Encouragement – Page 2

Don’t let Satan steal your joy

By Sara | December 21, 2025

“I have told you this so that my joy may be in you and that your joy may be complete.” (John 15:11)

“Where are you on the joy-meter?” Our pastor posed this question to our congregation last week. I could only smile in response. My life verse has always been Nehemiah 8:10, which says, “The joy of the Lord is my strength.” Being joyful has never been a problem for me.

I’ve discovered that being perpetually happy in Christ puzzles and perplexes people. It’s a perspective, to me, more than an emotion – and I know how blessed I am. We all know how to be lighthearted in certain situations. Finding jubilance, however, can be elusive.

Satan hates the joy we feel as Christians. He wants nothing more than to steal our exuberance and hurt our witness. We must be conscious of this reality and remain strong in the power of God’s love to prevent him from harming us. While Satan can’t revoke our salvation, he will do everything he can to alleviate our joy and hurt our witness.

Let’s start with the definition of joy. According to Merriam-Webster, joy is “a feeling of great happiness or pleasure.” Dictionary.com defines it as “the emotion of great delight or happiness caused by something exceptionally good or satisfying; keen pleasure; elation.” FreeDictionary.com describes joy as “intense and especially ecstatic or exultant happiness, or an instance of such feeling.”

I love that people see the joy of the Lord in me. A few weeks ago, two of the executives I support said things that humbled and encouraged me. I strive to show God’s love in everything I do. It’s not always easy, but I never forget that I represent Christ in my actions.

To start the week, one of my executives posted the following note in our leadership team chat:

“Good morning and good Monday, team. I have to share a little sunshine with you this morning (which most of us are lacking). I started watching “The Sound of Music” with my family last night, not having seen it since I was little, and realized who Sara Olson reminds me of with her incessant spreading of joy and care for all in her orbit.” She then posted a link to Julie Andrews singing the theme song for the movie.

While I thanked her for her kind message, I also commented that I was glad she defined the similarity as stemming from my desire to share happiness and encouragement, and not because she was trying to “solve a problem like Maria…”

Since the dawn of time, humankind has sought to attain this ephemeral emotion. For fun, I asked ChatGPT how many books exist in the world that talk about finding joy. In response to my query, Google estimated that there are 130+ million unique book titles stemming from this aspiration. Volumes have been written across the following genres:

Self-help
Psychology
Religion and spirituality
Philosophy
Memoir and fiction
Poetry
Children’s books

Of the millions of tomes examining this topic, only one true authority exists: God’s Word. Depending on which version one refers to, there are between 160 and 242 mentions of joy in scripture. The NIV Bible mentions the word 218 times. If we include derivatives, such as “joyful, rejoice,” and other similar words, one can find over 400 mentions throughout this holy book.

Are any of these facts surprising? As my pastor explained, “To know that our sins are forgiven, to know that we have a home in heaven, and to know that God loved us so much that He sent His Son to die for us should be enough reasons to always fill us with joy.”

And yet, most of us walk as if we’re stuck in quicksand, with little reason to smile, let alone be happy, grateful, and joyful. As Christians, we should be different. People should look at us and see grins, not grimaces. They should see contentment, not complaints. We should emulate Christ and show compassion to others. We are heirs to the King of Kings and Lord of Lords. How can we be bitter about what others have done to us when we’ve been forgiven by the Almighty Creator, through no righteous acts of our own?

All that being said, in the midst of my writing this post, last week, the Devil attacked me. For two entire days, I was caught in his web of despair, desperation, and debilitating weakness. It took me until today to thoroughly shake off the dregs of his arsenal. Even now, I am still climbing out from under it.

How did this happen? How could I let it happen? I stay prayed up, embedded in scripture, surrounded by Christian music, and devoted to God’s Word.

And yet, out of nowhere, the attack came.

David and I spend 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, together. We hug, pray while embracing, and share everything. We have a picture-perfect marriage – until we didn’t. Just like that, my world shattered. What started as my voiced frustration at something David shared with a neighbor that I considered private quickly escalated into a monumental meltdown of words that kept us both on edge, with little sleep, eating, or talking. I can fully attest to the fact that there’s nothing that will steal your joy faster than relationship trouble.

Words, once wielded, are weapons that inflict deeper wounds than any two-edged sword. James 3:8 reminds us that “No human being can tame the tongue. It is a restless evil, full of deadly poison.” Proverbs 13:3 says, “The one who guards his mouth preserves his life; The one who opens wide his lips comes to ruin.”

I can fully attest to the validity of both verses. My history of abusive marriages has led me to stay as silent as possible when tensions arise. David’s family history growing up in a house where no one talked about problems has led him to become frustrated with my silence. These differences only exacerbated our difficulties and left me with painful declarations on loop in my head and new fears in my heart.

When all is said and done, each of us has a choice to make: what power are we willing to give up to Satan? Are we willing to let the Devil win, or are we going to give it all to God? I, for one, want my joy back. And so, I’m giving it to God.

Am I 100% joyful today? No. But that’s okay. I’m getting there again, little by little, with God’s help.

There is a powerful stanza in the Christmas song, “I Heard the Bells on Christmas Day,” by Henry Wadsworth Longfellow that says the following:

“And in despair I bowed my head:
‘There is no peace on earth,’ I said,
‘For hate is strong and mocks the song
Of peace on earth, good will to men.’”

But the carol doesn’t end there. Longfellow continued by proclaiming God’s power over animosity and anger in the subsequent verse:

“Then pealed the bells more loud and deep:
‘God is not dead, nor doth he sleep;
The wrong shall fail, the right prevail,
With peace on earth, good will to men.’”

Each of us has the power to focus on what is right in our lives or what is wrong. We all have trials. We all face challenges. We all must daily decide if we’re going to focus on God – or let the Devil get a foothold. Sometimes, doing so requires a strong will and determination. Philippians 4:8 reminds us, “Finally, brothers and sisters, whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable—if anything is excellent or praiseworthy—think about such things.”

And so, I will not let Satan steal my joy. That is my choice and doesn’t depend on anyone but me and God. It may take a moment or two longer to get my joy-meter back up to where it should be, but my Heavenly Father is right here with me, reminding me that He loves me, and that means everything to me.

At Christmas and throughout the year, I won’t let Satan steal my joy. It’s my choice – and one we all must make. After all, “The joy of the Lord is my strength.” I want the world to see that joy in me – every day, all year long.

Be Still and Know that He is God

By Sara | November 30, 2025

“He says, ‘Be still, and know that I am God; I will be exalted among the nations, I will be exalted in the earth.’” (Psalm 46:10)

*View below Anna Ruby Falls, Helen, GA.*

I’ve lived in a state of exhaustion for so long that it has become my new norm. While my day job will never be my life, having a high work ethic means that my days last as long as it takes to perform my duties to my elevated standards. With seven executives to support – one of whom is a C-level officer who travels nearly every week and holds back-to-back meetings all day, every day – there is no margin for error in what I do, or a chance to slow down. Hence, I typically work 50 to 60 hours a week.

