More About Holly

Tell us about your family, your children, and the daily life of your home.           

I grew up in rural Iowa, and now make my home in the foothills of sunny Colorado with my husband of twenty years and our four kids-- three girls and a boy, ranging from ages 16 to 8. If I’m in a healthy rhythm (some days or weeks I’m tired), I begin my day early with a cup of tea and silence and time with the Lord or an early jaunt to the gym. These intentional rhythms help me to keep God at the center of my life. After breakfast, my younger ones might begin with some independent work and then we settle in for “Morning Time.” Morning time is the one of the best parts of our day; it’s a rhythm of subjects we focus on together that emphasize truth, goodness, and beauty. And the kids love it because they can draw or play legos while they listen! We pray together, read, and memorize Scripture and poetry, learn about artists and composers, and read-aloud fun and thoughtful chapter books together!

Tell us when you started to follow Jesus, and about your journey with Him.

I first heard about the Lord in a small Lutheran church where my grandparents took me as a child. My mom began to follow the Lord when I was about ten. She brought me to a church where I made the decision to follow Christ and learned what it looked like to have a relationship with the Lord. I’m forever grateful that the Lord opened my eyes to see Him at a young age. The middle school and teen years didn’t come without difficulty as I struggled to find my place among my peers. The summer before I began college, I went on a mission trip to Mexico with my youth group through YWAM. It was there, seeing the desperation in the eyes of children, that the Lord clearly led me to choose to follow Him and serve Him for all my days. Over the years, I’ve seen His faithfulness to me in the midst of seasons of celebration and joy and in some of the darkest and anxiety-filled seasons. I’m grateful my truest identity is not in what I accomplish or how I perform but as a beloved daughter of the Lord.

What ministry or work in your community gives you personal fulfillment? 

It’s a joy and an honor to work in pastoral ministry with my husband. I’m grateful to be a witness to God’s work in the lives of our church community. I lead a mom’s ministry with a friend and thoroughly enjoy teaching and meeting with moms to hear their stories of celebrations, challenges, and hopes. It’s truly one of my greatest joys to walk alongside women. And it’s always a fun day when I get to talk through all the ups and downs and ins and outs of homeschooling and of course we have to talk about books. I think sharing book recommendations is one of my love languages!

What hobbies or activities do you most enjoy pursuing in your free time? 

My favorite hobbies are walking or hiking outside, reading a good book, and having deep and meaningful conversations with a family member or good friend.

Thinking of books you’ve read, which authors have influenced you most? 

The writers who’ve been most influential in my life are Wendell Berry, Eugene Peterson, Sally Clarkson, and C.S. Lewis.

When it’s just you, what music or musicians do you most enjoy listening to?

 I enjoy listening to worship, broadway tunes, and jazz. It’s also been fun to listen to new artists and songs my teen girls play for me!

What books of the Bible, and what specific passages, mean the most to you?

 In recent years, I’ve enjoyed reading through the Bible chronologically and gaining a better understanding of the metanarrative of God’s word. Honestly, the Jesus Storybook Bible is one of my favorites for kids and adults. We see His hope to redeem and restore the world whispered in every story. Because I’ve struggled with fear and anxiety in different seasons of life, I frequently come back to Proverbs 3:5, “Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding. In all your way acknowledge Him and He will make your path straight.” I’ve also come to believe we can’t be spiritually healthy unless we are also emotionally healthy. The two go hand in hand. It’s helpful for me to reflect on passages of scripture where we see Jesus expressing hard emotions in His humanity. In Matthew 26:37-39, Jesus cries out in despair in the Garden of Gethsemane: “And taking with him Peter and the two sons of Zebedee, he began to be sorrowful and troubled. Then he said to them, ‘My soul is very sorrowful, even to death; remain here, and watch with me.’ And going a little farther he fell on his face and prayed, saying, ‘My Father, if it be possible, let this cup pass from me; nevertheless, not as I will, but as you will.’” As Jesus cries out to the Father, so I want to pour my soul out to Him trusting He cares for me and loves me with an everlasting love.

What are you passionate about, and who inspires you to be even more so? 

 I’m passionate about discipleship. Matthew 22 speaks of the greatest commandment-- to love the Lord with our soul, mind, and strength and to love others well. This passage comes to mind often and I ask myself, am I spending my time and energy in ways that reflect my desire to love the Lord and others well? Sally has been an inspiration to me for over fifteen years as she has consistently been a motherly figure, a mentor, and a friend in my life. She has intentionally pursued relationship with me in the ups and downs of life. It’s been a joy to witness Sally parent her kids and now her adult children with grace and truth.

How did you first connect with Sally Clarkson and Whole Heart Ministries?

I had the wonderful opportunity to meet Sally over fifteen years ago at my home church in Colorado Springs. She had recently written Mission of Motherhood and asked a few pastor’s wives and me if we wanted to join a small group to read the book together. Of course I said yes! In all sincerity, this book changed the trajectory of my life, especially my motherhood journey. I was a new mom looking for guidance and wisdom; Mission of Motherhood helped me to see that motherhood is a calling and something worth giving my life to. What a gift to be led on this journey by Sally herself. I’m eternally grateful for all of the investment Sally and Clay have made in my life.

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