Why We’re Here: The Purpose Beyond Motherhood

Welcome back, friends! In this episode, we’re taking a moment to share the heart behind our podcast and what this journey means to us. We’re talking about how the Lord’s gifts are irrevocable and how He has been so faithful through this platform and Twelve12 Ministries. We’ve seen Him move in incredible ways—not just in our own lives, but in the lives of so many others in this community. Join us as we reflect on the impact of this ministry, what keeps us going, and why we’re so grateful to walk this journey with you!

Episode Highlights: 

• What Purpose Beyond Motherhood means to Nicole & Holly.
• The Lord’s gifts are irrevocable.
• Finding purpose in the pain.

Links Mentioned in Episode/Find More on Purpose Beyond Motherhood:

• Twelve 12 Ministries Website
• IG Handle: @twelve12ministries
• Facebook: @twelve12ministries
• Email: info@twelve12ministries.org 
• Visit the Twelve 12 Ministries Shop

This show has been produced by Adkins Media Co.

Transcript

Holly (00:00.118)
It's fine.

Twelve 12 Ministries (00:01.774)
Friends, welcome back to the podcast. Happy New Year, all of the things. Holly, how are you?

Holly (00:09.142)
I'm doing good, you know? I can't believe it's 2025. It's blowing my mind.

Twelve 12 Ministries (00:12.322)
I know, for real. Yes, so this is like our first day back recording after the holidays. And so we're just getting back into the swing of things. We just were discussing our gray hairs before we hit record. So, life over here. We're just excited for this year, for the podcast and for 1212 Ministries. And the Lord is just, he's doing something new.

Holly (00:24.854)
Yeah, look at that. I think I have 15. It's fine.

Twelve 12 Ministries (00:40.468)
and something so exciting. And so we are glad that you guys are on, you know, along for the ride and thank you for inviting us into your stories. And we just always wanna point you back to Jesus, because he loves you and he sees you.

Holly (00:40.543)
Amen.

Holly (00:56.276)
Yes, absolutely. I feel like yesterday I was just thinking about 12-12 and I was like, there's just, there's such a need for what we're doing. Like if you have a baby, if you don't have a baby, wherever you're at, we want to be in it with you. So.

Twelve 12 Ministries (01:07.629)
Yes.

Twelve 12 Ministries (01:11.918)
100%. Thanks, Holly. Okay, so we're going to really kick this off of talking about Purpose Beyond Motherhood, because that's what the podcast is called. And I'm sure some people are like, why is it called this? And what do you mean by this? By Purpose Beyond Motherhood. And so I'm going to start first. And for me, Purpose Beyond Motherhood just means like, hey, we all have a purpose, right? We are all called

Holly (01:12.884)
Yeah, yes.

Holly (01:20.212)
Yes.

Twelve 12 Ministries (01:40.664)
to do three things. So regardless of if we are moms, if we're not moms, we're called to do three things. So number one is to love God. Number two is to love others. And number three is to make disciples. And so when we put motherhood on a pedestal, you know, we make it an idol, it just gets in the way of us doing those three things and really serving and glorifying the Lord.

Holly (01:54.56)
So good.

Holly (02:06.186)
Yes.

Twelve 12 Ministries (02:09.014)
And so we just miss out. So it's like, my gosh, I want to be a mom so bad. I mean, hey, I've been there. It's like, my gosh, it has been the idol of all of all idols, you know, motherhood for real. And so just when that happens, we just miss out on what God wants to do in and through us. And so this is just like a safe space for us to come and say, hey, how can we remove those idols?

Holly (02:11.861)
Hmm.

Totally.

Holly (02:21.352)
Yeah, that is.

Holly (02:36.043)
Yes.

Twelve 12 Ministries (02:38.584)
put the Lord back where he belongs, and then do those three things well.

