The Woodlands: A Place for Exploring the Spiritual Life

Hi everybody! Thanks for being here. This week we’re continuing our reflection on forgiveness. Last week we talked about where forgiveness begins. Now we’re going to discuss how forgiveness is a process, not a single, discreet act. Do be advised that this reflection contains a story about domestic violence that may be upsetting to some people.And before we get started, a quick reminder that everything from The Woodlands is always free. I offer paid subscriptions for those who would like to help fund ministries in under-resourced communities, especially among young people. Whether you opt for a free or a paid subscription, I’m really grateful that you’re here.Now, on to this week’s conversation:Forgiveness Can Take a LifetimeA Spiritual PracticeSit quietly for a few minutes in a comfortable spot. Let your mind, your heart, and your body settle. When you’re ready, say the Lord’s Prayer silently. Then, repeat the following line silently for two or three minutes:Forgive us our trespasses as we forgive those who trespass against us. (Or, if you prefer the modern version: forgive us our sins as we forgive those who sin against us.)Now bring to mind a time that someone forgave you. Reflect on how that felt at the time. How you feel now.Sit with the awareness of being a forgiven person. And now let’s turn to being a forgiving person.Search your heart for unresolved feelings of resentment you have toward someone or hurt that someone has caused. Imagine bringing that person to Jesus. Ask Jesus to forgive them. Don’t worry if you’re still struggling to forgive. That’s not a failure. It’s part of the process. Stay with this for a few minutes.Close by repeating the the Jesus Prayer silently for a few minutes:Lord Jesus Christ, only Son of God, have mercy on me a sinner.That’s it for this week, y’all. Thanks again for being here. Until next time, be well and God bless.JakeP. S. Just a quick reminder about scheduling me for your event. My colleague Holly Davis is now working on my 2027 schedule. If you would like to invite me to lead a retreat, offer a talk, participate in a webinar, or preach at your event, just give her a shout.P.P.S. Thanks to everybody whose generosity helps provide educational resources to the children of Alma Redwine Elementary. They send their love: This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit jakeowensby.substack.com/subscribe

Hey everybody! Thanks for being here. This week we’re exploring the paradoxical dynamics of forgiveness and how it shapes a Jesus-following community.A Spiritual Practice: The Jesus PrayerSit in a quiet comfortable place. Close your eyes. Take a couple of minutes to let your body, heart, and mind settle. Repeat the Jesus prayer in rhythm with your breath:Lord Jesus Christ, Son of God, have mercy on me a sinner.Inhale: Lord Jesus Christ, Son of GodExhale: have mercy on me a sinner.Breathe normally. Repeat this ten or twenty times or set a timer for five or ten minutes. Expect your mind to wander. That’s natural. When it does, gently come back to the practice.You can carry this into your day. While you’re doing ordinary things like washing dishes, taking a walk, or waiting in line, let the prayer run in the background of your mind. This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit jakeowensby.substack.com/subscribe

The church has always been a mess — because we've always been a mess. Jake looks at the fractured, ethnically divided congregation Paul wrote to in Rome — a church he hadn't founded and had never even visited — and finds the same thing he's found in his own life: God doesn't wait for us to get it right. God works with the material God is given — flawed, quarreling, imperfect people — and somehow, love gets through.Before moving to the Spiritual practice, here's a reminder about scheduling me for your event. My colleague Holly Davis is now working on my 2027 schedule. If you would like to invite me to lead a retreat, offer a talk, participate in a webinar, or preach at your event, just give her a shout.A Spiritual PracticeAt the start of the day, read the passage below three times (aloud or silently).On the first reading, notice which word or phrase stood out for you.Read the passage again slowly, then spend a few minutes meditating by repeating the word or phrase to yourself.Read the passage one more time and talk directly to God. Share your hopes, desires, thoughts, and fears.“If your enemies are hungry, feed them; if they are thirsty, give them something to drink; for by doing this you will heap burning coals on their heads.” Do not be overcome by evil, but overcome evil with good.” (Romans 12:20-21)Now, sit quietly with God. Let go of thinking. Just rest in God’s presence.At the close of day (or at some point that seems right to you), take ten minutes to examine your day.First, take a few minutes to let your mind and your body be quiet, to rest.Review your day:* Where did you receive a kindness today? Where did you offer one? Give God thanks.* Where did you feel joy, peace, or energy? Where did you feel anger, frustration, or regret? Where was God in that?* Choose one moment from today and talk to God honestly about it. Express sorrow for mistakes, unkindnesses, or kindnesses left undone. Ask God for mercy.Look toward tomorrow. Ask for grace and perseverance.Close with the Lord’s Prayer or with something like this:Gracious God, you continue to shape me through the love that others give me and the love that I give to others. Help me to receive love with an open heart in whatever form it takes, especially when I feel unworthy to receive it; through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen. This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit jakeowensby.substack.com/subscribe

