• This weekend I ran my slowest race and I loved it! As someone who grew up feeling like achieving was one of the only ways to receive acceptance and love (enneagram three wing), allowing myself to just have fun was freeing and healing. I am so grateful to my body for taking me 13.1 miles even though I haven’t treated her well lately! Little sleep, lots of stress, and inconsistent work outs, it would have been fair for her to give out on me! This was the first long race I’ve ever run with friends cheering me on from the sidelines. I am so thankful for our teammates from @woot_running willing to give up a Sunday morning to cheer for those of us who ran. I am grateful to the members of @costamesafirstumc who sent texts and prayers, and let me be gone for a Sunday to take part in this race. I am grateful to the Monson family who cheered for us, and cared for Tenor whilst I got to run alongside Jer one of the Monson men. It was awesome to see a family come together to cheer and run each other’s pace to stay together. Yesterday’s race wasn’t easy for lots of reasons, but I am grateful for the reminder that people show up even when you aren’t at your best. Even when it’s hard to put one foot in front of the other. I used to sprint, and part of the reason why I loved it so much was it was a solo event, I was fast and only had to worry about my race- but life isn’t a solo event and in fact it’s more fun and meaningful when you have a team! @runsurfcityusa #runthisbeach
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    This weekend I ran my slowest race and I loved it! As someone who grew up feeling like achieving was one of the only ways to receive acceptance and love (enneagram three wing), allowing myself to just have fun was freeing and healing. I am so grateful to my body for taking me 13.1 miles even though I haven’t treated her well lately! Little sleep, lots of stress, and inconsistent work outs, it would have been fair for her to give out on me! This was the first long race I’ve ever run with friends cheering me on from the sidelines. I am so thankful for our teammates from @woot_running willing to give up a Sunday morning to cheer for those of us who ran. I am grateful to the members of @costamesafirstumc who sent texts and prayers, and let me be gone for a Sunday to take part in this race. I am grateful to the Monson family who cheered for us, and cared for Tenor whilst I got to run alongside Jer one of the Monson men. It was awesome to see a family come together to cheer and run each other’s pace to stay together. Yesterday’s race wasn’t easy for lots of reasons, but I am grateful for the reminder that people show up even when you aren’t at your best. Even when it’s hard to put one foot in front of the other. I used to sprint, and part of the reason why I loved it so much was it was a solo event, I was fast and only had to worry about my race- but life isn’t a solo event and in fact it’s more fun and meaningful when you have a team! @runsurfcityusa #runthisbeach
  • #tbt to when I used to stand on train tracks for photographers :) @bwilsonsquared I would still do anything for your shot, even risk my life! #fedora #overtheshoulder
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    #tbt to when I used to stand on train tracks for photographers :) @bwilsonsquared I would still do anything for your shot, even risk my life! #fedora #overtheshoulder
  • #transformationtuesday this week transforming a club house into a party venue to celebrate fifty years of making space for others. It was my honor to design and help create a place to honor @susanrsnodgrass parents. A little background: When I first moved to California I didn’t have anywhere to live, I worked with Ginny Rand and she suggested I move in with her daughter Susan... 15 years later Susan is one of my best friends, and along with our other bestie @chelsea_demhop we designed the space for a surprise party to celebrate a marriage that has always made space for others. From weekly “family” meals- to inviting me to holidays- this family has always had room to welcome myself, and any other friend who needed a space. This weekend people from all over the country came to celebrate the way that the Rands have made space for them. In 1970 it all started by them making space for each other, for how different they are, and how willing they are to support each other’s passions. I never thought I would see “Daddy Rand” square dancing but just like in life, they always seem to find each other on the dance floor. Thank you for being a great example of marriage and the ways we can give space and watch someone grow! Every space I decorate, design or gather people is with the intention of allowing people to experience our connectedness and our shared story. How can you make space in your relationships to do the same thing?
