In this episode of We Are Vineyard, Jay talks with Michael Cusick about being raised in a family with an extensive history of addiction, the circumstances that brought his brokenness and trauma to the forefront of his life, and how God rescued his marriage. Michael shares about starting the Restoring The Soul ministry, engaging people’s brokenness, and why sin management is not the best approach. Finally, Michael shares a profound story of redemption and he and Jay talk about how pastors can support each other.
Michael Cusick is a Licensed Professional Counselor, spiritual director, speaker, and author of two books including Surfing for God: Discovering the Divine Desire Beneath Sexual Struggle and Somebody’s Daughter: An Experiential Guide. Having experienced the restoring touch of God in a deeply broken life and marriage, Michael’s passion is to connect life’s broken realities with the reality of the gospel.
In addition to leading Restoring the Soul and equipping Christian organizations around the world, Michael formerly served as an adjunct professor at Denver Seminary and full-time professor at Colorado Christian University. He holds an MA in Biblical Counseling from Colorado Christian University and an MA from the College of Education at the University of Denver. Michael lives with his wife Julianne in the foothills of Colorado where he enjoys the Rocky Mountains and a host of other outdoor activities with friends and family.
Michael is also the host of the popular Restoring the Soul podcast which reached over 300,000 downloads in 2022 alone, with listeners in over 81 countries, totaling over 1.8 million downloads in just 6 years of podcasting.
Show Notes:
Sacred Attachment by Michael Cusick (releasing January 2025)
The Ascent Of A Leader by Bill Thrall, Bruce McNicol, and Ken McElrath
Ordering Your Private World by Gordon MacDonald
Rebuilding Your Broken World by Gordon MacDonald
The Tech-Wise Family by Andy Crouch