Sarah Stump DeNicola

14/08/2022

God sees you Mama🤍

29/03/2022

Hey fellow mama! 🤍 Are you trying to decide if you keep working or stay at home? I see you. Here’s my experience. I love being a working mom. You CAN love your career and be a good mom all at once. But I will be transparent with you. Balance doesn’t exist. It’s about integration. You are gonna be on a zoom or in a meeting and you will be worried about how you can fit in pumping into your schedule. You will feel rushed in the morning dropping off your baby at daycare. Mamas your baby will probably love daycare! When you are done with your work day you will feel exhausted, but you pick up your baby and go full mom mode. That smile is the best! You rush home and try to get dinner ready. Sometimes you might just have to do a frozen pizza. That’s okay! Don’t try to be super mom or perfect. Do your best. You will be the queen of multitasking. Be proud of yourself! Working full time is no joke and neither is parenthood. Remind yourself, you can do anything but you can’t do everything. I’m blessed that I can work full time as a mother and actually enjoy it. I understand that’s not the case for many women. Yes mom guilt sucks! Yes I miss my kid during the day. But I wouldn’t change it. I love my job and giving that up would be giving up part of myself. Something I worked so hard for. I love being able to share my passion with people. Neither of these roles is easy, but there’s great reward in going after your dreams while shaping a little human at the same time. I work for her. To show her that she can be anything. To show her what hard work looks like. So mamas you won’t have it all together daily and that’s okay. But it’s okay to love your job too. You can do both!

09/03/2022

Little Eyes are Always Watching

Today is International Women’s Day. So here’s to the women my little eyes watched growing up. My mother and my grandma are two women that stand out to me when I think of who I watched as I was molded into the woman I am today.

Being a mother to a girl is one of the most influential positions that God gives you as a woman. As a new mom to a little girl I see her eyes watching my every move.

I hold the responsibility of helping mold my daughter into the woman she will become, into a Follower of Jesus, a sister, a wife, a mother one day, and so much more.

I strive to be a good role model. I hope she sees a mom buried in Gods truth. I hope she learns kindness and compassion. I pray she embraces her purpose God has given her. I hope she is strong and fights for what she believes in. I pray she speaks up for herself and others. I hope she sees what hard work looks like. That if she’s determined and works hard she can reach any dream.

Parents, little eyes are watching our every move. Their ears listening to our every word.

Of course we all fall short sometimes. I’m not perfect. None of us are. Some days are harder than others, we might say something we don’t mean. On days like that, we must remember we have God’s grace.

Moses instructed God’s people on how to teach God’s statures to their children, he made it a point that they should teach them with their lives, not only with their words.

“If you carefully observe all these commands I am giving you to follow—to love the Lord your God, to walk in obedience to him and to hold fast to him. Then the Lord will drive out all these nations before you, and you will dispossess nations larger and stronger than you.”
‭‭Deuteronomy‬ ‭11:22-23

So thank you to the women in my life. To my mother and grandmother especially, for first and foremost showing me what a woman of God looks like. For instilling Gods love in me. For teaching me and showing me what a good wife looks like. For providing an incredible example of a compassionate and loving mother. Because of you I know am blessed to instill these traits into my daughter.

Happy International Women’s Day!!🤍

What women have made an impact in your life?

05/03/2022

Baby Girl the choice is up to you. The choice of whether you choose to trust God or defy Him. Remember, every problem and bump in the road is a lesson to teach you, it’s transforming you little by little into the masterpiece that God has created you to be. Go to God and listen to his wisdom, it is sufficient to bring the good out of every problem you face.



23/02/2022

Could you give up social media?

I’ve thought a lot about this recently. Mainly because I have a daughter who I want to not have to compare herself to what she sees on social media. As a kid I remember in 5th grade my friends all got Facebook and when I went home and asked my parents they said no. I was probably upset then, but I thank them today for it. I got to be a kid growing up without social media. I played outside, I sat in my room and played with my dolls and Barbie’s. I didn’t have to worry about what I saw on social media and compare myself.

Of course we can’t avoid that completely but I think back on why I got social media. Why I post. Why I share. What I share. Etc.

I post because my goal is to inspire, to share my story in hopes that maybe it will help someone going through something similar. I hope that in my posts Gods love is shown. I want to share with purpose. Not just post to post. I want social media for myself to be a tool. Not my life.

Social media has become so many peoples lives. As a society it consumes us. It gives us satisfaction when someone comments on our post or likes it. Ahhhh that’s scary. It’s become unhealthy.

