MOPS International, Hungry Souls, Church Communications Network and the Willow Creek Association. For more than two decades her “life-on-the-road” has led to delightful trans-denominational ministry relationships and cross-cultural experiences. “I consider myself beyond fortunate…actually, ministry out-of-a-suitcase has resulted in a richness of friendships and strategic partnerships for which I’m incredibly grateful to God,” says Valerie. Since 2004 she has been on MOPS International’s Board of Directors and is currently serving as the Board Chair.

Being raised in a Christian home, Valerie came to faith as a child. However, after a cancer diagnosis as a young mother, she struggled with physical and spiritual fragility. Desperate to restore a sense of well-being, Valerie pursued God through a new-to-her set of spiritual practices and focused special attention to the care of her soul. She came to realize that even a person suffering from cancer is still someone who is incredibly blessed by God. During that extended period of fear and anxiety Valerie learned the “big lesson”—i.e. well-being flows from relationship with God instead of all-is-well circumstances. Those “fragile” years formed her spiritually, both deepening and authenticating her ministry voice.

Valerie Bell is a member of Willow Creek Community Church and is married to Steve, an executive vice president of the Willow Creek Association. The Bells live in Kildeer, Illinois and are the parents of two grown sons—Brendan and Justin—and the adoring grandparents of Rowan Christopher Bell.