Shows
From Slumber To Scripture - Exploring Truth and Evil in Faith ReexaminationEpisode 009: Where Christmas Really Came From: Rome, Winter Festivals, Trees, Gifts & Rethinking Our Celebration (Part 2)This episode uncovers the real history behind Christmas, revealing how a supernatural September birth evolved into a December 25 holiday shaped by Roman festivals, church politics, European traditions, and cultural customs. We explore: Why early Christians NEVER celebrated Jesus' birth When December 25 FIRST became a holiday (AD 336) Saturnalia and Sol Invictus — the real Roman festivals behind Christmas The surprising origin of Christmas trees Why gift-giving has BOTH pagan and Christian roots How traditions evolved centuries after Scripture And the big reflective question: "Now that we know the truth… do we s...
2025-12-2329 min
From Slumber To Scripture - Exploring Truth and Evil in Faith ReexaminationEpisode 008: The Supernatural Birth of Jesus: Angels, Prophecy, and the Star Written in the Heavens (Part 1)EPISODE SUMMARY In this explosive deep-dive episode, we uncover the supernatural birth of Jesus Christ using Scripture, archaeology, biblical prophecy, Lee Strobel's Case for Christ, and the groundbreaking astronomical research of Dr. Michael Heiser. This is NOT the quiet nativity scene many of us were taught. This episode reveals: Angels appearing to Mary, Joseph, and the shepherds Fulfilled Old Testament prophecy (Isaiah 7:14, Micah 5:2) The mysterious Star of Bethlehem in Matthew 2 The Revelation 12 astronomical alignment The September 3 BC birth theory Why a...
2025-12-1930 min
Mapping the Self™Michael McRay Storywork for Healing & ConnectionI'm thrilled to introduce Michael McRay a dear friend, storyteller, podcast host, coach, speaker, and author. In this episode we're discussing narrative intelligence (the stories that shape our lives), restorying (owning and shaping our stories), and rekindling our relationship with our wild selves. Michael McRay is a nationally recognized storytelling expert, experiential coach, and keynote speaker who helps people and organizations become better stories. He’s founder of Becoming Restoried, a life-story coaching practice rooted in experiential healing and conflict transformation, and the host of Tenx9 Nashville (“ten by nine”), the city’s longest-running monthly storytell...
2025-11-261h 02
storyOSS08 E30: STORY 2025 Highlights, Favorite Moments & Season FinaleIn this season finale, Harris, Kate and Michael reflect on STORY 2025, and the transformative experience of storytelling events, emphasizing the importance of environment and creativity in engaging audiences. The discussion highlights how changes in format and atmosphere can lead to moments of awe and wonder, creating lasting impressions on attendees.In their reflective conversation, they cover topics like:The experience of storytelling can be profoundly transformative.Environment plays a crucial role in shaping audience engagement.Creativity in format can lead to unexpected and delightful experiences.Moments of awe can significantly enhance the storytelling experience.Collaboration with...
2025-11-181h 03storyOSS08 E29: The Power of Leading an Intentional Family StoryIn this episode of the Story OS Podcast, hosts Michael McRay and Harris III discuss the importance of leadership within the family unit, emphasizing the need for intentionality and proactive engagement. They explore how family dynamics can mirror organizational leadership, the role of children in shaping family vision, and the integration of work and family life. The conversation also touches on the American dream and its implications for modern family structures, ultimately advocating for a more unified approach to leadership that includes all family members. In this conversation, we cover some key takeaways such as:Leadership starts at...
2025-11-1149 minstoryOSS08 E28: Living Room Leadership with Brittany and Geoff AndersonTune in this week as Michael McRay welcomes Brittany and Geoff Anderson, co-authors of brand new book Living Room Leadership and founders of Renala, for a conversation about why world-changing leadership begins at home. The Andersons share their powerful story of a marriage that nearly ended in 2019 during Geoff's time as an Air Force One pilot, and how coaching - not traditional therapy - helped them challenge the stories they were telling themselves and rebuild their relationship. Rather than letting that fracture define their future, they discovered that family is the most vital leadership training ground and created a...
2025-11-041h 06storyOSS08 E27: World-Changing Leadership Begins at HomeIn this week's episode, Michael McRay sets the table for next week's conversation with Brittany and Geoff Anderson, authors of Living Room Leadership. After his divorce, Michael crafted a framed set of commitments that define how he and his son show up together. This episode explores the radical but simple claim that world-changing leadership begins at home, and that the tools we treat as normal at work - vision, mission, values - matter even more in our living rooms. Michael introduces key themes from next week's conversation: moving from deficit to strength-based family culture, understanding families as systems rather...
2025-10-2817 minstoryOSS08 E26: The Wild WayMichael McRay welcomes listeners into a different kind of episode - a celebration of his fifth book, The Wild Way: Navigating the Space Between the Old Story and the New, releasing today. Tune in for an intimate invitation into the heart of a project years in the making, born from more than a decade of coaching conversations, story facilitation, and personal notes from the dark forest. Michael reads from the opening pages of the book, sharing the concept of the wild twin - the exiled, instinctual part of ourselves that knows the way into the woods, the part we...
