Living the Grace Life

Ep. 39 God's Steadfast Love in Daily Life | Rachael Adams

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.
In this episode, we discuss:
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.
💬 Grace Quotes from Rachael Adams:
“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.”
Key Scriptures:
"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
 
Resources Mentioned:
🌿 FREE Love Offering Calendar & other FREE resources🌿 Rachael's books: Everday Prayers for Love & A Little Goes a Long Way🌿 Rachael's Good Morning America Faith Friday segment
Connect with Rachael Adams:
Website: RachaelkAdams.comInstagram: @RachaelAdamsAuthorFacebook: @RachaelAdamsAuthorPinterest: @RachaelAdamsLoveOffering
 
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Ep. 38 Grace Honors the Try | Kim Tschirret

Do you ever struggle to receive something so incredibly good because you feel like it’s too much—or that you don’t deserve it?
In this powerful Part 2 conversation, Kim Tschirret, founder and CEO of Hope Reins, a 38-acre ranch in Raleigh, NC, reminds us of a life-altering truth: Grace honors the try. Not perfection. Not performance. Just the courage to keep showing up.
Kim shares what it means to live with open hands in the middle of trauma, uncertainty, and fear—and how grace welcomes God’s presence in our imperfection.
In this episode, we talk about:
What it means to be trauma-informed—and why asking “What happened to you?” changes everything.
The heartbreaking mental health crisis facing kids today.
How to journey from worry to trust—and back again, when worry takes over.
Why gratitude is more than a feeling—it’s a powerful affirmation of God’s sovereignty and goodness.
You’ll also hear the unforgettable story of a young girl whose trauma stole her security—and the blind horse named Joey who helped her find her voice.
Don’t miss the moment Kim realized God had a gift just for her. Selah.
💬 Grace Quotes from Kim Tschirret:
“I don't control because I think I'm right. I control for safety... It's that [fear] of what might happen.”
“Healing can't happen without trust.”
"When I look for Him and live my life with gratitude, I realize God is sovereign and in control. I don't need to be. I'm safe."
“Keeping my eyes open to what He's doing helps me because I see Him working.”
Grace doesn’t demand you to get it all right. Grace simply honors the try.
🎧 Listen now, and share this conversation with someone who needs a reminder that they are not alone—and they are not beyond grace.
 
Resources Mentioned:
🌿 Download your FREE digital copy of Jennifer Bleakley's Joey here🌿 The Academy, training programs to bring hope and healing to your community🌿 Harvard's Center for Child Development Studies on Resiliency in Children
 
Connect with Kim Tschirret:
Website: HopeReins.orgInstagram: @HopeReinsNCFacebook: @HopeReinsNCX: @HopeReinsNC
Stay Connected with Jennifer Sakata:
🎁 My FREE gift to you: Living the Grace Life, One Prayer at a Time📩 Subscribe to our newsletter for exclusive content & episode updates⭐ If this episode resonated with you, leave a review and share it with a friend!
 
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Complete show notes here
 

Ep. 37 Healing & Growth Through Equine Therapy | Kim Tschirret

Did you ever dream of having a horse as a kid? For Kim Tschirret, that dream became a lifeline—and later, a powerful ministry. Kim believes horses, mentors, and Jesus form a life-changing "trifecta" for kids facing today’s mental health crisis. What started as a childhood refuge became a surprising on-ramp to grace, healing & growth.
Growing up in an alcoholic home, Kim found peace and safety with her horse, Country. “The barn was my one safe place,” she recalls. As an adult, she chased performance over self-destruction, only to find herself burned out and empty. Even after meeting Jesus, Kim realized she was still living for approval—transferring her father wounds onto her relationship with God.
In this episode, Kim shares:
🧠 What horses can teach us about trust, communication, boundaries, and leadership📊 The surprising overlap between equine therapy and Harvard’s research on childhood resilience💡 How time with horses can ease anxiety, depression, and emotional trauma🌿 A roadmap from worry to trust—and from brokenness to healing📖 Elena’s story of discovering she wasn’t “permanently damaged” but deeply loved and redeemable
Today, Kim is the founder of Hope Reins, a ranch where rescued horses and hurting kids experience healing together. Her journey has been featured in national media and told in the bestselling book Joey, written by Jennifer Bleakley.
Join us for a grace-filled conversation on the healing power of horses, the freedom found in letting go of performance, and the deep hope we have in Christ.
Listen now and be encouraged—grace, healing & growth meet us in the most unexpected places.
 
