Small Beginnings with Sara

Sara Thurman
  • 5.0 (50)
  • PERSONAL JOURNALS
  • UPDATED SEMIMONTHLY

Welcome to my Small Beginnings with Sara podcast. Each episode I will be sharing my personal journey with you, a journey full of new beginnings, from tears of joy to tears of grief. I will be sharing how God has been right in the middle of my own journey. God will be right in the middle of your story, too. My prayer is you will become brave and courageous in your own small beginnings. Get ready to be inspired and encouraged as I share my heart and my life with you. Together, let's discover God's goodness.

  1. 4D AGO

    A New Year Doesn’t Change Your Life, a Renewed Mind Does

    Send us a text As we step into a new year, I’ve been sitting with this truth: new calendars don’t create new lives—renewed minds do. In today’s episode of Small Beginnings, I’m anchoring us in Romans 12:2 and unpacking what it really means to be transformed—not by trying harder, but by allowing the Holy Spirit to renew the way we think. So many of us are praying for new results while holding on to old patterns. Scripture doesn’t call us to self-help, it calls us to Spirit-led transformation. When our thinking changes, our choices change. And when our choices change, our lives follow. We’ll talk about: Why transformation starts between the ears, not in our circumstancesWhat the original Greek reveals about being conformed vs transformedHow the Holy Spirit partners with us to renovate worn-out thought patternsWhy discernment comes after renewal, not beforeAnd how small, obedient shifts in thinking can lead to big, lasting changeIf you’ve felt stuck, frustrated, or like you’re carrying the same struggles into a new year, this episode is for you. God isn’t asking you to control your thoughts—He’s inviting you to cooperate with His Spirit and think differently so you can live differently. ✨ A new year doesn’t change your life—but a renewed mind does. If God has been stirring something creative in you, whether through painting, journaling, cooking, or simply slowing down to listen, I’d love to walk with you deeper. You can explore Divine Creativity: Healing Through Painting, Refreshing the Soul, or the full Creative Healing Bundle, all linked in my bio. Let’s begin again—one renewed thought at a time.

    31 min

  2. JAN 8

    Entering the New Year With God’s Presence, God’s People, and God’s Favor

    Send us a text The New Year doesn’t begin with a goal, it begins with a posture. Before the plans, the resolutions, and the pressure to move forward, God often invites us to pause. To be present. To listen. In this episode, I share why communion with God must come before clarity, and how learning to slow down can set the tone for the entire year ahead. We begin by looking at Moses’ request in Exodus 33, where he doesn’t ask God for a strategy, he asks for His presence. Because before God gives direction, He gives Himself. Communion with God isn’t something to check off, it’s a relationship that brings rest, peace, and grounding for new seasons. From there, we talk about being fully present with the people God has already placed in front of us. Jesus moved with compassion because He was attentive, not rushed. When we’re always looking ahead, we can miss the holy moments happening right now. We also explore how God gathers the right people for new assignments. Like Nehemiah, we see that favor often opens hearts before the work even begins, and discernment is key as seasons shift. We close with a prayer, asking first for God’s favor, His presence, His approval, and His leading, trusting that favor with people flows naturally from alignment with Him. As you step into this New Year, my prayer is that you wouldn’t rush ahead of God. That you would walk with Him, be present, gather wisely, and expect peace, not pressure. 🎧 Press play and begin this year rooted in God’s presence and led by His favor.

    35 min

  3. 12/18/2025

    Favored by God, Finding Peace, and Trusting What Follows

    Send us a text In today’s episode of Small Beginnings with Sara, I’m talking about what it truly means to be favored by God—and why favor is often misunderstood. When we look at the lives of Mary and Jesus, we see that God’s favor didn’t remove uncertainty or difficulty, but it did bring purpose, presence, and peace. We’ll reflect on Luke 1 and Luke 2, where favor found Mary in an ordinary moment and rested on Jesus long before His public ministry began. God’s favor came before clarity, before recognition, and before the favor of man. In this episode, I share why favor with God always comes first, how peace is the evidence of living under His favor, and why we don’t have to strive for approval when we are rooted in Him. If you’ve been feeling pressure to perform or waiting for validation, this conversation is an invitation to rest. 🎧 Listen in and be reminded that God’s favor is already upon you—and peace is meant to follow.

    28 min

  4. 12/11/2025

    Letting Go and Moving Forward, Walking Into the Unknown With God

    Send us a text In today’s episode of Small Beginnings with Sara, I’m sharing the very real, very personal journey I’m walking right now — a journey of letting go, of releasing what has held history and meaning for decades, and of trusting God as He leads me into a new season. I open my heart about packing up my life, releasing the bookcases I bought in 1986, saying goodbye to my beloved studio, and stepping into a new identity as a traveling artist. These aren’t just physical changes — they’re spiritual invitations. Invitations to loosen my grip, to make room for what God is preparing, and to walk by faith into places I’ve never been. Through the stories of Abraham, Joshua, Ruth, the Israelites, and the disciples, we explore how God has always called His people to move forward without having all the answers. And we anchor these truths with Scripture that has been holding me in this season — Isaiah 43, Ecclesiastes 3, Hebrews 11, and Psalm 121. Today’s episode is about:  • Letting go of the familiar so God can lead you into the new  • Recognizing His gentleness in every transition  • Trusting Him when your future looks different than expected  • Learning to see physical release as spiritual receiving  • Holding hope when you’re stepping into unmarked territory If you are standing in your own doorway of transition, wondering how to move forward, I pray this conversation gives you courage, clarity, and companionship. 🎧 Join me for today’s episode, and let’s step into the unknown with God — together.

