Sara’s Story

God Rescues Me,
and
He Can Rescue You Too

Growing up, I believed that no one was coming to save me. Life taught me that I had to claw my way out of any mess on my own. But encountering Jesus shattered that lie.

Though I attended church with my family as a child, I didn’t truly know Jesus until I was 22. People often assumed I was a Christian, but no one had ever asked me directly. The truth is, attending church doesn’t make you a Christian any more than standing in a garage makes you a car.

Our church had endured years of poor leadership, but everything changed when a new pastor arrived. He lived out what he preached and wasn’t afraid to ask hard questions. He lovingly challenged me, questioning why I taught Sunday School and served on the board while living in open sin.

At just 18, I had my daughter and lived with her father, who struggled with addiction. One day, a sermon from Ezekiel 36:26 pierced my heart: “I will give you a new heart and put a new spirit in you; I will remove from you your heart of stone and give you a heart of flesh.” That message marked the start of my personal relationship with Christ.

I used to see my mind as a scratched vinyl record, etched with painful grooves from years of neglect and abuse. But in that encounter with God, I felt Him melting the damaged record of my heart, smoothing it over and making it new—ready for His music. I spent an hour in prayer, pouring out my pain and asking for His healing.

That night, I went home and took the first step of my new life. I told my daughter’s father, who had often been violent, that he had to leave. I was terrified of his reaction, knowing he had nowhere to go. Friends thought I was heartless, but I knew his choices had led to this moment. By God’s grace, he realized I was serious and left. I was no longer unsafe, God had rescued me!

Through it all, God surrounded me with support. My pastor and his wife provided practical help and encouragement. I devoured the Word of God, spending hours studying the Bible. Counseling helped me process my pain and find new tools for healing.

Even now, after 30 years of walking with Christ, I still wrestle with the effects of my early traumas. But I cling to the truth of who I am: His treasured, chosen, and adopted child. Psalm 18:19 says, “He brought me out into a spacious place; he rescued me because he delighted in me.” That “spacious place” is a refuge, free from the world’s crushing trials.

Romans 8:15 reminds me, “For you did not receive the spirit of slavery to fall back into fear, but you have received the Spirit of adoption as sons, by whom we cry, ‘Abba! Father!’”

Jesus is my strength, my peace, and my joy. Do you know Him? He’s waiting to rescue you, too.