Sarah Young, the best-selling author of the favored devotional book, “Jesus Calling,” has died at 77 years old. Her passing was publicly announced in a statement from her publisher, HarperCollins Christian Publishing.
Mark Schoenwald, President and CEO of HarperCollins Christian Publishing, said in a statement shared on the “Jesus Calling” Instagram account, “Sarah was a remarkable woman who deeply loved God. Her words have resonated with people from all walks of life. The global impact of her work is unparalleled.” HarperCollins Christian Publishing Senior Vice President and Group Publisher of the Children’s and Gift Book Group Laura Minchew said, “Through nearly 20 years of publishing with Sarah, I had a firsthand seat at seeing millions of lives through the “Jesus Calling” books.
She added, “Her books have met people in their darkest hours, taught children about Jesus, and changed lives for eternity. Knowing Sarah professionally and personally had been a privilege of a lifetime.” The Gospel Coalition Australia Edition stated that Young was diagnosed with an aggressive and rare form of cancer in July 2017. The statement on the “Jesus Calling” Instagram noted that Young remained faithful to her daily prayer practice amid her declining health.
The statement read, “Sarah believed that praying daily for the readers of “Jesus Calling” was an amazing privilege and a God-given responsibility. She committed time every morning to these prayers, often in the sunroom of her Tennessee home.” The statement concluded, “Even as she struggled with her own physical health and battled cancer, she continued the ministry of these daily prayers.”
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Young was born on March 15, 1946, in Nashville, Tennessee. In 1964, she graduated from E.C. Glass High School in Lynchburg, Virginia. She continued her education, receiving a philosophy degree from Wellesley College and a master’s in education focusing on child study from Tufts University in 1974, according to Christianity Today. Eventually, she earned a second master’s degree from Covenant Theological Seminary to become a Christian counselor.
While at CTS, Young met her husband, Stephen Young. The couple married in 1977 and moved to Yokkaichi, Japan, to build a church with Mission to the World ministry. In 1991, the couple moved to Australia, where Stephen helped create the first Japanese-language church in Melbourne, and Sarah started her counseling practice. In 2004, Young published what would become her wildly successful daily devotional book “Jesus Calling.”
Since its publishing, the book has sold over 45 million copies and translated into 30 different languages, according to HarperCollins. Young is survived by her husband, Stephen, their two children, and two grandchildren. Please keep the Young family in your prayers during this challenging time.
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