Encouragement

Satos No More

By Sara | May 5, 2025 | Comments 1 comment

Now if we are children, then we are heirs—heirs of God and co-heirs with Christ, if indeed we share in His sufferings in order that we may also share in His glory. (Romans 8:17)

When David and I visited Puerto Rico (PR) on our premier wedding anniversary in March 2023, we encountered our first island stray– a kitten – in the El Yunque rainforest parking lot. The presence of this tiny fur ball in the parking lot of a national park stirred our compassion so much that we each fed him half of our lunches. Afterward, I ensured a young man working at a ranger station knew the feline was there.

After thanking me for letting him know, the ranger confirmed that he’d reach out to a friend who had a rescue. “I’m sure he’s a stray. We see them here sometimes.”

We later commented to the owner of a local gift shop about the kitten’s presence and the number of dogs we saw running around the island. “We have a huge problem with stray animals here,” he explained. “Stray dogs, cats, and even horses are everywhere. There are few resources to take care of them. I have already taken in five dogs, and my friend has done the same.”

I vividly remember telling David that we could never live in Puerto Rico. “We’d want to save them all,” I recall saying.

At the time, I couldn’t have imagined how God would use our love for His creatures to change our lives one year later. During this year’s repeat trip, David and I learned firsthand how vast the island’s Sato problem is.

According to Dogster.com, “Sato is Puerto Rican slang for street mutts.” While Satos have been around since the island was colonized, an estimated 500-650,000 strays are roaming the territory now. While the breed typically shares similar traits – such as short fur, large ears, and a long muzzle – the name has been widely accepted to incorporate all varieties of intermixed breeds, including terriers, labradors, and pointers.

With such an abundance of strays, our vacation rental property manager gave the general guidance, “Please don’t feed the animals,” on his website. As a reminder, he featured a sign with the same message on his back porch.

“Easier said than done,” I commented to David – long before we boarded our first plane for our vacation. “We need to stay strong.”

*Blondie & Brownie waiting for us on the porch of our Puerto Rican rental property.*

All that disappeared when we met two amazing dogs outside our rental home. Blondie and Brownie, as David affectionately named them, met us shortly after our arrival – even going so far as to follow us down the steep half-mile path to a deserted beach below the property. While Brownie showed no fear of us, Blondie was a bit skittish and wouldn’t allow us to touch him. Still, the two were inseparable and seemed eager to accompany us on our daily journey.

Brownie trotted alongside us as we passed through the “free-roaming cow gate” – comprised of two rows of barbed wire and a long stick – with Blondie close behind. The two occasionally ventured off the trail to take an easier path, yet they never strayed far from our sides. They waited when we walked slower than they did and remained close every step of the way.

After exiting the woods near the dunes, the dogs trotted ahead, leading us onto one of the most magnificent beaches I’d ever seen. With cliffs to our right, a roaring ocean ahead, and a pristine, deserted shoreline to walk in either direction, the companionship and camaraderie of our canine friends served to make our daily beach walks even more magical.

Watching the two dogs play together on the beach – roughhousing in the sand and chasing one another at breakneck speed – enhanced our appreciation of God’s resplendent creation. While laughing at the dogs’ antics each evening, we marveled at how our Heavenly Father had given us these two precious pups to enhance our getaway.

By day 3 of our week-long stay, neither David nor I resisted feeding our new-found companions. What started as bread and leftovers soon escalated to a whole bag of dog food, a bucket of water, and prayers about their long-term welfare.

By day 4, I was lying awake at night, wondering if feeding the dogs and showing them affection was the right thing to do.

“I love that they’re here,” I cried to David while eating breakfast that morning, “but they’re breaking my heart. I feel like we’ll be doing the same thing that others have done – abandoning them without explanation. It feels like a betrayal. This whole thing has become a dark cloud over our trip.”

*Our Puerto Rican welcome party – Blondie (top) and Brownie (bottom) loved to just hang out with us.*

When David said he understood, I began a two-fold mission: 1) researching the intricacies of flying dogs off the island and back to the States, and 2) contacting local animal rescues in hopes of finding loving homes for our new friends. What I uncovered made me pause in my pursuit. Many of the organizations that claimed to help animals were instead 24/7 kill shelters with a 96% euthanasia rate – paid for by the Puerto Rican government. “Be careful,” one legitimate site said. “While you may feel like you’re helping, research before you reach out to any ‘rescues.'”

While I was far from alone in my desire to save the island Satos, doing so soon proved to be a monumental task. Part of the problem is a culture that doesn’t see a problem – just a reality. Dogs and cats are everywhere. Their free-roaming existence is part of life on the 3,500-square-mile island.

According to The Sato Project, the stray dog population doubled following Hurricane Maria in 2017. Pets were separated from their owners and became hopelessly lost. An unstable power grid, a slew of natural disasters, and poor economic prosperity led to some animal owners abandoning the island and their pets. According to SaveTheSatos.com, the remaining strays quickly multiplied – further exacerbating the problem. It’s estimated that an unspayed female and her mate can produce 67,000 puppies throughout a 6-year interval.

Organizations such as FlyDogz actively work to rescue/rehabilitate and save Satos by flying puppies off the island to awaiting adopters within the U.S. Anyone willing to be a “Flyer” can help carry a dog onboard a plane and straight to the waiting arms of a rescuer in Tampa, FL.

While our situation was different, I still contacted the organization for suggestions. I was told to join their Facebook page: Tourist in Puerto Rico and found a dog/cat; now what? After asking for assistance, one group member told me I could help by taking the dogs home with me.

“I’m leaving in 3 days,” I responded, “I can’t even catch one of the Satos, let alone take them both to the vet, complete the FAA paperwork, and get them on a plane to travel home with us.”

Still, the thought remained in my head. How on earth could we take these two dogs – animals we’d seen bite the tail off of one iguana and later thrash another – home to live with us and our kitties? The idea seemed inconceivable. And yet, I wondered, was it?

We knew we needed to leave by noon for the 3-hour drive back to the airport on our last day. We’d take one last walk to the beach with our furry friends before feeding them and trying to say “goodbye.”

Our final walk was bittersweet. While we loved being in PR and spending time with the dogs, leaving them would be heartbreaking. As we neared the last stretch of the walk in the woods before turning to cross the dunes, we heard Spanish spoken to our right. Who was there? We’d never seen anyone on any of the paths during our 7-day stay.

As we exited the woods, two men carrying giant bamboo tree trunks as walking sticks greeted us. “Are those your dogs?” the first man asked.

“They’re strays,” I replied. “They’re super sweet and have followed us all week.” On impulse, I added, “Would you like two dogs? We’re praying that someone will take care of them.”

The first man laughed, saying, “No, but I can give you the number of someone who can help! She helped me with a problem I had.”

After pulling up a contact listing on his phone, the man encouraged me to take a picture to have all the contact info I needed. I remain amazed by how much that chance encounter meant to our story.

I now believe those men were angels sent to us by God. The rest is, as they say, history.

After arriving at our gate at the San Juan airport, I could wait no longer to text Dawn Frederick – the contact I’d saved from the angel’s phone. Her organization is rightfully named Angels for Animals, Puerto Rico. I desperately wanted to make contact and know someone might help Blondie and Brownie after our departure. Dawn instantly replied, saying she might be able to put them on a feeding run. The thought gave me hope that they wouldn’t be alone.

By the next day, David and I agreed that we couldn’t leave the dogs behind. “I want to get them,” David said.

*David and I couldn’t forget Brownie or Blondie and wanted to bring them home.*

“So do I,” I agreed. “Thank God, we both think alike! Let’s text Dawn.”

As it turned out, Dawn was in the U.S. at the time, taking care of her mother, who has cancer. Despite this enormous challenge in her personal life, she runs a successful hotel booking agency and splits time between her U.S. and PR homes while running her charity to save the island’s precious Satos.

Two days after returning to PR, Dawn, David, and I incorporated the assistance of the property owner we’d rented from during our vacation. “This is the part where I admit we fed the animals,” David laughingly admitted.