A strong need to get away, coupled with a real concern that I would lose my vacation pay for the year if I didn’t use it, led me to try to take some time off a few weeks ago. I use the word “try” as I intended to take off two and a half days but ended up working all but one.

Still, David and I were able to spend a week in the northeastern Georgia mountains while I worked – a part of the state I had always wanted to visit but never traveled to on my own. With David, everything is different – even vacations.

*Our rented cabin in the woods, Lakemont, GA.*

As we discovered for ourselves, northern Georgia boasts several state and national parks, as well as 20 lakes, forests, and numerous hiking trails that traverse tranquil forests, cascading streams, magnificent waterfalls, and breathtaking mountains. Visiting in late October also allowed us to experience the vivid colors of fall foliage – something I hadn’t encountered in Georgia in the past 15 years, having lived along the state’s coastal region.

As the mountains came into view on our drive, I confess that my spirits lightened at the prospect of escape – and our journey had just begun. Stepping out of the car at our mountain cabin was like discarding a brick-laden backpack I hadn’t even realized I’d been carrying. As we walked our dogs along the dirt road that first evening, marveling at the beauty and tranquility of our northern retreat, I remember speaking quietly to David, not wanting to disturb the placidity of the woods with the sound of my voice.

*Cascading waters below Anna Ruby Falls, Helen, GA.*

“It’s so peaceful here,” I observed. “I love the silence.”

There’s something to be said about remaining quiet when I’m outside – absorbing the beauty of God’s creation. The outdoors has always been like a sanctuary to me. It’s where I feel closest to my Creator. Anything other than the sound of nature disturbs the worship that fills my heart as I hike in the woods, kayak in the marsh, or stroll along the sand. While I frequently listen to audiobooks while I’m doing yard work, I crave noiselessness when I’m outdoors. It almost seems blasphemous to speak when all creation is singing of God’s glory.

*Woods along the Minnehaha Falls Trail, Chattahoochee National Forest, Lakemont, GA*

While it was colder than we would have liked during our getaway (in the low 50s during the day and high 20s at night), with rain and wind filling five of the seven days we were there, we still made beautiful memories in the mountains. David and I were together in the felicity of God’s forest – feeling His presence and allowing the silent perfection of our surroundings to permeate our spirits.

Sure, we lost power twice during the week we were away – once over a five-hour interval in the pitch dark of the cold woods – yet that hardly mattered. We had shelter, candles, and a fire in a freestanding stove that we could huddle around together. I will never forget the blessed getaway and the joy my heart felt as we hiked several trails alone, experiencing the serenity of silence together.

While the nature of my job will always bring stress-filled days, I know how to let it go as I serve a Savior who promised to carry all my burdens. Psalm 55:22 reminds me to, “Cast [my] cares on the Lord and He will sustain [me]; He will never let the righteous be shaken.” I know how to lay it all down at His feet, and I have no problem doing so. Every time I do, He fills me with His peace, joy, and tranquility.

*View from Black Rock Mountain along the Tennessee Rock Trail, Clayton, GA. The 80-mile view spans Georgia, North Carolina, South Carolina, and Tennessee.*

Whether I’m on the beach, in the woods, hiking in the mountains, digging in my yard, or just sitting on my porch, whenever I take the time to be still, I always feel God’s presence beside me. Nothing on earth is as powerful as our silent Creator, whose omnipotence will always speak more power than any trepidation the world may thrust upon us.

Chaos will always call. It’s up to us to silence the voice of disquietude and listen to our Almighty Father, instead. As the Psalmist, King David, told us, “Be still and know that [He] is God.” (chapter 46, verse 10). Our trip to the mountains serves as proof of the same.

*David and I basked in the grandeur of God’s love as we sat alongside Minnehaha Falls in Tiger, GA.*

God did it

By Sara | October 12, 2025

“You thrill me, Lord, with all You have done for me! I sing for joy because of what You have done.” (Psalm 92:4)

On October 9, 2022, I embarked on a journey that would forever alter my life in ways I never could have imagined. In a blog entitled, “Here Am I. Send Me,” I detailed the doors God opened that led me to assist Samaritan’s Purse after Hurricane Ian decimated Ft. Myers, FL. Through prayerful surrender, I know my Creator led me to demonstrate His love to those who had suffered immeasurable losses following this natural disaster. The more I gave, the more joy I received. God’s love is like that. He’s still giving back to me, to this day.

In a later blog post, dated December 31, 2022, entitled “Surrender – Samaritan’s Purse Deployment, Part 7,” I described what came next. “On October 12, 2022, Sara Victoria Christiansen and David Robert Olson had a divine appointment to meet on a Hurricane Ian disaster relief bus while serving Christ through Samaritan’s Purse (SP). What began as an act of total surrender has blossomed into a love story to span the ages.”

David and I posed with our Samaritan’s Purse team in October 2022 in front of the home of Herm and Nancy in Ft. Myers, FL. (David is in the back row, second from the right. I am on the far right, front row.)

Three years later, the love that David and I feel for one another is stronger than ever. My stomach still does a quick flip when David smiles at me ardently upon entering the room. We both sigh with contentment when we “huggle” (an original David and Saraism, meaning a combination of hugging and snuggling) while watching TV, falling asleep, and waking up together. We still pray with our arms wrapped around each other at every meal. We work together on chores such as cooking, washing dishes, and yard work on a regular basis. And I must say that, for someone who has always been a loner, my experience being a part of “Team Olson” is pretty spectacular.

But where does all this affection come from? What is our secret?

The answer is simple: God. Matthew 19:26 reminds us that “With God, all things are possible.”

David and I have never been alone in our relationship. From the very beginning, God has always been right here with us. It is His love that surrounds us, first and foremost. It is His strength that keeps us strong. Ecclesiastes 4:11-13 explains this principle this way, “If two lie down together, they will keep warm. But how can one keep warm alone? Though one may be overpowered, two can defend themselves. A cord of three strands is not quickly broken.”

“We met on a church bus,” David and I often tell others before beginning the story of how God brought the two of us together. We fell in love while serving our Savior. We were both dirty, sweaty, unpretentious people who saw each other in the truest light possible. There is no falsehood when you’re serving Christ in a disaster zone.

David and I joke that we courted in Home Depot, while picking up supplies to help a husband and wife whose home David was rebuilding for them after the hurricane. In my Turning Trials Into Triumph – Samaritan’s Purse Deployment, Part 6 blog post, I explained how all of this came to be.

“We serve a risen Savior who will always turn our trials into triumphs,” I wrote, “We have only to surrender all the pieces of our broken puzzles for our Divine Creator to put us back together again.”

*David and I volunteered with Samaritan’s Purse in Ft. Meyers, FL the day after he proposed to me – on Dec. 13, 2022.*

And so, here David and I are today: still as much in love as we were when God brought us together. We may not have known at the time of our initial meeting that we loved one another, but God did. He knew before we were born that we were destined to be together. He knew that we had to get through all the mud and muck of our messy lives to learn, grow, and become the people that now fit together like two proverbial peas in a pod. Had we met earlier, we might not have been the people who could have fallen in love so quickly. I might not have responded to David’s proposal, just two short months after we met, “A million, trillion, kabillion times ‘Yes!’” had God not made David the man he is now.