Social media can cause depression and anxiety. These notifications interrupt our real-life conversations, exercise, work, church services, date nights, movies, prayer time, and parenting.

I’ve found myself asking the question does social media help or hinder living the life I’m called to?
I think we need to all ask ourselves that question.

If we spent a third of the time we do on social media drawing near to God … what would our relationship with Him look like? WOAH

I think there are good things from social media but I find a lot more bad than good. I think it’s about focusing on the good and using it as a tool to give and find good. Not allowing social media to be your life.

21/02/2022

Making Disciples of Your Children

Today in Church we talked about what the Bible says our mission is as believers. We have a mission - to glorify God by making disciples of all nations.

So what about your children?

Often parents hope that the church will do this for them; by bringing their kids to church, dropping them off at Sunday school class or youth group. Somehow they hope that through these things, their children will be raised to love and respect God.

Sorry to break it to you, but this is wrong.

Did you know… by age 4, a child’s brain is more than twice as active as an adult’s. WOAH.
And who does a child spend their time with the most? THEIR PARENTS.

We must make disciples of our children. But parents; YOU are the example. Teach them and show them how to have a personal relationship with God. Also know - even if you do succeed at raising disciples of Christ, there is no guarantee that your children will choose the path of Christ—God gives us all free will, after all.

So what steps can we take as parents?
1. Prayer
As a child my parents did something called circle prayer with us. We gathered in a circle every night and had a small Bible lesson and we prayed together as a family. Thank you Mom & Dad!
Engage your children’s intellect. Tell them why you pray. Teach them that it’s like talking to your best friend.

2. Read Scripture
Dive into the word. Kids love stories and the Bible is full of the best ones. Show them how they should treat the poor, the outcasts, and their enemies. Show them what it means—and what it costs—to truly live a life through Jesus.

3. Be an Example
You know when your children first start to talk and they begin to repeat words they hear. Well you are the biggest example to your children. Live out your faith, and allow your children to see the fruits of it.

Let your children see God through action.
Yes, it’s important to take your children to church! But don’t expect church to make your children disciples. Train your children to share the story of God. Be intentional, as their mom and dad you have the privilege, joy and responsibility to lead them.

15/02/2022

Little one, let me teach you about Valentine’s Day.

You’ll notice your daddy and I don’t do gifts on this day. Why? Because those things are not important to us. We want you to see our love everyday through the way we treat each other and through the way we love Jesus. We want to show you a marriage rooted in Christ. You see, society has made this day all about gifts and special things. From a biblical view, it’s about the permanence of marriage.

God’s perspective and design for love promises a lasting relationship built on commitment, trust, and respect.

“Therefore a man shall leave his father and his mother and hold fast to his wife, and they shall become one flesh.” Genesis 2:24

Little one please remember: a relationship focused on service and obedience to God cultivates a lasting connection better than a box of chocolate or the perfect flower delivery ever could.

“Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud.”
‭‭1 Corinthians‬ ‭13:4‬ ‭

❤️

12/02/2022

Leaving a Legacy

Now that I’m a mama I’ve especially thought about leaving a legacy. What does that look like? What does it mean?

I think about the legacy that was set before me.

A legacy means leaving an amount of money to someone. But leaving a legacy means putting a stamp on the future, and making a contribution to future generations.

I think the legacy that really matters is how did you leave a legacy of Gods love?!

I am blessed to have had a legacy of Gods love poured into my life. It all started with a man named Dean. To me Grandpa Dean.

You see, Grandpa Dean left a great legacy. He was an incredible man of God. He read his Bible every day and read it out loud for all to listen. He was always happy, waving as we drove up the long lane. I can still see him waving today as we flicker our lights. When he prayed before he went to sleep, he prayed for every family member by name and he never forgot a single one. He clapped at every cartwheel I did in his living room, he held every worm, bunny, frog, or other critter my brother and I brought to him. He was an incredible man. And he left a remarkable legacy for his family. A legacy of what Gods love looks like.

My grandparents continued it. If you ask me or any of my cousins I think we could all go on and on about how much we love our grandma and grandpa. They continued the legacy of Gods love. They set the example and their children continue it. Do you see a pattern?

In todays society all too often people tend to think of their legacy in terms of money. That’s an unfortunate mistake. In Proverbs it talks about how true wealth is to build healthy values, virtues and character in our kids and grandkids than to give material possessions.

I’m blessed, that the generations before me started a legacy of these things. Of Gods love. My parents continued it, and my goal is to do the same. So how do you do that?

