She did everything right. She checked every box her faith required, and then her cousin’s sudden death cracked the foundation she had built her whole identity on.

In this episode, Nicole and Stephanie sit down with their friend Brianna Preece for an honest conversation about leaving the Mormon church, the hard truths that made her walk away for good, and how God rebuilt her identity around grace instead of performance.

This is a reminder that questioning what you were taught is not a loss of faith. It can be the very thing God uses to lead you into the truth.

In This Episode

• The turning point: her cousin’s sudden death and the questions it raised
• The hard truths about the Mormon church that made her walk away for good
• What it cost her: family tension and lost friendships
• The moment she gave her life to Christ
• How she unlearned what was false and relearned what is true
• What her identity looks like now, rooted in Galatians 2:20
• Simple rhythms that keep her grounded as a homeschooling mom of three

Key Takeaways

• A crisis often exposes what your identity is really built on. Brianna’s cousin’s death revealed her faith was rooted in a system, not in Christ.
• Learning hard truths about a belief system does not have to end in walking away from God. It can redirect you to Scripture as your only source of truth.
• Salvation is not a checklist. Resting in the finished work of Christ replaces the exhausting cycle of wondering if you have done enough.
• Leaving a high control system can cost real relationships, but God often provides unexpected community to fill that gap.
• Small daily rhythms, prayer, Scripture, a journal, a weekly plan, sustain long term spiritual grounding more than any single decision.

Faith Layer

Galatians 2:20. I have been crucified with Christ. It is no longer I who live, but Christ who lives in me. And the life I now live in the flesh I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me.

This is the verse Brianna carries with her, tattooed on her shoulder. Her salvation, her identity, her whole life is because of Christ, not because of anything she has done.

Resources Mentioned

• ROOTS Morning Journal, groundedgrowth.org/store
• Wise Words for Moms parenting chart by Ginger Hubbard, gingerhubbard.com (confirm exact URL)

Final Encouragement

• If you have ever been afraid to question what you were taught, Brianna’s story is proof that God is not afraid of your questions. He welcomes them.
• Take your questions to Scripture and to a trusted, local church, not Google, YouTube, or AI. And if following God costs you something, count it all joy anyway. It may cost you for a season, but God can open doors years later that once looked permanently closed.