The Story

The Earhart Family

Family picture of the Earhearts

Our hearts swell with thanksgiving over the beautiful story of how God birthed our family. We are privileged to have an integrated multicultural family. We adopted our baby girl at birth in 1997, a sibling group of 2 brothers, 6 and 4 in 1999, and had the bookends in 1992 and 2001. Each addition to our family has a uniquely crafted story tethering us together as a family. In December 2020, I had our oldest son, Sterling, added to our last family picture taken before Marc's tragic murder. It's a gift for my husband and reminds us of the beauty in the broken, which fuels our faith when it starts to fray.

Their Story

The Sterling Rose Sanctuary was born out of the Earhart family's loss of Sterling Earhart, the oldest of Marcia and Scott's five children.

Sterling, our first son in heaven. Coping with the loss of a child

On February 13, 2014, life came to a screeching halt as Sterling, at age 21, went home to heaven after a tragic car accident. In the midst of great difficulty, pain, and loss, the Earharts learned there is a seed of new life. Through Sterling's passing, that seed of life has been given through the Sanctuary to bring hope and healing to others who are struggling and grieving a loss. The way he loved all people has left a lasting legacy, which his family carries on as they involve themselves in and empathize with the suffering of others.

The Earharts are passionate about seeing individuals heal in body, soul, and spirit. 

Marc, our second son in heaven. Coping with the loss of a child

Tragically, the Earharts lost a second son, Marc Earhart, 26, who they learned was brutally murdered on October 26, 2019. Marc, a loving father himself, left behind two small children and a host of family and friends. This compound loss has compelled the Earharts to use their grief experience and tools to help others even more passionately.

They are reminded there is a resurrection of life out of death. Through the death of their sons, seeds of life have been planted. By establishing The Sterling Rose Sanctuary, Scott, Marcia, and their team can bring hope and healing to others struggling through a similar loss.

Marcia Earhart, grief counselor

Meet
Marcia Earhart

Sterling Rose Sanctuary, a 501c3 nonprofit, serves those grieving by providing resources for hope and healing.

  • I love life and live it out loud with passion, purpose, practicality, and freedom. I value honesty, authenticity, and depth of character relationally. Now I don't love life because it is always good; it isn't. I have walked through obstacles and valleys of chronic illness, strained extended family relationships, infertility, adoption, parenting kids with RAD, ADHD, ADD, betrayal, church conflict, job loss, financial struggles, and within the last nine years, the tragic loss of my 21-year-old son, Sterling in 2014 as well as our 26-year-old son, Marc in 2019. God is always present in the midst and shows that there is still an abundant life in the darkest and deepest of trials. It is in these very places He has revealed aspects of Himself to me that have been life-changing. These times are refining moments where He wants me to submit and surrender to His sovereignty. The treasure found in the darkness is God himself. He continues to give strength when weary, hope when despairing, joy in the midst of pain, and the ability to live victoriously and overcome when defeat longs to devour and destroy.

  • I desire for everyone to know the unrelenting love of God, His power, presence, and purpose in and through all things, to know and experience the JOY of the LORD being your very existence! I enjoy inspiring and equipping others to apply God's word to every aspect of their lives, falling more deeply in love with Him. I value listening to and walking alongside others as they share, process, and discover new outlooks on everyday life, challenges, and conflicts. I am eager to see others get results. As a Heartsync Facilitator, Life, Grief, Trauma, Mental Health First Responder Coach, Mediator, and the Founder of The Sterling Rose Sanctuary, a 501c3 nonprofit that serves those grieving by providing resources for hope and healing, I depend on the Holy Spirit, giving discernment and wisdom in connecting with my client so they can reach their God-given potential.

  • I enjoy the multitude of gifts God has surrounded me within this life. I am captivated by and refreshed at the beauty around me and enjoy being at the beach, dancing, decorating, my time studying the Word of God, connecting with friends, deepening my relationships with others, family time, my children, traveling, coaching, and encouraging others. I embrace fully the freedom the Lord has given me and want others to know and live in that freedom.

