Author, believer, and storyteller Sarah Dickens writes peace, power, and purpose into the pages of life.

Published on 20 May 2025, by Olivia Collins | Atlanta, Georgia

From a young age, she has harbored a deep love for reading and writing. Her passion for storytelling began in Kindergarten, when she created her first illustrated book for her class, story about her graduation from Preschool, complete with hand-drawn illustrations and bound in a book cover. This early project served as a prelude to her future as a published author.

Throughout her academic journey, Sarah's writing stood out. In both fifth-grade and tenth-grade honors literature, her essays were often read aloud by her teachers, much to the enjoyment of her classmates. These moments allowed her to showcase her writing skills and affirmed her gift for engaging storytelling.

Sarah earned a Bachelor of Arts degree in Mass Communication from Georgia College and State University in 2015. She went on to complete three Master of Arts degrees from Liberty University: in Global Studies (2017), Pastoral Counseling (2019), and Human Services Counseling (2024). After completing her undergraduate degree, she served as a news editor for Atlanta Christian  Voice, a Christian-based publication, from 2017 to 2022. Guided by prayer and her strong faith, Sarah was led to write and publish her first book, A Victory Song: Beneath the Veil, in 2022. The book earned second place in its category at the Global Book Awards in 2023. Her work and story have been featured in various international magazine articles and cover stories and other news outlets. 

Sarah is currently preparing to publish her second book, A Victory Song: Thoughts of Peace, a follow-up to her debut, which is set to be released in 2025. She is also in the process of writing her third book, A Victory Song: Thoughts of Power, and working on her first illustrated children’s book, She Walks With Jesus, both of which will be published in the near future. She actively serves as a greeter on the Greeting Team at First Baptist Atlanta, where she remains deeply involved in her faith community.

A Victory Song: Beneath The Veil

WRITTEN BY SARAH DICKENS

In A Victory Song: Beneath the Veil, author Sarah shares her deeply personal Christian memoir, offering readers a candid look into her journey of overcoming the trials and hardships of living with bipolar disorder. Through eleven chapters, the book explores her struggles, faith, and the transformative experiences that shaped her path toward healing. Central to the narrative are three key aspects of her life that required divine intervention and humility: her emotionally strained relationship with her mother and daughter, her relationship with an ex-boyfriend, and the concept of seasonal friendships, those God ordains for a specific period in one’s life.

Besides recounting these pivotal moments, Sarah reflects on her early years, when her mother introduced her to Christianity and to First Baptist Atlanta, which would later become a cornerstone of her faith. This early introduction to Christ laid the foundation for her relationship with Jesus as her Lord and Savior. The memoir also includes her battles with bipolar disorder, offering insight into her journey as a child of God navigating life with a mental illness.

A significant focus of the book is on how author Sarah Dickens developed spiritual disciplines that contributed to her healing, including hobbies like teaching, drawing, painting, flower-picking, praying, journaling, and reading the Bible. One such discipline, ballroom dancing, is given special attention in Chapter Eight, “There is Power in the Name of Jesus Christ.” This chapter highlights how ballroom dancing, along with Christian counseling at First Baptist Atlanta, facilitated a profound sense of healing from past wounds and helped her find peace despite her struggles with bipolar disorder.

Throughout the memoir, the author also reflects on her experiences with mission trips to Lebanon and Japan. These journeys, one lasting twelve days and the other two months, provided a unique opportunity for spiritual growth and deepened her understanding of God’s love and purpose, especially from the perspective of a child of God with bipolar disorder.

A Victory Song: Beneath the Veil is not only a powerful affirmation of resilience, faith, and healing, but also an invitation for readers to see God’s transformative work in their own lives, no matter their struggles.

Behind the Scenes with Sarah Dickens: Exclusive Interview!

L’Heure: What inspired you to turn your lifelong love of writing into the published work A Victory Song Beneath the Veil?

Sarah: I was inspired to publish my first book, "A Victory Song: Beneath the Veil," because I wanted to tell people about what it is like for me (particularly to the young adult audience) to battle bipolar disorder, which is a mental illness. I wanted to give the young adult audience a perspective from me, as not just a child of God, but as a child of God with bipolar disorder, about my testimony of how I was diagnosed with bipolar disorder as well as the trials and hardships associated with it. I wanted to talk about how God brought me through the hardships and how I got through them with Christ as my strength so that I could bring glory to God in and through my writing, from my early childhood years to the age of twenty-eight years old (which is the years of my life that this book is written from). Also, the Lord told me to write this book, and I wanted to obey God, so I wrote this book in 2018 and went through the publishing process until it was finally published in 2022. 

L'Heure: How did your early classroom experiences with writing and illustrating shape your identity as a writer today?

