About North Alabama Biblical Counseling

Vernon Handley is a Ramblin' Wreck from Georgia Tech and a retired engineer. In 1986 he graduated with a Bachelor of Electrical Engineering degree, moved to Huntsville for his first and only “real” job (at Dynetics), married his high school sweetheart (Tammy), and joined Whitesburg Baptist Church. In 1991 he earned a master’s degree in electrical engineering from UAH. He and Tammy reared six children and have six grandchildren. Vernon is the Director of Biblical Counseling at Whitesburg Baptist Church. He also leads a Life Group and serves as a Deacon. Additionally, he volunteers with Alabama Baptist Disaster Relief as a chaplain, chainsaw worker, and ham radio operator. He currently serves as a Board Member, Counselor, and Instructor with NABC.

 

Vernon’s formal training in biblical counseling began with classes at Whitesburg Heritage Bible College. In 2018 he attended the ACBC Fundamentals training course and in 2019 he attended the ACBC Advanced Track. He received a Certificate of Biblical Counseling from NABC (formerly E4GW) in 2019. Although he has been discipling men for decades his first formal counseling experience was in 2019. Since retiring from Dynetics in 2020 Vernon began counseling more often in formal settings with NABC and Whitesburg Baptist Church. He attended the virtual Biblical Counselor Training Conference at Faith Church in February 2021 and completed Instructor-Guided Online Training in Fall 2022. Most recently he attended virtual training specializing in relationships and conflict. He is currently in Phase 2 of the ACBC Certification process.

Sharon has been an ACBC Certified Biblical Counselor since 2012. She has been a member of Whitesburg Baptist Church, Huntsville, AL since 1982. Sharon has also taught Biblical Counseling at the Whitesburg Heritage Bible College. She currently serves as as a Counselor/Instructor with North Alabama Biblical Counseling. Like Audrey and Kim, Sharon is also a Disaster Relief Chaplain with the Southern Baptist Association. One of the most life altering events in Sharon’s life was teaching Biblical Counseling principles to lay leaders in Rwanda.

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In 1979, Sharon married Jim Spikes, an engineer with the US Army as a civilian. They have 3 adult children and 11 grandchildren. One of Sharon’s greatest joys is spending time with the grands! She is also a singer whose absolute delight is singing praises to her Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ. Sharon serves on the Prison Ministry team at Whitesburg Baptist Church where sharing the Gospel with inmates is the highlight of every month.

Kim, a Certified Bibilcal Counselor and Nurse Practitioner and has practiced in the Huntsville area since 1986. She served as a professor at the UAH College of Nursing for 6 years and has been in practice with Dr. Shashi Kumar at Alabama Asthma and Allergy Clinic for the past 22 years.

 

Kim received her biblical counseling certification in 2012 and taught this very subject at Whitesburg Heritage Bible College. She now serves as the Academic Director for training programs at NABC and Counselor. Through her position as a Disaster Relief Chaplain with the Southern Baptist Association she has taught Biblical Counseling Conference in Uganda, Rwanda, and Nepal with a heart for Women’s Conferences while serving in Africa. Kim’s lives with her husband, retired from the Army after 27 years of service and they have four adult children and six grandchildren. They served as members at Whitesburg Baptist Church since 1991.

Bobby Lamar is serving as a Certified Biblical Counselor at NABC. He received his certification from the Association of Certified Biblical Counselors (ACBC) in 2017. He is a graduate of East Limestone High School, Athens, AL; Class of 1985. Bobby further his education at Limestone Technical School, Athens, AL between 1984-1985.

Bobby’s has been employed throughout his career at a local HVAC company, electrical wholesale with experience in inside sales. Awards include several "Employee of the Year" received throughout his career.

Currently he resides in Lacey’s Spring, AL with his wife, Gena and their dog Opal. His current pastime is spending time with his wife of twenty-one years, family and playing golf.
 

His favorite Bible verse for this season of life is “Be strong and courageous for the Lord your God will be with you wherever you go.” Joshua 1:9.

Gena Lamar currently serves as a Certified Biblical Counselor at NABC, receiving her certification in 2016 through the Association of Certified Biblical Counselors.

Gena is a Graduate of Guntersville High School, the class of 1982. After receiving her Master’s in Elementary Education, she spent 30- years serving in education with local universities and private schools. Retired now, she is blessed to be called “Grammy” and is currently serving her children and grandchildren in care-giving.

Gena resides in Lacey’s Spring, AL with her husband Bobby of twenty-one years, and their dog Opal. Her favorite Bible Verses for this season in her life is: “For from his fullness we have all received, grace upon grace.” John 1:16.