“That’s okay,” Carlo confirmed. “I rescued one myself. I understand.” Miraculously, Carlo was entirely on board with our rescue proposal. “My housekeeper knows them,” he said. “She can help.”

As it turned out, that extra help was never needed.

On Friday, April 11th – 6 days after we’d returned from our trip – Dawn drove an hour and a half to our former rental to search for Blondie and Brownie.

“I’m starting off on the rescue mission,” Dawn said in her preliminary video to us. “I have food and chicken right here in my hand. Food to feed dogs on the way. Two kennels for the dogs. Getting some kittens this morning that are 2-days old and back here for a group effort to save. Towels and stuff for the inside of the kennels. Preventatives for the dogs. Here we go. This is what you do!”

A few texts with Carlo, David, and me over the next few hours verified that Dawn was at the correct location. I’ll never forget Dawn’s words an hour later as she called to tell us she’d caught Blondie and Brownie.

“Oh, my gosh!!!” I yelled through the phone. “I can’t believe it!”

“Yay!” David affirmed.

“Yay, God!!” I completed. David and I could hardly contain our enthusiasm and tears at hearing this miraculous news.

Two hours and a complete veterinarian exam later, we learned that both dogs had hookworms and heartworms but were in otherwise good health. Brownie weighed in at 59 pounds and Blondie at 50. Both tested negative for tick-related diseases. Dawn gave them a preventive pill to kill their fleas and begin destroying the heartworm larvae. The vet vaccinated both and provided the health certificates they needed so they could fly out of PR. They also administered IV fluids to assist with their malnutrition.

*Blondie solidified his hold on my heart on the morning of our last day in PR when he finally let me touch him.*

While learning that both dogs had heartworms was frightening, this often fatal condition is treatable – albeit expensive. There was no question that we’d do whatever it took to save these precious lives.

“Thank you for telling us,” I cried to Dawn. “That means so much to me. I was worried about taking them from their beautiful home, but now I know, it was the right thing to do. We’re saving their lives.”

One week later, on Good Friday, after boarding both dogs at a local kennel for a week, they were on their way to Miami and, ultimately, Jacksonville, FL. Temperatures were the primary concern, as no one would fly dogs in cargo if the weather rose above 85 degrees. With temps expected to reach 83 that day, we were precariously close to the cut-off that would make escape from the island impossible.

Two airline attempts – 1 successful and the other not – would eventually bring Blondie and Brownie as far as the southern tip of Florida.

“Can you get to Miami?” Dawn asked at 11:12 am that Friday morning. “They can’t get them to Jacksonville now for some reason.”

“Oh, my gosh,” I replied. We’ll do our best to get out the door in the next half hour – but it’ll take us 7 hours without stops to get there. No chance of getting them further north?”

“Okay. Start driving,” Dawn texted me in return.

Two weeks and one day later, Blondie and Brownie have completely changed our lives. As we walk them together each evening, David repeatedly affirms our new reality: “We have two dogs!”

“We sure do,” I say in return. “Yay, God!”

While this journey is far from over, I can’t help but be struck by how our lives – and the lives of everyone walking the face of the earth – are like Blondie’s and Brownie’s. We’re all strays without Christ. We’re no different than Puerto Rican street dogs. We may seem to be okay by all outward appearances. But inwardly, we’re all lost, homeless, trying to make it through on borrowed time.

We all have heartworms of some sort inside us – eating away at our life’s blood, only to eventually kill us one day. Most of us don’t even know what’s consuming us from the inside out, nor do we care. We run in the sand, chasing one another, recklessly pursuing life’s temporary pleasures, without realizing how lonely, sick, and helpless we all are. We’re lost without Christ. Everything we seek in this world – food, status, power, and comfort – means nothing when the storms, sickness, and even death come.

With Christ, each of us has the chance to start over, to begin again. We can be healthy – from the inside out – if we surrender to our Heavenly Father and give him our hearts and lives.

God gave up His Son to save us: Satos that we are. We don’t deserve His love and sacrificial efforts to rescue, save, and cover us with His precious blood, bringing us home to live forever with Him in heaven one day. He loved us before we were born – just as David and I did with each other – just as David and I are now doing for Blondie and Brownie.

“God sent them to us, and us to them,” David often says. “These are the perfect dogs for us, as we are for them.”

*Our first family portrait with Blondie and Brownie Olson, taken in our yard* *just after bringing them home to GA.*

I am establishing social media accounts to document Blondie’s and Brownie’s stories. We aim to share their love, joy and hope with the world. Their heartworm recovery will take time, money, and lots of love – the latter being something God gave us in abundance.

It’s an adventure bringing home strays. Once created, I’ll keep sharing their stories here and on their Facebook and Instagram accounts. I hope hearing about our journey to rescue, rehome, and rehabilitate these precious pups will encourage others to do the same.

But more importantly, I want everyone who hears about Blondie and Brownie to remember that they are no longer strays. While Blondie’s and Brownie’s journey continues, so does ours. By the grace of God, we, too, are Satos No More.

Down but never out.

By Sara | April 14, 2025 | Comments 0 Comment

We are hard pressed on every side, but not crushed; perplexed, but not in despair; persecuted, but not abandoned; struck down, but not destroyed. (2 Corin. 4:8-9)

In celebration of our second wedding anniversary, David and I traveled to northwestern Puerto Rico (PR) in pursuit of a peaceful escape. What we found provided us with a level of solitude and serenity that eclipsed any vacation we had ever taken. The beauty, strength, and majesty of God’s creation exceeded our expectations and left us in breathless awe and wonder at every turn.

In contrast to our first trip to PR on last year’s anniversary, the northwestern part of the island is raw and regal. While the east coast boasts pristine waters and peaceful shores, the northwest features rocky coastlines with powerful wave-breaks. While I read that surfers flock to these shores, the very idea of such a thing was hard to envision. Seeing the rolling turquoise waves break across the cliffs, rocky tables, and a craggy shore made a quick believer out of me.

*Rocky tables along the shore make for geyser-like splashes near Isabela, Puerto Rico.*

Our Heavenly Father’s power was demonstrated at every turn. Row after row of waves pounded the surf, roaring in demonstration of our Creator’s majesty. Between the sustained winds of 20-25 mph with gusts up to 30 or more, we knew there would be no swimming in most of these waters. Rip-current signs were posted at almost all the beaches we visited. The strong waves crash over the rocky shores in most areas, creating a grandiose display unrivaled by geysers.

Our vacation rental sat high above the sandy beach on the outskirts of Isabela. To get to the shore, we hiked a half mile down a steep path through the woods, unlocking a makeshift stick gate with barbed wire and a fun sign (in Spanish and English) advising us to keep the gate shut to prevent the free-roaming cows from escaping. (Only in PR!)

When we arrived on the beach, we were blown away (literally and figuratively) by the beauty surrounding us. With cliffs to our right and a pounding surf straight ahead, we walked another half mile to the left and discovered a cove surrounded by rocks that blocked the waves from crashing into the shore. As we walked back up to our rental house at twilight, I was struck by the resplendent sunset we soon learned to take great lengths to witness each night we were there.

*Another beautiful Puerto Rican sunset.*

Each day, we were enraptured by the beauty of God’s creation as we visited 7 area beaches – each different from the other and yet equally memorable. One beach – Pastillo – promised a cave with a beautiful arch where unique photos could be taken. We discovered that the savage surf and treacherous riptides would prevent anyone from visiting the arch’s location – around the cliff and beyond the waves – during this time of year.

*Rocky silhouette of Taino Chief Mabodomaca along the shore of Pastillo Beach, Puerto Rico.*

While we couldn’t enter Cueva de las Golondrinas, or the Swallows Cave as translated, we were happy to discover the rocky-faced profile of Taino Chief Mabodomaca – seemingly carved into the cliffside. His eye sockets, nose, and lips were easily visible – given a little imagination and the inspiring guidance to look for him when we arrived.

Along the way, I was intrigued to find a nearly horizontal palm tree along the shoreline. It was easy to envision the tropical storm or hurricane-force winds that had battered this shore and nearly ripped the tree out of the ground.

