My daughter and I are so excited to share with you that our new book, “I Will Always Love and Forgive You” officially releases today!
We have been looking forward to this day for seven years and can’t wait to share it with you! Check out the back cover to learn more about our story❤️
If you are interested in purchasing a copy, please click on the Amazon link below😊
OVERDUE: not having arrived, happened, or been done by the expected time. (Google dictionary)
Have you ever started a project, thinking it would be done in a timely manner, only to find out that you have no clue when it will be finished?
Well, this is a story about a project that has been under construction for over a period of seven years.
7 YEARS!!!!!!!
In 2015, I wrote my first book, Purpose Through Perspective. In that same year, I wrote another book, a children’s book called, I Will Always Love and Forgive You.
It has always been my desire to have my daughter, Layla, illustrate this book for me. From an early age, we could see that God blessed her with artistic talent, and I wanted to partner with her to create something together, for the glory of God.
So at the tender age of seven years old, this is how she portrayed the characters:
I loved it! I encouraged her to keep going . . . but she didn’t know what to do after 3 drawings, and frustration snuck its way into our project.
Then another year or two went by . . . another attempt at the drawing table. Same thing. After about two drawings, it was like hitting a brick wall.
Fast forward another couple of years. As Layla matured, so did her illustrations. Unfortunately, even with renewed excitement, that brick wall was getting bigger and looking indestructible.
Have you ever wanted to finish something, but just can’t? It can feel hopeless. Maybe even like failure. Perhaps you begin to question yourself if you are even on the right track with what you started.
I never wanted to pressure Layla to do this. I was hoping it would be a good experience, not one that was filled with so much aggravation. So, I waited patiently and prayed that it would be done in God’s timing.
I would like to say this is a message about patience, but really, it has to be said that even with all of Layla’s perseverance, and my prayers, I would not be sharing this with you if it had not been for my husband, Steven, who has been the biggest champion in cheering both of us onward.
Overdue, but not defeated . . . after much encouragement, many prayers, and lots of hours of illustrating . . . IT IS FINISHED!!!
A project that was seven years in the making somehow all came together in a very short period of about 3 months.
The characters may have changed in their appearance over time, but the message inside remains the same. We can’t wait to share it with you!
Stay tuned . . . COMING SOON in 2023
May I encourage you to persevere in whatever God leads you to do.
Take a look at the two figurines above. Which one do you think is the “Angel of Hope,” the one holding up the luminous candle or the one grasping the empty lantern?
Would it surprise you to learn that they are both labeled “Angel of Hope?” I find it interesting that the Willow Tree Company would have two different angels for this category.
To me, they seem completely opposite. One appears to be offering her light to share with others, while the other angel seems to be searching for light to fill the void of her lantern. How can they both represent hope?
These two contrasting sculptures are displayed in my living room. I bought the candle holding angel several years ago, when I first started Little Light Shine Bright, because it seemed very fitting to the name. The lantern angel is one that I inherited from my mother after she went home to heaven. (This version is no longer available as it is currently retired, just like my mom♥)
A few weeks ago, I was dusting and accidentally knocked the candle-holding angel over. As if her wire-bent wings were functioning, she flew through the air and crashed on my hardwood floor. Simultaneously, her fractured limbs snapped as my heart broke. Tears streamed down my face while I searched for missing fragments of hope.
The physically broken resin didn’t crush me--It’s what the angel spiritually represented that left me feeling defeated.
As I took out the crazy-glue to piece my angel back together, I tried to make spiritual connections in my head. Maybe this is just a great representation of life and how we are like fragile jars of clay:
“We now have this light shining in our hearts, but we ourselves are like fragile clay jars containing this great treasure. This makes it clear that our great power is from God, not from ourselves. We are pressed on every side by troubles, but we are not crushed. We are perplexed, but not driven to despair. We are hunted down, but never abandoned by God. We get knocked down, but we are not destroyed.” (2 Corinthians 4:7-8 NLT)
But no, in my despair, I interpreted this situation as something else: broken hope☹️
When I first started Little Light Shine Bright (LLSB) back in 2017, my husband was gracious enough to supply the money to open all the aspects of the business and allow me time/money to write/print my book, Purpose Through Perspective.
After all of the initial start-up costs, the agreement was that I could keep moving forward with this as long as I earned enough money through LLSB to pay the bills to keep the company open. It was never a goal of mine to make big bucks, but rather use my writing and speaking as a ministry to help others, and make just enough to pay the annual bills that are associated with LLSB.
It started out great, even with enough profit to help others. But then over the past several years, a myriad of unexpected circumstances in life happened. And then Covid. Less speaking. Less writing. Less vendor sales. Less income. Less hope.
Last year I had already tapped into the red with LLSB, and with a decision of my annual renewal expenses just around the corner, I took my broken Angel of Hope as a sign to shut down. The money was gone, my heart was not in it, and I was looking for the exit door.
Enter the unexpected . . . I told you in a previous blog (Freaky Friday) that my husband and I have been spiritually trading places over the past few years, allowing each of us to be in the shoes of one another and gain new perspectives. I was ready to throw in the towel with LLSB, and Steven was not having it!
As quick as Amazon could deliver it, a new “Angel of Hope” figurine arrived. When I unwrapped this present from my husband, he said that my broken angel does not represent broken hope. We are in this together and working as a team to discern God’s will.
The money to pay for LLSB used to matter to him, but not anymore. As I was ready to quit, Steven was ready to pour more in and continue paying, even if that meant the cost is greater than the return. Thank you, Steven.
