July 22, 2025 • 17 mins
Have you ever dismissed your creative potential because you believed the lie that artists are born, not made? That's exactly where Sara Thurman found herself until age 56 when an unexpected divine encounter changed everything.
Sara joins us to share her remarkable journey from someone who "couldn't even draw stick figures" to becoming a successful artist whose paintings now sell worldwide and fund missions across the globe. The transformation began during a simple painting session with friends where God whispered to her heart: "You're an artist for me." Despite her initial disbelief, Sara chose to believe first and step into this new identity before seeing the evidence.
This conversation cuts straight to the heart of creativity as our birthright. Drawing from Genesis 1:27, Sara passionately explains that if we're made in the image of the Great Creator, creativity inherently lives within each of us. Yet many of us have believed the devastating lie that we lack creative ability. Through her book "Small Beginnings: A Journey to the Impossible," Sara guides readers to dream impossible dreams, discover their purpose, and find their people.
What makes this story particularly powerful is how it challenges our assumptions about timing and seasons. Sara began painting at 56, started learning golf at 66, and even found new love after unexpectedly losing her husband. Her testimony reminds us that God's timing is perfect—we never "miss it" when walking in step with Him. Whether you're 26 or 86, this conversation will inspire you to ask, "What creative potential lies dormant within me?" and take your first small step toward discovering it.
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Episode Transcript
Available transcripts are automatically generated. Complete accuracy is not guaranteed.
Denise Jackson (00:00):
Well, welcome to Ease Greenhouse.
I'm so glad you decided to joinus.
For this episode.
I'm with Sarah Thurman, mycoach.
She has been an awesome coachin my life and really taught me
to be a lot freer in mycreativity.
Sarah's Small Beginnings.
(00:27):
She's written a book about this, so I encourage you to go to
Amazon and look it up and she'lltell you exactly the title.
But, sarah, today I would justlike you to tell me about how
you started painting.
Sara Thurman (00:43):
So I was 56 years old and I never, ever,
considered myself an artistthere was no way I would say I
couldn't even draw stick figures.
There was no way I reallythought you were born an artist
and it was already inside of you, but I didn't have it.
It wasn't inside of me is Ibelieved until I was 56, and
(01:06):
then I was painting with a groupof women in Wimberley um, there
were eight or nine of us and itwas just.
It was a thing called cultivateand we were just exploring and
God opened my heart and I wasjust weeping and I was Tuesday
mornings and I was like what,what's happening?
I don't know.
But on the second week, godwhispered to me in my thoughts
(01:29):
you're an artist for me.
And I said there's no way.
I don't know what I'm doing.
He said hang out with me and Iwill teach you.
And so I believed him and Isaid, okay, I'm going to hang
out with you, god, and you'llteach me how to be an artist for
you.
And so that was 10 years ago.
It was 10 years in October of2014.
(01:50):
So it's 10 years and a fewmonths.
Denise Jackson (01:52):
So I just have to say that in 10 years God
could see stuff that youcouldn't see, right, and he was
preparing you and givingprovision to you way back then.
Yes, preparing you and givingprovision to you way back then.
Yes, how awesome is that?
y'all that that God sees what wecannot see and that he cares
for his daughters, for hischildren, but yeah, you know,
(02:14):
we're daughters of the king andhe cares for us so much that he
makes sure we're gonna be okay.
He orders our steps, he doeswhat he promises he's going to
do, and with you especially,thinking back 10 years, my
goodness.
When I couldn't paint, I mean Ididn't know or believed that
you couldn't even do anythinglike that.
(02:35):
No, there's no way.
Sara Thurman (02:36):
No, I would never.
I mean, I was a crocheter, aknitter, I was certainly a baker
, a cook, but but I used arecipe and I used the pattern
from someone else, but to startsomething new, and so that
really is.
My passion now is to helppeople all over the world
(02:56):
discover that creativity isinside of every single person,
and it goes back to scripturefrom Genesis 1, 27, where God
says he created man in his image.
