The Pursuit of Holy Leisure with Cara Ray | Ep. 83

I Don't Have to Hold It All Together with Nichole Suvar | Ep. 87

Do you live overwhelmed, rushed, and stretched thin by anxiety? Do you struggle to let things go? What if there's a slower, more grace-filled way? According to author Nichole Suvar, there is. It begins by realizing you don't have to hold it all together. This episode launches our Summer Book Club mini-series, The Grace of Surrender—three conversations centered on three formational books that invite us into deeper trust, open hands, and God's grace in the places where life feels a little undone. Nichole shares her personal journey with anxiety, panic attacks, and the habits of control that often masquerade as peace. Together, we explore how surrender impacts both our spiritual lives and our physical well-being. We talk about: * Nichole's experience with panic attacks—beginning at age eight * The difference between being busy and overwhelmed * How the vagus nerve helps regulate the body's stress response * Practical rhythms that support nervous system regulation  * The difference between trying harder and trusting God more deeply * Moving from rigid boundaries to grace-filled living Surrender isn't about giving up—it's about loosening your grip and learning to trust God when life feels heavy. If you struggle with letting things go, listen in for real grace, open hands, more grace. 💬  Grace Quotes from Nichole Suvar: "Controlling my environment felt like it helped quiet the anxiety. But it really just shoved it down further." "We need to take our overwhelm to the Lord first—even if it's just to say, 'This is too much. I can't hold all of this.” "God's answer, everytime, is this: 'I never asked you to hold it all together.'" Resources Mentioned: 🌿  Nichole's book I Don't Have to Hold It All Together [https://www.amazon.com/Dont-Have-Hold-All-Together/dp/0802438830?crid=2K0GKALY60DC1&dib=eyJ2IjoiMSJ9.zPzq8NE4KayE8IR5JzOjt47efyn-qRZfIzLpws_tDIskQifoFpMhuFmY1PjHESpvjxK13MEGX1jwA9zG3Tt2dut-fhLOrIsI7QU07oJS5PdqdGR0DAT2A25V3vVsyHoq5ZgWu00lBzKav2oXex0wDVFl0LbgCp1nzrwdsRKaIOKfwOkyzxP2PmxaaH3Je0BrO7EmZkyhyWTaPmQhoemHlOyWj3ozYl0DGhdR_vJYZKM.cuMxmqThfk-P8weymR7JC28HXsZi35MD2Pe44d4qJv0&dib_tag=se&keywords=i+don%27t+have+to+hold+it+all+together&nsdOptOutParam=true&qid=1774561692&sprefix=i+don%27t+have+to+hold+it%2Caps%2C183&sr=8-1&linkCode=ll2&tag=nicholejsuvar-20&linkId=e32fca2b9645e8b7d3f12cd4a5de1684&language=en_US&ref_=as_li_ss_tl] 🌿  Eden attribute quiz [https://livewithintent.org/]  🌿  Free Gift: Resource for an Intentional Summer [https://livewithintent.org/free-gift/] 🎶  Nichole's go-to grace song, Be Thou My Vision [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WZBOSfiH8Rk&list=RDWZBOSfiH8Rk&start_radio=1] by Keith and Krysten Getty Connect with Nichole Suvar: Website: livewithintent.org [https://livewithintent.org/] Instagram: @MrsNicholeSuvar [https://www.instagram.com/mrs_nichole_suvar/] YouTube: @NicholeSuvar [https://www.facebook.com/JourneywithMaker] Related Episodes: Ep. 76 Grace for the Anxious Soul with Becky Keife [https://jennifersakata.com/grace-for-the-anxious-soul-becky-keife-ep-76] Ep. 86 Training in Grace: From Trying to Formation with Kyle Waid  [https://jennifersakata.com/training-in-grace-from-trying-to-formation-w-kyle-waid-85] Ep. 49 What GRACE Taught Us: Season One Reflections on Real Faith and Healing [https://jennifersakata.com/ep-48-what-grace-taught-us-season-one-reflections-on-faith] Stay Connected with Jennifer Sakata: 🎁 My FREE gift to you: Prayers That Change Us [https://subscribepage.io/GraceLifePrayers] 📩 Subscribe to our newsletter [https://subscribepage.io/GraceLifePrayers] for exclusive content & episode updates ⭐ If this episode resonated with you, leave a review and share it with a friend!   👉🏼Living the Grace Life is the place where real grace meets real life. Host Jennifer Sakata helps bridge the gap between grace as a theological idea and lived practice in everyday moments of faith, encouraging listeners to experience forgiveness, freedom, and trust that they then extend to others.   Website [https://jennifersakata.com/] | Instagram [https://www.instagram.com/JenniferSakata] | Facebook [https://www.facebook.com/JenniferSakata.Author/]