My mind cannot grasp the transformation I have seen. It is a blessing I can not explain, but one that I am very grateful for. And I know this is a gift from the Lord. Thank You, Jesus.
We still don’t know the full purpose of God’s plan, but we travel this road together, encouraging one another and renewing hope along the way.
I think Willow Tree had it right with both figurines . . . Sometimes we search for hope in dark places while in need of help--and sometimes we can pass on hope by offering our little light to others😊
“I am counting on the Lord; yes, I am counting on him. I have put my hope in his word.” (Psalm 130:5 NLT)
How’s your hope these days? I would love to hear from you!
As I made a left-hand turn into the open space, I saw no immediate problem with my parking job . . . that is until I tried to exit my car. What seemed like plenty of leeway in my peripheral vision did not translate into a practical gap for me to leave my car with ease.
With my vehicle parked next to a shopping cart corral, I could only open my door about a foot. Although the margin of space looked tight, I figured it was quicker to squeeze carefully through my slightly ajar door than it would be to pull out and find another spot.
I only made it about halfway out of my SUV before my body became wedged. I-was-stuck. How embarrassing! I quickly coerced my body in reverse and retreated back to the driver’s seat.
Sure, I could have started the car up again and found a new parking spot that had ample latitude to open my door; but no, something welled up inside me that said, “Nope! Not today! I got this!”
So, I gently opened my door again, sucked in my stomach, clenched my rear-end, forced my way through that tight space, and triumphantly walked towards the grocery store with my head held high:)
Oh, if only I could always place that much confidence in God as I did in my compressed caboose capabilities that day!
The longer I am a Christian, the less I understand prayer. I once sat in a small group where believers were sharing life updates:
The first woman told her story of how she fervently prayed over her family for protection against Covid. She even consecrated the doorways in her home so that no sickness could enter. Result . . . No one in her family caught the coronavirus. God answered her prayers with health and protection.
Then another godly woman shared her testimony. She too prayed with zeal a hedge of protection over her family. She also anointed the entrances in her home, and yet . . . her family tested positive for Covid.
So, what happened?
Was one Christian more pious? Did the first woman have a better prayer formula or a holier doorframe? (I don’t think so.)
I’m not here to preach on prayer . . . like I said, I’m still figuring out aspects of that on my own spiritual journey. But I can share with you what I have been learning over that past several years:
· I have watched fellow Christians (probably unintentionally) beam with pride and take partial credit in positive outcomes with their prayers. Maybe I used to be that person to others? If so, I’m sorry.
· A plethora of undesired outcomes has humbled my prayer life. Even with persistent requests and all the faith I can surrender to God, sometimes He has different plans.
· I now have a deeper understanding of grace. I understood grace as it related to salvation in heaven, but now more than ever, I see grace connected to situations here on earth . . . Proverb - “There but for the grace of God go I.” (A recognition that another person’s misfortune could be your own if it weren’t for the unearned blessing of the Lord.)
· We are instructed to pray. I will continue to pray. There is mystery in prayer. Even though I don’t quite understand it all, I will carry on and make my prayers known to God.
· My confidence is not in my prayers, but rather the One who hears the requests . . . trusting that His will is better than mine.
“Father, if you are willing, please take this cup of suffering away from me. Yet I want your will to be done, not mine.” (Luke 22:42 NLT)
P.S. I entered the passenger side of my vehicle to get back into my car after grocery shopping. I already defeated that tight space and didn’t feel like making my body compact again;)
I pray that tight parking spots remind you to place confidence in Christ, whatever the outcome of your prayer request may be.
One of the benefits we are able to experience with streaming church online is the option to push pause. In the comfort of our living room, each of us has the ability to simply blurt out, “Wait, can someone push pause?” The sermon stops, and then we can make a comment or ask a question.
This past Sunday we were finishing a series on the book of Daniel. We were right at the part where Daniel was thrown into the lion’s den. As one of the most famous Bible stories, most of us know that Daniel exited the den, unharmed, not even a scratch.
It’s at this point our 12-year-old daughter said, “Wait, why did so many people in the Bible get to experience miracles, and we don’t really see them happen today? Why did God save people like Daniel, Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego when they stood up for Him, but today there are missionaries and others that get killed even though they have faith? Why don’t they get miracles?”
As I pushed “pause” on the remote, we were able to have a discussion in the middle of the suspended sermon. I told our daughter that it was indeed a great question! Yes, there certainly are a lot of supernatural provisions/healings/rescues that we read about in God’s Word . . . the Bible is full of encouraging events and miracles . . . but not everyone had the same results.
I explained that Stephen was the first martyr; he stood up for Jesus and was stoned to death. My husband then added the tragic fact that most of the apostles were murdered too. We can’t explain God’s will as to why He chooses to give miracles to some, and also allows others to suffer. Back then, and still today.
Then my husband posed a simple but profound question to our daughter, “Is it better to have something good keep happening to you OR something bad happens that gets fixed?”
She replied, “I guess it’s better if something bad doesn’t happen in the first place.”
He then said, “People tend to only consider something a miracle if a horrible situation is supernaturally resolved. Instead, try seeing a miracle in the many events where a negative circumstance never occurred.”
There are so many daily blessings that get overlooked. Just because something drastically dire does not take place, it doesn’t mean that we don’t experience amazing outcomes.
Too often our outlook on miracles can be murky, overcast with disappointment in not clearly seeing a dramatic rescue.
But maybe the miraculous can be seen in a different light . . . perhaps if we counted all the situations in life that don’t require a supernatural turnaround, we might just be able to marvel at the extraordinary ordinary that often gets taken for granted.