Grace Quotes from Kim Tschirret:
💬 “God doesn't waste anything.”💬 “There is not anything outside Jesus’ ability to heal.”💬 “You have to hope and believe in something bigger than yourself—and that you have purpose.”
 
Resources Mentioned:
🌿 Download your FREE digital copy of Jennifer Bleakley's Joey here🌿 The Academy, training programs to bring hope and healing to your community🌿 Harvard's Center for Child Development Studies on Resiliency in Children
 
Connect with Kim Tschirret:
Website: HopeReins.org
Instagram: @HopeReinsNC
Facebook: @HopeReinsNC
X: @HopeReinsNC
Stay Connected with Jennifer Sakata:
🎁 My FREE gift to you: Living the Grace Life, One Prayer at a Time📩 Subscribe to our newsletter for exclusive content & episode updates⭐ If this episode resonated with you, leave a review and share it with a friend!
 
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Complete show notes here
 

Ep. 36 Don't Hoard Your Healing | Nancy Manassero

"Don't hoard your healing."It wasn’t what she expected to hear. But it was exactly what she needed.
In this powerful Part 2 episode, Nancy Manassero shares the courageous continuation of her story—how a gentle prompting from God led her to do the unthinkable: forgive the father who had raped her nearly 60 years earlier.
Nancy, author of Heartmending: God Can Heal Your Heartbreak from Sexual Abuse, opens up about her journey through deep trauma into deeper grace. Drawing inspiration from Kintsugi, the Japanese art of repairing broken pottery with gold, Nancy beautifully illustrates how God’s grace not only restores, but transforms—turning scars into sacred strength.
In this conversation, we explore:
The neuroscience of healing and how the brain processes trauma
The two life-giving truths Nancy anchored herself to as she began to heal
Why true healing moves from the inside out
What soul care looks like during a lifelong journey of forgiveness
Nancy’s story is a powerful reminder that healing isn’t meant to be hidden—it’s meant to be shared. And when we do, grace multiplies.
Nancy met Jesus alongside her husband Tom at Swiss L’Abri during their extended honeymoon through Europe. She’s a mom of two adult daughters, “Jama” to six grandkids, and a retired RN with a heart for missions, having served with Mercy Ships in Africa and in post-earthquake Haiti.
Grace Quotes from Nancy Manassero:
💬 "Don't hoard your healing."💬 "God took me, the victim of the worst thing that's ever happened in my life, to the person who perpetrated the worst thing. And had me lead him to Jesus."💬 "[My father] was ripped from the enemy's grasp in the last 1% of his life."
Resources Mentioned:
🌿 Read Heartmending: God can heal your heartbreak from sexual abuse🌿 Downloadable Journal: Forgiveness Sets You Free🌿 My Healing Journal🌿 Resources to nurture your healing🌿 Nancy's FREE Resources🌿 Nancy's newsletter, Hope for Healing🌿 Swiss L'Abri, where Nancy and Tom met Jesus🌿 Nancy's cover artist, Sara de Hontheim, at Art Kintsugi
Connect with Nancy Manassero:
Website: nancymanassero.com
Instagram: @nancyannmanassero
Facebook: @nancymanasseroauthor
Stay Connected with Jennifer Sakata:
🎁 My FREE gift to you: Living the Grace Life, One Prayer at a Time📩 Subscribe to our newsletter for exclusive content & episode updates⭐ If this episode resonated with you, leave a review and share it with a friend!
 
