SeeKing Holy

Girls, I feel like I’m constantly working to press in to God. To feel His peace - to rest in Him - to draw joy from HIM. The battle is so hard and thankfully, the Lord is graciously and faithfully with us! He is with you my sisters, He is fighting for you! We only need to keep pressing into Him. So girl - you keep on keepin’ on!

But sometimes in my life I’ve mixed up joy with forcing myself to be happy.

Jesus said in John 16:33 to “be of good cheer, I have overcome the world”. The full verse says: “These things I have spoken unto you, that in me ye might have peace. In the world ye shall have tribulation: but be of good cheer; I have overcome the world.”

Be of good cheer! That’s not to “make yourself be happy” and it’s not to be careless and oblivious to your troubles. The verse says “In the world you may? No - ye shall have - tribulation. So the sooner we accept that, we can actually get prepared, amen?

So you hear that? No matter the pain, toiling, uncertainty, discontentment, fear, anxiety, anger, disappointment, emptiness ...any battle you’re going through, Jesus has already conquered it.

He has overcome the world.

Claim that. Hold fast to it and don’t let go, because those are HIS words.

True joy isn’t contingent on our circumstances or situation, but real joy is deep, abiding, and flowing from the Holy Spirit. 

Verses Sighted:

John 15:5-11
John 17
Psalm 32:1-2
Psalm 103:12
Isaiah 43:25
Romans 4:7-8
Hebrews 8:12, 10:17
Mark 8:38
John 16:33
Deuteronomy 28:46-48
Luke 7:36-44
Psalm 16:11
Hebrews 12:2
Philippians 4:4
1 Peter 1:8
1 Thessalonians 5:18
Philippians 3:3

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The Bible tells us God created the world, all in it and on it in 6 days; and what does the book of Genesis say He did on the 7th day? 

He rested.

Yet, God never gets tired nor does He slumber or sleep. So why did He rest? 

Isaiah 40:28 

Do you not know?
Have you not heard?
Yahweh is the everlasting God,
the Creator of the whole earth.
He never grows faint or weary;
there is no limit to His understanding.

Have you ever heard someone say, “Yeah I slept, but I never feel rested”. I have ladies express to me all the time, they are stretched thin, overworked, stressed to the point of mental exhaustion and physical symptoms. 

We have so many enemies of rest. One so-called enemy presents with what I call a “rushing” spirit, which is usually accompanied by revealing an obnoxious loudness. It says pressingly, “hurry hurry hurry, this HAS to be done NOW, NOW, NOW”.

Verses Sighted:
Isaiah 40:28
Exodus 33:14
Hebrews 4:9-10
Matthew 11:28-30
Matthew 7:14
Matthew 5:29-30
1 Timothy 6:6
Isaiah 40:12-15, 18, 22, 25, 29, 31

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Joy, peace, rest. What wonderful promises we have in the Lord.

There appears to be many women - people really, searching for either peace, or rest, or joy in their lives -and it’s no wonder: these are natural desires of the human experience and each one of these: peace, rest, & joy are promised to us in God’s word.

Let’s start right out of the gate:

We do not claim to know all the answers… but we DO CLAIM that we have unlimited access to all of the answers through the ONE Who has all the answers. And so do you!

This One, our Lord, who calls Himself, presents Himself, as the Prince of Peace. We're so eternally thankful He made a way for us to experience real peace in everyday life no matter what is happening. We can enjoy peace through His presence literally living on the inside of us.  

We experience peace believing the promises found in His word.  The only way to come to know and discover those are to open the bible and read about them and meditate on them.   

We also find great peace in the providence of God, knowing He is Creator, all things which occur, happen under God’s sovereignty, meaning He is working all things together for the good of those who love him and are called according to His purposes. These help me to maintain a calming peace within which I can operate.     

When you’re searching for peace, for rest, or looking to rediscover “joy” - how do you go about doing it? 

Perhaps you watch a little tv, to take your mind off of things, scroll through social media, or crank up your worship music… or maybe like me you break into your european chocolate stash. These are common ways we all seek - and I myself have sought to feel a little better. 

Yet in light of the current global situation; the pandemic creeping by our doorstep, loved ones bracing their essential work on the front lines, our cities shrouded in sickness and death, the political climate in uproar, job security, future uncertainty ...in just a matter of weeks our lives have flipped upside down and internally we wonder:

Where are we now? What is life now?

We may very well see things eventually return to normal, but will life ever be quite the same?

