#GodsMiracles;

Hallelujah Day

By Sara | January 22, 2025 | Comments 6 comments

“The Lord reached down from on high and took hold of me; He drew me out of deep waters. He rescued me from my powerful enemy, from my foes, who were too strong for me. They confronted me in the day of my disaster, but the Lord was my support. He brought me out into a spacious place; He rescued me because He delighted in me.” (Psalm 18:16-19)

In my last post,Journey Out of Nineveh, I detailed my decision to quit my job and trust God with whatever came next. One day after making that decision, David received an offer on the house we’d spent nearly two years renovating. While we eventually turned down the initial offer, we accepted another full-priced bid one week after putting a “For Sale by Owner” sign in the yard. God provided me with a safety net after I followed His direction to end my employment with an organization that I knew was facilitating anti-Godly practices. His provision astounded me and surpassed my expectations. What came next proved even more incredible than David’s house sale.

After spending two weeks in Marshall, NC, to support my former role in person, I knew something had to give. Halfway through the 96 hours I put in during my first week on site, I checked my inbox before collapsing into bed that evening. In my mail was a LinkedIn message advising me of jobs the app presumed I might be interested in. I knew I didn’t have an active job search running, yet a mailing with prospective positions was waiting for me in my mailbox, just the same.

When I opened the message, I was shocked that one of the first recommended roles was for an executive assistant position at the company I’d just left less than two months before. Could this ad be for my old job? Where did this mailing come from?

I shared the news with David the following day as he prepared to drive to Marshall so we could serve with Samaritan’s Purse in Asheville the next day. The upcoming activity helped me get through the week. Knowing that David would be with me soon kept me energized. I was equally overjoyed at the prospect of showing God’s love to hurting North Carolinians whose homes had been damaged by Hurricane Helene.

“I’m thinking of reaching out to my old boss to ask him about this job listing,” I told David.

“Go for it, love!” David replied. “You need to get out of there.”

And so, I did.

After a night of waiting for a response from my former boss, I wrote to him again the following day as David and I drove to the Billy Graham Headquarters to begin our day’s activities. This time, I wasn’t so subtle. My text advised my previous manager – a friend and fellow believer – that I wanted to return to the company. I also inquired about the open position I’d seen online. I knew the time for subtlety was over. He immediately responded.

*David and I felt privileged to visit The Cove at the Billy Graham Training Center in Asheville, NC, before our days serving with Samaritan’s Purse.*

Unfortunately, he said the position was not to support him, so he advised me to apply through standard channels. While I attempted to do so that evening, the posting had already been taken down online.

After sending out a few more inquiries with former colleagues, I learned the open role would support a higher executive than I did previously. Compelled to continue, I created a cover letter, updated my resume, and sent everything directly to the executive seeking a new assistant. In my mailing, I advised him that while the job posting had disappeared, I remained wholeheartedly interested and would consider myself incredibly privileged to support him.

A day later, the recruiter conducting this job search advised me that the position was a hybrid role, not remote and that I needed to live in Ohio to be considered. I asked if an exception could be made and was told it couldn’t. I thanked her and asked her to keep me in mind if anything changed.

My friends and former executives told me not to give up. I assured them I wouldn’t – and began earnestly praying for God to make His plans known. No matter what, I wouldn’t stop seeking His will. As I always do when requesting my Heavenly Father’s guidance, I ask Him to open or shut the door completely. Amid my prayers, I gathered hope when the executive I’d written to replied to me, himself, and said he’d be in touch. Still, I surrendered anew and committed to waiting for God’s direction.

The week before Christmas, just a day after submitting my two-week notice of resignation and three days after God blessed us with David’s original house offer, the same recruiter that told me the position required me to live in Cleveland, wrote me again, revising her statement to say that the position was now open to being remote. She ended by saying that she wanted to speak to me. I immediately called her.

A half-hour later, I was scheduled for a virtual interview with the executive in question – just two days before Christmas. I couldn’t have been more excited – nor could I have thanked God more for this complete change in circumstance that His hand had provided.

The morning of my interview, I reached out to one of my current colleagues – a young lady whose father is a Samaritan’s Purse chaplain. Throughout the past months, I had struggled with her presumed wholehearted acceptance of the New Age concepts I’d so viscerally rejected as a Christian. I had recently notified her and my other team members of my impending departure and wanted her, in particular, to know why I was leaving. I was also hoping to understand better why she’d so wholly embraced the non-Christian principles I knew her evangelical father rejected.

While my friend respectfully listened as I shared my concerns about the New Age practices she was embracing, she remained unfazed at my revelations – including those about her company’s partnership with the reincarnationists at the Researchers of Truth I detailed in my blog – The Lost World of New Age Religion. I encouraged her to call me back to discuss her faith. She never did.

As I hung up, I told David how disheartened I was, saying, “I gave her every opportunity to affirm our shared faith. She never did.”

“You did all you could, love,” David said. “She heard your heart. The rest is up to her.”

Realizing how close I was to my interview time, I began to panic. I’d not prepared much for this important interview, and my eyes were a puffy mess from crying. “If I get this job, it’s because of God,” I told David. “I’m just giving it all to Him.”

“You’ve got this,” David said. “He’s going to love you!”

Forty-five minutes later, I was all smiles. “Our time ran over and he never rushed,” I told David. “I feel good about everything – but it’s all up to God.” I had no idea what would happen next.

Every Christmas Day, I send all my friends digital messages of God’s love. This year, I felt led to do the same with the executive I’d soon be leaving, even though I know she’s an atheist. After praying with David and asking God to bless my words and open my boss’s heart, I sent her a link to Matthew West’s song, “Because of Bethlehem.” My accompanying text read, “This is why I am blessed. This is the love that exists in every fiber of my body. I am who I am because of Bethlehem.”

I had no idea how she’d respond, but I followed the Holy Spirit’s prompting to send the message. This beautiful song contains the gospel message wrapped up in a four-and-a-half-minute video, and I knew she needed to hear it. I prayed with David before sending the video – asking God to open her heart to His love. A half-hour later, I received her two-word response: “So beautiful.”

While I didn’t expect much, knowing that she’d watched the video made me happy – and I told her so. Through my tears, I thanked her for listening while affirming my love for her. I hope that she will see my love as the living embodiment of God’s.

My new prayer is that my former boss’s eyes will be opened, and she will know Christ’s love, herself, one day. I can only hope that my words, actions, and prayers will long be remembered now that I’m gone. My earnest belief is that they will think about my testimony in the days to come and wonder about the person who was the first to quit their company and their culture – or so my former boss told me. I hope they heard my reasons for doing so and will never forget my unflinching faith.

*David’s beautiful hand-built barn/shed behind his VA Beach house stands as a testament to his amazing skills.*

On January 2nd, 2025, our move-out day had finally arrived. David and I picked up a 26-foot U-Haul truck that morning and began loading it in the frigid wind, thanking God anew for bringing us to this incredible day I’d often wondered if we’d ever see.

*“Loading Day” began with our initial load of David’s piano onto the 26′ U-Haul truck.*

My last day at my company was Tuesday, December 31st – and the missing weight from my shoulders was palpable. I can hardly express how freeing it was to let that job go and re-surrender everything to my Savior. January 2nd was “Loading Day.” David and I were excited to begin the next chapter of our lives in the new year – giving everything anew to our Heavenly Father.

*David’s Canadian canoe and a score of tools rapidly filled the space in our moving truck.*

When we sat down to lunch that day, I looked at my phone and realized I’d missed a text from the recruiter at my former job. “Call me when you can,” was all the message relayed.

“Call her now! And don’t go in the other room,” David exclaimed. “I want to be here when you call her back.”

David’s blue and grey house, built in 1962, used to be white and red before his painting, custom-built front deck, shutters, new roof, and timbered landscaping completely changed the look of the property.

“I will,” I responded, “but you must be quiet. They want someone professional in this role so there can’t be any noise in the background. Not even chewing,” I told David.

Less than a minute later, I pumped my fist in the air, and David yelled, “Hallelujah!”