Hi everybody! Thanks for being here. This week we’ll be thinking together about how to be a faithful Christian within a diverse cultural context.A Spiritual PracticeWalk back through your day and reflect on how you responded to people and circumstancesWhere did you feel the pull to withdraw: to stay silent, to avoid a conflict, to leave the room?Where did you feel the pull to control: to fix the problem, to win an argument, to run things your way?And where were you faithfully present: simply listening, speaking an uncomfortable truth, pitching in?Don’t judge what you find. Just notice it and hand it to Christ. Close this examen with the following prayer:Gracious God, you send us to be an instrument of your love in this time and in this place. Give us the wisdom to hear where our presence is needed each day, the humility to serve without controlling the outcome, and the perseverance to endure when we grow weary; in Jesus’ name we pray. Amen. This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit jakeowensby.substack.com/subscribe

If you’ve been around The Woodlands for awhile you know that I’m the son of an immigrant. And I’ve been thinking about what makes somebody an American…. with the help of Isaiah and Abraham Lincoln.A Spiritual PracticeFind a quiet few minutes at the end of the day. Breathe. Let your body settle before your mind does.1. Gratitude. Where did you feel genuinely welcomed today — not tolerated, not merely included, but wanted? Sit with that feeling a moment before moving on.2. Review. Walk back through the day. Who crossed your path — in person, on a screen, in a passing thought? Notice, without judging yet, who you moved toward and who you moved away from.3. The harder question. Was there a moment today when you measured someone by where they came from, what tribe they belonged to, what side they were on — rather than by whether they were trying, in their own way, to keep faith? Don’t rush past this. Let it be uncomfortable if it needs to be.4. Sorrow, honestly held. If you drew a boundary today that Isaiah wouldn’t have drawn — around ancestry, party, class, or grievance — name it to God plainly. No performance. Just honesty.5. Grace and resolve. Remember that you, too, are one of the ones let in on nothing but fidelity — not pedigree, not merit, not the right family. Ask for one small chance tomorrow to extend that same welcome to someone you’d normally overlook.Close, if it helps, with:Lord, you have never once asked me for my ancestry. Only my faithfulness. Let me offer others what you’ve offered me. Amen. This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit jakeowensby.substack.com/subscribe

Two old priest friends die within days of each other, and Bishop Jake Owensby finds himself preparing both their funerals. What starts as a meditation on obituaries becomes a meditation on character itself — the difference between the crooked-timber striving that shapes a resume, and the deeper truth that we are already Jesus' beloved. Drawing on David Brooks and the story of Peter walking on water, this episode asks what kind of life is actually worth remembering — and offers a short evening practice to help you feel the difference for yourself.A Spiritual PracticeSit in silence for a few minutes at the end of the day. Let your mind settle and the quiet settle in.Before you sleep tonight, walk back through today. Find one moment you were trying to prove something — your competence, your worth, your grip. Then find one moment someone simply loved you, or you loved them, and nothing was being proven at all. Sit with the difference.Bring your quiet time to a close with this prayer:Lord Jesus, this day is past. Help my restless heart to rest in you, not in what it has proven or earned. You have made me for yourself, and however far I wandered into striving today, hold me now simply as your beloved. Amen. This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit jakeowensby.substack.com/subscribe

This episode explores Jacob's night-long wrestling match with God at the Jabbok River (Genesis 32), and what it teaches about the spiritual practice of letting go so that we can receive what God is already offering.A Spiritual Practice: Letting Go to Receive* Sit in a comfortable chair for a minute or so. Both feet on the floor. Eyes closed.* Clinch your hands tightly into fists. Hold them that way. Name to yourself what you’re grasping for or clinging to. It could be a result you want. A person. An image of yourself. Don’t judge yourself. Just name it. Breathe. Stay with it, even if it begins to feel uncomfortable.* After a few minutes, relax your clinched fingers. Open up your hands slowly and gently. Rest them on your knees, palms up. Breathe for a few minutes. Feel the tension in your hands lessen.* Open your eyes slowly and close with the following:A Closing PrayerO God, give me the grace to let go and to open myself to what you are always already giving: to your loving, liberating, life-giving presence. Remind me daily that the blessing of your love is received, not seized or achieved. In Jesus’ name I pray. Amen. This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit jakeowensby.substack.com/subscribe

