I’m in a hard season. If I’m being completely honest, the last few years have left me feeling exhausted and weary. In some ways, 2023 feels like 2020 the trilogy (and we all know how good the last movie of most trilogies is).

So imagine my surprise when, after praying and a bit of soul-searching, I felt like my word for the year was “Hope.” Hope is a sneaky little thing. It’s full of such power and promise. It’s what enables people to hold on during very difficult circumstances. It’s the light at the end of the tunnel that keeps us putting one foot in front of the other.

But what do we do when it feels like our hopes have been repeatedly dashed? How do we cope when the very idea of “hope” is coupled with sadness for the many times we’ve felt disappointment? How can we reconcile a good thing like hope with the heaviness that comes from knowing that things won’t always turn out the way we hoped they would – whether that’s in our personal lives, our families, or our careers?

The definition of hope is “a feeling of expectation and desire for a certain thing to happen.”

And that’s where the inner frustration seeps in. It’s easy for me to hold on to hope when things are going well. It’s harder when it feels like things are falling apart rather than falling into place. Romans 5 doesn’t sugarcoat the existence of suffering. It acknowledges that it’s a genuine part of life on planet earth, but it leaves us on a hopeful note…that pain is not wasted and we are not alone.

We don’t rejoice BECAUSE of our sufferings (some things that cause us to suffer break the heart of God too), but we can rejoice in the MIDST of them because we know that we’ll emerge stronger on the other side. Persevering amid suffering produces character, which leads us to hope. Hope allows us to walk in confidence, knowing that God loves us and promises to be with us in the middle of the mess.

My hope for 2023 can’t be that God will remove the problems or that he’ll rescue me from a hard season (although it’s 1000% OK with me if He wants to do that, lol). Sometimes He doesn’t. Sometimes life gets harder. Sometimes, those we love face illnesses we can’t cure. Hope is not the same as toxic positivity, which tells us to paint silver linings on all clouds. It’s an acknowledgment that life is hard, but God is there. He is the hope that does not disappoint. Sometimes, there’s more to the story than we see or understand.

I have to remind myself to be careful where I’m placing my hope. I can’t put it in other people or even in my own performance, but there is one place that promises to never let me down – a hope that will not disapoint me. I can put my hope in Him because He keeps his promises. He loves me. He promises to walk beside me even through the shadowy valley parts of my journey. And therefore, I have hope. Where do you need hope today? How can you invite God to walk with you on this journey and remind you of His love for you? “Not only that, but we also rejoice in our sufferings, because we know that suffering produces perseverance; perseverance, character; and character, hope. And hope does not disappoint us, because God has poured out His love into our hearts through the Holy Spirit, whom He has given us.” – Romans 5:3-5

The post Hope in the Hard Things appeared first on Sarah E. Brooks.

However, we can’t live in a constant state of panic and fear. It’s not good for our own mental and emotional health or the emotional and mental wellbeing of our families.

So what can we do? How do we manage in these uncertain times?

Don’t lose hope.

It feels like this season will last forever, but it won’t. Eventually life will return to a new normal. There will be a light at the end of this tunnel. While we don’t know at this moment how long our “new normal” will last, we do know that eventually we will move on and these days will be a weird memory. When you feel overwhelmed, remind yourself that this is temporary.

Weeping may last through the night, but joy comes with the morning. Psalm 30:5

Look for the good

Yes, there are bad things happening in the world right now, but there are also good things. When you’re tempted to focus on the bad news, be intentional about redirecting your heart and mind toward the good that surrounds you.

You will find what you’re looking for. You cannot control your circumstances, but you can control what you allow your mind to focus on. Pay attention to what triggers these negative thoughts and emotions. Is it social media? Is it the news? Is it a particular friend, social media account, or news channel that triggers these feelings of fear and anxiety? When you sense your heart and mind giving way to fear, redirect your attention to something else. It’s good to be informed, but it’s also good to protect your heart and mind – learn to discover this balance. Put boundaries in place that allow you to redirect your focus when you begin to sense fear taking over. You do not need to read every article. You do not need to know every statistic.

When we were preparing our daughter for her first brain surgery, I asked her neurosurgeon what the odds are that he surgery would be successful. He told me that “it doesn’t matter if it has a 99% success rate if you are the 1%.” Statistics are statistics, they’re good to know, but ultimately the outcome is in God’s hands.

