An INNER View with Journalist, Podcaster and Emmy Winning TV News Reporter, Sara Forhetz

An INNER View with Journalist, Podcaster and Emmy Winning TV News Reporter, Sara Forhetz

Inner Views

BIO

Sara Forhetz is a speaker, journalist, and podcaster. She also hosts a daily morning radio show on Christian radio station 88.3 The Wind. She spent 17 years as an Emmy Award-winning television news reporter and anchor… sharing mostly bad news. Now, Sara shares the Good News across the country and around the world. Her travels often take her to Africa and the Middle East, where she speaks about her faith in Jesus. Sara is a wife and a homeschool mother of three kids, ages 12, 14, and 16. She loves swimming, biking, and running, and competes often in triathlons. She and her husband, Ethan Forhetz, have been named one of the most influential couples in Southwest Missouri and have been recognized by multiple publications. She urges everyone to be bold in their faith.

INNER VIEW

Kathleen Cooke: You have accomplished much in your career. You have a great family and, to many, appear to have an ideal life. What have you learned along your life journey that is the key?

Sara Forhetz: The Lord has been teaching me about HIS ALL-SUFFICIENCY. I didn’t realize I had started to do some things in my own strength, well, because I can. One of my hobbies is doing triathlons with my kids. That is a race where you swim, then bike, then run. I am a proficient swimmer and am gearing up for a race in San Francisco that starts at Alcatraz prison. I was recently practicing swimming in open water, something that typically would not be a problem for me. But as I was 750 meters offshore, the wind kicked up suddenly, and I quite literally felt like I was going to drown. Out of nowhere, God sent me a literal lifeboat. A man scooped me up and took me to shore. As I sat on the beach that day praising God for sending help, He began to teach me that I was swimming in my own sufficiency. Why? Because I can. At that moment, I knew the Lord was saying I was NOTHING without him. And I will not reach the metaphorical finish line well if I am going to operate in my own strength.

Kathleen: Wow! San Francisco’s harbor is known for its winds that come out of nowhere without warning and from all directions. My brother learned to sail there and was told that if you can sail SF harbor, you can sail anywhere in the world because of the changing winds. Training for a triathlon is like working in the creative arts in many ways. You must push hard on multiple levels; a successful career takes grit and ambition. What have you learned about when to press forward and when to step back?

Sara: I think the Lord puts desires in our hearts, and we can feel free to pursue them! If our ambition gets in the way, we stay low and humble and trust that He will course-correct. I’ve found that with God, it’s more about the journey than the destination. So, we resign to give ourselves to being refined along the journey. Scripture says, “Do not despise the day of small beginnings, for the Lord rejoices to see the work begin…” You start in the way of your heart’s desire, and trust that even if it starts small, IF He is in it, He is rejoicing that the journey has begun. And He will complete it and complete YOU in the process! The refining will come as He guides you along the way. I pray, Lord, thank you for your equipping as you call me.

Kathleen: With the ups and downs and constant unknown struggles of an artistic career, how have you dealt with the fear of failure?

Sara: If it doesn’t scare you, God might not be in it! The Lord sometimes calls us to do what we can do. But oftentimes, He calls us to do something we cannot do on our own! That is scary. But it’s what allows us to put all the “pressure” on Him. The Lord is our instructor; we are always His pupils. He is the one who makes it possible. We embrace our humility that says, I am scared, but if I am called, I trust You, Lord, to complete it through me.

Kathleen: God instructs us to GO — be an influence. Why is that more important than ever?

Sara: You are the only one who is where you are. You can reach the people in your cubicle at work that I cannot — that your pastor or friend cannot. God has placed you there for “such a time as this.” He says to us over and over again — GO! He only sends us to where He is already working. And, if we are faithful to work in the field where He planted us, He will set us over more. “He who is faithful in a very little thing is also faithful in much; and he who is dishonest in a very little thing is also dishonest in much” (Luke 16:10). If you desire to grow your influence for Kingdom purposes, it will start with your faithfulness right where you are.

