Her Comeback — Bonus Episode

Relationship with the Divine

Host: Michelle Thompson | Type: Bonus Episode / Book Excerpt

Episode Overview

In this special bonus episode, host Michelle Thompson shares an intimate excerpt from her upcoming book — a chapter she almost didn't write. The topic? Spirituality. Michelle opens up about her complicated, decades-long journey from fear-based religion to a deeply personal relationship with the divine, and why she believes this transformation has been the greatest of her life.

"It's not really about God — it's about the beliefs we carry for decades that were never really ours to begin with."

What You'll Hear in This Episode

Michelle takes us through the full arc of her spiritual evolution:

• Growing up as a preacher's kid in an Independent Baptist household — three church services a week, piano, ensembles, Sunday school, and the unspoken pressure to be perfect
• Why she walked away from church after high school and why, for years, religion and God felt like the same fear-based thing
• Her entry into 12-step recovery and the first time someone distinguished religion from spirituality — a distinction that changed everything
• The pivotal quote from Vine Deloria Jr.: "Religion is for people who are afraid of going to hell. Spirituality is for those who've already been there."
• A transformative 10-day silent meditation retreat — and what happened on day eight in solitary meditation
• The stories of Corrie ten Boom and Dr. Edith Eger, Holocaust survivors whose unshakeable faith in the darkest imaginable circumstances reframed Michelle's understanding of suffering and trust
• How she stopped blaming God for the bad and started seeing her own "track record" — evidence that things worked out, often better than she imagined

Key Themes

Old beliefs vs. your own beliefs — Many of us carry spiritual frameworks that were handed to us, not chosen. This episode invites you to examine which ones still serve you.

Control and surrender — Michelle is refreshingly honest about being a self-described "self-sufficient control freak" and the ongoing daily practice of letting go.

Faith over fear — Moving from a punishing, fearful concept of God to a loving, guiding presence that strengthens rather than scares.

Reflection Questions to Sit With

1. What long-held spiritual or religious belief has shaped your life — and might be worth reexamining?
2. How do you define the difference between religion and spirituality?
3. If you had full permission to define your own higher power, what qualities would it have?
4. Where in your life right now might letting go open new doors?
5. Can you look back at a difficult chapter and see how something good came from it?

Connect & Resources

• 🎙️ Subscribe on YouTube: Michelle Thompson Life Coaching
• 🌐 Visit: hercombackpodcast.com for notes, resources & community
• 📖 Michelle's book — coming soon

Your setback isn't your final chapter. It's the setup for your greatest comeback.