by jakeowensby | Aug 11, 2023 | Matthew 15:21-28, Proper 15 A
When my daughter was diagnosed with autism, I had a few choice words for God. On a long evening walk under the stars, I railed at the unfairness of it all. At God’s unfairness. “Honestly, the kid’s barely out of preschool and she’s already undergone open heart...
by jakeowensby | Jun 2, 2023 | Matthew 9:9-13, 18-26
For almost twenty-two years I spoke with a profound speech impediment. Born without a soft palate, I lacked the physical equipment needed to make a proper “s” sound. Everything I said had a nasal quality, and the “s” was entirely unrecognizable. When you’re talking,...
by jakeowensby | Mar 17, 2023 | John 9:1-41, redemption
Brené Brown introduced me to the phrase “shame storm.” If you’re like me, you’ve been caught in one before. You just didn’t know what to call it. Shame storms can be triggered by all sorts of things, and they may take different forms for different people. But in...
by jakeowensby | Oct 21, 2022 | Luke 18:9-14
My clerical collar, black shirt, and black suit were drawing discrete glances. I had slipped away from the church office to get some cold medicine at a nearby drug store. The checkout line turned out to be unexpectedly long. A man standing in front of me looked over...
by jakeowensby | Sep 17, 2021 | Mark 9:30-37
People are more than one thing. Our worst moments do not define us. None of us is merely petty, angry, stubborn, self-absorbed, impatient, or hypocritical. We can also be kind, selfless, courageous, persistent, curious, and honest. Everybody operates from mixed...