He created man.
So if we're made in God's imageand God is the great creator
what does it make us?
We are created and, but webelieve the lie and I believe
(03:18):
it's the biggest lie that theenemy, satan, has told us is
that we can't create and it'sstolen from us because we're
wasting time, we're wastingmaterials, we're wasting money.
You're not any good, everybodyelse is better than you.
Why are you doing this?
But, truly, what I know is Godawakened a part of me that had
been dormant, that had beensleeping for 56 years, and he
(03:41):
opened it and I started pushinginto it and believing.
I believed first, I believed.
Denise Jackson (03:47):
That's good.
Sara Thurman (03:48):
I believed.
I believed what he told me inthe whispers, in my thoughts.
I'm like, okay, I'm going tobelieve you and I stepped into
it.
That's awesome, and I wasn'tany good.
I didn't think my paintingswould ever, ever sell.
But two years later I prayed animpossible prayer.
Denise Jackson (04:06):
What was your prayer?
Sara Thurman (04:07):
It was God.
I want to paint and sell.
I was painting, but I wanted tosell a four-letter word small,
medium and large paintings togive money back out to people in
need all over the world and toprovide for you guys to go for
me, yes, yes, because your sonand daughter-in-law were out
there, and then yourgrandchildren.
Yes, yes, yes so that's like away of starting that story Right
(04:31):
.
He has used this, my studio,the woodworking shop of my late
husband, this home, to bless us,and then it goes out to the
world and it's still doing it.
I'm turning this house into anAirbnb.
Denise Jackson (04:46):
Yes, it's like, oh, my goodness, god, what are
you doing?
And a gallery is going to be inthe Airbnb with your paintings.
Yes, and a gal, what are youdoing?
And a gal, what is going to bein the Airbnb with your
paintings?
Yes, it's like being onanything I could ever have
dreamed.
And you know, I was thinking.
You said you were 56.
And sometimes we say, well,we're getting old, we can't do
anything.
Oh, yes, but God has perfecttiming.
(05:07):
You weren't late in what washappening.
I didn't miss it, you didn'tmiss it, you weren't late in
what was happening, it wasperfect.
I didn't miss it.
No, you didn't miss it.
You had a joyous life beforethen.
You raised your children, youhad a wonderful marriage, you
had a community.
You had all of that before andGod said I've got more.
Sara Thurman (05:24):
Yeah, I've got more, and most recently in the
last few months, I've started tolearn to play golf at age 66.
So another whole new thing,which it's really hard but it's
really good and I'm learning somuch, even about myself and
control of my emotions when Ihave a really bad shot and then
(05:45):
hope and believe that I'll getbetter.
You know, in practice Using ourmuscles, we cannot expect to be
perfect the first time we dosomething, or the second, or the
50th, like it's a process.
Denise Jackson (05:59):
And that's a big deal.
So stop right there and tell usthe name of the book.
Sara Thurman (06:03):
Yes, small Beginnings, a Journey to the
Impossible.
Denise Jackson (06:06):
And it comes from a verse.
Sara Thurman (06:08):
Yes, Zachariah 410 .
And it says Zerubbabel had beengiven the job to rebuild the
temple and God told him do notdespise your small beginnings,
for the Lord rejoices to see thework begin.
I love that song and so I justwant to encourage you, like, if
(06:28):
you have a thought, keep anotebook of your thoughts, of
things.
I want to dream about this.
I want to encourage you, like,if you have a thought, keep a
notebook of your thoughts, ofthings.
I want to dream about this.
I want to do this.
Keep a notebook because youdon't know, it may not be this
year, it may be in two years, orit may be in two weeks, I don't
know.
God will let you know when youare to put your hands to this
task and to do the next thingfor him.
(06:49):
But see, he rejoices to see thework begin.
And a lot of times we sabotageourselves and say I'm not any
good, I'm quitting, I'm neverdoing this again.