We spend much of our lives pursuing things we believe will finally satisfy us: success, security, approval, achievement. Yet even when we get them, something still feels unfinished. In this episode, I explore our deepest longings and why they point beyond the finite toward something more. Along the way, we consider where we place our ultimate trust and how God meets us in the ordinary moments of everyday life.Spiritual Practice: Where the Infinite Finds UsThis week, pay attention to the ordinary moments of your day.A conversation. A meal. A walk. A task at work. Time with family or friends.At the end of each day, ask yourself:When did I feel moved today?What moment stayed with me?Where might God have been present in those moments?PrayerLord Jesus Christ, open my eyes to your presence in the ordinary moments of my life. Help me to notice where you are at work in the people I meet and the experiences of each day. Amen. This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit jakeowensby.substack.com/subscribe

In this episode, I explore two very different ways of approaching the spiritual life. One begins with self-expression. The other begins with vocation—a call that comes from beyond us. Drawing on Colossians, I reflect on why the deepest authenticity may not be something we create, but something we receive as we follow the way of Jesus.For the transcript see The WoodlandsSpiritual Practice: The Next StepSet aside a few quiet minutes each day this week.Ask yourself:What am I being drawn toward?What am I feeling compelled to do?Which of these leads toward greater love, truth, or faithfulness?Don’t worry about the whole journey. Simply notice the difference and take one small step in the direction of what is calling you.PrayerLord Jesus, you call us to follow you. Quiet the voices of fear, pride, and distraction within me. Help me to recognize your invitation, trust your guidance, and take the next faithful step. Amen. This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit jakeowensby.substack.com/subscribe

We all want our lives to matter. Modern culture tells us to find significance through achievement, success, and influence. In this episode, I explore a different path—one rooted not in striving, but in relationship. Drawing on Colossians, Simone Weil, and the Christian vision of the Incarnation, we consider what it means to receive meaning as a gift rather than manufacture it for ourselves.Spiritual Practice: Receiving Life as GiftOnce each day this week, pause for a moment and ask:What in my life today is gift rather than achievement?Notice whatever comes to mind, and give thanks.PrayerLoving God, help me receive what you freely give. Amen. This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit jakeowensby.substack.com/subscribe

Why do we keep searching, even when life is going well? Beneath our striving lies a deeper longing—for love, meaning, belonging, and rest. In this episode, I explore the soul's hunger for something more and where that longing may be leading us.Spiritual Practice: Noticing Your LongingThis week, whenever you find yourself restless, disappointed, or wanting something more, pause for a moment and ask:What am I really longing for?Don't try to fix anything. Just notice.PrayerO God, guide my deepest longings toward you. Amen. This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit jakeowensby.substack.com/subscribe

What do you do when someone sees the world very differently than you do? In this episode, I reflect on conversations with an atheist server and a philosophy student to explore a simple but challenging practice: listening with curiosity, respect, and love. Following Jesus doesn't require us to win arguments. It invites us to see others as people God loves and to engage their stories honestly, graciously, and without fear.Spiritual Practice: Any Friend of JesusSometime today, notice one person you would normally overlook, dismiss, or simply pass by.Pause for a moment and pray:“Jesus, show me what you love about this person.”Then continue your day, carrying that question with you.PrayerJesus, help me to see others as you see them. Teach me to listen with respect, love without fear, and remember that every person I meet is someone you love. Amen.Book NewsI’ve been working on a manuscript that grows out of many of the themes we’ve explored together here, and I’ve begun a conversation with a publisher. The book is meant to be a companion for anyone who wants to slow down, pay attention to God, and grow into the life that Christ is already sharing with us. I’ll keep you posted as things develop. This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit jakeowensby.substack.com/subscribe

