Episode 52
52 | You are More Than a Mother: Discerning Your God-Given Purpose
Do you ever feel like you’ve lost yourself in motherhood — even though you deeply love being a mom?
In this episode, we’re talking honestly about something many Catholic moms struggle with but rarely say out loud:
knowing who you are beyond being a mother.
Motherhood is a beautiful vocation and an important part of God’s plan — but it is not your entire, God-given purpose.
In this episode, we explore:
- Why feeling restless or “pulled toward more” doesn’t mean something is wrong with you
- The difference between your roles and your true identity as a beloved daughter of God
- How listening to too many outside voices can drown out God’s voice
- What Scripture teaches us about stepping away from noise to hear God more clearly
- Why discernment begins with identity, not pressure or perfection
If you’ve been asking questions like:
- Who am I beyond being a mom?
- How do I hear God’s voice in this season?
- What is God’s plan for me now?
This episode will help you slow down, reconnect with God, and begin discerning your purpose with peace, trust, and clarity.
Whether you’re driving, folding laundry, or in the middle of mom life, press play, take a deep breath, and let’s do this.
I pray that this episode blesses and encourages you!
Michelle
✨ Next Steps:
- Join the Facebook community — Here
- Subscribe to the weekly The Inner Flame — Here
- Take "What is my God-Given purpose: Where to Begin?" quiz — Here
- Book a 1:1 Discernment Coaching Session — Here
✨ Email: hello@michellebrannam.com
✨ Website: https://MichelleBrannam.com
✨ Listen to Related Episodes:
- 06 | God's Plan, Your Purpose: Understanding Your Unique Calling
- 10 | Unsure of Your Purpose? 3 Essential Steps to Find Your God-Given Purpose
- 12 | When Doubt Creeps In: Staying Rooted in Your Purpose
🕊️ Scripture Mentioned:
- Mark 7:33-37
Bible Translation Used: All Scripture is quoted from the Revised Standard Version – Second Catholic Edition (RSV-2CE), The Great Adventure Catholic Bible, © Ascension Press. Used with permission.
Transcript
That pull you feel, that something beyond motherhood, that restlessness, that curiosity, that's not random.
Speaker A:This is the Holy Spirit.
Speaker A:He's stirring something within you.
Speaker A:In today's episode, we're talking about something so many Catholic moms quietly struggle with, and that is not knowing who you are beyond being a mother.
Speaker A:Motherhood is part of your purpose, but it's not your entire God given purpose.
Speaker A:And today we're going to talk about where your true identity comes from and why that matters.
Speaker A:So pop in those earbuds and let's do this.
Speaker A:If you're tired of feeling unsure about your purpose because you don't know how to hear God clearly and you want simple, faith rooted steps to discern his will and move forward with confidence, you're in the right place.
Speaker A:I'm Michelle, a cradle Catholic mom of three and a discernment mentor for Catholic women.
Speaker A:I learned how to move from confusion and overthinking to hearing God's voice clearly and moving forward with confidence in his will.
Speaker A:If you're ready to grow closer to God, discover how God uniquely made you and experience mindset transformation.
Speaker A:Grab that laundry, pop in those earbuds and let's go.
Speaker A:You don't have to be ready before you start discerning your purpose.
Speaker A:You don't need all the answers.
Speaker A:In fact, you can come to a discernment coaching session with nothing but your questions and your deep desire to know God's plan.
Speaker A:We'll begin right where you are.
Speaker A:We'll uncover what's been keeping you stuck and create one clear, doable next step that makes sense for you and for the season that you're in.
Speaker A:You'll leave knowing exactly how to move forward with God leading the way.
Speaker A:Reserve your session@michellebranum.com coaching that is M I C H E L L E B R A N N K am.com coaching the link is also in the episode description for a quick click to learn more or book your session.
Speaker A:All right, let's dive in.
Speaker A:After I had my daughter, I loved being a stay at home mom.
Speaker A:I wanted to just soak in every moment and I truly enjoyed that season with her.
Speaker A:But when I was pregnant with my son, something unexpected surfaced.
Speaker A:I really started feeling a part of me had died.
Speaker A:Not in a dramatic way, not because I wanted my old life back.
Speaker A:I was never a partier.
Speaker A:I was the kid who stayed home or I went to my grandparents farm.
