Hi, I’m Sandy!
I’ve struggled with balance since forever.
Through most of my 20s and 30s, I was harried and overly busy, disorganized, and unfocused. After decades of desperately seeking balance, I’ve discovered what works. Now my mission is to help you find balance, too.
10 Things About Me
1. I love Jesus, radically and unapologetically. Actually, if that’s all you knew about me, that would be enough. Jesus has breathed life into my stressed-out, overwhelmed, prideful soul. He’s transformed me (and continues to transform me) in ways too numerous to count. Everything I write and speak about begins and ends with Jesus. Apart from Him I can do nothing–and I mean that literally. If you are looking for life hacks, quick tips, and self-help without Jesus, this is not the right place for you. In fact, I don’t believe real balance exists apart from Jesus.
2. I have been married to Jon for over 30 years. That is a long time by anyone’s standards and I couldn’t be more proud of us for making it this far. We have been through some hard stuff (see item #3 for starters). We’ve worked hard to get here. Our marriage has survived a multitude of tests, and so far we’ve passed them all. Yay us! Also, you should know that no one on this planet champions what I do in this space more than Jon. No matter what crazy idea I’ve thrown at him (start a blog, write some books, start a podcast), his reply has always been, “GO FOR IT!” He gives me complete freedom to run with this thing.
3. My oldest son, Noah, died suddenly and unexpectedly when he was 9 months old. No event in my life has shaped me more than the death of my son. Most of what I write and speak is a direct result of me wrestling with God over issues of His goodness and faithfulness in the aftermath of this tragedy.
Spoiler alert: God is good and faithful, even in the midst of tragedy.
4. I have a biological daughter born exactly nine months after the death of my son. Rebekah is the reason I got out of bed, fed myself, and breathed outdoor air after Noah died. What a gift. I’m so thankful for her. Also, she is basically my clone. Which is so fun for me, but not so much for her.
5. I have two adopted children: Elijah (domestic) and Elliana (international). I don’t know what I’d do without these two. They are proof to me that parental love has nothing to do with biology. I love adoption and love talking about adoption and would love for ALL OF YOU TO ADOPT! If you want to read more, I tell Elijah’s adoption story here and Elliana’s adoption story here and here.
6. I battled clinical depression most of my life, except I didn’t know it was depression until I nearly had a nervous breakdown—I just thought I was really crabby. I have been mostly depression-free since 2008–though, still sometimes crabby. I’m super intentional about managing my depression with a combo of natural supplements and lifestyle choices. I write and speak about that quite a bit around here, because I want you to be depression-free, too.
7. I am a recovering People Pleaser, a recovering Perfectionist, a Reformed Late Person, and the world’s worst Multi-Tasker.
8. I love to cook. Eating healthy food has been one of my most successful strategies for fighting depression and anxiety. I recently completed six months of culinary training and I now hold an accredited culinary certification called, “Plant-Based Professional.” It’s very fancy.
9. I love being home. And I also love the beach. And as of the summer of 2020, those two things are actually in the same general vicinity. It’s almost too good to be true.
10. I love lists. (And parenthetical phrases.)
Coffee + Prayer
First thing everyday
The Beach
Favorite place
Chocolate + Peanut Butter
favorite treat
Reading in Bed
How I relax
My Mission
In a world suffocated by depression, pressure, and fear, I long to be the non-anxious voice.
I work to encourage and equip overwhelmed Christian moms so that they can thrive in all aspects of motherhood.
I believe true balance is the peace we encounter when our lives align with our God-given priorities.
Through The Balanced MomCast, books, Bible studies, blog posts, challenges, online courses, and in-person events I…
- point moms to Jesus and lead them in their daily walk with the Lord
- encourage a Biblical mindset by instructing moms how to recognize unhealthy thought patterns and align them with God’s word
- help moms identify their priorities so they live with clarity and purpose
- invite moms to overcome burdens and barriers to balance so they can live freely and fully
- introduce moms to strategies, systems, and routines to optimize time management
- equip moms with practical tips for maintaining a healthy physical body through nutrition, movement, rest, and stress management
My Values
I exist to honor Jesus. I follow Christ, openly and unapologetically. (Rom 1:16)
I love the Lord with all my heart, mind, soul, and strength, and I love the women God has called me to serve. (Matt 22:37-40)
I abide in the One True Vine and submit to the pruning process so that I bear fruit in season. (John 15)
I listen for His voice, follow wherever He leads, and obey whatever He tells us to do. (John 10:1-18)
I strive to run unencumbered–I lay down every weight and sin that threatens to entangle me. When presented with new opportunities, I ask: “Does this help me run?” If the answer is no, I do not accept that opportunity. (Heb 12:1-3)
My ambition is to lead a quiet life, mind our my ow business, and deal as sparingly as possible with the world. This means that I currently operate without the use of social media, and I encourage moms to make social media as small as possible in their lives. (I Thes 4:10-12, I Cor 7:31)
I do good work that matters both now and in eternity. I leverage everything to advance the kingdom of God. I use my gifts, talents, resources, wisdom, life experience, and hardships to create content, products, and resources (both paid and free) that serve overwhelmed moms.
I believe that the entire impact of my work cannot be measured on this earth. So, while I track metrics, I am not enslaved to them or led by them. (Phil 3:7-12, Matt 6:19-21)
I am free from the love of money because it is the root of all kinds of evil. I have learned to be content in any and every circumstance, with little or with much. I store up treasures in heaven, because where my treasure is, there my heart is, also. (I Tim 6:10, Phil 4:11-13)
I strive to create excellent paid content at the intersection of passion + relevance + profitability.
I am generous with my resources because i know that the measure I use to give will be used for me. (Matt 7:2, 2 Cor 9:7)
I maintain healthy boundaries and margin in my life. I believe that time is a finite resource so I number our days according to God’s will for me so that I will gain a heart of wisdom. (Ps 90:12)