What if heaven and hell are less about where we go and more about who we become? In this episode, I explore C. S. Lewis’s vision of heaven and hell, the soul-shaping forces of modern life, and why becoming our true selves begins not with achievement but with receiving the love of God.Spiritual Practice: Becoming More RealOnce each day this week, pause for a moment and ask:What made me feel more fully alive today?Notice whatever comes to mind.PrayerLord Jesus Christ, make me more fully alive in your love. Amen. This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit jakeowensby.substack.com/subscribe

Jesus sent his disciples into the world as sheep among wolves. But the greatest danger is not what wolves can do to sheep. It is what wolves can do to souls.In this episode, I explore the temptation to mirror the very forces we oppose. How do we resist evil, pursue justice, and remain faithful without adopting the same hunger for power and control? Following Jesus means learning to resist the wolf without becoming one.Spiritual Practice: Seeing a NeighborThis week, when someone stirs frustration, resentment, fear, or contempt in you, pause for a moment and ask:Can I see this person as someone loved by God?Don't argue with the question. Just sit with it for a moment.PrayerLord Jesus, teach me to see others as you see them. Amen. This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit jakeowensby.substack.com/subscribe

Why do we live at such a relentless pace? Drawing on Christian Smith, Ecclesiastes, Jesus' first followers, and Dallas Willard, I explore the spiritual root of hurry and the restless desire that drives us from one thing to the next. The problem may not be our schedules. It may be what we're seeking.Spiritual Practice: What Am I Really Seeking?Each day this week, pause once or twice when you find yourself reaching for something: your phone, a snack, a purchase, a distraction, a task, a piece of news, or even a conversation.Before acting, ask yourself:* What am I hoping this will give me?* What deeper desire lies beneath this desire?* What am I really seeking right now?Don’t judge your answer. Simply notice it.You may discover that beneath the desire for productivity is a desire for significance. Beneath the desire for entertainment is a desire for joy. Beneath the desire for reassurance is a desire for peace. Beneath the desire for attention is a desire to be loved.End the day with a brief prayer:“Lord, help me recognize the deeper desires of my heart. Teach me to seek in you what I so often seek elsewhere. Lead me into the life for which I was made. Amen.”The goal is not to eliminate desire. Desire is part of how God created us. The goal is to notice where our desires are leading us—and whether they are carrying us toward the Infinite or merely from one finite thing to the next. This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit jakeowensby.substack.com/subscribe

Jesus did not give commandments as a test to pass, but as practices that shape us into people who can live the way of the Kingdom here and now. In this first installment of Practicing the Kingdom, I explore Sabbath, distraction, desire, and what it means to become fully human together.A Practice for the WeekSet aside ten quiet minutes at the end of one day this week. No phone. No television. No music. Just silence.Then ask yourself:* What shaped my heart today?* What most captured my attention?* What hurried me?* What gave me peace?* What helped me love God and other people more deeply?What pulled me away from the main thing?Do not judge yourself harshly. Simply notice.Then end with this prayer:Lord Jesus, teach me the way of your Kingdom. Reorder my desires. Quiet what distracts me from you. Shape my life by your love so that I may become more fully human in you. Amen. This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit jakeowensby.substack.com/subscribe

What if the spiritual life begins with attention? This Pentecost reflection explores distraction, presence, prayer, and learning to be present to God in a restless age.A Practice for Pentecost: Learning the Habit of AttentionAttention rarely happens by accident. Our days always take shape around habits and rhythms. In that sense, all of us already have a rule of life. The question is whether our current patterns are helping us stay connected to God.This week, pay attention to the rhythms that shape your days.How do you begin the morning?What claims your attention first?How do you end the day?What patterns shape your week?What helps you remember God’s presence?What consistently pulls your attention away?Don’t try to overhaul your life all at once. Instead, choose one simple practice that helps you reconnect your attention to God.You might begin the day with a short prayer before looking at your phone. Pause for silence at midday. Read a Psalm before bed. Set aside regular time for worship, rest, or reflection.The Book of Common Prayer offers a simple way to begin. It includes brief Daily Devotions for Morning, Noon, Early Evening, and Close of Day. These short prayers can help punctuate the day with moments of attention to God’s presence. You can find them on pages 137-139.The goal is not spiritual perfection. It is learning to make room for God at the center of your life.Scheduling Me for Your EventIf you would like for me to lead a retreat, offer a workshop, or speak at your event, contact my colleague Holly Davis. I love connecting with you in-person or online. Holly is already scheduling 2027, but there are a few spaces left for 2026. This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit jakeowensby.substack.com/subscribe