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Complete show notes here

Ep. 35 Where Grace Intersects Sexual Trauma | Nancy Manassero

What happens when grace meets the deepest wounds of sexual trauma?
In this powerful episode of Living the Grace Life, my guest Nancy Manassero shares her incredible journey of healing from sexual abuse through the redemptive grace of Jesus. During an extended honeymoon trip through Europe, Nancy and her husband Tom encountered the transformative ministry of Swiss L'Abri, where their faith in Christ was born. But they had no idea that this new path would one day collide with unimaginable trauma.
Nancy, a retired nurse and author of Heartmending: God Can Heal Your Heartbreak from Sexual Abuse, opens up about the night her life changed forever—when a moment meant for fatherly celebration turned into a devastating violation. Her story is raw, redemptive, and rooted in the truth of God’s grace.
We explore themes of:
Forgiveness after sexual abuse
Dispelling the myths of forgiveness
Breaking free from negative thought loops
Finding healing through Christian community and “one anothering”
The lifelong process of heartmending and truth-telling
Nancy believes, “Forgiveness is the epitome of healing.” Her story shows that God’s grace can reach even the most broken places—not only for the survivor, but even for the abuser.
If you’ve wrestled with pain, shame, or silence from past trauma, this episode offers hope, truth, and companionship on the journey toward healing.
🎧 Tune in now and take your next step in living the grace life.
Grace Quotes from Nancy Manassero:
💬 "Forgiveness is the epitome of healing."💬 "I give you [God] permission to change my mind."💬 "This hate that I'd been carrying for him became pity and compassion and it launched my forgiveness journey. We need the power of the Holy Spirit to enable us to do what seems and feels impossible."
Resources Mentioned:
🌿 Read Heartmending: God can heal your heartbreak from sexual abuse🌿 Downloadable Journal: Forgiveness Sets You Free🌿 Resources to nurture your healing🌿 Nancy's FREE Resources🌿 Nancy's newsletter, Hope for Healing🌿 Swiss L'Abri, where Nancy and Tom met Jesus
Connect with Nancy Manassero:
Website: nancymanassero.com
Instagram: @nancyannmanassero
Facebook: @nancymanasseroauthor
Stay Connected with Jennifer Sakata:
🎁 My FREE gift to you: Living the Grace Life, One Prayer at a Time📩 Subscribe to our newsletter for exclusive content & episode updates⭐ If this episode resonated with you, leave a review and share it with a friend!
 
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Complete show notes here
 

Ep. 34 How to Live on Both Sides of Desperate Prayers | Rachel Wojo

Can you trust God when His answer is no? What about when He says yes? In part 2 of our desperate prayers conversation, Rachel Wojo, author of Desperate Prayers: Embracing the Power of Prayer in Life’s Darkest Moments, shares how she has lived through both.
After losing her adult special needs daughter, Rachel had to tell her own heart: “I did not die.” God still had a purpose for her life—even in the pain.
In This Episode, You'll Learn:
✅ How to keep trusting God when prayers feel unanswered✅ Why waiting is an invitation to deeper faith✅ How God's provision often comes in unexpected ways
Rachel also shares a mysterious gift from God—left under the green balance beam in her backyard. And don’t miss what’s bringing her joy these days—it might just make you laugh, too!
Rachel is a public speaker, podcaster, and passionate follower of Jesus who reminds us that God is the same whether we get the outcome we want or not. And He can be trusted with our surrender.
Grace Quotes from Rachel Wojo:
💬 "I had to say to my own heart, I did not die. God still has a plan and a purpose for me."💬 "As long as we have breath in our lungs, there's a purpose for our life."💬 "We think our prayer has gone unanswered because we can’t see how God sees."
🎧 Listen now and discover how to trust God on both sides of desperate prayers!
Scriptures Mentioned:
📖 Genesis 16 — The Angel of the Lord found Hagar in the wilderness. God finds us too, in our seasons of wilderness.
Resources Mentioned:
🌿 Rachel's FREE Guide: How to Be a Prayer Warrior for Your Family in Dark Times🌿 Read Desperate Prayers: Embracing the Power of Prayer in Life's Darkest Moments
Connect with Rachel Wojo:
Website: rachelwojo.com
Instagram: @rachelwojo
Facebook Group: Rachel Wojo Author
Stay Connected:
🎁 My FREE gift to you: Living the Grace Life, One Prayer at a Time📩 Subscribe to our newsletter for exclusive content & episode updates⭐ If this episode resonated with you, leave a review and share it with a friend!
 
