The Women's Cast is the podcast of the Women's Ministry at The Austin Stone. This year, we're focusing on the theme of holiness. This episode, featuring the entire Women's Ministry staff team, is the first in a short series exploring different facets of our understanding and pursuit of holiness.

A life united with Jesus is a life in pursuit of holiness. At first, this may not sound like good news - to be set apart and morally pure. Indeed, our culture and, likely, our flesh warn us against such restrictions. We've all experienced the rebellion-producing effects of the law, even if only in our hearts. We are tempted to believe that we are our best and most authentic selves when we define our path and when we bestow our own identity. But we are fickle - transient in our affections, wavering in our convictions - and the weight of creating our happiness is crushing. So what if the call to a holy life offered freedom, peace, beauty, wholeness, and joy? What if we are most ourselves when we shed the shackles of sin and orient everything we have towards looking and loving like Jesus, who looked and loved like His Father? Because a holy God has created us, saved by a sinless Savior, and invited into safety, fellowship, and purpose - when our flesh dies, we live. May we be women who trust Him to be Himself, who run out of darkness into His light, and who beckon others to follow with our lives.

We hope you'll join us for future episodes exploring various aspects of our understanding and pursuit of holiness!

‍Episode Transcript

The Women's Cast is the podcast of the Women’s Ministry at The Austin Stone. This year, we’re focusing on the theme of joy.

In this episode, our host Alison Mezger (Central Women's Ministry Director) chats with Barbara Sleet of our West Congregation. Barbara was diagnosed with terminal cancer and was in hospice care at the time of recording and publishing. Barbara is a hope-filled example of what pursuing Jesus and joy can look like, even—and perhaps, especially—when death is near.

Episode Transcript

Welcome back to The Women’s Cast! That’s short for podcast, forecast, our cast of characters, and all the casts in between. This year, our Women’s Ministry at The Austin Stone is focusing on JOY.

In this episode, our entire Women’s Staff Team (all seven of us!) sit down to reflect on our most recent Women’s Retreat, Presence of Joy, which took place at the beginning of March. In Psalm 107:2, the psalmist says, “Let the redeemed of the Lord say so,” and that’s exactly what we do in this episode.

God was so faithful to move at Women’s Retreat this year! And whether or not you attended the retreat, we hope this episode is an encouragement to you—that God is always faithfully moving on behalf of His kids. Enjoy!

Episode Transcript