We both laughed with joy. So much for professionalism, I thought, even as I, too, shared in the enthusiasm.

“I’m sorry,” I told the recruiter. “That was my husband, and we’re both just excited.”

She laughed and exclaimed, “That’s okay. Woo hoo!”

After hanging up, I stared at David in disbelief. “I just quit my job two days ago,” I said. “And now this? The recruiter didn’t even tell me what they’d pay me – saying she’ll let me know when my soon-to-be new boss returns from his Christmas vacation. He told her not to wait, and to begin onboarding me. What a God we serve!”

“Loading Day just turned into Hallelujah Day!” I declared to David as tears fell down my face. “Yay, God!”

“Yay, God,” David affirmed with tears in his eyes. “Look at what He has done!” After laughing, hugging, and rejoicing, I thought my face might explode from smiling.

That night, David and I sold his primary bedroom set after listing it on Facebook Marketplace. The buyer was a Panamanian Christian who brought friends from her church to help her load the bedroom set in her truck. She is a single mom and needed the set for a friend coming to visit her in a few weeks. I couldn’t help testifying to her, too – telling her how quickly we’d sold the house and how God had just given me a new job that day.

This beautiful space used to be a single-car garage before David converted it – floor to ceiling – to a bonus room with all new electrical outlets, a full walk-in closet, Pergo flooring, recessed lighting, and side-yard exit.

“Amen,” she said. “God is good!”

“We can never outgive our Heavenly Father,” I replied. “His grace is greater than any of us could ever imagine!” I rejoiced anew at how God had helped us sell David’s final furniture to another one of His children who needed it. My testimonies are overflowing, as is God’s mercy.

The next day, David and I spent the morning finishing our packing. While I commented that we might want to stay another day, David was ready to head to GA.

David’s fully renovated kitchen features granite counters, stainless steel appliances, custom-tiled backsplash, a ceramic-tiled floor, kitchen pass-through wall, and a hidden pocket door to separate it from the new bonus room.

After finishing our final cleaning, I was eager to start our 9-hour drive south. David stopped me. “We need to pray before we leave.”

As David and I stood in the living room of the home we were preparing to leave, we knew that our Heavenly Father had blessed us above and beyond anything we could have ever imagined. Through his tears, David thanked God for every step of the journey that had led him to surrender his life to His Savior.

David and I said our final prayer of thanks to God while standing in his renovated living room. His sculpted arch doorways and custom-built pass-through wall lead to the bedrooms and bath (left) and kitchen (middle back).

David spent the last forty-four years living in VA Beach – lonely and unsatisfied. It took his complete surrender to Christ for our Heavenly Father to bring us to that moment. None of this might have happened without God’s grace and unfathomable love. We might have missed all our current blessings had each of us not been willing to yield our will to our Creator.

*David and I raise our arms to shout “Yay, God” for the kazillionth time in celebration of his house sale and our completed project.*

Two hours later, while following David in the moving truck, I received a call from the recruiter with the payment offer she told me she wouldn’t have until the following week. I nearly drove off the road when she told me my new hourly wage.

The offer they were giving me was more than they had listed in the job description. It was more than I ever thought I’d ever make – even with annual bonuses over several years. The pay she detailed was more than I could fully contemplate. How did this happen? How could this be true? When the recruiter asked me if their offer was agreeable, I told her I was just happy to be back. “Anything above receiving this job is just icing on the cake,” I responded. “You just made my year!”

*As I drove down I-95 to GA in David’s SUV, I had to call David in the moving truck to share the news about God’s latest shower of blessings.*

After hanging up, I called David. “You won’t believe it,” I told him. “The recruiter just called me with their offer. Whenever I feel that God has blessed me more than I deserve, He blesses me even more!” With absolute joy, I continued, “What a God we serve!”

And so, here I am, one week into my new job that God knew He’d give me when I left the company the first time. All I had to do was trust and obey – just as I did when I went to FL to serve Him in 2022. It was there after my initial act of surrender that He gave me the husband He created for me.

And now, He’s given me a job beyond anything I could have achieved alone. None of this would have happened had I not heeded God’s call to go to Nineveh and testify about my faith. Of that, I have no doubt. I would never have applied for this job had I stayed – and I don’t believe I would have received this pay outside of God’s provision. This type of blessing can only have come from my Savior.

I am more grateful than words can ever verbalize. Every time I surrender and say, “I give it all to you, Father,” He brings down blessings in such a way that I can never explain. Every time David and I pray, our litany of thanks is a mile-long.

No matter what happens, we know our Creator is at work. We trust Him with our lives and our entire existence. “And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose.” (Romans 8:28)

While January 2nd will always be known as my “Hallelujah Day,” I am continually blessed – every single day. God’s provision may not rain down on me with such magnitude as it did at the start of this year, but it’s always with me. Every day, I begin my prayers by thanking God for everything He’s given me: a comfortable home, a job, clothing, good health, food in the fridge, and an overflowing pantry. Healthy or sick, joyful or distressed, God is always with me – always taking care of me. Of that, I have no doubt.

*As the perfect ending to a glorious day, God painted the sky with his majesty as we drove home to GA.*

Most of all, I thank God for the love that surrounds me. I have the love of a God-given husband, and I have always had the same from my Heavenly Father. I know that both these loves existed before I was even born – before time began. No matter what I do or how I surrender my life to Him, I can never give back as much as I’ve received. Every day is Hallelujah Day to me.

Luke 6:38 reminds us to “Give, and it will be given to you. A good measure, pressed down, shaken together and running over, will be poured into your lap. For with the measure you use, it will be measured to you.” My life is living evidence of this truth. I pray that your life also embodies the same.

God’s mercy and grace surround all of us – in abundant seasons and in times of drought. He will never leave us or forsake us. If we only surrender all to Jesus, He will always give us back more than we could ever give.

https://youtu.be/Gf8qQLGZ3o8?si=Yw51ZyM57y_sKIjG ]

Journey Out of Nineveh

By Sara | January 13, 2025 | Comments 4 comments

Fight the good fight of the faith. Take hold of the eternal life to which you were called and about which you made the good confession in the presence of many witnesses. (1 Timothy 6:12)

So much has happened over the past few weeks that I can hardly put it all into words. I’m dividing my thoughts into multiple blogs to do justice to these life-changing events. This first post will begin where I left off – chronicling what happened following my decision to quit my job without a safety net.

As mentioned in The Darkness Will Not Overwhelm the Light, I lived out my missionary friend’s challenge to go to Nineveh – figuratively if not physically – and testified to everyone I could about my faith. While I will never know if my words and actions meant anything to anyone, I was far from through presenting my case to my team members.

Upon completing my business trip to London, I arrived home physically and mentally exhausted. Between an early morning flight, delayed departure, and an hour-long wait to get through Customs, I nearly missed my connection to Jacksonville, FL. While my suitcase was not so fortunate, I’m grateful to American Airline’s concierge service, which hand-delivered my bag to my home overnight – just in time for my next trek to VA Beach.

While I planned to return to help David finalize his renovations and place his house on the market, I soon learned that David had secretly finished everything while I was traveling. In fact, David had already put a “For Sale by Owner” sign in the yard and had a showing scheduled for the following afternoon – the very day I was driving back up to help him. After nearly two years of renovation work with considerable delays and unforeseen challenges, completion seemed incomprehensible to me.

And yet, David had done it all. Not only had he nearly single-handedly renovated his house – top to bottom – he was ready to begin showcasing his handiwork, hoping the right person might see it and purchase the property. Without any form of advertising or the use of any realty services, he scheduled someone to visit the property on his own – a staggering accomplishment, to say the least.

After a good night’s rest, I set out with our two kitties and began my northward travel. I was excited about seeing David again and eager to tell him my plans to trust God and quit my job. I felt peace and joy on that ride, knowing that my Heavenly Father controlled everything.

