89| When God Calls You to Go First

What do you do when God places something on your heart that feels bigger than you? In this episode of Anchored with Purpose, Melissa Wilkinson sits down with Shawna DuBois, founder of Gabriel's Retreat Ministries, to talk about faith, obedience, and what happens when God calls you to step into something you never expected. Shawna shares her powerful faith journey—from being a teenager with one foot in and one foot out of the Church to experiencing a profound encounter with God that would eventually lead her to launch a ministry serving women facing unexpected pregnancies. What began as a simple prompting from the Holy Spirit quickly turned into a mission that has transformed countless lives. Together, Melissa and Shawna discuss the courage it takes to say "yes" when God calls, even when the path ahead isn't clear. Shawna shares how prayer, spiritual direction, and trusting God's timing helped her launch Gabriel's Retreat Ministries and build a community that surrounds women with practical, emotional, and spiritual support. They also dive into the importance of being truly pro-family, the unique challenges women face during pregnancy and postpartum, and why every mother needs a supportive community around her. Through retreat experiences, mentorship, meals, gifts, friendship, and ongoing support, Gabriel's Retreat Ministries helps women know they are seen, loved, and never alone. Whether you're discerning a calling, walking through a difficult season, or wondering if God can use your imperfect story for something beautiful, this conversation is a powerful reminder that He often works through ordinary people willing to take the next faithful step. RESOURCES MENTIONED: https://gabrielsretreat.org?utm_sourc... CONNECT WITH MELISSA: 📖 Free Anchored with Purpose Faith Journal: https://anchored-with-purpose.kit.com... 🌐 Anchored with Purpose: https://anchoredwithpurpose.com 🎙️ Subscribe to the Anchored with Purpose Podcast and share this episode with a friend who needs encouragement today. 00:00 Welcome & Meeting Through Shared Connections 02:00 Shawna's Faith Journey 04:40 God Uses Our Crooked Paths 09:00 Following God's Call to Start a Ministry 12:45 What Is Gabriel's Retreat Ministries? 20:10 Supporting Women Beyond Pregnancy 21:30 The Heart Behind the Retreat Experience 24:00 Building Community for Mothers 27:59 Stories of Transformation 34:12 Walking with Women for the Long Haul 35:03 Final Thoughts & Encouragement how to know if God is calling you, how to trust God's plan, what does it mean to follow God's calling, Catholic support for pregnant women, Christian help for unexpected pregnancy, faith during an unexpected pregnancy, building a Catholic ministry, how God uses ordinary people, finding purpose through faith, Catholic encouragement for women, Christian podcast for women, how to discern God's will, supporting women through unexpected pregnancy, Catholic resources for pregnant mothers, saying yes to God's calling, listening to God's voice, trusting God's timing, Christian encouragement for moms, finding your purpose through faith, how to start a faith-based ministry