Shows / Wayfarer
Wayfarer
Tom Vander Well is author of "This Call May Be Monitored (What Eavesdropping on Corporate America Taught Me About Business and Life)" A "wayfaring stranger" life's road. Husband, father, writer, CEO, actor, playwright, preacher, back porch musician, and follower of Jesus, he shares his thoughts and observations on the journey. Each weekday he offers 5-10 minute Chapter-a-Day (CaD) reflections on one chapter of the Bible, perfect for a daily commute. Longer reflections are on the Wayfarer…
Episodes
- Wayfarer
"Like the Rain" (CaD Hos 6)
I have found that drought happens spiritually just as it does in the physical world. However, with each season of drought, God has always, eventually "come to…
- Wayfarer
Addicted to Security (CaD Hos 5)
It is only when the Hebrews find themselves captives in a foreign land, that they will have their rock bottom, First Step epiphany. A chapter-a-day podcast…
- Wayfarer
Priests (CaD Hos 4)
I find the concept of the "priesthood" far more expansive in God's point-of-view than the narrow definition the institutional church has made it out to be. A…
- Wayfarer
Living Lesson (CaD Hos 3)
I find myself moved by the fact that Hosea not only took his wife Gomer back after her adulteries, but that he had to pay her debts in order to do so. A…
- Wayfarer
Grounded for Good (CaD Hos 2)
Despite what many believe, God never promised to deliver us from the difficulties and pain. In fact, Jesus assured us that it would be our earthly reality. A…
- Wayfarer
Living Metaphor (CaD Hos 1)
God tells Hosea that his daily life, his wife, his marriage, and his children are going to be a living metaphor, a message to his nation. A chapter-a-day…
- Wayfarer
Was, Is, & Will Be (CaD Am 9)
I have found it virtually impossible not to read the ancient words of the prophet Amos in context of current events. A chapter-a-day podcast from Amos 9. The…
- Wayfarer
Spiritual Famine (CaD Am 8)
I'm thinking this morning not just about physical seasons but spiritual seasons. A chapter-a-day podcast from Amos 8. The text version may be found and shared…
- Wayfarer
Consideration of Words (CaD Am 7)
There is a theme that runs throughout the Great Story that has to do with the judicious use of words. A chapter-a-day podcast from Amos 7. The text version may…
- Wayfarer
Lessons Then and Now (CaD Am 6)
As I continue my chapter-a-day trek through the ancient prophecies of Amos, I can't help but think of the eery parallels with current events. A chapter-a-day…
- Wayfarer
Prudent Silence, Bold Speech (CaD Am 5)
In the quiet this morning, I was struck by Amos' description of the silent bystanders who are "prudent" in keeping silent. That is a theme that resonates…
- Wayfarer
Words that Bite (CaD Am 4)
I grew up being taught that freedom of speech means that we have the right to speak words that bite, that we sometimes have to hear words that bite (even if we…
- Wayfarer
Imelda's Shoes (CaD Am 3)
Imelda Marcos was famous for her shoe collection, and I can attest to the thousands and thousands of pairs of shoes she had hoarded away in her palace. I saw…
- Wayfarer
The Sting (Cad Am 2)
What Amos does in these opening chapters is as shrewd as a street hustler working a literary sting. A chapter-a-day podcast from Amos 2. The text version may…
- Wayfarer
"The More Things Change..." (CaD Am 1)
As I read today's chapter in the quiet this morning, I couldn't help but think of the prophet Amos as an Oliver Anthony of his day belting out his own version…
- Wayfarer
Tale of a Runaway Slave (CaD Col 4)
A modern reader wonders why Paul didn't take on slavery as an issue of social justice. I have a couple thoughts. A chapter-a-day podcast from Colossians 4. The…
- Wayfarer
"Since, then..." (CaD Col 3)
A phrase I find myself using more and more is this: "If I really believe what I say I believe, then...." A chapter-a-day podcast from Colossians 3. The text…
- Wayfarer
Truth & Wackiness (CaD Col 2)
Along my spiritual journey, I've encountered a number of individuals and groups that hold what I consider to be wacky beliefs. A chapter-a-day podcast from…
- Wayfarer
Faith and Awe (CaD Col 1)
In the quiet this morning, I'm enjoying some awe and wonder. A chapter-a-day podcast from Colossians 1. The text version may be found and shared at…
- Wayfarer
A Prescription for Anxiety (CaD Php 4)
I learned a prescription for anxiety as a teenager that cost nothing, didn't require insurance, and had no negative side effects. A chapter-a-day podcast from…
- Wayfarer
Privileged Citizen (CaD Php 3)
Every day Jesus' followers in Philippi saw military retirees leveraging their Roman citizenship and affluence into a focus on making sure their waning days on…
- Wayfarer
My Choice (CaD Php 2)
Attitude is a choice. A chapter-a-day podcast from Philippians 2. The text version may be found and shared at tomvanderwell.com.
