All in FAITH

Finding Our Happy Place - with Candace Cofer

Finding Our Happy Place - with Candace Cofer

Sara Claudia Ministries
FAITH

We all have our "happy place."

Maybe it's the porch.

One of my friends said her husband loves the back porch so much they call their patio "The Matt-io."

Maybe for you, it's the beach.

Sunshine and waves and the smell of Coppertone sunscreen is your ticket to serenity.

Maybe it's less expensive. Maybe all it takes is a hot shower.

As a parent of little ones, complicated and compulsive adolescents, or seemingly unreachable teenagers, you seek a few minutes of alone time. Brief and simple, but happy nonetheless.

Wedding Bells

Wedding Bells

Sara Claudia Ministries
FAITH

My wedding date is rapidly approaching, and I can just about hear the bells ringing!

In fact, I will be saying “I do” in just 3 days!

Throughout our engagement, Seth and I have learned a lot about each other.

As we have spent more time together, endured the stress of planning a wedding, suffered personal losses, and explored the foundation of our relationship in pre-marital counseling, the good and the not-so-good parts of both of us have been revealed.

One of the most enlightening and important things we have learned is just how different we truly are.

Look Up

Look Up

Sara Claudia Ministries
FAITH

“Okay, here’s what we have to do. We’re going to lower ourselves about three feet down into the gully and then climb about four feet up on the other side, and then we have some briars to work through… but it’ll be fine!”

These are the words I heard as my dad and I began hiking back to the watershed lake that sits about a mile behind my childhood home.

The challenge didn’t phase me, though.

I had spent my whole childhood, teenage, and young adult years exploring these woods, and I was excited about the adventure.

April Showers Bring May Flowers

April Showers Bring May Flowers

Sara Claudia Ministries
FAITH

“April showers bring May flowers.”

It’s a saying we all have heard, and we know it is true.

The wet, dreary weather we tend to endure in early spring gives way to a beautiful array of vibrant colors and energizing scents as time passes.

While the rain is not a welcome occurrence, it is necessary for the beauty that we all look forward to each year.

This fun, familiar saying reminds me of a Bible verse found in Romans chapter 8.

Should We Thank God For “Unanswered” Prayers?

Should We Thank God For “Unanswered” Prayers?

Sara Claudia Ministries
FAITH

One implication of my blindness that I don’t think I will ever get used to is its impact on social interactions.

When I am in a conversation with someone, I cannot read their body language, and this is a pretty important aspect!

As a result, it can be hard to know if I have their attention, if they are distracted, or even if they have walked off and left the conversation all together!

In situations like this, I often end up feeling unheard and unanswered.

We all know how it feels to see that a text message or Facebook message has been read, but ignored.

Finding a Home in Jesus - with Erica Rivers

Finding a Home in Jesus - with Erica Rivers

Sara Claudia Ministries
FAITH

I don’t know about you, but I’m a homebody.

I love getting out of the house but as soon as I hit my social interaction limit for the day, I’m ready to go home, throw on my jammies, take off my makeup, and jump into my soft, fluffy bed.

But lately, I’ve found myself in an uncomfortable predicament.

I don’t have a place to call “home” right now.

You see, my sweet husband, Jackson, was recently offered his dream job in his hometown, and we were both praising Jesus and happy dancing as soon as we got the call!

Can I Win the Waiting Game?

Can I Win the Waiting Game?

Sara Claudia Ministries
FAITH

They say, “Good things come to those who wait!”…but waiting can be so hard!

Whether you are striving for an end to a difficult season or are anticipating an exciting event, feeling like a player in the “waiting game” can be a struggle.

In my own life, I have been stuck in a “waiting season” for a few months.

I have some pretty exciting events that I am anticipating, and the sense of impatience is very real!

What Do I Deserve?

What Do I Deserve?

Sara Claudia Ministries
FAITH

When I entered this world in May of 1994, to say that my mom and dad had their hands full would be an understatement.

While preparing to welcome their third child, they were also busy wrangling twin toddlers.

I’m sure they were excited, anxious, and just a bit exhausted by the time I made my appearance.

Not only had they spent the last nine months caring for me as I grew in my mom’s tummy, but they had also committed themselves to a lifetime of physical and emotional care for yet another child.

New Season: Exciting Life Update!

New Season: Exciting Life Update!

Sara Claudia Ministries
FAITH

Spring is quickly approaching, and with it will come the changes and promises of a new season.

Flowers bloom, the weather gets warmer, and we can finally start to venture out of our cozy winter cocoon of blankets and fleece!

The weather is not the only thing that has been changing for me recently.

My life has been undergoing a season of change that has brought sad goodbyes, exciting new endeavors, and a whirlwind of emotions.

I wanted to let you in on what God has been teaching me through it all.

God, Is That You?

God, Is That You?

Sara Claudia Ministries
FAITH

One of the phrases I have grown to dread most after losing my sight is, “Guess who!”

Without visual cues, it can be so hard to identify someone by their voice, especially when I am in a crowded room or when the voice belongs to someone who I do not speak with often.

There are some people, like family members and close friends, who I can immediately recognize as soon as they utter one word, but this is definitely not the case with everyone.

As Christians, a question we all have from time to time is, “God, is that you?”

Drown Out The Noise, Amplify His Voice

Drown Out The Noise, Amplify His Voice

Sara Claudia Ministries
FAITH

When I lost my sight in both eyes in 2015, I also completely lost hearing in my left ear.