2025-10-2116 minstoryOSS08 E25: The Sacredness of StoryThis week, Michael McRay and Harris III gather for a raw, timely conversation about what it means to treat story as sacred in a world that has reduced it to formulas and frameworks. Reflecting on last week's interview with Kaitlin Curtice and her new book Everything is a Story, they explore why their conference is simply called "STORY" - a deliberate choice to reclaim storytelling from the creative class and awaken everyone to their inherent creativity and narrative power. The conversation confronts the cultural moment we're living in: a world where rage has replaced nuance, where social media algorithms...
2025-10-1453 minstoryOSS08 E24: Everything is a Story with Kaitlin CurticeThis week, Michael McRay welcomes award-winning author and poet Kaitlin Curtice to celebrate the launch of her new book, Everything is a Story. Curtice, an enrolled citizen of the Potawatomi Nation, explores how narrative drives all human behavior and shapes our identities, beliefs, and relationships. The conversation weaves through Indigenous wisdom, spirituality, and the profound recognition that stories aren't just things we tell - they are living beings that we participate with and that fundamentally shape how we experience the world. Curtice shares her journey through health challenges leading up to the book launch, the vulnerability of putting creative...
2025-10-071h 04storyOSS08 E23: Stories That Root, Stories That ReleaseMichael McRay prepares listeners for his upcoming conversation with Kaitlin Curtice, award-winning author and Potawatomi Nation citizen, whose new book Everything is a Story explores how stories root in our bodies, beliefs, and behaviors. Michael reflects on Kaitlin's framework of stories as lethal, loving, or liminal - categories that he argues aren't separate buckets but overlapping truths within the same narrative. Michael demonstrates how a single story can simultaneously hold hope and futility, love and obedience, connection and violence. Michael challenges the notion that we lose stories we didn't choose, examining how narratives handed down through family, church, and...
2025-09-3013 minstoryOSS08 E22: The Narrative of EmotionsTune in as Michael McRay and Harris III explore the complex relationship between emotions and storytelling, diving into whether we're primarily emotional beings who tell stories, or story beings who experience emotions. Harris shares how his childhood survival mechanism of entertaining others to manage their emotional states shaped his career path, while Michael reflects on his "emotions epiphany" through Karla McLaren's work. They challenge the common phrase "story follows state," arguing instead for a circular relationship where stories create emotional states and emotional states influence the stories we tell ourselves. Their conversation examines how both emotions and imagination remain...
2025-09-2355 min
L36 Media PodcastThe Palimpsest of Self: How to Rewrite Your Story for Lasting HealingWhat if the story you've been living isn’t the truth - but just the beginning?
In this powerful episode, host Dr. Steven Pearce sits down with Michael McRay - storyteller, narrative coach, and TEDx speaker - whose life’s work helps people heal from trauma by reexamining the narratives that shaped them.
Michael shares his personal journey through pain, suicidal ideation, and self-discovery, and how he now guides others to “restory” their lives - transforming limiting childhood beliefs like “I’m not enough” or “I’m fine” into empowering truths.
Discover the concept of narrative...
2025-09-1751 minstoryOSS08 E21: The Intelligent Messengers Within with Karla McLaren (pt. 2)Join Michael McRay as he continues his conversation with emotional researcher Karla McLaren, diving deeper into how emotions serve as guides rather than problems to solve. Karla explains that when emotions feel overwhelming, it's often about our lack of skills to work with them rather than the intensity itself. She reframes depression as an intelligent system that removes energy to redirect us from destructive paths. Their conversation reveals how toxic positivity isolates those experiencing intense emotions, while slightly depressed people often see reality more clearly than eternally optimistic ones. Karla introduces "narrative completion"—how witnessing recovery and resolution is es...
2025-09-161h 02storyOSS08 E20: Purpose Behind Every Emotion with Karla McLaren (pt. 1)Michael McRay welcomes Karla McLaren, award-winning author and emotional researcher whose work has fundamentally reshaped how many understand inner life and emotional intelligence. Karla shares how her journey into emotions began not as academic pursuit but as survival. When severe childhood abuse left her with intense emotions that no one around her would acknowledge or discuss, Karla was forced to decode the language of emotions on her own. This conversation challenges fundamental assumptions about emotions, particularly the myth of "positive" versus "negative" feelings. They explore how gender stereotypes allow men anger but punish them for it, while women can...
