“What does it look like to follow Jesus faithfully when you’re depressed?” - Diana GruverJames Chapter 1 verses 2 through 4 says, “Consider it pure joy, my brothers and sisters, whenever you face trials of many kinds, because you know that the testing of your faith produces perseverance. Let perseverance finish its work so that you may be mature and complete, not lacking anything.” These words have comforted countless who have endured hard times, stress, suffering, and even grief. And for many who suffer through debilitating depression, these trials James speaks of can last months or even years. Relief is elusive. Comfort is unattainable. Finding joy may even be a pipedream.Michael’s guest on today’s podcast is Diana Gruver. She is the author of an upcoming book from Intervarsity Press called “Companions in the Darkness: Seven Saints Who Struggled with Depression and Doubt.” She looks back into church history and finds depression in the lives of some of our most beloved saints, including Martin Luther, Charles Spurgeon, Mother Teresa, and Martin Luther King Jr. Drawing on her own experience with depression, Diana offers a wealth of practical wisdom both for those in the darkness and those who care for them.In this podcast, we hope you will discover:What you should say or not say to someone who is depressed.How suffering can be a blessing.The essence of the Gospel.ENGAGE 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 brain seems to be designed for something. And then theology says, “This is what you’re supposed to do with it.” - Dr. Jim WilderOur guest on today’s podcast is Dr. Jim Wilder. For decades, he has been delving into biblical scripture, spiritual formation, and brain science. These studies led to development of a unique model of spiritual and psychological maturation.Dr. Wilder has been training leaders and counselors for over 27 and is the author of many books with a strong focus on maturing and relationship skills for leaders. His co-authored book Living From the Heart Jesus Gave You has sold over 100,000 copies in eleven languages.A renowned neuro theologian, Jim and Michael spend a fascinating hour discussing the connection and integration of science, neurology, psychology and God.In this podcast, we hope you will discover:What is a neuro theologian?The distinction between left and right brainWhat is wholeness and why does it take so long?ENGAGE 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!

“Salvation is liberation.” - Rev. Dr. Dennis EdwardsOur guest on today’s podcast is Reverend Doctor Dennis Edwards. His name might sound familiar to you as he was a recent guest of Michael’s on an episode titled, “Turning the Tables on Injustice.” Today, he and Michael will be discussing his most recent book, “Might from the Margins”.To summarize the conversation, here is the concluding paragraph of what Dennis wrote in a recent Christianity Today article of the same title. He says, “When a simple slogan such as “Black Lives Matter” is denied, scrutinized, and even vilified by vocal white Christians, it becomes increasingly necessary to assert that God loves marginalized people and that we must grow in love of ourselves. Love is power. It emboldens us, motivates us, and sustains us to fight against injustice. Jesus embodies love and power and stands in solidarity with the marginalized. In him we find might from the margins.” Michael and Dr. Edwards’ discussion is a timely and thoughtful conversation that is sure to point listeners toward deeper introspection and empathy.ENGAGE 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!

“Your ego would like you to think you’re more in control than you actually are.” - Ian Morgan CronIan Morgan Cron is Michael’s special guest for this episode of Restoring the Soul. Of our 149 episodes, Ian has joined us more times than any other guest.He is a master teacher of the Enneagram, a powerful tool for understanding why we behave the way we do, and how our personalities are powerfully influenced by our motivations. Ian is also an accomplished author who, according to Father Richard Rohr, “has the gift of making his human journey a parable for all of our journeys”. Among other titles, Ian has authored the bestselling book, The Road Back to You, which introduced the Enneagram to its broadest audience yet. He is also an Episcopal priest, a trained psychotherapist, and the host of the very popular Typology podcast.On this episode of Restoring the Soul, Ian will be making a very special announcement - we’re thrilled to welcome him back to the podcast and trust that you’ll lean in and pay close attention to their conversation.Click here if you would like to know more about Ian. Visit this site if you would like to learn your Enneagram type.In this podcast, we hope you will discover:Why people have responded so favorably to the EnneagramLearn the definition of an Enneagram Wing & SubtypeYour deadly sin is the source of your suffering. It is the lie of your type.ENGAGE 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!

“If women have the same value and worth as men in the eyes of Jesus, then they need to have the same value and worth as men in our culture.” - Ruth EverhartRev. Ruth Everhart is Michael’s guest for this episode of Restoring the Soul.She is an author, speaker, and Presbyterian pastor. Her writing explores the hidden ways religious belief shapes how we think about life, especially the lives of women. She is the author of three books: THE #MeToo RECKONING: Facing the Church's Complicity in Sexual Abuse and Misconduct, the memoir RUINED (which was awarded "Book of the Year 2017" from Christianity Today Women), and CHASING THE DIVINE IN THE HOLY LAND. She has also written articles for many publications such as The Christian Century, Sojourners, and The Washington Post. You can find these articles, or contact her, at rutheverhart.com. On this edition of Restoring the Soul, Michael and Ruth will discuss her most recent book, The #MeToo Reckoning. The #MeToo movement has revealed sexual abuse and assault in every sphere of society, including the church. But victims are routinely ignored by fellow Christians who deny their accounts and fail to bring accountability to the perpetrators. Ruth Everhart is a survivor of sexual abuse and discloses stories of how she and others have experienced assault in church settings, highlighting the damage done to individuals, families, and communities. She also offers hope to survivors as she declares that God is present with the violated and stands in solidarity with victims.In this podcast, we hope you will discover:Lament is a way to pour out fury before God.Connection between Purity and Rape Cultures.What does it mean to “do justice”.ENGAGE 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!