Holly (02:41.546)
Good. I love that. That's so crazy that you, because we didn't normally we prep for these things. Today's a little bit more Nicole prepped and here I am supporting her. But yesterday at church, our pastor was talking about Luke chapter five and he talked about the great commission.

Twelve 12 Ministries (02:48.706)
Yeah.

Holly (03:00.926)
And I'm sure you've probably heard this, but he was like, co-mission, like we're together. And I had never thought of it like that. I would never like separated the word in any capacity. So just thinking like we are co-with Jesus. He's not like pointing at you. He is pointing at you saying go and you're isolated. That's not what he's trying to make you feel like. He is with you in what you're doing. And I love what you said.

Twelve 12 Ministries (03:01.535)
Ugh.

Twelve 12 Ministries (03:09.142)
Yeah.

Twelve 12 Ministries (03:22.508)
Yes.

Holly (03:28.694)
about we are with you, whatever, beyond motherhood. This podcast is not just for the woman that's trying to conceive. This is also just for the woman that's trying to find her identity wherever she's at in her life. that's what John actually said that to me last night. He was like, you guys need to make sure you love on women either that are currently mothers or that might not become a mother, whatever it is. And I was like, that's why we have our podcast. So.

Twelve 12 Ministries (03:55.916)
Yes, yep. I love the Lord. He's so cool. God is so cool how he just like weaves everything together.

Holly (03:58.634)
There's such a need. He's so cool because we had no idea. But here we are being obedient, trying our best.

Twelve 12 Ministries (04:09.569)
Exactly. And so I do have a couple of Bible verses that I would love to read that are just really great reminders. So Ephesians 2 10, for we are God's handiwork created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do.

Holly (04:13.814)
Yes.

Holly (04:28.086)
Good.

Twelve 12 Ministries (04:29.102)
And that just reminds me of, again, you we all have gifts and talents that God has placed in us. So again, when we are able to remove that idol, whatever it is, we can seek the Lord wholeheartedly and be able to hear him when he's speaking to us to say, Hey, God, what is it that you have already prepared for me in advance to do for your kingdom?

Holly (04:54.346)
That's good. I love that. think it's, yeah, you keep going. I'm here cheering you on. I'm gonna be, keep my mouth shut.

Twelve 12 Ministries (04:59.565)
Ha

Twelve 12 Ministries (05:03.15)
Okay, Romans 11, 29, it says, God's gifts and his call are irrevocable.

Holly (05:10.678)
Amen. That is so good. I'm looking up what irrevocable means. Keep going.

Twelve 12 Ministries (05:12.938)
Right? So it isn't that good? That that encourages me. Right? It means like nobody can take it away. So even. Come on, final. So regardless of our mistakes, our sin that we're, you know, maybe stuck in or that we're still working through.

Holly (05:24.35)
yet not able to be changed, reversed or recovered. Final. Final.

Holly (05:35.038)
Yes.

Holly (05:39.85)
Good. Yes.

Twelve 12 Ministries (05:41.324)
that God has placed those gifts and calls inside of you and nobody can take those away.

Holly (05:47.018)
Yes, that was about to make me cry and I don't know why. But I think it's just, I told you, I watched that movie last night about IVF. If you haven't watched it on Netflix, you should watch it. Even, I don't know, just to learn about it, honestly. But watching...

Twelve 12 Ministries (05:51.47)
Yeah.

Holly (06:02.1)
the women that have walked the path of motherhood or the path of trying to have a child before just years ago when no one talks about infertility, when motherhood was like more stepford looking, I think. I think that we are in a generation that requires us to walk in that irrevocable calling instead of allowing the world to make us feel like we need to be carrying 15 stones on our back when the Lord's like, I never,

Twelve 12 Ministries (06:17.526)
Yeah.

Twelve 12 Ministries (06:24.257)
Yes.

Twelve 12 Ministries (06:31.776)
Yes. Yeah.

Holly (06:32.044)
That's not ever what I asked you to do. I think just operating and the calling on your life, regardless of your status of where you think you should be, it's so easy to just be pulled down by like the little things or the big things. I don't know where I was going with that, but.