2025-09-0959 minstoryOSS08 E19: The Internal Navigation of StorytellingIn preparation for his upcoming two-part conversation with emotional researcher and author Karla McLaren, Michael McRay explores why emotions are the fundamental architecture of all storytelling. Drawing from his work with David Hutchins in the Storytelling Leader program, Michael addresses the common pitfall of leaders who shy away from emotion in their stories, mistakenly believing that emotional storytelling means crying in front of their teams. Michael shares how Karla's work revolutionized his understanding that every emotion exists because we need it - fear as a signal, sadness as a release, anger as an alarm, and shame as an alignment...
2025-09-0214 minstoryOSS08 E18: Failure as Your Origin StoryIn today's episode, Michael McRay and Harris III dive deep into how we define success and failure, exploring whether our culture's focus on mental health has inadvertently reduced our resilience. Their conversation examines the pendulum swing from necessary trauma awareness to potentially over-labeling every difficulty as trauma, and how this impacts our ability to navigate the inevitable failures that come with building a business or pursuing meaningful goals. Harris shares insights from his work with purpose-driven entrepreneurs who often struggle when their well-intentioned efforts don't yield immediate results, while Michael reflects on Jordan Geary's concept of "failure as origin...
2025-08-2545 minstoryOSS08 E17: Stepping Into Your Own Story with Jordan GearyThis week, Michael McRay sits down with Jordan Geary, Emmy Award-winning creative producer and executive at Sesame Workshop who has spent over 20 years crafting stories for children and families through beloved shows like Sesame Street's Mecha Builders, Ghostwriter, and Helpsters. After ten years at Sesame, Jordan has discovered his new mission: helping people shift their perspective from feeling like extras in their own lives to recognizing themselves as the heroes of their personal stories. This conversation explores how children's content teaches us about the power of personal stakes in storytelling, why kids are far smarter than adults give them...
2025-08-191h 03storyOSS08 E16: Becoming Better StoriesMichael McRay reflects on the profound idea that "self-authorship is a sacred act" and explores what it means to move from simply telling stories to becoming better stories. Drawing from his own experience growing up in the church, Michael examines how so many of us have lived inside stories written by others - whether by religious institutions, cultural systems, or societal expectations. He shares his personal journey of recognizing that his sensitivity wasn't a weakness but a signal that the internalized stories weren't the whole truth. This solo episode is preparation for his upcoming conversation with Emmy-winning producer Jordan...
2025-08-1213 minstoryOSS08 E15: The Currency of Human ConnectionMichael McRay reconnects with Harris III to unpack the conversation with Pádraig Ó Tuama and explore the broader implications of moving from an information age to a wisdom based economy. They dive into how artificial intelligence is making information abundant and cheap, while wisdom becomes increasingly rare and valuable. Harris argues that as AI makes it harder to trust anything we see on screens, people will crave authentic, in-person human experiences - exactly the kind that storytelling provides. Their conversation examines empathy as a crucial component of narrative intelligence, but they also explore its shadow side, questioning whether our cu...
2025-08-0536 minstoryOSS08 E14: Stories For the Sake of Stories with Pádraig Ó TuamaMichael McRay sits down with his longtime friend Pádraig Ó Tuama, the Irish poet, theologian, conflict mediator, and storyteller who has profoundly shaped Michael's approach to narrative intelligence over their decade-long friendship. Their rich conversation explores the delicate balance between fostering empathy through story while recognizing that mandatory empathy rarely works. Pádraig shares how his work in communities with people from both sides of the Irish border taught him that storytelling isn't inherently good - it's power that can either liberate or control. He also reflects on his years leading Ireland's oldest peace and reconciliation organization, and discusses the...
2025-07-291h 01storyOSS08 E13: The Practice of Narrative HumilityThis week, Michael McRay prepares listeners for his upcoming conversation with Pádraig Ó Tuama, the Irish poet, theologian, conflict mediator, and storyteller who has profoundly shaped Michael's approach to story work over their long friendship. This episode introduces the concept of narrative humility - the practice of remembering that no matter how good a story is (even your own) it doesn't tell the whole truth. Michael explores how our impulse to quickly moralize stories or force neat conclusions actually limits their transformative power. Through examples ranging from a retreat participant's mountain rescue story to the tragic tale of physician Ig...
2025-07-2215 minstoryOSS08 E12: Agency Is Always an OptionTo unpack the incredible conversation with researcher Ben Rogers about his groundbreaking research on the hero's journey framework, Harris III rejoins Michael McRay. They explore how understanding our lives as unfolding stories, rather than just random events, has implications for reducing anxiety, increasing contentment, and building resilience. Michael and Harris examine about how Ben's research validates what they've long believed: that the stories we tell ourselves fundamentally shape our physiology, our choices, and our capacity for growth. In this episode, they also discuss:How redemptive versus contaminated narratives determine our capacity for leadership, meaningful relationships, and overall flourishingWhy...