Speaker A:Family always comes first.
Speaker A:Family always matters deeply to me.
Speaker A:That is something that is close to my heart.
Speaker A:But I realized I wasn't able to do the things that I wanted to.
Speaker A:And that stirred something in me.
Speaker A:Who am I?
Speaker A:Beyond being a mother and wife.
Speaker A:And underneath, that was a deeper question.
Speaker A:Who am I?
Speaker A:And that's when God gently reminded me I didn't lose myself.
Speaker A:I was and still am, his daughter.
Speaker A:I hear this all the time from Catholic moms, women who truly love being mothers.
Speaker A:But they're quietly feeling lost.
Speaker A:They'll say things like, I don't know who I am anymore, or, I feel like I lost myself.
Speaker A:I.
Speaker A:And I want to start here because this is so common and it makes sense.
Speaker A:So let me ask you something.
Speaker A:If I ask you right now, who are you?
Speaker A:I bet one of the first things you said, just like I did once, was, I'm a mom.
Speaker A:I'm a wife.
Speaker A:And yes, those things are beautiful.
Speaker A:They matter.
Speaker A:But they are roles.
Speaker A:They're not your identity.
Speaker A:When our identity comes only what we do for others, it's easy to feel empty, confused, or disconnected from ourselves and motherhood.
Speaker A:It's a vocation, but it was never meant to replace who you are.
Speaker A:And this is where the voices we listen to start to matter.
Speaker A:There's so many voices that are pulling us from every single direction.
Speaker A:There's social media, there's expectations, there's comparison, even our own thoughts.
Speaker A:And it's easy to just get distracted and pulled away from that one voice that truly matters, the one voice that tells you the truth of who you are.
Speaker A:That is the voice of God.
Speaker A:God does not speak to you through your roles.
Speaker A:He reminds you that you are his beloved daughter.
Speaker A:That does not disappear when you become a mom.
Speaker A:What happens is when we stop listening to God's voice, our other voices, they'll step in and they'll start shaping how we see ourselves.
Speaker A:And those voices, they're loud, but they're not truthful.
Speaker A:Because Jesus is the only true voice to listen to.
Speaker A:What he says is true.
Speaker A:He does not mislead.
Speaker A:He does not confuse.
Speaker A:He knows you.
Speaker A:He knows why you were created.
Speaker A:He knows how you were designed.
Speaker A:And in Scripture, it shows us something really important about how God speaks to us.
Speaker A:So let me share a story from Scripture that shows why it's so important to step away and hear God's voice.
Speaker A:In Mark 7, Jesus, he heals the deaf man with the speech impediment.
Speaker A:But before, he heals him.
Speaker A:But Jesus does something important.
Speaker A:He takes the man away from the crowd.
Speaker A:And I don't know if you really let that sink in.
Speaker A:Jesus didn't heal him in that noise.
Speaker A:The first clear voice that that man ever heard was the voice of Jesus.
Speaker A:And I really like to imagine how joyful that must have been, not just to be healed, but to hear his voice.
Speaker A:This reminds me of the videos where the babies, they can't hear.
Speaker A:And then when the doctors place the hearing devices in their ears.
Speaker A:The moment that baby hears her mother's voice, she lights up, she beeps, she's so happy.
Speaker A:And that's what happens when we hear God's voice.
Speaker A:Jesus pulled Batman away so his voice wouldn't be drowned out.
Speaker A:And we need to do the same thing.
Speaker A:We need quiet, we need space.
Speaker A:And we need a place where it's just you and him.
Speaker A:And this is where so many women start questioning this deeper question.
Speaker A:They ask, what is my purpose?
Speaker A:And I asked that same question.
Speaker A:Being a mother is part of your purpose.
Speaker A:But it's not the only thing that God created you for.
Speaker A:God created you for a unique purpose.
Speaker A:That pull you feel, that something beyond motherhood, that restlessness, that curiosity, that's not random.
Speaker A:This is the Holy Spirit.
Speaker A:He's stirring something within you.
Speaker A:He's lighting you up.
Speaker A:He's lighting a fire within you.
Speaker A:He's inviting you to seek what God specifically created you for.
Speaker A:God still has work for you.
Speaker A:And not work that adds pressure.
Speaker A:It's not work that pulls you in a million different directions, but work that shapes you.