How to Forgive When Forgiveness Feels Impossible with Johanna Henderson | Ep. 86

When forgiveness feels impossible, where do you turn? What happens when the people who should have protected you are the ones who caused the deepest wounds? In this deeply honest conversation, Johanna Henderson shares her story of discovering that she had been abused as a child and the long road God led her on toward healing, identity, and forgiveness. Together, we talk about the complexity of trauma, the weight of unforgiveness, and the grace of a God who restores what feels beyond repair. A Gentle Note to Listeners ⚠️ This episode includes discussion of physical and sexual abuse. If this is part of your story, please listen at your own pace and with care for yourself. You are not alone. In our conversation, we explore: * Johanna's discovery of childhood abuse * Why identity in Christ matters in healing * What forgiveness is—and what it is not * The cost of carrying unforgiveness * How God brings redemption and restoration through surrender If you or someone you know is walking through the difficult process of healing from trauma, this conversation is a reminder that God meets us with compassion, patience, and grace—even when forgiveness feels impossible. 💬  Grace Quotes from Johanna Henderson: "I had to know how much God loved me before He could take me to the darkness." "God wants to take you somewhere—not to hurt you, but to bring healing and restoration. To redeem you for His Glory.” "Sometimes, it's just saying the words: Help me, Lord."   Scriptures Mentioned: Isaiah 43:2 [https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Isaiah%2043%3A2&version=NLT] – God's abiding presence Luke 8:38-48 [https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=luke%208%3A38-48&version=NLT] – Jesus gives the bleeding woman an identity Resources Mentioned: 🌿  Bessel Van Der Kolk's The Body Keeps the Score [https://www.amazon.com/Body-Keeps-Score-Healing-Trauma/dp/0143127748/ref=sr_1_1?crid=SBJ5L13B1RN0&dib=eyJ2IjoiMSJ9.wSOKNkfRWK0Klrupuuiu8zdttt_WFNZrkwXqKVwl0_anc31_E2Dj13XcG2qj9mEuWCrBPB_ZB6gktK1ydHE8bHaTA6F_gHBu86d1YqT-45Q1zO7xBWvxroTYUwBmn2PUyVmp2dFNW7Iy-ARtAtRiOHY72F7akYoOpMaN_GR8AOMHLhAfXgQaS-E7uxZrT-9iaygf8AR3x3IUTCs6Xh6zxvixzZ02mELAEFlcmngmDh8.5zciIOIaF4ygd7I0XekrPO47IXXOaH0bb6pD3cZyY_c&dib_tag=se&keywords=the+body+keeps+the+score+book&qid=1779468747&sprefix=The+Body+Keeps+the+Score%2Caps%2C232&sr=8-1] 🌿  Journey with Maker [https://www.journeywithmaker.com/portfolio] quarterly magazine 🎶  Johanna's go-to grace song My Redeemer Lives [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6QvX4CwSmwY&list=RD6QvX4CwSmwY&start_radio=1] by Nicole C. Mullen Connect with Johanna Henderson: Website: JourneywithMaker [https://www.journeywithmaker.com/] Instagram: @Johanna_journeywithmaker [https://www.instagram.com/johanna_journeywithmaker] Facebook: @JourneywithMaker [https://www.facebook.com/JourneywithMaker] Related Episodes: Ep. 35 Where Grace Intersects with Sexual Trauma with Nancy Manassero [https://jennifersakata.com/35-where-grace-intersects-with-sexual-trauma-nancy-manassero] Ep. 36 Don't Hoard Your Healing with Nancy Manassero [https://jennifersakata.com/ep-36-dont-hoard-your-healing-nancy-manassero] Ep. 79 He Knows Your Name with Paige Allen [https://jennifersakata.com/he-knows-your-name-with-paige-allen-ep-79] Stay Connected with Jennifer Sakata: 🎁 My FREE gift to you: Prayers That Change Us [https://subscribepage.io/GraceLifePrayers] 📩 Subscribe to our newsletter [https://subscribepage.io/GraceLifePrayers] for exclusive content & episode updates ⭐ If this episode resonated with you, leave a review and share it with a friend!   👉🏼Living the Grace Life is the place where real grace meets real life. Host Jennifer Sakata helps bridge the gap between grace as a theological idea and lived practice in everyday moments of faith, encouraging listeners to experience forgiveness, freedom, and trust that they then extend to others.   Website [https://jennifersakata.com/] | Instagram [https://www.instagram.com/JenniferSakata] | Facebook [https://www.facebook.com/JenniferSakata.Author/]