2025-07-1536 minstoryOSS08 E11: The Hero's Journey with Dr. Ben RogersMichael McRay sits down with Dr. Ben Rogers, a researcher at Boston College, to explore his groundbreaking research proving that people who view their lives through the hero's journey framework experience measurably greater meaning, resilience, and life satisfaction. They explore how growth mindset is really just a story we tell ourselves about our capacity to change. Dr. Rogers shares how his personal experiences shifted from finance to studying what makes life meaningful. Their conversation reveals how the narratives we tell ourselves about everything from workplace challenges to personal setbacks directly shape our well-being. In this episode, they also discuss:
2025-07-081h 18storyOSS08 E10: The Character You're BecomingWhat if the key to resilience isn't changing your circumstances, but changing how you see your story? Michael McRay takes listeners through the profound idea that you are a character in a story—and how you understand your role and arc might be one of the most important frames you ever adopt. Drawing on Joseph Campbell's hero's journey and upcoming research from Dr. Ben Rogers, Michael reveals how people who view their lives through mythic storytelling frameworks report greater meaning, resilience, and well-being. In this episode, he also discusses:How the hero's journey framework increases resilience and reduces an...
2025-07-0117 minstoryOSS08 E09: The Space Between StoriesMichael McRay welcomes back Harris III for a fascinating exploration of vulnerability, wonder, and influence. Harris shares a powerful story about performing a trick at a conference, then doing something radical—he simply stopped talking. The result? Thirty different people found thirty different meanings, each more profound than anything he could have prescribed. They explore Lisa Cron's framework for narrative influence and why you can't just give someone a transformation—you have to understand their starting point. In this episode, Michael and Harris also discuss:Why vulnerability feels dangerous to leaders and how it's actually the key to conn...
2025-06-2454 minstoryOSS08 E08: The Neuroscience of Story with Lisa CronWhat if everything you think you know about emotion and decision-making is backwards? Michael McRay sits down with Lisa Cron, the brilliant mind behind "Wired for Story" and "Story or Die," to unpack the revolutionary science showing that emotion isn't the enemy of logic—it's actually running the show. Lisa reveals how her fascination with story began in the most unlikely place: analyzing subway advertisements during her daily commute in New York, studying which ones made her want to buy versus which ones made her roll her eyes. This conversation demolishes the myth that we're rational beings who sometimes fe...
2025-06-171h 14storyOSS08 E07: Story is Your OSTune in as Michael McRay kicks off a new three-part series exploring the wiring of the human brain and why we fall for certain stories while resisting others. He dives into the concept that story isn't just something we tell—it's the invisible operating system running in the background of our entire lives, shaping what we believe, fear, and think is possible. Michael uses the famous 1938 "War of the Worlds" radio broadcast as a compelling example of how well-structured stories bypass rational filters and spark visceral responses because our nervous system doesn't distinguish between narrative and experience. In this ep...
2025-06-1008 minstoryOSS08 E06: Never Waste a Good CrisisHarris III rejoins Michael to explore Selena Garefino's transformative insights about how our bodies store and process the stories of our lives, and why traditional approaches to healing often fall short. They dive deep into the intersection of story and body, exploring how the body functions as the unconscious mind, processing millions of bits of data while our conscious awareness handles a limited amount. The conversation weaves through powerful examples of experiential work, from toxic team dynamics shifting through play, or retreat participants reconnecting with childhood purpose through embodied timeline exercises. In this episode, they discuss:The body...
2025-06-0336 minstoryOSS08 E05: The Body Keeps the Story With Selena GarefinoMichael McRay sits down with Selena Garefino, an internationally renowned yoga teacher, storyteller, and somatic coach. Selena weaves together yoga, mythology, anthropology, and coaching into a transformative practice that recognizes how stories live not just in our minds, but in our bodies. They explore how the subconscious mind receives story through sensation, how myth becomes a map for healing, and how returning to the body can help us re-author inherited meanings. Selena shares her profound wisdom about "never wasting a good crisis" and how good wine comes from stressed grapes. This spacious, grounded conversation reveals how embodied storytelling can...
2025-05-271h 06storyOSS08 E04: Ancient Wisdom for Modern TransformationIn this episode, Michael McRay introduces his upcoming conversation with Selena Garefino, a somatic storytelling practitioner who weaves yoga, storytelling, anthropology, and coaching into a transformative practice. As a prelude to their full interview, Michael shares the ancient Germanic tale of the Handless Maiden - a powerful story about loss, transformation, and rebirth. Through this myth, Michael explores how stories live not just in our minds but in our bodies, and how disconnecting from our bodies often means losing access to the very stories we need for healing. This episode serves as a beautiful introduction to Selena's philosophy that...
2025-05-2024 minstoryOSS08 E03: The Motive Behind the StoryMichael McRay welcomes back Harris III to discuss key insights from the conversation with Annette Simmons. Together, they explore the critical distinctions between influence and manipulation in storytelling, the importance of transparency and informed consent, and how confidence plays a role in effective leadership narratives. Harris shares wisdom from his background in magic and illusion, drawing parallels between ethical performance and ethical storytelling. The conversation delves into why allowing ourselves to be known is fundamental to building trust, and how leaders can share personal stories without oversharing. Coming Up SoonSTORY 2025: October 9th and 10th 2025 a...