A reflection on Jeremiah’s call, ordained ministry, and the way of Jesus. Real leadership is not about power or performance, but courage, humility, and the willingness to speak up. This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit jakeowensby.substack.com/subscribe

Living is more than existing. In this reflection for Ascension Sunday, Jake explores the restless patterns that leave our souls behind—and the way of life Jesus offers instead. The way of the cross is not escape from the world, but a deeper way of being present to God, to others, and to creation itself.Spiritual Practice: How We Carry What We CarrySet aside ten minutes.Begin by becoming still. Sit comfortably. Take a few slow breaths. Let your body settle.Then bring to mind something you are carrying right now—a burden, a pressure, a responsibility. Don’t choose something abstract. Choose something real.Now ask yourself:How am I carrying this?Without judging, notice the pattern.Are you tightening? Managing? Controlling?Are you bracing yourself, trying to hold it all together on your own?Sit with that honestly for a moment.Then hear these words of Jesus:“Come to me, all you that are weary and carrying heavy burdens, and I will give you rest… For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light.” (Matthew 11:28–30)Read the words slowly. Let a word or phrase stand out.Now ask:What would it be like to carry this with Jesus instead of by myself?Don’t overthink it. Let an image, a feeling, or a simple shift come to you.It may be releasing control.It may be asking for help.It may be taking one faithful step instead of trying to solve everything.Sit quietly for a minute or two, holding that new pattern in your imagination.Close with a simple prayer:Jesus, I am carrying more than I can hold. Teach me your way. Teach me to carry this with you, not alone. Amen. This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit jakeowensby.substack.com/subscribe

Some choices aren’t between right and wrong, but about how best to love. When what love requires isn’t clear, how do we know what to do?In this episode, we explore how the risen life of Jesus forms our hearts to discern and act with faithful love.Spiritual Practice: Learning What Love RequiresRead the passage slowly. First out loud. Then quietly.“I will ask the Father, and he will give you another Advocate, to be with you forever. This is the Spirit of truth.” (John 14:16–17a)Sit with that for a moment.Bring to mind a situation in your life where it’s not clear what love requires.Don’t try to solve it.Just notice it.What makes this situation complicated?Where do you feel pulled in different directions?What feels most important to you here?Now, gently ask:What might love look like in this moment?Stay there. Don’t rush to an answer.Trust that you are not alone in this.When you’re ready, take one small step in the direction of love.Close with this prayer:Come, Holy Spirit. Teach me what love requires. Give me the wisdom to take the next step. And the courage to follow where you lead. Amen. This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit jakeowensby.substack.com/subscribe

Jesus says, “Do not let your hearts be troubled.” But what does that mean when life actually falls apart? This episode explores a different way of living—not a life we achieve, but one we receive and learn to give away in love.Spiritual Practice: Letting GoRead the passage slowly. First out loud. Then quietly.“Do not let your hearts be troubled. Believe in God, believe also in me.” (John 14:1)Sit with that for a moment.Where do you feel the pressure to hold your life together right now?What are you trying to control or secure?Notice what happens in you as you hear Jesus say, “Do not let your hearts be troubled.”Where might you be invited to remain open and present, rather than withdrawing or grasping for control?Stay there for a few moments.When you’re ready, close with this prayer:Jesus, you know how easily my heart becomes troubled. I find myself trying to hold things together on my own. Teach me to trust you. Help me to let go of what I cannot control and to receive the life you are giving. Amen. This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit jakeowensby.substack.com/subscribe

We are always being addressed by many voices. In this episode, we explore discernment as the practice of learning to recognize and trust the voice of Jesus amid the noise.Spiritual Practice: Listening for the Shepherd’s VoiceSet aside some time to sit in a quiet place.Begin by listening to what is already moving through your mind. What voices are speaking? Pressure, worry, self-criticism, striving? Don’t argue with them. Just notice.Now turn your attention to Jesus. Read this phrase slowly. First out loud, then quietly:“He calls his own sheep by name.” (John 10:3)Sit with that for a few moments. Let a word or phrase stand out to you. If your mind wanders, gently return to the words.After a few minutes, ask yourself: Which of the voices I’ve heard today sounds like this one?End with this prayer:Jesus, you know us and call us by name. Teach us to listen for your voice in our hearts and to trust where you lead. Amen. This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit jakeowensby.substack.com/subscribe

