The Mission That's Personal

In this episode, we’re talking about the tension so many women quietly carry: loving God while feeling exhausted by the pressure to constantly produce, perform, and hold everything together.

This conversation is about more than entrepreneurship. It’s about identity, surrender, stewardship, and learning the difference between striving and obedience.

We unpack:
• why self-reliance can keep us anxious and spiritually disconnected
• the difference between building for income vs building from impact
• what Scripture reveals about obedience, trust, and release
• how to recognize when God is shifting the way you build and lead

If you’ve been asking God for clarity while resisting the surrender that may come with it, this episode is for you.

A space for women ready to stop avoiding what God is asking, get honest about alignment, and move in peaceful, obedient action.

Transcript

SPEAKER_00 0:00

Hey friends, welcome back to Holy Not Harmless, a podcast for bold faith and real conversations. I am your host, Alicia Baker, and I am so blessed to be here with you guys on yet another episode. I hope every single one of you had a wonderful Mother's Day last week, weekend, and you felt special. You felt appreciated because you are. I know mine was really great. I had a really nice time just relaxing with my family, getting some love from my kids and spending some quality time. And so I'm really excited to share this episode with you guys because this is kind of this is going to be my last episode for the season that I will be doing solo. I have on the finale, which is gonna be next weekend, with a lovely glass named Mallory, and I'm super excited to introduce you guys and let you guys hear her story because she is an amazing woman and she has been through a lot, and I know she has so much insight to share, and so I'm really excited to be collaborating with her for the season finale, which is gonna be next Sunday. But I wanted to just kind of take you guys on my journey and share a little bit why I started this podcast and what has really happened for me behind the scenes since I started, and I think it's really important to know, right? So when I first started this podcast, you know, I was in a place where I was feeling really misaligned, you know. For a long time, I have always thought that my worth was only tied to how much I could produce, right? I've been on my own since I was 17 years old and very much in survivor mode, very much in making things happen for myself. And so, you know, naturally after a while, you know, I just started when I started to make things happen for myself, I was really proud of myself, right? It gave me a sense of pride, of gratitude to be able to take care of myself, right? And that was really important to me as you know, I spent some years not feeling kind of safe and not feeling like I had that stability. So as a young woman, when I was able to create that for myself, I felt really proud, right? And you know, the fact that I can push through like pain and exhaustion, you know, even if I was having a bad day it and still make things happen, you know, I used to think that was all of me, right? I used to think that I was doing all these things, you know, and I've just recently discovered that it was him all along, right? God was carrying me through these times so that I can sustain really what he had for storing me in my future in entrepreneurship. And, you know, at the end of last year, I began working with an alignment coach because I was building my business for, you know, three years solid. You know, I've I've done a good job, but something about it just I felt like just not working, right? No matter I got to a point that no matter how hard I worked, no matter how much I did, it just it wasn't working anymore, right? And so I went and um hired a coach, right? I wanted to figure out what is what is this? And this woman that I partnered with, you know, she was very much aligned with what I was looking for, you know, she was faith-led as well. Um, and it was really about using your gifts and your, you know, natural talents to create income, to create a business for yourself, right? And that was really what I truly wanted. And so a big part of the piece was learning how to make my impact lead before I made the income, right? And that was hard for me because again, I was I was thinking that, you know, my worth is tied to the sales that I can make, the amount of money that I'm getting paid, right? And so when that started to slow down and almost stop, I felt unworthy. I felt like I was not good enough. I felt like I was lost. But the truth was, God was calling me to expand my mind, my vision, what I thought impact looked like. And I remember just saying, you know, to God one day, like, man, God, if you want me to have an impact, like, how come I'm not able to do what I need to do? Why I wanna, I want to help other women so bad. I want to build a business of like-minded people and show them that they are capable and able to do business just like me, right? Um, as a mom, as a woman that wants to put her family first, I do believe that you can build an income that aligns with your lifestyle. Um, is it gonna be easy? No. Is it gonna be different? Yes. Is it gonna require you to unlearn the way that the world has taught you how to work? Absolutely. And so that is quite what happened, you know. So I remember just thinking and I remember God saying to me, why do you need income to make an impact? Why can't you make an impact right now with what you've got, with what I have given you, I want you to make an impact right now. And so that is where this podcast was born, right? Because I was starting to look for other ways, right? I was so focused on the business way, and I'm not saying I stopped my business, but my coach's advice was to start finding other ways that I can nurture my natural gifts and skills to impact the world, right? I'm good at speaking, I enjoy doing podcasts. I'm naturally um like to motivate and make make be a positive person, right? And so she, this podcast idea just kind of came to me, right? It was a download, and you know what, as soon as I told her, she said, yes, put it into play. Don't even think about it, just do it. At that time, I didn't really understand that I was in obedience to God because I've never worked in a way where I was like just doing it in obedience to God, right? And so that is how this podcast grew. And after I started the podcast, I started finding other