Discovering Joy by Praying All of Life with W. David O. Taylor & Phaedra Jean Taylor

Sometimes sacred gifts arrive quietly—in the scent of broth simmering in the kitchen or in the gentle light cascading across a painting.

These small moments hold invitations for us to connect with God. But are our hearts prepared and open to do so?

In this episode of The Digital Examen, host Jay Y. Kim welcomes theologian W. David O. Taylor and visual artist Phaedra Jean Taylor for a moving conversation about embracing God’s interest and presence in our everyday life. Together, they share how prayers, paintings, and simple moments invite us to slow down, embrace a softened heart toward God, and receive the hidden graces we often overlook.

Drawing from their book Prayers for the Pilgrimage and the visual landscapes Phaedra creates, the Taylors reflect on the trust we foster amid struggle, how art and imagination cultivate hope, and how we can truly be met by God both in joy and sorrow. They wrestle with how to bring our full lives—our soup-making, our grumpy moods, our diaper-changing, our illnesses—into honest prayer. They also uncover Jesus’ subversive way of modeling joy amid suffering and offer creative ways to nurture an "undramatic attunement" to God's presence as we move through the world.

Tune in to learn how to experience Jesus and joy afresh today through vulnerability and praying through all of life’s emotions and experiences with God.

This episode highlights the following themes:

How God meets us in pain, pleasure, and the ordinary moments of lifeHow prayer and art invite vulnerability, honesty, and healingPractices for slowing down, noticing, and finding God everywhereLinks from this episode:

Learn more about W. David O. TaylorLearn more about Phaedra Jean Taylor and her artRead Prayers for the Pilgrimage by W. David O. Taylor, with paintings by Phaedra Jean TaylorRead the transcript herePreorder The Pace of Peace by Jay Y. Kim

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