Turn on a song you love. Put on your favorite movie from your childhood. Fill your home with light and love and the darkness will flee.

If then you have been raised with Christ, seek the things that are above, where Christ is, seated at the right hand of God. Set your minds on things that are above, not on things that are on earth. For you have died, and your life is hidden with Christ in God. When Christ who is your life appears, then you also will appear with him in glory.

Colossian 3:1-4

Do what you can

It’s easy to feel overwhelmed when you see all of the things going on around you. Don’t focus on the things you cannot control. Do what you can: pray, stay home, donate to causes that are making a difference. Take your fears and concerns to God. Ask him to exchange your fears for peace. Ask him to grant wisdom to those making decisions. Ask him to bring healing and protection to those being treated and working in hospitals and medical facilities.

Trust him with both your todays and your tomorrows. It’s easier said than done, but I firmly believe that God does not want us to dwell in the land of fear. His word says that all the days of our lives were written in his book before even one of them came to be. This means that virus or no virus, every single day you would draw breath on this planet is already fully known by God, and that your lifespan won’t change one iota from that plan. Life by its very nature is incredibly fragile. For some, that might provide little comfort, but to me, knowing that I won’t pass from this world one moment sooner than God ordains gives me peace.

Take care of your body

Exercise. Eat good food. It’s great for stress relief and it gives you something productive to do with nervous energy. Get good sleep. Get fresh air. Take a walk. Snuggle a pet or a loved one. Listen to good music. Make memories with your children. You know what your body needs, whether it’s a warm bath or a brisk jog. Turn off the computer. Put down the phone. Live fully in this current moment. Notice the beauty and the good that surrounds you. Dwell on this. Redeem the difficult and use it for good. Good is all around you. Good can come from this.

“And why do you worry about clothes? See how the flowers of the field grow. They do not labor or spin. Yet I tell you that not even Solomon in all his splendor was dressed like one of these. If that is how God clothes the grass of the field, which is here today and tomorrow is thrown into the fire, will he not much more clothe you—you of little faith? So do not worry, saying, ‘What shall we eat?’ or ‘What shall we drink?’ or ‘What shall we wear?’ For the pagans run after all these things, and your heavenly Father knows that you need them. But seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well. Therefore do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about itself. Each day has enough trouble of its own.

Matthew 6:28-34

God loves you. God knows you. He can and will provide what you need.

for God gave us a spirit not of fear but of power and love and self-control.

2 Timothy 1:7

If you’re feeling overwhelmed right now, acknowledge those feelings, surrender your fear to the one who loves you, made you, and promises to provide what you need. Make the most of these days. Trust him with your tomorrows. Pray. Give. Spread love, courage, kindness, and hope. The world desperately needs what you have to offer.

The post It’s Ok not to be OK appeared first on Sarah E. Brooks.

Growing up, no delicious bite of Thanksgiving food could be consumed until everyone around the table shared what they were most thankful for. As a child, I usually stuck to the staples: I’m thankful for my family. I’m thankful for my house. I’m thankful for my friends. It was a token answer just to get to the good stuff – the food. As I’ve gotten older, I’m recognizing that the true “good stuff” is gratitude itself.

Over the last few years I’ve discovered the importance of incorporating gratitude into my daily life. Grateful people are happier people. Even popular culture supports taking a little time each day to document what you’re grateful for. For me, grumbling is my default nature. It’s easy for me to see what’s wrong with a situation. It doesn’t take much effort to recognize how things could be better.

The human brain is an incredible thing. We can train it to notice things. If your focus is on everything that is going wrong, your brain will learn to notice everything that is going wrong, but the flip-side is also true. If you are intentional with your thoughts and focus on the positive – the things you are grateful for – your brain will notice those things as well. I love it when neuroscience backs up the truths that are also found in Scripture.

Philippians 4:8, Paul encourages us to train our brain by focusing on what is true and good.

“Finally, brothers, 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.”

On the days when the dishes are piled up in the sink, I can grumble about the fact that I have to wash them yet again, or I can chose to be grateful for the food that made those dishes dirty and for the hot water available at the turn of a tap.

When I see the pile of laundry that needs to be folded. I can complain or I can choose to be grateful for the bodies that wore them. It’s a daily training of your mind. It’s a practice that becomes easier with time and repetition.