2025-05-1338 minstoryOSS08 E02: The Portal to Wisdom with Annette SimmonsJoin the first interview of season 8, as Michael McRay sits down with Annette Simmons, author of the storytelling classic "The Story Factor" and several other influential books. Their conversation explores storytelling not as performance or persuasion, but as ethical leadership, presence, and the courage to hold complexity. Annette shares her journey into story work, explains her concept of the "six stories every leader needs to know how to tell," and discusses the difference between influence and exploitation. With decades of experience consulting for organizations including the US military and Fortune 500 companies, Annette offers profound wisdom about empathy as a...
2025-05-0646 minstoryOSS08 E01: A New Chapter for storyOSMeet Michael McRay as he steps into the host role and takes listeners on a personal journey through his path to narrative work. From his early storytelling for empathy building, through a successful yet unsatisfying corporate consulting career, to the pivotal TEDx talk that changed his direction, Michael shares how he discovered his true calling in helping people reconcile with their life stories. He details the creation of Becoming Restoried, and his eventual partnership with Harris to launch the Istoria Institute. With vulnerability and insight, Michael weaves his own narrative while introducing the foundation for the season: story is...
2025-04-2918 minstoryOSWelcome to Season 8 of storyOSWelcome to Season 8 of the storyOS podcast! In this season opener, Harris introduces Michael McRay as the new host of the podcast. Michael, who now heads the Istoria Institute, sits down with Harris to discuss the exciting vision for this season, which includes the new three-part episode format and an exciting lineup of future guests. As a seasoned storyteller with experience in coaching and facilitation, Michael brings a unique perspective to the storyOS podcast. He's excited to build on the foundation Harris has created while introducing listeners to new perspectives on narrative intelligence.Coming...
2025-04-0114 minstoryOSThe Future of storyOS: Building a Global Movement for Narrative IntelligenceIn this exciting season finale, Harris welcomes back Michael McRay to announce a groundbreaking initiative: the creation of the Istoria Institute, a global center for narrative intelligence. Learn how this new venture aims to transform the way we understand and apply storytelling through the world's first certification program in narrative intelligence, and discover how you can be part of this revolutionary movement. You'll learn:What narrative intelligence is and how it differs from traditional storytelling approachesDetails about the three-level certification pathway in Applied Narrative Intelligence (including specializations in leadership, social change, and personal transformation)How the storyOS methodology...
2024-12-1931 min
This Is CivityMichael McRay on Becoming Re-storied to See the Humanity in Yourself and OthersIn this episode, we talk with Michael McRay, experiential story coach, and founder of Becoming Restoried.Michael helps others find and share their own stories, toward healing, reconciling, and connection. The stories we create have the power to connect or divide – and when someone does not have control of their story, it can be dehumanizing.Michael helps people see both themselves – and each other – as human, which in turn connects us across divides, differences, and unknowns.For more, go to BecomingRestoried.com.
2024-10-1846 minstoryOSFrom Theory to Practice: Applying Narrative Intelligence in Daily LifeIncreasing your narrative intelligence gives you the power to reshape your personal story, improve your relationships, and become a more effective leader and communicator. In this final episode of our four-part series with Michael McRay, we're digging into practical ways you can apply narrative intelligence in your daily life.Throughout the conversation, we'll explore practical exercises to enhance your narrative intelligence, how you can use story structures as tools for self-awareness, and the connection between vulnerability, authenticity, and effective storytelling. We'll also share how to identify and reframe limiting personal narratives, along with resources and tools to...
2024-07-0433 minstoryOSRewriting Our Stories: How Imagination Shapes Our RealityJoin Harris III and Michael McRay as they delve deeper into the power of narrative intelligence and its connection to wonder, curiosity, and imagination. You'll discover how these elements work together to shape our perception of reality and influence our ability to rewrite the stories that guide our lives.Throughout the conversation, you'll learn:How wonder and curiosity act as catalysts for expanding our narrative intelligenceThe role of imagination in problem-solving and personal growthPractical strategies for cultivating a more open and flexible mindsetHow to leverage narrative intelligence in leadership, parenting, and conflict resolutionThe impact of...
2024-06-2749 minstoryOSEvery Problem is a Story Problem: Leveraging Narrative Intelligence for ChangeExplore how a greater understanding of narrative intelligence can help you approach challenges in your personal life, your relationships, and even on a global scale.In this second part of our discussion with Michael McRay, we dive deeper into the idea that every problem is fundamentally a story problem. Discover the power of acknowledging the existing narratives that shape our beliefs and drive our behavior, and how this awareness is crucial for effective communication, leadership, and problem-solving. Learn how to identify the story problems in your own life and work, and how to begin the p...