And David might not have known I was the one for him had he, too, not seen me showing God’s love in Florida. We both had to be there, at that moment, in total surrender to our Creator, for everything to come together the way it did.

*Three years post-meeting, David and I broke out our SP shirts to celebrate the occasion by “huggling” on the couch.*

As “Jesus [is] the author and finisher of our faith” (Hebrews 12:2), so, too, He is the author and finisher of our love story. Without prayer, David and I wouldn’t be as close as we are. And without our daily commitment to reading God’s Word, we wouldn’t be growing stronger in our faith and commitment to our Savior.

The truth is, there are three participants in our marriage: David, me, and God. Our Creator keeps us strong. He keeps us faithful – to Him and to each other. He guides us in our actions toward one another and to Him. He “keep(s) [our] tongues from evil and [our] lips from telling lies.” (Psalm 34:14)

*Even at a church luncheon, David and I always sit close and take photos with our heads touching.* (October 12, 2025)

We “Trust in the Lord with all [our] hearts, and do not lean on [our] own understanding. In all [our] ways [we] acknowledge him, and He [makes] straight [our] paths.” (Proverbs 3:5-6)

David and I are two imperfect people – but we have God and each other, which means we have everything we need. Because of Christ, we both know love, true love, like we’ve never known before.

I bought a sign at an estate sale years ago that graces the upper wall of our screened porch. While David and I have straightened the sign numerous times, it always seems to shift and hang crooked above our seating area. It’s too high on the wall to straighten without bringing a ladder inside to do so. Truthfully, I like its crooked positioning as it’s emblematic of our lives. The sign reads, “We may not have it all together, but together, we have it all.”

*Our perpetually crooked sign hangs on the wall of our screen porch.*

With Christ as our center, tethered around us, we do have it all. He doesn’t ask us to be perfect. He asks us to give everything to Him.

David and I don’t know what God has in store for the rest of our days, but we know He does – and that’s enough for us. We trust Him, completely. He’s brought us this far, and He will see us through.

Historic Hatred Needs Fearless Forgiveness

By Sara | September 14, 2025

“But He was pierced for our transgressions, He was crushed for our iniquities; the punishment that brought us peace was on Him, and by His wounds, we are healed.” (Isaiah 53:5)

This past week, a lost 22-year-old man took the life of a 31-year-old Christian father, husband, and political activist for what would seem to be the sole purpose of silencing his voice. What I believe we will see, instead, is a nation rising to talk louder, speak bolder, and forgive more audaciously than this single voice could have ever accomplished on its own.

On Wednesday, September 10th, 22-year-old Tyler Robinson fired a single bullet at the throat of Charlie Kirk – effectively ending the life of this influential founder of Turning Point, U.S.A. (TPUSA). Charlie started his organization at age 18 in his family’s garage, eventually growing his non-profit agency to be the nation’s premier conservative voice on college and high school campuses. With 900 college chapters and 1,200 high school chapters, TPUSA was already a presence to contend with. Since his death, the organization received 32,000 requests to establish new campus chapters, making Charlie’s goal to create a “Club America” in every high school nationwide (23,000) much closer to becoming a reality than Kirk could have imagined.

TPUSA aims to arm young adults with the fortitude to stand unafraid in demonstrating their “faith, freedom, and love of country.” His “American Comeback Tour” of college campuses put him at the center of large audiences of students who questioned his faith, political inclinations, and stalwart defense of our great nation. During these tours, Kirk allowed students to ask him questions during a segment he called “Prove Me Wrong.” It was at one of these events, with an audience of over 3,000 people at Utah Valley University, where Kirk was ultimately assassinated.

Ever the humble advocate of his faith, Charlie demonstrated profound patience and restraint as students yelled, berated, and spewed hateful rhetoric at this young man who famously spoke out against the institution of higher education. Kirk never attended college, himself, as he viewed today’s universities as “centers of left-wing indoctrination that must be actively and aggressively fought.”

In his bestselling book, “The College Scam: How America’s Universities Are Bankrupting and Brainwashing Away the Future of America’s Youth,” Kirk argued that parents spend thousands of dollars to educate their children and turn them into productive members of society. Instead, today’s youth are consistently subjected to anti-American indoctrination by radical professors and ideological organizations, turning countless young people into angry citizens bent on violence and disruption.

As we learn more about Kirk’s alleged killer, Tyler Robinson, we see Charlie’s theories play out in an eerily profound manner. Raised in a formerly Mormon household, Robinson walked away from his family’s faith and conservative ideals to become an increasingly liberal youth with a penchant for guns. A stellar student with a promising future, Robinson earned a $32,000 scholarship at Utah State, yet returned home in just a few short semesters with a transgender lover and a vile hatred for Kirk that seemingly caused him to turn violent. In one fateful act of indescribable horror, Robinson chose to end the life of a man whose sole mission was to share his love of God and country with our nation’s youth.

How could this have happened? What kind of evil is this? And why are so many people celebrating the death of this man of God?

Only one name can explain all of the above: Satan. The father of all evil, chaos, and hate delights in every effort to silence the name of Jesus – the name that Kirk repeatedly called upon when speaking to young people. In every tour, interview, and speech, Charlie consistently urged everyone who would listen to celebrate their God-given genders, monogamous heterosexual relationships, and love of their Creator.

Kirk’s longtime friend, conservative activist Robby Starbuck, described Charlie’s love of God in the following manner: “Aside from being a father, perhaps Charlie’s greatest achievement is talking about God to young people during a time when too many were afraid to do that.”

TPUSA elaborated further on Kirk’s legacy in their online tribute:

“Charlie Kirk’s life was a testament to faith, courage, and conviction. From his earliest days, he believed America was worth fighting for, and he dedicated every moment of his 31 years to that cause. He lived with eyes fixed on eternity, grounded in the truth of God’s Word, and driven by a calling bigger than himself.

“Charlie was a servant of the Lord, a devoted husband to Erika, a loving father to two beautiful children, and a leader of uncommon clarity and strength. He did not seek influence for its own sake. Instead, he poured his life into others, raising up a generation who would be bold in their faith, steadfast in their love of freedom, and unafraid to defend their country.“

How do we counter this corruption of college campuses, this celebration of carnality, and this perversion of justice? We can only do so by demonstrating the love of Christ. Jesus demonstrated forgiveness as He hung on a cross, taking the place of all of us, even as we lay drenched in our own sinful natures.

In a prophetic interview Kirk gave on June 29th, he was asked what he wanted to be remembered for, “if everything else went away.”

“I want to be remembered for courage for my faith,” Kirk answered, without flinching. “That would be the most important thing. The most important thing is my faith.”

Faith cannot be demonstrated in a vacuum nor glean a harvest without planting seeds. John 12:21 tells us, “Very truly I tell you, unless a kernel of wheat falls to the ground and dies, it remains only a single seed. But if it dies, it produces many seeds.”

Now is the time for all Christians to demonstrate patience, forgiveness, and love. I believe Christ will use Charlie’s death to enact a great awakening – not just in our nation but worldwide. It all starts with us. “But God demonstrates his own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us.” (Romans 5:8)

We have a profound opportunity to show forgiveness right now. We need to show that we, as Christians, are different from the rest of the world, which wants to show anger, vengeance, and violence when met with unjust hatred. As Christians, we are told to “turn the other cheek” (Matthew 5:39) and to forgive without ceasing (Matthew 18:22)

Christ demonstrated His love for those who hated Him enough to nail Him to a cross, even though He committed no sins. How can we, as Christians, do any less? Even as Jesus was hanging from a tree, dying an excruciating death, He forgave those who killed, mocked, and reviled him. It was from the cross that Christ uttered the words that should resonate in the heart of every believer when He said, “Father, forgive them, for they know not what they do.” (Luke 23:34)

While we can’t fathom the level of evil that would compel someone to shed innocent blood, we don’t have to. Evil exists. “If the world hates you, keep in mind that it hated me first.” (John 15:18)

Despite the presence of evil in this world, love prevails. As the Apostle Paul reminds us in 1 Corinthians 13:13, “And the greatest of these is love.”

As Kirk’s pastor and co-chair of TPUSA, Rob McCoy said, “Charlie did not die. Instead, he has begun to truly live. His life was secured eternally by His Savior, Jesus Christ. This truth allowed Charlie to face every threat with courage because he didn’t fear death.”

McCoy continued, “All evil knows is death, and they derive power from death. Charlie lived for life and will be remembered for this. Evil has not prevailed, and it will not win.”

We, too, can continue Charlie’s battle to overcome the forces of evil on this earth by continually sharing Christ’s forgiveness. Instead of letting this break us with the senselessness of this violent act, let us, instead, demonstrate love. It is only then that we will prevail.

When acts of historic hatred take place, such as this one, we must continue to pray that God will allow us to demonstrate fearless forgiveness. As the Apostle Paul reminds us in Romans 12:21, “Do not be overcome by evil, but overcome evil with good.”

No Caesar in the Palace

By Sara | September 7, 2025

“That the mirth of the wicked is brief, the joy of the godless lasts but a moment. Though the pride of the godless person reaches to the heavens and his head touches the clouds, he will perish forever, like his own dung; those who have seen him will say, ‘Where is he?’ Like a dream, he flies away, no more to be found, banished like a vision of the night. The eye that saw him will not see him again; his place will look on him no more.” (Job 20: 5-9)

*Vegas sign at the end of Fremont Street*, *Las Vegas, NV.*

I can hardly believe Labor Day has already come and gone. Where did August go? I worked so much during August that I will forever call it Labor Month, leading up to the Labor Day holiday. While I’m still hoping to get a month’s vacation in return for my 30+ days of super-human efforts, that’s a pipe dream. Still, having an extra day off to recover is appreciated.

This is my first time working for an executive who played a key role in my organization’s annual conference. The event took place last week – in Las Vegas, no less. In addition to my regular day job supporting the CPO and seven other executives, I organized 21 customer/partner/analyst and press meetings for my primary boss during the event – tracking everything on multiple spreadsheets for both the CPO and the six additional executives I support who also attended the event. The preparations kept me locked to my desk for an average of 14+ hour days over two weeks, with few breaks in between.

David brought cereal to me in my office after I rose before dawn and ate beside me to spend time with me. I took 10-minute lunch breaks and abandoned our nightly dog walking ritual over that interval, opting to keep working until 10 or 10:30 pm each evening. By the start of the second week of this routine, I began waking with leg cramps that continued to plague me during the day. I had reduced my daily step count by 5000 paces over this interval, and my body was feeling the strain – big time.

*A giant replica of Michelangelo’s David statue graces the hall inside Caesars Palace, Las Vegas.*

Our conference was held in Caesars Palace, and while the Italian décor was beautiful, especially the full-sized replica of Michelangelo’s David, I told my David that all of it was fake – a shallow imitation of the beautiful Italian sculptures that the two of us had marveled over in their original environment. Sure, there were statues of horses, carriages, Roman gods, and pillars, but those in Rome had been carved by hand thousands of years ago. While I learned that the Palace statues had also been sculpted from marble by skilled artisans, they are still mere imitations of the originals.

Several of my fellow team members attending the conference are Italian, and I asked one what he thought of the décor. “This is Caesars Palace, and yet Caesar is not here: only Augustus,” came his reply. I couldn’t help but laugh at the comment. While I later learned that Caesar was the title of a Roman emperor, rather than a person, of which “Augustus” was one, my friend’s perception matched my own. There was, in fact, no emperor in the Palace – only shallow replicas of the same.

The same sentiment stuck with me throughout my trip. The glitz and glamor were over the top in Las Vegas, with nothing of real value to show. After venturing out on my second night to determine whether there really was a canal with working gondolas in the Venetian hotel (there was!), I felt like I had to avert my eyes around every corner.

“Don’t look left, Sara,” one of my work friends told me as we ventured to Fremont Street on our third night during the conference. David had advised me to go there to see the overhead light show and the famous “Smoking Cowboy” sign he’d seen decades ago when visiting the city in his younger years. Knowing my sensitivities and values, my friend guided me along the street while preventing me from seeing the scantily clad men and women that bordered our path. I had shockingly wandered across several of these women the night before and told my friend of my stunned impressions.

“This place isn’t for me,” I told one of the hotel staff members, Carmen, overlooking our breakfast buffet the next morning. I had asked her how long she’d lived there, prompting her to reply: “My whole life. My children and grandchildren live with me.”

*Frescoes, pillars, and statues fill the halls of Caesars Palace, Las Vegas.*

“Don’t look right,” I was warned, averting my vision. “Don’t look at all, Sara,” my friend said, as I put my hand on her shoulder and allowed her to lead me along the street. While the light show was iconic, the cowboy sign had been replaced with a more miniature replica, and our visit yielded no great impression on my part. I couldn’t wait to return to my room at the hotel.

“There’s a lot of glitz, but it barely covers what’s underneath,” I replied. “Alongside all the fancy hotels, I saw people lying on the street and drunks walking beside the tourists. It’s easy to get caught up in all the glamour, but it looks like there are a lot of less fortunate people living right alongside this, as well.” Carmen nodded her head in agreement. “You’re right,” she said. “That’s all true.”

*Marble statues greet patrons outside one of the Palace’s many restaurants inside the Casino.*

With rent prices close to $4,000/month for a 3-bedroom home, according to the Uber driver who escorted me to the airport, homelessness is on the rise in Sin City. There were 26,000 evictions in 2024, according to Eviction Lab, which adds to the number of persons living on the street. Crime has risen 20 percent over the past year, as a result.

“Welcome to fabulous Las Vegas,” a renter living near a homeless encampment said. “We are filled with trash, garbage and homeless people sleeping in the streets. We’re so fabulous.”