You model and teach what’s important (prayer, focus, relationships, time, spreading Gods love, digging into the Bible).
You speak life into your family, your kids and your grandchildren.
You share what you have learned along the way and pass along knowledge from your life so they can transfer it to wisdom.

Who in your life left a great Godly legacy?!
And if no one did, remember you can start.

05/02/2022

Did you know? Last year, 3 million women dropped out of the workforce — and 1.6 million of them still have not returned. WOAH! Did you also know that “Women whose mothers worked outside the home are more likely to have jobs themselves, are more likely to hold supervisory responsibility at those jobs, and earn higher wages than women whose mothers stayed home full time, according to research by Kathleen McGinn and colleagues”

How neat!

Being a working mother is not easy. You feel guilty for loving your job but you also know you are setting the stage for your children. You feel a lot of emotions. Don’t even get me started about the first day of daycare. 😭 mamas all your feelings are valid. It’s normal. It’s a mental battle but it’s okay mama. Gods got you.

Being a mom in the workforce isn’t easy. Before the work day starts they are feeding their babies, and getting them down for a nap. They are sacrificing a lot. They are exhausted from the night wakings but they have a cup of coffee and keep going. And when the day is done, the work continues. But it’s all so worth it. 🤍

It’s okay to love your job. Just remember that family takes priority. So when you need to decline a meeting to go get your kid. Don’t feel bad about it. 🤍

Working mom guilt is real and it goes both ways.

30/01/2022

Raising Up Little Disciples 🤍

Little girl you were created for such a time as this. God has great purpose for you in this world. It’s our (your daddy and me) job to raise you up to be a warrior of God. We are called to an important role- to raise up godly leaders.

So we will raise you up to know the power of Jesus and the power that you walk in as a child of God.
We will teach you His word and to walk in Faith and know that God is in control.
We will empower you to know that you can change the world with Jesus as your guide.

You were born for such a time as this Macie.

When I think about raising up a little disciple I think of Jochebed the mother of Moses. She trusted God’s work and did not fear.

One never knows when acts of faith may impact future generations in significant ways. So, consider the example of Jochebed and diligently pursue the purposes God has for you in the lives of your children! 🤍

24/01/2022

GRACE

Something I need to give myself more of. I’m a planner, Major Type A. I like order, and schedules. I’m a Martha. But I need to be more like Mary. Luckily my mom is a Mary in and out and she puts me back on track.

This post is real and raw. It’s me being vulnerable. We see a lot of “perfection” or what we think is perfection on social media. We see moms who we believe have it all figured out and have it all together.

Fun fact: I don’t have it all together.

Yesterday we decided to go to church in person for the first time since baby. I was stressed because in the morning she didn’t nap as long as I would have liked. Then I got the time of the service wrong and we were 30 minutes early. 🤦🏻‍♀️ (it’s not the first time I’ve done that) when we got in it was smooth she fell asleep in her car seat! YES! But then….. Church music starts to play and well it’s more of a concert now a days. Baby wakes…. I rush out and put her baby noise canceling headphones on. Trying to protect her ears from the loud music that’s far too loud for her tiny ears. Praying she would just fall asleep as I bounced. Nope. Wide awake, just so curious of this new environment.

Remember when I said I liked a schedule? Well I take the schedule very seriously lol I know how many hours she needs to eat and there is this amount of time for wake windows and then sleep. When those things don’t happen I get anxious. I know it’s silly, but anxiety, fear, and stress take hold. The devil taking a hold of me. At church! AHHHH!!

I tried to relax, tell myself God is in control and he has a plan. Stress isn’t worth it.

I called my mama and she prayed and reassured me everything is okay, I am a mom doing my best. As soon as I hung up. Baby fell asleep. Jesus took control. Jesus said give yourself grace. He reminded me he is in control. No I didn’t get to listen to the sermon. I sat in the nursing room watching this sweet little baby sleep so peacefully. And I made room for some grace in my heart.

Here is the thing, most of the time things don’t go as planned. A nap with end early. Baby might not sleep. A feeding might be a little late. You might drop the burp cloth 10 times while bouncing. Etc. but one thing remains. JESUS

Gods PEACE is a treasure. He purchased the gift of peace with his blood. We can receive peace by trusting him in the storms of life. If we focus on the worlds peace, everything going the way we want it to go - we don’t seek Gods peace. We should thank God when things don’t go to plan because spiritual blessings come in trials of life. We should expect trials in each day but if we seek Gods peace we can rejoice in those trials.

James 1:2 - “Consider it pure joy, my brothers, whenever you face trials of many kinds.”