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    #transformationtuesday this week transforming a club house into a party venue to celebrate fifty years of making space for others. It was my honor to design and help create a place to honor @susanrsnodgrass parents. A little background: When I first moved to California I didn’t have anywhere to live, I worked with Ginny Rand and she suggested I move in with her daughter Susan... 15 years later Susan is one of my best friends, and along with our other bestie @chelsea_demhop we designed the space for a surprise party to celebrate a marriage that has always made space for others. From weekly “family” meals- to inviting me to holidays- this family has always had room to welcome myself, and any other friend who needed a space. This weekend people from all over the country came to celebrate the way that the Rands have made space for them. In 1970 it all started by them making space for each other, for how different they are, and how willing they are to support each other’s passions. I never thought I would see “Daddy Rand” square dancing but just like in life, they always seem to find each other on the dance floor. Thank you for being a great example of marriage and the ways we can give space and watch someone grow! Every space I decorate, design or gather people is with the intention of allowing people to experience our connectedness and our shared story. How can you make space in your relationships to do the same thing?
  • One of my favorite things to do is chat with friends- What and honor and a joy to chat with my friend @dustinkensrue on his thoughtful podcast @carrythefirepod we talk about all kinds of topics from wonder, creativity, making space, and why I stand on the side of inclusion. Please give the episode a listen, and after you’ll want to listen to every episode, it is such a great podcast. Thanks for always being a great person to chat with Dustin. Be safe on tour my friend!
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    One of my favorite things to do is chat with friends- What and honor and a joy to chat with my friend @dustinkensrue on his thoughtful podcast @carrythefirepod we talk about all kinds of topics from wonder, creativity, making space, and why I stand on the side of inclusion. Please give the episode a listen, and after you’ll want to listen to every episode, it is such a great podcast. Thanks for always being a great person to chat with Dustin. Be safe on tour my friend!
  • What a joy it is to celebrate this lady @morganharpernichols It may be her birthday, but she has given us all a gift! Her new book “All along you were blooming” is wonderful. Her poetry has the ability to give words to experiences we often can’t even articulate ourselves. Congratulations Morgan you deserve every great opportunity that is coming your way!! So grateful that @nccpilgrimage brought us together a couple of years ago.
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    What a joy it is to celebrate this lady @morganharpernichols It may be her birthday, but she has given us all a gift! Her new book “All along you were blooming” is wonderful. Her poetry has the ability to give words to experiences we often can’t even articulate ourselves. Congratulations Morgan you deserve every great opportunity that is coming your way!! So grateful that @nccpilgrimage brought us together a couple of years ago.
  • #transformationtuesday Last night I spent time with friends I’ve known since I was 13! @ginnisand was one of my best friends, (really co-conspirators) in high school and although she looks exactly the same, and married her incredible high school sweetheart we’ve both transformed in so many ways! Catching up was wonderful! When I moved from a small town in Canada I had no idea how different the US would be, let alone Mississippi. I felt lost! Ginni immediately made me feel at home. Although we’ve both changed (please note my mermaid hair) being around Ginni still feels like home. Having moved around a lot I think people have become what feels like “home.” I find it amazing that last week for #theauthenticitychallenge we did challenges around WHO we are in relationship to other people, and this week I got to spend time with one of the people who helped make me, me. What about you? What people inspire or ground you? This week we are digging into WHAT we do with our time. I wonder what new insight awaits. #alwayslearning.
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    #transformationtuesday Last night I spent time with friends I’ve known since I was 13! @ginnisand was one of my best friends, (really co-conspirators) in high school and although she looks exactly the same, and married her incredible high school sweetheart we’ve both transformed in so many ways! Catching up was wonderful! When I moved from a small town in Canada I had no idea how different the US would be, let alone Mississippi. I felt lost! Ginni immediately made me feel at home. Although we’ve both changed (please note my mermaid hair) being around Ginni still feels like home. Having moved around a lot I think people have become what feels like “home.” I find it amazing that last week for #theauthenticitychallenge we did challenges around WHO we are in relationship to other people, and this week I got to spend time with one of the people who helped make me, me. What about you? What people inspire or ground you? This week we are digging into WHAT we do with our time. I wonder what new insight awaits. #alwayslearning.