While there’s no doubt that the casinos, shows, and spectacle of this town are a continual draw to many – one of my executives even boasted that he’d visited 30 times over the years – I saw only emptiness, fleeting fun, and shallow attempts at finding pleasure that can never satisfy.

*Elaborate statues and pillars frame the many pools that fill the inner courtyard at Caesars Palace, Las Vegas.*

“Those people need prayer,” I told David, as we prayed for them over lunch when I returned. “That entire city – those that live there and those that visit – all of them need Jesus.”

Just as Caesars Palace boasted no Caesar, so the promise of happiness to those seeking it through worldly means is false and shallow.

An empty palace can never compare to the joy of our salvation, just as a winning slot machine is incomparable to the riches awaiting believers in heaven. Just as there is no Caesar in the Palace, there can be no joy without a Savior. Anything else is just a fake, temporary version of the real deal. I pray that all those who are seeking will find Him– in Las Vegas and beyond.

Cut the head off the snake

By Sara | August 3, 2025

But I am afraid that just as Eve was deceived by the serpent’s cunning, your minds may somehow be led astray from your sincere and pure devotion to Christ. (2 Corinthians 11:3)

I spend much time on my knees, whether praying or pulling weeds. While I don’t always do these two things together, my Heavenly Father and I continually communicate. I feel incredibly close to Him when I’m basking in His creation.

I’ve been gardening for as long as I can remember. I vividly recall pulling onions and beans from our vegetable bed when I was 7, living in Nebraska. When we moved to Maryland, 6 years later, I took pride in the vegetables I helped plant and tend in our family garden, and was delighted to assist my grandfather as he harvested beans, corn, kale, squash, and tomatoes in his gardens. I’ve plotted, planned, weeded, cultivated, and tended gardens my whole life. There’s nothing quite as satisfying as home-grown vegetables.

Landscaping, too, is one of my favorite pastimes. Taking a blank canvas and creating colorful plant paintings has always brought me extensive joy.

*Our front yard landscaping is surrounded by David’s painted timbers.*

Our Georgia yard has 13 plant beds. All but 2 have flowers, and all need to be weeded, mulched, and cared for in their own special way. As with every home I’ve ever lived in, the previous owners had no flowers and only used pine straw. I prefer using wood mulch for its aesthetic appeal.

*Canna lilies, lantana, ornamental grass and concrete statues cover our septic tank.*

When I first moved here, I ordered 12 cubic yards of mulch delivered to my house. The dump truck dropped it into my front driveway. It took well over a month to scoop the mulch into a wheelbarrow and tote it around my yard to the beds I’d weeded, covered with landscape fabric, and planted flowers in – both in front and behind my house. This year, David and I added a new vegetable bed to a sunnier part of my yard. He also cut, painted, and installed landscape timbers around everything, replacing my plastic edging and making everything look classier.

*Flowers and vegetables line the back fence while blueberry bushes accompany a bird bath and wind chimes in our yard.*

It’s taken 3 years and most of this summer to reach the point where my vision for the space is nearly realized. I still need to weed more and add flowers to one last bed, but everything looks beautiful. I was happy to hear David say our yard is like a park.

*Colorful zinnias draw beautiful butterflies to our garden.*

I see God’s fingerprints on all the brightly colored flowers, butterflies, and birds that visit our yard and marvel at the beauty of His creation. The hundreds of hours of sweat equity I put into the space are nothing compared to the joy that fills my soul as I look out at all the colors and life in our property.

*Our 8-foot-tall tomato plants sit adjacent to our zinnia bed.*

Six weeks ago, something surprised me in our yard that forever changed the way I work in it. I follow a precise path when watering our backyard, strategically moving the hose around to bring me back to the hose reel where I began. It was when I doubled back to water one of our new beds that something caught my eye.

*Snake in our yard*, *coiled under a blueberry bush.*

To prevent the birds from stealing our blueberries, David created a wooden frame with bird netting that covered our plants from tip to ground. While watering the vegetable bed behind one of the bushes, I noticed a coiled snake beneath it. I had just walked within feet of this plant as I watered several beds around it, never seeing the reptile.

“David,” I calmly called, “Come see this. It does not look good.”

I had warned David about the snakes in our area. There is a wet weather canal behind our home, and I’ve seen black snakes, racers, garters, and even a 3.5-foot-long corn snake in my garden. David rescued a toad from the mouth of a small garter snake – not once but twice in recent months.

“Snakes are good,” he said at the time.

“Some snakes are, but there’s a reason why the devil took the form of a serpent,” I remember telling him. “I don’t mind the good snakes, but I’ve heard from neighbors and even the former owner that there are bad snakes here, too. Georgia is famous for its rattlesnake roundup. I know neighbors who’ve seen copperheads and rattlers around here, too.”

*This colorful corn snake who visited our yard looks menacing but is non-venomous.*

After seeing this snake, David immediately knew that this one wasn’t the good kind. “He has a diamond-shaped head,” David observed. “I’ll take care of it.”

While David searched our shed for the proper tool to use as a weapon, I stood back and opened my Seek app on my cell phone, wondering if the application I used to classify plants might also identify snakes.

It did.

“David,” I exclaimed, “That’s a water moccasin. It’s venomous. Please be careful!”

As I stood back to watch, I began praying in earnest. “Please, Lord, protect him. Please keep David safe!”

While we weren’t sure if the netting that covered our plant would prevent the snake from striking, thankfully, it did. Two blows later, following David’s apology to the reptile for having to kill it, he picked the dead creature up and tossed it into the canal.

“You had to do that, David,” I assured him. “Thank God you were here to do so. I couldn’t have done what you did. It’s a miracle that it didn’t strike while I was watering around it. I was within a foot of where it sat and never saw it until I came back. It could have bit you, me, or one of the dogs at any time.”

*David holds up the decapitated water moccasin before tossing it into the canal behind our home.*

“I know,” David replied. “I still didn’t like doing it.”

David and I were a bit nervous walking in the yard for quite a while after that encounter. “I’ve knelt all around this yard,” I told David. “Thank God the snake was under the netting today. Who knows what could have happened if he’d been anywhere else?”

While I was grateful that nothing happened to any of us with this dangerous creature lurking in our yard, it later struck me how Satan’s plans for us are so like those of that reptile. He’s always lurking around, waiting for just the right time to strike at us with his arsenal of fear, anxiety, stress, depression, anger, greed, and jealousy. We often don’t see him. He is a master of disguise and knows precisely how to manipulate us. Paul reminds us in 2 Corinthians 11:14 that “Satan himself masquerades as an angel of light.”

Many people no longer believe in the Devil – or they think of him as a caricature, with horns and a pitchfork, sitting on our shoulders, whispering silly thoughts into our heads that we can brush off with a simple flick of our hands. According to a 2023 Gallup poll, only 58 percent believe such a thing as the Devil exists. Only 1 percent more believe in a literal hell.

