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God is Smiling at You: Breaking the Performance Trap with Mike Pennington
Description
Are you tired of trying to prove you deserve God’s love?
In this episode, Austin Gardner sits down with his cousin, Mike Pennington—a former missionary and pastor—for a deeply personal conversation about the "bedrock of a healthy soul": Belovedness.
For decades, both Austin and Mike lived under the heavy weight of legalism, relating to God through performance rather than relationship. Mike shares the transformative moment in the Colorado mountains where he finally heard the Father say, "Yes, you are my beloved child."
Inside this episode:
- Why we treat salvation like a gift but live like we have to pay it back.
- How childhood traumas of shame, fear, and anger color our view of God.
- The "Trifecta" of blockages that keep us from resting in grace.
- The life-changing truth of John 17:23: God loves you just as much as He loves Jesus.
If you’ve ever felt like you were on the "trash heap" of ministry or life, this episode is your invitation to stop striving and start being held.
Connect with us:
Visit waustingardner.com for more resources on grace and leadership.
https://belovedlivingnow.com
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