Dear listeners, this post is not like the usual message from The Woodlands. It’s a pastoral response to the murder of eight children in Shreveport, Louisiana. That’s within the Diocese I serve. While I believe that the message is for anyone who has experienced grief and trauma, and nothing graphic is said here, I do want to urge you to listen with care. This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit jakeowensby.substack.com/subscribe

We are shaped by what we practice every day. Those habits can open us to Jesus—or keep us from seeing him. Conversion is a change in what and how we love.In this series, we’re not only thinking about the spiritual life—we’re learning to notice how Jesus is already present and at work in our lives. I’m including in Substack—and also in the Apple and Spotify show notes—a simple way to begin. Try it today and consider trying it for a few minutes each day this week. I would love to hear from you about your experiences and insights.Spiritual Practice: Meeting Jesus in the OrdinarySet aside 10–15 minutes.Read this portion of the Emmaus story slowly. First out loud. Then quietly:“When he was at the table with them, he took bread, blessed and broke it, and gave it to them. Then their eyes were opened, and they recognized him.”Sit with that for a moment.Where in your life are you simply going through the motions right now?Work. Home. Conversation. Prayer.Don’t analyze it. Just notice it.Now ask:Where might Jesus already be present in that place?Stay there for a minute or two. No need to force anything.Then choose one ordinary action you will return to today—a meal, a conversation, a task—and receive it as a place where Christ meets you.End with a simple prayer:Lord Jesus, meet me in the ordinary rhythms of my life. Open my eyes to recognize you. Shape my heart to love what you love. Amen. This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit jakeowensby.substack.com/subscribe

We’ve been trained to think the spiritual life is about effort, discipline, and control.But what if it’s more like breathing?Something given, not earned. Received, not achieved.This episode explores what it means to live from that kind of life.Spiritual Practice: Receiving the Breath of ChristRead the passage slowly. First out loud. Then quietly. Sit with it.When it was evening on that day, the first day of the week, and the doors of the house where the disciples had met were locked for fear, Jesus came and stood among them and said, “Peace be with you.” After he said this, he showed them his hands and his side. Then the disciples rejoiced when they saw the Lord. Jesus said to them again, “Peace be with you. As the Father has sent me, so I send you.” When he had said this, he breathed on them and said, “Receive the Holy Spirit…”—John 20:19–23Imagine yourself sitting behind the locked door in fear.What fear are you carrying?Hear Jesus say, “Peace be with you.” Sit with that. Repeat peace silently, gently, and slowly.Now imagine his breath upon you.Where are you being sent?To what situation in your life?To what need of the world do you feel drawn?End with a simple prayer:Lord Jesus, you come close, breathe your life into me, and send me. Help me to receive what you give and to carry it into the lives around me. Amen. This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit jakeowensby.substack.com/subscribe

Resurrection is often understood as a promise for life after death. But in the risen Jesus, eternal life is already at work in us, shaping our hearts and drawing us toward a fuller, more alive way of living.A Simple Practice: Listening for Jesus in Your LifeTake a few minutes and find a quiet place. Sit comfortably. Let your body settle.Take a slow breath in. Then another. Don’t rush.Now, gently bring to mind your life as it is right now—not as you wish it were, but as it actually is.Ask yourself:What do I find myself longing for right now?Don’t analyze. Just notice what comes.Sit with that for a moment.Now, in that place of longing, turn your attention to Jesus—not as an idea, but as one who is present with you.Ask:Jesus, what is your invitation to me right now?Stay there for a minute or two. You don’t have to force an answer. Just remain open.Finally, take one more slow breath and ask:What is one small step I can take today that leans toward your invitation?Let’s take what we’ve noticed here and gather it into prayer.Loving, life-giving God, you raised Jesus from the dead and are raising us to new life. Open our hearts and minds to your transforming love and draw our desires more deeply into the life you are giving. Help us to trust that your love is stronger than death and to follow you, one step at a time; through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen. This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit jakeowensby.substack.com/subscribe