Denise Jackson (06:57):
I was just going to say, too, is people tend to
put up their hand and say theyhear something from somebody or
from the Lord.
Yes, and they'll say, no, I amnot a painter Right Because I
said that to.
I am not a painter RightBecause I said that to you.
I know I am a painter.
Sara Thurman (07:16):
Yes, you are, I am not a painter.
Denise Jackson (07:18):
That is, at this point, that is as wonderful as
Sarah.
But Sarah is growing as apainter, yes, Like her.
New paintings of her landscapesare so much different from her
paintings of the angels, whichare phenomenal.
So God's continuing to grow her, and he's taught me through
Sarah, teaching me to be braveto paint.
Sara Thurman (07:40):
Just do it.
Denise Jackson (07:41):
It's the process I did not start hiking until I
was 60.
And now I get to go all overthe world and hike with
girlfriends.
There's so much out there fory'all and don't hold up your
hand and say stop.
Just as Sarah said.
Take the step.
Write it down, if you don'tknow where to go next write it
down so that you can say I heardthis.
Sara Thurman (08:03):
Yeah.
Denise Jackson (08:03):
And then say Lord, if this is from you, yes,
I want what you want.
Show me the steps.
Sara Thurman (08:12):
This book, the Small Beginnings Journey to the
Impossible, has, I think, eightor nine chapters.
The first chapter is Dream theImpossible, and so write your
dream list down, and the secondis find your purpose.
So, y'all, when we can find ourpurpose and it's connected to
God, it will give us strengthand energy to keep going to the
(08:33):
next step.
And because if we have thepurpose, it's in alignment with
God's will in our life, we cando it.
We are strong, we are brave, weare courageous.
Look behind you, look at allyou've already done, and there's
more, and we've had multiplepurposes already, because we've
touched thousands and thousandsof lives.
Denise Jackson (08:52):
If you're our age, for sure.
Sara Thurman (08:54):
Yes.
Denise Jackson (08:56):
And really, like we always are looking for
what's our purpose?
And what I say in my heart is,when we're loving God and we're
loving one another, thesepurposes are coming out.
And what jobs does he have forus?
What, uh, what victories, whatblessings, what provision does
(09:19):
he?
Have for us.
All of that will always bewrapped up in loving the lord,
your god, with your whole heartand loving others the one right
in front of you.
That's right.
Stop the ones's needed.
Sara Thurman (09:31):
Don't be afraid to say that wasn't my plan.
In fact, I'll give you a veryquick example.
Last week my new husband and Iwere on a cruise a marriage
cruise, Love Like you Mean it.
It was amazing.
We were in St Thomas but mygirlfriend that lives at the
island over from St Thomas andTortola and the British Virgin
Islands came and we're going togo to the beach and spend the
(09:52):
day, but then she really neededhelp doing social security and
Medicare and all that, and Isaid we don't need to go to the
beach, we want to help you today.
And and we did.
And it was so amazing and itwasn't always easy, Like we were
sitting in offices, governmentoffices, most of the day, but it
was like God blessed.
Denise Jackson (10:12):
God blessed us, like because we knew we were
doing what he had called us todo, and what a blessing for
marita, because she didn't haveto do it by herself no, and she
was in a hard place, yes, herhusband died yes yes, yes, so,
and you know what that's like.
Yes, in this last 10 years.
We're going to talk again onanother conversation, but in the
(10:33):
last 10 years you lost yourhusband, your precious husband
that you loved and thought youwould have a lot more years with
, and it was sudden.
It wasn't something youexpected and you went through a
lot of grief.
But on the other side of that,you prayed to get married again
and you met Earl.
Sara Thurman (10:52):
Praise God for Earl the god of the impossible
god really changed he.
Denise Jackson (10:58):
He knew this about Sarah's life that Sarah
couldn't see, and that's anotherreason why I never want to know
what's ahead.