*https://www.baptistpress.com/resource-library/news/gallup-belief-in-god-satan-angels-heaven-hell-at-23-year-low/*

*The logo for the Satanic Temple’s Afterschool Satan Club. | Screenshot/Satanic Temple*

Believe it or not, there are now “After School Satan Clubs” in public classrooms across our nation. While these groups were created by The Satanic Temple (ST), an organization recognized by the IRS as both a religion and a church, the organization insists that they don’t “worship Satan.” According to Lucien Greaves, the temple’s co-founder, the organization believes “the concept of Satan to be a ‘mythological framework’ that encourages people to question authority and follow ‘the best available evidence.” The group has gone so far as to use a cartoonish depiction of Satan as their club symbol to portray the Devil as a silly creature.

The group claims they will “only teach Satan as a ‘literary figure’ and that it ‘does not attempt to convert children to any religious ideology’ but ‘supports children to think for themselves.'” They hope to entice young people to join their clubs by offering “science projects, community service projects, puzzles and games, nature activities, arts and crafts, and snacks.” I think they protest too much, which makes these groups all the more suspicious. If they don’t believe in Satan, why use his name in their organization at all?

*https://www.khou.com/article/news/local/after-school-satan-club-mscs-elementary-school-memphis/522-6c7e1232-8f7a-424c-8b2d-5a5250a20295*

If these clubs are so innocent, why did this self-proclaimed altruistic group pay $100,000 for an 8,000-pound, 9-foot-tall statue of Baphomet – a winged, goat-headed creature frequently utilized as a symbol of Satanism – to represent their temple? And why does this statue prominently feature two children staring up at the face of this creature if the ST agenda has nothing to do with luring innocents to the face of evil? And why is the statue housed in their so-called “conversion room” in Salem, Massachusetts, if it has nothing to do with seeking converts? And yet, the group would have no one question the purpose of their after-school clubs.

Despite these claims of neutrality, kindness, and fun, 1 Peter 5:8 tells us to “Be alert and of sober mind. Your enemy, the Devil, prowls around like a roaring lion looking for someone to devour.” We must stay vigilant, alert, and prayerful – connected to God’s Word and strengthened by his power if we hope to resist the Devil’s snares.

Ephesians 6:10 tells us we must “Be strong in the Lord and in His mighty power.” James 4:7 reminds us to “Submit yourselves, then, to God. Resist the Devil, and he will flee from you.”

Whether it’s a snake in the grass or the Devil on the prowl, we can’t allow such things ever to gain a foothold in our lives. We must remain vigilant, alert, and connected to God’s Word. Only then can we successfully cut off the head of the snake and retain our victory in Christ.

Pray continuously and expect miracles

By Sara | July 20, 2025

Rejoice always, pray continually, give thanks in all circumstances; for this is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus. (1 Thessalonians 5: 16-18)

My mom and brother, Joe, arrived in GA a month ago for their tri-monthly visit, and I can honestly say they did so on the wings of a prayer – many fervent prayers, in fact. God never ceases to amaze me.

On their travel day, thunderstorms were threatening to delay their Denver departure. Would that it had been so. The whole day would have been much less dramatic if that were the case. Fortunately, God wanted to use their trip to demonstrate His power over our circumstances – and our ability to trust and pray.

Their adventure began when they missed the first of their two train rides to the airport by only a few minutes. Their regular travel day routine is for Joe to drop Mom off at the RTD railway station – approximately a mile from their house – return the car home, and jog back to catch the train. This time, his return came just a few minutes too late, causing a 30-minute delay in their trip.

Their connection is tight, usually allowing only a few minutes for the pair to leave the train and rush to another track to catch the airport run. This time, the connection didn’t come. When I called to ensure they were on their final train, my brother told me the trains had stopped running. “I don’t know why,” he reported.

“Maybe it’s the weather,” I replied.

“I don’t know,” Joe said. “It’s clear now. I’m afraid we’re going to miss our flight.”

“You still have plenty of time,” I affirmed. “Hang in there.”

Fifteen minutes later, my brother texted me, saying, “They’re sending buses.”

“A gift from God,” I said. “All will be well!”

My brother texted me twenty minutes later to report they were on the bus, but it wasn’t leaving for another 20 minutes.

“Does it go straight to the airport like the train does?” I asked.

“I don’t know,” my brother replied.

“Ask the driver. He’ll tell you,” I suggested.

A few minutes later, my brother texted to tell me there would be two stops on the journey.

“I understand,” I responded. “I’m praying for you both!”

“The stops are taking too long,” came the following text approximately 10 minutes later.

Checking my watch, I knew the delays had consumed all the extra travel time my brother allowed for their transportation.

“Go to the check-in counter as soon as you arrive,” I offered. “Do that before you ask for the wheelchair for mom. They’ll need to know that you’re there as soon as you arrive. Maybe the agents can help you get through security and drive you and mom to the gate. That happened to David and I once. I’m praying hard for both of you!”

Rechecking the time, I realized that their flight would be boarding in 30 minutes – and they weren’t even at the airport. Things weren’t looking promising for their trip.

I was working in my mom’s yard while all this was happening. A neighbor had consented to my digging up canna lilies from the canal beside his home to replant above my mom’s septic tank. I meant this to be a surprise for my mom when she arrived. With my long work hours and all the other yard projects I’d undertaken in my yard, I was rushing to finish this project before her arrival.

*Canna lily bed I extracted plants from for my mom’s yard.*

Despite my rush to get the plants in, I felt compelled to stop working and pray. Nothing could be more important than that.

And so, I dropped to my knees in my mom’s yard, put my face to the ground, and prayed, beseeching God to keep my mom and brother safe and bring them to me. Repeatedly, I kept saying, “Keep them safe, Lord. Open the gate. Keep them safe and open the gate. You parted the Red Sea. I know You can open the gate. Your will be done. Strengthen their testimony.”

I continued like this, praying for God to open the gate until the time came and went when I knew their boarding window had ended. With no word from my brother, I changed my prayers from pleas to acceptance.

It was then that I remembered how King David had begged God to save the first child born to him with Bathsheba – even though the prophet Nathan had told him his son would die. He prayed, clothed himself in sackcloth, and fasted for days, refusing to eat while petitioning his heavenly Father to save his son.

2 Samuel tells us the rest of the story:

¹⁸ On the seventh day, the child died. David’s attendants were afraid to tell him that the child was dead, for they thought, “While the child was still living, he wouldn’t listen to us when we spoke to him. How can we now tell him the child is dead? He may do something desperate.”
¹⁹David noticed that his attendants were whispering among themselves, and he realized the child was dead. “Is the child dead?” he asked.
“Yes,” they replied, “he is dead.”
²⁰Then David got up from the ground. After he had washed, put on lotions and changed his clothes, he went into the house of the Lord and worshiped. Then he went to his own house, and at his request they served him food, and he ate.
²¹His attendants asked him, “Why are you acting this way? While the child was alive, you fasted and wept, but now that the child is dead, you get up and eat!”
²²He answered, “While the child was still alive, I fasted and wept. I thought, ‘Who knows? The Lord may be gracious to me and let the child live.’ ²³But now that he is dead, why should I go on fasting? Can I bring him back again? I will go to him, but he will not return to me.”
2 Samuel 12:18-22

I felt much the same. I prayed. I had pleaded with God for help. The only thing left to do was accept the outcome.

