Living the Grace Life

It's the final week of our summer series, Embracing Grace: A Summer in the Psalms. I'll be reading Psalm 16, first from the New Living Translation, then from The Message Paraphrase, and lastly, from the English Standard Version.

👉 Don’t forget to subscribe and follow so you don’t miss a single episode in the series—and grab your FREE Living the Grace Life: One Prayer at a Time to reflect deeper all summer long! 

“ The book of Psalms is that place of refuge where whatever we bring to the table is welcome there."

"God isn't put off by us. He's not threatened by what life churns up in us, or the response that often comes out of our mouth."

"The Psalms give voice to all of it."

🎧Let's journey together through the Psalms and embrace the grace that carries us, no matter what season we're in!

Grace Notes Newsletter, which includes thoughts and questions for personal reflection on Psalm 16

Ep. 47 Embracing Grace: A Summer in the Psalms | Psalm 46

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It's the fourth week of our summer series, Embracing Grace: A Summer in the Psalms. I'll be reading Psalm 46, first from the Revised Standard Version, then from the Contemporary English Version, and lastly, from The Message.

👉 Don’t forget to subscribe and follow so you don’t miss a single episode in the series—and grab your FREE Living the Grace Life: One Prayer at a Time to reflect deeper all summer long! 

“ The book of Psalms is that place of refuge where whatever we bring to the table is welcome there."

"God isn't put off by us. He's not threatened by what life churns up in us, or the response that often comes out of our mouth."

"The Psalms give voice to all of it."

🎧Let's journey together through the Psalms and embrace the grace that carries us, no matter what season we're in!

Grace Notes Newsletter, which includes thoughts and questions for personal reflection on Psalm 46

Ep. 46 Embracing Grace: A Summer in the Psalms | Psalm 27

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It's the third week of our summer series, Embracing Grace: A Summer in the Psalms. I'll be reading Psalm 27, first from the English Standard Version, then from the Contemporary English Version, and lastly, from the New Living Translation.

👉 Don’t forget to subscribe and follow so you don’t miss a single episode in the series—and grab your FREE Living the Grace Life: One Prayer at a Time to reflect deeper all summer long! 

“ The book of Psalms is that place of refuge where whatever we bring to the table is welcome there."

"God isn't put off by us. He's not threatened by what life churns up in us, or the response that often comes out of our mouth."

"The Psalms give voice to all of it."

🎧Let's journey together through the Psalms and embrace the grace that carries us, no matter what season we're in!

Grace Notes Newsletter, which includes thoughts and questions for personal reflection on Psalm 27

Ep. 45 Embracing Grace: A Summer in the Psalms | Psalm 91

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It's the second week of our summer series, Embracing Grace: A Summer in the Psalms. I'll be reading Psalm 91, first from The Message Paraphrase, then from the English Standard Version, and lastly, from Psalms Now.

👉 Don’t forget to subscribe and follow so you don’t miss a single episode in the series—and grab your FREE Living the Grace Life: One Prayer at a Time to reflect deeper all summer long! 

“ The book of Psalms is that place of refuge where whatever we bring to the table is welcome there."

"God isn't put off by us. He's not threatened by what life churns up in us, or the response that often comes out of our mouth."

"The Psalms give voice to all of it."

🎧Let's journey together through the Psalms and embrace the grace that carries us, no matter what season we're in!

Ep. 44 Embracing Grace: A Summer in the Psalms

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It's the first week of our summer series, Embracing Grace: A Summer in the Psalms. I'll be reading Psalm 131, first from the English Standard Version, then from The Message Paraphrase, followed by the New Living Translation, and finally, from the Contemporary English Version.

👉 Don’t forget to subscribe and follow so you don’t miss a single episode in the series—and grab your FREE Living the Grace Life: One Prayer at a Time to reflect deeper all summer long! 

“ The book of Psalms is that place of refuge where whatever we bring to the table is welcome there."

"God isn't put off by us. He's not threatened by what life churns up in us, or the response that often comes out of our mouth."

"The Psalms give voice to all of it."

🎧Let's journey together through the Psalms and embrace the grace that carries us, no matter what season we're in!

Ep. 43 Embracing Grace: A Summer in the Psalms

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Welcome to a brand-new summer series on Living the Grace Life! In this kickoff episode, we explore how the Psalms invite us to bring our whole selves—messy emotions and all—into God’s presence. Whether you're feeling weary, hopeful, or somewhere in between, this series will help you discover how grace speaks into every season of the soul. Join me in embracing grace as we journey through selected Psalms and lean into God’s faithfulness, one summer week at a time.