Verses Sighted:
John 14:27
Philippians 4:7
Colossians 3:15
Hebrews 4:12
John 14:6
Psalm 85:8
Colossians 1:20
Romans 5:1
Psalm 119:165
Isaiah 26:3
Luke 22:31-34, 54-62
Matthew 26:35
John 21:15
Revelation 12:11
Galatians 5:22

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This week we’re going to be digging into some favorite subjects! We love and want more peace, to enter His rest, and to grasp joy. We think that it’s only fair to prepare you that this may not be the average message on these subjects. 

In fact, ironically we found that this has been the most difficult series to write so far! Goodness! 

I mean - it’s about happy things, things we want! So why was it so much… work? Why was it so hard for each of us?

We think there’s a few things in play:

• Peace rest and joy is something that many women are chasing, and it’s easy that in pursuit of it - unbeknowingly, we bypass the actual way of acquiring it. In concern for women who are wondering “I strive to have peace, or enter His rest, or to have joy but it isn’t coming!” we’ve felt the need to identify, clarify, and caution women from going down this path.
• Defining what it is and what it is not to aid us and confirm for us that we are in fact, pursuing the right things.
• Solidifying our confidence in Him - SO THAT we are actually able to abide in peace, in rest and with joy - 2 of which are fruits of the Spirit, and therefore not just something we can have in our own strength - and we want to address this in these challenging times.
  
  So, in the next few episodes, we’ve decided after much discussion, a good approach would be to address each subject in 4 parts:
  
  1] What are these? 
  2] Is there a cost?
  3] What are they not?
  4] How do we receive and enjoy them?

In order to accomplish this, please realize that there will be highs and lows in each episode: there will be a sense of exhortation - we’ve been given so many promises of aid in God’s Word!

And - there will be some hard stuff. We talked this over a lot, as there were parts in reading and recording where one or both of us were like, “man- this is deep. Or Man, this is hitting hard.” and we had to keep going back in prayer - and if I may just lay it out… we had to determine if we ...we as ladies with a microphone, with a platform to voice on this podcast ...what is our style? What is our responsibility with how to handle what has been given to us? We must teach the word - and I’m just being transparent, it’s not easy. Ironically, this is feeling a bit heavy.

Ok, so we feel the need to address some ways peace, rest, and joy are being STOLEN from you - and dramatic as it sounds, it’s true… but if you’ll hang with us, we promise that while we get into some deep stuff - we won’t leave you there! 

There is no greater hope ever to be found in the heavens or on the earth than the hope we have in Jesus Christ.

Ok, are we ready? 

So before we get started on defining peace, rest, and joy. Let us all, all of us… ask ourselves:

How do we define them? What do we think peace is? I often hear the term peace partnered with “and quiet” and I quite like that and would likely gravitate to thinking of peace in that way… but that may not be the actual way peace is always given.

Or rest ...are you tired? Do you long to have some solitude? What does rest look like to you?

What about joy? What is joy? How close is it to happiness?

In these answers lie the hidden pursuits: what is it we’re searching for?

Verses Sighted

John 6:25-68
Luke 19
Psalm 23

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This week we’re going to be digging into some favorite subjects! We love and want more peace, to enter His rest, and to grasp joy. We think that it’s only fair to prepare you that this may not be the average message on these subjects. 

In fact, ironically we found that this has been the most difficult series to write so far! Goodness! 

I mean - it’s about happy things, things we want! So why was it so much… work? Why was it so hard for each of us?

We think there’s a few things in play:

• Peace rest and joy is something that many women are chasing, and it’s easy that in pursuit of it - unbeknowingly, we bypass the actual way of acquiring it. In concern for women who are wondering “I strive to have peace, or enter His rest, or to have joy but it isn’t coming!” we’ve felt the need to identify, clarify, and caution women from going down this path.
• Defining what it is and what it is not to aid us and confirm for us that we are in fact, pursuing the right things.
• Solidifying our confidence in Him - SO THAT we are actually able to abide in peace, in rest and with joy - 2 of which are fruits of the Spirit, and therefore not just something we can have in our own strength - and we want to address this in these challenging times.
  
  So, in the next few episodes, we’ve decided after much discussion, a good approach would be to address each subject in 4 parts:
  
  1] What are these? 
  2] Is there a cost?
  3] What are they not?
  4] How do we receive and enjoy them?