2024-06-2027 minstoryOSAwakening to the Power of Story: Introducing Narrative IntelligenceAre you aware of the narratives that shape your everyday life? Special guest Michael McRay joins Harris III to dive deep into the concept of narrative intelligence and the fundamental role that storytelling plays in the human experience. Explore why story is best understood as the operating system (OS) of the human brain, and how the stories we tell ourselves shape our beliefs, drive our behavior, and ultimately influence every aspect of our lives. Learn about the difference between narrative and story, and discover how storytelling has been leveraged in marketing, politics, and religion to influence and c...
2024-06-1340 min
No Small Endeavor with Lee C. CampUnabridged Interview: Pádraig Ó Tuama
This is our unabridged interview with Pádraig Ó Tuama.
What if, to be a peacemaker, one might have to wade into trouble and stir the waters oneself? What if, to be a theologian, one might have to leave some of the most troubling questions about God unanswered? What if, to be a poet, one might have to do away with flowery abstraction and accept the nitty-gritty of real life?
Pádraig Ó Tuama, host of the podcast Poetry Unbound from On Being Studios, is all of these things - peacemaker, theologian, poet. In this episode, he shar...
2024-04-161h 05
No Small Endeavor with Lee C. CampPádraig Ó Tuama: A Poet’s Work in Peace and Reconciliation (Best of NSE)
What if, to be a peacemaker, one might have to wade into trouble and stir the waters oneself? What if, to be a theologian, one might have to leave some of the most troubling questions about God unanswered? What if, to be a poet, one might have to do away with flowery abstraction and accept the nitty-gritty of real life?
Pádraig Ó Tuama, host of the podcast Poetry Unbound from On Being Studios, is all of these things - peacemaker, theologian, poet. In this episode, he shares beautiful and troubling stories from his peacemaking work in Northern Ir...
2024-04-1154 min
Faith To Go PodcastWondering, Pondering, and Feeling Joyful with The Rt. Rev. Dr. Susan Brown SnookAdvent 4Year BBishop Susan joins the team to discuss the joy and responsibility of evangelism while living into the ideals of Jesus' vision of The Kingdom of God.Learn more about Bishop Susan's ministry right here.Today’s ReferencesKeep Watch with Me, An Advent Reader for Peacemakers by Claire Brown and Michael T. McRay “Making the decision to have a child — it's momentous. It is to decide forever to have your heart go walking around outside your body.” -Elizabeth Stone, in Ellen Cantarow, "No Kids," Th...
2023-12-1824 min
Grounded on Purpose"Becoming Restoried" with Michael McRayThis episode brings home many of the topics we discussed over the past two seasons. Conflict consultant and award-winning author Michael McRay has traveled to Israel, Palestine, Northern Ireland, and Africa studying conflict and resolution. These experiences inspired Michael to build his own company, Becoming Restoried, which uses the power of story to make meaning, heal harm, and repair relationships.
Michael takes us around the world, sharing his personal interviews with people who were deeply divided but came together despite all odds. Michael also opens up about his own journey of finding peace with h...
2023-06-2751 min
The Good Dirt: Sustainability Explained141. Restoring Justice Through Love and the Living Soil with Jonathan McRay of Silver Run Forest FarmGrown up in East Tennessee with deep roots like Mary Kingsley, Jonathan McRay shares his day-to-day as he works in the Shenandoah Valley of Virginia. With an MA in Conflict Transformation and Restorative Justice, Jonathan has worked with Vine and Fig, Speakers Collective of Soul Fire Farm, and the Cambium Collective. He founded Silver Run Forest Farm along with his partner Cornelius Deppe, where he grows plants and is committed to cleansing the pollutants from our souls, society, and soil. An advocate of land care, transformative racial justice, and renewable energy sources, Jonathan sits down with Mary and Emma...
2023-05-121h 06
In the Waves with Mallory Wyckoff"God Is Hiding under the Table" with Michael McRayIn this episode of In The Waves, I talk with my friend Michael McRay about the ways shame has been a constant companion in our lives. He shares the impact of sexual assault and purity culture on his experience of sexuality and what it has looked like for him to live into a healthier, freer story. We also explore the powerful connection between peacemaking and our own inner healing work, how learning to live a better story for ourselves is part of healing the world.
Trigger warning: In this episode we discussion sensitive topics including sexual assault...
2023-03-081h 05
The Today's Leader Podcast#448 Michael McRay Storytelling and Conflict ResolutionConflict is inevitable and some would say necessary in workplaces. Its often how we react and deal with conflict is where our pain comes from. And many leaders dread conflict and deal with it poorly.Today's guest shares some light for our listening leaders, on how conflict management can be effective through strategies including storytelling.Michael McRay is an award-winning writer, storytelling and conflict consultant, trainer, and leadership coach. His work explores how storytelling can create change, make meaning, and transform division. He works with organizations around the world to tell their most meaningful stories and...
