Restoring the Soul with Michael John Cusick

“Freedom is the ability to be exactly who we are before God and others with an overflowing heart and to direct our heart in the direction we most deeply desire.” - Michael John CusickOn this edition of Restoring the Soul, Michael continues his in-depth look at Surfing for God and unpacks Chapter 13, “Freedom to Live" with Part 2 of a conversation titled, "Understanding Freedom."God’s love kneels down to us, wherever we are. And as He does, He urges us to bare ourselves before Him. Why? Because in seeing our naked selves in the light of God’s love, we make two discoveries. First, we discover more clearly who God is. All of the brokenness in our world and in our lives calls into question God’s goodness. Can we trust Him? Is He really enough? In our nakedness, there is no pretense of earning or obtaining His love. It’s a gift that makes the gospel more real.HELPFUL RESOURCES:The Apprentice GatheringThe Apprentice Institute for Spiritual FormationSeptember 23-25Wichita, KSPrevious podcasts that address “shame”Episode 173 - "Surfing for God, Part 5: Shame and Core Beliefs"Episode 133 - “5 Ways Shame Fuels Addiction, Part 1”Episode 134 - “5 Ways Shame Fuels Addiction, Part 2”Episode 137 - “5 Ways Shame Fuels Addiction, Part 3”Episode 138 - “5 Ways Shame Fuels Addiction, Part 4”Support the showENGAGE THE RESTORING THE SOUL PODCAST:- Follow us on YouTube - Tweet us at @michaeljcusick and @PodcastRTS- Like us on Facebook- Follow us on Instagram & Twitter- Follow Michael on Twitter- Email us at info@restoringthesoul.com Thanks for listening!

“Now the Lord is the Spirit, and where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is freedom.” - 2 Cor. 3:17On this edition of Restoring the Soul, Michael continues his in-depth look at Surfing for God and unpacks Chapter 13, “Freedom to Live.” God’s love kneels down to us, wherever we are. And as He does, He urges us to bare ourselves before Him. Why? Because in seeing our naked selves in the light of God’s love, we make two discoveries. First, we discover more clearly who God is. All of the brokenness in our world and in our lives calls into question God’s goodness. Can we trust Him? Is He really enough? In our nakedness, there is no pretense of earning or obtaining His love. It’s a gift that makes the gospel more real.HELPFUL RESOURCES:The Apprentice GatheringThe Apprentice Institute for Spiritual FormationSeptember 23-25Wichita, KSPrevious podcasts that address “shame”Episode 173 - "Surfing for God, Part 5: Shame and Core Beliefs"Episode 133 - “5 Ways Shame Fuels Addiction, Part 1”Episode 134 - “5 Ways Shame Fuels Addiction, Part 2”Episode 137 - “5 Ways Shame Fuels Addiction, Part 3”Episode 138 - “5 Ways Shame Fuels Addiction, Part 4”Support the showENGAGE THE RESTORING THE SOUL PODCAST:- Follow us on YouTube - Tweet us at @michaeljcusick and @PodcastRTS- Like us on Facebook- Follow us on Instagram & Twitter- Follow Michael on Twitter- Email us at info@restoringthesoul.com Thanks for listening!

“In repentance and rest is your salvation. In quietness and trust is your strength.” - Isaiah 30:15On this edition of Restoring the Soul, Michael continues his in-depth look at Surfing for God and unpacks Chapter 11, “Less Is More”. Solitude and silence are not just practices to optimize our lives in a fast-paced world. And though these practices may bring us healing, they are far more than a trendy therapeutic technique. Our souls require solitude and silence in order to thrive.HELPFUL RESOURCES:Episode 117 - Contemplative Prayer, Part 1 Episode 118 - Contemplative Prayer, Part 2“Less Is More” (message from Denver Seminary) “Forty Days to a Closer Walk with God: The Practice of Centering Prayer” by J. David MuyskensSupport the showENGAGE THE RESTORING THE SOUL PODCAST:- Follow us on YouTube - Tweet us at @michaeljcusick and @PodcastRTS- Like us on Facebook- Follow us on Instagram & Twitter- Follow Michael on Twitter- Email us at info@restoringthesoul.com Thanks for listening!

