The Woodlands: A Place for Exploring the Spiritual Life

We yearn for love, meaning, belonging, and transcendence. This is our soul’s holy longing, whether we name it that or not. And we remain restless until we find what we seek. 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 world is full of magic things, patiently waiting for our senses to grow sharper.”—William Butler Yeats This episode is a homily preached at St. Paul’s, Winnfield. 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 we discuss two spiritual pathways. Both promise to deliver a full-hearted life. One does. One doesn’t. Just a reminder that my sabbatical starts in June and runs through mid-September. A written post (with audio) will still drop every Friday. However, The Woodlands Podcast will switch to once or twice a month. This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subsc...

Conversion has three dimensions. It’s a turning. It’s a transformation. And it’s a process. In the end, conversion is about relationship. This is a homily preached at St. Mark’s Cathedral in Shreveport, Louisiana. 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

Ronald Rolheiser says that what we do with our longings is our spirituality. Longing is part of being human. So, each of us is spiritual, whether we realize it or not. However, not all spiritualities are equal. This episode is drawn from my latest book A Full-Hearted Life . This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit jakeowe...

“You have turned my wailing into dancing.” (Psalm 30:12) On May 5th eighty years ago Mauthausen Concentration Camp was liberated. My mother was one of the prisoners there. Preached on the 5th, this episode is a meditation on the liberation we find in our relationship with the risen Christ. This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episode...

Today’s episode is about learning how to walk the way of Jesus. It is drawn from my book A Resurrection Shaped Life . 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 podcast is the sermon I preached for Easter Sunday at The University of the South’s All Saints’ Chapel. The text for that day was John 20:1-18. It features Mary Magdalene’s encounter with the risen Jesus. I took the liberty of drawing on elements from the remainder of that chapter: Jesus’ appearance to the Apostles and then later his encounter with Thomas. This is a public episode. If you'd l...

This week’s episode is part two of a two-part discussion of the sources of our sense of self and what it means to be true to yourself. It’s the fourth in a series of talks based A Full-Hearted Life that I gave at the Clergy Conference of the Episcopal Diocese of Iowa. Part One dropped last week. This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus e...

This week’s episode is part one of a two-part discussion of the sources of our sense of self and what it means to be true to yourself. It’s the fourth in a series of talks based A Full-Hearted Life that I gave at the Clergy Conference of the Episcopal Diocese of Iowa. Part Two (and the final episode in the series) drops next week. This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other...

This week’s episode examines the sources of meaning in our life. It’s the third in a series of talks based A Full-Hearted Life that I gave at the Clergy Conference of the Episcopal Diocese of Iowa. 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’s episode examines the existential reasons for believing in God. It’s the second in a series of talks based A Full-Hearted Life that I gave at the Clergy Conference of the Episcopal Diocese of Iowa. 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’s episode examines the existential challenges of this secular age. It’s the first in a series of talks based on A Full-Hearted Life that I gave for the Clergy Conference of the Episcopal Diocese of Iowa. 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

Our guest this week is Rob Hirschfeld, Bishop of New Hampshire and author of With Sighs too Deep for Words: Grace and Depression . 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 Ash Wednesday Reflection is free for all listeners. In it we discuss what our mortality teaches us about the source of meaning in life. 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 there are going to be Christians in the future, they’re going to be mystics.—Karl Rahner This episode is free for everyone. 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

Etty Hillesum found hope even in the midst of the Holocaust. Listen to her story. 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’s episode explores how even our seemingly insignificant actions can participate in God’s healing of our broken 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

On Wednesdays paid subscribers get early access to this podcast. All subscribers have access to the audio the following Monday. As always, you can redeem the one-time unlock feature to try it out right now for free. This week’s episode is a recording of the address I delivered for the Bishop Reynolds Forum at the St. Andrew’s School, Sewanee. This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this...

To become a member of The Woodlands community and receive new posts, consider a free subscription . To support ministries beyond the walls of the church, to have access to the entire archive, to get early access to podcasts, and to receive bonuses, think about becoming a paid subscriber . On Wednesdays paid subscribers get early access to all podcasts. All subscribers have access to the audio the...

This episode of The Woodlands Podcast is a bonus audio for paid and sustaining subscribers. It’s a sermon that I preached on the Feast of the Presentation. With a free subscription you can use the one-time unlock to listen for free. And you can earn a paid subscription by referring friends to The Woodlands . All subscribers receive a meditation each Friday for free. This is a public episode. If yo...

For the next couple of weeks I’m sharing excerpts from my new book A Full-Hearted Life . Today's episode comes from the Prelude. 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’s podcast explores John’s account of Jesus’ call to the first disciples and reflects on three questions: Who is Jesus? What does it mean for us to follow Jesus? What becomes of those who follow Jesus? 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

My friend and colleague The Rev. Dr. Pamela Dolan has a lot to teach us about life and prayer that, as the title of this podcast suggests, is down to earth. 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 a free preview of a paid episode. To hear more, visit jakeowensby.substack.com This episode of The Woodlands Podcast is a bonus audio. It focuses on how the Holy Spirit gives us identity, a sense of belonging, and wisdom.