It was great to know that we were finally ending the renovation work. Since David and I met, he’s done nothing but renovate and restore homes. In Ft. Myers, he and I worked and lived in the house we gutted with Samaritan’s Purse – as detailed in my blog post: “Building an ark is never easy but always worth it.”

David then went on to restore and rebuild a second home in Ft. Myers – completing all but a few small projects. He would have finished it all were it not for another essential engagement he had to keep – getting married to me just five months after we met in a disaster zone while serving with Samaritan’s Purse (see Surrender – Samaritan’s Purse Deployment, Part 7).

When our Perfectly Loved saga culminated in our wedding, the renovation work of David’s house began in earnest. One year and nine months later, we were finally ending what we’d lived with as long as we’d been married – traveling between two states each month to renovate and sell his former house. It almost seemed too good to be true, yet here we were, standing on the precipice of something extraordinary.

Fifteen minutes after David’s house showing began, I called to ask if he was parked close to see how long the Realtor took with his prospects. “They were inside with me for 15 minutes,” David replied. “They’re out back now.”

“You’re there?” I asked incredulously. “I didn’t realize that. You’re showing the house yourself?”

“Yes,” David said. “I never intended for anyone to come in without me being here.” While I was still on the phone with him, the buyers returned to ask more questions.

After they left, David called to tell me that the buyers were builders themselves who were helping their friend buy his first home. “They loved it,” David said. “It was great to hear them appreciate all the quality work I’d put into the renovation. They could totally understand my vision.”

Hearing this news made me happy, as I knew no matter what, David had received validation of his skills with this visit. “I’m so proud of you, David!” I told him. “You are amazing! No matter what happens, I’m so glad you heard this affirmation of your incredible abilities from someone who could really appreciate all your hard work.”

After hanging up, I continued my drive, even more excited than ever to see David. I sang along with every praise song on my Pandora app – eagerly anticipating sharing my decision to quit my job with my husband. I knew this was just the start of good things to come.

Less than an hour later, David called me back on Facetime – while I was driving. “Are you ready?” he began.

“Oh, my gosh,” I replied. “Tell me! I’m ready!”

“We got a full price offer!” David exclaimed. “Full price! The Realtor just called me back. He’s writing everything up now.”

“Oh, my gosh!” I replied. “I’m so happy for you, love! You deserve this so much! But wow! You just put the sign up. This is absolutely incredible!”

“It is, love,” David replied. “We did this together. And you know what this means? Quit your job, love. We’re going to be okay. You need to quit your job.”

Hearing these words spoken out loud nearly undid me. As the tears poured down my face, I was speechless. David didn’t know I’d already decided to do just that.

“David,” I was finally able to say. “You just don’t know. God is so good! I hadn’t even told you this yet, but I spent my entire flight back from London writing my next blog. I made a decision yesterday morning to give everything to God and stop saying, ‘I trust God, but…’ I wanted to tell you in person that I was going to quit and give everything to Him. And now, less than a day later, you’ve sold the house? I can hardly believe what a God we serve! Look at what great things He has done!”

As David laughed, the two of us praised our Heavenly Father together. I told him a scriptural passage perfectly summarized how I felt. Ephesians 3: 20-21 says, “Now to Him who is able to do immeasurably more than all we ask or imagine, according to His power that is at work within us, to Him be glory in the church and in Christ Jesus throughout all generations, forever and ever! Amen.”

I reminded David that when we surrender – just as we both did when He gave us each other in FL – He gives us more than we can ever ask for and imagine. After hanging up, I called my brother, mom, and best friend to share the incredible news with all of them. We all laughed, cried, and praised God together – all while I was driving to see my husband after one of the longest journeys of my life.

Upon arriving in VA Beach, I could hardly get out of the car fast enough to throw my arms around my husband in celebration. God had given David affirmation of his talent and abilities and brought a buyer to our home just two days after putting a yard sign out – a nearly impossible feat in a challenging real estate market.

But nothing is impossible with Christ. That fact has been consistently affirmed throughout my lifetime.

And now, my exodus from Nineveh would continue in earnest – with a new testimony affirming my stance. What I’d prayed for and had countless others pray for with me over the entire three-month period I worked at my former job was coming to fruition. I was quitting for the first time in my lifetime without another job lined up. Nevertheless, I had complete peace in doing so.

Even without David’s house sale, I knew we would be okay. But, boy, oh boy, was I glad I had decided to leave and trust God without a safety net. It makes the results even more astonishing. I trusted God, and He immediately rained down His blessings on me and David in affirmation of my faith.

The next day, I was eager to quit, but it was not meant to be. My boss returned from London extremely sick, so I needed to postpone my resignation discussion until the next day. It was hard to contain myself then, but I did so, as I knew I needed to do this the right way – face-to-face over Zoom since we couldn’t meet in person. When I finally shared the news with her, she was shocked.

I started the conversation by repeating her words from a previous team meeting. “Yesterday, you mentioned that ‘intentionality around culture is so important.’ You told us that we need to ‘feel it, breathe it, live it.’”

As she sat up in her chair, eagerly anticipating me saying that I was wholly on board, I hit her with the opposite. “I can’t do that,” I said instead.

Her face immediately altered, and she sat back hard in her chair. “I’m sorry,” she replied. “What did you say? I’m not sure I heard you.”

“I can’t do that,” I repeated. “It’s been an honor to work for you and I have great respect for you, but this isn’t the job for me. If I may, I’d like to read you something I’ve prepared in explanation.”

After expressing her disappointment and with her hand on her heart, my boss invited me to proceed.

“This role requires someone to embrace your culture,” I began. “That culture stands in direct contrast to my faith. There is a difference between the religion of Christianity and someone who has a relationship with Jesus Christ. I have the latter. As an evangelical Christian, my life revolves around my relationship with Jesus Christ. He is my Lord and Savior. Jesus is the light of the world. He saved my soul, and His blood covers my sins. I don’t need anything more than Him.”

“I don’t need to meditate on myself to feel peace,” I continued. “My JOY comes from putting Jesus first, Others second, and then myself. What I’ve seen here is that finding Self through spiritual practices is what is fostered. That mindset stands in direct opposition to my beliefs.”

“My meditation focuses on following Christ with my whole life. Doing so means everything to me. My daily walk with my Heavenly Father is what I feel, breathe, and live. It’s what my life is built upon – and there is no compromise in that.”

“You need someone in this role who embraces your culture and wants this job to be their life. That can never be me. As I said when I accepted the role, I can’t worship anything other than God the Father, Jesus Christ His Son, and the Holy Spirit. I worship the Divine Creator – not what He created, including myself. Anything apart from that is blasphemous to me and hurts my spirit. I can’t ever support that mindset.”

With all that said, I gave my two-week notice and surrendered everything to God – again. I wasn’t sure what would follow, but what my Heavenly Father gave me was astounding. Both virtually and in writing, my boss told me she admired me for standing for my faith. “You have a beautiful heart, and I admire your commitment to listening to your own inner wisdom about what is the next best step for you,” she wrote in response to my official resignation letter.

At her request, I only notified a few others I worked with about my departure – which, blessedly, came during the holidays, so many of my team members were on vacation. No matter who I wrote, I was determined to keep shining my light and praising my Savior, who I knew would sustain me. I will save a few of the responses I received for a future post.

And now, I must return to my story regarding David’s house sale, as we eventually turned down our initial offer. The buyer wanted us to pay nearly $10,000 in his closing costs – which we didn’t feel David’s hard work warranted. Stepping out in faith, we again showed the house to two more prospects. The first wanted to rent it and said he’d crunch the numbers and get back to us. He never did.

The second showing occurred after a potential buyer stopped by with her grandchildren. We couldn’t let her in as I was on a work call during her first impromptu visit. She arranged to come back a few days later with her Realtor. Before leaving, she made another full-price offer – this time without a clause for us to pay a thing. The buyer gave us her earnest money before leaving in her car. After passing two home inspections with flying colors, we sold the house – again.

