Exploring More

Michael Thompson - Zoweh

Zoweh's Exploring More Podcast is an invitation to conversations committed to sharing our discoveries of the wild and wonderful Kingdom of God… how it works, who we are in it, and the Love and Life that is constantly pursuing us. The Kingdom of God isn't easy nor is everything in our story good—there are predators and parasites in the spiritual realm, another kingdom, the kingdom of darkness that exists and violently opposes our discovering and becoming more. Exploring More is hosted by Michael Thompson, produced by Zoweh, and recorded in Durham, NC.

  1. 2 days ago

    Awareness, Breakthrough, Renewal

    In this episode of the Exploring More podcast, Michael Thompson and SJ Jennings continue their conversation around The Life You Built by Scott Jennings, diving deeper into one of the most important realities of spiritual formation: growth is cyclical, not linear. Many of us expect healing and transformation to happen in a straight line. But what if the journey actually looks more like a wave? Awareness. Breakthrough. Peace. Trigger. Old patterns resurfacing. New awareness. Deeper surrender. Renewal. Michael and SJ explore how the false self and true self continue to emerge throughout life, especially in our closest relationships. They discuss the challenges of marriage, recurring conflicts, and the temptation to interpret, predict, and protect ourselves rather than remain open, curious, and compassionate. The conversation reveals how the false self operates through fear and self-protection, while the true self invites us into trust, presence, and connection. The episode also continues the discussion on the Enneagram as a tool for understanding motivations, emotional patterns, and relational dynamics. Rather than serving as a label, it can become a map that helps us recognize why we react the way we do and where God may be inviting deeper freedom. At the heart of the conversation is a powerful reminder: healing is not a one-time event. It's a lifelong process of learning to "ride the wave"—returning again and again to awareness, compassion, and truth. If you've ever felt discouraged by recurring struggles or wondered why old patterns keep resurfacing, this episode offers hope. Growth isn't about never falling back. It's about learning how to return.

    52 min
  2. 17 June

    The Great Exchange

    In this episode of the Exploring More podcast, Michael Thompson, SJ Jennings, and Scott Jennings continue their conversation around The Life You Built, exploring one of the most transformative ideas in the spiritual journey: the Great Exchange. What if the life you've been living was built around survival rather than freedom? Together, they unpack the ongoing process of moving from the false self to the true self—from protecting to trusting, performing to resting, pretending to revealing, and fear to love. While survival strategies may have helped us navigate pain, wounds, and difficult seasons, they were never meant to become our permanent identity. The conversation highlights the reality that freedom isn't about becoming someone new; it's about returning to who God created you to be. Michael, SJ, and Scott discuss how awareness, reflection, and grace help us recognize the ways the false self still operates in our lives and relationships. They also dive into the Enneagram, not as a tool for labeling people, but as a map for understanding motivations, patterns, and the hidden drivers behind our behavior. While acknowledging the controversy surrounding it, they explore how the Enneagram has helped many people gain greater self-awareness, healthier relationships, and deeper compassion for themselves and others. Ultimately, this episode is an invitation to exchange survival for freedom, fear for love, and self-protection for trust. The true self isn't something you have to create—it's the person God has been calling forth all along.

    49 min
  3. 10 June

    Looking Through The Lens Of The Enneagram

    In this episode of the Exploring More podcast, Michael Thompson welcomes Scott Jennings and Steve Knee for a powerful conversation around Scott's book, The Life You Built, and one of the most important journeys a man can take: moving from the false self to the true self. What if the version of you that learned to survive isn't the real you? Together, they explore the ways men construct false identities through wounds, fears, coping mechanisms, and performance. Over time, these strategies can become so familiar that they feel like who we are. But beneath the masks, defenses, and self-protection is the true self—the man God created and loves. The conversation centers on what Scott calls "The Great Exchange"—the ongoing process of recognizing the false self, releasing its grip, and learning to live from a place of truth, freedom, and belovedness. Michael, Scott, and Steve unpack practical steps for this journey, including awareness, self-observation, compassion, and choosing presence over fear. They also discuss the role of community in healing, using the image of interconnected aspen trees as a reminder that transformation was never meant to happen alone. Freedom isn't found by trying harder—it's found by becoming more honest, more awake, and more connected to God and others. If you've ever felt trapped by old patterns, exhausted by performance, or disconnected from your true self, this episode offers a hopeful invitation: the real you is still there, waiting to emerge.

    55 min
  4. 20 May

    Finding Healing In The hurt

    In this episode of the Exploring More podcast, Michael Thompson and SJ Jennings continue the conversation around the Good Man Series, exploring what healing actually looks like—and why becoming a good man is inseparable from learning how to receive love. Healing isn't just about fixing what's broken. It's about uncovering the true self beneath the wounds, agreements, disappointments, and grief we've carried for years. Michael and SJ discuss the deeper work of restoration, the resistance many men feel toward receiving encouragement, and why even something as simple as a compliment can reveal what still needs healing. At the center of the conversation is a profound truth: good overcomes evil through love. Not striving. Not performance. Not shame. But through the restoring work of God that calls men back to who they truly are. Michael and SJ also unpack the effects of unresolved grief, the connection between emotional and physical health, and why healing is never meant to happen in isolation. Whether through friendship, brotherhood, or intentional spiritual practices, men need others to walk with them as they recover strength, goodness, and wholeheartedness. The journey toward healing isn't quick—but it is good. And the more whole a man becomes, the more freely he can love, lead, and live from the heart God intended. This episode is an invitation to keep going—to embrace the process, receive what God says is true about you, and trust that healing is still unfolding.

    43 min

About

Zoweh's Exploring More Podcast is an invitation to conversations committed to sharing our discoveries of the wild and wonderful Kingdom of God… how it works, who we are in it, and the Love and Life that is constantly pursuing us. The Kingdom of God isn't easy nor is everything in our story good—there are predators and parasites in the spiritual realm, another kingdom, the kingdom of darkness that exists and violently opposes our discovering and becoming more. Exploring More is hosted by Michael Thompson, produced by Zoweh, and recorded in Durham, NC.

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