In November of 2010, Michele Cushatt’s world was turned upside down.
She was 39 years old, had three boys, and on a Tuesday morning right before Thanksgiving her doctor told her she had a very rare kind of cancer.
She said, “The word cancer dropped into my life like a bomb…Everything changed after that point. The only thing I could think to do in that moment was run to my knees…and that’s where I found myself.”
Today’s interview with Michele is powerful. She is amazing!
Here’s a few of the things we cover on the show:
• How to deal with devastating news
• Learning to walk with God in tragedy
• What having faith really looks like
• Coming face to face with your beliefs
• Dealing with misguided expectations
• Discerning God’s presence
• What to do when a piece of your story doesn’t go according to plan
• How to cope with fear and uncertainty
• A healthy perspective on perfection
• The tragedy of poor work/life balance
• Loving the dark parts of your story
• How to plan life and business when plans fail
• Finding value in yourself
• Determining healthy motivation and drive
If you are going through a storm right now be encouraged. God has not abandoned you.
In fact he is more near to you now than ever before.
Here are some of my favorite quotes from Michele:
“What we believe about God in those moments [when our story doesn’t go according to plan] ends up dictating what the future looks like.”
“I can choose to be very bitter and angry and be a victim…or I can choose to weave it into my story [and find the good.]”
“It’s so easy to get caught in the temporal, and miss out on the things that truly last and matter.”
“All of our attempts to be so polished all the time are actually minimizing our opportunities for connection with others.”
“We think it’s all about being polished and perfect but there’s no one out there that can really connect with someone who is perfect”
“…believe in what you have to say, that’s what being really successful looks like.”
“It’s not all about crossing off my to-do list, sometimes there’s a more worthy pursuit”
“I don’t have to work 70 hours a week to be worthy of my skin.”
“It’s only in the struggle that we develop perseverance and endurance.”
“we get caught up into thinking the world is dependent on us.”
“You can do everything right, and everything can change in a moment.”
“Is a 70 hour work week really the notch in your belt you want to leave behind? Is having 20,000 twitter followers really the legacy you want to leave?”
“We are so desperate to make an impression and to leave a mark on this world and yet the ways we’re going about it seem so contrary to what we say really matters.”
You can find out more about Michele by visiting her site: https://michelecushatt.com.
You’ll also want to read her book: Undone: A Story of Making Peace With an Unexpected Life.
I read it and was incredible moved by Michele’s transparency and her perspective on life.
GREAT podcast interview Chris!
Michelle, your story of inspiration and turning the pain you went through into hope for others is pretty dang striking cool! Thank you for sharing! Your perspective is a gift. Continued blessings to you and your family!
Great podcast with Michele Chris! So inspiring and so very helpful to those of us in these places of an undone life.
This was powerful.
I listened to it yesterday while doing some yard work for someone while my “primary job” is slow.
It helped with my outlook and where I am out.
Thank you guys.
Thank you, Chris and Michele. Nothing quite like having 2 of my online mentors/guides/teachers/inspirers together!
Michele, although you pronounce a few sounds differently than before, the quality of your voice is just as clear and compelling as ever.
awesome episode Chris!.. I was listening on my way to work and stayed in the parking lot waiting until it finished. God bless Michele C.