About the Author: Born in St. Louis, Missouri in 1947, Leo Mooney spent the first 12 years of his life growing up in rural Missouri in the small town of Salem (pop: 3000). As small boys do everywhere, he spent most of his waking hours playing baseball on sandlot fields and basketball on his backyard court. Leo's father was accidently killed on the job when he was four months old. However, growing up without a father did not seem to negatively hold him back as his circle of influences were constructive, helping to forge his mind and attitude in a positive direction. For him, moving back to St. Louis at age 12 was like "going to heaven," as his beloved St. Louis Cardinals of the National Baseball League and the St. Louis Hawks of the National Basketball Association were located there. It was here in St. Louis that his education took on significant importance, as well as his faith in Jesus Christ. Perhaps the greatest influence on him outside of Christianity, however, was discovering and participating in the Boys' Club of St. Louis, an unbelievable place for a boy to grow and learn. And, it was here that he found his only true hero, Mr. Ken Wild, the Director of the club, who had, and still does have, a profound influence on his life. From such humble beginnings he went on to graduate from O'Fallon Technical High School in St. Louis as a Machinist, from International Bible College in San Antonio, Texas with a Ministerial Diploma, from Meramec Community College of St. Louis with Associate Degrees in Business and Communications and a Bachelors Degree in Organizational Management from St. Louis University, graduating Magna Cum Laude. Upon completion of Bible College, he served for over four years in the U.S. Air Force as a Communicatons Specialist and as an Air Traffic Controller. Upon being honorably discharged, he worked for Union Electric (now Ameren) in various power plants before moving into an active role in organized labor as a Business Representative for the International Union of Operating Engineers, Local #148, a unique assignment for a man of certain Christian principals. Upon taking early retirement from the Union at age 55, he was fortunate to enjoy two of his passions: Coaching girls' basketball at the grade school and high school levels and becoming the Director of World Missions at Twin Oaks Presbyterian Church (PCA) in St. Louis county. Leo has been married to his beautiful wife Tina Lynn for 30 years and has three children: Dionne, Marcus and Whitney.