I grew up in New York City. I’ve “hit” every borough- born in Queens, raised in Brooklyn, high schooled in The Bronx, lived and worked in Manhattan, attended college and lived in Staten Island and wound up back in Queens before moving to the Pocono Mountains of Pennsylvania in 1990. 

 

I have had many varying jobs that have provided me glimpses of various lifestyles. One of my favorite jobs was that of a bicycle messenger in Manhattan! While cycling around the mad rush of cars and buses I wound up walking past Dustin Hoffman while he was filming “Kramer vs Kramer, and literally bumping into John Belushi as he was getting into an elevator! But I spent the longest with the New York City Transit Authority as a subway clerk - now called “agents” for 11 years. It was there that I met a new supervisor in 1985 who shortly became my husband in 1986 - we’ve been married ever since!

 

When our first son was born in 1993, I resigned and became a stay at home mom. After his brother was born in 1995 I morphed into a homeschooling mom and continued from high chair to high school.

 

All of that time I now know that I was being watched by God, but I didn’t know Him. So after almost 40 years of what I call my “wilderness wanderings”, I became a child of God on November 13, 1998. Those “wild days” were devoid of a father figure and caused me to try to fill the God shaped hole in my heart in any manner possible. The things I did were less than godly and by age 25 I had had multiple abortions.

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But God…But God had never forsaken me. The man I had met was a godly man.

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I made my profession of faith in 1998, at our current home church, Cornerstone Community Church in Kunkletown, PA. During the years since then, the entire family has served faithfully in one capacity or another. I sat at the children’s table and taught Sunday School for over 17 years. That was the best Christian education an old-new Christian could have! Discerning the Word of God so as to teach third and fourth grade students was like Thanksgiving at the children’s table. The food was the same, but the portions were smaller and the table setting was devoid of unnecessary distractions.  Being on fire for the Lord, I also became a Children’s Church volunteer, and Vacation Bible School coordinator. I then moved on to become the Women’s Ministry leader and Bible teacher.

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The seed of God’s plan for me to speak to women was planted while attending a Women of Faith Conference in Philadelphia early in my Christian walk. It took a few years before the seed began to sprout as I learned more, grew in my faith and believe it or not, overcame the fear of public speaking. I was surprised by an invitation from the Women’s Ministry leader at the time to speak at an upcoming event on Friendship. From that humble beginning other invitations came from my home church, followed by requests to speak at other churches and events in the area.

 

But God...But God had planted another seed in my heart. Recognizing that God never wastes a hurt, I always knew that God wanted to use my abortion experiences for His glory by ministering to other women. 

 

In 2018 I began Peer Counseling Training at the Pregnancy Resource Center of the Poconos and also completed the “Forgiven and Set Free” Bible study for post abortive women. I continue to volunteer at the Center weekly as a peer counselor and as an after abortion Bible study facilitator.

 

During the summer of 2021, I attended the Psalm 51 Ministry’s Heart Helpers training. This was an opportunity to experience spiritual surgery and to be able to help traumatized women break free from the shackles of shame and find the love of Our Heavenly Father!

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​​I speak on all topics and you may hear samples from previous presentations and see a description of some of my favorites on the General Topics page.

 

My OuttaTheWoodsIntoTheLight ministry is directed specifically for the wounded woman. On that page you can hear the brief testimony I gave at the 2018 Pregnancy Resource Center of the Poconos' annual fundraising banquet and the testimony I gave for Issues4Life.org that specifically speaks of God's healing, forgiveness and redemption.

 

I would love to connect with you and provide a time of encouragement and Biblically led fellowship and teaching. 

 

To God be the Glory!

Peace,

Saundra