I always like to know a little something about an author before I sit down to open up his or her book. Today, I’m excited to interview Sarah Walton about a new book she co-wrote with her mother, Linda Green, He Gives More Grace: 30 Reflections for the Ups and Downs of Motherhood. These hope-filled, encouraging devotions recognize the blessings and joys, as well as the realities and pressures of motherhood. Their words will give you needed reminders from God’s Word to hold onto each day. I’m looking forward to reading the insights of this mother/daughter team!
He Gives More Grace releases on December 1, 2023, and you can pre-order a copy now!
Sure! I’m a mom of four children, ages 10 to 16, and I’ve been married to Jeff for 20 years. Three years ago, we uprooted from my hometown of Chicago and moved to the beautiful foothills of Colorado Springs. I’ve always been at home with my kids, squeezing in time to work on writing projects as I’m able.
Speaking of writing, I’m the co-author of the award-winning devotional Hope When It Hurts, as well as the marriage book, Together Through the Storms, co-authored with my husband. I’ve also had the privilege of publishing an evangelistic resource with 10ofthose titled Tears and Tossings. I’m beyond thrilled to soon be releasing He Gives More Grace: 30 Reflections for the Ups and Downs of Motherhood Through the Years, co-written alongside my own mom. Lastly, I’ll be publishing my first allegorical children’s book with Crossway next year! I never could have imagined this would be the journey that God would take me on—but what a journey it’s been!
My mom (Linda), who co-wrote He Gives More Grace alongside me is a mom of three and now a proud Grandma of 10 grandkids. She was the women’s ministry director for roughly 24 years at a large church in the Chicagoland area until she retired two years ago. She and my dad have now joined us in Colorado to be closer to all their children and grandchildren.
When did you first start writing? What do you enjoy about it?
I’ve always been an introspective, over-thinker for as long as I can remember. In 2015, my family and I had been facing incredibly difficult trials for a number of years, which involved extreme needs in one of our children, Lyme Disease in myself and my kids, multiple surgeries, two job losses, immense financial stress, and more. We were in survival mode, and loneliness was a frequent visitor. As trials began to expose the spiritual quicksand I had been standing upon, it forced me to wrestle deeply with questions, doubts, and at times, despair. I needed an outlet to process what was going on in my heart and mind. So I began writing—first for myself, but eventually in a more public way after my pastor encouraged me to step out in faith. I found writing to be just as much of a balm to me as it was to anyone else, as I wrote about the realities of life and how the truth of the gospel speaks into those realities. As time went on, and I saw how much people were relating to the spiritual wrestling I was sharing, it became a frequent reminder that my life isn’t only about me—it’s also about being a vessel of God’s grace poured out to others.
I found writing to be just as much of a balm to me as it was to anyone else, as I wrote about the realities of life and how the truth of the gospel speaks into those realities.
And now, I’m so thankful to have partnered with my mom, who’s been a beautiful writer for as long as I can remember—always writing to encourage the women she led in the church with a posture of humility and God-given wisdom.
Is writing ever difficult for you? How so?
Well, writing while four children run circles around me has certainly made things interesting! Although that made focusing difficult during those chaotic years, it also kept me writing from a very real place. I didn’t have the time or energy for pleasantries or empty cliches, so I wrote about the truths that I myself was clinging to. Ironically, the one challenge I now face is that I struggle to write while it’s quiet! So I jokingly tell my friends to send their kids over to my house so I can get something written.
What led you to write He Gives More Grace?
The motherhood journey can be like a topsy-turvy rollercoaster, never knowing what’s around the bend. Right when you think you have one thing figured out, you enter a new, uncharted season. As much as it’s an absolute privilege, gift, and joy to be a mom, it also brings countless challenges and unknowns through each new season. And yet, for some reason, we tend to put this pressure on ourselves as moms to do it all, be it all, and look good doing it. However, as much as I felt a pull to write on the topic of motherhood, it didn’t feel right to author a book on motherhood while I still had so much more to learn and experience as a mom. Motherhood has humbled me more than anything else in life, so in all honesty, I felt insecure about offering wisdom to other moms while still in the thick of it myself.