- Wayfarer
Suffering Granted (CaD Php 1)
One of the things I continue to observe in many different pockets of our current culture is the refusal to say what one believes or knows out of fear of being…
- Wayfarer
Seen and Heard (CaD Job 42)
There is physical seeing and there is spiritual seeing. A chapter-a-day podcast from Job 42. The text version may be found and shared at tomvanderwell.com.
- Wayfarer
Sharks and Leviathans (CaD Job 41)
Our grandson Milo quickly learned that Ya-Ya (Grandma Wendy) has this thing with sharks. So, of course, Milo always wants to read the creatures book and make…
- Wayfarer
Job Almighty (CaD Job 40)
There is a scene in Bruce Almighty that regularly comes up in conversation between Wendy and me. A chapter-a-day podcast from Job 40. The text version may be…
- Wayfarer
Answers in Questions (CaD Job 39)
Like Jesus with His accusers, God refuses to answer Job's questions unless Job can answer His. A chapter-a-day podcast from Job 39. The text version may be…
- Wayfarer
The Last Word (CaD Job 38)
There is a protocol for traditional, formal events. For example, the most "important" person on the program always speaks last. A chapter-a-day podcast from…
- Wayfarer
Holy Shift (CaD Job 37)
As a child, I was taught that holiness was basically synonymous with moral purity. That paltry misconception begs for a "holy shift." A chapter-a-day podcast…
- Wayfarer
Two Lessons (CaD Job 36)
I end this week with two lessons resonating in my soul. A chapter-a-day podcast from Job 36. The text version may be found and shared at tomvanderwell.com.
- Wayfarer
Eli's Unintended Lesson (CaD Job 35)
Yesterday's post about a lesson from my divorce seemed to resonate with people. As I meditated on today's chapter of young Eli's continued know-it-all blather…
- Wayfarer
I Don't Know What I Don't Know (CaD Job 34)
It's been almost two decades since my first marriage ended. Back in those days there was quite a public stir around the divorce. I learned many things during…
- Wayfarer
Young Eli's Approach (CaD Job 33)
As I sat and meditated on young Eli's self-proclaimed many words of wisdom, I found myself also contemplating Job's silence. A chapter-a-day podcast from Job…
- Wayfarer
Wisdom & Age (CaD Job 32)
In the quiet this morning, I find myself contemplating wisdom. A chapter-a-day podcast from Job 32. The text version may be found and shared at…
- Wayfarer
Closing Arguments (CaD Job 31)
Job's closing argument in today's chapter is actually a poetically beautiful summation in which Job makes seven "if" statements asserting his blamelessness. A…
- Wayfarer
Generalities and Perceptions (CaD Job 30)
Sometimes, life doesn't turn out like we envisioned. Wait a minute, scratch that. Life rarely turns out like we envisioned. A chapter-a-day podcast from Job…
- Wayfarer
Nostalgia (CaD Job 29)
I have a past orientation. I'm a lover of history and I've always had a freakish kind of memory. To this I can pull up a photo of my first grade class and tell…
- Wayfarer
Wisdom and Foolishness (CaD Job 28)
I can't find a single "it" influencer in popular culture on the cover of a book hawking the virtues of wisdom or the hidden traps of foolishness. No Oprah. Not…
- Wayfarer
Morality Tale (CaD Job 27)
Job has the distinct flavor of an ancient Morality Play, but with the twist of a protagonist who finds himself having experienced the consequences of the fall…
- Wayfarer
The Thread (CaD Job 26)
Job’s suffering was perpetrated by the evil one. My suffering has largely been perpetrated by my own poor choices. A chapter-a-day podcast from Job 26. The…
- Wayfarer
Worm Theology (CaD Job 25)
It's easy to take the concept of sinfulness to an extreme and end up with "Worm Theology." A chapter-a-day podcast from Job 25. The text version may be found…
- Wayfarer
Life's Injustices (CaD Job 24)
This life is filled with injustice. A chapter-a-day podcast from Job 24. The text version may be found and shared at tomvanderwell.com.
