January 13, 2025 • 25 mins
Discover the remarkable journey of Marlena Hollis on our latest episode of the Milk and Honey podcast. Marlena's inspiring story takes center stage as she shares how her stepfather's persistent invitations to church sparked a profound transformation, leading her and her husband to embrace Christianity wholeheartedly.
Marlena's deepening relationship with Jesus has fueled her passion for ministry, guiding her toward compassionate causes such as prison ministry and fighting human trafficking. Through her experiences, explore the empowering act of saying "yes" to God's call and stepping into the abundance He has uniquely prepared for each of us.
Join us as we navigate the complex landscape of women's ministry, highlighting both the challenges and opportunities faced by women in leadership roles. Marlena and I dive into the significance of personal spiritual experiences and the often-rigid theological interpretations that can hinder women's full potential. We address societal expectations and shifts within the church, including recent decisions by the Southern Baptist Convention regarding women's roles.
This episode is more than just a conversation; it's a heartfelt encouragement to embrace the joy and responsibility of sharing God's word and an invitation to connect with Marlena for future events. Don't miss out on this opportunity to gain wisdom and inspiration for your own journey of leadership and divine purpose.
Connect with Marlena:
https://www.facebook.com/marlena.hollis
youtube.com/@Marlena_Hollis
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"For even the Son of Man came not to be served but to serve." Mark 10:45
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Transcript
Episode Transcript
Available transcripts are automatically generated. Complete accuracy is not guaranteed.
Speaker 1 (00:17):
Hey, I'm Lemon.
I am just like you, sisterfriend.
Talk about stepping into thatoverflow that God has for us by
becoming those ultimate Proverbs31 women.
Hey, I'm Lemon.
I am just like you, sisterfriend.
I knew God had something morein store for me, but I couldn't
see a way out of the laundrypiles and, frankly, I resented
that Proverbs 31 woman.
How was I going to live up tothe hype?
(00:39):
That is until I found out howto really step into becoming
this Proverbs 31 woman throughleadership development.
In this podcast you're going tofind financial freedom,
leadership, growth andmotivation so you'll be able to
do all the things God has calledyou to do with ease and really
step into that land of milk andhoney.
Welcome back to the Milk andHoney podcast.
(01:00):
I am so excited because I havemy friend Marlena Hollis on here
.
She is a well-establishedleader in the Christian and
cosmetology industry, which isgreat, because every time I talk
to her I remember that I needto trim my split and dead ends.
She has been doing this forover 20 years.
She's been a public speaker, apreacher, she's a church planner
(01:21):
, she's a pastor, she's abusiness owner.
This is literally her jam.
She has been serving people inthe adult and teen challenge
advisory board.
She's been involved inaddiction recovery.
She serves in the state prisonLike literally there's nothing
that she doesn't do.
Then she has her podcast,marlena Teach Jesus, where she
(01:41):
shares the platform with otherleaders who are making a
difference in the kingdom of Godthrough ministry and
marketplace influence.
So thank you for being here, myfriend.
That was like such a shortversion of who you are, but
you're like, you're incredible.
Speaker 2 (01:55):
I have to say that everything that I do, it all
points to the one.
And yeah, you did actually do ashort list, but I think God
just gives us gifts and talentsand when we just we purpose them
for the kingdom, I think hejust says here, take more,
because that's isn't that theparable of the talents what you
have, you just give back to him.
(02:17):
So I'm grateful, I'm reallyblessed.
Thank you for having me.
Speaker 1 (02:20):
I just love you.
Oh my gosh, I just love you andI love that parable.
It's one of my favoriteparables, I think, of all time,
about this increase and, yeah,giving back to the Lord and
using the things he's given usto expand the kingdom.
So thank you.
That's literally one of myfavorite parables.
This is why we're friends.
(02:40):
We're meant to be, I think.
I think you're right about that.
Yes, okay, so I know I gave likea quick synopsis of your
background, but can you go alittle bit more into your story,
and was this always your?
Speaker 2 (02:55):
calling.
I started out just really withmy Christian journey.
I started out as an 18-year-oldthinking that I knew everything
, but absolutely that was justit.
I was thinking that I kneweverything.
I had a lot of I involved in mylife.
And so my husband and I we weredating.
We were thinking, man, we'vegot to get married and we were
(03:18):
living together.
We were not raised Christian,we didn't know this Christianese
language.
And God just said here we are,let's get you guys together and
get you in church.
And he made a way.
And through that way was mystepdad who came into our lives
and I just could not stand himinitially, but I couldn't help
(03:40):
but to listen to him.
He was so filled with love.
He just kept being sopersistent to invite us to
church and I gave him a reallyhard way to go.
I'm a redhead and with thatcomes a lot of spice and fire,
and so I introduced myself tohim.
Really well, when stepdad comein through being the redheaded
stepchild and he kept invitingus, I said yes, got curious.
(04:04):
My family kept all hitting thechurch and coming back saved,
and they were talking thisChristian language.
They were filled with this joyand it was something I lacked.
Truthfully, it was the joy andthe peace of God that I lacked,
that I kept seeing in them.
That drove me to say, let metry, let me try this out.
(04:25):
So my husband and I went.
We were not married at the timeand we just said yes to Jesus.
And when I went in I went allin.
I was not backing up, it was goforward.
And since then it's been just areally wild rollercoaster ride
of God's great goodness justworking out salvation within me
(04:45):
a ride of God's great goodness.
Speaker 1 (04:46):
It's just working out salvation within me.
I love this because God is sogood.
I love that he willstrategically place people in
your life to bring you to whereit is that you're supposed to go
.
And so how did you end up doingall of the ministry things that
you're doing now?