ways that I can show up. You know, I started helping people, kind of going a little bit out of my way to just serve, right? If someone needed help, um, I started volunteering, I sponsored a child, you know, things that I thought that I had to wait until I was like this rich woman to start doing, but I could start doing it now, right? I can start giving tithe, I can start doing little things. And so that's what I started doing. And man, you guys, it opened floodgates for me, not just in terms of income, but in terms of wisdom, in terms of community, in terms of impact, and in so many ways, it opened my eyes. And not only that, it even defined, like it redefined my skills and my talents, right? It's like I was nurturing those and putting the energy behind it in order for these things to flow. And so that's why I really wanted to share this message with you guys today, because I think a lot of us are in the same place, right? We have learned the way that the world has taught us to work. That, you know, you produce, and the more you produce, the more you have, the better you are, the more successful you are, right? And God doesn't see things like that, you know. So if you're like me and you love God, but you're exhausted by the life that you're maintaining, you know, because somewhere along the way you just started believing that your value was also tied to how much you carry, how much, how productive you could be, how much pressure you could handle. And, you know, maybe no one around you notices it because outwardly you're still functioning, you're still showing up, you're still getting the things done, but internally you are tired, right? Like just like I was. Not just physically, but spiritually. You know, it's it's like um, I just feel kind of like all over the place, right? When I am not in alignment with what God wants me to do, right? I can I can try it as many times as I want, but no matter what, I just feel scattered. When I wake up and I get right into my work before I get into the word, before I get into what get into a space where I can even hear what God wants me to do, I feel this, I feel scattered, right? I feel like, oh, I gotta go. I feel behind. I feel all these things, right? And you know, I want to talk about that today and help you guys understand like the same thing that God has been showing me, right? That as faith-led entrepreneurs, we're not called to put income before impacts. We are called to serve first, right? To lead people well, to care deeply and to steward what you already have right in front of you. You don't need another course, you don't need another coach. You need to use what God has given you with integrity, right? And then allow the income to become the overflow of the impact that you were trusted to carry. It's very different from striving because striving says, How much can I get? You know, but when you're stewarding, it's like, how well can I serve? How can I do this to the best of my abilities? And how can I show up for this person and do my absolute best, even if there's nothing for me in return, right? And I know that's hard. I know that's hard because as entrepreneurs, we have to make an income, right? That's why we started. But I'm telling you, as it crazy as it might seem, because I know for me it was scary to kind of forget about that for a while, try to refocus my mind on God and know that He will take care of me. He will provide the provision, He will provide the path, He will provide the clients, He will provide everything that I need in order to complete this mission. You know, one verse that really God has been bringing back to me is John 15, 5. And that it says, apart from me, you can do nothing. Nothing. Right? Not a few things, not some things, nothing. And I think sometimes we read that verse spiritually, but it's not practically, right? Because practically many of us are still trying to build businesses, relationships, routines, you know, and futures completely of our own strength. You know, we pray for God's blessing while we're operating entirely out of our own self-reliance. But throughout scripture, God constantly reminds us that disob that obedience matters more than any performance, right? God is not putting pressure on you to perform. He's not. In fact, he wants to take that pressure off of you so that you can truly shine, so you can thrive, so you can be yourself. You know, none of us do our best work when we're under constant pressure, right? A little bit of pressure, of course, it's it's good, right? But it depends on where that pressure is coming from as well, right? If it's pressure to, you know, do something important that's in your mission, yeah. But when it's pressure to, oh, I gotta do this so I can look like I'm successful, I gotta do this, I gotta make this happen type of energy, that's where we get lost. Look at Peter walking on water, right? When Peter was walking on water, Jesus didn't give Peter the full explanation before asking him to step out of the boat. Peter had to move first. And I think that's where many of us stay stuck, right? We want the full certainty before obedience. We want the full confidence before we move, we want the full clarity before we surrender. But we know that God rarely works that way, right? Because faith it's gonna require our trust. And trust requires you to release. And sometimes the reason why we feel anxious is really because deep down we know God is asking you to stop carrying something that He never asked you to control in the first place. You know, we gotta stop carrying the facts of how many likes that we get on a post that we put our hard, our blood, sweat, and tears into. We gotta stop, you know, carrying the fact that some people are not gonna see our vision, some people are even gonna judge us and criticize it for criticize us for us. Some people are not gonna understand, they're not gonna support. And some people might even tell you, you know what, you're crazy for doing that. It's true, you know, but your your business was never meant to become your identity. Remember, before anything, before your gender, before your roles, you are God's child. So your productivity is is never gonna be meant to determine your worth. You were already worthy before you did anything, right? And when you're serving people from a place of alignment, you're gonna always create more lasting fruit than when you're building from fear or comparison or pressure. So I want you to just sit with a few questions today. You know, where in your life are