Do I love housework. Absolutely not. If I could afford to pay someone to do it for me, I totally would. I have zero control over some of the tasks in my life – some things have to be done whether I want to do them or not (I’m looking at you, dirty dishes), but I have 100% control when it comes to my attitude.

Your attitude affects your outlook and your outlook can determine your level of contentment, and content people are happier people.

Thanksgiving will come this Thursday, whether you’re ready or not.

My challenge for you (and for me) is to take the spirit of Thanksgiving into your everyday routine. Teach gratitude to your children. Help them learn how to find things to be grateful for. It’s a skill that can be honed and developed. How much better to learn an attitude of gratitude at five rather than fifty. Make it a part of your bedtime routine or your family time around the table. Gratitude is a gift that keeps on giving.

I’ve created a little printable that you can use either for yourself or with your family to document the things you are thankful for this Thanksgiving season. I think it would be wonderful to look back years from now and read what your family was grateful for during this season of your life.

Praying that this Thanksgiving will be a blessed season for you and your family and that you will be blessed by the gift that comes from gratitude – contentment.

The post The Gift of Giving Thanks appeared first on Sarah E. Brooks.

I loved having the opportunity to speak at the women’s day conference in July at Central Baptist Church. I’m so thankful for the grace God has granted to us on this journey. Becoming a special needs mom was never a role I anticipated. It’s not always an easy path, but our good Father promises to be with us every step of the way.

How can you experience the goodness of God in the midst of pain and heartache?

The post Beautifully Broken appeared first on Sarah E. Brooks.

I’ve been scouring the web for you guys and here are my top Prime Day Deals for book lovers and I’ve included affiliate links to the best book deals I’ve found!

$5 off a print book order of $15 using code “PRIMEBOOK19” –

3 Free months of Kindle Unlimited for Prime members. (Just remember to cancel before your three months is up to avoid the $9.99 monthly membership). This is like Netflix for books. There are so many great books, magazines, and audiobooks to choose from. —

Audible subscription for $4.95 a month for your first three months for new subscribers. Great for those who love listening to books while they’re doing other things!

Lots of great discounts on Kindle devices : Fire, Kindle, Paperwhite -(this is what I have)-, and the new waterproof/audible compatible Oasis.

Share this list with a book lover in your life!

Happy shopping (and saving).

#BookLoversUnite #PrimeDay #AmazonAffiliate #TakeMyMoney

The post Prime Day Deals for Book Lovers appeared first on Sarah E. Brooks.

Want to print a copy to use during your own prayer time?

Download a PDF version here or right click and save the image above.

The post Praying the Scriptures for Writers appeared first on Sarah E. Brooks.

Here is a list of resources I’ve found helpful as we’ve faced challenges. I pray that these books, albums, and apps will be an encouragement to you as well. I’ve included a few direct amazon affiliate links to help make it easy to find the resources.

Love in Christ,
Sarah

Books

• When God Doesn’t Fix It – Laura Story
• Beautiful Battlefields – Bo Stern
• It’s Not Supposed to Be This Way – Lysa TerKeurst

Music

• Amazon Music: My personal playlist of songs that have encouraged me on our journey.
• Red Sea Road – Ellie Holcomb
• Seeds Family Worship – There are several different albums of scripture songs centered around various themes – great for memorizing bible verses with your kids. (There are also Seeds Family Worship videos on YouTube).
• You Make Me Brave – Bethel Music

Apps and online Bible Study Resources

• Living Proof Ministries with Beth Moore – there is a downloadable app for ios and Android. You can listen or watch full teachings from Beth Moore. It’s one of my favorites.
• First 5 – from Proverbs 31 ministries – quick and easy daily devotionals available to read on your phone.
• Logos App – This is a free Bible app that also gives you access to some great bible study tools.
• OnePlace – an app that allows you to listen to a variety of sermons, bible studies, or Christian podcasts.
• RightNow Media – this is a subscription-based service (kinda like a Bible Study Netflix).
• Lifeway Women Online – video-based bible studies that you can watch online from teachers like Priscilla Shrirer, Beth Moore, Lisa Harper, etc. The studies are free to watch, but are only available for a limited amount of time (after that, you can rent the videos). A new study starts around every 6-8 weeks.
• Fighter Verses – This is a paid app, but it helps you memorize Bible verse through graphics, songs, and quizzes.

Just for Fun

• Psalms Coloring Book for Adults
• Beautiful Word Bible

What resources have been helpful to you on your journey? Leave a comment below and let me know!