Training in Grace: From Trying to Formation with Kyle Waid | Ep. 85

What if spiritual growth isn’t about trying harder—but about training in grace? In this conversation with Kyle Waid, we explore the difference between effort-driven performance and grace-shaped formation. So often we find ourselves praying the same prayers, repeating the same patterns, and still feeling stuck. Trying harder leaves us frustrated. Grace invites us into a different way. Kyle Waid, Lead Pastor of New Circle Church in Lexington, KY, joins us to talk about spiritual formation, growth through seasons of change, and what it looks like to “put in the reps” of grace. Using the metaphor of marathon training, we discuss how setbacks, rhythms, inward journeys, and steady practices shape us over time. In our conversation, we explore: * The difference between trying harder and training for spiritual formation * Why grace is about process, not performance * How to respond to setbacks in growth * Taking the inward journey during seasons of change * Running your own race in faith * Practical rhythms that support training in grace If you’re weary of striving and longing for sustainable spiritual growth, this conversation offers encouragement and practical next steps. 💬  Grace Quotes from Kyle Waid: "You don't try to be Christlike—you train." "This is what pleases God—when you're dependent on Him and his grace to grace you in your weakness.” "The whole idea with grace is do what you can. Let God do what you can't."   Scriptures Mentioned: Matthew 5:1-12 [https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Hebrews%204%3A16&version=NLT] – The Beatitudes Ephesians 2:8-10 [https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Ephesians%202%3A8-10&version=NLT] – Grace is the gift of faith.  Luke 15:11-32 [https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Luke%2015%3A11-32&version=NLT] – Parable of the Lost Son(s) Resources Mentioned: 🌿  Henri Nouwen's The Return of the Prodigal Son [https://www.amazon.com/Return-Prodigal-Son-Story-Homecoming/dp/0385473079/ref=sr_1_1?crid=2FKT3B8OCD04Y&dib=eyJ2IjoiMSJ9.oFtEdr4a1zjZ4DpidEULkbh-AvJBKHXoYhC2yLogIAIFPNepBkPlkPKtghGYNBF7kFjxO6hPZ1GWcMddXm0BZT_dTWsfF2l3i8v_HkIcMm5GfEqZnXex546zNlctnvySrKx7SjyLUOPCt-iqYzWi-sx22RnMGShsGkG2kB3h3En_5PiN0dnyOfjE1Qm3nQwNExyNLeKblYhFas4rrjnNL3aDO6rHXi7SG6CaHakGSSk.220TISXExZE22nNyT5jQJ6QEwp-PZEAX6Yk2pW8eLZU&dib_tag=se&keywords=return+of+the+prodigal+son+nouwen&qid=1778685971&sprefix=return+of+the+prodigal+%2Caps%2C149&sr=8-1] 🎶  Kyle's go-to grace song Open the Eyes of My Heart, Lord [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ibiMgN1JBIo&list=RDibiMgN1JBIo&start_radio=1]  Connect with Kyle Waid: Website: newcircle.church [https://newcircle.church/] Instagram: @newcircle.church [https://www.instagram.com/newcircle.church/] Facebook: @NewCircleChurch [https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=61554133027991] Related Episodes: Ep. 50 Five Grace Takeaways that Still Stick with Jennifer Sakata [https://jennifersakata.com/ep-50-5-grace-takeaways-that-still-stick-season-one-recap] Ep. 72 Grace Behind Our Smiles with Joe and Tara Buchanan [https://jennifersakata.com/ep-72-grace-behind-our-smiles-joe-and-tara-buchanan] Ep. 61 Walking in Grace & Other People's Shoes with Neil Matthews [https://jennifersakata.com/ep-61-walking-in-grace-other-peoples-shoes-neil-matthews] Stay Connected with Jennifer Sakata: 🎁 My FREE gift to you: Prayers That Change Us [https://subscribepage.io/GraceLifePrayers] 📩 Subscribe to our newsletter [https://subscribepage.io/GraceLifePrayers] for exclusive content & episode updates ⭐ If this episode resonated with you, leave a review and share it with a friend!   👉🏼Living the Grace Life is the place where real grace meets real life. Host Jennifer Sakata helps bridge the gap between grace as a theological idea and lived practice in everyday moments of faith, encouraging listeners to experience forgiveness, freedom, and trust that they then extend to others.   Website [https://jennifersakata.com/] | Instagram [https://www.instagram.com/JenniferSakata] | Facebook [https://www.facebook.com/JenniferSakata.Author/]

