“...it was a desperate move to save our marriage.” - Kelly Pyke

On this edition of Restoring the Soul, Michael welcomes Eli and Kelly Pyke to discuss their emotional journey from counseling intensive to the purchase of an RV and ultimately a cross-country adventure in hopes to save their marriage. They documented their journey in the film “Far Green Country” which showed the lengths Eli and Kelly would go to in order to fight for each other’s hearts - and win. We’ll also get the back story of Eli’s emotional connection with his terminally ill father and what resulted from their time together during his last days on earth.

• Watch The Far Green Country on Amazon (free with Prime)
• Watch Far Green Country 2: At Road's End on Amazon
• Check out their site, thefargreencountry.com to get merch, get updates, and/or get the low-down
• Follow them on Instagram @thefargreencountry

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"What do you want?" - Jesus of Nazareth

On this edition of Restoring the Soul, Michael and Brian discuss Chapter 8 of Surfing for God titled, "Your Good Heart".
 
If you belong to God, you have a good heart. In the deepest part of who you are, you have a passion to love God and walk in His ways. This statement isn't based on mere emotion. It is a present reality. At this very moment, God says this about you:

• You are pure and clean (I John 1:5-9)
• You are without stain or blemish (Eph. 5:27)
• You are the righteousness of God (2 Cor. 5:21)
• Christ lives in you. (Gal. 2:20)
• Your heart is alive to God. (Rom. 6:11)
• You have a good and noble heart. (Luke 8:15)

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“Internal conflict is growth trying to happen.” - Dr. Alison Cook

On this edition of Restoring the Soul, Michael welcomes Dr. Alison Cook, co-author of the best-selling, “Boundaries for Your Soul” which asks the question, “What if your overwhelming emotions hold the keys to your success?” In today’s conversation, Michael and Alison conclude that it is critically important to develop a “relationship”, or an understanding, of your emotions in order to discover the peace you've always wanted to have.

Alison Cook, is a counselor, speaker, and co-author of Boundaries for Your Soul. For over 15 years, Alison has helped women, ministry leaders, and couples forge healthy relationships and say "Yes" to the life God has for them. Each week, she provides expert advice to over 30,000 people who subscribe to her email newsletter and blog posts. You can find out even more about Alison here.

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“It was such a joy to discover in his deep heart, behind the scenes, Eugene was the man we thought he was.” - Winn Collier

On this edition of Restoring the Soul, Michael welcomes back Winn Collier. If you admire the life and writings of Eugene Peterson, you’re in for a real treat. As you will soon hear, Eugene Peterson was not only Winn’s pastor, he was his friend. So it made complete sense for Winn to take on the humbling task of writing the Authorized Biography of Eugene Peterson titled, “A Burning in My Bones”, which was released this past January.

Winn is also the Associate Professor of Pastoral Theology and Christian Imagination at Western Theological Seminary in Holland, Michigan. He is the Director of the Eugene Peterson Center for Christian Imagination and author of 5 books, including Eugene’s biography. You can discover even more about Winn on his website.

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“There’s a revolution that could happen if we could understand that humility is one of the practical outworkings of love.” - Dennis Edwards

On this edition of Restoring the Soul, Michael welcomes back our good friend, Reverend Doctor Dennis Edwards. If you’d like to listen to previous conversations with Dennis, look up episodes number 132 and 150. Podcast Number 132 is titled, “Turning the Tables on Injustice” and number 150 is about his book, “Might from the Margins.”

Biblical humility is the main topic of this particular podcast and the need for more of it in our world, especially from the church. We hope you enjoy today’s conversation.

A quick fun fact about Dennis, he once appeared on the TV game show, Who Wants to Be a Millionaire. To discover even more about him, visit his website.

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“The question for our lives is not whether we will surrender, but to whom or what we will surrender.” - Gordon Dalbey

In this edition of Restoring the Soul, Michael and Brian discuss the move from the Soul Snare pattern to the path of Soul Care. As we consider our brokenness, when negative feelings arise, our reflex is to avoid or control them. Carl Jung was referring to this idea when he wrote that all neurosis is caused by the avoidance of necessary pain. By avoiding or controlling our brokenness, the whisper of porn (or any other addiction, for that matter) can become a shout, and the lying promises of our addiction begin to sound like a sensible solution. Then we profoundly mishandle the ache of living in a fallen world.

It is our hope that by listening to this important discussion, your heart will be free from the fixation on your addiction to be captivated by God’s love, all so that your heart can be given more fully to God and others.

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“Shame is like a raincoat over the soul that repels the living water of Jesus that would establish us as His beloved.” - Andy Kamiski

All of us have hiding places where we stow away our shame. Where do you hide yours? What memories or triggers send you scurrying for cover? If the voice of shame could be silenced, what do you think the voice of Love might say to you? What do you long to hear?

Understanding shame is crucial in our journey from lust and addiction to freedom. Discover the path to freedom on this episode of Restoring the Soul as Michael unpacks the chapter on shame and core beliefs from his book, Surfing for God.

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“It’s important to understand our brokenness because it’s what drives our sinful patterns, our addictions, and our compulsions.” - Michael John Cusick

The following is an excerpt from Michael John Cusick’s book, “Surfing for God”.

“King David was a man intimately acquainted with his brokenness. Aware of his divided heart, he wrote in the Psalms, “Train me, God, to walk straight; then I’ll follow your true path. Put me together, one heart and mind; then, undivided, I’ll worship in joyful fear.” (Ps. 86:11 MSG)

As a man heals from his bondage to porn, he must understand his brokenness and allow it to compel him toward Jesus. Our brokenness is our only requirement for receiving God’s grace.”

On this episode of Restoring the Soul, you will discover the 5 Ws of Brokenness:

Wickedness - sin that has gone really far. We turn away from God.
Weakness - a limitation or vulnerability that we carry.
Woundedness - wounds of presence/wounds of absence.
Warfare - we are in a battle. We have an enemy.
Wiring - we are physiological beings.

If you have missed any of the previous conversations about Surfing for God, click on the corresponding link:

Surfing for God, Part 1
Surfing for God, Part 2
Surfing for God, Part 3

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“I’ve always been most passionate about trying to help people connect the broken reality of their life to the reality of God’s heart.” - Michael John Cusick

Hope is life-giving, but to deeply and intensely desire something and not receive it can be virtually unbearable. On the other hand, the consequences of losing our spiritual thirst can be as dramatic as losing our physical thirst. How can we love God with all our minds, hearts, souls, and strength when the desires of our hearts and souls are not operating at full capacity? Our souls’ thirst is the core desire from which everything else in the Christian life flows.

During this episode of Restoring the Soul, you will discover the Seven Core Desires & Longings

• Attention: To be seen
• Affection: When I see you, I want to be with you
• Affirmation: You have what it takes
• Acceptance: I deeply desire & thirst to belong
• Significance: I want to matter for just who I am
• Satisfaction: Fullness. Contentment. It is well with my soul.
• Security: My soul finds rest in God alone.

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“All sin promises us something but it never delivers on the promise.” - Michael John Cusick

On this edition of Restoring the Soul, Michael and Brian present the second episode in a seven part series of podcasts on Michael’s book, Surfing for God. Today’s discussion reveals the broken promises of pornography.

Pornography promises:

• Validation of our manhood but without requiring strength.
• Sexual fulfillment without relationship.
• Intimacy without requiring risk and suffering.
• Passion and life without connection to your soul.
• Power over women without responsibility and humility.
• Comfort and care without depending on others.

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ENGAGE THE RESTORING THE SOUL PODCAST:
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Thanks for listening!