While the wind and surf had surely pummeled this tree – evidenced by its horizontal drop – its roots ran deep enough to keep it in place and allow it to regrow. While it had been forced down – bent nearly horizontal at its trunk – it ultimately grew up again towards the sun. I wondered how long this tree had stood as a testament to God’s power. How many people passed by it over time and yet never saw the analogy that I did?

*Downed palm tree along Pastillo Beach, Puerto Rico.*

Into each of our lives, storms will blow. They will knock us down – maybe even off our feet – but we can rise again. We can survive anything – with God’s help. Our Heavenly Father is always with us. He will never leave us or forsake us (Deut. 31:6).

As Romans 8: 35-39 tells us, “Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? Shall trouble or hardship or persecution or famine or nakedness or danger or sword? As it is written: ‘For your sake we face death all day long; we are considered as sheep to be slaughtered.’ No, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him who loved us. For I am convinced that neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons, neither the present nor the future, nor any powers, neither height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord.”

*Sunset at Pozo de Jacinto (Jacinto’s pit cave) – a natural blowhole in the cliffside at Jobos Beach, Puerto Rico.*

I read that Bible passage at my sister’s funeral after she and my niece were murdered by my sister’s husband in 2006. I thought of it often as I left my second abusive husband and tried to start my life over again. I think of it whenever I see someone struggling with circumstances seemingly out of control. It’s one of my favorite passages to share with anyone who needs to remember that God is always with us. And He always loves us. Nothing can ever change that.

Life is hard. It can be brutal. It can knock us off our feet and cripple us if we let it. But only if we let it. If we remain rooted in Christ, He will sustain us. John 15:5 says, “I am the vine; you are the branches. If you remain in me and I in you, you will bear much fruit; apart from me you can do nothing.”

Just like the palm tree David and I visited on the shore of Pastillo Beach, I choose to stay rooted in Christ. He has sustained me more times than I can remember, and I know He will always hold me. All I need to do is keep reaching up to Him.

The same is true for you, beloved. Keep holding on and keep reaching up. You may be down but never out if you are rooted and sustained by Christ.

Through the fog

By Sara | April 2, 2025

For now we see only a reflection as in a mirror; then we shall see face to face. Now I know in part; then I shall know fully, even as I am fully known. (1 Corinthians 13:12)

I remember an old set of Southwest Airlines commercials whose tagline was “Wanna get away?” The ads featured people who had gone through some type of dramatic blunder that they needed to escape from. In one example, a woman sneezed over a sand painting. In another, a man jumped in what he presumed to be a cab only to find out it was a getaway car. While I haven’t experienced anything quite so climactic, my 10-12 hour work days have me consistently feeling like I “wanna get away.”

I’ve nearly forgotten what it means to step outside on a weeknight – to see the sky and sun or even dig in my garden. If it weren’t for David and my kitties reminding me when it’s mealtime, I’d barely eat myself. Monday through Friday, my new routine is to work, eat, clean up, read the Bible with David, watch one hour of Amazon Prime, and then sleep hard until I get up and do it all over again.

I wasn’t planning to take a vacation so soon into my new work tenure, but when I learned that my primary executive was taking a week off, I decided to follow suit. The timing was perfect for David and me to visit Puerto Rico for our second wedding anniversary.

While the thought of a getaway may have been timely, my planning for our escape was far from my usual modus operandi. I didn’t organize much, which is hardly my style. I’m a planner. All day long, that’s what I do. I organize, coordinate, facilitate, and capture intense details for the five executives I support. I take care of all their meetings, calendars, and travel details.

While my job title may be Executive Assistant, I now consider myself an administrative soldier. I dodge bullets masked as requests that keep my head spinning on a swivel, jumping through fiery hurdles to make the impossible possible at every turn. While no one may intend to rip me to shreds with their bombastic artillery, at the end of the day, I often feel battered, bruised, and mentally exhausted from trying to keep up with all the demands. There’s not much of me left at that point.

I love my job and am incontrovertibly grateful to have it, but it’s one of the most intense roles I’ve ever held. I carry a lot of weight on my shoulders every day. As a result, doing things for myself has become secondary. Planning an 8-day anniversary trip normally would have been the result of serious mental gymnastics on my part. The truth is, I didn’t have it in me.

While I had booked David’s and my flights, arranged a rental car, and chosen two vacation spots for our weeklong stay, the rest of the trip was utterly uncoordinated. The night before we were set to travel, I still had to pack our food staples along with my clothing, toiletries, and meds, as well as prep instructions for our pet sitter, do laundry, make dinner, and pack lunches.

Thankfully, David took over laundry duty, crafted our pet sitter’s guidance, made our lunches, and helped pack our food. I couldn’t have made it through without his help. As my 3:00 pm targeted end work time stretched into 5:30 pm, I rushed out to get my haircut – something I’d wanted to do for the past two weeks. After stepping foot inside the salon, I was turned away by the stylists who said they weren’t taking anyone else that day. As I returned home, I couldn’t help but feel disappointment at this news and frustration that I needed to return to work.

Despite my self-imposed commitment to not be packing until midnight, my preparations continued until 11:45 pm. By then, I was exhausted.

After waking at 5:00 am, I laid in bed until 5:40 and then rose to prepare to leave by 6:30 for our 8:37 am flight. Only then did I realize that I didn’t have our rental car information written down – sparking a moment of sheer panic. I had bundled the car with our flight but had no memory of what my confirmation number was – or even which agency I had rented from. Fearing that the information wasn’t on my phone, I began frantically searching my digital files to no avail. No matter where I looked, the reservation eluded me.

Fifteen minutes and many prayers later, I found what I needed, embedded within my original flight receipt. Unfortunately, this search put us 15 minutes behind schedule. Despite my best efforts to rush the rest of my morning preparations, David and I left 10 minutes late.

While rushing to the airport, I thought about all the ways my work has consumed me and prevented me from doing for myself what I do for others. I’m a detail-oriented person, but lately, my efforts have all been to help my execs and not enough for David and me. The stress I felt going into this trip could have been avoided had I put as much time into our preparations as I’ve been investing in my job.

The truth is, I’m still finding the work-life balance that I desperately need. Something’s got to give before I do.

As we drove to FL for our morning flight, the sun was just beginning to crest the horizon. Looking left as we crossed over the tidal marshes along our journey, I could see a thick fog wisping above the water. At my behest, David attempted to snatch a photo with his phone while commenting that it wouldn’t “read well.” I knew the fog would be hard to see in a photo, but I couldn’t help trying.

*Looking down through the clouds on our first flight.*

It was then that I realized we were cutting it close to the bag drop off time plus we still had to park and take a bus back to the airport from the economy lot. “This is going to be tough,” I told David.

“Why don’t I drop you off and then go park?” David suggested.

“That’s a fabulous idea,” I affirmed.

After exiting the vehicle, I rushed to the airline counter only to be greeted by a smiling gate agent.

“Where’s the awesome husband?” he asked, commenting on my “I love my awesome husband” shirt. David and I begin wearing these shirts during our travels last January to show our affection for one another. People consistently smile when they see them, and many tell us how much they love them.

“He dropped me off so I could get our bags on the plane in time,” I responded. “He’ll be here soon.”

“His reputation proceeds him, I see,” said the agent, whose name I later learned was Isaiah.

“It does,” I confirmed. “He is awesome!”

For the next 10 minutes, Isaiah listened as I told him the story of how David and I met. “That’s my new testimony,” I told Isaiah. “When you surrender to God, He can give you the desires of your heart.”

Upon seeing David, Isaiah’s face burst into a smile. “Here’s the awesome husband,” he proclaimed while David flashed his matching “I love my awesome wife” shirt under his sweatshirt. We all laughed as we posed for a photo together to memorialize our encounter.

*David and I with Frontier Airlines agent, Isaiah.*

“Thank you so much for your kindness,” I told Isaiah as we parted ways.

“You guys made my day,” Isaiah quipped back.