I just want to walk with him.
Walk with him because he doesknow and even when you have to
go through really hard places,he's never going to leave you or
forsake you, and I got to walkwith you through that so that I
(11:20):
know well, so that I know godcarried you.
Now it's part of my book ofremembrance because you were
willing to share that with a lotof us, A lot of us, and that
was so brave of you.
But what it did is it gave us abook of remembrance so that
when we face things we can saywell, God helped Sarah.
(11:42):
God's not a respecter ofpersons.
He loves me like he loves youand he will take me through it
too.
And so then you know, he sayshe didn't give us a spirit of
fear, but power, love and asound mind.
And this is the truth.
When we are with each other, welearn not to fear.
(12:02):
We're still going to hurt,going through hard things, but
we don't fear.
Sara Thurman (12:06):
Right, we'll increase our faith, and
sometimes that's the thing is,we walk.
We lend each other faith if weneed to.
Denise Jackson (12:16):
Like you did for Maritha the other day, and we
need to do that more.
We do Because then?
Sara Thurman (12:22):
because in the end did it matter that we didn't go
to another beach?
Denise Jackson (12:27):
it didn't, no, and there are more beaches that
you will go.
Sara Thurman (12:30):
Yes, we'll go to, and actually earl doesn't like
seeing so so it worked out sogreat he was thankful so good.
Denise Jackson (12:40):
You know, I guess I as we're laughing and
every time we're together youknow I always say this, but it's
like I get so inspired andencouraged being with Sarah,
being with other friends too,that we've talked together in
these conversations.
One of the reasons we do thisis because we want you to know
(13:01):
you are not by yourself in thiswalk.
God said it wasn't good for usto be alone, and he brings
sisters together to encourageone another, to help you get
through things.
So don't stay out there all byyourself.
Sara Thurman (13:16):
Find your people.
That's one of my chapters inthat book Find your people.
Denise Jackson (13:20):
And we are your people, even when we're far away
from you.
We'll pray for you.
Sara Thurman (13:24):
We will love you.
Denise Jackso (13:26):
Eastgreenhousecom is a great place to find a lot
of resources.
Sarah has a ministry which is Idon't want to mess up the words
.
Sara Thurman (13:37):
Well, Acts 1-8 Blessings, and I have an inner
circle as my mentor Acts 1-8.
Blessings is the name of mybusiness, but I have a mentoring
group, an online mentoringgroup, an online ministry.
Denise Jackson (13:50):
I have a podcast and it's very wonderful and
I've been a part of it and so,blessed with it, really, I
couldn't stop painting.
I joined because I'm a writerand she encouraged me to join
because it was a group focusedon creativity and the creativity
(14:10):
that comes from God, and everytime I would be on one of her
group coaching sessions Icouldn't stop myself from
painting, y'all.
It was just God had thatpaintbrush, and so I'm just
telling you that was such anencouragement to me because then
I found out yes, I am a painter, yes, we all are we all are so,
(14:35):
um, we're gonna.
We're gonna end this out withsarah giving one piece of advice
to women who, well, what kindof advice would you want to give
them?
Sara Thurman (14:47):
I would just say take today, take the next hour,
take the next minute and take adeep breath.
The overwhelmingness of theworld will take you down and
don't worry about tomorrow.
So tomorrow will take care ofitself.
Jesus said this.
(15:08):
So today has enough worries foritself.
So in the mornings ask God, or,if you don't remember, until
noon, god, what do you want tohelp me do today?
Ask him for help.
You will be so surprised at allthat you can get done.
But you cannot let worry creepin.
So push worry out, because hesays there's enough worry for
(15:29):
tomorrow.
Only take care of today and youwill get so much done with joy
Watching him be your helper intimes of need.
He is, he is, wants to help uswith every step.
And the enemy wants to take usdown and make us very
overwhelmed and say you can't doit, you can't do it too much,
(15:50):
too much.