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Complete show notes here

Ep. 33 Desperate Prayers for Real Life | Rachel Wojo

What Happens When the White Picket Fence Comes Crashing Down?
Where do you turn when blindsided by heartache? When the "Big D's" — discouragement, divorce, depression, disease, and death — infiltrated Rachel Wojo's life, she dug deep for a faith that was real. She was desperate for more than a borrowed belief; she needed to know God was real.
"I needed to know that God was real, that he was with me, and that this wasn't a farce... I needed to know that there was something more, a deeper love, that God had a plan and a purpose for my life."
In this part 1 of a 2-part conversation, Rachel Wojo, author of Desperate Prayers: Embracing the Power of Prayer in Life's Darkest Moments, shares how prayer became her "first pick, not the final straw." A public speaker, podcaster, and passionate follower of Jesus, Rachel's journey is marked by profound loss: losing her mother to leukemia, her special needs daughter to a rare neurological disease, and her father to illness. Yet, through it all, her faith shines, and God's grace flourishes through prayer.
In This Episode, You'll Discover:
The impact of 3-word desperate prayers
Why sometimes God's protection looks like a limp
How to drop "prayer perfectionism"
Biblical desperados whose stories teach surrender and the power of desperate prayers
The pivotal choice we make at rock-bottom moments
Why Desperate Prayers Matter:
Just like the oxygen mask rule on airplanes, we must fill our souls before we can help others. Prayer isn't about polished words; it's a soul-saving lifeline that moves us from stiff-arming God to keeping short accounts that welcome His grace.
Grace Quotes from Rachel Wojo:
💬 "I stiff-armed God. I wanted Him close enough to help if needed, but I was angry too."💬 "Pain cannot grip you tighter than God's grace."💬 "Praying in a panic creates a powerful pathway to peace."
Scriptures Mentioned:
📖 Genesis 32:22-32 — Jacob wrestles with God, left with a limp and a blessing while leaning on the chest of the Father.
Resources Mentioned:
🌿 Rachel's FREE Guide: How to Be a Prayer Warrior for Your Family in Dark Times🌿 Read Desperate Prayers: Embracing the Power of Prayer in Life's Darkest Moments
Connect with Rachel Wojo:
Website: rachelwojo.com
Instagram: @rachelwojo
Facebook Group: Rachel Wojo Author
Stay Connected:
🎁 My FREE gift to you: Living the Grace Life, One Prayer at a Time📩 Subscribe to our newsletter for exclusive content & episode updates⭐ If this episode resonated with you, leave a review and share it with a friend!
 
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Complete show notes here

Ep. 32 The Good Shepherd Has His Eye on You | Psalm 23

Welcome back to Living the Grace Life! In this episode, we're diving deep into Psalm 23 for this month's Grace Prayer Tuesday. If you’ve ever felt you needed to have the perfect words to pray, let this episode be a breath of fresh air. We’re exploring how prayer is more about conversation with God than getting the words right.
Key Takeaways:
God Supplies the Words: We don't have to worry about saying the right thing when we pray. Through scripture, especially Psalm 23, we learn that God provides the words and meets us where we are.
The Good Shepherd's Care: Inspired by A Shepherd Looks at Psalm 23 by Philip Keller, we reflect on how the quality of life for a flock is completely dependent on the shepherd's meticulous care. The same is true for us.
From Talking to Embracing: In verse 4 of Psalm 23, David shifts from talking about God to personally embracing Him. We explore how this reflects our own vulnerability in prayer.
Anointing with Purpose: Anointing isn’t just a serene, gentle act; it's a messy but necessary process for protection and healing. We share how this applies to our everyday lives.
Breath Prayer Practice: Inspired by Summer Joy Gross's book The Emmanuel Promise, we practice a breath prayer based on Psalm 23:5, repeating phrases to calm our hearts and build a deeper attachment to God.
Breath Prayer from Psalm 23:5:
Inhale: "You prepare a feast for me."
Exhale: "In the presence of my enemies."
Inhale: "You honor me by anointing my head with oil."
Exhale: "My cup overflows with blessings."
Resources Mentioned:
A Shepherd Looks at Psalm 23 by Philip Keller
The Emmanuel Promise by Summer Joy Gross
Coming Up Next Week:
I can’t wait for you to hear from my friend Rachel Wojo, author of Desperate Prayers. She shares incredible stories of how God met her in the deepest, most difficult places with tremendous hope.
⭐Thank You for Your Support:
I’m deeply grateful for your reviews and ratings – they’re helping Living the Grace Life reach a wider audience. If you haven’t already, please consider rating and reviewing the show. And if this episode encouraged you, share it with a friend!
Until next time, remember to live the Grace Life generously – grace for you, grace for them.
Stay connected:
My FREE gift to you: Prayer eBook Living the Grace Life, One Prayer at a Time
📩 Subscribe to our newsletter for exclusive content & episode updates. If this episode resonated with you, leave a review and share it with a friend!
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Ep. 31 Deepening Attachment to God | Summer Joy Gross

