Living the Grace Life

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

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! 
💬 Embracing Grace Quotes:
“ 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!
Links + Resources From This Episode:
Grace Notes Newsletter, which includes thoughts and questions for personal reflection on Psalm 46
Psalm 46 (Revised Standard Version)
Psalm 46 (Contemporary English Version)
Psalm 46 (The Message Paraphrase)
 
Related Episodes:
Ep. 46 Embracing Grace: A Summer in the Psalms | Psalm 27Ep. 45 Embracing Grace: A Summer in the Psalms | Psalm 91Ep. 44 Embracing Grace: A Summer in the Psalms | Psalm 131Ep. 43 Embracing Grace: A Summer in the PsalmsEp. 32 The Good Shepherd Has His Eye on You | Psalm 23Ep. 16 I Will Rejoice! | Psalm 118Ep. 4 Your Real Self through God's Eyes | Psalm 139
Stay Connected with Jennifer Sakata:
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Ep. 46 Embracing Grace: A Summer in the Psalms | Psalm 27

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! 
💬 Embracing Grace Quotes:
“ 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!
Links + Resources From This Episode:
Grace Notes Newsletter, which includes thoughts and questions for personal reflection on Psalm 27
Psalm 27 (English Standard Version)
Psalm 27 (Contemporary English Version)
Psalm 27 (New Living Translation)
 
Related Episodes:
Ep. 45 Embracing Grace: A Summer in the Psalms | Psalm 91Ep. 44 Embracing Grace: A Summer in the Psalms | Psalm 131Ep. 43 Embracing Grace: A Summer in the PsalmsEp. 32 The Good Shepherd Has His Eye on You | Psalm 23Ep. 16 I Will Rejoice! | Psalm 118Ep. 4 Your Real Self through God's Eyes | Psalm 139
Stay Connected with Jennifer Sakata:
Website | Instagram | Facebook

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

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! 
💬 Embracing Grace Quotes:
“ 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!
Links + Resources From This Episode:
Grace Notes Newsletter, which includes thoughts and questions for personal reflection on Psalm 91
Psalm 91 (Message Paraphrase)
Psalm 91 (English Standard Version)
Related Episodes:
Ep. 44 Embracing Grace: A Summer in the PsalmsEp. 43 Embracing Grace: A Summer in the PsalmsEp. 32 The Good Shepherd Has His Eye on You | Psalm 23Ep. 16 I Will Rejoice! | Psalm 118Ep. 4 Your Real Self through God's Eyes | Psalm 139
Stay Connected with Jennifer Sakata:
Website | Instagram | Facebook

Ep. 44 Embracing Grace: A Summer in the Psalms | Psalm 131

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! 
💬 Embracing Grace Quotes:
“ 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!
Links + Resources From This Episode:
Grace Notes Newsletter, which includes thoughts and questions for personal reflection on Psalm 131
Psalm 131 (English Standard Version)
Psalm 131 (Message Paraphrase)
Psalm 131 (New Living Translation)
Psalm 131 (Contemporary English Version)
Related Episodes:
Ep. 43 Embracing Grace: A Summer in the PsalmsEp. 32 The Good Shepherd Has His Eye on You | Psalm 23Ep. 16 I Will Rejoice! | Psalm 118Ep. 4 Your Real Self through God's Eyes | Psalm 139
Stay Connected with Jennifer Sakata:
Website | Instagram | Facebook

Ep. 43 Embracing Grace: A Summer in the Psalms

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! 
💬 Embracing Grace Quotes:
“ 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!
Stay Connected with Jennifer Sakata:
Website | Instagram | Facebook

Ep. 42 God, Can We Chat? | Niki Hardy

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:
The wisdom her father once shared—and how ignoring "the fork in the road" changed her
Her personal story of loss, cancer, and learning to stay tender in the pain while asking the hard questions of doubt
Her C.H.A.T. framework for talking with God:
Consider the facts
Honor the story
Ask God what He wants to say
Team up with God
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."
💬 Grace Quotes from Niki Hardy:
“ 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." 
 
Key Scriptures:
"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
Resources Mentioned:
🌿 Niki's Books, including God, Can We Chat? and Breathe Again🌿 FREE: First three chapters of God, Can We Chat?🌿 Resources for God, Can We Chat? 🌿 Niki on Substack - Wildly Known
Connect with Niki Hardy:
Website: NikiHardy.comInstagram: @niki.hardy Facebook: @NikiHardyAuthor
Related Episodes:
Ep. 41 What If Doubt Is Part of Faith? | Niki HardyEp. 25 Divine Detour and Deepened Faith | Lori Ann Wood 
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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Ep. 41 What If Doubt Is Part of Faith? | Niki Hardy

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.
 
💬 Grace Quotes from Niki Hardy:
“ 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." 
 
Key Scriptures:
"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
Resources Mentioned:
🌿 Niki's Books, including God, Can We Chat? and Breathe Again🌿 FREE: First three chapters of God, Can We Chat?🌿 Resources for God, Can We Chat?
Connect with Niki Hardy:
Website: NikiHardy.comInstagram: @niki.hardy Facebook: @NikiHardyAuthor
 
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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Ep. 40 Be Still and Be Loved | Michael John Cusick

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.
 
💬 Grace Quotes from Michael John Cusick:
“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.”
 
Key Scriptures:
"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
Resources Mentioned:
🌿 Michael's Books, including Sacred Attachment: Escaping Spiritual Exhaustion and Trusting in Divine Love🌿 Restoring the Soul Podcast
Connect with Michael John Cusick:
Websites: MichaelJohnCusick.com Restoringthesoul.comInstagram: @MichaelJCusick @restoringthesoul Podcast: Restoring the Soul
 
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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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
 
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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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