    33 min

  5. 12/04/2025

    Waiting With Hope, Listening With Faith, Lessons From Zechariah

    Send us a text What does it look like to wait with hope when the waiting stretches into years, decades, or feels altogether impossible? In this episode, I’m walking with you through the story of Zechariah and Elizabeth in Luke 1 — two righteous, faithful people who loved God, served Him, and still lived with unfulfilled prayers. Their story has been ministering to my heart in this season, especially as I look back on my own unexpected miracle: two years ago I was waiting for a husband, and I had no idea that God would bring Earl into my life in just five weeks… and that we would be engaged only twenty days after meeting. God loves to surprise us. Maybe you’re waiting too.  Waiting for a spouse.  Waiting for a child.  Waiting for provision.  Waiting for healing.  Waiting for community or a church home or a door that only God can open. Together, we’ll look at Luke 1:11–13 and Psalm 130:5 and talk about what hopeful waiting really looks like: • Keep serving while you wait. Zechariah was simply doing his daily work when God broke in. Obedience in the ordinary creates space for miracles. • God loves to interrupt our waiting. His timing is never random, it’s redemptive. • Believe God. Gabriel came straight from the presence of God to deliver a promise. God sees you too. • There is beauty in the process. God forms us, refines us, and prepares us in the waiting so that the miracle becomes His glory, not our striving. I’ll also guide you through gentle reflection questions:  What are you longing for?  Where do you feel barren or overlooked?  Are you still showing up in the “temple” of your everyday assignments?  Can you trust that God’s silence is not absence but preparation? We’ll end with a prayer of hope and a blessing, asking Emmanuel to draw near and fill us with the kind of expectant faith that transforms us from the inside out. If this episode speaks to you, I’d love for you to join me in one of my creative healing courses — because healing often comes while we wait, especially when we create with God. You can explore Ashes to Bloom, Refreshing the Soul, Divine Creativity, and more through the link in my bio. God still speaks.  And He is working in your waiting more than you know.

    29 min

  6. 11/27/2025

    A Season of Thanks, A Life of Presence

    Send us a text As we move through this full and beautiful Thanksgiving season, I’ve been asking myself, What is truly most important? In all the busyness, gatherings, cooking, and coming and going, God keeps bringing me back to one simple truth: thankfulness aligns my heart with His presence. In today’s episode, I’m sharing three powerful scriptures that have been anchoring me, especially after spending the weekend with my grandchildren and feeling my heart overflow with gratitude. We’ll talk about how God calls us to give thanks in all circumstances, how thanksgiving becomes the doorway into His presence, and how gratitude can saturate every part of our lives when we make room for it. I’ll also walk you through some gentle reflections to help you pause, breathe, and hear God’s voice even in a busy season. And as always, we’ll end with a prayer of thanksgiving—inviting God to draw near and shape our hearts with His goodness. If you’re longing to slow down, to notice God more intentionally, and to live from a place of gratitude and creativity, this episode is for you.  Mentioned in today’s episode: • 1 Thessalonians 5:16–18 • Psalm 100:4 • Colossians 3:15–17 My newest creative devotional resource: God Is Everywhere: 25 Creative Activities in Nature A gentle, hands-on way to help you notice God’s presence in everyday moments. I’m so thankful to share this with you. Create with Jesus in a deeper way: Creating With Jesus Ebook https://stan.store/sarathurman/p/creating-with-jesus-

    31 min

  7. 11/20/2025

    This Is the Season for Courage: What God Is Asking of Us Now”

    Send us a text In this episode of Small Beginnings, we’re talking about the kind of courage God is calling His people into right now. Over the past week, I’ve found myself in conversation after conversation with people facing change, loss, transition, new assignments, and big decisions. And in all of it, I’ve sensed one thing clearly: God is strengthening His people to be brave and courageous in this season. Together, we walk through 10 expressions of godly courage, each anchored in...

    31 min

  8. 11/13/2025

    Letting Go and Leaning In: Trusting God in a Season of Simplicity

    Send us a text In the middle of the holiday rush, when our homes fill with decorations, to-dos, and expectations, God gently invites us into something different — simplicity, peace, and trust. In this episode, I’m sharing our very real, very current journey of moving and letting go of “stuff” from three different houses… right in the holiday season. As we sort, pack, release, and simplify, God has been whispering reminders about what truly matters: His presence, His peace, and the people He’s placed in our lives. If you’re craving a quiet reset before Thanksgiving and Christmas — a moment to breathe and remember what this season is really about — this reflection is for you. We’ll walk through Scriptures that speak directly to  🌿 letting go of possessions  🎁 finding contentment  💫 shifting your focus from the temporary to the eternal  🕊️ trusting God with every burden You’ll be encouraged to…  • trade striving for gratitude  • trade hurry for stillness  • trade excess for eternal perspective  • trade clutter for clarity May this conversation help you pause, praise, and find peace in the beautiful simplicity God offers this season. Tune in and let’s thank Him together for His steady guidance, His presence in our homes, and His faithfulness in every transition.

    27 min
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5
out of 5
50 Ratings

About

Welcome to my Small Beginnings with Sara podcast. Each episode I will be sharing my personal journey with you, a journey full of new beginnings, from tears of joy to tears of grief. I will be sharing how God has been right in the middle of my own journey. God will be right in the middle of your story, too. My prayer is you will become brave and courageous in your own small beginnings. Get ready to be inspired and encouraged as I share my heart and my life with you. Together, let's discover God's goodness.

Information

  • Creator
    Sara Thurman
  • Years Active
    2020 - 2026
  • Episodes
    144
  • Rating
    Clean
  • Copyright
    © 2026 Small Beginnings with Sara
  • Show Website
    Small Beginnings with Sara