Was a prison ministry alwaysimportant to you?
Or human trafficking?
Were all these things alwaysimportant?
Or is it?
(05:08):
As I expanded my spiel set andgot to know the Lord more, he
expanded my passion.
Speaker 2 (05:15):
When I started out the Christian journey, I had so
much that needed to be worked at.
I just started focusing onJesus.
I just started getting in theWord, learning, growing.
I was hungry for more knowledgeof who he was.
I was hungry for just being inHis presence, and I developed
such a deep personal love andrelationship with Jesus that I
(05:39):
just kept saying, yes, I didn'thave this.
Oh, I love to get on thebandwagon and do this.
I wasn't that person.
I just began to fall in lovewith Jesus, and the more I fell
in love with him, the more hisheart was a part of my heart,
the more I was being conformedinto his image and into that
(06:01):
heart of compassion, and hestarted just stirring me for
things that I never would havebeen stirred about before at all
.
It wasn't like when I was a kidor a teenager.
I had these dreams of one daypreaching the gospel or going in
and speaking to prisoners.
None of these things were mypassion.
I had no ideas of it.
But whenever I surrendered and Isubmitted my life to Christ,
(06:24):
all of a sudden it was justexciting.
He would just say, hey, whatabout this opportunity, marlena?
And he gives us a choice and Ijust said yes.
I always tell people that Imentor and I coach.
I say, if you will say a quickyes, god loves a cheerful giver
and we think about it in termsof finances, but he loves a
(06:45):
cheerful giver of all the thingsthat he's given you to steward.
And the number one thing is a24 hour day, and when you say a
quick yes, that is a cheerfulgiver of your time.
And so I just did that and Ikept saying yes, even if I was
afraid and I would just do itafraid, not thinking do I have
the skill set?
I just knew that I had him.
Speaker 1 (07:08):
I love that, and there's a lot of directions.
I think a lot of times when Italk to women too, it's I don't
have this skill set, sotherefore I can't serve in this
capacity where there's no waythis could be my calling,
because I lack this.
There's a million reasons whythey feel like they can't do it,
and I think discernment is likea big part of this, and then
your relationship with theFather right Like, those things
(07:28):
are huge when it comes tofiguring out what your calling
is.
In ministry, when you'rementoring people, what are some
of the biggest challenges you'veseen women go through, or
misconceptions they've had abouttheir calling, or what a
calling even is.
What have you seen, my friend?
Speaker 2 (07:46):
their calling, or what a calling even is.
What have you seen, my friend?
One thing that's coming to mymind right now and I hear a lot
of and it's really been stirringin my heart to speak on is the
lack of knowing the word orunderstanding the word.
It becomes something thatbecomes a bondage to them and
they say, oh, I don't know theword enough, I can't quote it
(08:08):
where the book is and what verseit is.
I'm not going to be ever thepreacher, and I do believe this
is God's intention.
I always say I'm not great withnumbers, so to remember the
address, as you may call it, inthe Bible, to be able to say
okay, I want you to go to 2Timothy, chapter 1, verse 7.
(08:29):
That's because that's been mykey scripture for years, that I
can tell you what that one is.
But I don't know the entireBible, from front cover to the
back, like that, and I preacheverywhere and speak all
different places.
But it causes people to say Ican't because they think they
don't know.
But what they don't know isthat they know more than they
(08:51):
realize that they do.
If you've been in this a minuteand you have been listening to
the Word, you listen to worshipmusic, you've got a lifestyle
that is led by the Spirit andyou're staying fulfilled in the
Word.
Listen to it.
It gets deep down, it's seed,so it gets in there and it's not
going anywhere once it's beenplanted.
(09:11):
More than you think, but Ithink that is a lot of it.
It's that lack of knowledge,but there's ways that you can
help people to get to know theWord as well.
Speaker 1 (09:21):
Oh, I love that.
Okay.
So then what would you say tosomebody who's listening and
they're like yeah, that's me.
I feel like I'm struggling,like I can't.
I don't know the word as well,or I don't know it in context?
I hear that a ton because Iwent to school for apologetics
and theology and so I have heardfrom so many women that they're
like I don't understand context, I don't know how to.
(09:43):
They're cool, but not coolhanging out in cherry picking
land or something like that.
Speaker 2 (09:53):
No-transcript this is probably opposite of anything
that you've heard, because I'mlike you, I've been in Bible
college.
I'm currently in Bible collegestill.
But if you get to know theauthor personally, ask Holy
Spirit.
He brings revelation, knowledge, because he is the light, the
(10:13):
illuminator of all thingsrelated to that word.
Everything that you have needof the word says, has been
placed inside you.
You have been equipped.
That means that you have theability to look at the word and
understand it.
But see, that begins with youbelieving that.
(10:34):
I think if they don't believethat, if they don't think that
they can, then I promise youthey can't.
I have three beautifuldaughters.
I never allowed them to say outof their mouth I can't, because
that was a profession of theirfaith.
We think faith is faith in God,but faith is reliance upon now,
(10:55):
fill in the blank, upon now,fill in the blank.
So when you rely upon what thisword says and you count it as
full gospel truth for you, thenall of a sudden that I can do
all things through Christ, whostrengthens me.
That was the first scripture Itaught my girls and I wanted
them to know that because oncethat was ingrained in them when
they went to school and they satin the classroom and they're
(11:16):
taking a test and their nervesare trying to get the best of
them.
They can quote that scriptureand they know that they can
because he is with them and he'sa teacher, he's a counselor,
he's a trainer, because, holySpirit, that's what he is for us
.
So he's an illuminator of thatword and so he will teach you
and he will send you to theright places to get knowledge.