Now you're really mean, nowyou're really ugly.
Now you're fussing at everybodyaround you.
Stop all of that.
Take a breath and say God, whatdo you want me to do today?
How do you want to help me?
I know you, you're going tohelp me because I need your help
and let's do it.
And and you're going to beamazed at how that changes your
perspective every day, becausethen you get to wake up the next
(16:11):
day and say, god, what do youwant us to do today?
Denise Jackson (16:14):
it becomes the adventure.
Sara Thurman (16:15):
Yes, and you watch all that you get done.
He is going to do so much, okay, well, we love you and we're
glad you joined us today.
Denise Jackson (16:23):
Join us again.
We'll have future conversationswith this girl absolutely,
thank you, bye-bye.
Well, welcome to Ease Greenhouse.
I'm so glad you decided to joinus.
For this episode.
I'm with Sarah Thurman, mycoach.
She has been an awesome coachin my life and really taught me
to be a lot freer in mycreativity.
Sarah's Small Beginnings.
(00:27):
She's written a book about this, so I encourage you to go to
Amazon and look it up and she'lltell you exactly the title.
But, sarah, today I would justlike you to tell me about how
you started painting.
Sara Thurman (00:43):
So I was 56 years old and I never, ever,
considered myself an artistthere was no way I would say I
couldn't even draw stick figures.
There was no way I reallythought you were born an artist
and it was already inside of you, but I didn't have it.
It wasn't inside of me is Ibelieved until I was 56, and
(01:06):
then I was painting with a groupof women in Wimberley um, there
were eight or nine of us and itwas just.
It was a thing called cultivateand we were just exploring and
God opened my heart and I wasjust weeping and I was Tuesday
mornings and I was like what,what's happening?
I don't know.
But on the second week, godwhispered to me in my thoughts
(01:29):
you're an artist for me.
And I said there's no way.
I don't know what I'm doing.
He said hang out with me and Iwill teach you.
And so I believed him and Isaid, okay, I'm going to hang
out with you, god, and you'llteach me how to be an artist for
you.
And so that was 10 years ago.
It was 10 years in October of2014.
(01:50):
So it's 10 years and a fewmonths.
Denise Jackson (01:52):
So I just have to say that in 10 years God
could see stuff that youcouldn't see, right, and he was
preparing you and givingprovision to you way back then.
Yes, preparing you and givingprovision to you way back then.
Yes, how awesome is that?
y'all that that God sees what wecannot see and that he cares
for his daughters, for hischildren, but yeah, you know,
(02:14):
we're daughters of the king andhe cares for us so much that he
makes sure we're gonna be okay.
He orders our steps, he doeswhat he promises he's going to
do, and with you especially,thinking back 10 years, my
goodness.
When I couldn't paint, I mean Ididn't know or believed that
you couldn't even do anythinglike that.
(02:35):
No, there's no way.
Sara Thurman (02:36):
No, I would never.
I mean, I was a crocheter, aknitter, I was certainly a baker
, a cook, but but I used arecipe and I used the pattern
from someone else, but to startsomething new, and so that
really is.
My passion now is to helppeople all over the world
(02:56):
discover that creativity isinside of every single person,
and it goes back to scripturefrom Genesis 1, 27, where God
says he created man in his image.
He created man.
So if we're made in God's imageand God is the great creator
what does it make us?
We are created and, but webelieve the lie and I believe
(03:18):
it's the biggest lie that theenemy, satan, has told us is
that we can't create and it'sstolen from us because we're
wasting time, we're wastingmaterials, we're wasting money.
You're not any good, everybodyelse is better than you.
Why are you doing this?
But, truly, what I know is Godawakened a part of me that had
been dormant, that had beensleeping for 56 years, and he
(03:41):
opened it and I started pushinginto it and believing.
I believed first, I believed.
Denise Jackson (03:47):
That's good.
Sara Thurman (03:48):
I believed.