While I do not write as often about this aspect of my disability, it still impacts my life in many ways.

Thankfully, the hearing in my right ear was not damaged, so I still have relatively good hearing overall.

However, when you combine my sight loss with my partial hearing loss, things can get pretty tricky!

I have a hard time hearing any soft noises that originate on my left side, and it took me a long time to get used to only holding the phone up to my right ear.

Can I Listen When I Am Lost?

Can I Listen When I Am Lost?

Sara Claudia Ministries
FAITH

Throughout my journey with blindness, I have learned many lessons.

Lessons that could be applied not only to my sight loss but to grief, relationships, and even to God.

While learning how to navigate the world without my sight using a white cane, one of the first techniques I was taught was how to use my ears.

At street crossings, I was instructed how to pay close attention to the sounds of traffic. By doing so, I could determine whether traffic was flowing, the direction the cars were moving, and if it was safe for me to cross the street.

While memorizing various routes from point A to point B, I was taught how to identify audible landmarks in the same way that sighted individuals may identify street signs or familiar sights.

Am I Walking By Faith or Fear?

Am I Walking By Faith or Fear?

Sara Claudia Ministries
FAITH

When I am not using my white cane as a mobility tool, I must rely on another person to be my “sighted guide”…

This means that, as I hold on to my companion’s elbow, they lead me around obstacles and along a safe, clear path.

At least, that is the intention!

In this way, I can navigate by feeling how the other person moves as well as by relying on their verbal directions and cues.

Am I Moldable in God’s Hands?

Am I Moldable in God’s Hands?

Sara Claudia Ministries
FAITH

When I was little, I was a bit different from many of my friends.

I never donned a dance leotard, ballet slippers, gymnast suit, or cheerleader uniform.

No, I was more comfortable in boots, brushing ponies, and riding in a dusty arena.

I did try gymnastics lessons once, though.

Quickly, I realized it wasn’t for me.

In an attempt to find an excuse to gracefully bow out of the sport, I told my parents that I didn’t want to do gymnastics anymore because my instructor had a ponytail…it was the logic of a 5-year-old, but it worked!

So, I never learned how to do a cartwheel, stand on my hands, or be flexible.

Can I Live for God from the Inside Out?

Can I Live for God from the Inside Out?

Sara Claudia Ministries
FAITH

We all are guilty of making some questionable decisions when we are young.

Am I right?

Especially in high school, we get pulled into strange fashion trends, risky behavior in an effort to fit in, and going to great lengths in order to be seen as appealing to others.

When I was a senior in high school, I let one of my friends talk me into dying my hair. My natural color, a dirty blonde shade, had never been touched with color before, but I wanted it to be blonder.

Thus, the bleaching and dying began.

God Can Use Where You Are

God Can Use Where You Are

Sara Claudia Ministries
FAITH

As the new year grew closer, I read and heard quite a few statements about the approaching transition into 2021.

It seemed as though everyone craved a fresh start and the opportunity to leave 2020 behind along with all of its troubles and hardships.

I’m right there with you!

2020 was challenging for everyone, to say the least, and I’m truly hoping that 2021 will be better.

If we’re being honest, though, we are bound to face the same difficulties and even some new ones this year.

New Year, Same God

New Year, Same God

Sara Claudia Ministries
FAITH

Did you know that the tradition of New Year’s resolutions is actually thought to date back to the ancient Babylonians?

About 4,000 years ago, these people would make promises to their gods in hopes that they could keep their word and find favor in the eyes of their idols.

Our resolutions today are not that different.

We make promises to ourselves in hopes to better our careers, health, or relationships in the year to come.

We hope that, if we keep these vows of change, the year will be favorable for us.

For many people, the new year represents a fresh start and a chance to reinvent ourselves.

After the tumultuous year that 2020 has been, I think that we all are craving a little change.

When Grief Makes Us Feel Like a Grinch

When Grief Makes Us Feel Like a Grinch

Sara Claudia Ministries
FAITH

2015 was the first year that I ever remember not looking forward to Christmas.

It had always been my absolute favorite holiday, filled with family traditions, magical memories, and lots of Christmas cookies!

That year, however, as the season approached, I began to dread adorning the tree with lights, watching my favorite holiday movies, and enjoying all of the beautiful decorations.

Why?

Because I wouldn’t be able to see any of it.

A Prayer-Filled Proposal

A Prayer-Filled Proposal

Sara Claudia Ministries
FAITH

Seth and I had been dating for 10 months before we finally settled in, had a serious discussion, and began incorporating the word “marriage” into our daily conversations.

When we got engaged a month later and began planning a wedding for just 5 months down the road, many people were shocked, to say the least.

Even though it seemed like a whirlwind, it wasn’t a decision that either of us made lightly.

Often times, when we face big decisions in our lives, we need advice or guidance.

Where do you go to receive this feedback?

Pursuing Peace in the Panic

Pursuing Peace in the Panic

Sara Claudia Ministries
FAITH

Jazz and Jambalaya, bayous and banana foster’s, Cajun cooking, and riverboat cruising.

New Orleans has long since been on my travel bucket list, and I was so excited to finally get to visit a few months back with my parents.

Now, we all know that NOLA has a bit of a reputation, and, before my arrival, I braced myself for the noise and chaos that I would inevitably encounter on Bourbon Street.

Load More