As we boarded our plane, I was struck by how my Heavenly Father had helped me in both large and small ways on the path to our escape. He heard my prayer when I needed help preparing for our trip. He showed me the car confirmation when I despaired at ever finding it. He helped David and me get to the airport with just enough time to have our bags loaded by a fellow believer who encouraged us as much as I hope we encouraged him.

*As the skies cleared, God gifted me with an aerial view of a magnificent sunrise over the GA coastline*.

Although the devil continues to try to steal our joy, he can never take away our witness. We can’t always see our way through challenges, but God does. He will continue to help us if we ask Him to do so. Clearly, I need to ask Him more.

If we will give all our pieces to our Creator, He will see us through the fog to the other side – to a place where He can use, guide, and lead us to fulfill His purpose for His glory.

For now we see only a reflection as in a mirror; then we shall see face to face. (1 (Corinthians 15:12)

May it be so, Lord Jesus. Show me Your way through the fog to a brighter day.

Wrapped in the everlasting arms

By Sara | March 24, 2025

The eternal God is your refuge, and underneath are the everlasting arms. (Deuteronomy 33:27)

David and I speak the same love language – on many levels. We both strive to be affirming; we look for ways to help one another, and – perhaps the most profound thing – we understand the importance of physical touch. Neither David nor I understood the importance of these God-given manifestations of love until we found one another. Now, it is our daily joy to find ways of expressing them.

When we pray, we scoot our chairs close to one another, rest our foreheads and sometimes our cheeks together, and hug one another. “I love how we pray,” David said recently.

“Me, too,” I agreed, smiling.

After we pray, we kiss – at least twice – saying, “I love you” to one another, as well.

*Celebrating Fri-yay with an amazing grilled steak, twice baked potatoes, and broccoli – all cooked by David.*

That’s a bit much, you might think. Perhaps it is to some people. But not to us. Physical touch – huggling, providing little kisses throughout the day, sitting as close as we can to one another – all these signs of affection are like breathing to David and me.

Sleeping is another matter entirely. I consistently fall asleep with David’s arm around me, my head nestled on his shoulder, my leg thrown over his leg. “Hurry!” David tells me at night. “The Sara spot is waiting for you.”

“Mmm,” I remark when I’m tucked inside this position of comfort. “All is right with the world.”

“Every day,” David often says in return. “We get to do this every day. It never gets old.”

*Even at church suppers, David and I always take photos with our heads together.*

Even though we both eventually roll over to opposing sides during the night, our bodies remain in constant touch. When either of us returns to spoon the other, I often feel that there is nothing more satisfying than our love.

I have never slept as well as I do with David. Sleep used to elude me. I’d often lie awake at night, thinking about my job and mentally preparing for the next day’s activities. Sometimes, I still do. It’s an unavoidable consequence of working a high-stress job. Even so, knowing that David is beside me gives me great comfort.

*David and I continue to celebrate finding each other through the Samaritan’s Purse ministry -every time we serve with them.*

When I find my mind moving to work duties as dawn approaches, I often count my blessings – love, security, and contentment being chief among them. I usually fall asleep quickly as I pray to God, thanking Him for his great mercy and abundance. Focusing on my blessings rather than my burdens gives me peace. When one feels peaceful, sleep comes quickly.

On one of these occasions – when I woke in the middle of the night, thinking about all the things I hadn’t yet done at work and still needed to do – I stopped to thank God for perpetually holding me in His arms. I’ve only had David for two years, but my Heavenly Father is omnipresent. I knew I wasn’t alone long before God allowed David and me to meet. My Savior has carried me through every challenging circumstance throughout my life.

Growing up, my walk with Christ grew consistently stronger. I used to seek His presence however I could. My mom raised me on Christian radio. There was inevitably a sermon to be heard in our household on any given evening. We seldom watched TV. Radio and books were our preferred entertainment. I remember listening to Unshackled by the Pacific Garden Mission and Stories of Great Christians, produced by the Moody Church in Chicago, IL.

*Hugging is David’s and my natural state – even in Puerto Rico during our one-year wedding anniversary in March, 2024.*

I grew up inspired by Hudson Taylor (1839-1898) – the famous missionary to China who believed in trusting God with every need, never voicing them out loud. And God continually provided. I still remember Fanny Crosby’s story (1820-1915) of trust and faithfulness. Although Fanny became blind at age six, she never stopped expressing her love for God. This writer penned over 8,000 poems and hymns in her lifetime – “Blessed Assurance” being one of my favorites. Hudson’s and Fannie’s stories gave me hope while ceaselessly reminding me about God’s love and provision.

In middle and high school, I frequently ventured into my grandfather’s woods beside my home. It was there that I would forget my sadness at being an outcast. I felt God’s presence in the sun, sky, and trees. I remember singing songs of praise to Him in the wooded clearing. Those moments uplifted my spirit and fortified my walk with Christ.

*Even as we said goodbye when David and Bo returned to VA Beach to work on his former house, our heads were together.*

I listened to Chuck Colson’s Insight for Living as a high schooler – even requesting copies of his sermon notes when such things had to be shipped via the U.S. Postal Service. Listening to those sermons and reading the notes made the Bible come alive to me.

Throughout my two abusive marriages, I sought God’s solace through His creation. No matter how unloved I felt by those monsters, I knew my Savior loved me. I listened to contemporary Christian music at every opportunity – whether strapping a CD to my arm with my Sony Walkman while cutting the grass or lingering in the yard to watch the sun go down behind the West Virginia mountains. One of my favorite pastimes was singing “Show Me Your Glory” by Third Day in my yard, acres away from my former spouse, before returning to my volatile home.

I remember huddling in the woods beside a golf course near my home in the middle of a cold night after my ex-husband told me to get out. I distinctly recall praying to God: You know I’m here, Lord. You know, and You care. That thought empowered me to survive countless nights of the same torment – being thrust out in the dark to sleep in my yard, garage, with my dogs, or on my deck, garden, or car. God carried me through all those experiences – bolstering my belief that my Heavenly Father loved me no matter how worthless anyone else made me feel.

When my best friend encouraged me to date again a few years ago, I told her I had no desire to do so. “God is my constant companion,” I remember telling her. “He’s all I’ll ever need.”

*Our first Easter as a married couple in 2023.*

The truth is, I never believed someone could love me like God does. As I said in my wedding vows: “I didn’t want superficial love. I wanted perfect love – a love like God’s with skin on it. I dreamed of the kind of love that would see into my soul and love every part of me – inside and out. Despite my flaws and insecurities, the perfect love I envisioned that someday someone would have for me would be blind to anything but my spirit.”

That’s the love I have now. For the past two blissful years, I have felt the unconditional love of my God-given husband. His arms now physically hold me as my Savior has throughout my life. When I see David, I see God’s love – manifested through the eyes of a man who truly loves me.

I know David gets frustrated with me, just like my Heavenly Father does. And yet, I also know they will both incessantly love me. When David’s arms hold me at night, I feel that they are the physical manifestation of God’s all-encompassing compassion, security, and comfort for all of us.

Psalm 91:4 tells us, “He will cover you with His feathers, and under His wings, you will find refuge; His faithfulness will be your shield and rampart.”

God’s protective wings, faithful love, and sheltering provision will dependably surround us. We must only acknowledge and accept Christ as our Savior to rest in His everlasting arms.

Who am I?

By Sara | March 12, 2025

What is mankind that you are mindful of them, human beings that you care for them? (Psalm 8:4)

As I walked through my living room this morning at the start of my day, I was struck by the luminous sunlight emanating through my arched window above the front door. After several days of rain and cloud cover, the contrasting glow cut through the darkness like a surgical blade. While I’m not a huge fan of daylight savings time, seeing these magnificent beams so early in the morning made me feel like a privileged witness to the dawn of creation.

*Sunlight coming through my front arched window.*

Rather than starting my workday from the kitchen table as usual, I felt compelled to sit in the living room, directly facing the radiant grandeur unfolding before my eyes. As my head tilted upward, I was consumed by God’s brilliant power and grace.

A few hours earlier, I woke up in bed and recounted my incredible blessings. I used to do so every morning, but lately, I find myself rushing into what always feels like a roller coaster ride on the tracks of responsibility and stamina.

