Sarah Young

Sarah Young (March 15, 1946 – August 31, 2023) was an American Christian missionary, counselor, and author known for her contributions to Christian literature, in particular for her book Jesus Calling. Young was an advocate of contemplative prayer. Her books have sold over 45 million units worldwide. She has been described as one of the most successful Christian authors in history.

Life

Sarah Jane Kelly was born on March 15, 1946, in Nashville, Tennessee, to parents Douglass (Levine) Kelly and Tom Kelly, both educators. She graduated from E. C. Glass High School in Lynchburg, Virginia. Young pursued her higher education at Wellesley College, earning a degree in philosophy in 1968, and later obtained a master's degree in child development from Tufts University in 1974.

While in graduate school, Young, a lapsed Christian, encountered the work of evangelical theologian Francis Schaeffer. She later reported that Schaeffer's work profoundly impacted her spiritual journey. She decided to become a Christian counselor and enrolled at Covenant Theological Seminary in Creve Coeur, Missouri, where she met her husband, Stephen Young, a third-generation missionary. They married in 1977 and served as Presbyterian missionaries near Yokkaichi, Japan, for eight years.

In 2001, they moved to Perth. In the following years, Young's chronic health conditions, including Lyme disease, melanoma, and vertigo, often left her housebound.

Personal life

Young was known as an intensely private individual who preferred to avoid public appearances and gave interviews only by email. She remained dedicated to her faith, her family, and her writing throughout her life.

In 2009, Young traveled to the United States for six months to receive treatment for Lyme disease but saw little improvement.

Young was survived by her husband, Stephen Young, their two children Stephanie van der Westhuizen and Eric Young, her three siblings, and six grandchildren.