“He rescues and saves his people; he performs miraculous signs and wonders in the heavens and on earth. He has rescued Daniel from the power of the lions.” (Daniel 6:27 NLT)
My Miracles: I am thankful I have never been in a major car accident, or had to worry about food/shelter, or been in the position where I literally needed to be rescued from a pack of lions . . . What are some of your extraordinary ordinary miracles that you are thankful for?
When I recently hit a dip in optimism, my husband sent me on a spiritual treasure hunt to lift me up.
Assignment: “Sarah, tomorrow be observant all day. Find one thing in your day outside of the house that speaks to you or shows God’s beauty. See it, and then think about how God did that for you—as opposed to asking God to show you something and then waiting for it.”
The goal was for me to be intentional with observation, instead of passively expecting something to just serendipitously fall into my lap from God. This homework required active effort on my part.
Several years ago, these directions were part of my intuitive daily routine, not something that I needed to be instructed on. But alas, perpetual pain and disappointment have a way of warping perspective and can block a person from hearing and seeing God.
With a mixture of excitement and reluctance, I began my day with ears and eyes wide open. The first morning I heard a boisterous cardinal that caught my attention, but it is what I saw on the second day that prompted me to finally write again.
The sun shone brightly as I walked the dog in the middle of the day. Determined to complete my assignment, I dutifully continued to scan nature. Without even a cotton wisp of cloud in the pristine blanket of blue sky, it was quite easy to catch sight of the bright white moon at noon. It’s not that I have never witnessed this celestial scene before, but it caught my attention and partially fulfilled my spiritual homework obligation for the day.
The first step was to find something; the second task was to think about how God did that for me specifically. So, based on numerous past experiences, I know that God often caught my attention through circumstances and then spoke to me through making connections in His Word.
I was led to the following verse in Scripture:
“The moon will shine like the sun, and the sunlight will be seven times brighter, like the light of seven full days, when the Lord binds up the bruises of his people and heals the wounds he inflicted.” (Isaiah 30:26 NIV)
If I look at just the circumstances that are still negative in my life, there is plenty that I could write about. But this verse with a moon as bright as the sun talks about healing. So, I was redirected to focus on what God has restored in our lives.
While the list of recovery situations is not as long as the remaining detrimental ones, I am still reminded to be appreciative for the pockets of progress.
Although my husband and I remain unsure of what God’s full plans are regarding everything that He is allowing to happen in our lives, we continue to lean on each other and trust that:
God is in control.
God’s Word is true.
God is good—all the time.
God’s plans are better than ours.
Now every time I see the moon in the sky during the day, I will be reminded to be thankful for the healing situations that God has chosen to mend in our lives.
Will you choose to participate in this spiritual homework assignment? Try it! See if you can find a personal message from God to you:)
If someone were to have told me, (before the triple-devastating events of December 2018 took place), that one day my husband and I would be trading spiritual perspectives, I would have bet money against it . . . today I know, I would have lost.
It reminds me of Peter emphatically saying to Jesus, “Even if all fall away on account of you, I never will . . . Even if I have to die with you, I will never disown you.” (Matthew 26:31-35)
And yet, the rooster crowed as predicted. Peter, along with all the other disciples, did exactly what they claimed could never happen.
WARNING: Be careful with the word, “Never.” I used to think like Peter—with absolute certainty. It took more intense testing than I could have anticipated, but I learned the humbling lesson of “all fall short.” EVERYONE, even with the best of intentions and devotion to God, is susceptible to spiritual stumbling.
I did not have a rooster renouncing God moment in my difficult circumstances, but I sure did take an unexpected 180 degree turn with my attitude and perspective—something I once thought could NEVER happen.
In order to appreciate the “Freaky Friday” switcheroo that took place in August of 2019, you need to know a little background about my husband and I:
Sarah – teacher, favors reading & writing, Holy Spirit led, everything happens for a reason, joy in all circumstances
Steven – engineer, favors math & science, fact and data led, coincidences can exist, probability is usually the reason things happen.
We are both Christians living by faith, but the way in which we process and interpret experiences can differ. So when our cumulative painful circumstances hit (what we thought was) rock bottom, I had no idea how God could possibly flip this awful mess.
I had reached a depth so deep of trial and disappointment, that I could no longer see the spiritual work around me. I sought concrete facts and examples to prove that the Lord was helping us. When I did not find that physical evidence, my hope weakened.
And then my jaw dropped at what I heard my husband say. Steven relayed a plan of how our family was going to pull through this season, and that he fully believed God had showed it to him. Although he could not prove it, he was convinced.
It started with Steven pouring back into me, using the same words that I had spoken to him through seemingly hopeless situations. He explained that I taught him in advance, not just for his current state at the time, but more importantly, so that when I needed it the most, he would be prepared with words to rescue me.
While in his weakest and most vulnerable physical condition, my husband became the strongest I had ever seen him spiritually.
Both of our contrasting spiritual perspectives were now blending together. I had a better understanding of how hard it can sometimes be to see God’s work through the pain. And he now had a better understanding of a feeling of peace and trust in the face of impossible evidence.
God allowed us to trade places, in order to understand each other and God in a different light. In this new plan that the Holy Spirit laid out to Steven, we would work together, as a team, a cord of 3.
“A person standing alone can be attacked and defeated, but two can stand back-to-back and conquer. Three are even better, for a triple-braided cord is not easily broken.” (Ecclesiastes 4:12 NLT)
Although our “Bucket of Suck” did not change, both of our perspectives did. We became more UNIFIED as a well-rounded team. Thank God. Because in the next several months that followed, life’s storms continued to roll in. However, we “Hibernated” as needed, began to heal, and we continue to lean on each other and God to get us through this difficult season.