Not today. Today, I stopped to smell the roses – or at least bask in the sunlight. Today, I gave my full attention to the Creator of the Universe as He sliced away all my distractions with an incandescent display of His resplendence.

As I looked out into the glowing room, I was struck by how my Heavenly Father has filled my life with love, laughter, and light. I have everything my heart has ever desired – both tangibly and intangibly.

*Sunset over the Spoleto Valley, near Assisi, Italy.*

And yet, God said, there is more. In my humble world, God has given me Himself: His love, His power, His grace, and His presence. These gifts are new every morning. I am free to stand before the Creator of the universe and bask in His incomparable artistry- every day of my life. I have only to stop and allow myself the time to do so.

Sitting in my chair and considering my illuminating eyelashes, I was struck anew at how easy it is to focus on myself and forget about God. How arrogant. How petty am I to ever do so?

The Author of the universe lovingly created me. He made the air that fills my lungs and the blood that flows through my veins. He created the intricate system that comprises my body and told it to function so that I can breathe, eat, sleep, move, laugh, and cry – all while taking the miracle that is my existence for granted.

As I felt the warm sunlight on my face, I subconsciously knew I couldn’t look directly into the blinding orb from which it emerged. I have respect for the sun and understand its power. In acknowledging this simple truth, I was reminded anew of the awe and reverence that is consistently due to my Creator.

How often do I forget to revere the One who gave me life? How frequently do I elevate myself in importance while neglecting to consider that God is God and I am nothing in comparison?

This morning, I felt akin to the Psalmist as I considered the magnificence of my Creator. The words of Psalm 8 speak the musings of my own heart.

O Lord, our Lord,
how majestic is your name in all the earth!
You have set your glory above the heavens.
Out of the mouths of babies and infants,
you have established strength because of your foes,
to still the enemy and the avenger.
When I look at your heavens, the work of your fingers,
the moon and the stars, which you have set in place,
what is man that you are mindful of him,
and the son of man that you care for him?
Yet you have made him a little lower than the heavenly beings
and crowned him with glory and honor.
You have given him dominion over the works of your hands;
you have put all things under his feet,
all sheep and oxen,
and also the beasts of the field,
the birds of the heavens, and the fish of the sea,
whatever passes along the paths of the seas.
O Lord, our Lord,
how majestic is your name in all the earth!

As David and I re-examine the plight of the Israelites under Moses in our daily scripture readings, I must catch myself from thinking them fools for so quickly forgetting all that God did to bring them out of their slavery in Egypt. Their grumblings in the desert were surely no different than mine would have been if I were living through the same circumstances. Their fears over the walled cities and the enemies that waited to fight them in the Promised Land would likely have been mine as well. While I’d like to think I would be more like Joshua or Caleb and consistently remember that God can give me victory over any foe, I can’t be sure that insecurity won’t consume me when faced with such giants, myself.

When Caleb said, “We should go up and take possession of the land, for we can certainly do it” (Numbers 13:3), would I have sided with this great hero of the faith, or might I have cowered with the others and doubted the power of my God? I can only hope that I will always stand fast in my faith.

The truth is, we all must take the time to “Be still and know that [God] is God.” (Psalm 46:10). We must sit down in the light, look up at the sunbeams, and consider who created everything that ever was and ever will be. Only when we can say, “Who am I that you should be mindful of me?” will we understand that we were created to worship God. Only by doing so will we ever fathom the greatness of our Creator.

We are loved by the Alpha and Omega – the beginning and the end. God created all that ever is and all that ever will be – and yet He loved us. Lowly, unpredictable, flawed, foolish, forgetful, despicable me is loved by the Creator of all things. Who am I to be loved by Him? I am nothing and yet everything because my Savior loves me.

I love that we love the way we love

By Sara | March 10, 2025

By this everyone will know that you are my disciples, if you love one another. (John 13:35)

On Wednesday, March 12, 2025, David and I will celebrate our second wedding anniversary – a date made all the more special by the love that grows stronger with each passing day. I often marvel at the depth of love we hold for each other. When David smiles at me, I still get butterflies in my stomach. When I look at him, I can see how he melts with the force of the love in my gaze. Our love is a palpable substance that keeps us strong and bonded in a way I could have never imagined before our meeting.

Before David and I married, we coined several phrases that we still call our “David and Sara-isms.” I wrote about this subject in a blog post about a month after marriage. We shared a few of these unique phrases with our wedding day guests:

“Is this for real?” – Translation? This phrase is used constantly when David and Sara think about everything God has done to bring them together.
“DOUBLE awesome!” – Translation? When David first told Sara that she was awesome, she replied that he was awesome, too. David asked Sara, “If you’re awesome and I’m awesome, what are we together?” Sara replied, “We are DOUBLE awesome!” The phrase stuck! You can use it, too, to explain that something is beyond amazing. It’s “DOUBLE awesome!”

One David and Sara-ism we often use is “Together forever, wherever!” The saying remains as factual today as the day we first uttered it. David and I are inseparable. My original advice to our wedding-goers was, “Make sure you use this phrase carefully as it indicates a perpetual state of togetherness.”

*A framed print of David and me in VA Beach, August 2023.*

While some might think that living as such would grow old, I’m happy to say that it hasn’t – nor will it ever. We’ve always been together since I work from home and David is retired. We never get tired of that, nor do we need to separate ourselves to have “personal time”. While one of my friends strongly believes in the importance of the same, David and I have never desired separation. Sure, he goes to the store, and I work from my office for hours. I’m writing from the screen porch now, and David is in the living room. We’re not perpetually in the same room, nor do we feel the need to maintain constant communication.

Still, we remain “together forever, wherever.” The desire will never change – the hunger to be close, to know that the other person who completes you is never far away. We’ve both waited our entire lives to find each other. Why would we want to separate now?

Another powerful David and Sara-ism is “I love that we love the way we love.” While there may be redundancies in that statement, the truth is that every part of the phrase is significant. David and I don’t just love one another; we feel that love through every fiber in our bodies. It comprises who we are. We demonstrate it with our touches, glances, and “huggles” on the couch and how we cook for each other, respect each other’s opinions, and care for one another – even through our recent joint bouts of sinus infections.

Still, the third strand of love that God wraps around us each day makes our love most remarkable. Ecclesiastes 4:12 reminds us, “Though one may be overpowered, two can defend themselves. A cord of three strands is not quickly broken.” The bond that David and I share started with God. He is wrapped around every part of our relationship. It’s demonstrated by how we pray together with our heads touching and arms around one another. We feel God’s love surround us during our thrice daily prayers, as we consistently start by thanking God for His love for us and each other.

*Celebrating my birthday while on our honeymoon in Assisi, Italy, 2023.*

David and I also grow stronger as we read our Heavenly Father’s Word together each evening. I am continually reminded as we do so that God’s love brought us to each other, and His love keeps our bond strong. We are rooted in Him, tied together by His strength and our mutual desire to serve, honor, and respect our Creator.

And so, I love that we love the way we love. As Christians, this is how all husbands and wives should love one another. It is also how we are to love our fellow believers and all those in the world. We are different because of our love for one another. We are survivors because of God’s strength. And we are conquerors over everything the devil throws at us through God’s power – not our own. (Romans 8:37)

Beloved, we can show God to the world daily – let us do so by showing everyone our love. Romans 5:8 tells us, “But God demonstrates His own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us.” How could we demonstrate anything less as recipients of such a gift?

Let’s not let love remain inside us. Let’s show the world what it truly means to love until the whole world can shout – just as David and I do – “I love that you love the way you love.” After all, that’s how the world will know we are Christ’s disciples – by our love.

My God. My husband. My heroes.

By Sara | March 3, 2025

The LORD will keep you from all harm — He will watch over your life. (Psalm 121:7)

God and my husband have both saved me in countless ways. God saved my soul and has prepared a place for me to spend eternity with Him. Jesus has always been my closest friend and perpetual protector. His love constantly surrounds me. David is my earthly best friend. He is my soulmate, filling my days with love, laughter, and companionship. His love, too, constantly surrounds me, and I would be lost without him. This past week, a brief but epic event proved them to be my heroes as they saved me in a new and profound way.