As Lent gives way to Holy Week, we arrive at the cross. In Jesus’ Passion we see the fullest picture of a reordered heart—one open to God and willing to love to the end. The cross reveals what a life shaped by holy desire looks like in the real world.As Lent gives way to Holy Week, we arrive at the cross. In Jesus’ Passion we see the fullest picture of a reordered heart—one open to God and willing to love to the end. The cross reveals what a life shaped by holy desire looks like in the real world.A Spiritual Practice for Holy WeekHoly Week invites us to walk with Jesus, not merely to remember what happened to him. These daily practices are an invitation to slow down, pray with Scripture, and accompany Christ as the story of his Passion unfolds.Each day this week:* Read the passage aloud slowly.* Read it again silently.* Sit quietly for a few moments. Notice the word, image, or feeling that draws your attention. Remain there with God.* Close with the prayer for the day.Do not rush. Let the Scripture keep company with you.Palm SundayLet the same mind be in you that was in Christ Jesus. (Philippians 2:5)Lord Jesus, form your mind within me. Where I grasp for control, give me trust. Where I seek glory, teach me humility. Make my life a reflection of yours. Amen.Monday of Holy WeekSix days before the Passover Jesus came to Bethany… Mary took a pound of costly perfume… and anointed Jesus’ feet… and the house was filled with the fragrance of the perfume. (John 12:1–3)Gracious God, receive what I offer you today—my love, my attention, my whole self. Free me from holding back, and let my life bear the fragrance of devotion. Amen.Tuesday of Holy WeekThe message about the cross is foolishness to those who are perishing, but to us who are being saved it is the power of God. (1 Corinthians 1:18)God of surprising wisdom, when I seek strength on my own terms, slow me down. Teach me the power hidden in self-giving love. Help me trust the way of the cross. Amen.Wednesday of Holy WeekLet us lay aside every weight and the sin that clings so closely… looking to Jesus the pioneer and perfecter of our faith. (Hebrews 12:1–2)Faithful God, help me release what weighs upon my heart. Give me perseverance for the path before me, and keep my eyes fixed on Jesus, who leads me into life. Amen.Maundy ThursdayThe Lord Jesus on the night when he was betrayed took a loaf of bread… “This is my body that is for you.” (1 Corinthians 11:23–25)Lord Jesus, you give yourself for the life of the world. Feed me with your grace, and shape my life into a gift for others. Teach me to love as you love. Amen.Good FridayJesus said, “I am thirsty”… “It is finished.” Then he bowed his head and gave up his spirit. (John 19:28–30)Crucified Savior, you entered the depths of human suffering and did not turn away. Help me rest in the mercy accomplished on the cross and trust the love poured out for the world. Amen.Holy SaturdaySince Christ suffered in the flesh, arm yourselves also with the same intention… to live no longer by human desires but by the will of God. (1 Peter 4:1–2)Hidden God, teach me the holiness of waiting. In silence and uncertainty, hold me fast. Shape my desires toward your life until hope rises in your time. Amen. This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit jakeowensby.substack.com/subscribe

In the final episode of Reordering the Heart, I reflect on the raising of Lazarus and what it means to follow Jesus. Discipleship leads us not away from suffering but into the places where Christ is already present, trusting that the way of the cross leads to resurrection hope. This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit jakeowensby.substack.com/subscribe

In this episode, I reflect on Jesus’ healing of the man born blind in John 9 and the deeper question beneath the miracle: how we learn to see. Like cataracts that slowly cloud our vision, the stories we inherit about success, suffering, and worth can shape how we perceive God, ourselves, and others without our realizing it. Jesus challenges a way of seeing that blames and measures, and invites us instead into a vision shaped by mercy and healing. This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit jakeowensby.substack.com/subscribe

In Part 3 of Reordering the Heart, I reflect on the turning point of the spiritual life: moving from a self we try to achieve to a self we learn to receive. Real change begins when identity is no longer something we secure for ourselves but something we discover as gift. This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit jakeowensby.substack.com/subscribe

When the Heart RacesWhy does trying to “be true to yourself” so often leave us anxious and exhausted? I explore how the pressure to construct and prove our identity keeps the heart racing—and how Jesus offers a different path grounded in receiving our lives as a gift rather than achieving them.Part of my Lenten reflections on how Jesus reshapes our desires and teaches us to live more freely and truthfully. This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit jakeowensby.substack.com/subscribe

What are you really longing for? In this first installment of Reordering the Heart, we explore how our desires are shaped by the culture around us—and how Lent invites us to let Christ reorder what we love. This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit jakeowensby.substack.com/subscribe

