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We live in a world that celebrates hustle, busyness, and burnout—but what if rest wasn’t a weakness, but a form of wisdom? In this episode of Live Faith First, Elliot sits down with nurse, holistic wellness educator, and author Tracie Braylock to explore Radical Relaxation—a framework for physical, emotional, and spiritual restoration. From nutrition and sleep to movement, meditation, and self-compassion, Tracie invites listeners to slow down and discover a better way to live, grounded in grace and the rhythms God designed for our healing.

You’ll hear about:

• How stress underlies so many chronic health conditions

• Sleep as divine restoration

• Practical ways to relax every day

• Redefining Christian meditation

• Raising children with grace and presence

• What happened during her unexpected home birth (!)

Tracie Braylock, MSN, BSN, RN is a nurse, writer, educator, and holistic wellness expert. She’s passionate about helping people break free from burnout, stress, and cultural overextension by embracing sacred rest and healing rhythms. With over two decades of experience in nursing and wellness education, Tracie guides people toward healthier, more peaceful lives through her writing, courses, and now her book, Radical Relaxation. She’s also a mom of four and a strong advocate for grace-filled parenting and self-care rooted in faith.

Elliot Sands is the host of the Live Faith First podcast—a dynamic space where faith meets real-world challenges. With a rich background as a pastor, school principal, health-tech co-founder, and now Executive Director of Faith First, Elliot brings deep wisdom and practical insight to every conversation. As a husband, father, and grandfather, he weaves personal experience with thoughtful discussion, tackling tough topics with clarity and compassion. Live Faith First is all about bridging divides—whether in society or the church—encouraging listeners to step beyond echo chambers and build real, meaningful relationships across the aisle, the street, or the table.

Connect with Tracie Braylock

🔗 Website: traciebraylock.com

📘 Book: Radical Relaxation

📸 Instagram: @traciebraylock

Connect with Live Faith First

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We all hit low points in life—heartbreaks, failures, and tragedies that leave us wondering if we’ll ever get back up. But what if your lowest point wasn’t your final destination, but a divine launching pad for a better future? In this episode, Brad Scot Johnson joins us to share his journey through public failure, deep personal pain, and the powerful grace that helped him bounce back—and bounce better.

Brad opens up about his pastoral fall, healing journey, and how God’s grace isn’t a second-best life—it’s often the better life on the other side of brokenness. We discuss forgiveness, fear, scarcity mindsets, identity, grace, manifesting your future with God, and what it looks like to really start over.

This episode is for anyone who has ever thought, “I’ve gone too far,” or “I’ve messed up too much.” Brad’s story will remind you: there’s always a way forward.

Brad Johnson is a pastor, author, speaker, and the founder of Fresh Start, an online community helping people rediscover purpose, faith, and identity. After a very public fall from ministry, Brad has rebuilt his life on a foundation of radical grace and redemption. His book Bounce Back, Bounce Better is a deeply honest look at failure, growth, and second chances.

Elliot Sands is the host of the Live Faith First podcast—a dynamic space where faith meets real-world challenges. With a rich background as a pastor, school principal, health-tech co-founder, and now Executive Director of Faith First, Elliot brings deep wisdom and practical insight to every conversation. As a husband, father, and grandfather, he weaves personal experience with thoughtful discussion, tackling tough topics with clarity and compassion. Live Faith First is all about bridging divides—whether in society or the church—encouraging listeners to step beyond echo chambers and build real, meaningful relationships across the aisle, the street, or the table.

Connect with Brad Johnson

🔗 Website: yourfreshstart.org

📘 Book: Bounce Back, Bounce Better

📸 Instagram

📘 Facebook

⛪ California Community Church

Connect with Live Faith First

🌐 LiveFaithFirst.com

📷 Instagram: @LiveFaithFirst

🎵 TikTok: @livefaithfirst

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Fear is a constant undercurrent in our world—shaped by headlines, trauma, uncertainty, and internal battles. In this refreshing and hope-filled conversation, Elliot sits down with Tomorrow Needs You author and Mosaic Church pastor Naeem Fazal. Together, they explore how to walk with God through trauma, find growth after hardship, and uncover beauty and strength on the other side of fear. Naeem shares his powerful conversion story from Islam to Christianity, his journey as a church planter, and practical insights on moving forward with faith when life feels overwhelming.

Naeem Fazal is the founding pastor of Mosaic Church in Charlotte, North Carolina—a vibrant, multiethnic, multigenerational church. Born and raised in Kuwait in a Muslim home, Naeem experienced a powerful supernatural conversion to Christianity shortly after moving to the United States. He’s the author of Ex-Muslim and his newest book Tomorrow Needs You, a compelling invitation to move from fear to faith. Naeem speaks globally on topics of hope, healing, and cultural connection.

Elliot Sands is the host of the Live Faith First podcast—a dynamic space where faith meets real-world challenges. With a rich background as a pastor, school principal, health-tech co-founder, and now Executive Director of Faith First, Elliot brings deep wisdom and practical insight to every conversation. As a husband, father, and grandfather, he weaves personal experience with thoughtful discussion, tackling tough topics with clarity and compassion. Live Faith First is all about bridging divides—whether in society or the church—encouraging listeners to step beyond echo chambers and build real, meaningful relationships across the aisle, the street, or the table.