I love cooking – baking, devising new recipes, and seeing the satisfaction of those who eat what I’ve created makes me happy. I recently developed a new recipe for air-frying pork chops that is both quick and savory.

After praying over our meal, I cut myself a piece of the succulent pork and enjoyed the flavor explosion in my mouth. My second bite was more significant than the first, and for whatever reason, I swallowed it quickly without masticating it enough.

As soon as I swallowed it, I knew that something was wrong. The lump in my throat wasn’t moving down as it should. I looked at David, knowing I needed to dislodge the pork, but I didn’t know how. Without saying a word to him, David also knew that our meal had dramatically changed.

“Are you okay?” he asked as I drooled and considered what to do next. “Do you need help?”

Jumping up from the table, I moved to the kitchen sink and immediately placed my head down, trying to cough but unable to do so.

David came up behind me, beseeching, “God be with us. Jesus, help us! Love, are you okay? Do I need to call 9-1-1? Can you breathe?”

Glancing to my left, I tried to speak and quickly realized how serious the situation was compared to what I had first thought. “Not really,” was all I could rasp out.

Placing my head down over the sink again, I motioned for David to pat my back, thinking that might help. I tried to cough but realized that I couldn’t. During that heartbeat, I knew that I couldn’t get any air and that the situation had become perilous.

At this point, David started yelling, “Jesus, help us! Don’t do this to me, love. Breathe, baby, breathe.”

In what seemed like a millisecond, David had his arms around me from behind and began thrusting upward in a modified Heimlich maneuver. “Are you okay?” David kept saying. “God help us! Don’t do this to me! Breathe!”

As he said this, I looked down and saw the partially chewed pork chop in the sink. Without my realizing it, David’s thrust had dispelled the piece of food from my throat.

As tears rolled down my face, I wheezed, “I’m okay. I’m okay! It’s out! I’m okay!”

David and I immediately embraced as ten thousand thoughts cycled through my head. What if David hadn’t been here? What if that hadn’t worked? How would anyone have known what had happened to me?

“Oh, my gosh, love,” David said. “I’ve never been so scared in my life! Don’t ever do that to me again!”

As we sat back down at the kitchen table, I realized how quickly our whole world could have changed and how grateful I was to breathe normally again.

“I can’t believe how quickly that happened,” I told David after taking a long drink and touching my husband’s precious face. “Thank you, Jesus! Thank you, David! Thank you, Jesus!”

With tears in his eyes, David reiterated how frightened he had been at the prospect of losing me in such an unexpected event. “You really scared me,” David repeated over and over throughout the rest of the evening. “I’m so glad I was here. Don’t ever do that to me again! I can’t even think about losing you like that.”

As we hugged and snuggled close to one another the rest of the evening, I told David how the thought of something happening to me while I was alone had occasionally crossed my mind over the years. “Who would ever know?” I asked. “It might have been days before anyone even knew anything was wrong. I was all alone.”

“You’re not alone anymore, love,” David responded. “Never again. I’m so glad I was here.”

“Me, too,” I replied while showering my husband with kisses. “Thank you for saving me, David. Thank you, Jesus!”

*David and I share smiles and love while visiting Savannah, GA in February.*

This whole incident has reminded me anew of how fragile life is. In a moment, in the expanse of a heartbeat, our lives, our existence, can inexorably change. One moment, we’re here – eating, working, laughing, planning for the future – yet we could be gone from this world and living our eternal lives in a fraction of a second.

Please make no mistake: life continues after we stop breathing. Forever and ever, we will either be spending eternity in heaven or hell. There is no purgatory, soul sleep, reincarnation, or any of the other convoluted concepts that atheists and alternate religions have tried to envision. There is zero evidence of the same.

Scripture is filled with references about eternity:

“Truly, truly, I say to you, whoever hears My word and believes Him who sent me has eternal life. He does not come into judgment but has passed from death to life.” (John 5:24)
“And do not fear those who kill the body but cannot kill the soul. Rather fear Him who can destroy both soul and body in hell.” (Matthew 10:28)
“And these will go away into eternal punishment, but the righteous into eternal life.” (Matthew 25:46)
“Then I saw a great white throne and Him who was seated on it. From his presence earth and sky fled away, and no place was found for them. And I saw the dead, great and small, standing before the throne, and books were opened. Then another book was opened, which is the book of life. And the dead were judged by what was written in the books, according to what they had done. And the sea gave up the dead who were in it, Death and Hades gave up the dead who were in them, and they were judged, each one of them, according to what they had done. Then Death and Hades were thrown into the lake of fire. This is the second death, the lake of fire. And if anyone’s name was not found written in the book of life, he was thrown into the lake of fire.” (Revelation 20: 11-15)

And so, I am grateful to my heavenly Father, who saved my soul from eternal punishment and promised me a home with Him in glory. As John 14: 1-3 reminds us, “Let not your hearts be troubled. Believe in God; believe also in Me. In My Father’s house, there are many rooms. If it were not so, would I have told you that I go to prepare a place for you? And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again and will take you to Myself, that where I am you may be also.”

I have a home in glory, yes, but I also have a beautiful home and life with my earthly soulmate – my dearest David. I am so grateful to God for allowing me to stay here with my husband longer. We have so much more to do for Christ’s kingdom. Our work here has barely begun.

My heroes saved me yet again. Every day is a gift, and I intend to continue to worship my Savior and use my life for His purpose.

Be sure to do the same, beloved. You never know when your next breath will be your last.

Use me, Lord Jesus. My life is yours. You gave it to me, and I give it back to You for Your glory. Forever and ever, Amen.

The Bible tells me so

By Sara | February 24, 2025

Your Word is a lamp for my feet, a light on my path. (Psalm 119:105)

I recently found an old tote bag that I formerly carried to church with me. What I call a tote is really an organizer purse – designed with a divided section at the bottom to keep everything organized. A large section can hold a cell phone, and smaller sections easily store a medium-sized wallet, makeup, or whatever else one might like to store in a purse. I loved the concept but not the large size – hence, it ultimately became my church tote. I kept my phone, antibacterial gel (a must in a church where routine greetings are exchanged during the service), tissues, Bible, and journal for taking sermon notes. While I was excited to find the tote again, revisiting my old Bible was like stepping backward in time.

I’ve owned a lot of Bibles over the years. I have an American Patriot Bible with sections devoted to detailed descriptions of our Founders’ faith and what drove them to create fundamental documents like the Declaration of Independence. I also have several Daily Bibles – one that lists the scriptures chronologically and another with scriptural insights and life principles written by pastor and theologian Dr. Charles Stanley. Over the past three years, I’ve used a Kindle version of my One Year Bible that easily travels with me wherever I go.

All three daily Bibles allow me to read passages from the Old Testament, Psalms, and Proverbs, along with sections from the New Testament. David and I finished reading the Bible together as a couple last year and are doing so again. Daily scriptural reading helps strengthen our marital bond while growing our understanding of God’s love and design for our lives.

David, too, has several Bibles. One is an old family relic from 1880 with over 500 historical etchings. Another is a large-print version given to him by a former subcontractor. The third and most meaningful is the Samaritan’s Purse Bible he received while we were serving with the charity in Ft. Myers, FL, after Hurricane Ian. I was the first to sign David’s Bible before we intended to go our separate ways. God had other plans, which allowed us to become best friends quickly, fiancés within two months, and ultimately married five months later. That timeline still astounds me.

No matter what Bible I read, God’s Word has always been integral to my life. I can’t remember a time when I didn’t relish reading scripture. I’ve always felt my Heavenly Father speaking to me through His Word. As often as I read it, I still feel the scripture coming alive, glowing with love, wisdom, and guidance. God’s words are precious to me and have guided my footsteps throughout my life. They gave me hope when everything else seemed lost and reminded me that my Creator loves me.

