Melissa Lloyd

Melissa Michelle Lloyd is a nurse educator, children's Bible teacher, and lifelong learner with a passion for helping others grow in both knowledge and faith. She serves as the Director of Employee Development where she develops educational programs that equip healthcare professionals to provide compassionate, excellent care. Beyond her work in healthcare, Melissa has a heart for teaching God's Word. She enjoys creating engaging Bible studies, devotionals, and faith-based resources for children, youth, and adults that make biblical truths easy to understand and apply to everyday life. The inspiration for the Forest of Fruit series began while teaching children at Second Baptist Church in Lamesa, Texas. As the children enthusiastically imagined characters that represented the Fruit of the Spirit, Melissa saw an opportunity to bring their ideas to life through stories that would help young readers discover God's love, develop Christlike character, and grow in their faith. Melissa believes that children learn best through storytelling, imagination, and meaningful conversations rooted in Scripture. Her prayer is that every child who reads her books will not only enjoy the adventures of Love the Lion, Good the Gorilla, Kindness the Kangaroo, Joy the Joey, Faithfulness the Frog, and their friends, but will also come to know Jesus more deeply and allow the Holy Spirit to grow His fruit in their own lives. When she isn't writing or teaching, Melissa enjoys studying the Bible, developing educational materials, spending time with family and friends, and finding new ways to inspire others to learn, serve, and follow Christ. "My greatest hope is that every story points children to the greatest story ever told—the story of God's love through Jesus Christ."