Connect with Naeem Fazal

📖 Tomorrow Needs You (Book)

🌍 Mosaic Church Charlotte

🧠 NaeemFazal.com

📷 Instagram: @naeemfazal

📘 Facebook: /naeem.fazal

Connect with Live Faith First

🌐 LiveFaithFirst.com

📷 Instagram: @LiveFaithFirst

🎵 TikTok: @livefaithfirst

📘 Facebook: facebook.com/LiveFaithFirst

👉 youtube.com/@livefaithfirst

What do youth group dirt bikes, awkward pizza parties, and Ecclesiastes have in common? According to pastor and author Nicholas McDonald—everything.

In this honest and hopeful conversation, Elliot Sands and Nicholas talk about his new book The Light In Our Eyes and the hunger so many people feel for a faith that’s honest, embodied, and full of beauty. They explore what deconstruction really is (and isn’t), why so many have left the Church but not Jesus, and how the Church’s calling is not escape but restoration. Along the way, they laugh at awkward ministry moments, challenge escapist theology, and paint a picture of hope that makes Christians peculiar.

This episode is for anyone who's questioning, carrying someone else’s questions, or ready to rebuild their faith story with Jesus at the center.

• What deconstruction actually means

• Why many leave the church, but not Jesus

• American evangelicalism vs. the historic global church

• Escapist theology and the problem with “just get saved”

• Confession, communion, and authentic grace

• Hope as a spiritual act of resistance

• Restorying faith through Scripture, beauty, and belonging
  

Nicholas McDonald is a pastor, writer, speaker, and the author of The Light In Our Eyes: Seeing the Church Again for the First Time. A graduate of Gordon-Conwell Theological Seminary and the University of St. Andrews, Nicholas has worked in both campus ministry with university students and pastoral roles. His writing explores themes of beauty, belonging, and belief in a disenchanted world. He currently serves at Redeemer Presbyterian Church in Indianapolis and publishes a Substack newsletter called The Bard Owl.

Elliot Sands is the host of the Live Faith First podcast—a dynamic space where faith meets real-world challenges. With a rich background as a pastor, school principal, health-tech co-founder, and now Executive Director of Faith First, Elliot brings deep wisdom and practical insight to every conversation. As a husband, father, and grandfather, he weaves personal experience with thoughtful discussion, tackling tough topics with clarity and compassion. Live Faith First is all about bridging divides—whether in society or the church—encouraging listeners to step beyond echo chambers and build real, meaningful relationships across the aisle, the street, or the table.

Connect with Nicholas McDonald

📘 Book: The Light In Our Eyes

📰 Newsletter: The Bard Owl on Substack

🎤 X: nicholasmcd

🌐 Church: Redeemer Presbyterian Church, Indianapolis

Connect with Live Faith First

🌐 LiveFaithFirst.com

📷 Instagram: @LiveFaithFirst

🎵 TikTok: @livefaithfirst

📘 Facebook: facebook.com/LiveFaithFirst

👉 youtube.com/@livefaithfirst

Can we really bridge political, cultural, and relational divides with curiosity? Journalist and bridge-builder Monica Guzmán thinks so. In this episode of Live Faith First, Elliot and Monica explore how to disagree without dehumanizing, why curiosity is a superpower in divided times, and how grace, humility, and honest conversation can reshape our relationships—even with family members who vote very differently. They also share real stories, practical tools, and laugh-through-the-awkward wisdom for navigating today’s polarized culture.

Monica Guzmán is a senior fellow for public practice at Braver Angels, host of the podcast A Braver Way, and author of I Never Thought of It That Way: How to Have Fearlessly Curious Conversations in Dangerously Divided Times. A proud Mexican-American immigrant, Monica has spent her career in journalism, storytelling, and community building. She was named one of the 50 most influential women in Seattle and is a frequent speaker and commentator on depolarization, bridge-building, and curiosity.

Elliot Sands is the host of the Live Faith First podcast—a dynamic space where faith meets real-world challenges. With a rich background as a pastor, school principal, health-tech co-founder, and now Executive Director of Faith First, Elliot brings deep wisdom and practical insight to every conversation. As a husband, father, and grandfather, he weaves personal experience with thoughtful discussion, tackling tough topics with clarity and compassion. Live Faith First is all about bridging divides—whether in society or the church—encouraging listeners to step beyond echo chambers and build real, meaningful relationships across the aisle, the street, or the table.

Connect with Monica Guzmán

🔸 Monica’s Website

📘 I Never Thought of It That Way Book

🎧 A Braver Way Podcast

🕊️ Braver Angels

🐦 Twitter/X

📷 Instagram

Connect with Live Faith First

🌐 LiveFaithFirst.com

📷 Instagram: @LiveFaithFirst

🎵 TikTok: @livefaithfirst

📘 Facebook: facebook.com/LiveFaithFirst

👉 youtube.com/@livefaithfirst

What if healing isn’t just about feeling better—but about finally knowing you belong?