  • “To know yourself… really, and to recognize and appreciate the important people who make you who you are.” - The Authenticity challenge goal for week one- #21dayauthenticitychallenge Today is day one of our challenge to become more Authentic as a community and the first challenge is…. logging off. Logging off for a week from Instagram, Facebook, or whatever social media you find yourself scrolling through. The other 7 challenges are listed here and if you want to know more feel free to e-mail us (info@costamesafirstumc.com) for the community bookmark- or if you want even more information the book is available on cokesbury.com or amazon.com. Can’t wait to check back in with you in a week- so are you in? are you willing to say goodbye to social media to do some inner work? @costamesafirstumc @kailua_umc photo/ make-up and hair by the amazing @vanvophotography
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    “To know yourself… really, and to recognize and appreciate the important people who make you who you are.” - The Authenticity challenge goal for week one- #21dayauthenticitychallenge Today is day one of our challenge to become more Authentic as a community and the first challenge is…. logging off. Logging off for a week from Instagram, Facebook, or whatever social media you find yourself scrolling through. The other 7 challenges are listed here and if you want to know more feel free to e-mail us ([email protected]) for the community bookmark- or if you want even more information the book is available on cokesbury.com or amazon.com. Can’t wait to check back in with you in a week- so are you in? are you willing to say goodbye to social media to do some inner work? @costamesafirstumc @kailua_umc photo/ make-up and hair by the amazing @vanvophotography
  • It’s hard to explain what it feels like to know that today three communities will begin using the work I put out I to the world to hopefully grow closer to themselves, God and each other. Today in my local church community we start our “21 day authenticity challenge” and I am looking forward to sharing a little bit of the work I sometimes am afraid to bring into @costamesafirstumc- I often have kept my pastoring and writing world separate for fear of “self promotion” or self celebration. A group of amazing female entrepreneurs reminded me this week that sharing what I create isn’t a selfish plug, but a way of bringing more goodness into the world. Thank you to @brianbelting and @mgbischof for encouraging me to share with our faith communities and reminding me that I am a whole person! Pastor Sarah is Author Sarah :) If you want to follow along with the daily challenges I am going to try posting them daily and you can get the book on amazon and cokesbury.com. Can’t wait to hear what the folks of @kailua_umc think of the challenge and what @feastgatheringilm thinks of what’s your story. May 2020 be the year that I bring my whole self into all parts of my work!
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    It’s hard to explain what it feels like to know that today three communities will begin using the work I put out I to the world to hopefully grow closer to themselves, God and each other. Today in my local church community we start our “21 day authenticity challenge” and I am looking forward to sharing a little bit of the work I sometimes am afraid to bring into @costamesafirstumc- I often have kept my pastoring and writing world separate for fear of “self promotion” or self celebration. A group of amazing female entrepreneurs reminded me this week that sharing what I create isn’t a selfish plug, but a way of bringing more goodness into the world. Thank you to @brianbelting and @mgbischof for encouraging me to share with our faith communities and reminding me that I am a whole person! Pastor Sarah is Author Sarah :) If you want to follow along with the daily challenges I am going to try posting them daily and you can get the book on amazon and cokesbury.com. Can’t wait to hear what the folks of @kailua_umc think of the challenge and what @feastgatheringilm thinks of what’s your story. May 2020 be the year that I bring my whole self into all parts of my work!
  • “I do believe something very magical can happen when you read a book”- J.K. Rowling Today is a big day my delightful and talented friend @matthiasroberts book is released into the world- Amazon informed me it’s on its way! I am so proud of his work and can’t wait to dig deeper. I know his book will offer hope and, words of connection and solidarity. Writing a book is believing in the hope that the words you offer will help someone else, the real magic can happen as people flip pages and say “I am not alone.” Yesterday I was reminded that sometimes that magic connection happens years after something is released. I sometimes get discouraged about the writing I have done as a self proclaimed horrible self promoter. I wonder like anyone else does my work matter? Yesterday I found out that @feastgatheringilm is using my first book #whatsyourstory as a study for a community including many folks who are experiencing homelessness/ under-housed. The idea that my words could travel to where I cannot and maybe offer hope has me feeling a sense of joy and I am grateful to @abingdonpressbooks for giving me the opportunity to share my thoughts and words.
