What is Faith to You?

The Purpose and The Pivot is a podcast for women navigating transitions in career, leadership, faith, and personal growth. It’s for those moments when you’re re-evaluating what’s next and choosing to realign with purpose—intentionally and confidently.

Through honest conversations, meaningful stories, and practical insight, we’ll explore how to embrace change, lead through transition, and move forward with clarity after the pivot.

McLain Career & Life Coaching dba McLain Enterprises, LLC

https://www.mclainenterprisesllc.com

https://calendly.com/mclainenterprises/30min 

Produced & Edited by: Tyrone K. Sullivan (Media Director)
linkedin.com/in/tyroneksullivan 

Transcript

SPEAKER_00 0:02

Welcome to the Purpose and the Pivot, the podcast for women who know it's time for more. With your host, C. Renee McLean, career and life coach and champion for women navigating change with confidence and clarity. Each week we'll have real conversations about career moves, life transitions, mindset shifts, and the power of redefining your purpose at every stage of life. Whether you're pivoting professionally, personally, or both, this is your space for guidance, growth, and grounded support. Let's dive in.

SPEAKER_01 0:45

Welcome to The Purpose and the Pivot. Today's episode is What is Faith to you? Let's get into it. So today I want to invite you into a conversation that's different. A different kind of conversation. Not a conversation about careers, not a conversation about goals, not a conversation about productivity, performance, or success. Today I want to talk about something much deeper. Faith. Yes. And before you assume you know where this conversation is going, I want you to pause. Mm-hmm. And consider this question. What is faith to you? Not what someone else told you faith should be or what faith is. Not what you learned growing up. Not what you've heard in a sermon, a book, or a motivational speech. But personally, what is faith to you? Because whether we realize it or not, faith influences almost every area of our lives. Faith shows up when we make decisions. Uh-huh. Yeah. Faith shows up when we pursue a dream. Uh-huh. Yeah. Faith shows up when we take a risk. Yeah. Faith shows up when we keep moving forward despite uncertainty. Yeah. And faith is often the bridge between where we are and where we hope to be. And yet many of us never stop to define what faith truly means in our own lives. Yeah. When most people hear the word faith, they immediately think of belief. And faith certainly includes belief, oh yeah. But I believe faith is more than simply believing something is possible. Faith is trust. Faith is confidence. Faith is the willing to move forward even when you don't have all the answers. Uh-huh. Yeah. One of Martin Luther King Jr.'s famous quotes is you don't have to see the whole staircase. Just take the first step. Oh yes. This emphasizes the importance of taking action even when the entire path is not visible. It encourages us to have faith and courage in our journey, suggesting that progress often begins with a single step. Yes. Yes, yes. Because let's be honest, believing is easy when everything is going well. Yeah. It's easy to believe when the doors are opening, when the opportunities are flowing, when the plan is working, but what about when it isn't? What about when you're in the middle of uncertainty? What about when you're waiting? And what about when you can't see the outcome? That's where faith becomes more than belief. That's where faith becomes trust. Oh yes. And one of the greatest misconceptions about faith is that faith eliminates uncertainty. It doesn't. Faith doesn't always provide clarity about every step. Faith doesn't guarantee a smooth path. Nope. Faith doesn't remove challenges. Uh-huh. Yeah. Think about that. Faith isn't the absence of questions. It is the willingness to move forward while you still have them. And if we're honest, most of life requires that kind of faith. Yeah. We take jobs without knowing exactly how they're going to turn out, right? We start businesses without guarantees. Yeah. We enter into relationships without certainty. Oh yes, we do. We pursue dreams without knowing every detail. Life itself requires faith. Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah. For many people, faith is tested most during seasons of waiting. I know this one all too well. Oh yes. When you've done everything you know to do, when you've prayed, when you've prepared, when you've applied, when you've worked very hard, when you've believed, and nothing seems to be happening. Those seasons can be very difficult. Yeah. Because waiting often feels like inactivity. Yep. But waiting doesn't mean nothing is happening. Sometimes is happening beneath the surface. Yep. Sometimes is taking place. Yeah. Sometimes lessons are being learned. Yeah. And sometimes character is being developed. Yeah. And guess what else? Sometimes what feels like a delay is actually divine timing. I heard a preacher say once before, delay is not denial. Yeah. Delay is not denial. Sometimes that delay is actually divine timing. Yep. Yep. Faith during the waiting season says, I don't understand everything right now. But I am going to continue to trust. I'm going to continue to trust. Now let's talk about another aspect of faith. Faith in yourself. Now, when I say faith in yourself, I am not talking about being self-reliant, right? I'm talking about trusting the gifts, the experiences, and the wisdom and resilience that you've been given. Because faith in yourself alone is not enough. Self-reliant is not enough, but I'm talking about trusting your gifts, your experiences, your wisdom, and your resilience that you've been given. There are so many people who spend their lives second guessing themselves, questioning every decision, waiting for permission, looking for external validation. But faith also means believing in yourself, believing that you have what you need for the next step. Yes, not necessarily every step, but the next one. Yeah. Faith says, I may not know everything, but I know enough to move forward. I also believe faith and purpose are deeply connected. I do. Because purpose often requires you to move forward before everything makes sense. Purpose asks you to trust what you cannot fully see, to follow a calling, perhaps, that may not come with a complete roadmap. To take action before certainty arrives. Many of the most meaningful things we do in life begin with faith. Uh-huh. Yeah. The faith to start. The faith to continue. The faith to keep going when results are not immediate. Mm-hmm. Yeah. Yeah. So today I want to challenge you. I want to challenge you. Don't settle for someone else's definition of faith. Take time to define it for yourself. And ask yourself, when have I needed faith most in my life? What does trust look like for me? What helps me stay grounded during uncertainty? What do I believe when circumstances are difficult? Because your answer to those questions reveal a great deal about your relationship with faith. Mm-hmm. Yeah, yeah, yeah. As we prepare to close today's episode, I want to leave you with this. Faith is not about having all the answers. Faith is not about certainty. Faith is not about perfection. Faith is about trust. Faith is about trust. It's about moving forward when the path isn't fully visible. It's about believing that your current circumstances are not the entire story. Do you believe that? It's about trusting that there is purpose even in seasons you don't fully understand. Yeah. So today I leave you with one simple question. What is faith to you? And perhaps even more importantly, how is your faith showing up in the way you live, decide, grow, and move forward? Take some time to reflect on that. Because your answers may reveal exactly what you need for the next chapter of your journey. Yeah, say long. Until next time, be encouraged, enlightened, and empowered. I am C. Renee McLean. Thank you for joining us today.

SPEAKER_00 13:52

Thank you for tuning in to the purpose and the pivot. If today's episode encouraged or inspired you, be sure to follow the show and share it with another woman who's navigating her own transition. For coaching support or to connect with C-Rene McLean directly, visit McLean Career and Life Coaching or schedule a consultation using the link in the show notes. Remember, your purpose evolves and you have permission to pivot. Until next time.