This time, the buyer and her Realtor were both Christians. This time, we all gave God the praise and glory before anyone even left the house. This time, we knew God ordained the sale – just one week after we put a “For Sale by Owner” sign in the yard – to a buyer who didn’t even live in the neighborhood, without a Realtor to help us or with any form of advertisement other than a yard sign.

This time, our Heavenly Father brought a Christian buyer who will bring her grandchildren and a continual line of foster pets into the home that David and I always prayed would be alive and joyful after we left. We could not be more grateful!

*David and I share a hug and smile while loading our U-Haul truck after selling his renovated VA Beach house.*

David’s house sale will finalize mid-January 2025, and the last day of my employment was December 31st. What follows will have to wait until my next post.

Suffice it to say that God is sufficient. As 2 Corinthians 9:8 tells us, “God is able to make all grace abound to you, so that having all sufficiency in all things at all times, you may abound in every good work.” God’s Word also says, “Consequently, He is able to save to the uttermost those who draw near to God through Him, since He always lives to make intercession for them.” (Hebrews 7:25)

I went to Nineveh and did what God asked me to do. I testified to His power and mercy before, during, and after I walked through the door of this pagan city and culture. I knew this would be a difficult journey – but God sustained me. Throughout all the tears, questioning, and prayers that I and others submitted on my behalf, I never doubted God would see me through it all. Still, the way that He did continues to astound me.

We can never outgive God – even if all we give is ourselves. Our Heavenly Father sacrificed His Son on the cross to save us from paying the cost of our sins. There can be no more extraordinary gift or significant demonstration of love than that. How could I ever keep my light – God’s light inside of me – undercover, sustaining anything other than what God asks me to?

The answer is I can’t, and I won’t. Hebrews 10:23 reminds us to “hold fast the confession of our hope without wavering, for He who promised is faithful.”

God’s faithfulness sustained me through my journey out of Nineveh. God’s mercy saved me from any further days of living in an oppressive environment. God’s love held me up when I was beaten down by the spiritual forces that were battling to silence my witness. And God’s power gave me the voice to sing His praise and testify to His all-sustaining grace.

I am unashamed to give my thanks, praise, and glory to God. How could I not? Look at the great things He has done!

Whoever has ears, let them hear.

By Sara | July 22, 2024

Whoever has ears, let them hear. (Matthew 13:9)

On Saturday, July 13th, the devil used a confused young man to carry out an act that forever changed our nation. As former President Donald J. Trump took the stage at a Butler, PA campaign rally, 20-year-old Thomas Matthew Crooks fired at him from the rooftop of a perimeter building less than 500 feet away. Crooks’ bullet was fired to kill. God’s hand was raised to save.

As Trump turned his head a nano-second before the bullet reached him, the deadly projectile cut through Trump’s right ear rather than his eye, ripping the flesh but sparing the life of a political leader that God isn’t done with yet. This split-second action led the former president to declare that “God alone” spared him – a testament that propelled energy nearly as powerful as the bullet itself.

Evangelical and political leaders across the globe echoed Trump’s statement, declaring God’s hand of sovereign protection over our nation’s former president.

Franklin Graham, CEO of Samaritan’s Purse and the Billy Graham Evangelistic Association, said, “I join with millions of Americans and people all around the world who are thanking God that former President Donald Trump is safe. It is obvious that God’s hand of protection was on him.”

Sen. Marco Rubio (R-FL) pronounced, “God protected Donald Trump.”

Tony Suarez, vice president of the National Hispanic Christian Leadership Conference, quoted the following scripture on the social media platform X shortly after the shooting: “He that dwelleth in the secret place of the Most High shall abide under the shadow of the Almighty. I will say of the LORD, He is my refuge and my fortress: My God; in Him will I trust.” (Psalm 91:1-2 KJV)

Sen. Tim Scott (R-SC) enthusiastically testified to his belief in divine intervention when he spoke at the Republican National Convention following the shooting. “If you didn’t believe in miracles before Saturday,” Scott said, “you better be believing right now!”

Not content to leave his praise there, Scott continued, “Thank God we live in a country that still believes in the King of Kings and Lord of Lords, the Alpha and Omega. Our God still saves, still delivers, and He still sets free…”

As miraculous as this day was, tragedy still befell the crowd. A devoted father and former fire chief, Corey Comperatore (age 50), died protecting his family from the would-be assassin’s bullets. Two other patriots, David Dutch (age 57) and James Copenhaver (age 74), were in critical and now stable condition. We can’t begin to speculate about why God allowed a heroic Christian father to die and two others to be so mercilessly wounded on that fateful field in PA. No one can understand the mind of our Creator. One life was spared, and another one taken. That’s up to our Heavenly Father to decide.

And yet, our nation is now talking about God. In the media, in the workplace, and across the family table, many who never speak about Christianity are now doing so. Even if that were the only reason this fateful act took place, it would be worth it.

I believe that my Almighty Creator’s sovereign hand rests over everyone and everything that has ever walked and will ever walk the face of this earth. There’s no doubt in my mind that what we witnessed in that field in PA was nothing short of a miracle.

For the past decade, evangelical leaders have called for a spiritual revival in our nation. We’re seeing one right now. Over the past week, I’ve heard more scripture quoted at the Republican National Convention than I believe has ever been recited in the political arena. The name of Jesus was proclaimed, prayed, and praised across the airways in such a manner that I often felt I was watching a Billy Graham crusade rather than a government event. Franklin Graham, Billy’s son, actually heralded the gospel message on prime-time television – something that might never have happened had the events of July 13th not occurred. As arms were raised at event-night benedictions, my heart soared at the sound of praise to our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ.

No matter how you feel about the candidates, no one can deny that our nation has been knocked to its knees. Rather than mourning a lost leader, we are joyously thanking an Almighty God and forging bonds of unity where once division only existed. We are celebrating a divine victory. We are raising the name of Jesus to the heavens and asking Him to bless us, consecrate this political election, and restore our nation.

2 Chronicles 7:14 tells us, “If my people, who are called by my name, will humble themselves and pray and seek my face and turn from their wicked ways, then I will hear from heaven, and I will forgive their sin and heal their land.”

Thanks to what they witnessed during that fateful Saturday – and what they’ve heard exclaimed since then by heads of state, political leaders, and evangelical pastors – countless persons across the country are all looking heavenward. Now is the time to petition our Heavenly Father wholeheartedly to help our nation return to its Christian foundations. We can no longer hesitate to speak out and reclaim the ground we’ve surrendered to the devil. It’s time to stand up as Christians, to be bold in our faith, and prepare ourselves to do battle against the devil, even as we shout, “Fight! Fight! Fight!”

Praying for and promoting what our Founders fought for – religious liberty, the sanctity of life, and freedom from oppression – can only serve to unite and elevate our nation. Prayer is our best and only hope. We can’t be a City on a Hill, shining our bright light to the world, without placing our hope and faith in the only one who can save us – Jesus Christ our Savior.

And so, I ask you today to consider that God allowed the bullet that struck former President Trump’s ear to graze him for a reason – to get him and everyone who saw his bloodied ear to listen to God. Whoever has ears, let them hear. (Matthew 13:9)

Once upon a time, we were one nation under God, that governed with liberty and justice for all. I pray that we can return to be that true beacon of hope and light to the world around us. We can be if we unite together under Christ. God can only use us for His great purpose if we open our hearts, minds and ears to hear His profound guidance.

I get to keep you

By Sara | January 7, 2024

“I am with you and will watch over you wherever you go.” (Genesis 28:15)

I have a secret to share. David sometimes talks in his sleep. Not often, but sometimes he does – and I always hear him. Often, David will utter a sentence or two from his dream. I work hard to remember what he said so I can tell him about it when he wakes up. Thankfully, David can always tell me what the dream was about when I do. On one such occasion, he said something that neither of us will ever forget, as it has impacted our lives ever since.

*David uses a rubber mallet to level paving stones used in a fire-pit patio* *he created for a VA Beach customer*. *(June, 2023)*

Most of David’s dreams are work-related. I told him such things are a sign of stress that he shouldn’t be having – especially now that he is mostly retired. That being said, the mind is a powerful organ that never entirely shuts down. I, too, have vivid dreams that play in my subconscious, like movie scripts. I sometimes mix people and places from my past together as my brain weaves memories and new creations into one tiny snippet of thought as I sleep.

