Born in 1980 to a preacher and a social worker, I was blessed to be born into a family of faith. I grew up in the United Methodist Church, surrounded by Catholics on my mother’s side, protestants on my father’s, and a smattering of synagogues and universalists thrown in for good measure.
My earthly father regularly reminded me not to “check my brain at the door”, encouraging critical thinking as I built out my own faith journey, but lacking in the ways of The Spirit.
My parents divorced in my early teens, leaving me in an appeasing, people-pleasing position, seeking affirmation and community wherever it could be found. This led me to marry at 19.
Having married for the wrong reasons (my first husband is an amazing man), I made decisions that were not amazing, and divorced at 25. I’m not proud of this, but I remain forever grateful to God and the Short Family, as well as all those associated, for giving me my first true exposure to The Holy Spirit. I knew OF Father and Son, but I began to KNOW Father and Son when The Spirit revealed them to me, and He used an unlikely community to provide this incredible gift.
I re-married at 31, but the guilt and shame I carried from my childhood and previous marriage remained, often manifesting in the form of addiction and compulsion. Not a great place to be.
When my decisions began impacting my long-term health at 35, I began to make changes and once again seek Christ for healing and peace.
So much good for nearly four years. The Lord moved me in ways I never expected; He made me bold, and He gave me joy. At the risk of sounding prideful…He made me RADIANT. No mystery, we are the light of the world, the radiance of God. When we cling to this identity, our fullness of joy shows supernaturally. We all FEEL it in some capacity, even if we don’t know immediately what “it” is.
Then Covid. Summer of 2022 I’m a 42-year-old married woman doing her best to pursue the heart of her Father. I’m struggling, and I often feel like giving up.
But I don’t. I don’t because The Spirit compels me to press on toward the prize. He’s telling me that eternities are in the balance. He’s telling me that even if I don’t always FEEL it right now, He’s not forgotten nor forsaken me. I am known, and I AM STILL LOVED.
And so are you. AND, my calling it to help you see yours. I believe this fully in my strongest moments, and I hope for it’s truth in my weakest.
I’m human. I’m flawed. So are you. That’s okay. Our Father didn’t go into the whole “human project” with His eyes closed. He knew we’d fail, He knew we’d be blinded, and He knew we’d need Him to provide loving direction through all the ups and downs. He’s already seen and rectified every one of our struggles for His glory and our good.
Where sin abounds, GRACE abounds MORE. Always. Love wins. Hopefully my pursuit of this truth compels you to pursue your own.
With much love and encouragement to my brothers and sisters in Christ,
Sarah <3