15: Amazing, Messy Grace with Steve Austin
Steve Austin is a published author, speaker, and recovery expert from Birmingham, Alabama. Steve blogs regularly at graceismessy.com and is passionate about the power of second chances. Steve also blogs on Patheos almost daily, and he pays the bills by being a sign language interpreter and is also a worship leader!
Listen to the episode as Steve also discusses:
- Why performance based Christianity is a lie
- How he had a suicide attempt as a youth pastor
- Why he’s more amazed by grace, than being scared of hell
- How Jesus called BS on religious leaders
- How the Jesus he has found is vastly different than the Jesus that he encountered in churches growing up.
- How a suicide attempt saved his life and became the turning point in his life
- The addiction that he kept secret for 20 years
- Why shame was eating him alive
- How childhood sexual abuse that was not addressed was the foundation for a life of shame
- Why prayer about his addiction did nothing to free him from it
- How the church failed him and sent him further into a cycle of shame
- Some technology that can help with accountability and addiction
- How a fake life was killing him on the inside
- Ways his blog and the rawness of it allowed him to get support
- Why some people just have to be “Fence Neighbors”, but they can still be in your life.
- Why finding out God is a Father added another layer of complexity because of his childhood.
- Why he struggled to read the Bible…..even after years of church work
Connect with Steve:
Find Steve’s work on www.Patheos.com
Download Steve’s book recommendations “The Gift of Hard Things” by Mark Yoconelli or “Traveling Mercies” by Anne Lommot for FREE on Audible.
Recommended Books and Resources:
The Gift of Hard Things – Mark Yaconelli