Twelve 12 Ministries (06:50.67)
So good. I know I wanna talk about you for a minute because I just think, I just think though that just what the Lord has done in your life as you have been open to him, you know, and maybe I'm wrong, but I feel like you shared this is just like when you first started walking through your infertility journey and how it's just was years and years, you know, that you didn't know.

Holly (06:54.943)
gosh. I my coffee.

Twelve 12 Ministries (07:18.602)
where you would be at the end of it, you know? And so just during your journey of how you used your gifts and your talents to pour back into other women and to encourage them along the way, even when you were walking through it. And so just to see you now after all of these years of that like...

You knew that you had a calling, but we're like, okay, God, use me however you want, but how you're on the podcast and you've shared at Refined and you're encouraging women in a part of 1212. I think that's awesome. That is inspiring you guys to say God has a call on you.

Holly (07:50.208)
room.

Holly (07:55.478)
You are sweet. He does.

Yes, I think it's, I mean, it was not the cup. Like I think about when Jesus was in the garden, he was like, take this cup for me. That might not be where he said that, but somewhere in there. And I just, I sometimes I think like if you love someone who's battling cancer, if you're walking through infertility, if like whatever, everyone's got something and it doesn't have to be, it might not feel like super life altering, but maybe it is heavy. I think just trusting that the Lord's hands are

Twelve 12 Ministries (08:06.274)
Yes.

Holly (08:29.218)
holding you in it, even when it feels like you would like to shove that away from you, because infertility is not something I ever expected. mean, I've told you all this, I took a pregnancy test on my honeymoon. That's not even possible for me to have conceived that quickly. But I was like, the moment I do it, I'm pregnant. I'm not trying to call the Lord cruel. But that's how big my faith was in the fact that it was going to be quick for us. And never did I think it would be difficult. So I think...

Twelve 12 Ministries (08:57.837)
Yeah.

Holly (08:58.836)
But all of that to say, what you were saying, yes. I told the Lord early on, I'm like, if this is what you've called me to, or if this is what you're gonna walk with me through, please, please make it where I can turn around and reach back and like lend a hand to another woman. Because it's not like, it's painful. And if my pain is not purposeful,

Twelve 12 Ministries (09:09.368)
Yeah.

Twelve 12 Ministries (09:15.031)
Amen.

Holly (09:22.57)
then it's just pain. So I want to partner with the purpose part, which enter 1212 and Nicole. Welcome. So thank you for doing what you do, ma'am.

Twelve 12 Ministries (09:24.45)
Mm-hmm.

Twelve 12 Ministries (09:28.47)
Hahaha!

Twelve 12 Ministries (09:33.496)
Thank you, Lord. Yes. And ladies or guys, please hear our hearts. So we're not saying that like you have to start something to honor your story or anything like that. We're just saying for you to really seek the Lord and discover what His gifts and talents that He's blessed you with to then.

Holly (09:38.634)
Yeah.

Holly (09:43.027)
No.

Holly (09:55.007)
Yeah.

Twelve 12 Ministries (09:56.29)
just like how Holly just said, kind of turn around and pull, you know, whatever that is, wherever that sphere of influence is that you have, is that again, you are called to something great.

Holly (10:01.94)
Yes.

Holly (10:08.052)
Yes, and I think the enemy wants you to think if you're not doing something like a podcast or like trying to write a book that you're not doing it. No, I think we live in a generation of oversharing from the point of like social, even if it's just the Lord put one person in your path that your story is gonna bring them to him. That alone was worth it. that, like.

Twelve 12 Ministries (10:13.612)
right.

Twelve 12 Ministries (10:20.065)
Yeah.

Twelve 12 Ministries (10:25.047)
Yes.