*David’s Samaritan’s Purse Bible features the first message I ever wrote to him after we served together in Ft. Myers, FL* *in October, 2022.*

When I pulled out my old Bible from my church tote, the first thing that struck me was the embossed name on the front cover: my birth name. I’ve not used that name in several decades. Since high school, my name has changed four times: twice in bad marriages, once when God gave me my new name – Sara Victoria Christiansen – and a fourth time when I married my soul mate. Instead of being the victorious Christian daughter of the King, I am now the victorious daughter of the King who married my own King David. My name alone tells my testimony. Looking back, I can only wonder at God’s diverse plan for my life and all He has brought me through.

When my older sister gifted me with my first Bible, I could never have imagined the life I am living right now.

And yet, God knew what was in store for me. In a very real way, the favorite scriptures I wrote on the front cover of this great book describe my life:

“The joy of the Lord is my strength.” (Nehemiah 8:10)
“Better is one day in Your courts than a thousand elsewhere. I would rather be a doorkeeper in the house of my God than dwell in the tents of the wicked.” (Psalm 84:10)
“They that wait upon the Lord shall renew their strength; they shall mount up with wings as eagles.” (Isaiah 40:31)
“He who dwells in the shelter of the Most High will rest in the shadow of the Almighty.” (Psalm 91:1)

*The back of my former Bible features notes and scripture.*

I have hand-written scripture references, and several pages of sermon notes in the back of my old Bible. Also tucked away beside the notes is a yellow sheet of paper with the scripture passage I read at my sister’s funeral: Romans 2: 35-39. “Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? Shall trouble or hardship or persecution or famine or nakedness or danger or sword? As it is written: ‘For your sake we face death all day long; we are considered as sheep to be slaughtered.’ No, in all these things, we are more than conquerors through him who loved us. For I am convinced that neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons, neither the present nor the future, nor any powers, neither height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord.”

God’s Word is timeless and eternal. Hebrews 4:12 says, “For the Word of God is alive and active. Sharper than any double-edged sword, it penetrates even to dividing soul and spirit, joints and marrow; it judges the thoughts and attitudes of the heart.”

2 Timothy 3:16-17 also assures us, “All Scripture is God-breathed and is useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting and training in righteousness, so that the servant of God may be thoroughly equipped for every good work.”

From God’s mouth to Christ’s death, burial, and resurrection, my Heavenly Father’s love is forever imprinted in the universe and my soul. “I have hidden Your Word in my heart that I might not sin against You.” (Psalm 119:11)

No matter my name, my life stage, or where I live, God’s Word has continually strengthened, guided, and encouraged me. “The joy of the Lord has always been my strength.” I am who I am because of my Heavenly Father’s love. I know that for a fact. After all, the Bible tells me so.

Casa dell Amore – A place to live beyond Valentine’s Day

By Sara | February 18, 2025

A new commandment I give to you, that you love one another, even as I have loved you, that you also love one another. (John 13:34)

A few days before Valentine’s Day, I awoke inspired to shower my visiting 88-years-young mother with love and attention on this memorable holiday. I rarely get to share this celebrated occasion with my mom as she and my brother, Joe, primarily live in Colorado. While they’re visiting Georgia this month, I was excited to make this day something uniquely memorable.

“I want mom to feel really special,” I explained to my husband, David. “I’m going to fix her hair and makeup, help her get dressed up, and then cook a fancy meal for her. I want to set everything up as if she’s in a restaurant, but I’ll need your help.”

As a young adult, David spent a few years as a waiter in the now-defunct restaurant Bennigans and a few other VA Beach hot spots. He’d told me stories of his experiences, so I knew I needed his assistance to bring my vision to life.

“I want you to dress up like a waiter,” I told him. “I’ll have music playing in the background when Mom and Joe come over. You can seat them at the table, and we’ll serve the food, one course at a time. It’ll be great!”

David eagerly agreed.

Over the next few days, I planned the menu, crafted the dinner invitation, and carefully considered the prep work required to orchestrate my plans. Everything was in place to make this a night to remember – until it wasn’t.

Hours before the evening preparations began, my plans slowly crumbled around me. Try as I might, I had never made it out to shop for the makeup I wanted for my mom’s makeover. I average 10-hour work days, which doesn’t allow much time to go shopping – and I wouldn’t dream of asking David to pick out and purchase makeup for my mom.

That’s okay, I thought. She can use mine.

Then, there was the lack of preparation time on Valentine’s Day. Rather than easing into my orchestrations with an abridged workday, one thing after an other kept me working longer than expected. When I finally shut down my computer, I had only an hour and a half to facilitate everything.

At 5:00 pm, I began rushing around, grabbing my makeup and fingernail polish – another add-on I thought would be fun for Mom – and then ran next door to my mom’s house. What I had hoped would be fun became stressful at that point.

Upon entering, I found her lying half asleep on her bed. “She didn’t sleep well last night,” my brother explained. “She’s resting now.”

To assist my mom with her night out, I hoped to surprise her by acting out the part of “Shelly, the stylist.” It would be Shelly who would help Mom prepare for her big night out. After finding my mom in her current state, I seriously questioned my judgment in thinking I could do anything like this without informing her in advance of the same.

When Mom called me back to her bedroom to ask what I had in my hands, I explained to her that the curling iron and clothes were for me to assist her in preparing for dinner. “Oh, no,” my mom said, looking shocked and bewildered. “I can’t handle that.”

“That’s okay,” I said, quickly losing the Southern drawl I had planned to utilize in her makeover session. “You just rest. We can do this tomorrow.”

After returning home, David asked me what brought me back so quickly.

“Well,” I began. “Mom is exhausted after not getting enough sleep last night. I told her we’ll try again tomorrow. We’ll see. I hope all of this works out.” I spent the rest of the evening preparing food for the next day so I wouldn’t be caught rushing again.

When the following evening came around, I changed my clothes, adopted my Southern drawl, and moved next door – hoping Take Two of the script would work better than the first round did the day before.

As I approached Mom’s house, I found her slowly walking around the yard. When she saw me, I immediately adopted my drawl, extended my arm, and escorted her back into the house. Much to my delight, my mom laughed and went along with every silly thing I did for her.

As I moved her to her back porch, I asked her which color she wanted for her nails – “Pale pink or hot pink,” I drawled. “In the south, it’s gotta be pink.”

Choosing hot pink, I began painting my mom’s fingernails, something I’d never done before. Seeing how much she loved the experience made me vow to repeat the activity more regularly.

After gushing my way through how “be-a-you-ti-ful” her fingernails looked, I advised her that she would be “beating them off with a stick” over dinner. Thankfully, my mom kept laughing at my silly antics and fake Southern drawl.

After applying lotion to her face, I regretfully explained that I only had a “lighter than suntan” foundation for her skin since my skin tone is much paler than my mother’s.

Much to my surprise, my mom announced that she had purchased some makeup for herself from the “Here and There” store, which I took to be her remembered name of her favorite thrift shop: “Hello Good-buy.” Rushing into her “twa-let” to retrieve the cosmetic, I found the same expensive foundation I had planned to buy her but never had the time to do so. She had purchased it for the special price of one whole dollar, as evidenced by the bright orange sticker on the side.

“What a shopper you are!” I gushed as I smoothed the foundation over her skin. “A good Southerner knows how to bargain shop, and you are indeed the queen of thrifting!”

Her choice of lipstick also delighted me as she chose my own signature red over maroon to tint her lips. As my brother looked on, trying not to laugh, I asked my mom to purse her lips, to which she closed her lips entirely. “Unless you want to look like Tammy Faye Baker, you’d best show me a pouty face so I can see your purty lips and apply this here lipstick.”

A few minutes later, I outlined my mom’s lips and gently applied the bright color, asking her to go, “Mwah mwah to spread the color around.” She did so, nearly causing me to laugh aloud at her complete cooperation and our absolute fun in the preparation.

After giving Mom a new “bedazzled sweater” to wear to dinner, I returned home to change into my dinner ensemble and begin finalizing the meal. David, too, switched into his white-shirted waiter gear with a kitchen towel over his arm to complete the preparations.

When the appetizers – homemade cheese and bacon potato skins – were ready, I called my brother and made buzzing sounds, advising him that his “table was up” so he could “proceed to the restaurant.”