I believed what he told me inthe whispers, in my thoughts.
I'm like, okay, I'm going tobelieve you and I stepped into
it.
That's awesome, and I wasn'tany good.
I didn't think my paintingswould ever, ever sell.
But two years later I prayed animpossible prayer.
Denise Jackson (04:06):
What was your prayer?
Sara Thurman (04:07):
It was God.
I want to paint and sell.
I was painting, but I wanted tosell a four-letter word small,
medium and large paintings togive money back out to people in
need all over the world and toprovide for you guys to go for
me, yes, yes, because your sonand daughter-in-law were out
there, and then yourgrandchildren.
Yes, yes, yes so that's like away of starting that story Right
(04:31):
.
He has used this, my studio,the woodworking shop of my late
husband, this home, to bless us,and then it goes out to the
world and it's still doing it.
I'm turning this house into anAirbnb.
Denise Jackson (04:46):
Yes, it's like, oh, my goodness, god, what are
you doing?
And a gallery is going to be inthe Airbnb with your paintings.
Yes, and a gal, what are youdoing?
And a gal, what is going to bein the Airbnb with your
paintings?
Yes, it's like being onanything I could ever have
dreamed.
And you know, I was thinking.
You said you were 56.
And sometimes we say, well,we're getting old, we can't do
anything.
Oh, yes, but God has perfecttiming.
(05:07):
You weren't late in what washappening.
I didn't miss it, you didn'tmiss it, you weren't late in
what was happening, it wasperfect.
I didn't miss it.
No, you didn't miss it.
You had a joyous life beforethen.
You raised your children, youhad a wonderful marriage, you
had a community.
You had all of that before andGod said I've got more.
Sara Thurman (05:24):
Yeah, I've got more, and most recently in the
last few months, I've started tolearn to play golf at age 66.
So another whole new thing,which it's really hard but it's
really good and I'm learning somuch, even about myself and
control of my emotions when Ihave a really bad shot and then
(05:45):
hope and believe that I'll getbetter.
You know, in practice Using ourmuscles, we cannot expect to be
perfect the first time we dosomething, or the second, or the
50th, like it's a process.
Denise Jackson (05:59):
And that's a big deal.
So stop right there and tell usthe name of the book.
Sara Thurman (06:03):
Yes, small Beginnings, a Journey to the
Impossible.
Denise Jackson (06:06):
And it comes from a verse.
Sara Thurman (06:08):
Yes, Zachariah 410 .
And it says Zerubbabel had beengiven the job to rebuild the
temple and God told him do notdespise your small beginnings,
for the Lord rejoices to see thework begin.
I love that song and so I justwant to encourage you, like, if
(06:28):
you have a thought, keep anotebook of your thoughts, of
things.
I want to dream about this.
I want to encourage you, like,if you have a thought, keep a
notebook of your thoughts, ofthings.
I want to dream about this.
I want to do this.
Keep a notebook because youdon't know, it may not be this
year, it may be in two years, orit may be in two weeks, I don't
know.
God will let you know when youare to put your hands to this
task and to do the next thingfor him.
(06:49):
But see, he rejoices to see thework begin.
And a lot of times we sabotageourselves and say I'm not any
good, I'm quitting, I'm neverdoing this again.
Denise Jackson (06:57):
I was just going to say, too, is people tend to
put up their hand and say theyhear something from somebody or
from the Lord.
Yes, and they'll say, no, I amnot a painter Right Because I
said that to.
I am not a painter RightBecause I said that to you.
I know I am a painter.
Sara Thurman (07:16):
Yes, you are, I am not a painter.
Denise Jackson (07:18):
That is, at this point, that is as wonderful as
Sarah.
But Sarah is growing as apainter, yes, Like her.
New paintings of her landscapesare so much different from her
paintings of the angels, whichare phenomenal.
So God's continuing to grow her, and he's taught me through
Sarah, teaching me to be braveto paint.