Sarah: I am an assistant teacher at a Montessori school and have held similar roles at other schools. My early classroom experiences with writing shaped my identity as a writer, making me a teachable person, guided by both personal wisdom and the wisdom of God. Through my writing, I share this wisdom and reflect on my life experiences. Art has also influenced my journey; drawing and painting are passions I pursue based on my mood, using colored pencils or paints to bring images to life. In my upcoming book, A Victory Song: Thoughts of Peace, I include two original artworks to inspire both myself and my readers through the Holy Spirit. By combining writing and art, I express the fullness of my creative calling, allowing God to work through me in teaching, writing, and visual art.

L'Heure: What role has faith played in guiding your journey as an author?

Sarah: I’ve loved writing since kindergarten and have been a Christian since I was eight. After earning my Master’s in Global Studies from Liberty University in 2017, I felt led by the Lord to pursue journalism, using my writing and faith to share meaningful stories. In 2018, while serving as news editor for Atlanta Christian Voice, I was inspired to write my first book, A Victory Song: Beneath the Veil, which I published in 2022. My faith continues to guide my journey as an author. Writing isn’t just a hobby, it’s a calling and a gift from God. As I stay rooted in Christ and write consistently, my skills grow, and my purpose remains clear: to inspire readers and glorify God through every word. L'Heure: How did your time as a news editor for Atlanta Christian Voice influence your voice and approach to storytelling?

Sarah: I wrote for Atlanta Christian Voice from 2017 until my retirement in 2022, the same year I published A Victory Song: Beneath the Veil. During that time, I covered faith-based stories about Christian businesses and organizations in the Atlanta area. This experience deepened my passion for storytelling beyond news writing and sparked a desire to write faith-based books. Over time, God led me to shift my focus from news stories to faith-driven storytelling through books. Two months after my first book was published in April 2022, I felt a clear calling to fully devote myself to writing faith-based books, and I chose to obey that direction.

L'Heure: Can you describe the moment you knew it was time to write your first book?

Sarah: I knew it was time to write my first book about one year after I started working for Atlanta Christian Voice as their news editor in 2018. That same year, I met my book coach at a women’s conference, which I consider to be a divine appointment from God Almighty. It was at this conference that I stood before a crowd of women and announced my dream to write and publish my first book, A Victory Song: Beneath the Veil. Shortly after the conference, my book coach and I met at a coffee shop, where she helped me put together the outline for the book. This outline, which included all eleven chapters, became a valuable guide that I followed every time I sat down to write. It helped me stay focused and organized throughout the writing process and was especially helpful when preparing the manuscript for publication. After finishing the manuscript, I submitted it to Christian Faith Publishing for consideration. I was thrilled when it was accepted. On February 25, 2022, A Victory Song: Beneath the Veil was officially published as my first book, completing both the writing and publishing journey I had long prayed and hoped for.

L'Heure: What message did you hope readers would take away from A Victory Song Beneath the Veil?

Sarah: I hope that readers take away the message that God can use any person with a mental illness to point others to Jesus Christ through the trials and hardships they experience as a result of their mental health challenges. As a child of God living with bipolar disorder, I hope that readers who are diagnosed with bipolar disorder or who know someone who is, understand, through reading my book, that they are not alone. God is their strength through their witness, and that in itself is a testimony that makes a person's story powerful.

L'Heure: How did it feel to receive a Global Book Award for your debut book?

Sarah: Receiving second place in the Global Book Awards was truly humbling and an honor. When I first learned of the recognition, I was overjoyed and grateful for the hard work that went into writing my first book, A Victory Song: Beneath the Veil. I hadn’t expected to win, but the Lord surprised me. This achievement marked a turning point in my writing career, deepening my faith that I can do all things through Christ, who gives me strength. It inspired me to write my second book, A Victory Song: Thoughts of Peace (to be published in 2025), and to continue working on A Victory Song: Thoughts of Power.

L'Heure: What has been the most fulfilling part of writing the Victory Song series so far?

Sarah: I believe that the eternal reward of leading, winning, and pointing souls to Jesus Christ through the Victory Song series is the most fulfilling part of writing it so far. God sees me and the great work I am doing through my writing, as well as the eternal reward I am reaping, on earth as it is in Heaven, for the Victory Song series. I have had readers tell me that my writing style for this series is powerful and courageous, as my testimony is. Some readers have even said that my writing is a gift from God and that they consider it very good. Aside from the eternal reward, the positive feedback I have received from readers is also fulfilling. It motivates me to keep writing and not give up, especially with more books to write in the future.

L'Heure: How has your academic background in Mass Communication and counseling shaped your themes as a writer?

Sarah: My academic background in Mass Communication has greatly shaped my themes as a writer, as I have always had a passion for writing since childhood. It wasn’t until my sophomore year at Georgia College and State University, while pursuing my Bachelor of Arts in Mass Communication, that I realized I was good at writing and wanted to make it my career. What I didn’t know at the time was that God had a greater plan for me: to become an author and use my gift for writing in ways I hadn’t yet imagined. After graduating in 2015, I began to see this vision more clearly. Despite my experience in Mass Communication (freelance writing, writing for the college newspaper, writing for Atlanta Christian Voice, etc.), God was calling me to go deeper and explore writing books, with the Victory Song Series focusing on themes of faith and resilience.