He'll send you to the rightbook.
(11:38):
He'll send you to the rightmentor, to the right coach,
because he's an illuminator ofyour path.
He's an illuminator and a lightto guide you.
Speaker 1 (11:48):
Okay, I love this conversation because and listen
I always feel bad every time Iask one of these like big C C
church question because I'm like, let me ask you your opinion on
this and I just, if you guysare listening, I never prepare
anybody for this.
I guess I was going to do whathe's going to do, but listening
to you, I know there's a ton ofpeople actually who won't follow
(12:12):
, like Joanna Gaines, becauseshe said she got the vision from
God to start her business, andthey're like God doesn't reveal
anything to anybody anymore,which the face that we both just
made.
But I hear it all the time.
It's part of the reason.
If you're a part of theapologetics community, I'm so
sorry and I love you, butthey're really judgmental on
(12:33):
that fact and it's why I'm not apart of it anymore, because it
was really stifling for mepersonally.
But they're like God can'treveal anything to you.
It's anti-biblical, all thosethings.
So what do you say to somebodywho says God can't tell me
anything anymore?
Speaker 2 (12:49):
I would say that you can't trump my personal
relationship with Jesus, becauseno one can tell me what deep
down I know personally, wheneveryou spend time in the secret
place with the Lord, wheneveryou follow the commandment of
Jesus, that said, when you go toyour secret place and you pray
(13:11):
and your Father, who hears insecret, will show openly.
That is vision, that iscompletely vision.
Holy Spirit is alive and wellinside of each and every
believer.
And when you develop thatrelationship with the Holy
Spirit because I speak a lotabout him, because it's taboo,
(13:33):
because everybody wants to callHoly Spirit something just, oh,
you know, and they want to put a, the and if you notice, I don't
say the that happened becauseit became personal.
When you know the Holy Spiritpersonally, the theology, the
pharisaical thoughts and theSadducee language have no place
(13:55):
in me, because I have personalrevelation, I have personal
relationship and you just can'tmove me with that.
You can't move me now.
Speaker 1 (14:07):
I love that.
Yes, that is 100% what I thinkit is.
It is this Pharisee spirit,right, it's super legalistic, it
is super.
It's a little it's stifling tome personally, and so I love
this conversation.
So I like, want to keep, I wantto keep us on track because
this is what I always do.
I'm like, oh, this God told meto ask you this big C church
(14:28):
question for women specificallywhen they're like I am
struggling with serving inministry or being in ministry,
do you feel like there'schallenges unique to women, as
opposed to say, like yourhusband serving in ministry?
Do you feel like there'schallenges unique to women, as
opposed to say, like yourhusband serving in ministry?
Speaker 2 (14:43):
And if so, like how do you deal with those?
I absolutely do.
I believe that it is definitelydifficult for women in ministry
.
I've experienced things that Icould and will write an entire
book about, not because I wantto expose anyone in their
behavior and their even slandertowards me.
It's not because of that.
(15:03):
It's from a differentperspective, because I have a
perspective of that.
I believe that God called me awoman, but I believe that he
called us all to go into theworld and preach the gospel.
I just happen to be in thisbeautiful women's suit.
This is my package.
We have a treasure in earthenvessel, and my earthen vessel is
(15:26):
painted differently than myhusband's, it's created
differently than my husband's,but the same treasure is within
us.
Human nature is to look on theoutside and to look at the word
through that perspective as well, and I do believe there's
challenges, but I also thinkthat we can't, as women, allow
(15:48):
those challenges to define us.
They can't be allowed in ourlife.
Notice I say allowed.
I can't make it possible.
That would hold me hostage andkeep me in a place.
The first challenge that I hadwith women in ministry wasn't
from someone on the outside.
It was me, because I had thechallenge.
(16:10):
I had these preconceived ideasfrom just teaching not context
out of the word, but peopleteaching a specific theology and
direction in the word that Ihad bought that I owned it now
and it became a part of my lineof thinking so that when God
started stirring me to ministryI was like I must not be hearing
(16:34):
from God at all.
This has got to be an outsideenemy, because I can't possibly
be called to preach or teachbecause I am a female.
So Marlena had to get over itbefore I had bothered with
anyone else having a problemwith me.
I've lost so many friends, but Igained refinement from the fire
.
I gained his viewpoint ofpeople out of a compassion.
(16:59):
I look at them because I thinkthey're missing the treasure
because they can't get past myvessel, and I become sorry
because they're missing otherpeople's, not just me, but they
will miss other things becausethey can't get past the vessel.
But I believe God created usuniquely on time for such a time
as this.
This is an Esther rise upmoment for a lot of women I'm
(17:22):
seeing and I'm just grateful tobe a part of it and I want to be
a voice of the positive and nota voice of women in ministry.
People are so mean to us.
I want to be compassionate andjust love them where they're at
and understand that I once wasthere too.
Speaker 1 (17:38):
Hmm, I love the same, okay, same.
So I, yeah, was I'm raisedChristian and then when I found
some version of the gospel, itwas super high, controlling.
Women had no place in it.
That was my mentality and I wasvery much, and this is how I
ended up.
In the apologetics world, toois I'm like, yes, women do not
(17:59):
belong in ministry at all andall of those things.
And now I'm like, oh no, wait aminute, we're missing out on
50% of what God has to offer,simply because, what you said,
we can't get past the vesselthat he's using to do it.
So again, here's like anotherbig C church question, because
the church is really split as awhole on women in ministry.
(18:22):
I know last year the SouthernBaptist Convention kicked some
churches out Elevation leftbecause they didn't say it was
specifically because HollyFurtick preaches, but the timing
was real weird.