According to Sigmund Freud, “The interpretation of dreams is the royal road to a knowledge of the unconscious activities of the mind.” The famed psychologist wrote extensively about the same in his timeless work, The Interpretation of Dreams, which is still studied by experts and non-specialists today. Freud professed that interpreting dreams can provide great insight into what he termed a “dynamic unconscious.” He believed that understanding what occurs in our dreams allows us to address better how we live our lives in the daylight. Per Freud, “On my way to discovering the solution of the dream all kinds of things were revealed which I was unwilling to admit even to myself.”

One of the most well-known Biblical dream interpreters was Joseph. In his lifetime, Joseph had six dreams that we read about in Genesis, chapters 37-42. The first two dreams were Joseph’s, and in them, God revealed the future path for Joseph’s life. While his father and brothers were unhappy to hear Joseph’s dreams portending their eventual submission to his power and greatness, scripture reveals the truth of these subconscious musings. Over the course of a 28-year interval, Joseph systematically was sold into slavery by his jealous brothers, purchased and elevated in the household of a powerful Egyptian official, betrayed and jailed for an offense he was innocent of, promoted again within the penal system, and eventually released from captivity upon Pharaoh’s acknowledgment of Joseph’s God-given ability to interpret dreams. During Joseph’s period of incarceration, he interpreted two more pairs of dreams that ultimately changed the course of his life.

Scripture reminds us that dreams also played a crucial role in Daniel’s life. In addition to his well-known interpretation of King Nebuchadnezzar’s dream (Daniel 2) – revealing the monarch’s eventual fall from power and ultimate acknowledgment of God – scripture advises us that Daniel’s dreams prophesied a future world yet to come (Daniel 7). We can take comfort in Daniel’s dreams, knowing they foretell a time when God will rule and reign over the earth, with all believers reigning with Him.

All told, God’s Word reveals twenty dreams that were used for various purposes. Such revelations include warnings (Genesis 20:3, 31:24, Matthew 27:19), prophetic events (Gen. 37:5, 9, 40:8-19, 41:1-7, 15-32, Daniel 2, 7), spiritual truth (Gen. 28:12), confirmed promises (Gen. 28:13-14), and encouragement (Gen. 28:15) – my personal favorite.

While David’s dream held no such grandiose revelations to me, his words were precious upon explanation in the morning light.

“You talked in your sleep last night,” I told David after revealing his subconscious musings.

“What did I say?” David asked.

“You said, ‘I get to keep you.’” I replied.

As David smiled, he explained that while he couldn’t remember the entirety of his dream, he clearly remembered that phrase, saying, “It was about you. I remember smiling as I said it, knowing that above everything else, I was happy that God gave you to me – and ‘I get to keep you.’”

Since that revelation, I’ve borrowed the phrase quite frequently, telling David that I, too, am incredibly grateful to God for His gift of David to me. “And I get to keep you.”

“You keep stealing my line,” David laughs when I tell him the same. “But I don’t mind.”

“That’s good,” I always say, “because I intend to keep using it.”

*David and I are constant smiles when we’re together – even while standing outside the Vatican walls for hours to enter the Vatican Museums in Rome, Italy. (October, 2023)*

I waited a lifetime for David to become a part of my life as he did for me. We thank God daily for our compatibility, which includes our shared love of our Heavenly Father and each other. We know how prodigious a gift it is to find one’s soulmate, helper, confidant, and best friend – all wrapped up in one extraordinary package we call a Godly spouse. “That is why a man leaves his father and mother and is united to his wife, and they become one flesh.” (Genesis 2:24)

Above and beyond finding each other on a church bus in a disaster zone while working for God in an evangelical ministry of love and faith, God gave me a man who speaks my love language of touch and affirmation.

Moreover, I get to keep him. Hallelujah! What a Savior!

The greatest gift

By Sara | December 30, 2023

For Christmas this year, David and I were privileged to enjoy a free stay at an oceanfront condo in the FL Keys. No. We didn’t win the Publisher’s Clearinghouse Sweepstakes. Our “vacation” was courtesy of one of David’s lifelong friends, Joe D’Angelo, whose winter home is the one we were fortunate to occupy while he was away for the holidays. Talk about Christmas in Paradise. We found it!

*The view from Joe’s Tavernier, FL condo.*

David first met Joe when he was around five or 6-years-old after his family moved from Lakewood, NY, to Orchard Park, NY. As a young adult, Joe reached out to David regarding David’s self-employment experience since Joe was considering leaving the restaurant industry. Joe took David’s advice and was fortunate enough to acquire an existing glass installation business, which he ultimately grew into a lucrative venture. Joe and his wife Mary retired to Tavernier, FL – a beautiful community just north of Islamorada, in the Upper Keys. While the two of them were visiting their children and grandchildren for the holidays, David and I basked in the beauty of their oceanfront view from the sixth floor of Joe’s condo.

*Islamorada’s Amara Kay Resort used to be the Hampton Inn.*

While there, David delighted in taking me to places he remembered from his former stays in Islamorada. Between 2001 and 2009, David was fortunate to work in what was then the former Hampton Inn – partially owned and operated by his decades-long friend, Dennis. David’s primary, annual, off-season task was to repaint all the hotel’s guest rooms, common areas, and exterior. While working on the property, David and his helper, Dexter, were provided free lodging at the hotel.

Although it was dark after our 8-hour drive to the Keys, David was eager to revisit Dennis’ former hotel – now fully renovated and rebranded as the Amara Kay Resort. After a short drive to the site, we walked the property so David could photo-document the site’s changes for Dennis – all the while elaborating upon his fond memories to me.

*Christmas decorations enhanced the festive atmosphere at Dennis’ former hotel.*

“It’s beautiful,” was my constant refrain as David walked me through the lobby to the oceanfront view on the back grounds. Even in the dark, I was amazed at the tropical outdoor seating, majestic palms, fire pits, and tiki torches adorning the property. The place was positively magical.

After walking along the grounds, David and I strolled to the hotel’s pier, next to the same tiki bar that David remembered from his past. Despite the dramatic changes to the property, other features remained the same. I could hardly imagine the privilege of a two-and-a-half-month-long stay in such a resort. What a privilege!

As the two of us sat down on a waterfront lounge chair to contemplate the same, we looked up at the night sky and thanked God for the blessing of being there together.

“I used to sit here at night and look out at the water,” David confessed. “I was glad I had Zoley (David’s dog), but I’d always ask God, ‘Where is she?'” Emotional at the memory, David continued, “And now you’re here! I can hardly believe you’re finally here!”

*David and I returned to the Amara Kay in the daytime to better appreciate the beautiful resort hotel.*

More wondrous than a complimentary stay in the Keys, more satisfying than the warmth of the FL sunshine, more beautiful than the pristine waters we transcended in borrowed kayaks, and more awe-inspiring than the cries of the ospreys that glided over the ocean waters is our God. One year ago, I was in CO visiting my family for Christmas, fretting over how I’d share the news of my engagement to my soulmate. At the time, I could never have imagined where I’d be 365 days later, let alone how joyful my life would be now that I’m married to David.

And yet, here I am, continually marveling at the incredulity of it all. I’ll never again ask for another gift in my lifetime. I already have it all. Apart from my salvation, the most incomparable gift I’ve ever received was the love of a man named David. After all, unequivocal love is beyond description. It’s all I ever wanted, never thought I’d obtain, and so much more than I could ever have imagined it would be.

*Our Tavernier stay included complimentary use of Joe’s kayaks.*

From a baby in a manger to a resurrected King, God demonstrated His love to us by humbling Himself to take on human flesh for the sole purpose of saving our souls so we could spend eternity with Him in heaven. The greatest gift is love, and it’s always there for all of us to unwrap, accept, and savor. Nothing on earth is as profound as our Heavenly Father’s love. I’m even more blessed to have found that same love with skin on it, wrapped up in the unconditional affection of my David. I can never thank God enough for the same.