In this week's Part 2 episode, we continue our conversation on attachment styles and faith with Summer Joy Gross, author of The Emmanuel Promise. We explore how our early relational patterns influence our connection with God and others. If you missed last week’s episode on secure and insecure attachment styles, go back and listen to Ep. 30, Growing Secure Attachment with God first!
Today, we talk about repentance, reframing it as a response to God’s relentless love rather than a guilt-driven obligation. Using the parable of the prodigal son, we discuss how grace, healing, and connection with God are always available—no matter our past.
We also share practical spiritual practices for deepening attachment with God, including Lectio Divina, sensory tools, and daily rhythms to cultivate awareness of His presence. Stick around until the end, as Summer leads a guided Lectio Divina to help you experience God’s love in a fresh way.
Key Topics Covered:
✅ Understanding secure vs. insecure attachment and how it impacts our relationship with God and others✅ The connection between repentance and healing attachment wounds✅ How God pursues us first, even before we turn to Him✅ St. Patrick's daily prayer practice✅ Spiritual practices to strengthen your relationship with God✅ How Lectio Divina and other sensory tools can deepen faith✅ A guided meditation to experience God’s grace and presence
🎧 Tune in now to discover how God is attentive, responsive, and engaged in your life—inviting you into deeper, secure attachment with Him. And remember to live the grace life generously, friend. Grace for you. Grace for them.
Grace Quotes from Summer Joy Gross:
💬 "God is running towards us before we even have a chance to get the words out."💬 "[God] is attentive, responsive, and engaged towards what's going on in us."💬 "The truth of [God's] Presence is not dependent upon my awareness of His Presence. He is present, whether I'm aware or not."💬 "This moment of quieting our hearts is really important because it gets the soil of our heart ready to receive the seed of the Word."
Scriptures Mentioned:
📖 Luke 15:11-31 – God comes running before we even have a chance to get the words out. 📖 Luke 15:3-7 – God pursues us and seeks us until we are found.
🙏🏼St. Patrick's Breastplate Prayer (A portion of it):
Christ with me,Christ before me,Christ behind me,Christ in me,Christ beneath me,Christ above me,Christ on my right,Christ on my left,Christ when I lie down,Christ when I sit down,Christ when I arise,Christ in the heart of every man who thinks of me,Christ in the mouth of everyone who speaks of me,Christ in every eye that sees me,Christ in every ear that hears me.
Resources Mentioned:
🌿 Join the Table of the Beloved online retreat & spiritual community on Patreon🌿 Watch Lectio Divina & faith-based content on YouTube: The Presence Project / Summer Joy Gross🌿 Read The Emmanuel Promise for deeper insight into faith and healing
Connect with Summer Joy Gross:
Website: summerjoygross.com 
Instagram: @revsummerjoy
Facebook Group: The Presence Project
Stay connected:
My FREE gift to you: Living the Grace Life, One Prayer at a Time
📩 Subscribe to our newsletter for exclusive content & episode updates⭐ If this episode resonated with you, leave a review and share it with a friend!
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Complete show notes here

Ep. 30 Growing Secure Attachment with God | Summer Joy Gross

Do you remember your first three years of life? Even if you don’t, your body, mind, and soul do. Whether or not you experienced secure attachment shapes how you connect with others—and even how you relate to God.
In this episode of Living the Grace Life, we welcome Summer Joy Gross, author of The Emmanuel Promise, who has guided hundreds of people toward secure attachment with God. Raised by amazing parents, Summer still wrestled with a fear of abandonment and the deep question: Am I truly desired?
What You’ll Learn in This Episode:
🔹 The four attachment styles and how they affect your faith and relationships🔹 Why your need is the runway to deeper attachment with God🔹 How community plays a crucial role in securing healthy attachment🔹 The powerful story of a woman whose search for love led her to Jesus
Summer also unpacks the concept of "earned secure attachment," a powerful process of rewiring neural pathways for meaningful, lasting connection. Through God’s grace and love, true healing and restoration are possible.
🎧 Tune in now to discover how God is attentive, responsive, and engaged in your life—inviting you into deeper, secure attachment with Him. And remember to live the grace life generously, friend. Grace for you. Grace for them.
Grace Quotes from Summer Joy Gross:
💬 "The God and Creator of the Universe has given His full, undivided attention to you."💬 "[God] wants to be with us from ground zero—in the middle of our dirt, our mess, and our deep soul longings."💬 "Needs and longings were placed there by God to invite us into the gifts of abundant life."
Scriptures Mentioned:
📖 Exodus 3:7-8 – God sees our suffering and responds with deliverance📖 Psalm 23 – The Lord as our Shepherd, guiding us in love📖 John 4:1-42 – The woman at the well and Jesus' invitation to living water
Resources Mentioned:
The Emmanuel Promise: Discovering the Security of a Life Held by GodThe Presence Project PodcastFree weekly mini-retreat newsletter
Connect with Summer Joy Gross:
Website: summerjoygross.com 
Instagram: @revsummerjoy
Facebook Group: The Presence Project
Patreon: patreon.com/thepresenceproject to join LIVE retreats called Table of the Beloved
 
➡️ Don't forget to subscribe, rate, and review Living the Grace Life! Share this episode with someone who needs encouragement in their journey toward healing and secure attachment with God.
 
My FREE gift to you:
Free eBook: Living the Grace Life, One Prayer at a Time
Complete show notes here
 
Connect with Jennifer:
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