It was then that I called my brother again, intending to make a plan about how they’d arrive the next day.

When my brother picked up, I was stunned to hear him say, “We’re on the plane.”

“What?” I questioned. “How on earth did that happen?”

“The pilot was late, too,” came the reply. “They let us on with him. We’re seated in the front of the plane.”

I laughed and cried at this miraculous news, saying, “Yay, God! The same thing happened to me once, but I never thought it would happen again. That’s fantastic! I’ve been praying hard for hours, but when I didn’t hear anything, I surrendered and said, ‘Okay, God. It’s all up to You.’ Hearing that He opened the gates, just as I was praying, is miraculous. Yay, God!”

*My mom and brother standing outside our GA church fellowship hall* *during their recent visit.*

Surrender is a miraculous thing. Our lives are seldom under our control. How quickly we forget God’s power – until He demonstrates it.

Only when we give everything to God will we see His miracles. Whether opening the closed gates in an airport, providing a new job, or allowing our soulmates to find us in a disaster zone, nothing is impossible with Christ. He keeps proving that to me, over and over again. I love how He constantly shows up and gives me more than I could have imagined. What a God we serve!

And so, my repeated refrain will always be, Pray continually and expect miracles. There’s nothing as magnificent as divine intervention.

Birthday blessings of restoration

By Sara | June 3, 2025

“I will repay you for the years the locusts have eaten—the great locust and the young locust, the other locusts and the locust swarm—my great army that I sent among you. You will have plenty to eat, until you are full, and you will praise the name of the Lord your God, who has worked wonders for you; never again will my people be shamed.” (Joel 2: 25-26)

June 1st was David’s birthday. His age doesn’t matter, but celebrating the day he came into the world does. Without such an event, my world would be dramatically different. While the peripherals that fill my day would be the same – serving my Savior, working hard at my day job, and tending our yard and gardens every weekend – my existence would be less complete without David.

Every day, I wake up and go to sleep, nestling in the arms of someone who loves me. While remotely connected to my workplace, I’m also watching my husband working in the yard, building new things to enhance our lives, and napping on the couch whenever he wants to. I love that “tinkering around” has become David’s new hobby in his recently retired world. I love that I can get and give kisses and hugs whenever I want them. I am grateful to have a partner who helps me care for, feed, and love our growing fur-baby family.

*The beautiful new deck David built inside formerly unused space beside our screen porch* *greatly enhances our yard.*

Most importantly, I cherish the fact that I have a husband who daily reads God’s Word with me, sits beside me in the church pew on Sunday, and prays with me before every meal – with our heads touching, arms around each other in praise, glory, and petition to our Heavenly Father. There is nothing like having a Godly husband who understands my awe, reverence, and respect for my Creator. Nothing.

I still marvel at how my Heavenly Father brought two strangers together while we were serving Him in a town decimated by a natural disaster. Only God could have joined our two hearts so quickly after meeting. Only Christ could have pre-ordained our connection – despite separate lifetimes of loneliness, disappointment, and rejection. Only the Holy Spirit could have touched our hearts to open, blossom, and embrace one another on such a deep level of kinship and commitment. Our relationship, love, and lives can only be as entwined as they are because our Creator continually contains us with His loving hand of protection, provision, and power. It’s all beyond measure.

*The new BBQ Tool Set David received for his birthday brought a boyish grin to his face.*

What a joy it was to see David’s face filled with love after every call he received from his friends and family on his birthday.

“I have everything,” he told my mom on our call. My heart swelled with elation at seeing that statement’s truth permeating David’s glowing countenance.

“What I love about you today,” I told David, repeating our affirmation ritual, “is that I know I will always have you in my life – for all eternity. There is peace in affirming how God brought us together and that we will never be apart. We’re together now for all eternity.”

That’s quite a statement, considering that David and I spent three-quarters of our lives searching for each other. I had long ago given up believing that such a love – built on respect and adoration of our Savior – could even exist. We both resigned ourselves to serve Christ and find peace and joy there. While worshipping Him, our Heavenly Father said, “Wait until you see this! Look at the miracle I’m giving you!”

“I feel like a kid in a candy store,” David said as he reached out to me when we walked the dogs later in the evening. “I can’t stop smiling!”

“That’s just what you said to me in the early days of our friendship,” I reminisced. “Do you remember? You said, ‘We’ll be kids again, together.'”

“Of course I do,” David said while showing me the boyish grin that consistently melts my heart.

*It’s hard to tell who’s happier in this photo – David or our fur babies – Blondie (front) and Brownie (back).*

What a miracle our love is. Whatever we lost in our time before meeting seems like a distant memory now – from a lifetime ago, God not only restored what we lost, He blessed us beyond imagination with a love that neither David nor I could ever fathom.

Like the Israelites long ago, God has repaid us “for the years the locusts have eaten.” (Joel 2:25). Fickle as the Israelites were by following foreign gods after entering the Promised Land, God’s anger at His chosen people was eventually satiated. He heard the cries of His people, forgave them, and brought them back to His side once more.

As the preceding words of Joel tell us in verses 22-24: “God took pity on His people and returned to them what they lost in their time of punishment. ‘Do not be afraid, land of Judah; be glad and rejoice. Surely the Lord has done great things! Do not be afraid, you wild animals, for the pastures in the wilderness are becoming green. The trees are bearing their fruit; the fig tree and the vine yield their riches. Be glad, people of Zion, rejoice in the Lord your God, for He has given you the autumn rains because He is faithful. He sends you abundant showers, both autumn and spring rains, as before. The threshing floors will be filled with grain; the vats will overflow with new wine and oil.”

That’s precisely how it is with David and I. While we wandered in search of God, calling out for grace and forgiveness, He returned everything we’ve lost over the years – and then some. Our cups are overflowing with His goodness. Our storehouses are full of His grain.

As David’s birthday ended, I couldn’t help but praise my Savior for my husband’s special day, when the man God knew David would become was born. It may have taken years of wandering in a parched and thirsty land to find one another, but we are drinking in abundant praise to our Lord and Savior now – with supreme gratitude.

*God gave us this beautiful love gift – written on the sky during one of evening dog walks.*

There is no greater gift than God’s love upon our unworthy souls. Our lives have been restored beyond measure on David’s birthday and beyond. Thanks be to God for His unspeakable gift.

Appreciation is my special sauce

By Sara | May 26, 2025

Beloved, let us love one another, for love is from God, and whoever loves has been born of God and knows God. (1 John 4:7)

This past week, I began supporting a new executive who experienced trouble with his technological footprint from day one. Our IT department created an email account and calendar for him under his formal name a few days before his start date that didn’t match the auto-generated account and calendar that used his nickname. While this might not seem like a big deal, many in my company began emailing and sending meeting invitations to his abridged name profile, which he didn’t have access to and would never receive. I spent most of his second day correcting the problem with our travel team, various administrators, and the IT department. By noon on the second day, I contacted my favorite support technician for help.

“I need your super-hero powers,” I told him. “I know you’ll be able to help me where others haven’t.”

