Sarah Young, the best-selling author of the beloved devotional book Jesus Calling, has died. She was 77 years old.
Young’s passing was publicly announced in a statement from her publisher, HarperCollins Christian Publishing.
“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,” President and CEO of HarperCollins Christian Publishing Mark Schoenwald said in the statement shared on the Jesus Calling Instagram account.
“Through nearly 20 years of publishing with Sarah, I had a firsthand seat at seeing millions of lives changed through the Jesus Calling books,” HarperCollins Christian Publishing Senior Vice President and Group Publisher of the Children’s and Gift Book Group Laura Minchew said.
“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,” she added.
According to The Gospel Coalition Australia Edition, Young was diagnosed with an aggressive and rare form of cancer in July 2017.
The statement noted on the Jesus Calling Instagram noted that amid her declining health, Young remained steadfast in her practice of daily prayer.
“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 read.
“Even as she struggled with her own physical health, and battled cancer, she continued the ministry of these daily prayers,” the statement concluded.
According to Mission to the World ministry, where Young served as a missionary, the best-selling author “passed away peacefully [Thursday] afternoon.”
Young was born on March 15, 1946, in Nashville, Tennessee. She graduated from E.C. Glass High School in Lynchburg, Virginia, in 1964. She continued her education, receiving a philosophy degree from Wellesley College and a master’s in education with a focus on child study from Tufts University in 1974, Christianity Today reports.
She later earned a second master’s degree from Covenant Theological Seminary with the intention of becoming a Christian counselor.
While at CTS, Young met her husband, Stephen Young. The couple married in 1977 and then moved to Yokkaichi, Japan, to plant a church with Mission to the World ministry.
The pair moved to Australia in 1991, where Stephen helped plant the first Japanese-language church in Melbourne, and Sarah began her counseling practice.
In 2004, Young published what would become her wildly successful daily devotional book Jesus Calling.
According to HarperCollins, since its publishing, the book has sold over 45 million copies and has been translated into 30 different languages.
Young is survived by her husband, Stephen Young, their two children and two grandchildren.
A memorial service will be held on September 9 at Christ Presbyterian Church in Nashville, Tennessee, at 1:50 p.m.
Photo courtesy: ©Getty Images/Hicco Dodi FC
Kayla Koslosky is the former Editor of ChristianHeadlines.com. She has B.A. degrees in English and History and previously wrote for and was the managing editor of the Yellow Jacket newspaper. She has also contributed to IBelieve.com and Crosswalk.com.