“How will we engage our body which cyclically bleeds most of our life and can build and birth a human soul?” - Dr. Christy BaumanDr. Christy Bauman is Michael’s guest for this episode of Restoring the Soul.She is a Licensed Mental Health Therapist who is committed to helping women come into their true voice. She offers meaning-making and storywork consulting. She is the author and producer of three works: Theology of the Womb, A Brave Lament, and Documentary: A Brave Lament. She is also a psychotherapist, supervisor, adjunct professor who focuses on the female body, sexuality and theology. On this edition of Restoring the Soul, Michael and Dr. Bauman will discuss her most recent book, Theology of the Womb. This is a book about the theology found in the cycle of the womb, which births both life and death. Every day each one of us is invited to create, and every day we make a decision knowing that from our creation can come death or life. Women’s voices have been silenced for a long time as society and the church has quieted their bodies. Will we courageously choose to listen to the sound of your voice, the song of your womb, and speak for the world to hear?In this podcast, we hope you will discover:When it comes to sexuality, if evil has such a heyday, then God has to have a bigger story.The rhythm of Holy Week and how it mirrors the cycle of a woman.There’s something innately in the mother heart that knows how to birth and knows how to bury.ENGAGE 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!

“Sometimes to get your life back, you have to face the death of what you thought your life would look like.” - Lysa TerKeurstLysa TerKeurst is Michael’s guest for this episode of Restoring the Soul.She is president of Proverbs 31 Ministries and the New York Times best-selling author of Uninvited, The Best Yes, Unglued, Made to Crave, and 16 other books.As president of Proverbs 31 Ministries, Lysa and her team have led thousands to make their walk with God an invigorating journey through daily online devotionals, radio programs, online Bible studies, speaker/writing training, and more.Lysa was recently awarded the Champions of Faith Author Award and has been published in multiple publications such as Focus on the Family and CNN online. Additionally, she has appeared on the Today Show as one of the leading voices in the Christian community.In this podcast, we hope you will discover:Faith is what holds you together when everything else falls apart.God doesn’t want to be explained away. He wants to be invited in.Forgiveness is a decision and a process.ENGAGE 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 spite of a hundred disadvantages, the world will always return to monogamy. Covenantal sex remembers us.” - Carolyn WeberOn this edition of Restoring the Soul, Michael welcomes Carolyn Weber to the podcast.The title of today’s podcast is Sex and the City of God and even though the word “sex” is in the title, you will find out in today’s spirited conversation, Carolyn’s book of the same name is surely and mostly about marriage―what comes before and what we receive afterward. It is about all the most important loves we have and how they grow softly and strong and sturdy over time. Through her personal story, as well as spiritual, theological, and literary reflection, you will discover that Carolyn explores what life looks like when we choose to love God first.Carolyn Weber is the award-winning author of Surprised by Oxford and is also an international speaker. Dr. Weber holds her MPhil and DPhil from Oxford University, England and has served as faculty at a number of colleges including Seattle University and Westmont College. Her first memoir, Surprised by Oxford won among other distinctions the Grace Irwin Award, the largest award for Christian writing in Canada.In this podcast, we hope you will discover:Sex is a signpost or foretaste (foreshadowing) of our relationship with God.Our basic desire is to be fully known.Grace isn’t karma and grace isn’t accumulative.ENGAGE 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!

“Masculine power is intended to be good when it’s wholehearted and in the service of love.” - Morgan SnyderOn this edition of Restoring the Soul, Michael welcomes Morgan Snyder to the podcast.Morgan is a grateful husband of over 20 years and a proud father of a wildly creative and witty daughter and a joyful and passionate son. He serves as a strategist, entrepreneur, teacher, writer, and speaker. In 2010, he established BecomeGoodSoil and serves on the executive leadership team at Wild at Heart alongside John and Stasi Eldredge. Morgan goes off the grid every chance he gets, whether bow hunting in the Colorado wilderness or choosing the adventurous life with his greatest treasures: his wife, Cherie; his son, Joshua; and his daughter, Abigail.Michael and Morgan discuss, “Becoming a King, The Path to Restoring the Heart of a Man.”In this podcast, we hope you will discover:Why should this issue of power be a category for men?The common ways men respond to the desire to wield power.What is a generalist and why is it so important for a man to get his heart back?ENGAGE 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 invitation is participation.” - Aaron NiequistOn this edition of Restoring the Soul, Michael welcomes Liturgist, Writer, and Pastor Aaron Niequist. Currently living in NYC, Aaron’s career has taken him from leading worship at Mars Hill Church alongside Rob Bell and Willow Creek just outside of Chicago. He has also created A New Liturgy - a collection of modern liturgical worship recordings.In 2018, Aaron released a book about a practice-based faith called The Eternal Current: How a Practice-Based Faith Can Save Us from Drowning, which serves as the foundation of he and Michael’s discussion. Be sure to listen all the way through as Aaron will guide you through a special time of prayer and meditation.You can find out more about Aaron on his website. Be sure to subscribe and download his podcast, The Eternal Current.In this podcast, we hope you will discover:Every church has a liturgy. It’s what we do when we come together.Churches give great inspiration. They give great content. But they’re not in the transformation business.Spiritual disciplines are so important because they help us open up and receive.ENGAGE 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!