you striving instead of serving, right? Find ways. How can I serve? Maybe it looks like a freak, um, a community, maybe it looks like a podcast, maybe it looks like a newsletter, right? If you're just getting started in your business and maybe you're not seeing, you know, you haven't built the foundation yet, you haven't had what all of the success that you want, that doesn't mean that you s can have to stop using the gifts that God has given you. Those gifts were used to build the business, but that wasn't the only thing that they were used, given to you for, right? There's so many other ways in which you can can use them. And I'm I promise you, it it it it depends on re connecting with other people, right? Your purpose is always gonna be connected to other people. It's not gonna be just something for you, right? So I know today, you know, being social and especially after COVID, sometimes it feels weird. It feels awkward. We we've grown into a place where we're becoming less and less and less social, but we have to go into the world. We have to get over our fears of what we're gonna look like or what people are gonna think of us. And we need to have let our impacts be bigger than any fear, right? We have to let our mission be the driving factor that that takes us beyond, right? That's why I always say it's so important to be inspired because motivation, it has an expiry date, right? You can be motivated when you first started your business and everything, and you can have your moments of motivation, right? But they're not gonna last. But when you're inspired, when you're inspired by something bigger than you, when you're a part of something bigger, like the kingdom work, that is what is gonna carry you through those hard moments. That is what's gonna carry you through those doubts, through those uncertainties, and through those times when you're tired and you don't feel like you can go anymore, right? Because God, the truth is, when it's in within your mission, when within it, when it's within your purpose, God will give you just enough. He will give you enough energy. You won't be burnt out. You might be doing so much more than you ever were when you were burnt out, but you're not burnt out, if that makes sense, right? You have the energy because God says he will sustain you, he will give you everything you need. Okay. So those are just like a few clues to know, right? Am I in my alignment? Am I in my purpose? And constantly coming back to that like a compass, right? Every single morning, every single day, um, as a person of as a influence, as a leader, as a strong woman that you are, we have to sit down with God first. We have to realign as you go throughout your day and you go throughout the world and you connect with so many people and so many energies and stuff, that can shift your energy, right? And sometimes you're not even knowing, right? Sometimes you're you're again, you're just you're getting back into that place where you're thinking that it's you again, where it's thinking that, you know, um like you have a time limit and you gotta go, go, go, go, go. You have to get this done. You have to have these many clients, you have to launch this thing, you know, or else that is that energy is is is where again we get lost. And so, you know, just something to think about. Start thinking about where are you striving instead of serving? And what are you forcing that God is asking you maybe to surrender, right? Are you forcing the fact that you need more money in your bank account? So you are constantly just going through the numbers, right? And you're not actually connecting with the people, you're not actually remembering that it's humans first, it's people first before the money. It means even sometimes saying no to people or you know, using your integrity because if you can't help them do the thing that they're looking for, you're gonna be honest about it, even if that means no money for you, right? That is what it looks like. And lastly, like what would change if you stopped asking God for constant reassurance and started asking him for courage to obey? Because most of the time our prayers are already answered. Really, they're just might not be in the way that you know you you imagined they'd be. They might not look like the opportunity that you want. Maybe it requires you to forget everything that you built so far and start again, right? How many times has God how how many times has God asked people in the Bible to forget everything and start again? And sometimes that's scary, sometimes it comes wrapped up in work that you don't want to do, really, right? Sometimes it comes in work that that makes you feel uncomfortable, right? It's just about getting honest instead of hustling harder. And it's really about asking God to reveal what's out of alignment and having the courage to actually respond when He does. Because obedience often does feel uncomfortable because it's not easy, right? But it has to be uncomfortable before it becomes peaceful. Avoidance never produced freedom, ever. So after this episode, I just want you to take a moment and pray honestly. You know, God show me where I've been building from fear, from pressure, or self-reliance instead of trust and teach me how to serve well. Teach me how to move in alignment with what you're asking. Let's close in prayer. Father, I want to thank you for caring more about our hearts than our performance. Thank you for reminding us that we are never meant to carry everything alone. Help us to recognize what's out of alignment and give us the courage to stop avoiding the things that you've been asking us to address. Teach us how to lead, how to build, and how to serve from a place of peace and obedience instead of fear and striving. Help us trust that what you're calling us into is greater than what we were trying to hold on to. Amen. Thank you for being here with you, me on another episode. And just remember, God is not asking you to prove yourself, okay? He's just asking you to trust him. I hope this episode blesses you. Um, I if this is something that was valuable to you, I ask that you share it with a friend, someone that you care about. And I would love to hear from you, right? The prayer line is always open. Um, if you have any wins, experiences, or just feedback, please go ahead and text me. Share it with the show. I would love to hear from you. You are not alone in your walk. And I really excited to see you guys in the next episode for the season finale. Have a wonderful week.