Within a few days of them saying, hey, you can't have women in
any sort of leadership role atall in church, which is wild.
(18:43):
Like they stripped themcompletely of leadership roles
in the SBC, and no hate if youguys are a part of it at all.
Just so everybody's clear.
Who's listening?
No hate whatsoever.
It's just a decision thatthey've made.
That's the stance that they'retaking.
But then obviously there'sother churches who have gone
like way to a whole place Feelsvery like Corinthians women
(19:08):
running some churches that I'veseen too.
So, looking at the two andwe've already said we're like,
you're like my middle ground- toanother friend that we have.
But where do you see likewomen's ministry, like women in
ministry, going in the future?
Speaker 2 (19:24):
Do you have a thought on that.
What's really been somethingthat God has been sharing with
me and even my ministry team?
I have Marlena HollisMinistries and I have a
beautiful team and male andfemale on that team.
What's really been stirringwithin us is not specifically
down the lane of just women, butI believe Jesus is showing us
(19:46):
how that he was able to teach inthe synagogues.
Jesus is showing us how that hewas able to teach in the
synagogues.
He did what he did.
He met as they should on theSabbath and he joined with the
community in the office of.
I'm here.
Use me, if you will.
That's where I've been foryears.
I've been in that position.
I'm in the synagogue, I'm inthe church, I'm going in that
(20:10):
position Like I'm in thesynagogue, I'm in the church,
I'm going in, and if you want toutilize the gifts and talents,
then I'm available.
But I never wanted to be pushyand I've not pushed that.
I'm not going to stand up andbe like I'm a preacher, so I
need to have this position.
No, I'm a servant.
Give me the toilet brushscrubber.
But what we are seeing now isGod saying there are those who
(20:31):
have been serving and they'veheld the toilet brush scrubber,
they've washed the windows,they've diapered and did all of
these things with love and careand they've learned that it's
beautiful in any capacity toserve.
And now God is calling them tothe next part of Jesus's
ministry, which was without thefour walls of that church.
(20:53):
He ministered to the massesoutside of the synagogue.
He joined with the believers inthe synagogue and he went out
and you saw the masses that heministered to.
He looked at them with againthe compassion word is just on
my lips today.
He looked at them, saw theirsituations and he ministered to
(21:15):
them out of a heart ofcompassion, because he saw what
the Father was doing and he didthat.
That's what God is calling, Ithink, women into at this moment
.
That's where I'm at.
I love my church, I'm involvedwith the local church, but he's
called me to step out into thisform of ministry and just reach
(21:36):
those who would be reached there, versus them waiting for them
to come into the church ortrying to compel them to come
into the church.
We're compelling them to comeinto the kingdom.
Speaker 1 (21:48):
What a what a what a mic drop there.
I felt that too.
I felt that very strongly.
My husband's like very heavilyinvolved in serving in the local
church and it or whatever, andI'm usually like the doer, I'm
the server, like I want to be indoing the things.
But for the last year I'm likeI don't know that I like feel it
in the church building, like Iwant to be out of the church
(22:11):
building and so I volunteered toserve with him on the Sundays
that he serves or whatever.
So we have something to dotogether, but I'm like my heart
is outside the church building.
And not that there's anythingwrong with the church building.
I love our church, it'swonderful, but I don't want to
wait, like you said.
I don't want to wait, like yousaid.
I don't want to wait forsomebody to walk through the
door and like hope that I canmake a difference, like I want
(22:32):
to be out in the community.
So I love this.
Thank you for sharing this,because our ministry can be
anywhere that God plans us.
Your ministry can be anywherethat God has you.
So, for the women who arelistening, we're like I want to
work with you, I want to connectwith you how do they do all of
those kind of things?
Speaker 2 (22:51):
you.
I want to connect with you.
How do they do all of thosekind of things?
The easiest place is to go tothe website
MarlenaHollisMinistriescom.
There is a contact button therethat you can see the retreats
that we're hosting.
The most recent one is postedon there.
Also, I have a book on Amazon.
Get to know me a little bit.
If you want to know really justthe language that I speak and
(23:12):
the heart that I have for peopleand for the message of peace is
my book, that's mine.
It's a 14-day journey of peace.
It's really just a simple bookthat gets you started in knowing
how to claim that peace thatGod has given each and every one
of us.
Jesus left it his peace, and soI really love that message and
(23:32):
so if you want to grab, that'dbe a great place to start.
But yeah, connect with me onall my socials.
I love people so I'm realpersonal.
You reach out, I'm going toreach back.
That's probably the best placefor them to meet up with me.
Speaker 1 (23:45):
Oh my gosh, go connect with her.
Seriously, she is one of thesweetest people that I know, so
just go do that.
Thank you for being here, myfriend.
I super appreciate you beinghere.
Speaker 2 (23:57):
I'm enjoying our conversation on and off the mic
because I think that God justplaces us and aligns us with the
right people, and that's whatyou see him doing right now.
Even I think, as people arelistening to this, they're
noticing that their currentcrowd is changing.
Don't be sad about that.
Just embrace God's ability tomove you into the places that he
(24:20):
wants you to for this time andseason and this new purpose,
because that's really where Ithink we're finding ourselves oh
my gosh, she's full of justlike mic drops and wisdom all
the time.
Speaker 1 (24:30):
So please go connect with her and, like I said, just
thank you for being here, myfriend.
Speaker 2 (24:34):
Thank you for having me.
I look forward to meeting withsome of your audience, so I'd
love to come to their church ortheir event and get to share the
word of God with them.
Speaker 1 (24:44):
Yeah, guys, do it.
You would be so like privilegedto have her come and speak.