Grateful for COVID? with Evelyn Sherwood | Episode 84

In Grateful for COVID, Evelyn Sherwood shares how her COVID diagnosis led to the discovery of lung embolisms and ultimately cancer—an unexpected sequence that reshaped her understanding of grace. What began in fear became a testimony of gratitude, not because illness is good, but because it revealed something that needed to be treated. Her story invites us to reconsider what it means to be Grateful for COVID in light of God’s redemptive work. We explore how grace meets us in suffering and how lament can lead to deeper trust and peace. In this conversation, we discuss: * Evelyn's "Job season" and what it taught her about surrender * The distinction between grief and lament—and how both lead us to grace * Practical, everyday practices that nurture gratitude and peace * How gratitude can coexist with suffering * Why worship can grow in the middle of hard seasons  If you’re navigating illness, diagnosis, or an unexpected storm, this episode will equip and encourage you to experience grace in the messy middle. 💬  Grace Quotes from Evelyn Sherwood: "Hard is hard but God is good." "I [God] can do more in your surrender that you can do with all your striving.” "Gather gratitude like a bouquet and give it to Jesus."   Scriptures Mentioned: Hebrews 4:16 [https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Hebrews%204%3A16&version=NLT] – Approach God with boldness to receive grace Resources Mentioned: 🌿  Evelyn's The Pocket Full of Hope Series  [https://evelynsherwood.com/books/] 🌿  Shop Evelyn's watercolors and other resources [https://shop.evelynsherwood.com/] 🌿  Soakstream [https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCUyMjXGpwWxISzMAZ7mZ73g] on YouTube 🌿 Dark Clouds, Deep Mercies [https://www.amazon.com/dp/1433561484/?bestFormat=true&k=dark%20clouds%20deep%20mercy&ref_=nb_sb_ss_w_scx-ent-bk-ww_k1_1_24_de&crid=FRNAL7D7VYR8&sprefix=Dark%20Clouds%20Deep%20Mercies] by Mark Vroegop 🎶  Evelyn's go-to grace song Goodness of God [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9sE5kEnitqE&list=RD9sE5kEnitqE&start_radio=1] by Cece Winans + Always on Time [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=H1L6zv_ilzY&list=RDH1L6zv_ilzY&start_radio=1] by Elevation Worship Connect with Evelyn Sherwood: Website: evelynsherwood.com [https://evelynsherwood.com/] Instagram: @evelynshwerwoodauthor [https://www.instagram.com/evelynsherwoodauthor/] Facebook: @evelyn.sherwood [https://www.facebook.com/evelyn.sherwood] Related Episodes: Ep. 25 Divine Detour and Deepened Faith with Lori Ann Wood [https://jennifersakata.com/ep-25-divine-detour-and-deepened-faith-lori-ann-wood] Ep. 59 Chased by Grace, Marked by Love with Crystal Mayo [https://jennifersakata.com/ep-59-chased-by-grace-marked-by-love-crystal-mayo] Ep. 18 Sometimes I Forget with Julie Sunne [https://jennifersakata.com/ep-18-sometimes-i-forget-julie-sunne] Stay Connected with Jennifer Sakata: 🎁 My FREE gift to you: Prayers That Change Us [https://subscribepage.io/GraceLifePrayers] 📩 Subscribe to our newsletter [https://subscribepage.io/GraceLifePrayers] for exclusive content & episode updates ⭐ If this episode resonated with you, leave a review and share it with a friend!   👉🏼Living the Grace Life is the place where real grace meets real life. Host Jennifer Sakata helps bridge the gap between grace as a theological idea and lived practice in everyday moments of faith, encouraging listeners to experience forgiveness, freedom, and trust that they then extend to others.   Website [https://jennifersakata.com/] | Instagram [https://www.instagram.com/JenniferSakata] | Facebook [https://www.facebook.com/JenniferSakata.Author/]

