Fearlessly Unshackled Faith Conversations

Host: Sarah Rose | Guest: Sarah Canterbury One of the most powerful reminders of God's faithfulness is that He is always working beyond what we can see. Sometimes He delivers us from circumstances we recognize. Other times, He quietly protects us from mountains we never even knew existed. In this heartfelt episode of Fearlessly Unshackled Faith Conversations, Sarah Rose sits down with longtime friend Sarah Canterbury to hear a testimony that is equal parts miraculous, challenging, and deeply encouraging. It is a story of suffering, surrender, unwavering faith, and discovering that God's plans are often much greater than our own.

A Faith That Went Deeper

Sarah Canterbury has believed in God her entire life, but like many Christians, her relationship with Him has grown through different seasons. After recommitting her life to Christ in 2001, she felt the Holy Spirit prompting her to be baptized again in 2016—not because her first baptism wasn't enough, but because God was inviting her to go deeper. That invitation transformed her life. Today she serves as the secretary of her church and leads an annual Holy Spirit-led women's retreat, encouraging women to pursue a deeper relationship with Jesus. Little did she know that another invitation to "go deeper" was about to come through one of the most difficult seasons of her life.

When "Normal" Nearly Became Fatal

For years, Sarah struggled with severe menstrual bleeding. Doctors repeatedly told her that it was simply something she would have to live with. Believing there were no medical solutions and trusting God for healing, she continued pressing forward. Then everything changed. While visiting family in Colorado, Sarah became extremely weak. Living at nearly 10,000 feet above sea level, she initially believed she was suffering from altitude sickness. She wasn't. After being rushed to the hospital, doctors discovered her hemoglobin level had fallen to 2.3—a level so dangerously low that medical staff repeatedly told her she should not have survived. She received multiple blood transfusions and spent a week in the hospital while doctors searched for answers. 

Looking back, Sarah remembers very little from those weeks, but she remembers one thing vividly.

The Mountain

From her hospital room she could see a beautiful mountain outside her window. Every morning she watched the sunrise over its peak. 

Months later, while leaving a follow-up doctor's appointment, God quietly spoke to her heart.

"Look. That's the mountain I saved you from."

As she looked out the window, she realized He wasn't referring to the mountain she had admired each morning. He was pointing to an even larger mountain behind it. In that moment, the Holy Spirit impressed something unforgettable upon her heart.  There are battles we endure. And then there are even greater battles God quietly protects us from—ones we'll never fully understand this side of heaven. Sometimes what feels overwhelming is actually God's mercy shielding us from something much worse.

Psalm 121:1–2 (NLT) – "I look up to the mountains—does my help come from there? My help comes from the Lord, who made heaven and earth."

Wrestling With Faith

One of the most honest moments in Sarah's testimony was her willingness to admit the questions she wrestled with. She believed God heals. She believed His promises. So why hadn't He healed her years earlier? She found herself returning again and again to the story of the woman who touched the hem of Jesus' garment and was instantly healed. She questioned whether perhaps her faith wasn't strong enough. But God gently redirected her heart—not by condemning her—but by reminding her of Job. Job didn't stop trusting God because life became difficult. He learned to trust God even when he didn't understand. That realization changed everything. Instead of questioning God's goodness, Sarah began allowing God to deepen her faith through the waiting. She discovered that faith isn't always about immediate healing. Sometimes faith is remaining steadfast while God accomplishes a greater work within us.

Job 1–42 – Remaining faithful through suffering.

Trusting God Through Medical Wisdom

As doctors worked to determine the cause of her condition, Sarah eventually faced the difficult decision to undergo a hysterectomy. It wasn't the outcome she wanted. She pursued every less-invasive option first. When those treatments failed, surgery became the only path forward. One physician warned her that because of her fragile condition, the surgery carried significant risk. Sarah's response reflected the peace God had placed within her. "If God was going to take me, He would have taken me when my hemoglobin was 2.3. He didn't bring me through all of this just for me to die on the operating table. "That confidence wasn't rooted in denial. It was rooted in trust. God had brought her this far. He would continue leading her forward. The surgery was successful, and today Sarah has been fully cleared by her medical team.

Faith and Medicine Can Work Together

One of Sarah's most important takeaways challenges a misconception many Christians wrestle with. She wholeheartedly believes God heals. She also believes God often chooses to work through doctors, surgeons, nurses, and medical professionals. Healing doesn't become less miraculous because God uses people as His instruments. In Sarah's case, both divine intervention and medical expertise worked hand in hand. As she puts it, God didn't have to use medicine—but He chose to. And through her extraordinary case, many healthcare professionals witnessed something they could not explain naturally.

The Power of Family

Throughout this difficult journey, Sarah's family became God's hands and feet. Her daughter helped navigate complicated medical decisions. Her son-in-law brought peace and calm during anxious moments. But one conversation with her son became especially meaningful. 

Just days before surgery, he reminded her: "You know God's got you. Don't believe the doctor's report. Believe God's report. "What a beautiful picture of generational faith. The seeds Sarah planted throughout her children's lives had grown into faith that now strengthened her during one of her greatest trials.

God Is Bigger Than the Mountain

Near the end of the conversation, Sarah shared something profound. Since that day, she has driven past the same hospital countless times. She's looked for that mountain. It has never appeared in the same way again. The mountain itself never moved. But that moment belonged to God. It was a reminder that God reveals exactly what we need exactly when we need it. Just as Scripture comes alive in new ways each time we read it, God reveals fresh truths as we walk through different seasons of life.

John 10:10 – The thief comes only to steal, kill, and destroy; Jesus came that we may have life abundantly.

Final Thoughts

Sarah Canterbury's testimony reminds us that faith isn't measured by how quickly our prayers are answered. Faith is trusting God's heart when we cannot see His hand. It's believing His promises while walking through uncertainty. It's allowing suffering to deepen—not diminish—our relationship with Him. And perhaps most importantly, it's remembering that while we often focus on the mountain in front of us, God may already be protecting us from an even greater one we cannot yet see. Whatever mountain you're facing today, know this: God sees the beginning and the end. He has not forgotten you. He has not abandoned you. And He is faithful—even when the journey takes a path you never expected.