The post Hope in Hard Things appeared first on Sarah E. Brooks.

Right Click the image and select “save as” to save it to your computer or screenshot it to save it to your phone.

The post Praying the Scriptures – Joy appeared first on Sarah E. Brooks.

Whenever I disagree with someone on a passionate issue like this one, I genuinely try to understand the viewpoint of the other person. It’s easy to just cast someone into a pre-imagined role: it’s “us” vs “them.” The backwards conservative vs the heartless baby killers. It’s ugly on all sides. It’s hard to acknowledge the complexity of feelings that go into a decision as serious as ending a pregnancy. I repeatedly saw people mention how most late-term abortions were due to health issues or deformities in the baby.

I am unashamedly pro-life. I’m also the mother of a child born with genetic birth defects of the brain and spine as well as Gorlin syndrome – a condition that will likely lead to an ongoing, life-long battle with skin cancer. I didn’t know about my daughter’s condition in the womb – none of the ultrasounds or testing raised any alarms.

So many of the women I connect with online in my special needs support groups were offered termination at multiple points during their pregnancies. Many of these same women now have children who FAR exceed the negative prognosis given to them at an anatomy ultrasound. The fact is, that sometimes a diagnosis is incorrect. What they think they see on an ultrasound or fetal-MRI does not always give you a full picture of that child’s life. It’s a piece of medical technology, not a crystal ball that will predict the future with 100% accuracy.

Elizabeth’s particular brain defect (agenesis of the corpus callosum) offers a spectrum of possible outcomes (from minor learning delays to more severe disability), but many of my friends’ doctors emphasized the worst-case scenario. Yes, it’s a gamble, but a human being’s life is at stake. A child with birth defects is not less of a child than a “healthy” baby. It isn’t less wrong to stop the heart of an “imperfect” baby.

When I read the late-term abortion experience of the woman in this article, I can’t help but mourn with her – primarily because she was describing the medical conditions of my own daughter – while Elizabeth doesn’t have the more severe Dandy-Walker variant (she leans more toward a Chiari malformation), she does have a genetic syndrome, hydrocephalus and is missing the corpus callosum just like this woman’s child.

There are some people who say that it’s morally wrong to end the life of a healthy baby, but it’s morally acceptable to end the life of a child with medical issues. It’s “merciful” to prevent a child from entering the world if they might suffer, face a lifetime of medical issues or if they likely won’t live for very long anyway. However, even giving birth to a “normal” child does not ensure that the child will not suffer physically at some point in their life. We wouldn’t advocate taking the life of a nine-year-old child suffering from cancer in order to be “merciful.”

As the mother of a special needs child, what I hear when I listen to those types of arguments is that a child like mine would be better off dead. When I listen to my daughter laugh or I watch her work hard to achieve milestones, I can’t help but mourn for the families who miss out on those moments because they were told that ending the pregnancy would be the better choice for all involved.

And I get it. The prospect of raising a child with medical or neurological issues is HARD. It’s a life-long commitment. I sometimes feel like I’m drowning in a sea of uncertainty. It’s frightening and overwhelming and stressful and expensive. It’s a lot. My daughter has faced challenges and struggles at two-years-old that most children will never face in their lifetimes- including two brain surgeries before her first birthday. Is it more merciful for her never to draw a breath on planet earth? No.

Oftentimes, vulnerable and frightened mothers are fed the worst-case scenario and are given limited time to make literal life and death decisions. The medical staff wants the parent to be informed of the very real possibility of bad things (so they don’t get sued for “wrongful life”), but seldom do they say, “there’s also a chance they will experience only minor delays and enjoy a full and meaningful life.” or “They might face many struggles, but even in spite of them, they will flourish.” I don’t think these OBGYNs or radiology staff are evil abortion-pushers. I just think it’s not possible for them to be experts on every single rare medical condition – they may not actually be aware of the full spectrum of possible outcomes.

We long for peace and perfection. We long for healthy children born at an opportune time, but sometimes, that’s not what we’re given. What do we do then?

I have nothing but compassion and grace for these women. It’s heartbreaking for all involved. You won’t find me throwing stones. The older I get, the more I realize how intricately complex we are as human beings. I don’t think these women are evil or heartless. I don’t think it was a decision they came to lightly or even necessarily willingly- I don’t underestimate the influence of well-meaning family members or medical experts. Some pro-choice mothers may feel, ironically, that they have no choice but abortion.

