How do you know a fake from the real thing? Think imitation vanilla versus that luscious flavor scraped straight from the vanilla bean. One is manufactured; the other contains the substance that can awaken delight.
What if the same is true of our spiritual lives? What if delight isn’t something we have to manufacture—but something we can receive as we awaken to the goodness and presence of God?
From Atheist to Awaken Delight
Stephanie Rousselle is a former atheist who once resolved to live inside the fullness of God’s grace for seven days. Thirty years later, she is still proclaiming the life-changing truth she discovered: God is delicious. In her book Awaken Delight, Stephanie invites us to rediscover delight as a gift from God and a way of experiencing His presence.
Stephanie describes delight as “the quiet revolution that reshapes how we endure pain, love others, and understand our own heart.” She invites us into a fresh awakening of God’s presence—and a deeper understanding of what it means to taste and see that He is good.
Awaken Delight in Practice
In this conversation, Jennifer and Stephanie explore:
- The staggering claims God makes on our lives
- The “fake vanillas” we reach for instead of the real thing
- How delight and deliciousness invite us to taste and see the goodness of God
- Spiritual practices and disciplines as an extension of God’s welcome
- The surprising relationship between pain and delight
- How pruning can become an invitation to trust God
If you’ve ever found yourself exhausted from trying to manufacture spiritual feelings or make yourself “better” at faith, this conversation offers a different way.
What if awakening delight begins not with striving, but with receiving? What if God Himself is the deepest joy we’ve been looking for?
💬 Awaken Delight Quotes:
“God has used the way he has wired us to welcome him.”
“There’s absolutely nothing you can do for God to make him love you more. And there is nothing you can do for God to make him love you less.”
“True happiness is found in delighting in God, not in the fleeting pursuit of happiness our culture endeavors.”
Scripture Mentioned:
John 15 – Abide in the Vine
Resources Mentioned:
🌿 Awaken Delight 5-Day Devotional
🌿 Stephanie’s Book, Awaken Delight
🎶 Stephanie’s Go-to grace song, Turn Your Eyes Upon Jesus by Helen Lemmel
Connect with Stephanie Rousselle:
Website: GospelSpice.com
Instagram: @GospelSpiceLife
Facebook: @GospelSpice
Related Episodes:
Ep. 90 Grace Says You Belong Here with Jennifer Dukes Lee as Host
Ep. 67 Awakening to the Spirit of Christmas with Cynthia Ruchti
Ep. 39 God’s Steadfast Love in Daily Life with Rachael Adams
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👉🏼Living the Grace Life is the place where real grace meets real life. Host Jennifer Sakata helps bridge the gap between grace as a theological idea and lived practice in everyday moments of faith, encouraging listeners to experience forgiveness, freedom, and trust that they then extend to others.
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