Have you ever come home from vacation and thought…
 “Wait. I don’t want to go back to real life.” 

After traveling to Italy — walking through Rome, standing beneath ancient ceilings, lingering over long dinners — I realized something surprising: 

The beauty wasn’t just in Italy. 

It was in the pace.
The attention.
The intention. 

And when I got home, I could already feel myself slipping back into hurry mode. Back into rushed dinners, half-noticed sunsets, and walking past the same pine tree every day without ever really seeing it. 

In this episode, I’m sharing what Italy taught me about slow living, intentional motherhood, and how to find God in ordinary life — even on loud, messy, repetitive Tuesdays. 

We’ll talk about:
 • Why beauty becomes invisible when it’s familiar
 • The spiritual discipline of paying attention
 • Psalm 118 and what it really means to say “This is the day the Lord has made”
 • Jesus’ invitation to consider the lilies (yes, even in February)
• And how to stop waiting for a plane ticket to feel alive again 

This is a conversation about gratitude, faith, and choosing reverence in everyday life. 

Also, my husband now makes homemade noodles and his Alfredo is borderline spiritual — so we’ll cover that too. 

If you’ve been feeling rushed, numb, or stuck in Groundhog Day… this episode is your gentle wake-up call. 

This is the day. 

Let’s not miss it. 

🌱 Are Your Thoughts Holding You Back? How Beliefs Shape Your Life, Faith, and Confidence

Have you ever caught yourself thinking, “I can’t do this,” or “I’m just not good enough”… and believed it without question?

In this episode of Measure of Your Creation, we’re diving into the powerful connection between your thoughts, your beliefs, and the life you build. Sarah shares how repetitive thought patterns, negativity bias, and confirmation bias influence our confidence, our decisions, and even our spiritual growth.

You’ll learn how your brain is wired for survival — but not always for growth — and how understanding neuroscience, psychology, and faith can help you break limiting beliefs and step into the purpose God created you for.

Sarah also explores the role of the Reticular Activating System (RAS), how affirmations and gratitude reshape your mindset, and how to recognize spiritual truth through peace and discernment instead of fear and shame.

If you’ve ever struggled with self-doubt, comparison, negative self-talk, or feeling stuck in old patterns, this episode will encourage you to gently challenge the thoughts that may be holding you back.

Because your thoughts don’t just stay in your mind — they shape your confidence, your faith, and your future.

💛 In This Episode, You’ll Learn:

 • Why humans naturally focus on negative thoughts
 • How confirmation bias quietly shapes your confidence
 • What the Reticular Activating System is and how it influences your focus
 • How to interrupt repetitive negative thought patterns
 • The science behind affirmations and neuroplasticity
 • How to recognize spiritual truth through peace and discernment
 • How faith and mindset work together to help you grow
 • Simple ways to choose thoughts that lead to life and confidence

🌸 This Episode Is Perfect For:

 Moms struggling with self-doubt
 Women seeking faith-based personal development
 Anyone feeling stuck in negative thinking patterns
 Women navigating identity after motherhood
 Listeners wanting to grow spiritually and emotionally

✨ Reflection Question

What is one thought you’ve been believing about yourself… that might not be true?

📖 Scriptures Mentioned:

1 Corinthians 2:14
 Romans 8:6

In this episode, we explore what it truly means to be rooted in Christ and walk closely with Him. Through fascinating science about tree roots and the powerful symbolism found in nature, we uncover how spiritual growth often happens beneath the surface long before it becomes visible.

If you’re in a season that feels slow, quiet, or unseen, this conversation is for you. What feels like waiting may actually be a season of deep root-building — preparing you to grow, strengthen, and eventually bloom in ways you never imagined.

We also talk about the importance of community and how God often uses others to support, encourage, and walk alongside us in our faith journey.

The episode closes with a peaceful guided reflection you won’t want to miss. Take a moment to pause, breathe deeply, and imagine God as your loving Gardener — gently tending to your life, guiding your growth, and nurturing what He has planted within you.

 🔗 Understanding Tree Roots | CSU Extension — trees often extend their roots two to five times wider than their canopy in search of water and nutrients. 

 🔗 “Gravity signal transduction in primary roots” — PubMed / National Library of Medicine (study explaining how roots sense and respond to gravity) 

Title: Do Trees Really Support Each Other through a Network of Fungi?
This article explores the concept of mycorrhizal networks (often called the wood-wide web), explains how fungi connect root systems, and notes that while connections exist, scientists are still investigating how much trees actually share nutrients or signals.
🔗 https://www.scientificamerican.com/article/do-trees-support-each-other-through-a-network-of-fungi/

✅ Atomic Habits Book Source

Clear, James. Atomic Habits. Avery Publishing, 2018.

