From Witchcraft to Faith: Sarah’s Journey of Transformation

 

So, Sarah Sumpolec never really thought she’d end up where she is today. Back in college, she had zero interest in God, and definitely didn’t think He had any interest in her. But one day, after her roommates kept inviting her to this Christian group on campus, Sarah finally agreed to check it out. And wouldn’t you know it, that night, she heard something that would change her life forever.

The speaker at the event started talking about altars and sacrifices. Sarah immediately thought, “Oh, I know about altars!”—she had set one up in her room back in the day as a practicing witch. But this wasn’t the kind of altar she was used to. The speaker was talking about living sacrifices—and that God wanted all of her. "Wait, God wants everything?" Sarah thought. That night, she ended up praying for the first time, kind of tentatively saying, “I don’t know why you want me, but if you’re real, I’ll be yours.”

Now, let’s rewind a bit. Sarah’s childhood was anything but ordinary. Her dad was deep into witchcraft and taught her all about spirits, spells, and séances, even introducing her to witchcraft when she was just 13. Her family was constantly moving—13 schools by the time she was in 8th grade! Her mom was into some vague spiritual beliefs, but her dad? He said church was a crutch and that witchcraft was where the real power was. So Sarah grew up surrounded by this dark, mystical world, with her dad leading the way.

But things took a darker turn as Sarah got older. By the end of high school, things with her dad had gotten out of hand. He was battling addiction, and Sarah felt more alone than ever. As she got deeper into witchcraft, she felt the pressure of needing to make a sacrifice to change her life. It led her to a terrifying moment where she actually tried to take her own life in her car. Miraculously, she survived—though she doesn’t quite know how, she believes it was God who saved her.

Even after that brush with death, Sarah kept spiraling. She spent the summer before college in a blur of drinking and trying to connect with spirits on the beach. It wasn’t until she arrived at college that things began to shift. She moved into a dorm room with two girls—Kim and Stacy—who were definitely not like anyone Sarah had met before. These girls were constantly reading their Bibles and always seemed to have this peace about them that Sarah just didn’t understand.

Despite her best efforts to avoid them and their Bible studies, Sarah eventually decided to stick around for one. She didn’t get what they were saying, but she could see it—the peace in their lives that she so desperately wanted. Sarah couldn’t help but be drawn in.

And then came the moment that sealed the deal. At an InterVarsity event before Thanksgiving, a pastor was speaking about sacrifices. He talked about how God was offering Sarah a new life, one that didn’t require dark rituals or spells. The thought that God actually loved her and wanted her to know Him was mind-blowing. That night, Sarah knelt outside and prayed, and from that moment on, she never looked back.

Of course, the transition wasn’t easy. Her parents were furious, and she struggled with her old habits. But something inside her knew that God was real, and Sarah dove headfirst into learning everything she could about this new life in Christ. By her sophomore year, she even went as far as to burn every witchcraft book and item she had ever owned. It was her way of saying, “I’m done with that life.”

Fast forward to Sarah’s last years in college, and she was fully surrendered to God. By the time she graduated, she had a solid relationship with the Lord, one that she knew would stick with her for life.

After college, Sarah found herself drawn to working with teens. She worked at a psychiatric facility and then went on to teach. But her real calling emerged when she started noticing a young girl in her church’s youth group. The girl seemed like she had it all together, but Sarah could tell something wasn’t right. And that’s when the idea for her Becoming Beka book series was born. The stories followed a teenage girl named Beka Madison as she navigated life, faith, and the struggles of growing up—a lot of what Sarah herself had faced.

Now, Sarah uses her platform to speak to teens, especially girls, who might be putting on a fake Christian façade. She tells them, “God has a bigger plan for you. You don’t need to pretend to be someone you’re not.” She has written multiple books, spoken on talk shows, and works hard to show teens that they have a higher calling than just going through the motions.

Sarah is passionate about living authentically, and she credits the friends she made in college for inviting her to church in the first place. If it wasn’t for that one simple invitation, Sarah believes she might never have found the God who changed her life.

Today, Sarah’s life is full of purpose. She’s writing, speaking, and living out her calling—always ready to share her and God’s stories with anyone who’ll listen. And she’s beyond grateful for the unexpected way God turned her life around—from witchcraft to writing novels and speaking truth into the lives of teens.