In 2016, a friend I met during a mission trip to Lebanon inspired me to pursue counseling. Although she wasn’t my counselor, her compassion and humility deeply impacted me. This led me to develop a compassionate and humble heart, much like hers and like Jesus’ heart for those He ministered to. This inspired me to pursue counseling as part of my academic background, and I graduated with two Master of Arts degrees: one in Pastoral Counseling in 2019 and another in Human Services Counseling in 2024, both from Liberty University. My background in counseling has influenced the themes of faith and resilience in my writing. It  has helped me develop a heart of compassion and humility, and I wanted my writing style in the Victory Song series to reflect that, offering counsel and support to my readers through  my  themes and life experiences.

L’Heure: What can readers expect from A Victory Song: Thoughts of Peace, and how does it build on your first book?

Sarah: A Victory Song: Thoughts of Peace is my second memoir and a follow-up to A Victory Song: Beneath the Veil. It builds upon the content of “A Victory Song: Beneath the Veil,” continuing the story of the same characters while introducing new ones. The book picks up where the first left off, beginning in 2018, the year of my twenty-ninth birthday, shortly after I left the homeless shelter, "My Sister's House," as mentioned in A Victory Song: Beneath the Veil. 

In this sequel, I expand on new themes, such as how I see myself versus how God sees me (introduced in chapter 1), the thoughts of peace I have about myself and the thoughts of peace God has about me (explored in chapter 3), and how I battled fear during the coronavirus pandemic with God's guidance (chapter 5). These new themes, along with others mentioned in A Victory Song: Thoughts of Peace, connect to my life experiences from the first book and allow for a seamless flow between the years of my life. Overall, while the themes in A Victory Song: Thoughts of Peace are similar to those in A Victory Song: Beneath the Veil, they delve deeper into my experiences as a child of God with bipolar disorder, building on the foundation set in the first book. L'Heure: What inspired your upcoming children's illustrated book, She Walks With Jesus?

Sarah: My walk with God, beginning in childhood, along with the Book of Revelation, inspired my upcoming children's illustrated book She Walks With Jesus. Aimed at young girls aged three and up, the book introduces the concept of God's great love through my personal faith journey. The story begins with me, as a child, asking my mother to read me a story. She helped lead me to Christ at the age of eight and has influenced my spiritual walk ever since. In the book, I walk with Jesus, dance with Him, enter the throne room of God, worship Him, and share other meaningful experiences. These moments reflect themes found in the Book of Revelation, as both the story and illustrations portray visions of Heaven and what it may be like for believers. The illustrations were hand-drawn by me using black ink and colored pencils. Overall, my relationship with God and with my mother inspired the story. I end the book with an image of myself walking hand in hand with my mother as a tribute to her influence, which is one of the reasons the book is titled “She Walks With Jesus”.

L'Heure: How do your mission trip experiences inform the emotional and spiritual depth of your writing?

Sarah: I’ve been on three mission trips to Lebanon, Japan, and Uganda. Each experience deepened my faith and trust in God, shaping both my spiritual journey and writing style. The trips to Lebanon and Japan, which I share in Beneath the Veil, inspired my children's book She Walks With Jesus because both focused on children’s ministry. The Uganda trip, mentioned in A Victory Song: Thoughts of Peace, influenced my decision to enter counseling after praying with many people facing illness. It also gave me the courage to write about living with bipolar disorder and how my faith helps me face those challenges. L'Heure: How do you balance writing with your ongoing service at First Baptist Atlanta? 

Sarah: I balance writing with my ongoing service as a greeter at First Baptist Atlanta through daily prayer and journaling letters to God. These practices help me care for myself and strengthen my relationship with Him. Most mornings, I wake up early to pray, especially before church on Sundays, so that I am spiritually prepared and ready to write afterward. Early morning prayer gives me focus, inspiration, and guidance from the Holy Spirit for what to write. Without prayer and journaling, I would not have the strength to serve faithfully at church or continue writing with purpose.

L’Heure: What do you hope readers feel or reflect on after finishing one of your books? 

Sarah: I hope readers feel inspired and develop both a desire and a sense of bravery to share their testimonies about how God is working in their lives. I believe no one, especially those living with mental illness, should feel shut out or believe their testimony is not worth sharing. Others need to hear it, and so does God, who calls us to proclaim our testimonies as a reflection of His divine grace. I hope readers reflect on the goodness of God and how He brought me through very difficult and trying times following my diagnosis of bipolar disorder. I also hope they recognize their inner bravery, because everyone carries a measure of courage within them if they trust, pray, and believe in God for healing, just as I did through the life experiences I share in my first book as a child of God with bipolar disorder. I pray that readers are not afraid to bring their wounds before God for healing, that they remain open to His guidance in all things, and that they reflect on His character as they receive peace and healing for both mind and soul through prayer and deliverance.