Who is Joy in the Journey: Meet Sarah

I'm Sarah, the newest member of the Joy in the Journey team, and a Jesus follower who is passionate about loving God and loving people. I have a huge heart for adoption, orphan care, and supporting and connecting with adoptive families.

My husband Matt and I have been married for 11 years. He makes me laugh, gets my weirdness, encourages my heart, helps me pursue my passions, and is an amazing father to our children.

We talked about adoption before we were ever married. In fact it was part of our conversations before we even started dating! We always knew adoption would be part of our family, and are so humbled and thankful for the story God has authored for our family.

I’m incredibly blessed that two of the cutest, sweetest, craziest, silliest, and most energetic toddlers in the world (not that I’m biased or anything) call me mommy! Our sons were adopted from Taiwan. They are less than 14 months apart and are biological siblings. Levi just turned 3 and came home December 2011 when he was 6 months old. Ethan will be 2 in August and came home in September 2013 when he was 13 months old.

Life with two toddlers is crazy, messy, and exhausting, but yet also full of sweet cuddles, laughter, and joy. After teaching elementary school for 9 years, I am grateful to now be a stay-at-home momma to my boys. I’m finding that motherhood is simultaneously the most absolutely wonderful and yet hardest thing I’ve ever done!  I am so thankful to my adoptive mommy friends who are helping me navigate this journey and who encourage and support me, who pray for me, and who laugh and rejoice with me.

I've seen just how vital true, deep, Christ centered friendships are to each of us…especially those of us who are walking through the adoption/foster care process and motherhood. I am passionate about supporting, helping, and connecting with other adoptive families. Last fall my heart was longing to be more actively involved in the adoption community and to help others who were going through the adoption and foster care process. My husband and I began praying that God would open up an opportunity for me. Not even two weeks later the original three Joy in the Journey ladies called! I am thrilled to be part of the Joy in the Journey team and absolutely loved seeing the amazing things God did at our retreat last year, and what He is doing through the blog, and in our Joy in the Journey community.

It is my prayer that this ministry will help adoptive, foster, and interested mommas to connect with others who also passionately love the Lord and who are walking similar paths. Our desire is that this will be a safe place where we can come alongside of each other, be real, cultivate relationships, grow and learn, and where we can support, uplift, and encourage one another. It is my prayer that together we will pursue true Joy.

I truly hope that “Joy in the Journey” will not just be a name or catch phrase, but rather reflective of how we, mommas whose lives have been blessed by adoption and foster care, live each step of this life long adoption journey. Let’s walk it together!