Holding the Soul (with Mike Bowden)

Mike Bowden serves as the Soul Care Facilitator for ESDA and leads spiritual retreats all over the world. In this episode, Adam Ormord and Kelly Arabie of Grafted Life Ministries interview Mike about his experiences abroad as a missionary with TEAM and his own journey in caring for his soul.

Join us for a very personal discussion, as Mike’s heart was awakened to longings for more in his relationship with God, and eventually, a deeper intimacy with Christ through the ministry of spiritual direction.

This transformative experience also led Mike to training as a spiritual director and the desire to create sacred spaces for others.

"People aren’t always used to someone caring for the soul, so in a way, as we create a holy space, we are holding the soul for someone, so that they can receive and listen...

“Sitting with someone and have them feel safe, without pretending, without denying
what is going on inside them, watching God at work—all those bring great joy.”

In this conversation, we get a glimpse of what community can look like, seeing people come to know God in deeper, real, honest, authentic, relational ways.

Resources Mentioned:

• ESDA Gathering 2023 – “Holding the Soul: Exploring God’s Design for Transformation”
• The Other Half of Church – Michel Hendricks

The Grafted Life Podcast is provided by Grafted Life Ministries, helping people build deeper relationships with God and each other. The host of the podcast is Grafted Life's Executive Director, Adam Ormord.