Episode 16
16 | Lost Without Purpose? It's Time to Find Your Way
Ready to dive into the heart of discovering your God-given purpose?
I'm here to guide you on this journey, and trust me, it's not as straightforward as a neon sign flashing “This is your purpose!” Nope, it’s all about digging deep within ourselves and reflecting on our past experiences.
In this episode, I’m sharing some powerful first steps to help you uncover your unique calling, and spoiler alert: it might surprise you! Grab your journal and let’s start piecing together those clues that God has laid out for you.
Whether you’re feeling stuck or just itching to move forward, I’ll provide the clarity and encouragement you need to take those intentional steps toward living the life you were created for. So, let’s roll up our sleeves and get to work uncovering that purpose!
I pray that this episode blesses and encourages you!
Michelle
Next Steps:
✨ Deepen Your Journey, Join the Catholic Moms Community Here
✨ Receive Weekly Encouragement and Action Steps to Help You Move Forward with God: Subscribe to the Ignite Circle: The Inner Flame Here
✨ Feedback or Questions? Contact me at hello@michellebrannam.com
Transcript
God, he will not have a bright neon sign flashing this is your purpose.
Speaker A:We must dig within ourselves and discover who we are and what we become.
Speaker A:It's in our past that lies a clue to our overall unique purpose.
Speaker A:Feel a stirring in your heart like God is calling you to something more but you just can't seem to figure it out.
Speaker A:You're praying, you're listening, but clarity isn't coming.
Speaker A:In this episode, I'm sharing the first powerful steps to to start uncovering your God given purpose.
Speaker A:And it's probably not what you expect.
Speaker A:You will enjoy this episode if you're ready to stop waiting and start actively discerning your purpose.
Speaker A:We'll walk through with clarity, encouragement and practical steps to begin the journey of uncovering your unique calling.
Speaker A:Grab your journal and let's get started.
Speaker A:Because your purpose isn't hiding, it's waiting to be discovered.
Speaker A:Are you ready to break free from feeling stuck, gain clarity and take intentional steps towards discovering your unique purpose, all while following God's guidance to become the person that he created you to be?
Speaker A:If so, you are in the right place.
Speaker A:Hi, I'm Michelle, a mom, wife, Catholic discernment mentor and spiritual coach.
Speaker A:I've been where you are, feeling lost and uncertain about my purpose.
Speaker A:But through a Catholic based strategy of discernment I found clarity, confidently embraced my calling and learned to hear God's voice in my life.
Speaker A:And now I want to help you do the same.
Speaker A:Grab your pen, get your notebook and get comfy.
Speaker A:Open your heart and mind and invite God in time to ignite your purpose and start living the life God created you for.
Speaker A:Let's do this.
Speaker A:God created you for a specific mission.
Speaker A:It's a purpose that only you can fulfill.
Speaker A:Once we feel that nudge from the Holy Spirit and ready to ignite the fire within us to our true purpose, we must take those steps to uncover it.
Speaker A:And it's not enough to just simply just pray and wait until God gives us a step.
Speaker A:I know as a default that's what we tend to do is just going to pray and I'm going to wait for God.
Speaker A:But he is asking us to take that step.
Speaker A:So we must do our part and take action by working on uncovering it.
Speaker A:Uncovering our purpose.
Speaker A:He will not have a bright neon sign flashing this is your purpose.
Speaker A:So we must dig within ourselves and discover who we are and what we have become.
Speaker A:It's in our past that lies that clue to our overall unique purpose.
Speaker A:It begins uncovering one of the clues that God has placed the for us to do this.
Speaker A:I want you to grab your journal as you listen to this episode, take some notes and then later come back to this and you'll see why I say this in a bit.
Speaker A:So the first step I want you to think about is what time of the day is your best thinking day?
Speaker A:When do those thoughts just come to you?
Speaker A:At the best time for me, it's at night.
Speaker A:Unless my day with the kids has been very mentally draining, then that is not my best time.
Speaker A:But for the most time at night is my best.
Speaker A:Sometimes in the middle of the night I wake up and I have that energy and I cannot go to sleep because I have so many thoughts and things that I want to help you with and come across.
Speaker A:And that's unfortunately my best thinking time is at night.
Speaker A:And I did this work at night after spending time with God in His Word.