22/01/2022

Unpopular Opinion: I don’t post photos of my child online, if I do I cover up her face. I don’t hand out digital images. Why? Let me explain.

It’s definitely an unpopular opinion and people say, “Is something wrong with her?” “Something is wrong with her face” “When is the big reveal?!” “Only Celebrities do that, she thinks she’s special”

NO NO NO

My daughter is beautiful in my eyes and Gods first off, and If something was different about her I wouldn’t try to hide it. I literally have one arm and have shared my own difference my whole life to help others across the world through the internet.

But that was my choice to share my life and trust me, sharing everything wasn’t always positive.

Here is the thing, nothing can prepare for the moment when you actually become a mom and hold that precious child of God for the first time. There is fierce love and protection you feel for your child.

So, I’m still figuring it all out. And I love my daughter more than I can put into words.

There are a lot of positive things that come from the internet. But there are also many extremely negative things. The internet can be an extremely harmful and hurtful place. I have experienced it first hand. In high school I wasn’t bullied because I had one arm. I was cyber bullied and bullied because of the platform I created on the internet. A platform that was meant to bring positivity and help others experiencing similar things to me.

I love sharing my life with you all and I will continue to do that. But I’m not ready to expose my daughter to the crazy that the internet brings, kids growing up with social media is interesting and I have seen so much harm from it. Girls especially start to compare themselves and it can create an unrealistic idea of life.

Some consequences of sharing kids:
- People form opinions of them before meeting them.
- People hold expectations of them based off social media.
- People share opinions about kids publicly that they could one day find and it could sabotage their self esteem.
- People sharing photos of your children.
And more.

Did you know????
- Predators use social platforms to find photos of kids to trade on the dark web.
- What’s posted online is really hard to truly delete.
- Experts say two-thirds of identity fraud in 2030 will be from parents over sharing about their children now.

We shouldn’t expect people to share their kids online or give handouts of digital images. We are not just profiles in an app. We are all real people that deserve to keep certain things private. Someone used to have to enter your home in order to view that classic child photo but today people are posting them for everyone to see and save. Like the classic diaper photo or bath photo. It’s weird right? Sharing personal moments that has become normal and no one thinks twice about sharing a half naked photo of their kid for over 1 billion people to find.

Would you post that photo on a bulletin board in a public place?

25/12/2021

Merry Christmas! ❤️🤍🎄

13/10/2021

Planning your Baby Registry can be intimidating but so fun! 🤍 I created a Blog on what to put on your baby registry along with Links to everything I put on mine 🤍 ENJOY

https://www.sarahstump.com/mommyblog/what-to-put-on-your-baby-registry

17/09/2021

Hey Little Girl we are getting close to meeting you 💗 I pray you are bold, fierce, an incredible leader, and are oh so brave. Your dad and I will always push you to do your best, and “I can’t” will not be used. I have a feeling you are going to do incredible things in your life Macie. 🤍

May you be WISE like Deborah, LOYAL like Ruth, and JOYFUL like Elizabeth. May your PRAYERS be heard like Hannah’s, may you find FAVOR like Ester, and may you have a HEART like Mary’s. May you grow to be A STRONG WOMAN OF GOD.

💗💗💗

14/09/2021

Wondering what stroller you should purchase for you and baby?
Here are a few reasons why I chose the Mockingbird stroller.

1. The one hand fold - this stroller folds and unfolds with the use of only one hand. Can I get an amen!
2. The break is as easy as tapping your foot on it, so it's no handed.
3. To fold the seat back while your baby or toddler want to nap you only need to use one hand.
4. It offers a magnetic canopy and zipper feature which makes my one armed life way easier.
5. 2nd seat option
6. The handle bar adjusts for different heights. My husband is 6"5 so this was a must for us.
7. It’s affordable

https://rstyle.me/+LyZzTlr2XEWg0q1dqorREA

4 Likes, 0 Comments - SARAH STUMP () on Instagram: “Are you wondering what baby stroller to purchase? 🙋🏻‍♀️ As a one arm new momma my choice was…”

14/09/2021

Are you wondering what baby stroller to purchase? 🙋🏻‍♀️

As a one arm new momma my choice was simple - I chose the for many different reasons.