*A short kayak trip took us to tiny yet gorgeous Kalteux Key.*

The greatest gift is love. Grab it. Savor it. Share it. After all, there is nothing more remarkable in the universe than love.

We met on a church bus – Italian honeymoon, Part 1

By Sara | October 15, 2023

Give praise to the LORD, proclaim His name; make known among the nations what He has done. (1 Chronicles 16:8)

On Wednesday, September 27th, David and I departed the U.S. on the first day of our official, long-overdue honeymoon. It hardly felt real to me, even as I listened to a pre-recorded safety message onboard our first flight – in Italian! Wow! The last time I traveled to Italy was with my mom in 2015 – eight years ago – which feels like a lifetime. Even then, I could never have imagined returning to Italy with my soulmate, my best friend, my incredible husband, David, who loves me.

*David and I onboard our transatlantic flight* *to Italy. Separated by an aisle but together in love.*

David loves me! What a gift love is! There’s nothing else like it in all the world. God has blessed me beyond belief, and I am so grateful! Glory to God!

For the past few weeks, I’ve been working 10–12-hour days to be able to leave work in a good place without feeling guilty for taking time off. In addition to planning a 62-person, 3-day meeting in Katowice (pronounced like “pizza”), Poland, I support eight executives now. Four are traveling in October and also traveled in September. I’ve been coordinating their travel as much, if not more, than mine.

Honestly, my work has been completely overwhelming, so having this time away is a Godsend in many ways. I need a good rest – and while I know this trip will be challenging on many levels, I’m not alone as I always have been. This time is different. This time, I have David. This time, I have a partner. This time – for the first time ever – I know I am perfectly loved.

I am perfectly loved. Nothing on earth is as powerful, empowering, energizing, fulfilling, and beautiful as love. Nothing the world can offer can ever satisfy every longing of one’s soul like love.

As I said in my vows, all I ever wanted was to be perfectly loved. Even as a young person, I knew acceptance was impossible without love. No matter where I sought it, the only true love I ever felt was from God. No one could ever love me like God did. I knew that – and yet, I still hoped and prayed I’d find a love like my Creator’s. I didn’t – until David.

In David, I am whole. My satisfaction is beyond complete – it’s overflowing. I know how to find joy in God’s beauty and majesty. Still, I never knew what sharing God’s love with anyone else was like. How could I? I didn’t have David yet!

With David, I can now reflect on God’s glory with someone who understands it like I do. With David, I can celebrate the beauty of a bejeweled sunset or the incredulity of a visiting hummingbird as it flits from flower to flower. With David, I see reverence for our Savior reflected back to me. With David, through the power of God’s mercy, I am complete.

And so, despite my long, stressful work nights, and although the day began in a challenging manner as we rushed to the airport, I now feel peace, gratitude, and satisfaction such as I’ve never known.

While I felt relief in finally talking to the owner of the first apartment we rented in our 16-day, 16-city tour of Italy to get check-in instructions during our layover, my relief came from more than this assurance. Knowing that I now have David and God is all the stress relief I will ever need.

No matter what tomorrow brings, I am with my God-given soulmate – and that’s all I’ll ever need. I have peace such as I’ve never known and am so grateful.

What a joy to be loved! What a blessing to marry a man who loves me with a passion equal to mine. What bliss to be on my honeymoon with my David.

We met on a church bus. We got married and are honeymooning in Italy. Glory to God! I am blessed beyond measure, indeed.

Teach me to number my days

By Sara | August 14, 2023

Teach us to number our days, that we may gain a heart of wisdom. (Psalm 90:12)

Three weeks ago, David and I flew to VA Beach to meet with his urologist to receive the results of his prostate biopsy. We only stayed for two nights as my mom was visiting GA – so we couldn’t be gone long. During our return flight, I wrote a blog on my phone – one painstaking letter at a time. I wanted to capture my thoughts while they were fresh in my head and had the time to do so.

*Clear skies surrounded our plane as David and I flew back from VA Beach.*

Since we’ve been married, our days are so full that little time remains for me to write – and I miss doing so daily. Between a full work week, evenings and weekends are always spent catching up on yard duties before we return to one or the other of our houses to do the same there. Twice monthly travels between VA Beach and GA make me feel like a bit of a vagabond, but the trips are necessary. Until David’s VA Beach house is ready to sell or rent, we generally spend two to two and a half weeks at either location.

This evening, I was determined to write. At a minimum, I wanted to post the blog I’d written on the plane but never had a chance to edit and upload until finally claiming the time to do so.

And so, it was with great disappointment that I learned the words and emotions I’d captured three weeks ago were gone – vanished, deleted, irretrievably lost.

For a writer, losing words ostensibly secured in the heat of heady sentiment is tantamount to experiencing a knife wound to the gut.

And yet, I know I am exceedingly blessed. Lost words mean nothing compared to what David and I gained during our last trip.

Despite David’s grim potential cancer prognosis, what we’ve been praying for all along has been confirmed – David is cancer-free! How he went from a high probability of stage 3 or 4 prostate cancer to not one cancer cell in his body can only be laid at the feet of Christ. David is healthy, happy, and whole. Upon hearing the results in his urologist’s office, all the two of us could say was, “Yay, God!”

As we hugged and wiped the tears from our eyes before leaving the exam room, one of the staff members poked her head in to make sure we were alright. “Yes, ma’am,” I said. “We’re just happy!”

“Tears of joy,” David confirmed.

Indeed, our Heavenly Father delivered what we’d prayed and trusted God for. The Divine Physician had healed David’s body from the inside out. There’s no doubt in my mind as to the veracity of that claim.

Even David’s urologist seemed stunned. To be confident of the results, the doctor who’d performed the procedure made 24 cuts in 4 regions of David’s prostate – far more than are usually taken.

“I knew it,” I exclaimed as David’s urologist revealed his surgical findings. God has always been in complete control – and David has much more Kingdom work to do than the original prognosis seemed to allow.

*Cloudy skies prevented me from seeing below our plane’s wing.*

While flying above the clouds on our return journey to GA, I remember looking out and being struck by the cloud structures beneath us. What began as a clear sky quickly became overcast, and I could see nothing beneath us.

And yet blue sky prevailed. Above the clouds, God sees everything.

Our Creator has already foreseen what we can often only discern one foot at a time. Clear, turbulent, or stormy skies aside, God is always with us, and nothing ever takes Him by surprise. As the Apostle Matthew reminds us, “Are not two sparrows sold for a penny? Yet not one of them will fall to the ground outside your Father’s care.” (10:29)

*Partly cloudy skies offered only a partial view of the ground beneath our plane.*

I’ve always said that every day is a gift – even more so now that I have David to spend the rest of my days with. While every gift may not always be what I want or hope for, I’ve learned to appreciate each offering as a gesture of love presented by someone who cares. If I believe that sentiment to be true – and I do – how much more should I appreciate what my Heavenly Father gives me?

While I may have lost the words I first captured weeks ago, I know how I feel now. I am blessed beyond measure and thank God daily for his unspeakable gifts.

No matter how many days I have left to spend with my beloved husband, I value all of them. I spent too much of my life without David to ever underestimate the great worth of having him beside me now.

*David and I celebrate every moment we have together with a shared smile as we visit Jekyll Island, GA.*

May we never forget how precious our loved ones are. Each of us has only been given a defined number of days here on Earth. May we spend each of them praising God and serving our Creator.

Who the Son sets free

By Sara | July 17, 2023

So if the Son sets you free, you will be free indeed. (John 8:36)

David and I celebrated our first Fourth of July together a few weeks ago while working on his VA Beach house renovations. His home is a long-postponed fixer-upper – built in the 1960s – that we’re enjoying renovating together. Well, David is renovating. I’m helping and encouraging him every step of the way.