Each week includes a Psalm, read in several translations—without commentary or added reflections. This practice creates space to approach Scripture open-handed, letting the Holy Spirit speak without the filter of someone else’s interpretation. A less familiar translation might surprise you, allowing the words to land differently and inviting you to encounter God in a fresh, deeply personal way.

My prayer is that through this series, God’s grace will inhabit your body, mind, and soul—becoming more tangible and real for your very real life.

👉 Don’t forget to subscribe and follow so you don’t miss a single episode in the series—and grab your FREE Living the Grace Life: One Prayer at a Time companion guide to reflect deeper all summer long! 

“ The book of Psalms is that place of refuge where whatever we bring to the table is welcome there."

"God isn't put off by us. He's not threatened by what life churns up in us, or the response that often comes out of our mouth."

"The Psalms give voice to all of it."

🎧Let's journey together through the Psalms and embrace the grace that carries us, no matter what season we're in!

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Do you wrestle with doubt? Ever feel like your faith is on shaky ground—especially when God feels silent or when His people have let you down? Perhaps it's time to ask: God, can we chat?

In this honest and hope-filled conversation, author and speaker Niki Hardy shares her journey of asking hard questions, navigating church hurt, and discovering intimacy with God amid grief, illness, and uncertainty. Drawing from her book God, Can We Chat?, Niki opens up about the power of raw, real conversations with God—even when the answers don’t come easily.

We talk about:

This episode is for anyone longing to feel safe bringing their whole heart to God—even the messy, doubting parts.

✨Stick around to the end, where Niki shares a tender blessing from her book. As she says, may you be "hugged by God like you've never been hugged before."

“ I rarely got answers. More often than not, what we get is deeper intimacy and relationship with God, a drawing closer to Him, an understanding of that grace and that love."

"I would rather live in mystery with God than walk away and be without Him because He hasn't given me the answers I need.”

“God said to me things like: How can you hear my still small voice if you don't get still and small?”

 "It's not until we get ourselves outside, that we can get outside ourselves." 

"Are you tired? Worn out? Burned out on religion? Come to me. Get away with me and you'll rediscover life. I'll show you how to take a real rest. Walk with me and work with me-watch how I do it. Learn the unforced rhythms of grace. I won't lay anything ill-fitting on you. Keep company with me and you'll learn how to live freely and lightly." Matthew 11:28-30, MSG

🌿 Niki's Books, including God, Can We Chat? and Breathe Again

Website: NikiHardy.com

Ep. 41 What If Doubt Is Part of Faith? | Niki Hardy

🎁 My FREE gift to you: Living the Grace Life, One Prayer at a Time

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Is it possible that doubt can actually strengthen your faith? What if doubt isn’t the enemy of faith, but a doorway to deeper intimacy with God? What if doubt is part of faith?

In our transparent conversation, author and speaker Niki Hardy shares how honest questions and spiritual uncertainty can lead to deeper intimacy with God. If you've ever wrestled with doubt, questioned your beliefs, or wondered if God can handle your uncertainty — this episode is for you.

Inspired by her new book God, Can We Chat?, Niki opens up about her personal journey of struggling with faith, church, and life’s hardest questions — and how she discovered grace in the middle of it all. Rather than seeing doubt as a threat, Niki invites us to see it as a catalyst for growth and deeper trust in God.

In this episode, we discuss:

How Niki’s experience flipped the familiar line from Amazing Grace: “I once was found, but now I’m lost.”

Why asking questions can draw you closer to God, not push you away

The unexpected grace found in spiritual deconstruction and reconstruction

Peter’s story as an example of carrying both faith and doubt

How lies about faith keep us from honest conversations with God

How doubts can fuel your spiritual growth, not weaken it

If you’ve ever thought:

"Can I still be a Christian if I have doubts?"

"Is it okay to question my faith?"

"How do I trust God when I feel spiritually lost?"

…this episode offers hope, permission, and practical encouragement.

When faith feels shaky, God welcomes your questions. Spiritual uncertainty doesn't have to undo your faith — it can deepen it.

🎧Join us as we explore the “unforced rhythms of grace” that hold space for our doubts — grace for today, grace for tomorrow, and grace forever.

