Kingdom Book Awards Celebrates Spring 2026 Winners

A book can begin as a private conviction, a difficult season, or a message that refuses to remain unheard. At the Spring 2026 Kingdom Book Awards Gala, those personal beginnings became moments of public celebration as authors were recognized for books created to encourage, equip, challenge, and inspire others.

The Spring 2026 winners represent a wide range of voices and experiences. Their books address faith, leadership, children’s confidence, communication, restoration, wellness, ministry, creativity, and personal transformation. Together, they demonstrate the vision behind the Kingdom Book Awards: recognizing authors whose written messages are intended to make a meaningful difference.

The Kingdom Book Awards was created to bring greater visibility to faith based authors and the messages they carry. Founded by Daniella and Patricio Ordonez, the awards grew from their passion for helping Kingdom voices move beyond the page and reach the people who need their messages. The organization has also been recognized by Evergreen Awards as the Best Faith Based Book Awards in the U.S. of 2025.

Celebrating Authors With A Message

Among this year’s honorees is J. Andre Weisbrod, winner in Kingdom Civic & Government Impact for Don’t Ever Take Away My Freedom!. Weisbrod’s work grew from a desire to encourage greater awareness and responsibility around civic life. His broader speaking work explores themes such as abundant living, good government, and civic responsibility, giving his message a practical dimension beyond the written page.

Susie Offenbacker, recognized in Kingdom Children’s Impact for Stuttering Sue, brings a deeply personal message of confidence and resilience to young readers. Her story turns a challenge involving speech into a source of encouragement, showing children that their voices matter. Her work also includes Stuttering Sue 30 Day Companion Workbook, extending the book’s message into a practical resource.

In Kingdom Media Impact, Julie Nowacki was honored for Competent Publicist. Drawing from years of publicity experience, Nowacki created a book designed to help readers better understand visibility, communication, and audience engagement. Through Convergent Media Agency, she continues that work through publicity programs, coaching, and consulting.

The Kingdom Scribe Award went to Geary Reid for his achievement of writing more than one hundred books. Reid writes and speaks about business, leadership, and faith, with additional books focused on biblical figures planned for the future.

Dr. Robert Cruz was recognized in Kingdom Leadership Impact for Servant Leadership: A Remedy for Racism in America. His book places servant leadership at the center of a conversation about racial challenges and the potential for leadership grounded in service, responsibility, and respect. The recognition reflects the Kingdom Book Awards’ broader interest in books that use leadership principles to encourage meaningful reflection and positive change. 

Rhonda Smith, winner of Kingdom Health & Wellness Impact for A Walk With God, brings together faith and a holistic approach to personal well being. Her work encourages women to consider the connection between body, mind, and spirit while deepening their relationship with God. Her upcoming A Walk With God Women’s Conference, scheduled for October 23 and 24, 2026, in Chattanooga, Tennessee, extends that message into a live gathering.

The Kingdom Devotional Excellence honor was presented to Dr. Robin Sherrod for Soul Food: 52 Week Spiritual Journey to Transform the Soul. Drawing from seasons of profound personal adversity, Sherrod offers readers a structured journey centered on spiritual growth, prayer, and deeper faith. Her other works and programs continue her focus on leadership, healing, empowerment, and purpose.

In Kingdom Ministry Impact, Ruben Gonzales received recognition for Golden Walk: Following Wisdom Into Heaven. The book reflects Gonzales’s faith journey and his discovery of salvation through grace and faith. It has also become part of Bible study conversations, while his broader work through Wisdom United focuses on faith, wisdom, overcoming fear, and helping others move toward a more purposeful life.

Janet Schwind, recipient of the Kingdom Arts Impact award for Book of Jerry: Bible Wisdom Straight Outta The Bronx, takes an unconventional route to communicating spiritual truths. Inspired by a humorous Bible Gateway typo, Schwind developed a creative approach that combines humor, storytelling, and biblical wisdom. Her work demonstrates how creativity can make familiar themes feel fresh, accessible, and memorable.

The Kingdom Restoration Award went to Melisa May Cooper for From Wrecked to Restored. Through Melisa May Ministries, Cooper shares a message centered on restoration through faith. The book speaks to the powerful human desire to move beyond broken seasons and discover renewed purpose, offering a story of transformation that resonates with readers seeking hope and restoration.

Melissa Jean Rod received the Family Impact Award for The Daddy Files: A Story of Secrets, Forgiveness, and the Search for Identity. The book explores family, identity, forgiveness, and the process of confronting difficult personal questions. Its recognition adds another dimension to the Spring 2026 winners, highlighting the importance of stories that examine relationships and the experiences that shape families and individuals.

The Legacy Impact Award was posthumously awarded to Tom Severs for his book, Divine Coaster Chronicles. The honor recognizes the lasting significance of Severs’s work and the message preserved through his writing. His brother, Bob Severs, accepted the award on his behalf, adding a deeply personal moment to the Spring 2026 celebration.

More Than Awards, A Platform For Kingdom Impact

Each Spring 2026 winner represents a different expression of the Kingdom Book Awards mission. Some write for children. Others focus on leadership, ministry, communication, creativity, restoration, or spiritual development. What connects them is the belief that a book can carry a message far beyond its pages.

That philosophy has helped position the Kingdom Book Awards as a platform for authors who want their work to be recognized not simply for publication, but for the purpose behind it. The awards celebrate books that encourage readers, strengthen faith, open conversations, and give authors an opportunity to share messages they believe can serve others.

The Spring 2026 celebration also reflects the growing community surrounding the awards. Every recognized author brings a different story, audience, and perspective, creating a collective picture of what Kingdom focused publishing can look like when writers are willing to put meaningful messages into the world.

For the winners, the recognition is a milestone. For the readers who encounter their books, it can become an invitation to consider a new idea, find encouragement during a difficult season, strengthen their faith, or discover a renewed sense of purpose.

Discover The Next Kingdom Book Awards Opportunity

The Spring 2026 winners have shown what can happen when authors give their messages a place to live and a platform from which they can be shared. Now, the next generation of Kingdom authors has an opportunity to step forward.

Authors who believe their books carry a message capable of encouraging, equipping, inspiring, or creating meaningful Kingdom impact can learn more about the awards and submit their books through kingdombookawards.com.

For authors who have spent months or years developing a message they believe matters, recognition can be more than a title. It can create another opportunity for the right readers to discover the words, stories, and ideas they were meant to receive.

The next chapter of the Kingdom Book Awards story is already beginning. For questions or to explore potential partnership opportunities, interested parties can email support@kingdombookawards.com.