Our spiritual antenna is positioned upward, ready to receive transmitted direction from God. And by faith, one day I will get to write to you not only about spiritual healing that we have experienced, but also testify about miraculous physical healing for my husband as well.
Hibernation is an adaptation that helps certain animals survive a season of difficult weather. During this extended period of time, they escape the cold, conserve energy by remaining inactive, and live off of extra stored up calories.
For the last year and a half, my family has been in hibernation mode. We have had to slow down our lives and push pause on anything that depleted our already low energy. Sometimes this meant that we had to take a hiatus from work, extra-curricular activities, serving, and even certain relationships that exhausted us.
The things that we were once able to do with grace and ease, we could no longer do in that season. However, this was a necessary suspension, in order to adapt to our surroundings and bear the harsh weather conditions of life. It was a survival strategy.
Although much of life’s circumstances were out of our control, we did our best to huddle up as a team, stay unified as a nuclear family unit, and persevere through it together.
Here’s what that looks like as the storms are raging:
Not sensing God’s presence, but still knowing He is there
Not feeling happy, but still trying to practice joy in all circumstances
Not being able to physically move, but still sitting next to one another and just keeping company
Not experiencing the words of worship songs, but still singing truth through the tears
Not relating to the passages written in the Bible, but still making time to read God’s Word
Not receiving answered prayers of healing, but still hoping and praying without ceasing
Not seeing miracles, but still believing they exist
Not hearing God’s voice, but still listening in expectation and waiting for instructions
Not liking the circumstances, but still trying to bear fruit
Not recognizing our surroundings, but still striving to move in a forward direction
Not knowing what is going to happen next, but still trusting that God is good—all the time
We certainly did not always do all of the above perfectly. Some days were unbearable. Other days it felt like going through dormant motions. But we did our best—and by God’s grace, we are still here. The storms did not destroy us.
Hibernation requires preparation. Extra nourishment is accumulated in advance, in order to survive long periods of inactivity and scarcity.
Thank God He fed us in advance! If we did not have our stored up foundational truths in God to rely on, I am not sure what we would even be living off of today? This is why it is so important to consume God’s Word and develop a relationship with Him ahead of time—before the storms hit hard.
Good News . . Animals do not stay in hibernation!
“And so you will bear testimony to me.” (Luke 21:13 NIV)
“But this will be your opportunity to tell them about me.” (Luke 21:13 NLT)
I hope you join me for the last segment of this 3-part blog next time with, “Freaky Friday.” This is when things took an unexpected turn . . .
If I could put a label on the past 18 months of life, this season would be titled, “Bucket of Suck.” I know that may sound offensive (sorry!) and you may be wondering how this could possibly be encouraging? But if I am to tell you where I currently am, and where I’m going, then I have to share with you where I have been.
In September of 2018, my husband underwent a minor surgery. He should have healed in 3 days. Instead of recovering, his body experienced major complications, which has led to chronic and life debilitating pain.
In December of 2018, one of my spiritual mentors dropped a major bomb on me. It felt like my life compass was smashed, which led to a spiritual existential crisis. Not that I ever doubted the existence and truth of God, but rather certain major beliefs that I held close to my heart were now questioned and left unanswered.
Three weeks after this, my mother died from a 13-year long battle with leukemia.
By New Year’s Day 2019, it felt like I had (to some degree) “lost” all 3 of my best friends at once: God, my husband, and my mother. Life as I knew it changed in a major way—and my heart was devastated.
I don’t have space to write down all of the other major life complications that happened in 2019, but let’s just say they kept on coming . . . one, after another, after another, after another . . . until the cumulative waves of painful circumstances became so unbearable, that I began to drown in a “Bucket of Suck.”
Have you ever found yourself in a back-to-back Job season? You know, like the verses in (Job 1:14-19), “While he was still speaking . . .”
Just when you think, surely God, nothing else bad can go wrong. And then the next consecutive unthinkable happens!
I’ve definitely had my fair share of trials in life, but never in such quick succession. How does one prioritize which fire to put out first, when they are all front burner issues?
By August of 2019, I was in detached survival mode. I was functional, but I did not recognize who I had become. Long gone were the days where I could pour into others. With barely enough to keep myself going, I felt like a broken-encourager.
My story does not end here. To be continued . . . I hope you join me next time to read “Hibernation Hiatus.”
Because EVEN THOUGH . . . God is good, all the time!
“Even though the fig trees have no blossoms, and there are no grapes on the vines; even though the olive crop fails, and the fields lie empty and barren; even though the flocks die in the fields, and the cattle barns are empty, yet I will rejoice in the Lord! I will be joyful in the God of my salvation! The Sovereign Lord is my strength! He makes me as surefooted as a deer, able to tread upon the heights.” (Habakkuk 3:17-19 NLT)
Hello Family and Friends!
Last fall I was invited to join the Encouragement Café team. Shortly after this, I was asked to help create a new branch of their ministry . . . PUBLISHING!!!
For the past nine months I have been working behind the scenes to assist in building Encouragement Café Press.
My role with EC Press is to serve as the Publishing Consultant—which means that I will be guiding authors through each step of their publishing journey: contracts, editing, cover design, interior design, printing, marketing, and anything else that comes up along the way.