In this episode, I reflect on what it means for hope to become a way of life. Christian hope is not passive or wishful thinking. It is a pattern of living shaped by trust in God’s presence and promise — a hope that clarifies our actions, steadies us in uncertainty, and draws us toward love in the world as it is. This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit jakeowensby.substack.com/subscribe

This Lent, I’m beginning a five-part series called Reordering the Heart. Each Friday, beginning February 20, we’ll explore what it means to follow Jesus more intentionally in a culture that shapes our desires in subtle but powerful ways. This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit jakeowensby.substack.com/subscribe

In this episode, I reflect on finding hope when the odds are against you. Hope is not wishful thinking, but a way of living shaped by God’s abiding presence — even in seasons of uncertainty and loss. This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit jakeowensby.substack.com/subscribe

In a time when power is often mistaken for strength, Jesus speaks a different word: “Blessed are the meek.”In this episode, I reflect on what meekness truly means — not passivity or withdrawal, but a form of power shaped by humility, love, and trust in God. As the world grows more captivated by control and dominance, the way of Jesus invites us to live otherwise — faithful, courageous, and grounded in mercy. This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit jakeowensby.substack.com/subscribe

In this episode, Bishop Jake offers a pastoral reflection on the moral tensions of our troubled times. Drawing on the Nuremberg Trials and the teachings of Jesus, he explores what it means to follow Christ when law and conscience collide — and how Christians seek the way of love in unsettled days. This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit jakeowensby.substack.com/subscribe

In life’s most important things, we rarely know where we’re headed until we’ve already stepped out. Love works that way—and so does faith.In this reflection, we return to the moment Jesus calls his first followers and discover that faith is not about certainty or control, but about being drawn by love into a life we could not have planned. As we follow Jesus, the way does not appear all at once. It unfolds, step by step, as love leads us forward. This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit jakeowensby.substack.com/subscribe

What if your calling isn’t something you find, but someone you become?This Epiphany reflection explores the Christian calling to become our true selves by loving what God loves. Drawing on Jesus’ calling of Peter, it shows how ordinary lives can become places where God’s light is revealed. This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit jakeowensby.substack.com/subscribe

We all carry a deep longing—an ache for wholeness that nothing in this world quite satisfies. In this Christmas reflection, I tell a childhood story and explore how the Incarnation meets that longing. Christmas isn’t just a date on the calendar. It’s God coming toward us, making us whole in ways we could never manage on our own. This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit jakeowensby.substack.com/subscribe

Today’s reflection is the fourth and final installment of the Advent series called God Draws Near. This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit jakeowensby.substack.com/subscribe

Today’s reflection is part three of the four-part Advent series called God Draws Near. You can read or listen to the first and second parts on Substack. This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit jakeowensby.substack.com/subscribe

Today’s reflection is called You Are Preapproved. It's part two of the four-part Advent series called God Draws Near. You can read or listen to the first part on Substack. The Woodlands is also available as a podcast on Apple Podcasts and Spotify. This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit jakeowensby.substack.com/subscribe

This week we’re starting a four-part Advent series: God Draws Near.We’ll be talking about how God never waits for a perfect moment to show up. God is present now. When we learn to notice that presence—and trust it—it steadies us, transforms us, and leads us forward one faithful step at a time.Today we’re on Part One: A Sense of an Ending This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit jakeowensby.substack.com/subscribe

Part 4 of the 4-part series The Heart of Things: Love and the Life of the World. This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit jakeowensby.substack.com/subscribe

Part 3 of the 4-part series The Heart of Things: Love and the Life of the World. This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit jakeowensby.substack.com/subscribe

Part 2 of the 4-part series The Heart of Things: Love and the Life of the World. This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit jakeowensby.substack.com/subscribe

Part 1 of the 4-part series The Heart of Things: Love and the Life of the World. This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit jakeowensby.substack.com/subscribe

This is the final post in a four-part series on the dimensions of faith—its nature as a gift, its power to transform us, its practice in prayer, and its promise of salvation. If you prefer to listen you can do so here, at Apple Podcasts, or at Spotify. This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit jakeowensby.substack.com/subscribe

This is the third post in a four-part series on the dimensions of faith—its nature as a gift, its power to transform us, its practice in prayer, and its promise of salvation. If you prefer to listen you can do so here, at Apple Podcasts, or at Spotify. This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit jakeowensby.substack.com/subscribe