Holly (10:32.572)
He leaves the 99 to find the one. Just that is you truly operating in Jesus's calling on your life. And even if you just love on somebody because you've sat where they're sitting or because you've sat in a similar seat, that is doing what the Lord asked you to do.

Twelve 12 Ministries (10:34.828)
Yes.

Twelve 12 Ministries (10:40.064)
Amen.

Twelve 12 Ministries (10:49.294)
Yes, amen. Okay, yeah, my last Bible verse, and this is like, this is my life verse. Yes, so Matthew, Matthew 5 16, in the same way, let your light shine before others, that they may see your good deeds and glorify your father in heaven.

Holly (10:51.764)
So do it.

I should know this.

Holly (11:09.896)
I love that. Yes. Amen. I just think there's because of the world that we live in being more divisive, can seem operating in love, operating in truth with love on it. That is so foreign to so many people. So like we were saying, you don't need to have a platform or a podcast or a book or just operating as God called you to loving his people the way you love them.

Twelve 12 Ministries (11:22.669)
Yes.

Twelve 12 Ministries (11:26.872)
Mm-hmm.

Twelve 12 Ministries (11:36.96)
Yes, and you have to do that by letting your light shine. know, God has made you perfectly and wonderfully made. And so there's nothing wrong with you. You don't have to hide what God has created in you.

Holly (11:41.384)
Amen.

Yes.

Twelve 12 Ministries (11:53.612)
You know, and so I don't know that that just was something that took me so long to learn is that I would just hide, you know, behind whatever behind that I was a backup dancer or even behind my husband. And I was like, nobody needs to hear from me. It's fine. It's fine. You know, but. So we have to let our light shine. So again, I just want to remind you, we want to remind you that you are God's handiwork.

Holly (11:53.62)
That's so good.

Holly (12:04.662)
Mmm.

Holly (12:10.154)
No, it's not fine. The people need to hear.

Holly (12:21.428)
It's good.

Twelve 12 Ministries (12:21.942)
His gifts are irrevocable and we want you to let your light shine.

Holly (12:26.711)
This was, I feel encouraged. Thank you. I also want to say, and we've talked about this previously, but when you see something in someone else that is like life-giving and good and a light, you should call it out in them because that is like a lost art. And I think it's so powerful. So if you see light, say something.

Twelve 12 Ministries (12:28.827)
Hahaha!

Twelve 12 Ministries (12:41.612)
Yes.

Twelve 12 Ministries (12:51.726)
Say it, yeah. Pull it out.

Holly (12:51.968)
Just do it, just do it, call it out and then they might not see it and you might think they do, but they probably don't.

Twelve 12 Ministries (12:59.926)
Thanks, Holly. I know I'm encouraged to thank you, Lord. He's just I love I love God. He's so great. He's so great. Yes, Lord, we give you all of the glory and favor and thank you. Yes, all of the things. So friends, I mean, I'm like, we just like talk so fast because we were just so excited about God today. Yes.

Holly (13:00.15)
So yeah, see your people. Yes. Yes.

Holly (13:08.522)
He really is.

Holly (13:12.402)
Amen. All the things.

Holly (13:21.654)
Hey, that's okay. think they'll hear what they need to hear, right?

Twelve 12 Ministries (13:28.258)
Yes. So friends, really quick, let us tell you kind of just what's coming up. So one, I want to say this is like season six of the podcast, which is so wild. And so we've got six weekly episodes for you back to back. We'll take a little break for four weeks and then we'll be back again. We have refined in April and in October for you.

Holly (13:37.589)
Hmm.

Twelve 12 Ministries (13:52.736)
So we just want you to connect with us. We want to connect with you and walk alongside you and you are not alone.

Holly (14:00.31)
Even if you're not going through fertility and you want to come to an event just to check us out, please come. We would love for you to come and meet you. Yep. Love you guys. Bye.

Twelve 12 Ministries (14:03.946)
Yes, please come. We would love that.

Yeah, see you next time. gosh, okay wait, I was pressing.