I am excited to announce that we officially launch tomorrow!!! (July 1st)
If you are an author, or you want to pass this information along to someone who is looking to get their book published, please click on the link below to learn more details. Be sure to check out our free giveaways throughout the day on Monday:)
https://www.encouragementcafe.com/ec-press-main/getting-started
EC Press Mission Statement: Encouragement Café Press publishes pick-me-ups for the soul, fuel for a weary heart, and stories that share the morals, values and character of the Christian faith, through the Gospel of Jesus Christ.
Do You see what I see?
From here, it looks like failure.
Down here, it feels chaotic.
Right now, I am confused.
Do you see what I see?
From here, it looks like perseverance.
Up here, it feels orchestrated.
Right now, I know the end.
“My thoughts are nothing like your thoughts,” says the Lord. “And my ways are far beyond anything you could imagine. For just as the heavens are higher than the earth, so my ways are higher than your ways and my thoughts higher than your thoughts. (Isaiah 55:8-9 NLT)
It’s been about ten weeks now since my mother died. In this passing time period, a lot has happened.
The alarm clock still goes off in the morning. The bus continues to transport our kids to school. My husband and I still go to work. Bills must be paid. Homework has to get done. Dinner needs to be cooked. Laundry has to be washed. Bathrooms require cleaning. Fish tank water needs to be dumped and refilled. Doctor and dentist appointments still take place.
The list is long and never-ending. That’s because even in the midst of great loss, life still goes on . . .
Contrary to the saying—time does NOT stand still. Actually, it feels as though the clock ticks even faster. Because in addition to all of the usual calendar activities, time must be taken to process, grieve, and rest.
“For everything there is a season, a time for every activity under heaven. A time to be born and a time to die . . . A time to cry and a time to laugh . . . A time to grieve and a time to dance.” (Ecclesiastes 3:1, 2a, 4 NLT)
Yes, life has many seasons, but there is not necessarily a clean division of time chapters.
Seasons don’t always have a defining beginning or end . . . sometimes they just blend.
This means there are days that include both grief and celebration. It does not have to be one or the other—sometimes it’s combined. Moments of laughter and tears.
Jesus knew that the loss of a loved one on earth would be painful, but He also knew the power of eternal resurrected life.
Before the cross, Jesus tried to prepare His disciples for a difficult upcoming separation, “In a little while you won’t see me anymore. But a little while after that, you will see me again.” (John 16: 16 NLT)
The disciples were confused and did not understand what Jesus meant by His words.
Then Jesus explained to them how their parting and sadness would one day be overturned, “So you have sorrow now, but I will see you again; then you will rejoice, and no one can rob you of that joy.” (John 16:22 NLT)
As my family continues to adapt to our temporary separation from my mother, we move forward in this blended season of heartache and joy—knowing that one day we will be reunited with her. We will also meet our Savior . . . the One who made eternal family reunions possible.
If you were at the funeral in January, you might remember me speaking at the start of the eulogy about our persevering pet goldfish. Guess what? They are both still alive!!
We almost lost the darker one on Saturday. “Bud” accidentally fell (jumped out of the transfer net) onto the floor during a routine water cleaning. The hard impact was traumatizing. He painfully swam crooked that entire morning:(
We were all devestated. Tears were shed. Prayers were said. And God chose to let Bud continue to live! We are thankful for this blessing:)
My mother’s funeral took place last Saturday. Even though she was diagnosed with an advanced stage of leukemia back in 2005, her death still came as a shock.
For over a decade, our family had grown accustomed to her medical roller coaster of highs and lows, so the start of this past hospital stay felt expected and routine.
Mom spent fourteen Christmases with us since her initial diagnosis. God had repeatedly granted her earthly extensions--but this past December 31st, He chose to ring in her new year with resurrected eternal life.
As I started to reflect and prepare her eulogy, I struggled with how to summarize and honor her life in just five short minutes.
I could have spoken for endless hours about the love and appreciation I had for her as my mother and friend, or about the precious relationship she had with my children as their Nana. Or I could have chosen several humorous stories to share about her personality and hobbies, but none of these anecdotes would have done justice to the main focus of her life . . . her faith.
Jesus invited His disciples to follow Him and become “fishers of men.” Like a fisherman who casts a net to pull fish into his boat, Christians are commissioned to spread the gospel in order to draw those around us to Christ.
My mom was fishing all the time! She was casting nets at home, at work, in the grocery store, in the hospital. She always did her best to witness to others and develop her own faith, especially throughout the many trials she faced in life . . . and I’m not just talking about her battle with cancer.
Christian life is not easy.
Faith is not just a comforting idea, but rather it’s a difficult race of endurance. It’s loving and forgiving—even when you don’t feel like it. It’s practicing patience and remaining devoted—even when you don’t see change and want to give up. It’s keeping hope and truly living with joy—despite your difficult circumstances.
“Consider it pure joy, my brothers and sisters, whenever you face trials of many kinds, because you know that the testing of your faith produces perseverance. Let perseverance finish its work so that you may be mature and complete, not lacking anything.” (James 1:2-4 NIV)
Considering problems “pure joy” does not mean that we pretend to be happy or love pain, but rather it directs us to turn hardships into a time of spiritual development. This refining process strengthens our faith and builds our Christ-like character.
Over the years I have seen my mother tested in many areas. Countless conversations revealed to me her human feelings, but her intentional actions proved her genuine faith.
For the most part, her difficult circumstances did not change . . . but it was a privilege to see her perspective transform as she continually got back up, pressed on, and conquered extreme tests of spiritual character and perseverance.
“But my life is worth nothing to me unless I use it for finishing the work assigned me by the Lord Jesus—the work of telling others the Good News about the wonderful grace of God.” (Acts 20:24 NLT)
While taking care of her in the hospital, I watched Mom use some of her last bursts of energy and words to witness to those around her. She fished until her final days.
