Bonnie has training both in Christian Counseling (Emmanuel Bible College, Kitchener, ON), and secular psychology (University of Alberta). She developed and wrote a 223 page smoking cessation program, Strength to Quit, for the Alberta Government (AADAC) which targets pre and postnatal women. This project included the overall evaluation of the program, evaluation of the program components, Best Practices, and checklists. The program uses the strength based approach found in her upcoming book Living Out of Your Strengths: How to Make the Lifestyle Change That's Important to You. She then developed and wrote the 200 page Training Manual for the Strength to Quit program which was designed to be used by supervisors and managers not previously familiar with the program or with the strength based approach. The author trained several professionals on the program included health care providers, managers, and tobacco reduction specialists working for the government of Alberta.
Bonnie developed and wrote a social program for parents of young children called I Can Cook: Parent and Child Cooking Group that allows for positive interaction and growth through cooking together. She developed and wrote a 45 page “how to” companion manual which walks agencies step by step through the process of starting a parent and child cooking group.
She has written nine articles on parenting and family life which were published in five different Alberta newspapers. She authored an article of observance for Canada Day which was published in an Alberta newspaper. She wrote for and edited a parenting newsletter which was published and circulated in five centers, and three counties in Alberta.
During the Bonnie’s years in college and university she was listed on the Deans List, and received Honors standing each year of attendance. She has been awarded numerous scholarships, including a Leadership Scholarship granted by the University of Alberta, and the Jason Lang Scholarship awarded for outstanding academic achievement by the Province of Alberta. Bonnie plans to continue in her education until she has achieved her PhD.
Bonnie is a professional member of The Word Guild. They are an organization that, according to their web site, “is an association of Canadian writers and editors who are Christian, and who are committed to encouraging one another and to fostering standards of excellence in the art, craft, practice and ministry of writing.” Bonnie is also a member of the Christian Writers' Guild based out of Colorado Springs, Colorado.
Bonnie’s busy home life includes two children, a boy age 6 and a girl age 4. Her husband is the pastor of the Louise Street Community Church of the Nazarene in Saskatoon, Saskatchewan, Canada.
Bonnie is being published in an anthology of Canadian writers in March of 2008. Hot Apple Cider: Words to Stir the Heart and Warm the Soul is being published in conjunction with World Vision's Women's Night Out events. The book will be given to each attendee as part of a gift bag. Look for her story The Stuckville Cafe. You may also order this book through this site by making a request through the feedback form.