Speaker A:When I was uncovering my God given purpose.
Speaker A:It helped quiet my mind and all the thunts running around in my head.
Speaker A:It helped me to focus on God and the work that I was called to do.
Speaker A:With night being my best time for me.
Speaker A:When I do my best thinking, I would go sit at my computer desk, turn on a light, grab out my Bible, have it sit out in front of me and I would spend time reading His Word right before I would start uncovering my God given purpose.
Speaker A:This helped me quiet my mind and all the thoughts that were running around in my head.
Speaker A:It helped me to focus on God and the work that I was called to do.
Speaker A:Once you determined your best thinking time, I want you to find your nice quiet cozy comfortable spot and I want you to settle in.
Speaker A:Be sure to bring along your journal and your favorite writing utensil.
Speaker A:For me it is my tablet and my pencil and the next thing is optional, but I really highly recommend, like I said before, is to spend a few minutes in God's Word and helping you quiet your mind and get focused.
Speaker A:Pick a passage and read it.
Speaker A:Ask yourself what might be God telling you.
Speaker A:Tell him in your words, tell him your thoughts and then spend some time in silence with him.
Speaker A:And then after that I want you to pray to God and invite him in.
Speaker A:And as we get ready to uncover that purpose that he created you for.
Speaker A:And it could be something simple as this.
Speaker A:Father, I feel the nudge of the Holy Spirit within me as I begin to work on uncovering the clues that you have placed on my unique journey in life and becoming closer to who you created me to be.
Speaker A:I ask that you be present with me as I start this process.
Speaker A:Please Help guide me on this journey as I begin to sit down and discover my unique purpose.
Speaker A:So one of the clues to where God is calling you to live out your unique purpose is through your experiences.
Speaker A:So in your journal I want you to think back and ask the Holy Spirit to help guide you, help to bring to mind your past experiences.
Speaker A:Think about your trials that God has placed in your path.
Speaker A:And it's through those trials and struggles that help shape you into who you are today.
Speaker A:He doesn't call on the equip, but helps equip you.
Speaker A:So those trials, they're a clue to your purpose, your mission that you were sent out by Jesus to accomplish.
Speaker A:And without God allowing these trials, you would not become who God needs you to be.
Speaker A:And with these trials, you can step into your unique purpose.
Speaker A:You need these trials to help shape you into who you need to become so that you can live out your unique mission from your trials.
Speaker A:Now, I'm about to share something.
Speaker A:One of my trials that I went through and this may be triggering to some.
Speaker A:So if it is, I apologize.
Speaker A:I had went through a miscarriage and if you have went through a miscarriage, I am sorry for your loss as well.
Speaker A:I'm going to keep this brief just because of the sensitivity of the topic with some people and I do not know if you've had one or where you at are in that process.
Speaker A:When I became pregnant with my first and it was at the first doctor appointment, I heard the dreaded words there is no heartbeat.
Speaker A:This was a big trial that I never thought in a million years that I would have to go through.
Speaker A:Like I said, I'm not sure if you experienced a miscarriage.
Speaker A:I don't want to go on to this too long.
Speaker A:When I was pregnant with my first and at the first doctor's appointment, I heard the dreaded words, there is no heartbeat.
Speaker A:It was through this trial that I for the first time truly opened up to God in prayer and started speaking to him as a friend and confidant instead of those usual prayers that we learned growing up, like the Our Father and the Hail Mary.
Speaker A:I really had that conversation with him and I told him.
Speaker A:And during this trial, I didn't blame God.
Speaker A:It actually helped me start to build and grow a relationship with Jesus, which is our ultimate goal in life, to know Him.
Speaker A:So this trial became a triumph.
Speaker A:Like I said, I never blamed him.
Speaker A:I accepted and I've healed and I still grieve.
Speaker A:But I have placed my trust in God and the plans that he has for me and for my little One.
Speaker A:Now this is a small piece of my tri, one of my trials of my experience in life that contribute to a clue to my overall unique purpose.
Speaker A:And once you go back and you reflect on this, you'll find some clues later that'll come up and they'll resurface.
Speaker A:But I want you to not rush through this process.
Speaker A:This will bring you clarity as you begin to work to uncovering your clues that God has placed before you.
Speaker A:It's not a big unknown mystery.
Speaker A:You.