To the mom considering a late-term abortion due to a prenatal diagnosis: I can’t tell you what to do, but I can tell you this: I wouldn’t trade my daughter for the world. Facing these adversities has taught me so much more about my faith. Mothering her has taught me strength in ways that my “healthy” children never did. Yes, it is scary. Yes, it is hard, but you are made of strong stuff. Every single life has value – no matter how short or what the child has to offer society. Each life is precious. Whether you have two minutes with your baby or twenty years, life is a gift worth giving.

To my pro-life friends: If we, as the church, are going to proclaim our pro-life convictions, we need to be pro-all-of-life. That means we don’t ridicule the single mom on food stamps who had a baby that “she couldn’t afford.” We come alongside those families raising children with mental or physical challenges. We teach our children empathy and compassion for children who are differently-abled. We encourage and provide the disabled with resources they need to live a full and meaningful life. We support education, childcare, and job resources to help break cycles of poverty. We embrace the woman facing an unplanned pregnancy and support her rather than shame her. We help the woman in an abusive relationship find a safe way out. We provide information and support about adoption and we continue to care for the whole person even after a baby is born.

It’s not enough to be pro-baby. When people think of the church, they need to think pro-abundant-life.

If you’re a mom facing a complicated pregnancy, my heart is with you. We didn’t know about my daughter’s condition until after she was born, so I can’t imagine the pressure and fear and uncertainty of knowing that there are problems from the time they are in your womb. God’s grace can sustain in ways you could never imagine. Ask Him for help – He is faithful.

May our eyes and hearts be opened to the value of every single life. May we show grace and love to those who are vulnerable. May we empower women and provide them with a safe place to face the challenges of a life where things are sometimes just not the way we hoped they’d be.

Sarah is a writer and mom of four. Her passion is to encourage and equip women in their faith. To stay up to date on tools and resources for Christian motherhood, click here.

Are you a special needs parent?

I’m writing a book just for you! Sign up for news and updates about The Wonderful Way You Are! A children’s picture book that celebrates your child’s unique differences.

Subscribe

Thank you!

You have successfully joined our subscriber list.

The post Is carrying a child with birth defects a good reason for an abortion? appeared first on Sarah E. Brooks.

I love puzzles. With four small children at home, it’s not a hobby I get to enjoy on a regular basis. Too many pieces go missing thanks to tiny helping hands, but this week, I settled down to the desk in my hotel room to put together a box of pieces. For me, the beginning is always the most challenging part. It requires sorting. I look for the straight edges so that I can put together the framework for the picture. I sort between the jagged puzzle pieces and the straight lines.

Slowly, the puzzle begins to take shape. Order begins to come out of chaos. The sorting continues by color, by line, by shape. As the picture comes together, it becomes easier to find where the pieces belong. What initially felt overwhelming, a pile of hundreds of individual pieces is now put together to create a perfect image. Every piece is necessary.

Sometimes the pieces don’t give you any clue of where they belong. There are no lines or shapes to tell you where they need to be placed but don’t overlook them. They are essential in creating the big picture.

I sat there at the desk, watching as these individual pieces grew into a greater picture. I began to get a glimpse of God’s perspective. Sometimes it feels like my life is in pieces. I struggle to see how each piece fits in, but God has a bigger picture in mind. No piece is wasted. Each jagged piece fits together perfectly with the pieces around it. It just might take a little bit of time to see how things will come together.

Where I see disjointed and jagged pieces, God sees the masterpiece. He knows how the curves and lines of my life need to be knit together. In the end, it’s something beautiful. Although, in the moment, there are times I want to throw up my hands and say “This doesn’t make sense. Where does this piece belong?”

I start with the framework of his Word. It gives me the boundaries to know how all these pieces will be held together. For me, they are the truths that: God is good. God is just. God can be trusted. God loves me. Knowing these fundamental truths help hold all of the miscellaneous pieces together. They’re all bound up in who God is and that knowledge helps me to take the next step of making sense of the jumble of pieces in front of me. It puts the unknown pieces into context. They are safe inside this these boundaries.

I know that one day I’ll be able to look back and see how all of these hills and valleys were simply just pieces of a bigger picture, placed together for a bigger purpose.

I just have to trust the puzzle-maker.

The post The Puzzle appeared first on Sarah E. Brooks.