Author: Sarah Humphrey
Located in: Nashville, TN
Submitted: March 23, 2023
Tell us a little about yourself. Professionally, I am an author, voice over actor, and homeschool teacher! I have written for and worked with a variety of publishers, creating original content and editing other materials. I co-host a podcast called The Bible for Kids with Mike Nawrocki, the co-creator of Veggie Tales, and we interview authors, counselors, and pastors who are helping and leading kids in every day life. I teach my own kids daily in a variety of subjects and grades, and I spend most of my day with my husband and family.
As a person, I love anything creative! Whether it's dance, art, writing, acting--- it's all fun to me. My happiest days are spent in the simplicity of routine and with the people I love, but I also dream big and really enjoy getting to travel and experience fresh perspectives of life. Most often, when not with my family, you'll see me at Pure Barre, gardening in my yard, and drinking coffee. :)
What was your motivation behind this project? 40 Days to a Joyful Motherhood became a devotional out of more than 18 years of my hand-written journaling on paper. After my oldest was born, God took me on a journey to re-read what I had written in my life in every single one of my diaries. As I read, the Holy Spirit had me highlight pages and messages that He deemed significant. What I realized was that my life had many repetitive themes: identity, grief, forgiveness, self-acceptance, and more. It was those themes that really defined me as a person, and I felt challenged to both interrupt certain patterns as well as promote others. As a mother, I wanted nothing more than to give my kids the best of me. And by learning the rhythms of my life through my own expression, I turned those often tear-soaked pages into a practical guide for moms! I am so grateful for this experience, as it was God's gift to me. I'm so glad I can share portions of it with other moms in process.
What do you hope folks will gain from this project? I hope readers will feel like they are having coffee with a friend while reading "40 Days". It's my goal that mothers feel heard, seen, supported, and equipped to do what all mothers want to do: love their children well. This devotional gives not only practical advice, but also simple prayers to speak out loud, personal stories, honest and also funny experiences, depth and simplicity. I hope it's nourishment for moms who are treading the water of parenthood!
How were you personally impacted by working on this project? This project transformed my life. I never knew I would be an author, but God called me to be one with this book! The pages literally came from my experience of His care for me in some of the dark and dreary days of life. Sometimes life is hard, and being a parent can be really difficult. Life can be that way because we care so much, and it's so important to know that God is covering us in our ups and downs. We can rest in the fact that He knows every detail of our lives and is planning a good future for us and our families! This book has been a gift of His provision for me.
Who are your influences, sources of inspiration or favorite authors / artists? As most people do, I love Brene Brown and her work with vulnerability. I also love Julia Cameron's "The Artist's Way" and most often, I simply love reading the Bible everyday. The fact that Scripture is living and active makes every day an inspiring adventure.
Anything else you'd like readers / listeners to know: I am so grateful for your purchase of my book! Thank you! From one mom to another, I sincerely hope you find nourishment, depth, peace, and support in these pages. I wanted to be as authentic as possible through this devotional, while sharing what motherhood has taught me. I still have many mothering lessons to learn, but this book became a backbone for me. I honestly love being a mom, and I have much more faith on the hard days with each and every new challenge. I hope you do, too!
