Finding Faith and Purpose Beyond the Spotlight w/ Annabelle Hasselbeck

Super Bowl week gets real as Ben Higgins sits down with Annabelle Hasselbeck from Sports Spectrum for a conversation about faith, identity, and purpose in the midst of chaos. Annabelle Hasselbeck shares what it’s like covering the NFL’s biggest moments, how growing up with a strong faith-based family shapes her broadcasting path, and the daily challenges of staying grounded. Hear her candid perspective on ambition, the pressures of social media, and advice for young women seeking purpose. Fast, honest, and heartfelt—if you grew up around faith or are chasing big dreams, this one’s for you.

TIMESTAMPS
00:00 Super Bowl Radio Row Madness
00:26 Introducing Annabelle Hasselbeck
00:52 Chaotic Energy of Super Bowl Week
01:12 Game Predictions and Seahawks Loyalty
01:22 Shared Connections and Family Influence
02:08 Faith at the Center of It All
02:39 Wrestling with Doubt and Identity
03:54 Chasing Relevancy Versus Fulfillment
04:30 Leading with Vulnerability and Truth
05:07 What Annabelle Is Praying For
05:29 Finding Gratitude in Setbacks
06:04 Advice for Big Dreamers
07:02 Tips for Growing Closer to God
07:45 Navigating Comparison and Social Media
08:33 Parting Words and Seahawks Support

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Episode Transcript

Speaker 1 (00:00):
Welcome to if you can hear Me, a space where
culture meets the soul. I'm Ben Higgins. You may know
me and many of my guests from culture and Headlines,
but this podcast is about going beyond the surface into
something deeper. Today we're on location at the twenty twenty
six Super Bowl, connecting with some friends for a brief
conversation about identity, faith and purpose. Let's get into it.

Speaker 2 (00:26):
Annabel Hasselback is here with Sports Spectrum. She hos a
show called What's Up. And you have covered the Patriots
and Seahawks all sason. Now we're sitting here at Radio
Row at the Super Bowl. I haven't talked about the
game with anybody yet, but I want to start this
out by talking about Sunday's game. This environment, this is

(00:48):
wild to me. I've never been to a super Bowl.
This is a chaotic environment.

Speaker 3 (00:52):
It is chaotic, and I came to my first Super
Bowl Radio Row experience last year. In my Sportspectrum team
was saying it is a beast ready, and I thought,
you know, I don't know what they're talking about. It's
a super Bowl. This is chaotic, but it's so fun.
This is the week of the year that you look
to and you know you're gearing up for the whole
time while you're watching your NFL team on Sunday. So
it's exciting.

Speaker 4 (01:12):
Who do you think wins on Sunday?

Speaker 3 (01:14):
I'm got to go Seahawks. I'm a Seattle girl. I've
been covering the Seahawks throughout the entire season as well
as the Patriots, but born and raised in Seattle, so
I got to go with the twelves.

Speaker 2 (01:23):
We also have so many people that we know in
common based on kind of where you grew up, and
I was pumped to talk to you because I've been
able to meet your mom before and she's just such
a strong woman of faith and such a great, you know,
leader to so many that you know kind of watched
her and has followed along with her story and this generation,

(01:45):
and you're doing the same thing.

Speaker 4 (01:47):
This show is called if you can hear Me.

Speaker 2 (01:49):
It's a show really to get to know somebody and
their fate journey.

Speaker 4 (01:53):
We only have a few minutes today.

Speaker 2 (01:55):
But I would love to hear you know as you
do events like this, and as your career grows, and
as you've grown up in a household of faith.

Speaker 4 (02:04):
And you're doing your own thing. Now, what does it
mean to you now?

Speaker 3 (02:08):
Man, faith in Jesus Christ is at the center of
everything that I do, and I think if I didn't
have parents who lived that out, it would be harder
for me to seek that. And you mentioned my mom,
and my mom has been so loving but also so selfless,
and so I think for me, seeing the humility that
she leads with, you can really see the Lord through her.

(02:28):
And so yeah, my faith journey has been a direct
response from wanting to be like my mom and how
awesome she is and to let the Lord's light shine
through me as well.

Speaker 2 (02:39):
One of the tough things, though, I think that so
many people listening can relate with, and really what the
show is speaking to are people that grew up in
households of faith and then get out of it and
they feel like, Hey, this isn't what I thought it was, right, Like,
now I see the world around me, and I'm traveling
to these big events and I'm meeting people from all
over the place. This doesn't fit for me any longer.

Speaker 4 (03:02):
Have you ever had a season like that?

Speaker 3 (03:04):
You know, I think it's really easy when you're in
different environments to feel the void of oh this might
be fun in the moment, but it's not fulfilling. And yeah,
throughout even college and even now in my sports broadcasting career,
nothing will fulfill you. Like you're always going to be
chasing something, the next interview, the next big game that
you want to win, the next accomplishment on your resume.

