Sarah Portner

“Now faith is the assurance of things hoped for, the conviction of things not seen.” (Hebrews 11:1 ESV) Hope is a funny thing. It is a confident expectation that a positive outcome will occur; it does not require a favorable situation to exist. It can exist in an unfavorable situation.  That’s faith. I’ve been…

I recently finished reading Rebekah Lyons’ Building a Resilient Life.  A book – much to its title’s credit – filled with practical advice of four steps to building a resilient life: 1.       Naming the pain – through honestly naming and acknowledging the hurt you have or are experiencing. 2.       Shifting the narrative – through replacing the…

I’ve asked God the question a lot lately, “Why do I have to walk this season alone?” Please do not mistake me, I have had some amazing people come alongside me in the aftermath of my divorce.  But this is still a hard season. This is a lonely season – this is Dr. Seuss’…

“It feels like you’re just waiting.” It felt like an accusation, like there was something wrong with me.  It agitated me.  It angered me.  I wasn’t just waiting.  I was… But all the actions that I felt like I was doing would only prove to the speaker that I was just waiting.  I was waiting to heal.  I was waiting…

“I am the true vine, and my Father is the gardener.  He cuts off every branch in me that bears no fruit, while every branch that does bear fruit, He prunes so that it will be even more fruitful.” (John 15:1-2) I was reminded of these verses and something I wrote last year while…

This has always driven me crazy: having fall and Christmas décor up at the same time. In previous years, I would have bent over backwards to get Christmas up and fall put away – dedicating an entire weekend to it, just to check the box off of my to-do list and get on to…

I am convinced, as of late, that if you want to come in contact with the Holy Spirit, go hang out in the vitamin aisle of Walmart.  He’s right there, between all our man-made ways of sustaining our health, waiting.  Ever find yourself in a conversation and feel like you missed the first half…

“Have you asked him for forgiveness?” I could feel the indignation, the self-righteous anger rising within me as I read the message. Me, ask him for forgiveness? I was the injured party! I wanted to scream and throw the phone across the room. Didn’t she know? Yet…  Yet, there was that still small voice…

“Consider it pure joy, my brothers and sisters, whenever you face trials of many kinds, because you know that the testing of your faith produces perseverance. Let perseverance finish its work so that you may be mature and complete, not lacking anything.” (James 1:2-4) Consider it pure joy? I’ve really struggled with this verse,…

There’s this moment in the wilderness where the Israelites are on the cusp of taking the Promised Land (Numbers 13).  Moses has sent out 12 spies, and they have come back from scouting out the land and confirmed that the land is flowing with milk and honey.  They’ve even brought back a giant cluster…