“Restart and reboot yourself. You're free to go.” - BonoOn this edition of Restoring the Soul, Michael continues his in-depth look at Surfing for God and concludes a 2-part discussion called, “Your Brain on Porn”. Over the past 20 years, the field of neuroscience has exploded our understanding of the human brain. Recent discoveries have profound implications on treating various addictions and psychological disorders and pursuing physical and emotional well-being. The consistent theme is that contrary to conventional wisdom, our brains are highly changeable. Your brain can unlearn, and it can change.7 Rs to overcome pornography:Recognize the problemReorientationRelationshipRegulationRebootRestoreRepentance* Michael refers to the Restoring the Soul podcast, Soul Care with iCareSupport the showENGAGE THE RESTORING THE SOUL PODCAST:- Follow us on YouTube - Tweet us at @michaeljcusick and @PodcastRTS- Like us on Facebook- Follow us on Instagram & Twitter- Follow Michael on Twitter- Email us at info@restoringthesoul.com Thanks for listening!

"Like sand on a beach, the brain bears the footprints of the decisions we have made, the skills we have learned." - Sharon Begley, NEWSWEEK Science EditorOn this edition of Restoring the Soul, Michael continues his in-depth look at Surfing for God and introduces a 2-part discussion called, “Your Brain on Porn”. Over the past 20 years, the field of neuroscience has exploded our understanding of the human brain. Recent discoveries have profound implications on treating various addictions and psychological disorders and pursuing physical and emotional well-being. The consistent theme is that contrary to conventional wisdom, our brains are highly changeable. Your brain can unlearn, and it can change.Key Facts About the Effects of Porn on the BrainPorn is a drugPorn has harmful consequencesPorn hijacks the brainPorn changes the wiring in your brainPorn creates an addicted brainPorn-addicted brains can be rewiredThere is hope for porn addiction of all kinds* In this podcast, Michael refers to the resource yourbrainonporn.comSupport the showENGAGE THE RESTORING THE SOUL PODCAST:- Follow us on YouTube - Tweet us at @michaeljcusick and @PodcastRTS- Like us on Facebook- Follow us on Instagram & Twitter- Follow Michael on Twitter- Email us at info@restoringthesoul.com Thanks for listening!

“I don’t work well with people who have it all together.” - Dr. Janelle HallmanOn this edition of Restoring the Soul, Michael welcomes colleague and one of Restoring the Soul’s Intensive Clinical Soul Care Specialists, Dr. Janelle Hallman.Janelle is a Licensed Professional Counselor, ordained minister, professor, author, and speaker on issues such as redemption, healing, and wholeness. Her passion is to counsel, facilitate, teach and share realities about God, life, and the human experience in a way that transforms and touches a person’s deepest heart. She loves working with any individual or couple seeking greater wholeness.Dr. Hallman has served as an adjunct professor at Colorado Christian University. She is currently an adjunct professor at Denver Seminary and regularly supervises, trains, and consults other therapists, pastors, and lay leaders.Dr. Hallman received her MA in Counseling from Denver Seminary and her Ph.D. in Counselor Education and Supervision from Regent University. She loves beauty, babies (being a grandmother of course!), nature, and reading, and absorbing the spiritual masters.Support the showENGAGE THE RESTORING THE SOUL PODCAST:- Follow us on YouTube - Tweet us at @michaeljcusick and @PodcastRTS- Like us on Facebook- Follow us on Instagram & Twitter- Follow Michael on Twitter- Email us at info@restoringthesoul.com Thanks for listening!