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    “I do believe something very magical can happen when you read a book”- J.K. Rowling Today is a big day my delightful and talented friend @matthiasroberts book is released into the world- Amazon informed me it’s on its way! I am so proud of his work and can’t wait to dig deeper. I know his book will offer hope and, words of connection and solidarity. Writing a book is believing in the hope that the words you offer will help someone else, the real magic can happen as people flip pages and say “I am not alone.” Yesterday I was reminded that sometimes that magic connection happens years after something is released. I sometimes get discouraged about the writing I have done as a self proclaimed horrible self promoter. I wonder like anyone else does my work matter? Yesterday I found out that @feastgatheringilm is using my first book #whatsyourstory as a study for a community including many folks who are experiencing homelessness/ under-housed. The idea that my words could travel to where I cannot and maybe offer hope has me feeling a sense of joy and I am grateful to @abingdonpressbooks for giving me the opportunity to share my thoughts and words.
  • “Isn’t it funny how day by day nothing changes, but when you look back everything is different”- CS Lewis #tenyearchallenge #transformationtuesday Goodbye 2010’s- today I have been reflecting on not just this last year, but the last ten. It’s been a crazy decade- and here are a few high/low lights (not in any order)- I left my 20’s- I got ordained- I had my heartbroken- I changed jobs- I became a lead pastor- I moved- I did a lot of therapy - I wrote my first two books- I tried almost every hair color- I adopted Tenor (the best pup anyone ever could find) - I became an aunt - I bought my first house- I had dear friends pass away- I had disappointments I don’t even know how to express- I started a healthy relationship- I traveled a lot- I started running/ racing again- I took my dream trip to Ireland- I made it to Hawaii- I ran my first half marathon- I started speaking at events- I met some of the most amazing people- and so much more! It’s been a big ten years! The girl on the right dreamed about being an actress/ a wife/ a good pastor/ - The girl on the left dreams of transforming communities/ creating and restoring beautiful things/ being a good partner and (maybe wife one day)/ and continuing to lead the best she can. Not much has changed, but everything is different. I am still me- but experience has expanded and refined my dreams. My word for this next year is “commit.” I would rather have a word like “enough” or “hope”- but it kept popping up. I need to commit to my own dreams, and I need to commit to the daily practices that get me moving towards those dreams. Sometimes I want to do everything, but I am going to need to commit to great things and say more no’s to good things. I can’t be all things to all people, as much as I want to, and it’s going to require commitment to disappointing some folks- - so friends here’s to 2020 what are your words?
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    “Isn’t it funny how day by day nothing changes, but when you look back everything is different”- CS Lewis #tenyearchallenge #transformationtuesday Goodbye 2010’s- today I have been reflecting on not just this last year, but the last ten. It’s been a crazy decade- and here are a few high/low lights (not in any order)- I left my 20’s- I got ordained- I had my heartbroken- I changed jobs- I became a lead pastor- I moved- I did a lot of therapy - I wrote my first two books- I tried almost every hair color- I adopted Tenor (the best pup anyone ever could find) - I became an aunt - I bought my first house- I had dear friends pass away- I had disappointments I don’t even know how to express- I started a healthy relationship- I traveled a lot- I started running/ racing again- I took my dream trip to Ireland- I made it to Hawaii- I ran my first half marathon- I started speaking at events- I met some of the most amazing people- and so much more! It’s been a big ten years! The girl on the right dreamed about being an actress/ a wife/ a good pastor/ - The girl on the left dreams of transforming communities/ creating and restoring beautiful things/ being a good partner and (maybe wife one day)/ and continuing to lead the best she can. Not much has changed, but everything is different. I am still me- but experience has expanded and refined my dreams. My word for this next year is “commit.” I would rather have a word like “enough” or “hope”- but it kept popping up. I need to commit to my own dreams, and I need to commit to the daily practices that get me moving towards those dreams. Sometimes I want to do everything, but I am going to need to commit to great things and say more no’s to good things. I can’t be all things to all people, as much as I want to, and it’s going to require commitment to disappointing some folks- - so friends here’s to 2020 what are your words?