*David’s original living room with concrete floors and taupe walls.*

Watching the transformation is astounding. I’ve always enjoyed restoration jobs myself. I’ve stripped and restored furniture, planned and orchestrated vast landscaping projects, and removed a horrific chalk wall in my former kitchen. I used to think my undertakings were pretty good. They’re nothing like David’s. To see the concrete floors of David’s home be replaced with beautiful Pergo wood plank flooring is phenomenal. What a difference the flooring has made in his house! And the renovations are just beginning.

*A swath of lighter paint shows the future color of David’s walls above his original concrete flooring.*

More than that, I remember the day David came to me in GA, jumping up and down in our garage like a little kid. He was so full of energy, joy, and excitement that his actions surprised me. We’d only been married for a few weeks when David decided to flush all his anti-depressants down the toilet. A counselor had prescribed them to him years ago, and he’d faithfully kept taking them, thinking there was no way he could stop doing so.

“I feel so good! I feel so good! I feel so good!” David kept saying. I remember thinking, is this for real? Could this reaction last? All I knew at the time was that his transformation amazed me.

I’m happy to report that the changes did last – and the results are beautiful.

That got me thinking; how many people are walking around today with lives wholly controlled by medication, illegal drugs, or believing that some form of surgery will somehow “make them better”?

While 2023 statistics are still being calculated, 2016 figures reported that one in six Americans were taking anti-depressants – not yet considering COVID isolation escalations. According to the UK-based Pharmaceutical Journal, in 2022, anti-depressant use escalated by 5.1%, with a whopping increase of 35% in new users over the past six years.

*David sits on the couch in his renovated living room*.

The real question is, how many of those who now use anti-depressants genuinely need the medication? According to the Economist, independent studies have shown that only 15% of those taking anti-depressants showed improvement with the drugs versus those taking placebos.

In 2021, I watched a dear friend plummet from happy to suicidal within months. Despite her previously diagnosed depression, I witnessed firsthand my loved one’s determination to thrive. In just a few short months, Patty had recently recovered from hip surgery, bought herself a new car, and consistently gave God praise and glory for her many blessings in life. After months of not seeing her long-term counselor during her post-surgical recovery, she visited him, prompting a medication modification.

*Freshly painted walls and new flooring completely changed the look of David’s living room.*

Unfortunately, this prescription alteration mutated Patty’s behavior from jubilant to joyless in just a few short weeks. I watched her lose her will to do anything – including cleaning her apartment, bathing, seeing me, or caring for her cat.

After a month of decline, I called Patty’s doctor to inform him of her altered mood and my concern. He was reluctant to adjust his prescriptions, opting to give her more time to adjust to his prescription changes.

A little over a month later, after not reaching Patty by phone, I requested a welfare check from her apartment’s management team. Mere words can hardly express the shock and horror I felt after learning that my friend had been found dead. To this day, I remain confident that Patty purposely took her own life via a drug overdose of prescription medication. I still miss her greatly.

Similar to the societal desire to utilize mood-altering anti-depressants, illegal drug use is continually rising – with fentanyl becoming one of the deadliest offenders. Between 2016 and 2021, fentanyl-related overdose deaths increased by 279% in our nation. David and I recently passed a country home near Chesapeake, VA, with a banner strewn across their front fence featuring the face of a loved one whose life had been tragically ended by fentanyl at a young age. A few years ago, I listened to prosecutors detail the devastation this drug can inflict on a community as I sat on a federal jury seeking to convict a drug dealer on six counts of the distribution of fentanyl. We found him guilty on all counts.

And what about the rise of life-altering surgeries being pushed on minors who’ve been convinced by the media, teachers, and the internet that they will not be happy until they fully embrace their “self-identified” gender? Apart from the loss of innocence of our youth, the confusion, madness, and chaos inflicted on families facing these challenges is unfathomable.

Just ask Erin Friday, a California mom who battled the sinister propaganda machine that sought to steal her daughter from her for the gender cult. “This is a $11 billion industry,” Friday said. “It’s a multi-headed hydra. There are people who are pushing this for financial gain; the medical community and the Big Pharma are pushing this because each trans-identified child is worth a million to a million-and-a-half dollars. They are lifelong medical patients.”

*My friend Patty and I celebrated our last Easter together in 2021.*

And so I ask again, how many people believe they need something that harms them – sometimes irreparably – because someone told them they needed it?

How many people are like the woman that news reporter Laura Ingraham interviewed (1:51) on the streets of San Francisco, crying because she felt she had to have fentanyl to cope with life?

How many doctors prescribe medications to “help” people who don’t need them?

How many people think they need a drug, medication, or surgery to “fix” what only God and love can do?

Such thoughts come from the devil. He’s manipulating countless people into seeking anything other than God.

*David and I in Savannah on Memorial Day.*

But not David. Not any longer. David is free, thanks to his Savior. My husband is a wonderful, handsome, talented, intelligent, gifted, tender, kind, thoughtful, and uniquely magnificent man. I’m so grateful to God for giving David to me as my husband – and for giving David his freedom.

While I’m continually amazed by David’s ability to transform projects into masterpieces, I’m more impressed by what our Heavenly Father has done to ultimately convert David’s body and spirit into a new creation. As 2 Corinthians 5:17 reminds us, “If anyone is in Christ, the new creation has come:[a] The old has gone, the new is here!”

David’s and my lives are better for our Savior’s touch. We perpetually pray that all those seeking God will find liberty in His transforming power – just as we have. After all, as John 8:36 reminds us, “if the Son sets you free, you will be free indeed.”

The only “C” word that matters is Christ

By Sara | May 31, 2023

They do not fear bad news; they confidently trust the Lord to care for them. (Psalm 112:7)

Life is a book in volumes three –
The past, the present, and the yet-to-be.
The past is written and laid away,
The present we’re writing every day,
And the last and best of volumes three
Is locked from sight – God keeps the key.
– Author unknown

As a self-proclaimed optimist, I work hard to always see the good in everything– even when things are at their worst. Sometimes, I can do so easily. At other times, maintaining that mindset takes a bit more conscious effort – and a whole lot of prayer.

If you follow my blog at all, you know that God brought me my soulmate, David, in culmination of a lifetime of surrender to my Savior. Despite my fears and trepidation, I heeded my heavenly Father’s call and traveled to FL to help Samaritan’s Purse with disaster relief, post-Hurricane Ian. While serving – in a completely unexpected act of grace and provision from my Heavenly Father – God revealed His plans to provide me with a godly husband.

David holds my heart. He is the blood that flows through my veins, and I can’t imagine life without him. David is my life’s greatest gift and an incomparable blessing from God.

One month and one day after we were married, David had an MRI scan of his prostate at his doctor’s recommendation. Eight days later, the results showed a high probability of cancer. It would take nearly four weeks before we could see a urologist to fully interpret the findings.

In the interim, my head was filled with a gamut of emotions. A sense of surreality is what hit me first. There’s no way this could be happening, I thought. I waited my whole life to find David. I couldn’t lose him now.

“This is a love story,” I told him. “And it’s not going to be a tragedy.”

The reality is that David lost his mother to cancer. She was only 52. My grandmother also died in her early 50s from the same disease that claimed my grandfather.

And yet, we also have good stories in both of our families. My mother is a cancer survivor – as is one of David’s older brothers, who battled a rare form of leukemia through an experimental treatment that saw him cancer-free within a few weeks of treatment. Despite another bout of lung cancer, he remains healthy today.

Still, of all the C-words one might want to hear and celebrate in a marriage, cancer is not one of them – neither are calamity, chaos, or cruelty.

But what about courage, compassion, and cheerfulness? Aren’t those all words David and I celebrate every day? Hasn’t God given us an abundance of blessings? Aren’t our cups already overflowing with joy, laughter, and love, love, love? Indisputably!

We will be strong, no matter what. I know that without reservation. We will fight this thing with every ounce of our combined strength – and God’s.

And so we’ve surrounded ourselves with prayer.

David and I are both warriors. We’ve lived through personal battles that might have broken others. It’s true that we still bear the scars of those wars – but only so we can share with others how God brought us through the valleys with His mighty hand.