David greeted them at the door, inviting Mom and Joe into the Casa dell Amore – the name I gave our restaurant. I videotaped their entrance and was delighted as my mom said, “Muchas gracias,” – playing along with our created scenario. In response, I donned a new fake Italian accent, telling them, “Welcome! Welcome!” as they sat down at the table for dinner being held in Mom’s honor.

The rest of the evening went off without a hitch as we all savored the stuffed salmon, asparagus, and sweet potato main course – followed by a strawberries and whipped cream parfait for mom and cherry cheesecake for the rest of us. While Andrea Bocelli serenaded our meal, David played the piano between courses, and we all laughed, relishing our time together.

Amid the “to go” boxes I gave my mom and Joe for their leftovers, they told me what a great evening they had. David and I confirmed the same, saying we enjoyed it as much as they did.

On the way to church together the next day, Mom said the night was “the most fun she’d had in a long time,” which made my heart sing.

Looking back, I know I could have called the whole thing off when my original plans failed – but that thought never entered my mind. I know how important it is to show love. Rather than give up, I took it all in stride and tried again the next day. And look at the memories we made as a result!

The entire event reminds me of how easy it is to let simple opportunities to show love disappear. We’re too busy. We might be rejected. It’s too much effort or risk. Yes, things don’t always work out, and there is always the prospect of failure, frustration, and disappointment.

But what potential joy do we relinquish by failing to extend love at every opportunity? Even if we are turned down, stepped on, and pushed away nine times out of ten, isn’t the tenth worth it? Didn’t Jesus Himself feel disappointment and rejection? Didn’t he suffer and die on the cross, bleeding to save our undeserving, unrepentant souls to show us what love is all about?

John 3:16 embodies the gospel message of God’s all-encompassing love by reminding us that our Creator sacrificed His Son so we can live forever by simply believing in Christ.

In a similar way, 1 John 3:16 reminds us to live out this theology by loving others just as He demonstrated to us: “We know love by this, that He laid down His life for us; and we ought to lay down our lives for the brethren.”

Take a chance, beloved. Let love fill your house. Let it overflow into your life and onto others at every opportunity. Love is a place where we all should live – long beyond Valentine’s Day. It should be celebrated, practiced, and lived in – every day of the year.

Let Them See You In Me

By Sara | February 3, 2025

When Jesus spoke again to the people, He said, “I am the light of the world. Whoever follows Me will never walk in darkness but will have the light of life.” (John 8:12)

In November 2024, I spent two weeks working in Marshall, NC, while serving in my former role. While those two weeks were incredibly stressful, there were moments that stood out as they reminded me that I was there for God’s purpose – to show the Light of Christ to the world.

One particular exchange during the second week of that interval will always remain with me. As usual, I had made a lunch run, venturing out from the remote location where my workplace was building a retreat center in the beautiful North Carolina mountains. Just after lunch, one of the senior executives from the London office turned back to where I was sitting to thank me for getting everyone’s food. As I smiled and gave her my typical “My pleasure” response, she stopped mid-stride and returned to me.

“You have the most beautiful smile, Sara,” she began. “I truly mean that. It’s not just your smile. It’s more that when you smile, your whole existence lights up.”

“Thank you,” I replied, smiling again. “It’s not me. It’s what’s inside me that you see.”

Amid all the darkness of the company I worked for, their New Age talk and practices consuming me then, that brief encounter made me happy – particularly because my boss at the time heard the entire exchange. While she didn’t comment, I saw her look at me before turning away after hearing my response.

That’s why I’m here, I remember thinking at the time. I’m here to show God’s Light to you. While I later regretted not clarifying by saying, “It’s who is inside me that you see,” I knew I would be more specific if given another opportunity to do so.

Much to my delight, the opportunity to speak about this topic again came sooner than I could ever have anticipated.

Having tendered my two-week notice of resignation a month later, my boss precisely detailed who she felt I should notify about my departure. Thankfully, the British executive I’d met in NC was someone she wanted me to reach out to.

“She really liked you,” my boss explained. “Make sure you let her know you’re leaving.”

Seizing this opportunity to refine the comments I’d made the previous month better, I did so in my notification.

“I must begin by thanking you for your kindness during your visit to Marshall in November,” I began. “While I tendered my letter of resignation earlier this week, I will take fond memories of all those gracious to me when I leave – you being chief among them.

“I will never forget how you told me my smile lit up my entire existence and that there is a glow about me,” I continued. “At the time, I said that it’s what’s inside me that you see. I should have clarified that it is really who is inside me that shines forth. That Light is my Savior, Jesus Christ. As I mentioned to [my boss], there is a difference between being a Christian and having a relationship with Jesus Christ. I have the latter. While I hoped this relationship could exist alongside my work here, I now know it cannot – hence my departure. I already exist in a place of peace, wisdom, and love, which allows me to walk away and accept God’s guidance for my next steps.

“All that being said, I greatly admire you and all those choosing to show love to the world with your whole being. I am doing the same – just in a different manner through a different source. I hope and pray that you can understand and feel the same one day. In the meantime, you remain in my heart and prayers. Never forget how precious you are. Most appreciatively, Sara.”

While I had no idea how this correspondence would be received, the response was astounding.

“Dear Sara,” came the reply. “Thank you for your light, your thoughtfulness, your service, and most of all, your love and care.

“On a personal note, I’m so deeply grateful for meeting you and bearing witness to your heartfulness which shines through in all that you are and do. You have such a gentle way and penetrating intelligence, and we are blessed that your bright and loving presence has helped us since your arrival. Wishing you all the love and joy in your next adventure.”

To say that I was stunned by this response is an understatement. I was overjoyed to learn that not only were my words received with the love I wrapped around them but that God’s Light had indeed shown through my everyday actions. That’s what I had hoped for, as that’s how I try to live my life every day.

One profound truth will always remain with me from that job: a vast amount of people live in darkness – many more than I ever realized. Anyone who lives without Christ is living in the dark.

They may appear happy, kind, and full of love – but their love differs from God’s. Their love is conditional and requires steady feeding to remain satiated.

Our Heavenly Father’s love is wholly unconditional and everlasting. Nothing can compare to being loved by the Creator of the universe. Anything else will always come short – yet countless people pursue temporary happiness and worldly pleasure. They seek it in people, drugs, money, and wisdom. They seek it in power, prestige, and even in a “higher consciousness” – as was the case in my former company.

We can’t find peace, wisdom, and love by morphing our minds into another realm. Such an ideal is nothing short of demonic. Only our Heavenly Father can break through the darkness and show us the real Light of the world. Only God can satisfy.

The sad truth is that too often, people don’t even realize they’re living in the dark because they’ve never experienced the true Light of Christ. As Charles Martin explains in his fictional work, The Record Keeper, “People in darkness don’t know they’re in darkness because it’s all they’ve ever known. It’s their world. They navigate primarily by bumping off things that are stronger. Immovable. They don’t know darkness is darkness until someone turns on a light. Only then does the darkness roll back like a scroll. It has to. Darkness can’t stand Light. And it hasn’t. Not since God spoke it into existence.”

Years ago, I remember hearing a sermon describing the importance of our witness: “You may be the only church anyone ever experiences. Make it count.” I might now add that you may be the only reflection of Jesus’s Light someone may ever see. May we never lose an opportunity to shine God’s luminescence into the shadows.

Jesus Christ is the Light of the world. As followers of Christ, so also are we. I am His hands and feet, just as I am privileged to be His Light. As Christ said, “You are the Light of the world. A town built on a hill cannot be hidden. Neither do people light a lamp and put it under a bowl. Instead, they put it on its stand, and it gives Light to everyone in the house.” (Matthew 5:14-15)

*Sunrise over the Atlantic Ocean, Tavernier, FL (FL Keys)*

And so, I intend to keep shining. I earnestly pray that Christ’s Light will always be reflected off of me – every day, everywhere I go, and in everything I do. After all, “It’s not me you see, but Christ – the Light of the world – inside of me.”

Category: Encouragement