Go, connect with her and I willsee everybody next time.
Hey friend, what a joy it hasbeen to share today's journey
with you.
If you found a spark ofinspiration or a nugget of
wisdom that resonated, would youbless someone else by sharing
this episode with them?
(25:04):
It could be the encouragementthey need to step into their
purpose and calling.
Also, if you could spare amoment to leave a review, it
would mean the world to me.
I really appreciate yourfeedback and it really helps our
community grow.
Remember, the road todiscovering God's call for you
isn't one you have to walk alone.
So join me again next Mondayfor another episode where we'll
(25:29):
continue to explore the depthsof leadership and the heights of
our heavenly calling.
Until then, keep seeking, keepgrowing and keep trusting in his
plan.
No-transcript.
Hey, I'm Lemon.
I am just like you, sisterfriend.
Talk about stepping into thatoverflow that God has for us by
becoming those ultimate Proverbs31 women.
Hey, I'm Lemon.
I am just like you, sisterfriend.
I knew God had something morein store for me, but I couldn't
see a way out of the laundrypiles and, frankly, I resented
that Proverbs 31 woman.
How was I going to live up tothe hype?
(00:39):
That is until I found out howto really step into becoming
this Proverbs 31 woman throughleadership development.
In this podcast you're going tofind financial freedom,
leadership, growth andmotivation so you'll be able to
do all the things God has calledyou to do with ease and really
step into that land of milk andhoney.
Welcome back to the Milk andHoney podcast.
(01:00):
I am so excited because I havemy friend Marlena Hollis on here
.
She is a well-establishedleader in the Christian and
cosmetology industry, which isgreat, because every time I talk
to her I remember that I needto trim my split and dead ends.
She has been doing this forover 20 years.
She's been a public speaker, apreacher, she's a church planner
(01:21):
, she's a pastor, she's abusiness owner.
This is literally her jam.
She has been serving people inthe adult and teen challenge
advisory board.
She's been involved inaddiction recovery.
She serves in the state prisonLike literally there's nothing
that she doesn't do.
Then she has her podcast,marlena Teach Jesus, where she
(01:41):
shares the platform with otherleaders who are making a
difference in the kingdom of Godthrough ministry and
marketplace influence.
So thank you for being here, myfriend.
That was like such a shortversion of who you are, but
you're like, you're incredible.
Speaker 2 (01:55):
I have to say that everything that I do, it all
points to the one.
And yeah, you did actually do ashort list, but I think God
just gives us gifts and talentsand when we just we purpose them
for the kingdom, I think hejust says here, take more,
because that's isn't that theparable of the talents what you
have, you just give back to him.
(02:17):
So I'm grateful, I'm reallyblessed.
Thank you for having me.
Speaker 1 (02:20):
I just love you.
Oh my gosh, I just love you andI love that parable.
It's one of my favoriteparables, I think, of all time,
about this increase and, yeah,giving back to the Lord and
using the things he's given usto expand the kingdom.
So thank you.
That's literally one of myfavorite parables.
This is why we're friends.
(02:40):
We're meant to be, I think.
I think you're right about that.
Yes, okay, so I know I gave likea quick synopsis of your
background, but can you go alittle bit more into your story,
and was this always your?
Speaker 2 (02:55):
calling.
I started out just really withmy Christian journey.
I started out as an 18-year-oldthinking that I knew everything
, but absolutely that was justit.
I was thinking that I kneweverything.
I had a lot of I involved in mylife.
And so my husband and I we weredating.
We were thinking, man, we'vegot to get married and we were
(03:18):
living together.
We were not raised Christian,we didn't know this Christianese
language.
And God just said here we are,let's get you guys together and
get you in church.
And he made a way.
And through that way was mystepdad who came into our lives
and I just could not stand himinitially, but I couldn't help
(03:40):
but to listen to him.
He was so filled with love.
He just kept being sopersistent to invite us to
church and I gave him a reallyhard way to go.
I'm a redhead and with thatcomes a lot of spice and fire,
and so I introduced myself tohim.
Really well, when stepdad comein through being the redheaded
stepchild and he kept invitingus, I said yes, got curious.
(04:04):
My family kept all hitting thechurch and coming back saved,
and they were talking thisChristian language.
They were filled with this joyand it was something I lacked.
Truthfully, it was the joy andthe peace of God that I lacked,
that I kept seeing in them.
That drove me to say, let metry, let me try this out.
(04:25):
So my husband and I went.
We were not married at the timeand we just said yes to Jesus.
And when I went in I went allin.
I was not backing up, it was goforward.
And since then it's been just areally wild rollercoaster ride
of God's great goodness justworking out salvation within me
(04:45):
a ride of God's great goodness.
Speaker 1 (04:46):
It's just working out salvation within me.
I love this because God is sogood.
I love that he willstrategically place people in
your life to bring you to whereit is that you're supposed to go
.
And so how did you end up doingall of the ministry things that
you're doing now?
Was a prison ministry alwaysimportant to you?
Or human trafficking?
Were all these things alwaysimportant?
Or is it?
(05:08):
As I expanded my spiel set andgot to know the Lord more, he
expanded my passion.
Speaker 2 (05:15):
When I started out the Christian journey, I had so
much that needed to be worked at.
I just started focusing onJesus.
I just started getting in theWord, learning, growing.
I was hungry for more knowledgeof who he was.
I was hungry for just being inHis presence, and I developed
such a deep personal love andrelationship with Jesus that I
(05:39):
just kept saying, yes, I didn'thave this.
Oh, I love to get on thebandwagon and do this.
I wasn't that person.