Graciously, he agreed to drop all his other duties to assist me. “Sara,” he said, “I’m always going to help you whenever you call on me. It doesn’t matter what else I’m doing. I will always help you, no matter what.”

What made this statement so special was the motivation behind it. Gratitude. I consistently express genuine appreciation in a way that shocks others. While I’m continually stunned by that reality, it has become my norm. Having an attitude of gratitude is the exception in today’s world. Staying positive while surrounded by naysayers and grumblers is normal to me. To others, it is not.

A few months ago, I reposted a photo on LinkedIn to a sign that read, “A person who feels appreciated will always do more than expected.” Above the image, I added my sentiments: “Appreciation is my special sauce. I pour it over everything! It doesn’t cost a thing and always, always, always makes everything and everyone better! Thanksgiving isn’t a holiday. It’s a daily habit! Make it yours today!!”

To my surprise and amazement, a former technology specialist I worked with previously replied to my post with the following message: “I have a note you wrote to me on my fridge, serving as a reminder that there are caring people like you in the world.”

I last worked with this person more than 7 years ago. I don’t even remember when we connected on LinkedIn. And yet, there he was, telling me that he still had my note of appreciation I gave him on his refrigerator. I was blown away.

Years later, I heard the same thing from this latest technician I’d reached out to help. After telling me that he was dealing with a challenging situation at work with little gratitude and aggressive micromanagement, I spent the next few minutes reminding him how important he is – to me and the company.

“Your words mean SO much more than you know,” he later wrote me. “Also helped me with a tough decision I was facing the past couple days.”

“I promise you that your worth is immeasurable,” I replied. “You may not hear that from everyone – not even from those that you need to hear it from the most – but that doesn’t make it any less real. You are irreplaceable and incomparable. Never forget that.”

Those words come from my heart. While I didn’t feel valuable to anyone on earth before meeting David, I knew my Savior loved me. That thought got me through countless trials that could have easily broken me. I serve an awesome God and have always known how much He loves me.

As a follower of Christ, it’s up to me to be His hands and feet on earth. I may not be able to serve Him in a formal religious setting, but I can still serve my Creator by treating people with love – whether they are coworkers, family members, or total strangers. I want people to see Christ in me – in my compassion, kindness, and appreciation. After all, demonstrating gratitude is just another way to show love – and isn’t that what we Christians are consistently called to do? We are to love others as Christ first loved us.

Maya Angelou once said, “People will forget what you said, people will forget what you did, but people will never forget how you made them feel.”

Jesus Christ took that to a different level. John 13:34 reminds us, “A new commandment I give to you, that you love one another: just as I have loved you, you also are to love one another.”

Let love and appreciation fill your every day. You may never know what a difference your love and Christ’s can make in the lives of others, but that doesn’t matter. God does, and He told us to sow love everywhere. May it flow out of every pore in my body and into the lives of others every day God gives me on earth.

Maintaining a healthy heart

By Sara | May 19, 2025

A cheerful heart is good medicine, but a crushed spirit dries up the bones. (Proverbs 17:22)

Life with Blondie and Brownie, our new dogs, has already been a fantastic journey. From the moment they arrived, our lives drastically altered. We wake earlier, exercise more, and have learned to adapt to prevent the steady slew of chewed reading glasses, chair edges, and ripped dog beds that the two formerly greeted us with each morning. As frustrating as damaged property may be, our fur babies bring us joy and laughter daily. We wouldn’t exchange that for anything.

While the pair began their heartworm treatment on the first day they were rescued in Puerto Rico, their oral pills were nothing compared to the shots they’ll receive over the next month. Our vet administered the first of their three-shot regimen this past week.

*Our fur babies waited patiently at the vet’s office following their* *first heartworm shots.*

Per the American Heartworm Society (AHS), melarsomine is the only approved adulticide that can successfully treat and eliminate the disease. That being said, “melarsomine is [also] an arsenical with potentially serious side effects.” In addition to the crucial importance of injecting this drug into a precise location in a critical manner to avoid any medical issues, the cure can be as frightening as the foot-long worms that are currently living inside our fur babies.

*Blondie and Brownie will be sporting the same shaved spots over their epaxial (lumbar) muscles over the next few months, during treatment.*

Essentially, our vet has administered a form of arsenic to our dogs to kill their parasites. As awful as that sounds, it’s equally terrifying to consider that these dead or dying worms will pervade our dogs’ bloodstreams over the next two months before they’re slowly absorbed into their systems. In short, these foreign bodies could act as embolisms, causing catastrophic damage. We must keep our fur babies calm and limit physical activity to keep their blood pressure down to prevent the same. Easier said than done.

*A sleepy Blondie relaxed on his bed after consuming his first calming chew.*

Rather than crate them over the next few months, we’re utilizing a combination of prescriptive Trazodone in the mornings and calming chews with chamomile and melatonin before bed. So far, so good.

*Brownie was much calmer after consuming his first dose of Trazodone.*

As we walk through this process, I can’t help but think about Proverbs 4:23, which reminds us, “Above all else, guard your heart, for everything you do flows from it.” Christians must protect our hearts, minds, and bodies from anything that can distract, pervade, and lead us away from Christ – no easy task while living in a culture permeated with materialism, idolatry, and sensuality. While society may say, “if it feels good, do it,” Christians must be mindful that “if Christ wouldn’t do it, neither should I.”

Developing this mindset requires strict adherence to Biblical values, a disciplined schedule of scripture reading, selective viewing of media options, and a discerning selection of friends. I’ve always been particularly mindful of who I hung out with. I never needed a slew of friends and always lived by the idea that having a single friend I could trust and count on was all I ever needed. I still believe that to be true.

As Solomon said in Proverbs 12:26, “The righteous choose their friends carefully, but the way of the wicked leads them astray.” The same can be said of those we choose to date or marry. Earlier in life, I trusted too much and leaned more on my emotions than the sound Biblical wisdom I should have listened to. I thought I could “change” my exes and bring them to God. I now know that God is the only one who can change anyone, and only if they want to change.

I’m blessed to have a Godly husband as my faithful partner, confidant, and best friend. David shares my values and strives to grow in His love of Christ. It’s God’s love that intertwines our hearts. He is the cord that ties us together and protects us.

I’m struck by how vital healthy hearts are to the well-being of all living creatures. While Blondie and Brownie developed their heartworms through the transmission of infected mosquitoes, our hearts can easily become diseased and infected by the company we keep, the thoughts we allow entry into our minds, and the things that occupy our time.

While our dogs had no one to give them preventives to keep them safe from the parasites, we each have a choice as to what measures we’ll take to protect our hearts from going astray. Choosing Christ is the best defensive measure one could ever take to prevent heart disease.

In the case of Blondie and Brownie, they will never be without their monthly heartworm pills.

As a Christian, I will stay true to my daily regimen of prayer and praise to stay rooted in Christ and focused on His wisdom. After all, “the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard [my] heart and [my] mind in Christ Jesus.” (Philippians 4:7)

May it be so for all of us.

Category: Encouragement