“The last thing in the world that I was supposed to do was become a believer.” - John LynchOn this edition of Restoring the Soul, we reprise a conversation Michael had with John Lynch. John served for 27 years as teaching pastor at Open Door Fellowship in Phoenix, Arizona. As a gifted communicator, John is a vital Trueface staff member, joining the team in 1997.John has co-authored The Cure, Bo’s Café, Behind The Mask, and his own story, On My Worst Day. In this podcast, we hope you’ll discover:The secret that John carried for decades, even while ministering and offering a message of hope, freedom, and authenticity.That we are changed and transformed by living in the reality that we are loved.How John’s story has helped people understand and experience the Gospel, the original Good News, as it was meant to be.Support the showENGAGE THE RESTORING THE SOUL PODCAST:- Follow us on YouTube - Tweet us at @michaeljcusick and @PodcastRTS- Like us on Facebook- Follow us on Instagram & Twitter- Follow Michael on Twitter- Email us at info@restoringthesoul.com Thanks for listening!

"The story of your life is the story of a long and brutal assault on your heart by the one who knows what you could be and fears it." - John EldredgeEvil is real, and it has a name: Satan - the adversary, deceiver, father of lies. After being thrown out of heaven for cosmic treason, Satan and his legion of fallen angels have had one goal: to defame God(Gen. 3:1-4). The Enemy comes only to steal, kill, and destroy (John 10:10). He wants to devour you and all God intended you to be and to accomplish (I Peter 5:8). He exists to block you, in whatever way possible, from becoming the man or woman God created you to be. He hates your soul, hates God in you, and hates how your life can make God known. If he can’t kill your body, he’ll try to kill your soul. And if he can’t kill your soul, he’ll try to convince you to cover it with shame and get you to hide (Gen. 3:1-10). Or, more subtly, he will try to convince you that you’ll never change: “For the struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the powers of this dark world and against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms (Eph. 6:12).On this edition of Restoring the Soul, Michael continues the journey through Surfing for God with a look at Chapter 9: The Invisible Battle. We’ll take a look at 3 ways to combat Satan and his attempts to deceive you and rob you of your freedom found only in Christ.Support the showENGAGE THE RESTORING THE SOUL PODCAST:- Follow us on YouTube - Tweet us at @michaeljcusick and @PodcastRTS- Like us on Facebook- Follow us on Instagram & Twitter- Follow Michael on Twitter- Email us at info@restoringthesoul.com Thanks for listening!

“...Jesus only comes to us in our realities, not our illusions.” - Dr. Ekie KikuleOn this edition of Restoring the Soul, Michael continues the journey through Surfing for God with a deep dive into Chapter 5: Exposing the Counterfeits. We’ll take a look at 3 primary areas where Satan attempts to lure us away from the fulfilled life in Christ; Counterfeit Good, Counterfeit Truth, and Counterfeit Worship.No matter how much you have already lost, there’s still time to surrender the counterfeits in your life for the real things. Tim Keller has explained, “Idols cannot simply be removed. They must be replaced. If you only try to uproot them, they grow back; but they can be supplanted. By what? By God Himself, of course. But by God, we do not mean a general belief in His existence. Most people have that, yet their souls are riddled with idols. What we need is a living encounter with God.”Support the showENGAGE THE RESTORING THE SOUL PODCAST:- Follow us on YouTube - Tweet us at @michaeljcusick and @PodcastRTS- Like us on Facebook- Follow us on Instagram & Twitter- Follow Michael on Twitter- Email us at info@restoringthesoul.com Thanks for listening!

“...it was a desperate move to save our marriage.” - Kelly PykeOn 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 AmazonCheck out their site, thefargreencountry.com to get merch, get updates, and/or get the low-downFollow them on Instagram @thefargreencountrySupport the showENGAGE THE RESTORING THE SOUL PODCAST:- Follow us on YouTube - Tweet us at @michaeljcusick and @PodcastRTS- Like us on Facebook- Follow us on Instagram & Twitter- Follow Michael on Twitter- Email us at info@restoringthesoul.com Thanks for listening!