After stepping away from music to focus on raising her family, Marci Coleman was not sure she would ever return to pursuing music as an artist.

Years later, she found herself writing again, this time with a new perspective, a renewed sense of purpose, and an EP inspired by the experience that had changed her life most: becoming a parent.

The Artist

Marci Coleman knew from a young age that she wanted to write songs and sing. She spent her college years leading worship, writing and releasing music, and performing regularly as she worked to build a career.

But over time, she started to feel like the pursuit of success began to consume too much of her identity. After becoming a mother, Marci stepped away from music for nearly four years to focus on her family and reevaluate what she wanted her relationship with music to look like. The desire to create never disappeared, but the years away left her wondering whether she had missed her chance.

“Striving for this career in my 20s became my entire identity, and I was left feeling empty and hurt... The music lover in me has never stopped, but I got stuck in the thought pattern of, ‘Oh, that success will happen to them because they haven’t stopped, and I will just be left behind.’ Or, ‘I’m in my mid-30s now, so my window has passed.’... It’s easier to stay confident in something when you’re actually doing the thing, but not so much when you’re watching from the sidelines. For years... But looking back now, I know without a shadow of a doubt that the Lord used this time to produce more fruit in me. Absolutely no part of this season was wasted.”

The Project

When inspiration eventually returned, it came directly from the experience that had reshaped Marci's life.

Her new EP, The Parent, explores the love of God through the lens of becoming a mother herself. The everyday reality of raising children gave her a new understanding of sacrificial, unconditional love and ultimately became the foundation for the project.

“This project was such a direct download of God’s heart to His kids, and it hit me after becoming a parent myself just how crazy, wild, and fierce the love I have for my kids is, and that I would gladly lay down my life for them, day in and day out, even when it’s hard. In between every tantrum, dirty diaper, or fighting to just get PJs on at bedtime, at the end of the day they are MY kids. And they will forever be mine.”

That realization also changed the way Marci thought about God's love.

“I heard it said beautifully, ‘The downward love of the Father is far greater than the upward love of a child.’... I would give up my own life for the sake of my kids if it really came to it. And that’s the beauty of Jesus. He actually DID do that for His kids. And He did it willingly. That’s what love looks like from the greatest Parent to ever exist. So I hope anyone who listens to it will truly just hear how much the Father loves them.”

The Challenge

Returning to music did not mean returning to the same circumstances Marci had left behind.

As a stay-at-home mom, funding a professional recording project presented a significant challenge. She had been completing and releasing songs one at a time as funds became available. While that allowed the project to continue, it also created long gaps between releases and made it difficult to build momentum.

At the same time, the financial challenge was layered on top of the uncertainty that often comes with stepping back into a creative career after years away.

“When you’re only releasing music as funds allow, it can slow the momentum down as you’re trying to build a career or online presence. In the music industry nowadays, you have to almost constantly be releasing so that you can reach new people in hopes that your music can make a difference... The ‘how can I get these songs out when I don’t have any extra cash to put aside because I’m a stay-at-home mom?’ was a difficult hurdle in my brain to overcome.”

How Faith in Music Helped

Faith in Music Foundation awarded Marci a Recording Support Grant to help cover the mixing and mastering needed to complete The Parent.

Instead of waiting until she could personally fund each remaining stage of the project, Marci could move toward the finish line without the same financial pressure surrounding every release. For an artist rebuilding momentum after several years away, the grant gave her practical support, but it also carried a deeper personal meaning.

She had not expected to be selected after spending so much time away from actively pursuing music.

“It was such a crazy feeling of relief, gratitude and affirmation that I am right where I’m supposed to be... Practically, it means that I can finish the project without the weight of funds weighing on me... so this grant allows me to get to the finish line.”

For Marci, that support also helped quiet some of the questions she had carried during the years she was away from music.

“As an artist you can get so confused, or have waves of ‘imposter syndrome’... It’s a really hard thing to live everyday, mundane life without really pursuing the calling on your life for years. You can ask yourself constantly, ‘Did God really put this on my heart or is this just a selfish dream?’... Honestly, it just affirms that I’m on the right path. But this time I’m starting with a fresh heart and new eyes.”

The Impact

Marci is not trying to recreate the career she pursued in her twenties. She is building something that reflects who she is now.

Motherhood has changed the way she defines success, where she finds inspiration, and how she balances music with the rest of her life. Instead of seeing her responsibilities as obstacles to creativity, she now sees them as part of what gives her writing depth and perspective.

“Becoming a mom has chilled me out in the best way possible... Not everything in this pursuit of a music career is a make it or break it scenario. I’m not worried about numbers or what is going to go viral or not... The calling I have as an artist is so dear to my heart and God-given, but who I am as a believer, wife, mom, and friend is what takes precedence over everything else... I think all of that also changes how I write and draw inspiration from. It makes life so real and genuine that I can’t help but make my music reflect that same thing.”

That perspective is also central to what she hopes other parents take from her story. Creative dreams do not necessarily disappear when life changes. Sometimes they move more slowly, look different than expected, or need to fit into smaller pieces of time.

With The Parent nearing completion, Marci is already thinking about what comes next. She hopes to perform the project live, continue releasing new music, and eventually explore a companion EP called The Child, focused on how much a child needs and relies on a father.

Most importantly, she wants to keep moving.

“I’m just so excited for people to hear these songs... I want to keep the momentum going after this EP and keep the music coming... I’m just grateful. So, so crazy grateful. What a blessing y’all have been to me and to believe in this project with me. I can’t thank you enough, Faith in Music Foundation. You’re helping this mom to still live out her calling after becoming a parent. What a gift.”

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