Speaker A:You just need guidance and spending time in prayer, reflecting and inviting God in through this process along with taking steps in faith.
Speaker A:So I want you to spend some time reflecting daily over a course of a week or so.
Speaker A:The more time you spend on reflecting on this clue, the more the clarity will come to you.
Speaker A:As you begin placing all the pieces together, let the thoughts that pop into your head, just let them come out and flow and write everything and anything that comes up.
Speaker A:The Holy Spirit is guiding you on this journey, especially when you invite him in to be present and to help you to pull those thoughts.
Speaker A:And like I said, just let it flow.
Speaker A:Write anything that comes to mind.
Speaker A:Allow the Holy Spirit to guide you.
Speaker A:The pieces, they will start to come together to uncover your unique purpose.
Speaker A:Here are the key takeaways from this Number one When it comes to our God given purpose, we cannot just want clarity.
Speaker A:We need to create that quiet space, seek God in His Word and take attentional steps to uncover your purpose.
Speaker A:Prayer.
Speaker A:It's essential, but so is taking those intentional steps.
Speaker A:And number two, God created you for a specific mission and in your past, especially your trials.
Speaker A:Those hold powerful clues to your unique purpose that God is calling you to do.
Speaker A:And number three, Clarity comes through reflecting and journaling.
Speaker A:Journal with the Holy Spirit for guidance and over time this will bring clarity.
Speaker A:Trust the process and write freely.
Speaker A:Do not rush the process either.
Speaker A:During your time of reflecting and journaling, let us pray.
Speaker A:In the name of the Father, Son, Holy Spirit, Our Heavenly Father.
Speaker A:I pray that you help this beautiful soul.
Speaker A:As she comes before you.
Speaker A:She feels the nudges of the Holy Spirit within her and she is ready to kindle the fire within her to discover her purpose.
Speaker A:As she begins to work on uncovering the clues that you have placed in her unique journey in life and becoming closer to who you created her to be.
Speaker A:I ask that you send the Holy Spirit to be present with her as she reflects upon her experiences.
Speaker A:Holy Spirit, please help call to mind any past experiences that'll help her learn and uncover the clues to live out her purpose.
Speaker A:Jesus, she needs your help.
Speaker A:You uniquely created her.
Speaker A:You know the purpose that you created her for.
Speaker A:Please help guide her on this journey as she begins to sit down and discover her unique purpose.
Speaker A:Amen.
Speaker A:Knowledge is power, but true change happens when we impair it with that consistent daily action.
Speaker A:We cannot gain clarity if we're not taking daily action to help us move forward.
Speaker A:With that said, I would like for you to spend 15 minutes this week to reflect on your experiences.
Speaker A:Invite God in.
Speaker A:As you sit with your journal, let the thoughts just pop into your head and write anything that comes to mind.
Speaker A:Don't be judgmental, just write everything down.
Speaker A:The Holy Spirit is guiding you on this journey and come on over and please share inside the Facebook Finding youg Discernment and Strategy for Catholic Moms.
Speaker A:The link is in the show notes.
Speaker A:I would love for you to come over and share with us what is an experience that came up for you during this reflection exercise.
Speaker A:Come share it so we can encourage and help share God's light in this moment of your trial.
Speaker A:And remember, my beautiful sister in Christ, that God uniquely created you for purpose.
Speaker A:You were made to do great things.
Speaker A:God is within you and you will not fail.
Speaker A:Go out and ignite your purpose.
Speaker A:God's not done writing your story.
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.
Speaker A:Thank you so much for joining me today.
Speaker A:I pray that today's episode blesses and encourages you.
Speaker A:If so, would you please share it with someone you know that would be blessed by it?
Speaker A:If you felt inspired or you learned something Today, please take 30 seconds to leave a written review on Apple Podcasts.
Speaker A:This is the number one way to let me know that you are liking the show and for me to reach other Catholic women like yourself.
Speaker A:If you're feeling uncertain or you're lost on your discernment journey, you're not alone.
Speaker A:Join us over in the free Facebook community Finding youg Purpose, Discernment and Strategy for Catholic Moms, where Catholic women just like you are sharing, supporting and growing together in faith.
Speaker A:I look forward to continuing this journey with you.
Speaker A:I'll meet you next Tuesday for another conversation.
Speaker A:God bless you.