*THIS IS NOT SPONSORED, I JUST WANT TO HELP OTHER MOMS OUT, AND IT'S ONE ARM APPROVED*

Here’s a few reasons why: 🤍

1. The one hand fold - this stroller folds and unfolds with the use of only one hand. Can I get an amen!
2. The break is as easy as tapping your foot on it, so it's no handed.
3. To fold the seat back while your baby or toddler want to nap you only need to use one hand.
4. It offers a magnetic canopy and zipper feature which makes my one armed life way easier.
5. 2nd seat option
6. The handle bar adjusts for different heights. My husband is 6"5 so this was a must for us.
7. It’s affordable

⁣MORE DETAILS ON THE BLOG
https://www.sarahstump.com/baby/what-is-the-best-stroller-to-buy-for-parents-and-baby

If you are a soon to be parent, a question you are going to ask yourself is what stroller do I buy? It's a big question, because the right stroller can make all the difference with ease and accessibility in daily life with your baby. You have to think

17/08/2021

Mommas are you READY to make your life easier?!! 🙋🏻‍♀️ Now you can! Magnetic Me has magnetic fasteners in their clothing to make your life easier. Especially for those nights when you need some rest!!

I love because their items are so soft and friendly!! 🤍 YES PLEASE!!

Also you can get 10% OFF with CODE: IMPERFECTLYSARAH10

Shop here: https://glnk.io/2p4y/imperfectlysarah

03/08/2021

31/07/2021

Reminder: God thinks you are good enough, now it’s your turn to believe it. 💗

30/07/2021

Macie Elizabeth,
May you be strong and rooted in the Lord. I think about you all the time, what personality you will have. I pray for you all the time. I often think about as you grow what questions you will have, I think about will she think all mommy’s have one arm? When the kids at school ask you why your mommy has one arm, Will you say why doesn’t yours?! I believe you will be bold, you’ll hold your own, you’ll be determined in everything you set your mind to. I’m not one bit worried because I know God has perfectly created you with great purpose and he chose me specifically to be your momma. I have a feeling you are going to do great things throughout your life and as your parents we will make sure to set you up for success the best we can. Always making sure that your dad and I keep God first and pass that down to you. The moment someone tells us you are bossy, you bet your daddy is going to correct them. “She’s not bossy, she’s a leader.” Little girl you are going to do great things with the story God has and will continue to write for your life. 💗💗💗

Loving God,

Thank you for my beautiful daughter. I know that she is your creation, planned before the beginning of time. You know every detail about her. Reveal yourself to her. Work in her heart so she can respond to your love. Give her an unshakable faith in Jesus—believing he is your Son sent to seek and save the lost.

Put words in my mouth that explain your message of salvation clearly, in terms she can understand. Use me as your messenger of hope as I share my own faith story and live for you every day.

I don’t want to lose sight of the gift she is when guiding or correcting her becomes a challenge. I know that she was created by you and specially chosen to be my very own child.

Open my eyes to see your unique handiwork in her mind and personality. Use me to bring out her confidence and joy.

20/06/2021

Happy Fathers Day to my Dad!
The Lord blessed me with the most amazing father. My dad got a mini version of himself in girl form.

I wanted to share they 10 ways a dad can raise an empowered daughter.

1. Never allow the word “can’t” in their vocabulary, teach her to be determined and never give up.
2. Let her figure challenges out on her own, but let her know you are always there.
3. Push her to always do and be her best.
4. Instill the Love of Jesus in Her
5. Teach her to not always be right, but instead always be kind and share God’s love.
6. Let her know that she is perfectly created by a God that loves her and she never needs to change.
7. You have to be a friend to have a friend.
8. Once you start something always finish it and see it through to the end.
9. Be a leader not a follower.
10. Stand up for what you believe in even if its against the norm.

30/01/2021

A verse that throughout my whole life has reminded me of the goodness of God. Of the beauty that surrounds each and everyone of us. How incredible are the works of God? 🌟

I pray today that all of you who have insecurities that are eating at you, that your slate be wiped clean. That you would see the beauty in those things. When you start to look at others through the eyes of God and not through your own. I believe that we start to see the world and people differently.

Your confidence isn’t going to come through the clothes you wear, how many Instagram likes you got on your next photo, it’s not going to come from your friends, or what car you drive.

Your confidence is going to come from one thing: CHRIST.

Why? You might ask. 🤷🏻‍♀️

Because then you will start to see yourself through the eyes of God. And you will see how perfectly God created you and knit you together in your mothers womb. You will see how fearfully and wonderfully you were made and created with a purpose set before you.

So let’s praise the creator. Oh how wonderful your works are God. Jesus, thank you. For all you have created, for the beauty that surrounds us, for making us all unique with a purpose. I pray that those reading this would start to see the goodness of you, and through the eyes of the spirit.

⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