Jesse Bray’s Quiet Revolution in Parenting

The Father, the Artist, and the Prayer Life

When Jesse Bray talks about learning, his words shimmer with the wonder of illumination. “It’s not even the subject that gets me excited,” he told us. “It’s seeing the lights turn on in a student, the point where they’re afraid and suddenly they’re empowered.”

That spark, the moment when fear turns to confidence, is the heartbeat of Jesse’s work as a father, educator, and creative entrepreneur.

A dyslexic learner turned visionary storyteller, Jesse has spent years serving the Church through creative ministry, education, and storytelling. His gift lies in what can best be described as spiritual intelligence—the ability to sense and guide the growth of others, to nurture the soul and inner life as much as the outer one.

Jesse believes that education, when done right, is an act of love. And like love, it can’t be automated.

“AI will replace bad teachers,” he says, matter-of-factly. “And that’s wonderful. But it will never replace good ones. There’s no such thing as a bad student; only a bad teacher.”

The Father’s Frame

Jesse’s foundation as a teacher and parent is built on discipline. But not the kind found in rulebooks or productivity hacks. His discipline is prayer—the daily, deliberate act of surrender.

“You can’t be a disciple without being disciplined,” he says. “Prayer isn’t a waste of time. It’s the most valuable point of your day.”

He prays in rhythm 6 AM, noon, and 6 PM. Following what he calls the Angelus prayer, Jesse allows God to interrupt his schedule three times a day. “If it’s not on your calendar and you’re not being interrupted for it,” he laughs, “then it doesn’t really matter.”

Jesse also journals through a method he calls PRAY 40:

• P — Praise: list 10 things you’re grateful for.
• R — Repent: confess what’s holding you back.
• A — Ask: lift up 10 people, including those who hurt you.
• Y — Yourself: only after that, bring your needs before God.

“If prayer doesn’t change your heart,” he says, “you’re praying selfishly.”

His words cut through the noise of modern parenting, where the default is to do more—more enrichment, more achievement, more hustle. Jesse’s reminder is countercultural:

Before you lead your child, you must let yourself be led.

Breaking the Cult of Billions and PhDs

When we asked Jesse about the twin pressures our children face, the cult of credentials and the cult of wealth, he chuckled. “There are only two questions that matter,” he told us. “How to love God, and how to be a saint.”

To Jesse, that isn’t dogma; it’s direction. In a world that constantly measures worth by performance, he reminds us that meaning is measured by purpose.

“Money and success aren’t evil,” he says. “They’re just poor gods. If you’re living for them, you’re a fool. The rest is gravy.”

For Jesse, parenting at its best is soul formation, the daily act of helping children recalibrate their compass away from performance and back toward purpose. His children, he says, don’t need him to make them rich or famous. They need him to model what integrity, compassion, and holiness look like in a modern world.

The Artist at Work

That holiness, for Jesse, takes form in Inklings—his animated children’s series that turns reading into joy and wonder. Named after his literary heroes, J.R.R. Tolkien and C.S. Lewis, Inklings features a family of curious bugs who live in a library attic and go on adventures through classic stories.

Behind the whimsical concept is a serious mission: to restore the moral and imaginative depth that children’s media has lost. Inklings already has over 160,000 YouTube subscribers and advisors from shows like Peppa Pig and Bluey. Yet, Jesse insists it’s not about numbers.

“Even if one child finds joy in learning, it’s worth it,” he says. “We’re not just teaching literacy. We’re teaching empathy, imagination, and the ability to wonder.”

He recalls how streaming platforms once courted the show, but only if he stripped out its educational core. He refused. “They wanted to gut the heart of it,” he says. “But I can’t compromise on why it exists.”

Allowing Yourself to Be Interrupted

Halfway through our interview, Jesse stopped mid-sentence. It was noon. He smiled and said, “It’s my prayer time.” Then he bowed his head and prayed.

When he opened his eyes, he said softly, “That’s the secret. Allow yourself to be interrupted.”

In that quiet pause, the entire conversation shifted. We saw what makes Jesse Bray’s story so radiant. His parenting isn’t about perfection or performance. It’s about presence—living in the interruption, teaching through example, and letting light do what it does best: turn fear into wonder.