However, as I sat with my mom one day and shared with her all the things I would share if I were to write a motherhood book, the thought hit me—what a beautiful thing it would be to write something alongside the wisdom my mom has gained over her 45 years of parenting. And boy, was I right. It has been an absolute joy to write 30 practical, yet biblical chapters on how God’s grace meets us in all the nooks and crannies of motherhood. My mom and I bring our different personalities and experiences to the book, all while tied together with the same life-giving gospel.
Lastly, we’re excited to be able to offer a mentorship guide for more experienced moms to disciple younger moms or to use in a group setting.
What’s the central message you hope readers will take away from your book?
My children don’t need a perfect mother—they need me to point them to their perfect Savior.
Our hope is that this book will meet every mom where she is, regardless of season or life circumstances, with the truth and encouragement of how God’s grace is real, accessible, and life-giving to us as moms. It’s not meant to be a “how to” book on motherhood because, well, let’s be honest, there is no “one size fits all.” So we speak generally to motherhood as a whole, but also practically to realities such as our expectations to be super mom, God’s strength in our weakness, special needs challenges, moms dealing with chronic illness, prodigal children (which my mom and I have journeyed through in our own relationship), and much more. We pray that it will leave moms in a place of greater rest, peace, encouragement, and confidence in our Savior’s all-sufficient grace—on both the good days and the downright difficult ones.
How has writing this book affected your own life?
I think I could re-read what we’ve written every single day, simply because we need these reminders often. But preaching these truths to my own heart has opened my eyes afresh to the grace God gives me each and every day, and reminds me constantly that my children don’t need a perfect mother—they need me to point them to their perfect Savior.
For a sneak peek, here are some quotes:
“Your children do not need a perfect mother. What they do need is a mother who recognizes her need for a perfect Savior, and understands that that is the greatest need of her children as well—a mother who knows that she has a Father who always, always gives more grace.” – Linda Green
“God doesn’t ask you to be a supermom, and so you don’t need to demand it of yourself. You can cease striving to be something you can’t be and aren’t called to be. And ask the Holy Spirit to grant you the wisdom and discernment to rest in Jesus and to be faithful where he has you right now.” – Sarah Walton
Here’s what others are saying:
“Linda’s time-tested wisdom and Sarah’s trial-tried perspective make reading this devotional feel like sitting down with trusted mentors. They somehow not only know exactly what you need to hear but deliver it in a way that is astonishingly relatable, easily digestible, practically applicable, and miraculously memorable (even for the overcrowded brain of this mom of little kids). It’s not often that what feels like an easy read turns out to be a life-altering one, but that’s what you’ll find in this book: profound truths presented in a way that will make an immediate and beautiful impact on your motherhood journey.”
—Abbey Wedgeworth, Author, the Training Young Hearts kids’ series
The writing is accessible, the stories are honest, and the gospel encouragement can be felt on every page. What a needed reminder for moms (and all of us) that God opposes the proud but gives grace to the humble.”
—Kevin and Trisha DeYoung, Christ Covenant Church, Matthews, NC
“He Gives More Grace is for every mom living in the daily delights and challenges of motherhood. This book is not a formula for parenting but a respite of joy, written from voices of experience. Sarah and her mom, Linda, know what it is to cling to God’s grace—and they will show you how to do the same. If you wish you could have two wise and experienced friends come alongside you and lift your eyes to see more of the grace of God for you and for your children, this book is for you.”
—Courtney Doctor, Director of Women’s Initiatives, The Gospel Coalition; Author, From Garden to Glory
If you had an afternoon to do whatever you’d like, where would we find you?
You’d either find me catching up with a friend with a cup of coffee (or tea) or you’d find me outside, soaking up the beauty of the mountains, which helps to settle my anxious heart as I’m reminded of how small I am and how big our God is.
Sarah Walton is the author of five books, including He Gives More Grace: 30 Reflections for the Ups and Downs of Motherhood. She is married to Jeff and is mother to four children, ages 10 to 16. She lives in Colorado Springs, Colorado and blogs at setapart.net.
Linda Green served for 24 years as Women’s Ministry Director at The Orchard Evangelical Free Church in the suburbs of Chicago. She is married to Ray and mother to three children and now lives in Colorado. Linda is the author, with her daughter Sarah, of He Gives More Grace, and blogs at chosenandcalled.com.