One of the last prayers that she spoke aloud was this: “Jesus, thank You for dying on the cross for me. I pray that my life has been lived with purpose and that it has glorified You. Help my life to lead others to You Lord.”
I believe this concluding verse summarizes Lee Ann’s life. They are some of the final words spoken by the apostle Paul, expressing his confidence in knowing that he fulfilled his calling as he prepared to meet Jesus.
“I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race, and I have remained faithful.” (2 Timothy 4:7 NLT)
It was an honor to be one of the people holding Mom’s hand as she took her last breath here on earth and crossed over into eternity. As I could physically feel her pulse disappear, I was comforted with an overwhelming peace that passes all understanding—knowing that she was no longer in pain, she finished the race strong, and that by grace and faith she was escorted into the presence of Jesus.
Your life may be longer than expected or shorter than anticipated. It’s important for each of us to make the most of the unknown time that we are given. Fish for life!
For those of you who were with me last year, I hope this republished piece serves as a restful reminder. And to my new readers, welcome aboard the peace train!!!
(click on the link below to read blog)
Today’s post is going to be a bit different because it is an audio clip:)
God has been graciously opening new doors of opportunity for me these past several months, and I am excited to share one of those with you today.
Earlier this fall I was invited to join the Encouragement Café ministry team. This is a group of Christian speakers, writers, and artists all across the world that are called to encourage others and share the love of Christ.
Please click on the audio player below to listen to a recent radio interview with the Executive Director of Encouragement Café, Luann Prater, in which we discuss our first meeting and my book, Purpose Through Perspective.
After almost seven years of being plugged into the same church, God called our family out of it.
To say this uprooting was “difficult” would be an understatement. This was an extremely painful relocation process. Many tears were shed over this decision. I remember driving away from our church after attending our last Sunday there and thinking, “What have I done to our family?”
How were my husband and I going to explain to our seven and nine-year-old that the only church they had ever known would no longer be a part of their life? Would their young minds understand an act of obedience by their parents with the simple phrase, “Because God told us to leave.”
We sat them down on the couch and tried as best we could to satisfy their questions. Here is the one that we did not have a clear answer for: “Where are we going?”
However, this question presented an opportunity to teach and apply Scripture to present day circumstances. God doesn’t always give us the next set of directions until we follow the first. This was the case for Abraham when God directed him to leave his home and family in order to answer his call.
“The Lord had said to Abram, ‘Leave your native country, your relatives, and your father’s family, and go to the land that I will show you.’ ” (Genesis 12:1 NLT)
There’s the key phrase, “that I will show you.” It takes faith and trust to leave everything behind when you don’t even know where to go next. But we don’t have to know the entire plan today, because GOD WILL SHOW us where to go—in His time. Often this requires us to take the first scary step of leaving the familiar and advancing into the unknown.
And so our great “Church Search” began. This quest was exciting at first because change can be refreshing. It was such a blessing to see how many different “flavors” of Church there are.
But after about the fifth new church, our elementary aged children were just not feeling it. “Can’t we just go back to our old church? I still don’t understand why we had to leave. I don’t like visiting different places anymore.”
Change and transitions can be difficult, especially for children. They knew that every Sunday they would have to be the “new kid” and start all over again with introductions and unknowns. So my husband came up with an attitude incentive.
Each week after we visited a new church, our family would go out for a treat to talk about our feelings and list pros and cons. Now our kids looked forward to ice cream, pizza, or other delectable eats to make it through our mission. It was a fun family activity and helped ease the feelings of frustration with not knowing where to go next.
After months of being a repeated first-time guest, in over a dozen churches, we had acquired an assorted collection of complimentary pens, mugs, gift cards, key chains, t-shirts, swag bags . . . but still, we did not find the right fit for our family.
Change can quickly turn from exciting to exhausting. It would be nice if I had a perfect ending to this story with the comforting words, “We finally found our new church home and are all settled in.” But that’s not our family’s experience.
This is our current testimony . . . We are still traveling. Still trusting and obeying. Still relying on the Holy Spirit to direct our path and make it clear to us when and where to stop and stay. I don’t know how long this journey will be, but I do trust that God has a plan for us and it will come to pass in His timing.
If you are experiencing a period of wandering and waiting in your life, you are not alone. Keep going!
Whatever your “search” is (church, spouse, house, job, etc.), continue to let the Lord lead you so that He can bring you to the place or person He has already selected in advance for you. Don’t settle for less. Practice and develop patience.
Even though the next set of reposition instructions may not have been revealed yet, know that a divine plan is there and that GOD WILL SHOW His children where to go.
My little girl turned 10 years old last week. (Blink) Wow, that decade went fast!
Ever since she was a baby, my husband and I have tried our best to teach her about God. It started with lullaby worship music in her nursery. I would hum tunes and sing lyrics about God’s love as I rocked her to sleep.
As she grew into a toddler, my husband and I would take turns reading her nightly bedtime stories from children’s picture Bibles.
Then as she transitioned from pre-school to elementary age, we would have her read the stories aloud to us. We also started to have more discussions beyond the words and pictures printed on the pages.
About the time she was 7, I began to encourage her to go further in her relationship with God. She knows the stories—but knowledge is not faith. I wanted her to move beyond the names of Bible characters and factual information.
It’s easy to get stuck in monotonous religious routines. But there’s so much more available with God than remembering rules and checking off a daily Bible reading or prayer.
