The Word That Changed My Life... Choose.

This one word took me decades to grasp hold of, and it’s now one of the most powerful decision-makers in my armor. If you’ve been following me for a while, you know I’m not just a former people pleaser—I made most of my decisions emotionally, letting logic fly out the window whenever a situation got too close to my heart. For so many years, I let those emotions take the lead. And let me tell you, life is pretty dang hard when you live that way.

There was a time when my emotions were like waves crashing over me, and I was barely keeping my head above water. A past memory would pop up—sadness, hurt, or brokenness—and before I even knew what was happening, I was drowning in those feelings. I’d let them take up residence inside me, as if they belonged there. I gave them permission to swirl around in my mind, taking over my thoughts, my actions, my entire being.

When people I needed didn’t show up for me, I let it define my worth. I would fill myself up with feelings of worthlessness, as if that was the truth of who I was. And when I found myself stuck in bed for days on end each week, weighed down by chronic pain, I allowed it to control me. I started to wonder what my purpose even was. How could God use someone who couldn’t even get out of bed some days? I felt trapped in my body, trapped in my emotions, and it seemed like there was no way out.

It’s hard to explain the depths of those moments, but I know some of you understand. The moments when it feels like life has closed in on you, when the pain—whether physical or emotional—takes over, and you begin to believe the lies. You’re not enough. You’re forgotten. You’re broken. It’s in those moments that I felt the most helpless, the most disconnected from everything I thought I was supposed to be.

And then one day, I hit rock bottom. I was at the end of my rope, emotionally drained, physically exhausted, and spiritually dry. I sat there, unable to function, and I cried out to God, “What do I do? I can’t keep living like this.”

And that’s when it happened…

The word choose flooded into my mind and settled in my soul. It was so simple, yet so profound. It wasn’t an answer I was expecting. I thought God might give me a vision of some grand purpose or send someone to fix my circumstances, but instead, He whispered a word that would change my life. Choose.

It seemed so small, but that’s the thing about choices—they’re deceptively powerful.

From that day on, I began to realize that while I can’t control what happens to me, I can always choose how I respond. When anxiety creeps in, instead of letting it overtake me, I stop, take deep breaths, and whisper, “I choose peace. I choose calm. I choose Jesus.” When the pain becomes unbearable and I feel myself spiraling into frustration, I remind myself, “I choose to trust. I choose to rest. I choose Jesus.” When doubt fills my mind, telling me I’m not good enough or that I’ve failed, I pause and say, “I choose grace. I choose truth. I choose Jesus.”

It’s not that everything magically gets better the moment I say those words, but something powerful happens when I decide not to let my emotions or circumstances rule me. By choosing to surrender my thoughts and emotions to God, I reclaim the power He’s given me over my mind, body, and spirit.

The truth is, we all have the ability to choose. No matter what we’re facing, no matter how overwhelming the situation may feel, we can choose what we focus on. We can choose peace over panic. We can choose faith over fear. We can choose hope over despair.

And it doesn’t mean we ignore the pain or pretend everything is okay when it’s not. Choosing isn’t about denial—it’s about alignment. It’s about aligning our hearts and minds with the truth of who God is and who we are in Him. It’s about reminding ourselves that no matter how messy, broken, or painful life gets, we still have the power to choose how we respond.

Some days, the choice is easy. On good days, I can choose joy without hesitation. But on the hard days—those days when it feels like the world is caving in—choosing feels impossible. But that’s when it matters the most.

Because the reality is, every time I choose peace over anxiety, trust over fear, or Jesus over everything, I’m declaring that my circumstances don’t define me. My emotions don’t control me. And my pain doesn’t own me. I’m a child of God, and I have the power to choose.

So wherever you are today, whatever you’re going through, I want to remind you of the power of choice. You may not be able to change your circumstances, but you can change how you respond to them. And that one decision can change everything.

Choose peace. Choose trust. Choose hope. Choose Jesus.

Your choice is powerful.

“This day I call the heavens and the earth as witnesses against you that I have set before you life and death, blessings and curses. Now choose life, so that you and your children may live and that you may love the Lord your God, listen to his voice, and hold fast to him. For the Lord is your life, and he will give you many years in the land he swore to give to your fathers, Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob.” — Deuteronomy 30:19-20 (NIV)

Love Sarah x.

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