I just began to fall in lovewith Jesus, and the more I fell
in love with him, the more hisheart was a part of my heart,
the more I was being conformedinto his image and into that
(06:01):
heart of compassion, and hestarted just stirring me for
things that I never would havebeen stirred about before at all
.
It wasn't like when I was a kidor a teenager.
I had these dreams of one daypreaching the gospel or going in
and speaking to prisoners.
None of these things were mypassion.
I had no ideas of it.
But whenever I surrendered and Isubmitted my life to Christ,
(06:24):
all of a sudden it was justexciting.
He would just say, hey, whatabout this opportunity, marlena?
And he gives us a choice and Ijust said yes.
I always tell people that Imentor and I coach.
I say, if you will say a quickyes, god loves a cheerful giver
and we think about it in termsof finances, but he loves a
(06:45):
cheerful giver of all the thingsthat he's given you to steward.
And the number one thing is a24 hour day, and when you say a
quick yes, that is a cheerfulgiver of your time.
And so I just did that and Ikept saying yes, even if I was
afraid and I would just do itafraid, not thinking do I have
the skill set?
I just knew that I had him.
Speaker 1 (07:08):
I love that, and there's a lot of directions.
I think a lot of times when Italk to women too, it's I don't
have this skill set, sotherefore I can't serve in this
capacity where there's no waythis could be my calling,
because I lack this.
There's a million reasons whythey feel like they can't do it,
and I think discernment is likea big part of this, and then
your relationship with theFather right Like, those things
(07:28):
are huge when it comes tofiguring out what your calling
is.
In ministry, when you'rementoring people, what are some
of the biggest challenges you'veseen women go through, or
misconceptions they've had abouttheir calling, or what a
calling even is.
What have you seen, my friend?
Speaker 2 (07:46):
their calling, or what a calling even is.
What have you seen, my friend?
One thing that's coming to mymind right now and I hear a lot
of and it's really been stirringin my heart to speak on is the
lack of knowing the word orunderstanding the word.
It becomes something thatbecomes a bondage to them and
they say, oh, I don't know theword enough, I can't quote it
(08:08):
where the book is and what verseit is.
I'm not going to be ever thepreacher, and I do believe this
is God's intention.
I always say I'm not great withnumbers, so to remember the
address, as you may call it, inthe Bible, to be able to say
okay, I want you to go to 2Timothy, chapter 1, verse 7.
(08:29):
That's because that's been mykey scripture for years, that I
can tell you what that one is.
But I don't know the entireBible, from front cover to the
back, like that, and I preacheverywhere and speak all
different places.
But it causes people to say Ican't because they think they
don't know.
But what they don't know isthat they know more than they
(08:51):
realize that they do.
If you've been in this a minuteand you have been listening to
the Word, you listen to worshipmusic, you've got a lifestyle
that is led by the Spirit andyou're staying fulfilled in the
Word.
Listen to it.
It gets deep down, it's seed,so it gets in there and it's not
going anywhere once it's beenplanted.
(09:11):
More than you think, but Ithink that is a lot of it.
It's that lack of knowledge,but there's ways that you can
help people to get to know theWord as well.
Speaker 1 (09:21):
Oh, I love that.
Okay.
So then what would you say tosomebody who's listening and
they're like yeah, that's me.
I feel like I'm struggling,like I can't.
I don't know the word as well,or I don't know it in context?
I hear that a ton because Iwent to school for apologetics
and theology and so I have heardfrom so many women that they're
like I don't understand context, I don't know how to.
(09:43):
They're cool, but not coolhanging out in cherry picking
land or something like that.
Speaker 2 (09:53):
No-transcript this is probably opposite of anything
that you've heard, because I'mlike you, I've been in Bible
college.
I'm currently in Bible collegestill.
But if you get to know theauthor personally, ask Holy
Spirit.
He brings revelation, knowledge, because he is the light, the
(10:13):
illuminator of all thingsrelated to that word.
Everything that you have needof the word says, has been
placed inside you.
You have been equipped.
That means that you have theability to look at the word and
understand it.
But see, that begins with youbelieving that.
(10:34):
I think if they don't believethat, if they don't think that
they can, then I promise youthey can't.
I have three beautifuldaughters.
I never allowed them to say outof their mouth I can't, because
that was a profession of theirfaith.
We think faith is faith in God,but faith is reliance upon now,
(10:55):
fill in the blank, upon now,fill in the blank.
So when you rely upon what thisword says and you count it as
full gospel truth for you, thenall of a sudden that I can do
all things through Christ, whostrengthens me.
That was the first scripture Itaught my girls and I wanted
them to know that because oncethat was ingrained in them when
they went to school and they satin the classroom and they're
(11:16):
taking a test and their nervesare trying to get the best of
them.
They can quote that scriptureand they know that they can
because he is with them and he'sa teacher, he's a counselor,
he's a trainer, because, holySpirit, that's what he is for us
.
So he's an illuminator of thatword and so he will teach you
and he will send you to theright places to get knowledge.
He'll send you to the rightbook.
(11:38):
He'll send you to the rightmentor, to the right coach,
because he's an illuminator ofyour path.
He's an illuminator and a lightto guide you.
Speaker 1 (11:48):
Okay, I love this conversation because and listen
I always feel bad every time Iask one of these like big C C
church question because I'm like, let me ask you your opinion on
this and I just, if you guysare listening, I never prepare
anybody for this.
I guess I was going to do whathe's going to do, but listening
to you, I know there's a ton ofpeople actually who won't follow
(12:12):
, like Joanna Gaines, becauseshe said she got the vision from
God to start her business, andthey're like God doesn't reveal
anything to anybody anymore,which the face that we both just
made.
But I hear it all the time.