So I encouraged our daughter to start a listening journal—spend time with God in prayer, listen to what He speaks to her heart, and write it down.
I cannot tell you how many precious entries she has shared with me over the years. Cherished conversations with God that reach deep. Thank You Holy Spirit!
Recently she showed me one that melted my mama heart. It was a poem that she wrote about who she is in God’s eyes:
I’m a princess in Your heart
No matter where I’ve been
I’m a princess in Your heart
Even though I sin
I’m a princess in Your heart
It’s not about the fashion
I’m a princess in Your heart
With lot’s of love and passion
I’m a princess in Your heart
I know You love me so
I’m a princess in Your heart
No need for a crown to glow
I’m a princess in Your heart
Ever since the very start
Oh, if only we could all see ourselves like this—precious children of the King! This is true identity. We are beautiful treasures to God. Our value has nothing to do with appearances, achievements, or accolades. Just grace, truth, and love.
I pray that she keeps this poetic perspective as she is entering the “tween years.” Media will bombard her with false pictures of beauty. She will be showered with comments from her peers about who they think she is. Worldly advice will be given about how she should change to fit in or stand out from the crowd to be more popular.
Lord, help my daughter, and all of us to KNOW WHO WE ARE THROUGH YOU. May our identity rest in Your reflection.
“Don’t be concerned about the outward beauty of fancy hairstyles, expensive jewelry, or beautiful clothes. You should clothe yourselves instead with the beauty that comes from within, the unfading beauty of a gentle and quiet spirit, which is so precious to God.” (1 Peter 3:3-4 NLT)
”How precious are your thoughts about me, O God. They cannot be numbered!” (Psalm 139:17 NLT)
This past week my family enjoyed some fun in the sun at Long Beach Island, NJ. My husband’s side of the family has vacationed in LBI every summer since the early 1950’s. At times, there have been four generations of extended relatives present and more 1st, 2nd, and 3rd cousins than you can count on an abacus!
I have enjoyed making this annual trip to LBI since 1998, the summer my husband and I started dating:) Now, twenty years later, we still continue this family tradition with bringing our own children to the same beach.
Last week, on our first sunny day in LBI, we walked up the familiar sandy path, over the high-rise dunes, and were utterly shocked to see a construction zone—on the beach?!?!
Orange plastic fencing, bulldozers, dredge pipes, portable office trailers . . . these things don’t belong at the ocean!!!
Beachgoers were informed that construction crews were working 24 hours around the clock and moving quickly down the coast. Despite these optimistic assurances, people were not happy.
In the grand scheme of life, a beach access being closed off for several days is not tragic. But when people are only there for a week, (and paying NJ prices to stay there) it is certainly inconvenient to relocate multiple blocks down the road from their rental homes.
You can imagine the complaint-filled conversations over the next several days from all around. A lot of grief and griping!
Why the township decided to do this project in the middle of summer instead of the spring or fall—not sure? But the fact is that sections of the beach (about 4 blocks at a time) were shut down to the public in order to transfer sand from offshore directly onto the beach. This restoration process was necessary to build up the coastline and replenish the eroded areas of sand.
Although this summer will always be remembered as the ill-timed “Beach Restoration Project of 2018,” it will also serve as a reminder to me of the following verse:
“In his kindness God called you to share in his eternal glory by means of Christ Jesus. So after you have suffered a little while, he will restore, support, and strengthen you, and he will place you on a firm foundation.” (1 Peter 5:10 NLT)
No, I am not connecting our annoying temporary beach relocation to suffering, but rather I am focusing in on the process of restoring.
“Restoration” means that something is being repaired/renovated in order to return it to a former condition. The reason the beach needed reconstruction is because the original edge of land had been washed away. The coastline required an overhaul to put back the sand and build up a firm foundation.
Just like the sand slowly erodes from the shoreline, we can often become worn-down by swells of circumstances. Life’s trials roll in one wave after another, repeatedly depleting our footing. Difficult conditions can knock us off balance and leave us less stable than we were before.
While Christians cannot escape suffering in life, we can endure temporary pain and look forward with hope to the promise of eternal restoration. God has given us an unwavering promise of everlasting renewal. Believers will be “restored, supported, strengthened, and placed on a firm foundation.”
As temporary residents in a broken world, believers will experience only a portion of this repair/build up within their lifetime here on earth. But hold tight—one day, Christians will experience God’s full promise and undergo the complete restoration process in heaven. We will be returned to our original condition of perfection and established permanently with Jesus Christ.
I’m guessing there will be another bothersome beach restoration project down the road. Hopefully, it is many years from now—but for today, I am thankful for this spiritual reminder in Scripture:)
LBI- August 2018
I so admire people who have the gift of gardening. Perhaps that’s because I am so bad at it. Both my husband and I have two black thumbs when it comes to horticulture. It’s not that we don’t ever try—we are just not talented in that area. We inevitably either drown or dehydrate plants.
The only thing we know how to grow is weeds—this we do well:( Probably because we don’t try to cultivate them. They just produce and increase on their own without our involvement. It’s not really something to brag about, but we sure do know how to maintain mature weeds!
Outside one of my windows, I can see an entire patch of overgrown weeds. Within this cluster of wild foliage, there is one weed that stands out of the crowd—a real winner. It was screaming for attention. So I gave it some. I walked outside to measure it.
Again, not a proud moment to share, but a truthful disclosure . . . it measured 85”, which means this towering weed was slightly over 7 feet tall!
As I continued to stare at the “Jack and the Beanstalk” weed, I felt a blog post in the making. I wasn’t sure what the spiritual connection was yet, so I prayed that the Holy Spirit would disclose one to me.