Sara Thurman (07:40):
Just do it.
Denise Jackson (07:41):
It's the process I did not start hiking until I
was 60.
And now I get to go all overthe world and hike with
girlfriends.
There's so much out there fory'all and don't hold up your
hand and say stop.
Just as Sarah said.
Take the step.
Write it down, if you don'tknow where to go next write it
down so that you can say I heardthis.
Sara Thurman (08:03):
Yeah.
Denise Jackson (08:03):
And then say Lord, if this is from you, yes,
I want what you want.
Show me the steps.
Sara Thurman (08:12):
This book, the Small Beginnings Journey to the
Impossible, has, I think, eightor nine chapters.
The first chapter is Dream theImpossible, and so write your
dream list down, and the secondis find your purpose.
So, y'all, when we can find ourpurpose and it's connected to
God, it will give us strengthand energy to keep going to the
(08:33):
next step.
And because if we have thepurpose, it's in alignment with
God's will in our life, we cando it.
We are strong, we are brave, weare courageous.
Look behind you, look at allyou've already done, and there's
more, and we've had multiplepurposes already, because we've
touched thousands and thousandsof lives.
Denise Jackson (08:52):
If you're our age, for sure.
Sara Thurman (08:54):
Yes.
Denise Jackson (08:56):
And really, like we always are looking for
what's our purpose?
And what I say in my heart is,when we're loving God and we're
loving one another, thesepurposes are coming out.
And what jobs does he have forus?
What, uh, what victories, whatblessings, what provision does
(09:19):
he?
Have for us.
All of that will always bewrapped up in loving the lord,
your god, with your whole heartand loving others the one right
in front of you.
That's right.
Stop the ones's needed.
Sara Thurman (09:31):
Don't be afraid to say that wasn't my plan.
In fact, I'll give you a veryquick example.
Last week my new husband and Iwere on a cruise a marriage
cruise, Love Like you Mean it.
It was amazing.
We were in St Thomas but mygirlfriend that lives at the
island over from St Thomas andTortola and the British Virgin
Islands came and we're going togo to the beach and spend the
(09:52):
day, but then she really neededhelp doing social security and
Medicare and all that, and Isaid we don't need to go to the
beach, we want to help you today.
And and we did.
And it was so amazing and itwasn't always easy, Like we were
sitting in offices, governmentoffices, most of the day, but it
was like God blessed.
Denise Jackson (10:12):
God blessed us, like because we knew we were
doing what he had called us todo, and what a blessing for
marita, because she didn't haveto do it by herself no, and she
was in a hard place, yes, herhusband died yes yes, yes, so,
and you know what that's like.
Yes, in this last 10 years.
We're going to talk again onanother conversation, but in the
(10:33):
last 10 years you lost yourhusband, your precious husband
that you loved and thought youwould have a lot more years with
, and it was sudden.
It wasn't something youexpected and you went through a
lot of grief.
But on the other side of that,you prayed to get married again
and you met Earl.
Sara Thurman (10:52):
Praise God for Earl the god of the impossible
god really changed he.
Denise Jackson (10:58):
He knew this about Sarah's life that Sarah
couldn't see, and that's anotherreason why I never want to know
what's ahead.
I just want to walk with him.
Walk with him because he doesknow and even when you have to
go through really hard places,he's never going to leave you or
forsake you, and I got to walkwith you through that so that I
(11:20):
know well, so that I know godcarried you.
Now it's part of my book ofremembrance because you were
willing to share that with a lotof us, A lot of us, and that
was so brave of you.
But what it did is it gave us abook of remembrance so that
when we face things we can saywell, God helped Sarah.
(11:42):
God's not a respecter ofpersons.
He loves me like he loves youand he will take me through it
too.
And so then you know, he sayshe didn't give us a spirit of
fear, but power, love and asound mind.
And this is the truth.
When we are with each other, welearn not to fear.