Speaker A:It grows you.
Speaker A:And it helps you become who you are created to be.
Speaker A:And when you spend that time with Jesus, he helps you to untangle those thoughts that say, this is all I am now.
Speaker A:This is who I am, a mother.
Speaker A:And he replaces those with the truth.
Speaker A:The truth that you are his beloved daughter.
Speaker A:Truth that your life still matters.
Speaker A:And truth that there is more ahead, even if you don't see it yet.
Speaker A:And he will lead you gently, one step at a time.
Speaker A:Now, in a few minutes, I'm going to invite you to a very simple way to start hearing God's voice more clearly this week.
Speaker A:And nothing overwhelming.
Speaker A:It's just something gentle and doable.
Speaker A:Stay with me.
Speaker A:If you're listening to this and you're thinking, I want help sorting this out, you don't have to do it alone.
Speaker A:This is exactly what I help Catholic moms inside one of my one to one coaching sessions.
Speaker A:Together we create space to listen to God.
Speaker A:We untangle the noise and we begin discerning your unique purpose without the pressure and without overwhelm.
Speaker A:And if that feels like something that you need right now, I'd love to support you.
Speaker A:You can go to michellebranham.com coaching that is M I C H E L L E B R A n n a m.com coaching or you can find the link to book a session with me in the episode description.
Speaker A:So to recap and what I want you to anchor yourself into on this episode is you're more than a mother.
Speaker A:You are a beloved daughter of God.
Speaker A:And when we stop listening to God's voice, other voices begin shaping how we see ourselves.
Speaker A:God often speaks most clearly when we step away from the noise.
Speaker A:That desire for more isn't selfish.
Speaker A:It's an invitation to seek God more deeply.
Speaker A:Let us pray in the name of the Father and of the Son and the Holy Spirit.
Speaker A:Amen.
Speaker A:Lord, thank you for the woman listening right now.
Speaker A:Remind her that she is your beloved daughter.
Speaker A:Quiet the noise in her heart and help her hear your voice more clearly.
Speaker A:Guide her gently, one step at a time, into all that you created her.
Speaker A:For we place this time and this journey into your hands.
Speaker A:Amen.
Speaker A:In the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit.
Speaker A:Amen.
Speaker A:Now let's take this from head to heart.
Speaker A:Knowing that truth is powerful, but that real change comes when we act just one small step at a time.
Speaker A:Now here's something simple that you can do this week to hear God's voice more clearly.
Speaker A:Find a quiet distraction, free space, even five, ten minutes.
Speaker A:It's enough.
Speaker A:And I recommend you doing this first thing in the morning and you can open your Catholic Bible and you can read.
Speaker A:See what love the Father has given us that we should be called children of God.
Speaker A:And so are we.
Speaker A:That is First John chapter three, verse, verse one.
Speaker A:That verse is also in the episode description as well.
Speaker A:So you can look that up in your Bible when you go to sit this down.
Speaker A:So just sit quietly and listen and write down what thoughts came up, what emotions did you notice.
Speaker A:Then I want you to take a moment to reflect.
Speaker A:What is God trying to remind you about who you are today?
Speaker A:If you like these guided reflection prompts, then you can sign up at the Inner Flame, the weekly companion.
Speaker A:And every week I just send out a short reflection scripture and a simple action step.
Speaker A:Things that are designed to help you grow closer to God and your God given purpose.
Speaker A:And that link is also in the episode description as well.
Speaker A:Remember my beautiful sisters in Christ, that God uniquely created you for a unique purpose.
Speaker A:You were made to do great things.
Speaker A:God is within you and you will not fail.
Speaker A:I look forward to continuing this journey with you.
Speaker A:I'll meet you next Tuesday for another conversation.
Speaker A:Until then, may God bless you and give you peace.
Speaker A:I hope you enjoyed today's episode.
Speaker A:If so, take 30 seconds to share it with a friend who's feeling unsure about her purpose and wants simple, faith filled steps to discern God's will.
Speaker A:And if you've learned something today, please leave a quick review on Apple Podcasts.
Speaker A:It lights me up to know that this show is helping you.
Speaker A:Okay, time to tackle the laundry and unload the dishwasher.
Speaker A:Gotta go.
Speaker A:I'll see you next Tuesday for another conversation.