(03:26):
And I think realizing that through every season, it's a
it's a constant self denial of Okay, Jesus is the
only one that is going to fulfill me in my faith,
but yeah, it's difficult when you're surrounded by worldly things,
and so that's why it's important to be around a
community of believers and to stay grounded. But yeah, I
think that's something that it's a daily choice that you

(03:46):
have to decide of, Hey, I'm not going to let
my accolades or my job define who I am and
where I find my worth.

Speaker 2 (03:53):
It's it's for me, you know. For that there was
a season of life where it was really difficult. And
then the more I'm around big events and the more
there is this chase for relevancy, the more actually I
understand Jesus's words more because it rings true. I look
at the world around me, I'm like, you know, what
God called me to is would work if everybody kind

(04:16):
of followed it. And I think as you become, you know,
as your career grows and the public spectrum, I'm curious,
what do you hope the lead people and guide them towards?

Speaker 4 (04:28):
Like what truth do you want to speak into them?

Speaker 3 (04:30):
Yeah? I love that question. I think mainly, especially when
you are very open about your faith and talk about it,
there can be a misconception that it is, oh, I'm
super holy, or oh I got everything figured out, or
I follow Jesus so everything smooth in my life. Like
that's the exact opposite, right, Life is hard, regardless of
where you're coming from. And so I think what I

(04:50):
would hope people see is the reason I talk about
my faith and the reason I'm so bold about it
and so excited to work for an organization like Sports
Spectrum is not because I think it's we're you know,
so much better. It's because I am broken and I
need a savior and I'm so excited and willing to
tell people about it.

Speaker 4 (05:07):
Yeah.

Speaker 2 (05:07):
I mean, this show again is called if You can
hear Me? And a similar question to you is if
if God could hear you? Right now, which we believe
God can hear you. What is your prayer? What are
you crying out to the Lord about right now?

Speaker 3 (05:22):
Just thank you Jesus number one. This is so cool
that I get to talk to you today at the
super Bowl and we get to sit.

Speaker 4 (05:26):
Here and look at all the stars that are walking.
Are cool.

Speaker 3 (05:29):
I think, just like being grateful in the moments that
He has you in and even in moments when some
things don't go your way right even today and maybe
there was an interview that didn't work out, or an
editing problem that I was having, or the Wi Fi
wasn't working, It's like, okay, Lord, you had a reason
for that person not to show up to the set.
You had a reason for me to have this extra
free time in my day, And so really just allowing

(05:51):
space for him to speak to you and for you
to see, Okay, my way is not always the best way,
and I can obviously work hard and be frustrated and
the little things that come up, but ultimately the Lord
is in control.

Speaker 4 (06:04):
Now.

Speaker 2 (06:04):
Kind of the final question for you as you kind
of wrap things up. Obviously you're sitting at a seat
with significant presence, and you're working for sports Spectrum, you're
hosting the show What's Up. I can't imagine the path
has been linear and easy the whole time. I'm guessing
there has been bumps along the road. For anybody listening

(06:27):
that wants to pursue something like you're doing, or that
has a dream that they're chasing that feels so so
far right now, what would.

Speaker 4 (06:35):
You tell them?

Speaker 3 (06:36):
Yeah, that's great. I think you need to do the
best with what you've been given. If the Lord is
going to shut doors, find the doors that he's opening,
and work as hard as you can at those things.
And so I think, whether you're an athlete, or you're
working a job at a cubicle, or you're going for
a run in the morning, like, what can you do?
How can you do the best with what you've been given?

(06:57):
And I think that frees you up from saying, Okay, here, Lord,
here's what I have. Like do with it what you can?

Speaker 4 (07:02):
Yeah?

Speaker 2 (07:03):
Amazing, an Wi, you are an inspiration to many, obviously,
not only because of your faith and how you know
open you are about it, but also because of the
career that you're running towards and running on right now.
I hope super Bowl Week is an incredible week for you.

(07:25):
Really to close here, one of the cool things that
came out of our first few episodes was any type
of tips and insights for young women or really anybody
that is looking to get closer to build a closer
relationship with God. Do you have any like materials or
insights for them?

Speaker 3 (07:45):
I think not comparing yourself, and that is really hard
to do when you work in sports and you're on
social media all day and it's all you see. But really,
the Lord has a different plan for everyone's life, and
what might look like the role for another twenty five
twenty four year old girl is not going to look
the same for her best friend. And I think being
okay with that and being okay with okay the Lord

(08:06):
chose you for that, and the Lord tours chose me
for this, and I think that can really free you
from chasing something that isn't meant for you, or chasing
a lifestyle that isn't meant for you, and really walk
in Okay, Lord, what do you have for me today?
And social media is an amazing thing. It's what I
do all the time and what my career is on
right now. But I also think it has the power

(08:26):
to be dangerous if you don't use it wisely, and
so keeping your eyes fixed on him is the best
advice I could give.

Speaker 4 (08:32):
Annabel Annabelle Hasselback, thanks for joining us.

Speaker 3 (08:35):
Thank you so much. Go seehawks.

Speaker 4 (08:38):
Hey friends, thanks for listening or watching. Would you take
a second, follow, subscribe, and drop a comment. It really
helps