 

Connect with Sara!
Instagram:@saraforhetz
Facebook:@Sara Forhetz
Website: saraforhetz.com

Flourish!

Flourish!

Journal

Flourish! Just how do we do that when uncertainty and endless challenges seem to be nipping at our heels each day? It doesn’t matter your age, ethnicity, economic class, or location in the world. We are vulnerable to disease, crime, weather, and well… just life.

Here are a couple of things God has been teaching me.

Embrace it. Your attitude and moment-to-moment choices affect you, those around you, and the ultimate outcome. It stagnates your creativity, leaving you stuck and unproductive. Your choice is just to rebound (accepting the ball in your court and holding onto it), or you can flourish (take the ball and run with it). Choosing to flourish will mean accepting, learning, and growing mindfully. It means choosing to see things with a different focus. It allows you to see God’s endless abundant care and love and choose His abundant life. It means you must conscientiously choose to go forward and practice it. Photographers master their lenses and what they focus on. They master the light and what is or isn’t seen, sometimes taking years to become a “master of photography” and continually learning and growing throughout their lifetime.

 The word “go” is used 1542 times in the Bible, while “stay” is used only 62 times.

God is always moving forward. Don’t limit God–our Master–to the confines of human thinking. He resides within you, and you have unrestricted access to His divine power, creativity, and resources. You can live in the realm of your divine humanity in Him. You are not just deserving but inherently worthy of His love and attention. You are valued.

Flourishing means you don’t negate your felt needs or emotions—you allow them, but you don’t live in them. It means learning new things, setting new goals, seeing the future, and embracing the truth that God is living in you and will be your Way, your Truth, and your Life.

Finally, don’t isolate yourself. Community and support from others are crucial for progress. That’s why Influence Women events, webinars, and podcasts were created. We want you to connect so you can collaborate and create for Christ – the 4C’s. God created us to be in a relationship, and research tells us that positive change happens in safe, unconditional, and authentic relationships. One of the best aspects of the thriving Influence Women community is the diversity of age. We learn and grow from each other’s experiences and interactions with God. So… connect, engage, and flourish with both seasoned professionals and newbies – all are relevant and valued. For those who feel the industry is only about the “young,” check out this post from Influence Lab co-founder Phil Cooke on how to stay vital in your career and flourish as you age.

Let’s Go!

Out of the Cave and Back on the Winding Road That Leads Home

Out of the Cave and Back on the Winding Road That Leads Home

Journal

I love summer, but not so much when it gets outrageously hot. That’s why the cool Autumn mornings and evenings with its delightful fresh air is so welcome right now. Heat can make me grumpy, discouraged, and depressed. The hot months mean it’s cave time, and it’s easy for me to hide inside in the air conditioning and try not to let my thoughts and emotions take over. Like Elijah, who was running and hid in a cave (I Kings 19:3-18), I know there is only one way out. I must choose to walk out of my cave and move forward.

What causes our discouragement that can lead to depression?

Many different things can cause discouragement and depression. We often hear how health issues or chemical and food imbalances cause it. I found myself in a depressed state many years ago and couldn’t figure out why until I was diagnosed with a thyroid issue that was causing it. Sometimes depression is just the weather, but hiding can also be a choice we make when fear takes over.

What we focus on matters? When Elijah ran for the cave, he left his servant behind. Discouragement and depression make you want to isolate yourself, and that’s the biggest mistake we can make. Many people are still trying to get out of their cave from the isolation they went through during the pandemic. Some live in a cave because they spend too much time on social media comparing their life to others who seem to be living the high life. Sometimes we stay in our cave and hide because of the stigma of being labeled as a failure if we’ve been let go from a job, been caught in an unforeseen economic situation, or perhaps been caught in a challenging family issue. If we hide, maybe it will all just go away. In our “all about me and my influence and success” social media culture today, people back away and don’t want to be associated with someone deemed a loser. It might damage their reputation.

Is the solution spiritual?

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