SeeKing Holy

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 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. 

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In this episode, we’ll be digging into God’s sufficiency - His ability to satisfy ALL needs, and how we can grasp it, believe it, and use that to advance forward for the Kingdom of God.

How possible is it to believe? Do you believe the word of God is real? Is it true? Is it applicable for our lives in every circumstance? In the Greek, the term believe is Pisteuo (pist-yoo'-o) and means to believe with such a depth of conviction and trust that if the whole idea was to cost you your life - or if everything in it was to crumble, you hold on and you go down with it.

We are created to worship, follow, live for, and be devoted to something.

We suspect that many are hungry to feel that way about something - and here we’re going to look at how scripture in and of itself is infallible and sufficient for ALL circumstances.

Verses Sighted:

John 8:31-32
Matthew 4:3-5
2 Corinthians 10:4 (3-5)

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It appears that often one of the things that gets us jumbled up in hectic schedules is divvying out priorities.

In our culture in the US, there seems to be a sense of dedicating a section of our lives to God and then having another section that lives somewhat removed from Him, you know - in the day to day stuff.

Arranging priorities can be hard, painful, even tiring lesson to learn. To pray, wait, rest in the Lord, and trust He will lead.

My mind turns to the story of Mary and Martha...who chose the better thing? Mary spending thing with and worshiping the Lord at his feet over being busy and blaming everyone else for not being busy too.

Verses sighted:

Proverbs 16:9
John 6
John 12:24
Galatians 2:19-20

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It seems that so many of us are searching for ways to serve God, and in this quest to be busy about Him, we risk busying ourselves so much that we actually dilute our effectiveness to penetrate the culture.

When Jesus was asked in Matthew chapter 22
“Master, which is the great commandment in the law?” Jesus said unto him, Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind.
Then He goes on to state that “This is the first and greatest commandment.”
Why would He say that?

We all wrestle with doing this with the GOD of the universe Who as spoken in Romans 5:8 that He …”commendeth his love toward us, in that, while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us.”

And it's so easy to focus on what we can do for God and we get so busy about what we can do for him that we forget the very first commandment that Jesus himself gave us to love him and to love him with everything that we are. and I think it's good for us to ask ourselves what is that look like? How do I apply it?

How do I seek him everyday all day and instead of him being an integral part of my life he be the center of my life?

When love for our God overflows in our heart and life, it's not so much “I can never DO enough as it is, I can never GET enough of Him.”  It's being completely at rest and satisfied in Him; yet, seeking Him more and more.   

Verses sighted:

Matthew 22: 37-38
Romans 5:8
Exodus 20:2-3
1 John 2:15-17
Matthew 6:24
Psalm 34:15

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In order to seek holiness, we first explore the character of God and in that process we begin to love Him because He first loved us.

We’ve titled this episode: “Seeking Holiness Through the Hectic” which is such an accurate fit, as these days women of all ages and circumstances are executing task after task - small and great - amongst a sea of busyness.

Life, at times, can become so overwhelmingly jam-packed with activities and responsibilities. So much so that enjoying God’s presence, time in His word, and in prayer can end up playing second base, the supporting role, or they’re placed on the back burner. 

Today we’re going to discuss the character of God - one attribute in particular, why we would want to meet with Him and how we get to a place where we desire to know Him...where we’re not having to force it.

Therefore ladies, by the end of this episode we’re hopeful that you’ll be encouraged and compelled to pursue the Lord in ways that are real and applicable to you.

Each one of us have work to do in God’s Kingdom. WILL our work in the Lord flow from a forced and spiritually-famished framework or from a rested and real relationship with God? 

Verses sighted in this episode:

1 Timothy 4:8
Hebrews 12:14
1 Peter 1:16
Ephesians 1:4
Hebrews 10:10
Leviticus 11:44-45
Leviticus 20:7
Leviticus 20:26
Ephesians 5:1
1 Peter 2:9

Lyrics to Keith Green's "Until That Final Day"

My flesh is tired of seeking God
But on my knees I'll stay
I want to be a pleasing child
Until that final day

My mind is full of many thoughts
That clutter and confuse
But standing firm, I will prevail
In faith that I'll be used

Amen! I'm asking once again
Won't you help me my friend, Lord Jesus
Holy Lord Spirit, set us free
From chains we cannot see
Come release us

I wrestle not with flesh and blood
My fight is with the one
Who lost the keys of hell and death
To God's most precious son

One sleepless night of anguished prayer
I triumphed over sin
One battle in the Holy war
God's promised me to win 

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Why we chose the subject of pursuing holiness, how SeeKing Holy came about, and what you can expect from this podcast.

Hello, daughters of the Most High - welcome to episode 1 of the Seeking Holy podcast! I’m one of your hosts, Jessica Eturralde; and joining me is my co-host for Seeking Holy, Barbara Saunders Livingston, Author of Rescued, Ransomed, Restored.

With all going on in the world right now, we could not have planned the timing of this, but God sure does know what He’s doing.

We believe that it’s God’s plan for many women to be so much more for the Kingdom of Christ. You know, daily we struggle to swim upstream in a strong current of busyness, oppression, comparasinism etc.

So we're burdened for women’s desires to seek and know Him. I’m burdened for the wavering of fundamental basics of the Gospel that makes us spiritually anemic in our culture. I’m burdened for the rerouting into the hamster wheel of busyness for God when it overlooks or excludes a daily discipline of reading God’s word and communing with Him in prayer.