(12:02):
We're still going to hurt,going through hard things, but
we don't fear.
Sara Thurman (12:06):
Right, we'll increase our faith, and
sometimes that's the thing is,we walk.
We lend each other faith if weneed to.
Denise Jackson (12:16):
Like you did for Maritha the other day, and we
need to do that more.
We do Because then?
Sara Thurman (12:22):
because in the end did it matter that we didn't go
to another beach?
Denise Jackson (12:27):
it didn't, no, and there are more beaches that
you will go.
Sara Thurman (12:30):
Yes, we'll go to, and actually earl doesn't like
seeing so so it worked out sogreat he was thankful so good.
Denise Jackson (12:40):
You know, I guess I as we're laughing and
every time we're together youknow I always say this, but it's
like I get so inspired andencouraged being with Sarah,
being with other friends too,that we've talked together in
these conversations.
One of the reasons we do thisis because we want you to know
(13:01):
you are not by yourself in thiswalk.
God said it wasn't good for usto be alone, and he brings
sisters together to encourageone another, to help you get
through things.
So don't stay out there all byyourself.
Sara Thurman (13:16):
Find your people.
That's one of my chapters inthat book Find your people.
Denise Jackson (13:20):
And we are your people, even when we're far away
from you.
We'll pray for you.
Sara Thurman (13:24):
We will love you.
Denise Jackso (13:26):
Eastgreenhousecom is a great place to find a lot
of resources.
Sarah has a ministry which is Idon't want to mess up the words
.
Sara Thurman (13:37):
Well, Acts 1-8 Blessings, and I have an inner
circle as my mentor Acts 1-8.
Blessings is the name of mybusiness, but I have a mentoring
group, an online mentoringgroup, an online ministry.
Denise Jackson (13:50):
I have a podcast and it's very wonderful and
I've been a part of it and so,blessed with it, really, I
couldn't stop painting.
I joined because I'm a writerand she encouraged me to join
because it was a group focusedon creativity and the creativity
(14:10):
that comes from God, and everytime I would be on one of her
group coaching sessions Icouldn't stop myself from
painting, y'all.
It was just God had thatpaintbrush, and so I'm just
telling you that was such anencouragement to me because then
I found out yes, I am a painter, yes, we all are we all are so,
(14:35):
um, we're gonna.
We're gonna end this out withsarah giving one piece of advice
to women who, well, what kindof advice would you want to give
them?
Sara Thurman (14:47):
I would just say take today, take the next hour,
take the next minute and take adeep breath.
The overwhelmingness of theworld will take you down and
don't worry about tomorrow.
So tomorrow will take care ofitself.
Jesus said this.
(15:08):
So today has enough worries foritself.
So in the mornings ask God, or,if you don't remember, until
noon, god, what do you want tohelp me do today?
Ask him for help.
You will be so surprised at allthat you can get done.
But you cannot let worry creepin.
So push worry out, because hesays there's enough worry for
(15:29):
tomorrow.
Only take care of today and youwill get so much done with joy
Watching him be your helper intimes of need.
He is, he is, wants to help uswith every step.
And the enemy wants to take usdown and make us very
overwhelmed and say you can't doit, you can't do it too much,
(15:50):
too much.
Now you're really mean, nowyou're really ugly.
Now you're fussing at everybodyaround you.
Stop all of that.
Take a breath and say God, whatdo you want me to do today?
How do you want to help me?
I know you, you're going tohelp me because I need your help
and let's do it.
And and you're going to beamazed at how that changes your
perspective every day, becausethen you get to wake up the next
(16:11):
day and say, god, what do youwant us to do today?
Denise Jackson (16:14):
it becomes the adventure.
Sara Thurman (16:15):
Yes, and you watch all that you get done.
He is going to do so much, okay, well, we love you and we're
glad you joined us today.
Denise Jackson (16:23):
Join us again.
We'll have future conversationswith this girl absolutely,
thank you, bye-bye.
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