God asked me, “What do you see Sarah?”
I answered, “An overgrown unkempt weed.”
“Why?” He asked.
I love it when God poses a question that forces me to think deeper. So this was my response back:
“Because we don’t give lawn maintenance the time it needs/deserves. We allow weeds that we see to keep growing because the sight of it does not affect us enough to want to do something about it. We are too lazy to pull it. We have prioritized other activities over pruning.”
And there it was—a lesson revealed to my heart through prayer and one severely overgrown weed.
It’s not like I couldn’t see the weed growing. I probably gazed out that window hundreds of times and simply chose to overlook something that did not belong. I could have chosen to walk outside when this weed was in a much younger stage of development and pulled it. Instead, I just ignored the weed and let it grow out of control.
This is how sinful habits grow in our lives. Often they start out as a tiny sprout. Visible to our eyes and heart, but not enough to make us want to do something about it. Thoughts and behaviors that should be plucked out when they are small, but instead our laziness or indifference allows them to remain and grow. Until one day, what started out as a little thing, intensifies and overtakes a space in our lives that should have been dedicated to producing fruit of the Spirit.
Some of us are terrible at physical gardening (I can’t be the only one!), but thankfully we all have a spiritual Gardner who helps us with cutting back and cleaning up.
Look at the words of Jesus: “I am the true grapevine, and my Father is the gardener. He cuts off every branch of mine that doesn’t produce fruit, and he prunes the branches that do bear fruit so they will produce even more.” (John 15:1-2 NLT)
Jesus is the vine. God is the gardener. People are the branches.
Some branches do not produce fruit—unbelievers or fake followers—who are separated and cut off from the Lord’s life-giving power. Other branches bear fruit—true believers—who remain attached to the vine. Although Christians are connected to Christ, they still require pruning power from God.
Pruning is a necessary action to help snip the sinful choices from our lives. In order to promote healthy spiritual growth, habits or decisions that are not glorifying to God need to be cut out. Only by remaining in a healthy relationship with the Lord can a person be strengthened in faith and develop godly character. This is how we produce fruit . . . love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control.
Can you recognize the overgrown weeds that require plucking—the spiritual pruning that needs to take place in your life? Will you ask your Heavenly Gardner to help you?
In 2015, God invited me to write a book (Purpose Through Perspective). My first reaction was fear and insecurity. Tears. I had no experience as an author--but I practiced trust and obedience. Look what God did!
In 2016, God asked me to open my own Christian publishing company (Little Light Shine Bright, LLC). My initial reaction was uncertainty and self-doubt. Tears. I had no experience in this field--but I practiced trust and obedience. Look what God did!
In 2017, God nudged me to start a blog. My immediate reaction was . . . NO THANKS. I swore I would never be one of those online blogger people. Tears. I fought this one hard. Not only did I not have experience, I had no desire--but I practiced trust and obedience. Look what God did!
In 2018, God connected me to a believer who has asked me to help write her testimony. My initial reaction was . . . How cool is this!?!? No tears:) What a unique opportunity, to assist in capturing her story on paper, so that she can preserve her testimony and share it to encourage others. Ghostwriting is also an unfamiliar path for me--but I am practicing trust and obedience. Looking to see what God will do!
Over the years I have learned that God’s plans for my life are not typically what I would have selected for myself. It would be safe to say that most likely I would not have even agreed to try any of those things, had it not been for my Heavenly Father directing and guiding me. Each time He asks, I am given the choice to pass on those unfamiliar experiences--or lean in, trust and obey.
Can I tell you how exciting it is to watch God’s plans and provision unfold?! Each time I try something new, I can look back and connect the dots.
The person I am ghostwriting for--we connected through my blog. The blog I write--was established because I had a company website. My company was only created because I needed to publish my book on perforated paper. My book was written because I started sending cards of encouragement through the mail. The first card was sent because God asked me to notice and support one of His daughters that was hurting.
It all connects . . . I am able to retrace everything that God has me doing today, all the way back to a single prayer and handwritten card filled with love, Scripture, and hope.
Each year God is teaching me and training me for what He has planned next. He has repeatedly asked me to do things out of my comfort zone, and as I listened to His voice of direction, I have discovered His will and a passion for things that I initially wanted to refuse.
This blog has been incredibly fun for me. I love seeing God in ordinary experiences and connecting Scripture to everyday circumstances. I pray that you have been blessed by the words shared and that you are inspired to SEE GOD IN EVERYTHING!
As I have been praying about how to balance all of the past and present developing opportunities, I feel that God has answered my prayer with, “Be at peace with the pause.”
Do you know what is interesting about the pause button . . . It is often connected to the “play” button. The “stop” button signifies--done for now, but the “pause” option is usually pushed when a quick break is needed. This means that the intentions are there to push “play” again and get back on track when ready.
As I continue to participate in the evolving plans that God has for me, I need to be able to hit “pause” on the blog sometimes. I’m still here:) I still want to share with you the God connections that I see; it just might not be as frequent as I would like it to be.
I hope this is a word for someone today . . . Even a plate full of good things is still a full plate. You can not overwhelm yourself with doing everything at once. There is peace in the pause.
In order for God to groom and grow us, sometimes we need to either hit “stop” or “pause.”
So if you need to take a momentary break from something in life in order to focus on today’s task, hit pause and come back to it when you are ready. Then hit the play button again!!!
”Be still, and know that I am God!” (Psalm 46:10 NLT)
All original written material on this website is Copyright © 2017 Sarah Seiz, All rights reserved.