2022-10-1941 minLubar Executive Education PodcastHow Leaders Can Use Stories To Create Change and Navigate ConflictIn this episode we sit down with Michael McRay, award-winning writer, storytelling and conflict consultant, trainer, and leadership coach, to explore how leaders can effectively harness the power of storytelling.During our discussion, we talk about:the importance of being a good storyteller when you are a leaderwhy stories mattercommon mistakes people make when crafting and telling storieshow to use stories to impact change effortsusing stories to keep conflict productive and healthy If you are interested in more from Michael, please visit michaelmcray.com/free for two free resources. The four most common mist...
2022-06-0230 min
Common Sense - Leadership Powered by Common SenseStorytelling as a Leadership Tool (#029)
Listen to this episode where my guest, Michael McRay shares his insights and ideas about the power of storytelling. Hear his perspectives and practical ideas to help you add this gift to your toolkit as a leader.
The post Storytelling as a Leadership Tool (#029) first appeared on Leadership Powered by Common Sense.
2022-05-2600 min
How to Heal Our DividesHTHOD interview with book contributor Michael McRay, author of "I Am Not Your Enemy: Stories to Transform a Divided World"HTHOD interview with book contributor Michael McRay, author of "I Am Not Your Enemy: Stories to Transform a Divided World"
2022-02-0426 min
Multifaith MattersMichael McRay on Stories to Transform EnemiesMichael T. McRay is a Nashville-based writer, facilitator, and story-practitioner, and the award-winning author of I Am Not Your Enemy. In the pages of this book, visits divided regions of the world and interviews activists, peacebuilders, former combatants about their personal stories of conflict, justice, and reconciliation. In Israel and Palestine, Northern Ireland, and South Africa, he hears from grieving parents who partner together across enemy lines, a woman who meets her father’s killer, and a man who uses theater to counter the oppression of his people, and many more. In a time of heightened alienation and fear, Mc...
2021-04-1146 min
Redeeming Disorder#37: The Love Story Born of Attempted Suicide — Michael McRayMichael McRay came to know shame in early childhood, and it nearly killed him. In this episode of Redeeming Disorder, he bravely shares the story of his close encounter with death, and of the immense outpouring of love he found after attempting suicide. Michael's vulnerability gives me the courage to finally share that I was suicidal for a period of time in the summer of 2011, and if you find yourself in a dark place, I hope it gives you courage as well. May the story instill faith, in all those who need to hear it, that there is light...
2021-03-051h 36
NeighborsI Am Not Your EnemyThis episode I do something I have never done in the entire history of the show. I just interview someone. No story. I interview Michael McRay to shed some light and hope on our current political divide. He’s a Nashville-based author of the new book I Am Not Your Enemy: Stories to Transform a Divided World. He’s a story-practitioner using the power of personal stories to heal harm, make meaning, and create connection. He works most often with the global empathy nonprofit organization Narrative 4 and earne his master’s degree in Belfast, Northern Ireland, studying conflict resolution and re...
2020-12-0432 min
NeighborsI Am Not Your EnemyThis episode I do something I have never done in the entire history of the show. I just interview someone. No story. I interview Michael McRay to shed some light and hope on our current political divide. He’s a Nashville-based author of the new book I Am Not Your Enemy: Stories to Transform a Divided World. He’s a story-practitioner using the power of personal stories to heal harm, make meaning, and create connection. He works most often with the global empathy nonprofit organization Narrative 4 and earne his master’s degree in Belfast, Northern Ireland, studying conflict resolution and re...
2020-12-0431 min
The Rock Hard PodcastBeats And Beatdowns: Michael Sweet Vs Cardi B And LaJon To The ER???SOCIAL MEDIA SCRAP: Pizzagate people Captain Culture Vulture Kid rock was at rally on Monday showing why Black people should REALLY dislike him. https://www.blabbermouth.net/news/kid-rock-says-he-could-care-less-about-continuous-attacks-from-left-wing-media-announces-career-documentary/ Michael Sweet talks about Cardi B and not once had the courtesy to say okurrrrrr. https://www.blabbermouth.net/news/strypers-michael-sweet-criticizes-cardi-bs-wap-says-he-doesnt-want-his-granddaughter-subjected-to-that-garbage/ Former lead singer of bad brains, Sid Mcray, dead which didn't prepare us well for the next headline... https://www.blabbermouth.net/news/original-bad-brains-singer-sid-mccray-dies/ LaJon cut himself and had to go to the hospital.
2020-09-1654 min
CBF ConversationsMichael T. McRay, Remarkable Conversations with Your "Enemy"Sponsors: Fuller Seminary & The Center for Congregational Health. Music by Nicolai Heidlas from HookSounds.com
2020-08-0951 min
No Small Endeavor with Lee C. CampI Am Not Your Enemy: Michael T. McRay
Author and story practitioner travels to some of the globe’s most contentious socio-political locales. He’s convinced you cannot argue people into a new way of seeing the world, you can only story them into new ways of thinking. In this compelling episode, we hear some of the troubling and violent, yet nonetheless hopeful, stories he’s learned. And we reflect upon personal practices of peace-making, with others and with ourselves.