In order to accomplish this, please realize that there will be highs and lows in each episode: there will be a sense of exhortation - we’ve been given so many promises of aid in God’s Word!

And - there will be some hard stuff. We talked this over a lot, as there were parts in reading and recording where one or both of us were like, “man- this is deep. Or Man, this is hitting hard.” and we had to keep going back in prayer - and if I may just lay it out… we had to determine if we ...we as ladies with a microphone, with a platform to voice on this podcast ...what is our style? What is our responsibility with how to handle what has been given to us? We must teach the word - and I’m just being transparent, it’s not easy. Ironically, this is feeling a bit heavy.

Ok, so we feel the need to address some ways peace, rest, and joy are being STOLEN from you - and dramatic as it sounds, it’s true… but if you’ll hang with us, we promise that while we get into some deep stuff - we won’t leave you there! 

There is no greater hope ever to be found in the heavens or on the earth than the hope we have in Jesus Christ.

Ok, are we ready? 

So before we get started on defining peace, rest, and joy. Let us all, all of us… ask ourselves:

How do we define them? What do we think peace is? I often hear the term peace partnered with “and quiet” and I quite like that and would likely gravitate to thinking of peace in that way… but that may not be the actual way peace is always given.

Or rest ...are you tired? Do you long to have some solitude? What does rest look like to you?

What about joy? What is joy? How close is it to happiness?

In these answers lie the hidden pursuits: what is it we’re searching for?

Links sighted:

• Barbara's book: Rescued, Ransomed, Restored: From Damaged to Delivered - www.abbaloves.us
• NPL No Place Left Discipleship resources at www.noplaceleft.net

Bible Verses sighted:

3a.
John 6:25-68
Luke 19
Psalm 233b.
John 14:27
Philippians 4:7
Colossians 3:15
Hebrews 4:12
John 14:6
Psalm 85:8
Colossians 1:20
Romans 5:1
Psalm 119:165
Isaiah 26:

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This week we’re very excited as we have a special treat! Barbara has shared her amazing story this week and has touched on some interesting subjects, including self- identity, significance, and redemption; and after all of this we thought it may be both fun and useful to do a Q & A.

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There has been a lot of talk, especially in the past couple, few years of not replacing, sharing our testimonies with sharing the gospel.  So, I would like to be very very clear, it’s not the sharing of our testimony which is God’s power for salvation, but it is the sharing, communication, proclamation of the gospel that God has ordained as the vehicle by which the Holy Spirit uses to draw, convict, convince, and ultimately convert people unto salvation.  It may seem a bit elementary, but our nation and denominations as a whole, seem to have drifted far from sharing a clear gospel as the main priority and ultimate power by which we are saved. 

 If you hear me (Barbara) say nothing else on this episode, or the entirety of this podcast for that matter, please hear me when I say this:

There is no word or truth, no story or testimony, more important, of greater value, or which is more anointed, powerful, containing  life-changing potential than the gospel of Jesus Christ. 

Verses Sighted:

Romans 1:16
Matthew 16:24-25
Isaiah 53:4, 6, 8,10-11, 12
Romans 1:18, 2:5-8
Colossians 3:6
2 Thessalonians 1:6-9
Romans 3:23
Colossians 2:13
Ephesians 5:8
John 3:18-19, 36
Titus 3:5
Hebrews 9:22 
2 Corinthians 5:21
Romans 4:25, 5:16-18
1 Thessalonians 4:3
Luke 12:4-5 

Themes and some brief phrases taken from “The Gospel’s Power & Message” by Paul Washer 

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I put out one of my FEEDBACK posts on Facebook asking those who have heard me share my story or read my book, if there was a question(s) someone may’ve wondered about or wanted to ask, or maybe a subject which rose to the surface which I could elaborate on for a minisode.  

One response I received was referencing and pertaining to a very, very painful season in my life.  The height of it, lasted a couple years, and has had long-lasting repercussions. In fact, it was another one of those ‘life never really was the same after” situations.

One of the questions was, during this extremely painful period, how did I cope?  

Suggestions were offered such as “was it an influx of godly friends, did you hide yourself in the word?  How did you deal? Why did the despair not lead back into any type of self harm, drugs, or alcohol abuse?

..." I would get to the end of a one-mile corner, be overtaken by grief and anger, stop and scream at the top of my lungs, “WHY GOD, WHY?”

