What happens when God leads you away from a successful career and into a future you never planned?
In this episode of Discovering HOME, I’m joined by Jessica Jackson, a former city government colleague and longtime friend, to talk about the unexpected ways God can lead us through career changes, motherhood, entrepreneurship, and family life. After building a career in public service, Jessica made the difficult decision to leave her position when her family’s growing business needed her support. What began as a practical family decision became a journey of learning to trust God through change, embrace new opportunities, and redefine what success looks like.
Together, we explore what it means to follow God when the next step doesn’t look the way you imagined, why being present with our children matters more than accumulating possessions, and how we can pursue the dreams God places on our hearts without living for other people’s approval.
Jessica also shares the story behind her children’s book, Are Dinosaurs Nice in Heaven?, and how a simple question from her daughter eventually became a published book years later.
If you’re a Christian mom who feels torn between a successful career, your family’s needs, and the possibility that God may be inviting you into something different, this conversation will encourage you to trust Him with your next step.
In This Episode, We Discuss
- Discerning God’s guidance: Recognizing unexpected opportunities and navigating career decisions when the next step isn’t clear.
- Motherhood and career priorities: How becoming a mom changed Jessica’s perspective on work, family, and being present for her children.
- Preparing financially for a career transition: How family goals, intentional conversations about money, and Dave Ramsey’s principles shaped their decisions.
- Leaving a successful career for family: Why Jessica left city government to help grow her family’s business and what she learned about entrepreneurship.
- Choosing presence over possessions: Finding meaningful opportunities for connection in everyday family life, even during the busy early years of motherhood.
- Knowing when it’s time for a change: How Jessica and her husband discerned their move from California to Tennessee and navigated the uncertainty that came with it.
- Trusting God through unexpected transitions: Why trying something new doesn’t have to mean failure when the outcome differs from what you expected.
- Following a God-given dream: The story behind Jessica’s children’s book, Are Dinosaurs Nice in Heaven?, and what she learned about creating without seeking outside validation.
Key Takeaways
1. Your path doesn’t have to look like everyone else’s.
Jessica didn’t follow a carefully mapped-out career plan. Her story is a reminder that God can work through unexpected opportunities, changing circumstances, and decisions we never anticipated. You don’t need to have your entire future figured out to take the next faithful step. God can guide you through the people He places in your life and the doors He opens along the way. As you trust Him and move forward in faith, you can rest in His faithfulness and trust Him to provide what you need for the journey.
2. A successful career may not be the only measure of success.
Jessica had built a career she was proud of, but her family’s needs eventually required a change. Sometimes, the question isn’t whether we are capable of continuing on our current path. It’s whether that path still fits the priorities God is placing before us.
3. Coming home doesn’t necessarily mean stepping away from meaningful work.
Jessica’s transition looked different from simply leaving paid employment. She became more involved in her family’s business, and her children witnessed the work, responsibility, and collaboration involved in building it. Your next season may involve a different kind of work rather than no work at all.
4. Being present is often more valuable than providing more things.
It’s easy to believe we need to give our children more activities, more possessions, and more opportunities. But those things can also create more work and leave us with less time together. Jessica’s story encourages us to consider what our children need most from us in the season we’re in.
A Question to Reflect On
What might God be inviting you to reconsider in this season of your life?
Are you holding tightly to a career, routine, or idea of success that may no longer fit your family’s needs? Is there a dream you’ve been afraid to pursue because you don’t know how it will turn out?
Take some time to pray and ask the Lord for wisdom. You don’t need to figure out every detail today. Begin by asking what faithfulness looks like in the season you’re in.
Ready to Discern Your Next Step?
If you’re a Christian working mom wondering whether God may be calling you home, I offer personalized coaching to help you prayerfully discern your next steps.
Schedule a free clarity call: karlabmonterrosa.com/workwithme
We’ll talk about where you are, what you’re discerning, and what your next step might look like. There’s no pressure, just a conversation and some clarity going forward.
Meet Jessica Jackson
Jessica Jackson is a writer, business owner, communications professional and Tennessee-based author of her debut children’s book Are Dinosaurs Nice in Heaven.
Jessica has been writing since childhood, inspired by a lifelong belief in the power of words to connect and inspire. A journalism and public relations graduate, she spent more than 20 years in communications and local government before starting a successful construction business – JT Resources, Inc. – which she launched in 2015 with her husband, Darren. Jessica and her family live in Brentwood, Tennessee, and Are Dinosaurs Nice in Heaven? is her first book.
Connect with Jessica
- JT Resources: jtresources.com — Jessica and her husband’s general labor company serving Southern California.
- Links to Book & Instagram, Tik Tok, Facebook: https://linktr.ee/jessicajacksonauthor
Thank you for listening to Discovering HOME. May this conversation encourage you to trust God with the unexpected, embrace the season you’re in, and remain open to the good things He may have ahead for you.
About Me, Your Host
Hi, I’m Karla!
I’m a wife, mom, author, speaker, certified coach, and the host of Discovering HOME.
I began my career in the Los Angeles Mayor’s Office and went on to hold roles within the City’s Community and Economic Development Departments, managing programs designed to expand educational and economic opportunities for families and small businesses.
After nearly 20 years in City government, I stepped away from my career in 2017 to focus on raising my daughters and creating a different kind of life—one centered more intentionally around faith, family, and home.
That experience changed the way I think about success, calling, and purpose. It taught me that following God often means being willing to reconsider the way we’ve been taught to define a successful life.
Today, through Discovering HOME, speaking, and coaching, I help Christian working moms prayerfully discern whether God may be calling them home and consider their next steps with greater clarity and confidence.
I’m so glad you’re here.
About Discovering HOME
Discovering HOME is the podcast for Christian working moms who want to become stay-at-home moms and are asking whether God is calling them home.
We talk about navigating faith, motherhood, calling, and the courage to trust God with what comes next.
You love your family, you’re good at your job, and the pull toward home keeps coming back anyway. You pray about it, and the practical questions show up right behind the prayer. Can we afford one income? Who am I if I’m not the one with the title and the paycheck? You’re not alone, and you don’t have to figure it out on your own.
Hosted by Karla B. Monterrosa, author and faith-led certified coach, this podcast for Christian moms brings biblical encouragement and practical wisdom to the decision in front of you. Karla spent nearly 20 years in municipal government before stepping away in 2017 to follow God’s call home, and she now homeschools her daughters. She created this space for women who love the Lord, love their families, and are ready to trust Him with a new way of life.
We’ll answer questions like:
- How do I become a stay-at-home mom?
- Should I be a stay-at-home mom?
- Can I afford to be a stay-at-home mom?
- Is God calling me to be a stay-at-home mom?
- How do I know if God is calling me to stay home?
- Will I regret quitting my job to be a stay-at-home mom?
- Who am I if I’m not working?
- How do I find purpose at home?
- How do I find peace when I’m living in survival mode?
Each week, you’ll hear Karla on her own, working through the questions moms ask when they’re discerning a move home, and in heartfelt conversations with moms and experts who have lived this transition. We also cover budgeting for one income and growing in purpose-driven Christian motherhood.
If this is the question on your heart and in your prayers, hit follow and join Karla every Wednesday.
Continue Your Journey
If you’re a Christian working mom discerning whether God is calling you home, I hope you’ll continue exploring Discovering HOME for biblical encouragement, practical wisdom, and support as you navigate your next steps.
Connect with Me!
Instagram: @discoveringhomepodcast
Website: www.karlabmonterrosa.com
Speaking and Interview Inquiries:
Email podcast@karlabmonterrosa.com
Ready to Start Your Journey Home?
Wondering whether God is calling you into a new season of motherhood?
Take my free quiz, Is God Calling You Home?, to begin discerning your next steps.
Stay Encouraged
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Keep Listening: My Journey from Career to Home
Have you ever wondered what it looks like to leave a successful career and trust God with an entirely different way of life?
I’ve been there, too. After nearly 20 years in city government, I stepped away from my career in 2017 to focus on my family and follow God’s leading. It was a decision that reshaped my understanding of success, purpose, and what it means to trust Him with the unknown.
Listen to my personal story on Discovering HOME and hear more about the journey that inspired this podcast.
