From Knowing to Trusting: Doug’s Journey from Head to Heart

It’s easy to think that faith is about knowing the right answers—believing the right things, having a firm grasp on scripture, and feeling certain about God. Doug Schroeder thought that too. He was a trained theologian, a pastor with years of ministry experience, and someone who had studied scripture deeply. He knew a lot about God—but something was missing. Deep down, he knew his heart needed to be touched.

Doug’s turning point came through a series of life-changing moments. His daughter came out early in his evangelical pastoral ministry, challenging his long-held beliefs with the reality of love. When she later asked him to officiate her wedding, Doug knew that saying yes would likely mean the end of his career as a pastor. But his experience with SoulStream’s Art of Spiritual Direction and contemplative spirituality had already begun to reshape his heart. He started to see scripture differently—not as a rulebook, but as a story of inclusion and grace. He realized that faith wasn’t about certainty or moral perfection, but about trusting God’s presence in the unknown.

Doug made the choice to officiate his daughter’s wedding, knowing it would cost him his job—but also knowing it was the right thing to do. He left his pastoral position and entered into the mystery of not knowing. But in that surrender, he found something deeper: freedom.

Doug learned that contemplation—taking a long, loving look at reality—helped him open his heart rather than close it. Through centering prayer and spiritual direction, Doug discovered that God wasn’t just an idea to be understood but a presence to be experienced.

Faith, Doug realized, isn’t about knowing the right answers—it’s about trusting the presence of God in each moment. When we stop trying to control the outcome and instead rest in God’s compassionate grace, we discover the freedom and joy that come from living from the heart.

This post is based on “Journeying from Head to Heart,” a conversation with Doug Schroeder on the SoulStream Living from the Heart podcast. To listen to the full episode, visit soulstream.org/podcast.