“ What scared me the most was rather than faking it or forcing it was fading out.”

“I had to address the lies about coming to God with all my questions.”

 "You don't have to get it for [God] to love you. Because [God] is love itself. He can't help but love you. And when we get that, we say, 'So you mean I can ask anything?' And God says, 'Yep.' It doesn't mean we'll get the answers, but we can ask anything. Absolutely anything." 

"Are you tired? Worn out? Burned out on religion? Come to me. Get away with me and you'll rediscover life. I'll show you how to take a real rest. Walk with me and work with me-watch how I do it. Learn the unforced rhythms of grace. I won't lay anything ill-fitting on you. Keep company with me and you'll learn how to live freely and lightly." Matthew 11:28-30, MSG

🌿 Niki's Books, including God, Can We Chat? and Breathe Again

Website: NikiHardy.com

🎁 My FREE gift to you: Living the Grace Life, One Prayer at a Time

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What do you do when there’s a gap between what you believe about God and what you actually experience? When the invitation to be still and be loved feels not just difficult—but impossible?

Michael John Cusick knows that gap all too well. His story begins in unlikely places: Alcoholics Anonymous at age five, family drug rehab by age ten, and a trailer park childhood marked by chaos. He jokes that if reality TV had existed back then, he might’ve had his own show. Instead, he became a psychotherapist, speaker, Spiritual Director, and author of Sacred Attachment and Surfing for God.

In this episode, Michael shares his own winding journey toward God—one marked by brokenness, addiction, healing, and ultimately, divine attachment. His trauma-informed wisdom helps reframe how we think about God’s love, especially when our wounds have distorted our ability to receive it.

We talk about:

Living a double life and the toll it took on his soul

The four S’s of attachment and why they matter in our relationship with God and others

The lies he had to unlearn to discover safety with God

Rhythms and practices for growing in secure attachment

And yes, we even talk about pedicures—with his daughter—and how they changed the way Michael experiences Jesus washing Peter’s feet.

But the most powerful moment comes at the end, as Michael guides us through an experiential reading of Psalm 23 that you won’t soon forget. 

🎧 Tune in and let this episode be an invitation—to be still and live loved.

“Hey, this distance my [child], it's killing me. I [God] long for connection with you.”

“On the worst day of my life, I felt embraced by God. I felt seen by God. I felt for the first time he wasn't disgusted by me, but that he had compassion on me.”

“How do I gain secure attachment? By living the grace life. The pressure's off to be somebody other than who I am at any given moment.”

"Be still and know that I am God!" Psalm 46:10a

"Therefore, as God's chosen people, holy and dearly loved, clothe yourselves with compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness and patience." Colossians 3:12

"You prepare a feast for me in the presence of my enemies." Psalm 23:5a

🌿 Michael's Books, including Sacred Attachment: Escaping Spiritual Exhaustion and Trusting in Divine Love

Websites: MichaelJohnCusick.com Restoringthesoul.com

🎁 My FREE gift to you: Living the Grace Life, One Prayer at a Time

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What if truly understanding God's steadfast love could reshape your relationships, your identity, and your daily rhythms?

In this episode of Living the Grace Life, I’m joined by Rachael Adams, author of Everyday Prayers for Love and host of The Love Offering podcast—recently ranked in the top 10 Christian podcasts for women.

Together, we explore how to live loved, even when grace feels hard to come by. Rachael shares her personal journey of discovering God’s persistent and consistent love, and how receiving that love has transformed how she sees herself, others, and her calling.

Why we struggle to receive God’s steadfast love and grace

Rachael’s journey to giving herself grace

What it means to live a “grace-filled life” in a graceless world

The powerful night that changed the hearts of a group of teenage girls

Spiritual rhythms that help us embrace grace every day

🎧 Listen in to rediscover God’s unchanging love—and how it can radically influence your everyday life.

“God is such a gentleman. He never forced Himself on me. He waited until I was ready.”

“Jesus knew we couldn't do this life perfectly.”

“Give [God] your little and He'll take it a long way.”

"For we are God's workmanship, created in Christ Jesus, to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do." Ephesians 2:10

"For I am convinced that neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons, neither the present nor the future, nor any powers, neither height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord." Romans 8:38-39

🌿 FREE Love Offering Calendar & other FREE resources

Website: RachaelkAdams.com

🎁 My FREE gift to you: Living the Grace Life, One Prayer at a Time

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