In January, I had the privilege to talk with my friend, Sarah Rogers, in her new podcast Project: On Purpose. Sarah and I met at the Influence Conference and her love for Christ has been a great encouragement to me! She is a momma to two adorable little boys and has a deep stirring in her soul to see women live on purpose right where they are. In her writing and podcast, Sarah strives to answer tough questions that we face daily and to bring gospel light to dark areas in our heart. She recently wrote an e-book called “Oh, Take Heart: an encouraging guide for the dark seasons” that I highly recommend purchasing! Grab a cup of coffee and enjoy this heartfelt interview!

Meet Sarah.

Introduce yourself like we are having a cup of coffee together. What kind of coffee/tea would you drink?

I am rather habitual when it comes to coffee. I like Mochas with an extra shot, but I often get them with half the caffeine. If I’m not getting a mocha, I’m drinking black coffee. I started this about a year and a half ago, and I’m sad to say it’s made me a little bit picky about my coffee now that I don’t add anything. Anyway, I’m Sarah Ann Rogers, lover of Jesus and words. I am married to the very best man I know. I have two little boys, and I stay home with them. We’re in the process of adopting our third child, and my heart is already mommy to three though that baby isn’t with us yet. I am a writer, and one day I hope to feel comfortable enough to call myself an author. I love Jesus, and I’m ever so grateful for the Gospel. I’m honored to be here.

What is your definition of a “life lived beautifully”?

I think one key to living a beautiful life is allowing ourselves to be unique. We are, after all, made with loving care by a creative God. I think it’s found in living in the present, allowing God to work his processes out in us. I think a life lived beautifully isn’t one that is constantly compared to the life/accomplishments/giftings of others, but instead is lived by a woman who looks straight to Jesus for her purpose and her identity. Life can be messy and hard at times, but those moments can reflect Jesus and his glory in the most beautiful ways if we keep our eyes on Him. I also don’t think a life lived beautifully has to be big or glamorous. God works in the small moments, and a woman who is faithful in all her things and sees purpose in the mundane — she inspires me.

When did you start following Jesus?

I started following Jesus as a young child, but I think that there have been points along my life that have driven me deeper into intimacy with Him. I was 5 when I asked him to come into my heart, but it is a vivid moment for me. As I grew up, my parents consistently pointed me back to the cross when life got hard. I’d have to say that marriage and motherhood have made the Gospel the most real in my life. I anticipate that God is just that good to draw me closer as the years go by.

What are some verses you constantly cling to and bring life to your soul?

I love Romans 12:2

because I need God to change my thought life constantly. I’m relieved by the idea that he takes my fleshy thoughts and renews my mind to see what his will is. I also cling to Hebrews 12:27-28. Life can come at us from every angle, but God gives us a kingdom that cannot be shaken. Also, I want him to strip the things off of me that aren’t important so that my faith and foundation are unshakeable.

How do you integrate sharing the Gospel with creativity?

This is an interesting question, because I don’t know if it is always intentional.

I think abiding in Jesus and his word consistently means (for me) that when I operate in the creativity that he’s placed inside of me, the Gospel is going to be intertwined.

Practically, I think re-teaching the Gospel to myself when I fail (which is so often) makes it come out of me when I’m creating.

I also make it my prayer — that Jesus would be brought glory in what I do and what I produce, even if it isn’t directly preaching the Gospel word-for-word.

How did God direct you to begin Project On Purpose?

In our ministry and online, I often ran into women who would say, “I don’t know how I got here” — whether it was with parenting, marriage, their home, their walk with God, or just their purpose in general. I wanted to create a space to talk about living intentionally without the pressure that there is only one way to do it. But I did want to express the importance of living purposefully. Your purposeful life would look different than mine, but knowing why we are doing what we’re doing is so helpful. I love this verse about intentionality — “So watch your step. Use your head. Make the most of every chance you get. These are desperate times! Don’t live carelessly, unthinkingly.” (Eph. 5:15-17 MSG)

Tell us about your new e-book, “Oh, Take Heart” and the vision behind it.

I wrote this book to encourage women walking in dark seasons. I went through a very hard time of postpartum anxiety (sprinkled with a little depression), and it took my legs out from under me. I wanted to share some things I learned as well as compile some wisdom given to me. I think as Christians, it can feel taboo to talk about hard times, but they do exist, so I wanted to broach that subject in an honest but encouraging way. I was also blessed to interview two women for an audio companion, one about her loss of a child and the other about infertility. We discuss dark seasons and how God is still good in the thick of it.

If you could do anything for the glory of God, what would it be?

I would have to first say that I’d like to be present and faithful as a wife and mom. I want to show up well for my family and be consistent in the little things. It’s less glamorous, I think, but I am also grateful to be putting in the hard work every day. There’s this big trust step I have to take that God will use this behind-the-scenes work and prayer for his glory in the lives and futures of my people. That’s incredibly exciting to me. After that, I’d like to share truth with women by the way I live and the words I speak/write.  

What books are you currently reading?

I’m reading Restless by Jennie Allen. It’s lighting a fire under me to move into the passions and purposes God has for me. I’m also reading Wonderland Creek by Lynn Austin. It’s fiction, but I love her writing, and I love a good story. I’m trying to figure out if I should read Quitter or Permission Marketing next. And I want to read You are a Writer.

If you could tell every woman reading this blog one thing God has laid on your heart, what would it be?

God is interested in our processes, in our daily changing and renewing, just as much as he cares about our destinations. He is able to work in the mundane, in the darkness, in the waiting. He is not surprised by where we are at, and he is not absent, and he is working. We can lean into that process, and God shows up there — even in our questions, our hard work, our hurt.

Catch up on other “A Life Lived Beautifully” features here!