- Wayfarer
Peeps and Projections (CaD Job 23)
The Great Story also reveals that trials and sufferings are part of the process of spiritual formation and maturation. Job's acute spiritual myopia is simply a…
- Wayfarer
Ass-u-me (CaD Job 22)
You know the old saying about when we assume: "It makes an 'ass' out of 'u' and 'me.'" A chapter-a-day podcast from Job 22. The text version may be found and…
- Wayfarer
The Gift of Listening (CaD Job 21)
One of the greatest things the book of Job has to teach me is how not to be when I find myself sitting with others in the midst of their suffering. A…
- Wayfarer
Unrelated (CaD Job 20)
I can't control every circumstance of this earthly life. Sometimes the wicked prosper and escape earthly justice. Sometimes the righteous and innocent unjustly…
- Wayfarer
Will the Circle Be Unbroken? (CaD Job 19)
On August 18th my family gathered at Glendale Cemetery in Des Moines to bury my mother's ashes.... A chapter-a-day podcast from Job 19. The text version may be…
- Wayfarer
Demonization: Then and Now (CaD Job 18)
The demonization and scapegoating of others, especially those who are different or with whom we disagree, has long been a very human enterprise. A…
- Wayfarer
Busy Livin' (CaD Job 17)
Along my life journey, I've known multiple individuals who have been given a terminal diagnosis. A chapter-a-day podcast from Job 17. The text version may be…
- Wayfarer
You've Got a Friend (CaD Job 16)
Along life's journey, I've observed that it's in life's darkest moments that you learn who your true friends really are. A chapter-a-day podcast from Job 16…
- Wayfarer
The Two Core Questions (CaD Job 15)
In the quiet this morning, I find myself pondering the two core questions that the story of Job has presented to humans for thousands of years. Why is it that…
- Wayfarer
The Growth Gradient (CaD Job 14)
In his black-and-white thinking, Job is blinded to the spiritual gradient of growth that lies between. A chapter-a-day podcast from Job 14. The text version…
- Wayfarer
A Spiritual Stake in the Ground (CaD Job 13)
In my head and heart are a number of things I would like to write about in greater length than a blog post. Perhaps a book, an essay, or an article. Let me…
- Wayfarer
Beyond the Blame (CaD Job 12)
In today's chapter, Job continues to struggle with the "why" of his suffering. He wants to know why he is going through this painful stretch of his life…
- Wayfarer
Relationship & Communication (CaD Job 11)
https://tomvanderwell.com/2023/08/08/relationship-communication/By its very nature, relationship is built on the quality of communication between two parties…
- Wayfarer
Jury Box Pondering (CaD Job 10)
I pondered Job's prosecution of God this morning as if I was a juror in his improvisational courtroom play. A chapter-a-day podcast from Job 10. The text…
- Wayfarer
The Plea for a Mediator (CaD Job 9)
Job sees the relationship between he and God as a chasm of irreconcilable differences. Job mourns that there is no mediator to bring the two sides together. A…
- Wayfarer
A Selective Backward Glance (CaD Job 8)
All due respect to Job's friend, Bill, but in telling Job to take a backward glance to the past he has chosen to be carefully selective in his stated evidence…
- Wayfarer
Brooding (CaD Job 7)
Along my life journey, I have learned that I can brood with the best of brooders. A chapter-a-day podcast from Job 7. The text version may be found and shared…
- Wayfarer
Judgement & Appearances (CaD Job 6)
There is always more to the story.... A chapter-a-day podcast from Job 6. The text version may be found and shared at tomvanderwell.com.