Audrey is a sinner, by virtue of being in Adam’s race; a sufferer, by virtue of living in a fallen world; and a saint, by virtue of her union with Jesus Christ. She believes that God has supplied us with everything we need for life and godliness and that hope, and help can be found in the person of Jesus Christ and His living Word. She believes that God is in the transforming business of making all things new, that Christ is our life, and that people can change! She longs for people to “taste and see that the Lord is good”! Her passion is studying, teaching, and counseling the Word of God.

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She has been a Biblical Counselor since 2002 and certified by the Association of Certified Biblical Counselors in 2010. She serves in Women’s Ministry at Whitesburg Baptist Church as a Bible teacher for the Early Bird Bible Study Group. She works for NABC (North Alabama Biblical Counseling) as an Instructor/Trainer of Biblical Counseling and as a Biblical Counselor. She volunteers as a Chaplain for Southern Baptist Disaster Relief. She is a student at Southern Seminary, and in her spare time, she enjoys reading, learning to sew, traveling, and just spending time with people.

Audrey is the daughter of Ron and Dianne Queen and grew up as a military child. In 1979, she married Jerry Henley, an engineer by trade and a lover of God and family by heart. Jerry and Audrey live in the Southern State of Alabama in a white frame house with a wraparound porch. Together, they have brought up six children who are now scattered all over the world. There are two grandchildren, Emma and Anna Joy, that bring a smile to Audrey’s face every time they are mentioned and if you ask, she’ll be sure to tell you the latest “grand-story”!

Dane is a seasoned counselor and minister with nearly two decades of experience in counseling and discipleship. He is the Pastor of Families at Point Mallard Baptist Church in Decatur, AL. Originally from Birmingham, AL, Dane holds a Bachelor of Arts in Social Psychology from the University of Alabama-Birmingham and a Master of Divinity from Southern Seminary, focusing on biblical counseling and theology.

 

Since 2017, Dane has been actively involved with North Alabama Biblical Counseling (NABC), where he has worked as a counselor, instructor, and former board member. He has also written articles on family ministry and biblical living for organizations like The Gospel Coalition and the Ethics and Religious Liberty Commission.

 

Dane’s counseling interests include anxiety, addiction, ministry burnout, and issues affecting children and teens. He lives in the Decatur/Huntsville area with his wife, Amanda, and their two daughters. Dane enjoys music, history, and good coffee outside of his professional work. He is dedicated to his roles as a counselor, pastor, and family man, bringing expertise and compassion to his community and ministry.

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To book an appointment with Dane, please schedule an appointment through Covenant Counseling in Decatur, AL.( https://www.covenantcc.co/appointments.html)

Riley graduated from NABC’s certificate program in 2020, joining in service as an NABC counselor in 2021. His role as counselor provides him the opportunity to share the hope of the gospel of Christ through the perfect and sufficient Word of God. Riley believes that all things work together for the good of those who love God and are called according to His purpose and that Christ meets us in our weakness and suffering to show us the love with which He has for us. His hope is that by walking alongside fellow sinners and saints to diligently seek Christ, study and meditate on His Word, and sing songs and hymns and spiritual songs, he can help others find comfort in the only true place of comfort — Jesus.

 

Riley married his wife, Rebecca, in 2019 whom he serves alongside as members of Crossroads Baptist Church in Rogersville, AL. Riley holds the position of Elder, serves as Lifegroup leader, and plays guitar in the worship team on Sunday. He has traveled to Ukraine and Dubai on short-term mission trips and believes that one day, God will provide him and his wife the opportunity to travel to the ends of the Earth to share the gospel with all peoples and nations. In his free time, Riley enjoys reading, studying, and discussing theology with saints and sinners alike to the glory of God. Amen.

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Rebecca graduated from NABC in 2020, receiving a Certificate of Biblical Counseling. She continued her studies online at Boyce College in Louisville, KY; and will graduate in May 2024 with her bachelor’s degree in Biblical and Theological Studies. Rebecca has the desire to continue her studies in the future at The Southern Baptist Theological Seminary, but she trusts God’s sovereignty over both her studies and career no matter what path the Lord leads her down.

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Rebecca has a heart for missions and a desire to see all people come to know Christ. At the age of twelve, she went on her first mission trip to Honduras. There, her love for missions developed and has only grown over the years. She has since gone on several short-term mission trips to both Ukraine and Dubai.

 

Rebecca married her husband, Riley, in 2019. They serve as members at Crossroads Baptist Church in Rogersville, AL. At Crossroads, Rebecca serves as the Secretary, Missions Director, and on the media team— co-hosting their church’s podcast, “Meeting at the Crossroads.” In her free time, Rebecca enjoys reading, cooking, photography, being crafty, and watching The Office with her husband.