Can I tell you a story?

Introducing "Holy Labor: The Real Work of Faith, Trauma, and Healing in Motherhood"

When I was little I fell in love with stories. I still vividly remember what the little fabric house filled with books looked like in my kindergarten class because that was where I always was. I told stories, I read stories, and as soon as I could hold a pen I wrote stories too. For people in my industry, this is a typical story—the love for words tends to enchant us book people from a young age and we never lose the magic.

I grew up with the belief that stories change the world.

I decided to get a creative writing degree despite more “practical” options. The belief that stories change the world led me to believe that learning how to tell stories was important. I’ve spent most of my twenties dedicated to storytelling. I’ve worked in almost every part of the storytelling process as an editor, writer, ghostwriter, and marketer.

This brings us to the story of today.

If you’ve been around my newsletter for the past year, you know I’ve been a mom for one year (this week!)

I’d like to tell you motherhood came naturally to me. I’d love the story to be that I stepped into motherhood in a magical “Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants” kind of way and it just fit. But that’s not my story.

My story feels much messier. The highs are high and the lows are low and after trauma in pregnancy, birth and postpartum the story is full of heartbreak, betrayal, and abandonment but also hope, healing, and joy like I never could have imagined.

Let’s be honest—those stories are better to tell but harder to live.

I shared some details of the epic highs and lows to a friend in my industry and she said, of course God would give this story to a writer.

(Insert massive audible sigh here.)

This is the story. This is the story I have to tell.

It’s not just my story. My story is a tiny representation of women all over the world who dare to dream of bringing life into it through motherhood and whose stories are often forgotten despite the hard-fought battles they’ve faced.

In the aftermath of my birth trauma I’ve often seen quotes about how everyone wants to hold the baby but no one is holding the mom. I like the sentiment but I’d take it one step further. I don’t just need to be held and cuddled and told I’m still beautiful and smart and funny after everything I’ve been through. (I am. Hair flip.)

I need someone to listen. I long for someone to look me in the eyes and to hear the story. Start to finish. No judgement. No advice. No quick fixes or spiritual bypassing. I long to be witnessed. (Last week’s post is all about witnessing another’s pain.)

And I’ll be honest, parts of it will probably make you pretty uncomfortable. Parts of it make me massively uncomfortable and I’ve lived it. It makes me uncomfortable to sit and make space for stories that I wish weren’t true but I don’t know any other way to honor the women who have been there and to care for the women who might go there next than to create a space for these stories to be held.

So, I want to ask you a question: Can I tell you a story?

Coming next week my brand new podcast…

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Holy Labor: The Work of Faith, Trauma, and Healing in Motherhood is a podcast offering hope and healing for Christian moms who feel alone in their journey through pregnancy, birth, or postpartum trauma. Hosted by author, wife, and new mom Molly Wilcox, this podcast creates a safe space for women whose stories don’t fit the current Christian narrative around motherhood.

Each episode dives deep into the complexities of faith, trauma, and redemption with real stories and expert insights. Featuring conversations with a Christian OBGYN, therapists, authors, and fellow trauma survivors, "Holy Labor" explores the heartache and joy of motherhood while affirming that God’s love is unwavering—even when the journey isn’t what we expected.

If you’ve felt judged, isolated, or misunderstood because your story doesn’t match the picture-perfect version of motherhood, this podcast is for you. Join Molly as she breaks the silence and stigma, reminding you that healing and hope are always possible.

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P.S. If it’s not for you, no worries! You can stay subscribed to Threshold without having any involvement with the podcast. I wanted to share this update with my newsletter for those who connect with the content but I will be hosting the podcast separate from this newsletter.

If it’s for you or someone you know a link to subscribe to a separate list for podcast notifications will be coming next week, stay tuned. (: