Season 2 Finale — There’s Always Something More

We made it — the final mini episode of Season 2 of the Tapestry Podcast! 🎉 Thank you for journeying with us through 30 episodes of honest, meaningful conversations about spirituality, life’s biggest questions, and what truly connects us.

In this short finale, Mike reflects on: • What this season has explored — anxiety, wealth, purpose, being a neighbor • Why these conversations matter • The belief that there is something more beyond what we see • How God (or whatever name you use) is deeply connected to love, creation, and each of us

We’re a small but passionate team creating space for curiosity, hope, and transformation — and we couldn’t do it without you.

Special thanks to our Season 2 contributors: Mwangi Ndonga • Haleigh Bird • Heidi Orr • Mikayla McMillen • Reb Fulker • Stephen Bailey • Taylor Martin • Loren Richmond Jr. …and George & Wally 🐶

✨ What’s next? Season 3 arrives this spring! Stay connected with us for updates and new conversations on faith, mental health, and the mystery of being human.

📬 We’d love to hear from you! Share your feedback or future topic ideas: tapestrytalk.org Follow us on social for episode updates and behind-the-scenes content.

Thank you for listening, supporting, and being part of Tapestry. This isn’t the end — just a pause before more good things.

S2E29 | The Beauty of Forgiveness — Why Letting Go Sets You Free

In this episode of The Tapestry Podcast, Mike, Haleigh, and Mikayla explore the deeper beauty and freedom that forgiveness offers. Last time, the conversation focused on why forgiveness is so difficult. Today, the team shifts toward the healing, peace, and transformation that can come when we choose to let go.

Through honest personal stories, spiritual reflection, and real-world examples, this episode looks at how forgiveness can break cycles of anger, lighten emotional burdens, and create space for hope.

If you’re wrestling with resentment, betrayal, or grief—and wondering if forgiveness is even possible—this conversation is for you.

What We Talk About in This Episode

• Why forgiveness is a process, not a moment
• How letting go can free you emotionally and spiritually
• Stories of heartbreak, betrayal, and finally choosing forgiveness
• The difference between forgiveness and excusing harm
• Real examples of forgiveness that changed communities
• How faith and spirituality shape our understanding of grace
• Why forgiving yourself might be the hardest—and most important—step

Key Takeaways

• Forgiveness doesn’t mean the harm was “okay.”
• Letting go can release you from anger, grief, and internal turmoil.
• Sometimes forgiveness is instant; often it takes months or years.
• Forgiveness can break generational or relational cycles of hurt.
• Choosing forgiveness is choosing the kind of world you want to live in.

Resources & Mentions

• Reflections from Rob Bell on forgiveness
• Amish community response to tragedy
• Stories from Charleston church shooting
• Insights from Richard Rohr on healing and redemption
• Luke 23:34 — “Father, forgive them…”

Connect With Us

Subscribe to The Tapestry Podcast for weekly conversations about faith, relationships, mental health, and the threads that weave our stories together.

If this episode encouraged you, consider leaving a review or sharing it with someone who might need it.

"Forgive yourself for something today. You’ll feel a little lighter." — Mikayla

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S2E28 | Why is it so hard to forgive?

In today’s episode of the Tapestry Podcast, Mike is joined by Haleigh and Mikayla for an honest and vulnerable conversation about forgiveness — why it’s difficult, why it matters, and how it transforms us.

Together we explore:

• What makes forgiveness emotionally challenging

• The expectation of an apology vs. forgiving without one

• Why forgiving ourselves often feels harder

• How time plays a role in healing

• The power of making amends and being released from old harm

• The tension between forgiveness and justice

• Forgiving across political, cultural, and identity divides

• What spiritual traditions teach about letting go

• How forgiveness frees us from bitterness, resentment, and cycles of pain

You’ll hear personal stories from all three hosts — some funny, some painful, some surprising — and thoughtful reflection on how forgiveness shows up in relationships, community, and inner life.

Key Themes: forgiveness, spiritual growth, mental health, emotional healing, resentment, letting go, justice, reconciliation, grace, self-forgiveness, Christian spirituality, real-life stories

Connect With Us: • Subscribe for weekly episodes • Watch full episodes on YouTube

Thanks for listening — and join us next week as we continue exploring the beauty and power of forgiveness.

Episode Title: The Longview and the Now

Description: Have you ever felt torn between being present in the moment and keeping a hopeful eye on the future? In this solo mini-episode, Mike Orr explores that tension — what it means to live fully in the here and now while also holding on to a long view that gives meaning, hope, and perspective.

Mike reflects on how getting stuck in the past can lead to depression, how worrying about the future can fuel anxiety, and why embracing change as both inevitable and necessary can bring deep spiritual growth.

This episode invites honest reflection: Does your faith or spiritual practice actually change you? Or is it just a comfort you hold onto?

In this episode:

• The balance between presence and perspective
• Finding peace between past, present, and future
• How hope reshapes our spirituality
• Why change is necessary for growth

A thoughtful, grounded conversation for anyone exploring spirituality, mindfulness, and personal transformation in real life.

spiritual growth, mindfulness, being present, personal development, faith journey, hope, emotional health, anxiety, change, transformation, Tapestry podcast, Mike Orr, spirituality and life

S2E26 Breaking Free: Addiction, Technology, and Spiritual Growth

Episode Description: It’s amazing how easy it is to get hooked — on our phones, caffeine, people, or even good things like adventure and exercise. In this short solo episode, Mike Orr from The Tapestry Podcast explores how our addictions and attachments, both big and small, can quietly block spiritual growth and keep us from connecting with the divine.

Mike unpacks the Parable of the Sower — what Jesus calls the “weeds” that choke out life — and reimagines it for today’s world of constant notifications, digital distractions, and endless scrolling. What are the weeds in your life? What’s keeping you from flourishing?

Whether you call it God, the Divine, or the Universe, this episode invites you to pause, reflect, and take an honest look at what might be standing between you and your spiritual growth.

🌿 In this episode:

• How addiction and spiritual growth can’t coexist
• Recognizing your “digital weeds”
• The hidden ways technology and busyness numb the soul
• How to nurture your connection to what’s sacred

Subscribe to The Tapestry Podcast for more honest, reflective conversations about faith, mindfulness, and what it means to be human.

🔑 Keywords: spirituality, addiction recovery, faith and technology, mindfulness, digital detox, spiritual growth, Christian spirituality, Imago Dei, soul care, modern faith, parable of the sower

🎙️ Episode: Can Politics Ever Be Healthy? | Faith, Spirituality & Division in America

Can politics ever be healthy? In this episode of The Tapestry Podcast, Mike, Mikayla, and Mwangi close out their three-part series on faith and politics — exploring how spirituality can shape (and sometimes heal) our public life.

They talk about:

• The spiritual stakes of politics and division
• Billy Graham’s warning about religion and the political right
• The danger of political idolatry
• How Jesus reframed political questions
• Why humility and empathy matter more than “being right”

This is an honest, hopeful conversation about what it means to practice faith in a polarized world — and how we can start building healthier political dialogue rooted in love, curiosity, and community.

👉 Listen now and join the conversation.

Keywords: faith and politics, spirituality podcast, religion and government, healthy politics, political idolatry, Jesus and politics, Billy Graham quote, Christian podcast, empathy and understanding, Tapestry Podcast

S2E24 | Can Politics Ever Be Healthy?

In this episode of the Tapestry Podcast, Mike, Mwangi, and Mikayla explore how empathy, faith, and emotional maturity might be the key to healing our political culture — and finding hope beyond polarization.

Produced by Stephen Bailey. Original music by Taylor Martin.

🎙️ Tapestry Podcast | Can Politics Ever Be Healthy? | Faith, Empathy & Real Change

Can politics ever be healthy? In this episode of the Tapestry Podcast, Mike, Mwangi, and Mikayla dive deep into the complicated relationship between politics, spirituality, and human connection — and explore what it might take to build a healthier political culture.

We talk about how empathy, emotional regulation, and respect for human dignity can transform our conversations. From the dangers of social media algorithms to the importance of keeping politics local, this conversation explores how faith and everyday action can heal a divided world. If you’ve ever felt disillusioned with politics — or wondered how to stay engaged without burning out — this one’s for you.

🔑 Topics Covered: - Can politics be healthy? - How faith and spirituality shape political engagement - The two-party system and polarization - Empathy and emotional regulation in hard conversations - Media addiction, doomscrolling, and digital detox - Finding hope through local community involvement - Respecting human dignity across political divides

🎧 Stay Tuned for Part 3: “The Spiritual Stakes of Politics”

👇 Subscribe & Connect: @TapestryPodcast | New episodes every week on YouTube, Spotify, and Apple Podcasts

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🎙️ Episode Title: Can Politics Ever Be Healthy?

In this episode of The Tapestry Podcast, Mike, Mikayla, and Mwangi dive into one of the biggest questions of our time: Can politics ever be healthy?

We talk about why our political conversations have become so toxic, how faith and spirituality intersect with politics, and whether it’s still possible to disagree without dehumanizing each other. From religion and ideology to empathy and everyday conversations, this episode explores how we might reimagine a more grounded, compassionate kind of political life.

🔍 Topics We Cover:

• Why politics feels so divided and polarized
• The complicated dance between religion and politics
• How to have civil, thoughtful conversations with people who disagree
• Why empathy and spirituality might be the key to healthier politics
• What it means to avoid letting politics define your identity

🧩 Takeaway:

Politics doesn’t have to be about sides—it can be about connection, understanding, and shared humanity.

Produced by Stephen Bailey. Original music by Taylor Martin.

Listen & Subscribe: The Tapestry Podcast — exploring where faith, culture, and real life come together.

Keywords: politics and faith, healthy politics, religion and politics, polarization, civil discourse, spiritual life, Christian podcast, compassionate dialogue, bipartisan conversation, bridging divides

Tapestry Podcast S2E22 | Numb

Feeling numb in an overwhelming world? In this special mini-episode, Mike shares ways to process tragedy, burnout, and compassion fatigue without shutting down completely.

Produced by Stephen Bailey. Original music by Taylor Martin. Special thanks to Loren Richmond Jr. and Resonate Media.

In this special mini-episode of The Tapestry Podcast, Mike reflects on what it means to feel numb when the world feels overwhelming. From school shootings close to home, to global tragedies, political division, COVID, and the ongoing conflicts across the globe—how do we process it all without shutting down completely? Mike shares his own struggles with numbness, drawing wisdom from voices like Nadia Bolz-Weber, Richard Rohr, and Toko pah Turner, as well as practices of grounding, service, prayer, and self-care.

If you’ve ever felt like you can’t hold it all, this conversation will remind you: you don’t have to. Instead, you can ask the simple but powerful question: What’s mine to care about? This episode offers hope, perspective, and practical tools for moving from numbness toward connection, compassion, and resilience.

👉 Share in the comments: How do you keep from going numb when the world feels overwhelming?

🎧 Subscribe to The Tapestry Podcast for conversations on faith, spirituality, mental health, and navigating life’s hardest questions.

#TapestryPodcast #FeelingNumb #Overwhelmed #MentalHealthAndFaith #SpiritualityPodcast #RichardRohr #NadiaBolzWeber #CompassionFatigue #ChristianPodcast #FaithAndPolitics #SelfCare #MentalHealthAwareness #GriefAndLove #SpiritualPractice #OvercomeNumbness

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How Rich Is Too Rich? | Wealth, Faith, and the Ethics of Billionaires | Tapestry Podcast

Is there such a thing as an ethical billionaire? In this episode of the Tapestry Podcast, Mike, Mwangi, and Mikayla dive deep into the big questions about wealth, money, generosity, and spirituality.

We explore what different faith traditions—Christianity, Judaism, Buddhism, and Islam—teach about money, possessions, and giving. From biblical stories like Joseph and Moses, to modern examples like Jeff Bezos, Mark Zuckerberg, and even YouTuber MrBeast, we ask:

• How much wealth is “too much”?
• Does money reveal who we really are?
• Can wealth be used for good without corrupting us?
• What does Jesus, scripture, and other spiritual wisdom say about generosity and greed?

This conversation blends theology, ethics, and real-world examples, wrestling with how money shapes our values, communities, and spiritual lives.

If you’ve ever wondered about the dangers of wealth, the responsibility of billionaires, or how ordinary people can live generously, this episode is for you.

🔔 Subscribe for more conversations on faith, culture, and spirituality.

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