Prominent Southern Baptist Pastor Mike Stone, who leads Emmanuel Baptist Church in Blackshear, Georgia, said his daughter, Sarah, is now in hospice care at the family’s home after several years of battling chronic illnesses.
In an X post published Saturday, Stone announced that “After a courageous battle with numerous physical illnesses, our precious Sarah has entered Hospice care.” Stone added: “Our entire family faces the days ahead with Christ, confidence in the resurrection, and the blessed assurance that our Sovereign God does all things well.”
Stone previously served as chairman of the Southern Baptist Convention’s Executive Committee and was a candidate for SBC president in 2021. His wife, Andrea, has also shared updates on Sarah’s condition in recent months. Earlier this year, Andrea said Sarah’s “body is weak and breathing is not easy due to her neuromuscular weakness and POTS.”
The announcement drew an outpouring of support from fellow Southern Baptist leaders. Lakepointe Church Pastor Josh Howerton replied, “I am praying for you on my way home tonight. God be with you and precious Sarah.” Dr. Albert Mohler, president of The Southern Baptist Theological Seminary, wrote, “Mike, just saw this. Mary and I will be praying for Sarah, for you and Andrea, and your entire family. May the grace and mercy of our blessed Lord be your comfort.”
Sarah Stone has repeatedly posted on Facebook about her illnesses and the comfort she has found in her Christian faith in recent years. In a May 2025 Facebook post, she discussed her affliction with Ehlers-Danlos Syndrome and “how it’s impacted my body & my walk with Christ.”
“EDS is a group of genetic disorders that affect the body’s connective tissues. Connective tissue is found everywhere in the body: joints, skin, cells, blood vessels, nerves, muscles, internal organs, etc. It causes so many life-altering illnesses and complications,” Sarah Stone explained. She listed the symptoms of EDS as chronic pain and dislocations, loss of mobility, gastrointestinal issues, surgical complications, adverse reactions to taking medication and fatigue.
Sharing a picture of herself in a wheelchair, Sarah Stone added that EDS “turns even basic things — eating, walking, standing, talking — into mountains to climb,” adding that she wants people to “learn that my story is NOT just about illness.”
“It’s about Jesus!” she exclaimed. “It’s about how in a body that’s falling apart, I’ve discovered a God who never does. It’s about how when I felt like I was at rock bottom, He was the Rock at the bottom. He’s a comforter who meets me in lonely hospital rooms, a light through the dark nights, an encouraging voice through silent battles, and fills me with strength and peace the world can’t give. God isn’t limited by what limits us.”
She continued: “My tubes, lines, caregivers and wheelchair may look like weakness to some, but to me, it’s a symbol of strength. Not of my own, but of Christ’s in me. He’s not just walking beside me — He’s carrying me every step of the way. So today, I not only want to share what God has done for me, but I want to share what He can do for YOU. If you are searching for hope, peace, joy, contentment…look no further than Jesus.
“There is so much beauty in this broken place. God doesn’t waste our pain. You were created WITH purpose, FOR a purpose. He doesn’t miss a single detail. He uses it all for His glory and our good. Whether you have EDS, another chronic illness, or you’re just walking through a valley, please remember you are not forgotten. You are not alone. You are not beyond repair. You are deeply loved by a God who brings hope into the darkest places,” she added.
In an August 2025 Facebook post, Sarah Stone reflected on her “5 year journey” with gastroparesis.
The Cleveland Clinic defines gastroparesis as “paralysis of the stomach,” specifically “a functional disorder affecting your stomach nerves and muscles” that “makes your stomach muscle contractions weaker and slower than they need to be to digest your food and pass it on to your intestines” and “leads to food sitting too long in your stomach.”
After highlighting her gastroparesis, Sarah Stone elaborated on the comfort she has found in her faith as she experienced the health challenge: “There have been many nights I’ve felt so alone. But by my side, the Savior stayed. There have been many days I’ve felt forsaken. But He promised to never leave me, or forsake me. There have been many days I’ve thought I was too broken to carry on. But in my weakness, His power was displayed. He comes through for me.”
“Rest in the comfort of His sovereign plan. So this month I celebrate gastroparesis awareness month. Not because it’s been fun, but because He’s been faithful,” she concluded.
In an October 2024 Facebook post, Sarah Stone recognized “POTS awareness day” and identified POTS as “the hardest thing I’ve ever faced” while stressing that “Christ always remains faithful.”
According to the Cleveland Clinic, POTS is an acronym for Postural Orthostatic Tachycardia Syndrome, which “causes a number of symptoms when your transition from lying down to standing up, such as a fast heart rate, dizziness and fatigue.”
Ryan Foley is a reporter for The Christian Post. He can be reached at: [email protected]
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