The Pursuit of Holy Leisure with Cara Ray | Ep. 83

Are you a check-the-box person—or someone who longs to slow down and be more intentional with God? In this episode, we explore the pursuit of holy leisure and how it becomes an invitation to grace when you struggle to sustain a meaningful rhythm of meeting with Him. Author Cara Ray shares how the pursuit of holy leisure reshapes our understanding of rest, productivity, and presence with God. Drawing from her book, The Pursuit of Holy Leisure, she offers a vision for a Sabbath-shaped life that holds both deep spiritual connection and everyday responsibilities in tension—without striving or performance. If you’ve ever felt stuck between doing more and desiring more of God, this conversation will help you move from performance to presence. Together, we unpack how the pursuit of holy leisure allows you to slow down, commune with God, and rediscover your identity through who He is—not what you do. You’ll also hear how Cara’s journey was influenced by Richard Foster and his classic book Celebration of Discipline, and how spiritual practices can gently lead us into a life of abiding rather than achieving. In this episode, we talk about: * How the pursuit of holy leisure began in Cara's own life * The difference between "vegging out" and true holy leisure * Why slowing down is essential for spiritual formation and connection with God * Moving from performance-based faith to presence-centered living * Rhythms of grace that help you stay grounded in the pursuit of holy leisure * The role of stillness—and why it's more than just inactivity * Practical, everyday steps to begin the pursuit of holy leisure When life feels out of balance, resting in God can seem out of reach. But the pursuit of holy leisure offers a better way—a grace-filled rhythm of slowing down, abiding deeply, and enjoying God in the middle of your everyday life. 💬  Grace Quotes from Cara Ray: "Ultimately, we make time for the things that are important to us." "God's grace isn't part of the story; it's the thread woven throughout the Scriptures, beginning in the Garden and culminating in the Cross.” "When we slow down, that is when our eyes open—when our hearts open and see there is grace."   Scriptures Mentioned: Luke 10:38-42 [https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Luke%2010%3A38-42&version=NLT]– The story of Martha and Mary Resources Mentioned: 🌿  Cara's book Pursuit of Holy Leisure [https://www.saltandgold.com.au/pages/book?view=book] 🌿  Cara's FREEBIES [https://cara-ray.com/resources/] and resources 🌿  Richard Foster's book The Celebration of Discipline [https://www.amazon.com/Celebration-Discipline-Special-Anniversary-Spiritual/dp/0062803883/ref=sr_1_1?crid=3GU8YVBW6I0NF&dib=eyJ2IjoiMSJ9.njZDFUCH3XD-t87npiS6wXp2QrxNSiot8ZoHcWq5n3_kNgCS94Xysnzg-8FhWc1Qw0ubG6_B3eDSbwaBg9TI_nFzo6H6lTraoerFHY-uKpWKQjpDleFwmSKwo2J44Dt8KvWZNPGiH3vovU_DVfGx0tq34MffSn17-0lUWKYpjonls6q1a0rm3-y5BY1Fv9huNFbYbkro512V7u9egLIXVd1mGnAGLpqJw7HXGW5Dn9E.r9NtZwMgoHtieGPFerZHqr9GJTo47jIJoEs_pqpTND8&dib_tag=se&keywords=the+celebration+of+discipline+by+richard+foster&qid=1777567073&sbo=RZvfv%2F%2FHxDF%2BO5021pAnSA%3D%3D&sprefix=the+celebration+of+discipline%2Caps%2C144&sr=8-1] 🎶  Cara's go-to grace song Goodness of God [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9sE5kEnitqE&list=RD9sE5kEnitqE&start_radio=1] by Cece Winans Connect with Cara Ray: Website: cara-ray.com [https://cara-ray.com/] Instagram: @pursuingotiumsanctum [https://www.instagram.com/pursuingotiumsanctum/] Facebook: @pursuingotiumsanctum [https://www.facebook.com/pursuingotiumsanctum/] Related Episodes: Ep. 70 Grace in the Story of Ruth with Mariel Davenport [https://jennifersakata.com/ep-70-grace-in-the-story-of-ruth-mariel-davenport] Ep. 69 How to Love Your Morning with Jennifer Dukes Lee [https://jennifersakata.com/ep-69-how-to-love-your-morning-jennifer-dukes-lee] Ep. 52 Chasing Grace with Carol McLeod [https://jennifersakata.com/ep-52-chasing-grace-carol-mcleod] Stay Connected with Jennifer Sakata: 🎁 My FREE gift to you: Prayers That Change Us [https://subscribepage.io/GraceLifePrayers] 📩 Subscribe to our newsletter [https://subscribepage.io/GraceLifePrayers] for exclusive content & episode updates ⭐ If this episode resonated with you, leave a review and share it with a friend!   👉🏼Living the Grace Life is the place where real grace meets real life. Host Jennifer Sakata helps bridge the gap between grace as a theological idea and lived practice in everyday moments of faith, encouraging listeners to experience forgiveness, freedom, and trust that they then extend to others.   Website [https://jennifersakata.com/] | Instagram [https://www.instagram.com/JenniferSakata] | Facebook [https://www.facebook.com/JenniferSakata.Author/]