In this powerful episode, Elliot Sands sits down with author and speaker Amy Julia Becker to explore the intersection of disability, grace, identity, and healing. Drawing from her books To Be Made Well, White Picket Fences, and A Good and Perfect Gift, Amy Julia opens up about her daughter Penny’s Down syndrome diagnosis, how it reshaped her understanding of wholeness, and what it means to truly belong in a world that often values perfection over presence.

They explore:

• The power of showing up for someone instead of trying to fix them

• The difference between brokenness and limitation

• How psychosomatic pain can reveal emotional imbalance

• What it means to practice grace as a daily rhythm, not just a doctrine

• And why acknowledging unearned privilege can become a doorway to healing and reconciliation

This episode is tender, honest, and beautifully anchored in the belief that we are all deeply loved—just as we are.

• Wholeness through community

• Parenting a child with special needs

• Privilege as invitation, not shame

• Psychosomatic healing

• Grace for ourselves and others

• Belonging beyond performance

Amy Julia Becker is an award-winning writer, speaker, and disability advocate who speaks widely on faith, family, and social healing. A graduate of Princeton University and Princeton Theological Seminary, she brings theological insight and personal vulnerability to themes like belonging, privilege, healing, and grace.

She’s the author of several books, including To Be Made Well, White Picket Fences, and A Good and Perfect Gift. Amy Julia’s work has been featured by The New York Times, TIME, Christianity Today, and NPR.

Elliot Sands is the host of the Live Faith First podcast—a dynamic space where faith meets real-world challenges. With a rich background as a pastor, school principal, health-tech co-founder, and now Executive Director of Live Faith First, Elliot brings deep wisdom and practical insight to every conversation.

As a husband, father, and grandfather, he weaves personal experience with thoughtful discussion, tackling tough topics with clarity and compassion. Live Faith First is all about bridging divides—whether in society or the church—encouraging listeners to step beyond echo chambers and build real, meaningful relationships across the aisle, the street, or the table.

This conversation is raw, hopeful, and incredibly practical for anyone who’s tired of faking it and ready for a more honest walk with Jesus.

Let’s All Live Faith First!!!

Connect with Amy Julia Becker

🌐 Website: amyjuliabecker.com

📘 Books: To Be Made Well; White Picket Fences; A Good and Perfect Gift

🎙️ Podcast: Reimagining the Good Life

📷 Instagram: @amyjuliabecker

📘 Facebook: @amyjuliabeckerwriter

Connect with Live Faith First

🌐 LiveFaithFirst.com

📷 Instagram: @LiveFaithFirst

🎵 TikTok: @livefaithfirst

📘 Facebook: facebook.com/LiveFaithFirst

👉 youtube.com/@livefaithfirst

What if the key to spiritual growth isn’t trying harder—but admitting you can’t do it alone?

In this powerful episode of the Live Faith First podcast, Elliot Sands sits down with John Ortberg to unpack his newest book, Steps—a transformative journey that fuses the honesty of the 12-step recovery model with the heart of Christian discipleship.

They dive headfirst into the messiness of real life—addictions, control issues, emotional baggage—and talk about why surrender is actually the starting line for spiritual growth. Together, they explore how the 12 steps offer a radical framework for transformation through grace, not grit.

You’ll hear wisdom on:

• Why admitting powerlessness might be the most powerful thing you do

• How to do a fearless moral inventory (and why you'd want to)

• The connection between forgiveness, humility, and healing

• And how self-forgiveness is not weakness—but a pathway to freedom

John Ortberg is a pastor, speaker, and bestselling author passionate about spiritual formation and helping people grow in their walk with Jesus. His latest book, Steps, blends ancient spiritual wisdom with the transformational principles of the 12-step model, offering readers a clear and honest path toward emotional and spiritual wholeness. John also leads Become New, a daily video devotional designed to help people grow spiritually—one step at a time.

Elliot Sands is the host of the Live Faith First podcast—a dynamic space where faith meets real-world challenges. With a rich background as a pastor, school principal, health-tech co-founder, and now Executive Director of Live Faith First, Elliot brings deep wisdom and practical insight to every conversation. As a husband, father, and grandfather, he weaves personal experience with thoughtful discussion, tackling tough topics with clarity and compassion. Live Faith First is all about bridging divides—whether in society or the church—encouraging listeners to step beyond echo chambers and build real, meaningful relationships across the aisle, the street, or the table.

This conversation is raw, hopeful, and incredibly practical for anyone who’s tired of faking it and ready for a more honest walk with Jesus.

Let’s All Live Faith First!!!

John Ortberg Resources

📘 Steps by John Ortberg Buy the book

🎧 Become New – John Ortberg’s daily devotional podcast & spiritual growth platform

📺 Become New on YouTube

🌐 JohnOrtberg.com

📷 Instagram: @johnortberg

Connect with Live Faith First

🌐 LiveFaithFirst.com

📷 Instagram: @LiveFaithFirst

🎵 TikTok: @livefaithfirst

📘 Facebook: facebook.com/LiveFaithFirst

👉 youtube.com/@livefaithfirst