It's part of the reason.
If you're a part of theapologetics community, I'm so
sorry and I love you, butthey're really judgmental on
(12:33):
that fact and it's why I'm not apart of it anymore, because it
was really stifling for mepersonally.
But they're like God can'treveal anything to you.
It's anti-biblical, all thosethings.
So what do you say to somebodywho says God can't tell me
anything anymore?
Speaker 2 (12:49):
I would say that you can't trump my personal
relationship with Jesus, becauseno one can tell me what deep
down I know personally, wheneveryou spend time in the secret
place with the Lord, wheneveryou follow the commandment of
Jesus, that said, when you go toyour secret place and you pray
(13:11):
and your Father, who hears insecret, will show openly.
That is vision, that iscompletely vision.
Holy Spirit is alive and wellinside of each and every
believer.
And when you develop thatrelationship with the Holy
Spirit because I speak a lotabout him, because it's taboo,
(13:33):
because everybody wants to callHoly Spirit something just, oh,
you know, and they want to put a, the and if you notice, I don't
say the that happened becauseit became personal.
When you know the Holy Spiritpersonally, the theology, the
pharisaical thoughts and theSadducee language have no place
(13:55):
in me, because I have personalrevelation, I have personal
relationship and you just can'tmove me with that.
You can't move me now.
Speaker 1 (14:07):
I love that.
Yes, that is 100% what I thinkit is.
It is this Pharisee spirit,right, it's super legalistic, it
is super.
It's a little it's stifling tome personally, and so I love
this conversation.
So I like, want to keep, I wantto keep us on track because
this is what I always do.
I'm like, oh, this God told meto ask you this big C church
(14:28):
question for women specificallywhen they're like I am
struggling with serving inministry or being in ministry,
do you feel like there'schallenges unique to women, as
opposed to say, like yourhusband serving in ministry?
Do you feel like there'schallenges unique to women, as
opposed to say, like yourhusband serving in ministry?
Speaker 2 (14:43):
And if so, like how do you deal with those?
I absolutely do.
I believe that it is definitelydifficult for women in ministry
.
I've experienced things that Icould and will write an entire
book about, not because I wantto expose anyone in their
behavior and their even slandertowards me.
It's not because of that.
(15:03):
It's from a differentperspective, because I have a
perspective of that.
I believe that God called me awoman, but I believe that he
called us all to go into theworld and preach the gospel.
I just happen to be in thisbeautiful women's suit.
This is my package.
We have a treasure in earthenvessel, and my earthen vessel is
(15:26):
painted differently than myhusband's, it's created
differently than my husband's,but the same treasure is within
us.
Human nature is to look on theoutside and to look at the word
through that perspective as well, and I do believe there's
challenges, but I also thinkthat we can't, as women, allow
(15:48):
those challenges to define us.
They can't be allowed in ourlife.
Notice I say allowed.
I can't make it possible.
That would hold me hostage andkeep me in a place.
The first challenge that I hadwith women in ministry wasn't
from someone on the outside.
It was me, because I had thechallenge.
(16:10):
I had these preconceived ideasfrom just teaching not context
out of the word, but peopleteaching a specific theology and
direction in the word that Ihad bought that I owned it now
and it became a part of my lineof thinking so that when God
started stirring me to ministryI was like I must not be hearing
(16:34):
from God at all.
This has got to be an outsideenemy, because I can't possibly
be called to preach or teachbecause I am a female.
So Marlena had to get over itbefore I had bothered with
anyone else having a problemwith me.
I've lost so many friends, but Igained refinement from the fire
.
I gained his viewpoint ofpeople out of a compassion.
(16:59):
I look at them because I thinkthey're missing the treasure
because they can't get past myvessel, and I become sorry
because they're missing otherpeople's, not just me, but they
will miss other things becausethey can't get past the vessel.
But I believe God created usuniquely on time for such a time
as this.
This is an Esther rise upmoment for a lot of women I'm
(17:22):
seeing and I'm just grateful tobe a part of it and I want to be
a voice of the positive and nota voice of women in ministry.
People are so mean to us.
I want to be compassionate andjust love them where they're at
and understand that I once wasthere too.
Speaker 1 (17:38):
Hmm, I love the same, okay, same.
So I, yeah, was I'm raisedChristian and then when I found
some version of the gospel, itwas super high, controlling.
Women had no place in it.
That was my mentality and I wasvery much, and this is how I
ended up.
In the apologetics world, toois I'm like, yes, women do not
(17:59):
belong in ministry at all andall of those things.
And now I'm like, oh no, wait aminute, we're missing out on
50% of what God has to offer,simply because, what you said,
we can't get past the vesselthat he's using to do it.
So again, here's like anotherbig C church question, because
the church is really split as awhole on women in ministry.
(18:22):
I know last year the SouthernBaptist Convention kicked some
churches out Elevation leftbecause they didn't say it was
specifically because HollyFurtick preaches, but the timing
was real weird.
Within a few days of them saying, hey, you can't have women in
any sort of leadership role atall in church, which is wild.
(18:43):
Like they stripped themcompletely of leadership roles
in the SBC, and no hate if youguys are a part of it at all.
Just so everybody's clear.
Who's listening?
No hate whatsoever.
It's just a decision thatthey've made.
That's the stance that they'retaking.
But then obviously there'sother churches who have gone
like way to a whole place Feelsvery like Corinthians women
(19:08):
running some churches that I'veseen too.
So, looking at the two andwe've already said we're like,
you're like my middle ground- toanother friend that we have.
But where do you see likewomen's ministry, like women in
ministry, going in the future?
Speaker 2 (19:24):
Do you have a thought on that.