In light of laying out the mission and vision of Seeking Holy, we have discussed this at great length and agree that we desire to see every woman that tunes in, to strengthen their faith and their relationship with God; and consequently, to reap the benefits of knowing their identity in Christ and walking in it. That we no longer are enslaved to anxiety and the cares of this world - especially in these turbulent times -  but conquer each day through Christ Who is our only source of strength, and IS sufficient for ALL.

In this episode we discuss the vision and mission of this podcast, as we speak on the unexpected challenges along the way; and the anchored hope we have in Christ.

>>>>>>>[TAKEAWAYS]<<<<<<<

*There are 2 lengths to enjoy our podast: 

1. The long version (2 whopping hours!) every Monday at 8am EST. This is listed as the "Master Episode"
2. The short version -The whopping version chopped up and served Monday-Friday at 8am EST into 20-35 minute increments. These are listed as "MiniSodes"
   
   Verses sighted for study:
   
   Psalm 37:4-5
   Philippians 1:6
   Philippians 3:7-8
   Philippians 3:10
   Philippians 3:12
   
   
   
   

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Hello, daughters of the Most High - welcome to episode 1 of the Seeking Holy podcast! I’m one of your hosts, Jessica Eturralde; and joining me is my co-host for Seeking Holy, Barbara Saunders Livingston, Author of Rescued, Ransomed, Restored.

With all going on in the world right now, we could not have planned the timing of this, but God sure does know what He’s doing.

We believe that it’s God’s plan for many women to be so much more for the Kingdom of Christ. You know, daily we struggle to swim upstream in a strong current of busyness, oppression, comparasinism etc.

So we're burdened for women’s desires to seek and know Him. I’m burdened for the wavering of fundamental basics of the Gospel that makes us spiritually anemic in our culture. I’m burdened for the rerouting into the hamster wheel of busyness for God when it overlooks or excludes a daily discipline of reading God’s word and communing with Him in prayer.

In light of laying out the mission and vision of Seeking Holy, we have discussed this at great length and agree that we desire to see every woman that tunes in, to strengthen their faith and their relationship with God; and consequently, to reap the benefits of knowing their identity in Christ and walking in it. That we no longer are enslaved to anxiety and the cares of this world - especially in these turbulent times -  but conquer each day through Christ Who is our only source of strength, and IS sufficient for ALL.

In this episode we discuss the vision and mission of this podcast, as we speak on the unexpected challenges along the way; and the anchored hope we have in Christ.

>>>>>>>[TAKEAWAYS]<<<<<<<<

• There are 2 lengths to enjoy our podast: 

1. The long version (2 whopping hours!) every Monday at 8am EST. These are listed as the "Master Episodes"
2. The short version -The whopping version chopped up and served Monday-Friday at 8am EST into 20-35 minute increments. These are listed as "MiniSodes"
   
   

Verses sighted for study:

Support the show

Join us for SeeKing Holy, a podcast created for women pursuing Christ by Jess Eturralde and Barbara Saunders Livingston, Author of Rescued, Ransomed, Restored: From Damaged to Delivered.

We believe that it’s God’s plan for women to be so much more for the Kingdom of Christ.

Many of us all want to be godly women - I mean isn’t that what we want?

• We want to have a lot of faith. 
• We want to be bold and courageous. 
• We want to be strong women of God and experience significance in our lives,

 -but somehow it’s elusive. Perpetually over and over we grasp it for a moment, but then it’s soon gone. 

What is the core driver of this show?

Jessica | God’s word is sufficient. God’s grace is sufficient. The discipline of prayer is a privilege, not a burden. Seek Him 1st for ALL things. I want to hammer this concept again and again.

Barbara | Love of truth. Grace. Sufficiency of our Savior. Salvation only He can provide. Security and stability in Christ. He is Supremely satisfying above all else. Actions, words, deeds, flow from a heart of love and thankfulness not competition, comparing, or contest.  

What is your mission?

Jessica | Getting women to open the word for themselves. To return them to their knees - and then for them to reap the blessings found in experiencing an abiding relationship with God through the busy, the highs and lows, and the adversities in life with an appreciation for His Son. To aid them in looking beyond the challenges and throws of life to focus beyond - on what is eternal (2 Corinthians 4:18)

Barbara | To offer, hold out, highlight, honor, point to, put on display, make much of Jesus and his word as being the answer to all of life, our only hope, the sole source of sanity, sobriety, security, and stability. And to do so in such a way, acknowledging the Holy Spirit as our ultimate communicator and interpreter, listeners hearts and minds will be touched and transformed to action and willing deference and obedience to the word and will of God. 

How do you want others to perceive and talk about this show?

Jessica | I want women to listen and feel as if we are close friends. I want them to laugh, cry, and be challenged by what they hear to seek God in prayer and His word. I hope they are always encouraged to pick themselves up off the battlefield of life, strap up their boots and advance forward; grasping the Sword of the Spirit, clothed in the Armor of God, realising each piece is a gift and not conjured up in their own strength.

I’m hopeful that through our messages they will be inspired to grow in their faith. Lastly, considering there will be lots of heavy subject matter and content - I would still like for women to look forward to listening in a having some light-hearted moments as well.

Barbara | It would be mission accomplished, for me, if listeners could possibly walk away contemplating within themselves and communicating to others how awe-inspiring, amazing, breath-taking, mind-blowing, magnificently merciful, gargantuanly grace-filled, holy holy holy, longing to rescue, ransom, restore His children, God our father and Jesus our Savior really are! Even If 1 precious woman began to focus in on the genius and grace of Gods plan through the cross and consider just how beautiful He is….I assure you, if this is the image and portrait painted and portrayed….all the other will be pursued passionately by those perceiving. 

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