  • I am married to my best friend and partner in crime! I love my man more today than ever. He has been such a great example of Christ to me, our children, and others he comes in contact with. He has always encouraged me to be all God has called and is one of my loudest cheerleaders.

    Five children filled our home to overflowing and continue filling our souls. We are a multicultural family, as we adopted 3 of our 5. Our daughter is Lumbee Indian African American, and two of our boys, a sibling group, are Mexican American, and then we biologically had the bookends! Our children continue to bless our lives immensely, as each is uniquely gifted. We have dealt with our oldest son's tragic loss in 2014. He left an indelible mark on all that he knew. Unfortunately, we experienced the loss of our second-oldest son in 2019. His impact on our lives will forever resonate. Each one is missed daily, but we live with the hope we will see them again when we move home to heaven to be with our Father.

  • Marcia received a BS in Family Relations and Child Development at Meredith College and a teaching degree in grades 6-12. She has over 30 years of extensive training in Counseling.

    Eight years ago, she added Coaching Certifications from Light University in Life, Grief, Trauma, and Mental Health to her training. She is a trained Mediator as well as a Certified Heartsync Facilitator. She is also a member of AACC (The American Association of Christian Counselors).

    Marcia Earhart’s extensive education and hands-on experience make her a powerful and effective Heartsync Facilitator, Life, Grief, Trauma, and Mental Health Coach and Mediator. Marcia is committed to bringing hope and healing to the brokenhearted in order to receive healing from trauma and plaguing grief. Marcia works successfully with all ages in equipping them to find their purpose using the time, treasures, and talent given to them. Academically prepared, professionally qualified, and personally experienced, Marcia is committed to your success!

Media

Podcasts

Understanding grief, loss, and pain can be difficult. Listen to our variety of podcast features where Certified Life, Grief, Trauma, Mental Health Coach, Mediator, and Heartsync Minister, Marcia Earhart, help us address and understand the complex emotions we experience in life.

Print

  • Beyond The Gates Magazine

    Read our featured interview with Beyond the Gates Spring/Summer issue.

    Beyond The Gates Magazine excerpt about grief counseling
  • Beyond The Gates Magazine

    Read our featured interview with Beyond the Gates Fall issue.

    Beyond The Gates Magazine excerpt about grief counseling

News Media

  • Fox 4 News

    Fox 4 exclusively interviewed Marcia Earhart after their son, Marc’s, tragic death. She said the tragic news of his death came as a shock to their family and they are grieving with hope.

 

Videos

 
 

Marcia Interview with Brilliantly Resilient Community

Hosted by MaryFran Bontempo & Kristin Smedley.

Life hits hard. RESET, RISE, & REVEAL YOUR BRILLIANCE

Testimony of God's faithfulness through
struggle and loss.

Interview with Dennis Sumlin: Core Confidence Life

On this interview Core Confidence Life speaks to Marcia Earhart about all the upheaval in the world today, many people are hurting, but may not have anybody to turn to. Marcia talks about her nonprofit that helps people, how one can move through loss, and how we can make the world a more warm and positive place.

Other

Grief and loss counseling
loss of a loved one resources

Statement of Faith

We believe in the Holy Trinity: one God who exists eternally in three persons: Father, Son, and Holy Spirit.

We believe that Jesus Christ is the eternal Son of God, who through His perfect life and sacrificial death atoned for the sins of all who will trust in Him for salvation.

We believe the Bible is God's revelation of Himself to man, and is a perfect treasure of divine instruction. It has God for its author, salvation for its end, and truth, without any mixture of error, for its matter. Therefore, all Scripture is totally true and trustworthy.

We believe that we are all sinners, dependent on God's mercy and grace. We believe our calling is to reflect that mercy and grace to those around us.

We believe God has carried us through our own grief and equipped us as grief coaches so we would press forward sharing His message of hope and healing to others who have experienced the loss of a family member.

We believe there is a power greater than our own, a divine plan grander than we can imagine, and a God-breathed purpose to all pain, joy, and challenges.

We believe it is our mission to use our experiences to empathize with and minister to all who need hope and healing just as Christ did.

The Sterling Rose Sanctuary, a 501c3 nonprofit, serves those grieving by providing resources for hope and healing.