Windermere resident, author writes book on progression of faith

WINDERMERE  When Windermere resident Sharon Johnson Savage first dreamed of going to Africa in 2000, she never expected to visit the country seven times in 2007, let alone complete her 40th mission trip there in November 2015.

Savage, a lifelong Christian, started writing from a young age and wrote plays and short stories over the years. She was able to mix her faith and her love for literature and writing to publish two books, the most recent of which was published around the time of her 40th mission trip to Africa.

Savage’s passion for her faith led her to multiple opportunities to serve in the community and spread the word of God. She and her husband started working with youth in low-income environments in 1995 before moving on to a ministry called Positive Life Choices in 1999. The duo also taught leadership at a church in Eatonville soon after, where the idea for her first book, “Leading Christian Disciples in a Challenging World,” was born.

But the story of her heart for Africa begins in 2000, when she started dreaming of going there and making a difference.

“I knew at some point I would be going,” she said. “I had a tug in my heart to go.”

“They’ve told me I bring them hope. If God has done that for me, it gives them hope that they can come out of their situations as well.”— Sharon Johnson Savage

In January 2007, Savage made her first mission trip to Africa with a bunch of strangers. Throughout the year, she made seven trips total, using vacation time and advanced vacation time to do so. She started in Tanzania but has since been to Kenya, Uganda, Zambia, Rwanda, Burundi and Nigeria.

On her mission trips, Savage preaches and leads people to Christ through revivals and her women’s ministry, Women of Valor. The ministry aims to empower women and has locations in Kenya, Uganda, Connecticut, Florida and Georgia, among others.

“There are remote villages, and I go into areas that most people don’t want to go,” she said. “They have no running water, no electricity, no TV. … They’ve told me I bring them hope. If God has done that for me, it gives them hope that they can come out of their situations as well.”

Savage teaches them about accountability and responsibility and shares messages of healing and hope to help them deal with emotional pain and struggles. The ministry also brings much-needed necessities — such as soap, rice and beans — to women in need.

And with firsthand experience witnessing miracles, her second book, “Faith That Moves Mountains,” was published. The book takes readers through a journey of faith and aims to leave them with practical lessons from the disciple Peter’s journey of faith.

“I talk about faith coming from the Scripture, that faith is the evidence of what you believe that you have not yet seen,” she said. “Fear and faith don’t mix, but you don’t get to that level of faith overnight. It’s a progression, and that’s what this book is about — a progression of faith.”

Her main hope for those who read her book is that they are inspired and encouraged to grow their faith.

“I hope it’s a journey of faith that takes a person who starts with it from little faith to great faith, or from great faith to greater faith, wherever they are in their walk with the Lord,” she said.

Contact Danielle Hendrix at [email protected].