I also stayed in and would literally cry over and read aloud the Word of God.  I spent most of my time in the Psalms and developed an appreciation and understanding for the life of Job.  I stenciled and painted Job 19:25 on the huge propane tank outside the window.  So even as I looked out it served as a bold, black lettered statement of faith and reminder in the midst of fear and despair

JOB 19:25 I KNOW MY REDEEMER LIVES 

The entire verse reads “I know my Redeemer lives, and that in the end He will stand on the earth.” 

Another from the book of Job I found hopeful was:

Job 23:10 But He knows the way that I take; when he has tested me, I will come forth as gold.

If there were any idols in my life when this happened, there were none left after.  My girls, my babies were the hardest ones and last to go. Besides, children make poor idols.  When He tells us he is a jealous God, and to have no other idols before Him; He is sternly and staunchly serious.  When he says we are His, bought at a high price, we are sealed.  He fiercely protects us, defends us, and yes, dear daughter of God, disciplines, prunes, and proves us to be faithful and brings us forth as gold. He doesn’t put up with predators, wolves, and accusers forever.  He moves, sifts, and works all things together for the good for those who love Him and are called according to His purposes. 

Allow this to sober us and cause us to diligently keep our eyes on, focus in, and seek His face.

 But none of these can shake my foundation and compromise my stability in Christ. can be taken away or they turn away.  

See nothing else is worth my life, my devotion, my worship, my all. He remained and I remained in Him.  

On Christ the solid rock I stand, all other ground is sinking sand. 

Get Barbara's book, RESCUED, RANSOMED, RESTORED: From Damaged to Delivered here.

Verses sighted:

Mark 10:45
Psalms 103:12 
1 John 4:4
John 8:32
Ephesians 3:20
Romans 5:8
2 Corinthians 5:17-21
Ephesians 1:4, 13-14 
Galatians 2:20 

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Mark 10:45 For even the Son of man did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give Is life as a RANSOM for many. 

Somehow by the grace of God I was sentenced to 10 years suspended sentence and to a drug rehab which presented a problem right away because I had tried and failed so many times. Despite the past failures, I took my youngest daughter at the time and checked myself in a women and children’s treatment center.

This is where seeds continued to be planted in my life. There were two pastors…

Psalm 103:12

As far as the east is from the west, so far has He removed our transgressions from us.

That’s good news for a person like me.

In order to complete the steps…

✔️I asked the Lord for 3 things which were the deepest desires of my heart and I saw as the greatest needs of my life.

✔️I asked to deliver me from drugs and alcohol. I didn’t want to want them anymore and I knew only He could do that. 

✔️I asked Him to let me know the truth about my adoption. I didn’t believe I could really be free unless I knew the truth about where I came from, what happened to me, and who I really am.

✔️Finally, I asked the Lord to give me a family which could love each other and serve Him together. 

I left it at that. There was a little lady who worked there by the name of Patsy. she would tell me “Barbara, He that is in you is greater than He that is in the world” I realized later she was speaking God's word to me:

1 John 4:4 

You are from God, little children, and you have conquered them, because the One who is in you is greater than the one who is in the world.

Other Verses Sighted>
Romans 10:9-10

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Since my salvation in a jail cell twenty 22 years ago, God has instilled within me an insatiable desire to share with and offer others what has been freely given to me.  I want ladies to know there is a way out; but only one way out.  We live in a culture and world that is constantly telling us there are many ways to God and to happiness and contentment. 

There was a time in my life when I didn’t sense my life had any worth. I certainly couldn’t see any value in it. I didn’t feel I had any significance. In fact, I didn’t feel life had any meaning at all other than general misery; then you die. I was suicidal mostly from my preteen years to 24 y/o, which is the age of my salvation

These deeply felt beliefs really influenced me to make a lot of detrimental decisions.  This general pervading sense of self abasement, I believe, came from most of my early life feeling abandoned, rejected, and unloved. 

What I found to be true is: 

John 14:6 Jesus answered, I am the way the truth and the life.  No one comes to the Father except through me. 

I didn’t find the one way, I learned He found me.  I assure you I did not wake up one day in a jail cell having almost lost my own life including everything worth anything to me and decide to follow Christ. 

He pursued me.  He called me.  Through the Holy Spirit, He came for me.  He found me.  

There are women who will listen to this and who God is right now pursuing and calling to salvation.  I encourage you, if you’re listening, to respond to Him with humility, repentance, willingness to surrender to Him in prayer.  Believe Him, receive Him, and desire to follow Him. 

Verses Sighted>

Romans 3:23

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