So it is with this battle. “God is using this to further strengthen our testimonies,” I told David.

“I have more work to do for Him,” David agreed.

We will not let this challenge defeat us. From the first day we heard the news about David’s health, we’ve earnestly prayed that God would heal David’s body from the inside out. We know in our hearts that He is.

Our God made the universe (Genesis 1:1-2:3). He parted the Red Sea so the Israelites could walk through on dry land (Exodus 13:17-14:31). He brought dry bones back to life (Ezekiel 37:1-14). And He brought two formerly forsaken people together – destined for one another since birth – through a disaster relief ministry and a forgotten lunch (The David and Sara Saga, parts 1-3). There is no way that our story is anywhere near being over.

God affirmed our faith two weeks ago when we met with David’s urologist. At the doctor’s request, we scheduled a biopsy for mid-July to confirm what we already know in our hearts: the Great Physician is completely healing David. That is our earnest prayer, and we believe it with all our hearts. David’s doctor also believes we caught whatever this is early. He said his concern level was “low,” which only made us raise our hands and cry, “Yay, God,” as we walked away from the doctor’s office.

As I initially wrote that statement affirming my faith while sitting on our porch, the skies cleared, and the sun came out from behind where David sat lounging across from me, illuminating his frame. After a week of grey skies and three solid days of cold, rainy conditions, the sun’s presence was profound. I could only smile as I snapped David’s photo. A minute earlier, the skies were overcast. A few moments later, they began blazing with light and promise.

So it is with God’s presence in our lives. There is no fear, no challenge, no prognosis too big for our Heavenly Father to overcome. We speak conquest over this challenge. Our combined service for our Savior has only just begun.

And so, I confidently proclaim that the only “C” word that ever matters is Christ. This battle – like all the others we’ve ever faced – belongs to the Lord. And in Him, we will always have eternal victory.

How did we get here? – The David and Sara Saga, Part 2

By Sara | April 16, 2023

“I will exalt you, Lord, for you lifted me out of the depths and did not let my enemies gloat over me.” (Psalm 30: 1)

“How did we get here?” David’s brother, Jeffrey, asked at the start of his toast to his brother and me during our wedding reception. “How did we get to where they’re married?”

Unlike traditional toasts that provide anecdotes while congratulating the lucky couple, Jeffrey built his speech around whether God knows or cares about us when we’re hurting. His words struck a chord with not just David and me but everyone privileged to hear the “backstory,” as he called it.

*David and I stand in front of one of the shore-stranded and stacked shrimp boats in Ft. Myers, FL – post-Hurricane Ian in January, 2023.*

If you read my blog, you already know how David and I met and how unexpectedly beautiful our God-given love story is. Neither of us was looking for love when we traveled to Florida to help Samaritan’s Purse with disaster relief in Ft. Myers, post-Hurricane Ian. Anyone attending our wedding knew the same.

Instead, Jeffrey elaborated more on who God is and how much He used the love of our Creator to unite us.

“Yeah, you might say that they met on a hurricane project – a clean-up project in Ft. Myers on October 12th,” Jeffrey continued. “But I want to know where they were before that. I can tell you, there was a lot of pain. There were hearts that were shattered – broken relationships, dreams obliterated, enduring years of disappointments, wondering where God was in the pain of it all. They were begging for help.”

“I wonder if God did know the agony of their souls,” Jeffrey questioned. “Does God really get us? Does God really know what’s going on in those times?”

For the next five minutes, Jeffrey shared scripture with the spellbound room as he turned to passage after passage of reminders that God understands our heartaches.

My God, my God, why have you forsaken me? Why are you so far from saving me, from the words of my groaning? O, my God, I cry by day, but you do not answer, and by night, but I find no rest. (Psalm 22: 1-2)
Save me, O God, for the waters have come up to my neck. I sink in the miry depths, where there is no foothold. I have come into the deep waters; the floods engulf me. I am worn out calling for help; my throat is parched. My eyes fail, looking for my God. (Psalm 69:1-3)
Lord, you are the God who saves me; day and night, I cry out to you. May my prayer come before you; turn your ear to my cry. I am overwhelmed with troubles, and my life draws near to death. I am counted among those who go down to the pit; I am like one without strength. I am set apart with the dead, like the slain who lie in the grave, whom you remember no more, who are cut off from your care. (Psalm 88: 1-5)

“I think God does get it,” Jeffrey affirmed. “At least two thousand years ago…people were hurting but hanging on. God does know that we suffer. He [gives] us these words to give us comfort, to know we are not alone.”

I couldn’t agree more. Despite everything I’ve been through, my love for God never changed. His Holy Word kept me focused on my Savior and less on myself. In fact, my eternal love for my Heavenly Father sustained me during moments that could have broken me otherwise. The times when I felt utterly rejected by the world, I always knew that God was with me and loved me. That thought continually gave me hope.

By worldly standards, I was the perpetual outcast – shunned, spurned, and shamed in past relationships.

And yet, I never lost sight of my Father’s love. God’s grace pulled me up from the depths of despair more times than I could ever mention. I was committed to loving and serving my Savior – no matter the cost.

“What got them to this place right there?” Jeffrey continued. “Their love of God. They didn’t know each other, but they loved God. And that was the key component that they required in anyone else.”

*David and I were privileged to serve with Samaritan’s Purse in Ft. Myers on Monday, December 12, 2022 – the day after he proposed to me.*

Jeffrey went on to explain David’s ultimate decision around a year ago not to date anyone unless they loved God. That decision only came after another broken, worldly relationship pulverized his heart. Despite his best intentions in helping others, David learned the hard way that his pursuit of love with anyone who didn’t understand Christ would inevitably end in heartache.

“When he first told me about Sara, I knew she had passed the test,” Jeffrey explained to the sound of chuckles. “It was their love of God that got them there, despite all the lonely trials…Despite the effects of loneliness, they still heard God cry out that He needed people. God said, ‘Hmm. Tragedy in Florida. Whom shall I send?’ And David in Virginia Beach and Sara in Georgia, like Isaiah, said ‘Here am I, Lord. Send me.’ That’s how we got here. Their love of God became their love for each other.”

As David and I ponder the amazing grace that brought us together, we are continually in awe of the love we share and our God-aligned, astounding compatibilities. How many people in the world fully understand God’s love? And how many of us have surrendered our plans to our Heavenly Father’s? Of all the relationships currently standing, how many are built on God’s love, first and foremost?

As Jeffrey said, David and I loved God and placed Him first in our lives. Despite my fears and David’s missteps, we knew we were called to serve our Savior. We would never have met if we hadn’t entirely surrendered to God’s will over our own. If either David or I had once said, “I can’t do it. It’s too hard. It’s too much. I’m too busy,” or even “Maybe next time,” our paths would never have crossed.

How often, I wonder, do we miss the blessings that God has in store for us because we aren’t willing to relinquish our will to God’s? There may come a day when we all stand before our Heavenly Father in heaven and learn what our lives could have been if we’d only listened to God and done what He asked us to do instead of following our own plans for our lives.

I hope and pray that I will always obey my Savior’s calling. I want to hear, “Well done, good and faithful servant!” (Matthew 25:23). I’ve made many mistakes in my life that I’ve had to live with. I don’t want to regret another moment when I could have done more for God but chose not to.

After all, it’s only when I fully surrendered to my Heavenly Father’s sustaining grace that I received the biggest blessing of my life – finding my soulmate in David.

Whatever my Heavenly Father has yet to ask of me, whatever else He needs me to do, may I always be ready and eager to do so. After all, I’m a living testament to God’s outstanding provision. My life with David – finding true love with him is so much more than I ever could have asked for or imagined.

And I wouldn’t be here if I hadn’t yielded to my Savior. I have true joy beyond imagination because I said the simple but meaningful words: My life is yours, God. Guide me. Use me. Send me.

May those words always be on my lips and yours, beloved.

Tag: #GodsMiracles;