What's really been somethingthat God has been sharing with
me and even my ministry team?
I have Marlena HollisMinistries and I have a
beautiful team and male andfemale on that team.
What's really been stirringwithin us is not specifically
down the lane of just women, butI believe Jesus is showing us
(19:46):
how that he was able to teach inthe synagogues.
Jesus is showing us how that hewas able to teach in the
synagogues.
He did what he did.
He met as they should on theSabbath and he joined with the
community in the office of.
I'm here.
Use me, if you will.
That's where I've been foryears.
I've been in that position.
I'm in the synagogue, I'm inthe church, I'm going in that
(20:10):
position Like I'm in thesynagogue, I'm in the church,
I'm going in, and if you want toutilize the gifts and talents,
then I'm available.
But I never wanted to be pushyand I've not pushed that.
I'm not going to stand up andbe like I'm a preacher, so I
need to have this position.
No, I'm a servant.
Give me the toilet brushscrubber.
But what we are seeing now isGod saying there are those who
(20:31):
have been serving and they'veheld the toilet brush scrubber,
they've washed the windows,they've diapered and did all of
these things with love and careand they've learned that it's
beautiful in any capacity toserve.
And now God is calling them tothe next part of Jesus's
ministry, which was without thefour walls of that church.
(20:53):
He ministered to the massesoutside of the synagogue.
He joined with the believers inthe synagogue and he went out
and you saw the masses that heministered to.
He looked at them with againthe compassion word is just on
my lips today.
He looked at them, saw theirsituations and he ministered to
(21:15):
them out of a heart ofcompassion, because he saw what
the Father was doing and he didthat.
That's what God is calling, Ithink, women into at this moment
.
That's where I'm at.
I love my church, I'm involvedwith the local church, but he's
called me to step out into thisform of ministry and just reach
(21:36):
those who would be reached there, versus them waiting for them
to come into the church ortrying to compel them to come
into the church.
We're compelling them to comeinto the kingdom.
Speaker 1 (21:48):
What a what a what a mic drop there.
I felt that too.
I felt that very strongly.
My husband's like very heavilyinvolved in serving in the local
church and it or whatever, andI'm usually like the doer, I'm
the server, like I want to be indoing the things.
But for the last year I'm likeI don't know that I like feel it
in the church building, like Iwant to be out of the church
(22:11):
building and so I volunteered toserve with him on the Sundays
that he serves or whatever.
So we have something to dotogether, but I'm like my heart
is outside the church building.
And not that there's anythingwrong with the church building.
I love our church, it'swonderful, but I don't want to
wait, like you said.
I don't want to wait, like yousaid.
I don't want to wait forsomebody to walk through the
door and like hope that I canmake a difference, like I want
(22:32):
to be out in the community.
So I love this.
Thank you for sharing this,because our ministry can be
anywhere that God plans us.
Your ministry can be anywherethat God has you.
So, for the women who arelistening, we're like I want to
work with you, I want to connectwith you how do they do all of
those kind of things?
Speaker 2 (22:51):
you.
I want to connect with you.
How do they do all of thosekind of things?
The easiest place is to go tothe website
MarlenaHollisMinistriescom.
There is a contact button therethat you can see the retreats
that we're hosting.
The most recent one is postedon there.
Also, I have a book on Amazon.
Get to know me a little bit.
If you want to know really justthe language that I speak and
(23:12):
the heart that I have for peopleand for the message of peace is
my book, that's mine.
It's a 14-day journey of peace.
It's really just a simple bookthat gets you started in knowing
how to claim that peace thatGod has given each and every one
of us.
Jesus left it his peace, and soI really love that message and
(23:32):
so if you want to grab, that'dbe a great place to start.
But yeah, connect with me onall my socials.
I love people so I'm realpersonal.
You reach out, I'm going toreach back.
That's probably the best placefor them to meet up with me.
Speaker 1 (23:45):
Oh my gosh, go connect with her.
Seriously, she is one of thesweetest people that I know, so
just go do that.
Thank you for being here, myfriend.
I super appreciate you beinghere.
Speaker 2 (23:57):
I'm enjoying our conversation on and off the mic
because I think that God justplaces us and aligns us with the
right people, and that's whatyou see him doing right now.
Even I think, as people arelistening to this, they're
noticing that their currentcrowd is changing.
Don't be sad about that.
Just embrace God's ability tomove you into the places that he
(24:20):
wants you to for this time andseason and this new purpose,
because that's really where Ithink we're finding ourselves oh
my gosh, she's full of justlike mic drops and wisdom all
the time.
Speaker 1 (24:30):
So please go connect with her and, like I said, just
thank you for being here, myfriend.
Speaker 2 (24:34):
Thank you for having me.
I look forward to meeting withsome of your audience, so I'd
love to come to their church ortheir event and get to share the
word of God with them.
Speaker 1 (24:44):
Yeah, guys, do it.
You would be so like privilegedto have her come and speak.
Go, connect with her and I willsee everybody next time.
Hey friend, what a joy it hasbeen to share today's journey
with you.
If you found a spark ofinspiration or a nugget of
wisdom that resonated, would youbless someone else by sharing
this episode with them?
(25:04):
It could be the encouragementthey need to step into their
purpose and calling.
Also, if you could spare amoment to leave a review, it
would mean the world to me.
I really appreciate yourfeedback and it really helps our
community grow.
Remember, the road todiscovering God's call for you
isn't one you have to walk alone.
So join me again next Mondayfor another episode where we'll
(25:29):
continue to explore the depthsof leadership and the heights of
our heavenly calling.
Until then, keep seeking, keepgrowing and keep trusting in his
plan.
No-transcript.
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