It’s interview day on Hanha Hobson! I am so excited because I have the opportunity to introduce you all to the amazing, Amanda Pittman! A while ago, I wanted to share perspective for women who hold the title of mom, but also have other passions and callings from God. Being someone who is not married and doesn’t have children, I knew there was nothing I could really say so I thought it would be best for someone else to offer wisdom. That’s where Amanda comes in! She is such an amazing woman of God and I know you’ll enjoy reading her amazing insight. Enjoy!

1. Hi Amanda! Tell me about yourself. Who you are, what you do, etc.

Many people like to lead with their titles, but I know that I’m a nobody if I’m not known by the almighty God. So first and foremost, I’m a Child of God. There have been times when I’ve tried to find my identity in what I do; however, my identity is only found in my relationship to God. That’s the only thing that makes me special!

When it comes to what I do, I’m a wife to my spiritual leader, the man of my dreams, and the love of my life, Michael Pittman. We have the privilege of raising two gorgeous kids, Elijah and Lily.

I help Michael pastor The GO Downtown church. The church is the downtown campus of The GO International Church in Sandy Springs, GA. We have services on Saturday nights, where we cater to the downtown Atlanta community. It’s a blast working together on something eternally purposeful. On the side, my husband and I offer premarital counseling to dating and engaged couples.

I also run a mentorship program for women of all ages. One of my greatest joys is working with women to shift their mindsets to foster both God-confidence and self-confidence. The mentorship program gave birth to the conference that I’m hosting this December, called The Confident Woman Online Conference. It’s my vision to have women from diverse backgrounds and experiences share their stories to edify and equip other women to walk confidently in their unique purpose.

The majority of my daily work is spent encouraging women online for free. I find so much satisfaction in creating life-giving content via posts on Instagram, videos on YouTube, livestreams on Zoom, podcasts on iTunes, blog posts on amandaapittman.com, books I’ve written, and free resources I’ve created.

2. How have you found balance with motherhood and your business goals and passions? Do you have any practical advice, systems, or processes that have worked for you?

I don’t ascribe to the idea that balance in life is the goal. Attempting to lead a balanced life only slows down God’s ultimate purpose. Here’s why: the idea of balance often assumes that all things in life carry equal weight. We all know that life doesn’t work that way. It’s not about balance—it’s about priority.

Sometimes the scale will tip towards being a supportive pastor’s wife, because my greatest priority is helping my husband refine his sermon for Saturday night. Other times, the scale will tip towards business ownership, because my priority is generating income for my family. Most times, the scale will tip in the direction of motherhood, because my day’s priority is being the best mother that I can be. On my sabbath, my greatest priority is rest.

I let myself be led by priority, not balance. This helps me to make the greatest impact in life.

3. There are a lot of women who seem to struggle with mommy guilt. Have you ever struggled with it and do you have any advice for how women can navigate that?

Gosh, mommy guilt is the WORST. I fall into the trap more times than I’d like to admit. Especially for purpose-minded women such as myself, it can be tricky trying to find the sweet spot between being a purposeful mom while also wanting your purpose to extend beyond the domestic realm. Sometimes I let my son watch too many videos while I write a blog. I know I shouldn’t rock my baby girl to sleep because it spoils her, but I do it anyway because it’s easier than hearing her cry. I am an average mom with no mommy tricks up my sleeve, and sometimes I feel so terrible for that!

After a recent conversation I had with my husband, where we were joking about whether we were B- parents or C+ parents, I assured my husband that we were doing a better job than we give ourselves credit for. When he asked why, I said, “because the most important part is love. So what if our house is a mess again and we’re eating a microwave dinner? Our kids feel so loved by us. We will only screw up our kids if they aren’t loved well. And the one thing we do right is that we love them well.”

My best advice to mothers struggling with mommy guilt is this: don’t focus on getting everything right, because you won’t. Just focus on loving your kids well.

4. What would you say to mothers who feel like they don’t have any time for their business passions and/or careers? Or mothers who are too scared to step out and pursue what God is calling them to do?

Start small. We live in a generation where we see people pop out huge projects, which makes us feel like if we do something that isn’t HUGE, then it’s not worth doing at all. But that’s simply a lie. Anything that you can do to impact the world in a positive way and bring glory to God is worth doing, so do it.

If it feels “too big” for you to do, then congratulations—God has given you an assignment that requires His help. Don’t become overwhelmed thinking that you have to accomplish it all at once or that you have to do it all by yourself. Start small. Use what you have. Leverage what you know. And pray for God to take care of the rest.

5. Could you offer wisdom and encouragement to single-moms?

I know that single moms are often praised for being “strong.” I regularly praise single moms for their strength. That identity, while likely flattering, may also become a stumbling block if believed.

My greatest advice to single moms would be that it’s okay to not be strong sometimes. Parenthood is challenging! If you want to remain mentally, spiritually, physically, and emotionally healthy as a parent, you must reach out for help.

Please plug into community—especially the body of Christ. The local church is called to support you. Let others know when you need a break and allow them the opportunity to serve you. You don’t have to do this by yourself. Everyone needs rest. Everyone needs help. Everyone needs community.

6. Do you have any new or exciting projects coming up?

Yes! I don’t like to announce projects before they launch, so the best way to find out is to connect with me and stay tuned!

7. How can my readers stay connected with you?

Instagram, FB, LIKEtoKNOW.it + Twitter: @amandaapittman

Blog: amandaapittman.com

YouTube: Michael + Amanda

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Such wise words, right?! I hope you enjoyed reading her thoughts as much as I did! Let me know your thoughts in the comments below!