Comparison has a quiet way of distorting how we see ourselves. Instead of recognizing our God-given gifts, we begin measuring our worth by someone else’s abilities, visibility, or outcomes—and in the process, we can miss who we were created to be.

In this episode of Measure of Your Creation, Sarah shares a personal story from her childhood piano lessons and the longing to have her sisters’ musical gifts, only to later discover her own unique design. Through the metaphor of the redwood tree, the beloved story The Tale of the Three Trees, and the Apostle Paul’s teaching on the Body of Christ in 1 Corinthians 12, this episode explores how God intentionally designs each of us with different gifts for a shared purpose.

You’ll be invited to reflect on where comparison may be delaying discovery in your own life, how gratitude can realign your perspective, and why your worth as a child of God is never up for negotiation.

If you’ve ever felt tempted to minimize your gifts, compare your calling, or question your value, this episode is a gentle reminder: you were created on purpose, for a purpose—and no one else can fulfill the role God designed just for you.

What do you do when God gives you inspiration—but not the full plan?

In this episode, we’re talking about why so many of us stall right after a spiritual nudge. How delay can quietly drain momentum. How delusion over complicates what God made simple. And how discouragement often follows—not because you’re failing, but because your worth is being questioned.

Through a cave story and the principle of line upon line, precept upon precept, you’ll learn why God rarely lights up the whole path—and how courage is built by taking the next small step with the light you already have.

In this episode, you’ll learn:

• Why inspiration is time-sensitive—and what happens when we delay
• How delusion warps reality and makes simple obedience feel overwhelming
• The connection between discouragement and worth
• How to move forward with courage instead of waiting for clarity
• A practical invitation to act on one small nudge within 24 hours

If you’ve been waiting to feel “ready,” this episode is your reminder: God never asked you to see the whole path—just to take the next step.

In this episode we explore how Satan doesn’t need loud temptation—he works through distraction, doubt, and emotional overwhelm. Drawing on Ed Mylett’s “Four Ds” framework and a powerful analogy shared by Elder David A. Bednar, we explain how spiritual distraction parallels how predators stalk their prey, and how staying alert and spiritually vigilant protects us from being subtly diverted. 

We also take a faith-friendly, neuroscience-based look at what’s happening in your brain when stress, fear, or distraction hijack your clarity. Scientific research has found that interactions between the amygdala (a brain region involved in emotional and survival responses) and the prefrontal cortex (the area responsible for reasoning, decision-making, and emotional regulation) are central to how we process fear and regulate emotions. Efficient communication between these regions supports adaptive behavior and emotional balance, while dysregulation can reduce clarity and self-control. 

By understanding how these neural systems work together, we can see why noise and chaos pull our attention away from God’s peace—and why stillness and intentional connection open the door to discernment and divine guidance.

We also tie this into Luke 10:38–42, the story of Mary and Martha, to show the difference between presence and productivity, and walk through simple steps you can take this week to move from overwhelm into awareness and peace.

Next week, we’ll dive into delay and discouragement—how hesitation can stall momentum and make you feel like giving up just when breakthrough is on the horizon.

Elder David A. Bednar, Watchful unto Prayer Continually, Oct. 2019 General Conference — https://www.churchofjesuschrist.org/study/general-conference/2019/10/22bednar?lang=eng

Overview of amygdala and prefrontal cortex roles in emotion and decision making (Biology Insights). https://biologyinsights.com/amygdala-hippocampus-and-prefrontal-cortex-key-roles/

 Review of amygdala-prefrontal cortex interactions in fear and regulation (PubMed) https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/23420655/

You were created on purpose… not by accident, not as an afterthought, and definitely not just to survive on cold coffee and unanswered prayers.

Measure of Your Creation is a faith-based personal development podcast for women who want to understand who God created them to be—and how to actually live that out in real life (laundry piles, hard seasons, questions and all).

Hosted by Sarah Stewart—wife, mom of two boys, and woman of faith—this podcast explores identity, purpose, parenting, health, contribution, and everyday growth through a Christ-centered lens. It’s honest, encouraging, and rooted in the belief that God has a specific design and mission for you.

After walking through seasons of loneliness and depression, Sarah discovered a life-changing truth: God doesn’t just have a plan—He is intentional, thoughtful, and very aware of what He’s doing with your life.

Each episode is part scripture, part story, part “oh wow, I needed that,” and occasionally part “why did no one tell me this sooner?” You’ll be reminded of your divine identity, invited to seek God for clarity instead of the world, and encouraged to step boldly into the life He designed for you.

 ✨ Expect faith.
 ✨ Expect growth.
 ✨ Expect honesty.
 ✨ Expect the occasional laugh when things get a little too real.

And no—this is not a podcast about having it all together. It’s about remembering whose you are, why you’re here, and why your purpose is bigger than you think.

Come as you are.
Bring your questions.
God already knows the answers.