LINKS:
Link to Michael’s book
Master Course with Miroslav Volf
See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
2020-08-061h 01
Can I Say This At Church‽I Am Not Your Enemy with Michael T McRaySupport the show: Patreon l Glow l Episode Transcript Stories and proximity are the way in which we can find the ability to hear one another. And it is in this hearing we can begin the conversation around reconciliation. Guest Bio: Michael is an engaging public speaker, accomplished writer, trained mediator, skilled facilitator, and energizing teacher. He lives in Nashville, Tennessee with his wife Brittany and their two terriers, Charlie and Lily. You can follow him on Facebook and Instagram at @michaeltmcray. Guest Music by Heath McNease You can also...
2020-06-2959 min
Things Not Seen PodcastProximity, Curiosity, and Humility: Michael T. McRayMichael McRay knows the power of stories. In his book, I Am Not your Enemy, he draws on his travels to some of the most violent areas of the world to offer stories of hope and transformation in the pursuit of justice. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
2020-06-231h 00
Inglorious Pasterds212 - I Am Not Your Enemy w/ Michael McRayThis Is Beautiful, Good Doggos, Family Sex Blanket, Poop Feet, Bass Pro Swimmer, Coked Up Feral Hogs, Hot Pocket Break-In
MICHAEL McRAY LINKS:
Website: https://michaelmcray.com
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/michaeltmcray
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/michaeltmcray/
Twitter: https://twitter.com/michaeltmcray
PASTERDS LINKS:
Pasterds Website: www.ingloriouspasterds.com
Pasterds Twitter: www.twitter.com/PasterdsPodcast
Michael Baysinger Twitter: www.twitter.com/mjbaysinger
Matt Polley Twitter: www.twitter.com/polleynamedmatt
Brad Polley Twitter: www.twitter...
2020-06-032h 05
Begin A Full Audiobook That Is Simply Mind-Blowing.I Am Not Your Enemy by Michael T. McRayPlease visithttps://thebookvoice.com/podcasts/2/audible/168764to listen full audiobooks.
Title: I Am Not Your Enemy
Author: Michael T. McRay
Narrator: Michael McRay
Format: mp3
Length: 5 hrs and 17 mins
Release date: 05-07-20
Ratings: 5 out of 5 stars, 5 ratings
Genres: Violence in Society
Publisher's Summary:
Violent stories surround us. Brutal beginnings, horror-filled middles, despair-inducing endings. We need better stories: stories forged in the furnace of conflict, narratives that kindle compassion, and ignite hope. In I Am Not Your Enemy, writer Michael T. McRay visits divided regions of the world and interviews activists, peace builders, former combatants, and clergy members about their...
2020-05-075h 17
Stories, But ShorterMichael McRay on PeacebuildingAuthor Michael McRay reads from his upcoming book, I Am Not Your Enemy: Stories to Transform a Divided World. For this book, Michael McRay traveled the world to places like Israel, Palestine, Northern Ireland, and South Africa to interview activists, peacebuilders, and former combatants about their personal experiences with conflict, justice, and reconciliation. I Am Not Your Enemy: Stories to Transform a Divided World is a collection of those interviews as well as Michael’s own experience with his travels and forming deep relationships with the people he met along the way.
Michael McRay also works for th...
2019-12-0938 min
Regeneration Church PodcastKeeping Watch: Waiting in HasteJesus of the vigil, you told us to keep watch, to stay alert for what is coming.
Bless us with the strength to watch, to wait, and to work this Advent season, so that your Kingdom which is here and is still to come may be realized in its fullness. Because if we do not keep watch, we may miss it. Amen (Prayer by Michael T. McRay)
2019-12-0120 min
The Flip Factor PodcastHow to Win More Deals on the Internet with Josh McRay In this episode, I speak with Josh McRay, PPC expert at Leadpropeller, where we talk about Pay-Per-Click marketing and how Josh is using it to help investors win more deals.
2019-03-1539 min
Now We're Talkin' with Doug PagittMichael McRay Talks with Doug about Peacemaking and the Advent ReaderMichael McRay is coordinating a daily reader for December 2107 that connects the story of Advent to Peacemaking.You can subscribe at www.MichaelMcRay.com/Advent
2017-12-0437 min
Redeeming DisorderMichael McRay, Dino Andes & Ashleigh Thornton: Listener-Based Podcast #2Redeeming Disorder covers some tough topics today with three brave guests. First, writer Michael McRay reads his personal story of attempting suicide 7 years ago and the life lessons he's learned since. Then Redeeming Disorder listeners, Dino Andes and Ashleigh Thornton, provide insight on OCPD, schizophrenia, and vaginismus. This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit reiman.substack.com
2016-12-281h 10