This Is Not Forever by Sarah Grace Hallas (Excerpt)

We are so excited to share an excerpt from Sarah Grace Hallas’ This Is Not Forever: Hopeful Reminders That God Has Abundantly More in Store (Zondervan Gift, on sale August 20, 2024).

Sarah came to popularity on TikTok after sharing her story, which serves as inspiration for the new book, her “emerging from rock bottom, a divorcee, single mom, struggling to pay the bills to a remarriage to her ex-husband, a booming Christian business, and a growing family.” We are thrilled to share a sneak peek here. We are grateful to Harper Collins for sharing this with our community.

As always, we encourage friends who want to help support the author to pre-order, as this helps the book’s visibility.

Regardless of whether you pre-order or grab it after launch, we hope you pick up a copy of This Is Not Forever!

This is Not Forever
Sarah Grace Hallas

Has something ever happened that made you feel like God abandoned you, or like you’ve failed? Maybe you’ve been struggling to keep your head above water for quite some time, and you’re tired of just trying not to drown. Maybe you’re afraid that this hard season will last forever—and, friend, you are not alone.
My name is Sarah Grace Hallas, and my last few years have been marked by heartbreak, rejection, financial struggle, single motherhood, a depression diagnosis, and other trials I honestly never thought I’d walk through.

But here’s the thing: even in my most difficult and darkest season, God opened my eyes to see His purpose through it all. He showed me His plan was so much more than I could imagine, and every difficult circumstance was preparing me to walk in that plan—not preventing me from seeing it. The Enemy wanted me to believe that hard seasons were something I deserved, or a punishment of some kind. But God allowed my own plans to fall through and took me through that time—of discouragement, doubt, redirection, waiting, and pruning— out of His kindness, to show me He had abundantly more in store.

Ephesians 3:20 tells us that God will do “far more abundantly than all that we ask or think.” I don’t know what that looks like for you.

But in my own life, that has meant letting go of my false sense of control and what I think should happen, and trusting that if something isn’t going my way, God’s preparing to do something so much better.
My prayer is that even when life seems to bring one disappointment after another, you can trust that it is not forever, and I hope this devotional encourages you to live as though your circumstances could change overnight.

I love you, friend! We’re in this together.

“My prayer is that even when life seems to bring one disappointment after another, you can trust that it is not forever”

Abundantly More

Now to him who is able to do far more abundantly than all that we ask or think.
Ephesians 3:20

In 2021, I remember sobbing, holding my newborn son, Harv, as a newly divorced single mom, asking God, “Why?!” Why was He allowing me to be in that position? What could I have possibly done so wrong to deserve it? I felt alone, and I begged God to change my situation. I remember specifically praying, “If You bring me a new husband, bless my business financially, and send someone to help me with my baby, I will give You the glory. I promise. Just please, get me out of this.”

Something in my spirit then told me to open up an old journal I had kept while I was struggling in my marriage. I was afraid to open it and relive those painful memories, but I did it anyway. I flipped through journal entries detailing how alone, rejected, and abandoned I felt by my husband. Then I read, “Lord, forgive me. I’ve been praying and begging You to change my husband and change my circumstances, but what I think You really wanted to change this whole time was me.”

The Lord began working on my heart as I shifted my focus from asking Him to change my husband to asking Him to change me. What I didn’t know was that He was preparing me to walk through divorce and single motherhood less than a year later. As I read those words, I heard God gently whisper, Look how far I’ve brought you. Now trust that I’ll do it again. And it was in that moment that I remembered how much peace God gave me when my husband eventually divorced me and how much hope He gave me for the future despite my worst nightmare coming true.

“As I read those words, I heard God gently whisper, Look how far I’ve brought you. Now trust that I’ll do it again.”

By asking God to change my circumstances, I was missing out on exactly what He wanted to do in me, through my circumstances, to prepare me for what was next. Since that journal entry, the pruning and refining through difficult seasons and trials have not stopped, but the harvest has been abundant.
As we walk through this season of pruning together, as the Holy Spirit speaks to you through these pages to soften your heart and stir your spirit, I pray that you remember this: God’s plan for you is so much bigger than your own. Trust His perfect preparation and plan today.

Heavenly Father, thank You for what You’re doing behind the scenes right now, preparing me for what I cannot see. Honestly, I’m tired and struggling with where You have me right now. Give me hope and perseverance as You prepare me to walk in the abundance You have in store. In Jesus’ name, Amen.

[Excerpted with permission from This Is Not Forever by Sarah Grace Hallas. © 2024 Sarah Grace Lima. Used with permission of Zondervan, an imprint of HarperCollins Christian Publishing.]

Grab a copy of This Is Not Forever, here!

About Sarah Grace Hallas:

Sarah Grace Hallas is a ministry leader, Bible study teacher, and Christ-centered business coach for entrepreneurs. She encourages others in their faith on TikTok and Instagram by regularly sharing a real, behind-the-scenes look at her life and journey through motherhood and navigating life’s ups and downs. Through her Abundantly More Community, she provides regular encouragement, live video devotions, opportunities to connect and grow in community with like-minded women, and other resources for those wanting to grow more confident in their faith and to walk in the fullness God has for them. She lives in Nashville with her husband and son. AbundantlyMoreCommunity.com + IG: @SarahGraceHallas + TikTok: @SarahGraceHallas.

Until next time, keep witnessing!

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