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(Un)Like Father, (Un)Like Son (CaD 2 Sam 18)
As I've progressed in my own life journey I've discovered that there is a fine line between acknowledging and understanding the ways our parents and family…
- Wayfarer
Great Stories, My Story (CaD 2 Sam 17)
Even in my own family, there are true tales of tragedy and intrigue. Times change, but people are people, and our common human flaws source similar tales in…
- Wayfarer
Criticism and Disloyalty (CaD 2 Sam 16)
In the quiet this morning, I'm taking a little inventory this morning of those who've been critical of me, and those who've caused me injury. A chapter-a-day…
- Wayfarer
"If You Can't Do the Time..." (CaD 2 Sam 15)
Being forgiven does not erase the fact that we must face the natural consequences of our actions. A chapter-a-day podcast from 2 Samuel 15. The text version…
- Wayfarer
The Medium Matters (CaD 2 Sam 14)
I believe that we don't give enough thought to how we communicate. Not only on a corporate level but also on an interpersonal one. A chapter-a-day podcast from…
- Wayfarer
Blind Spots (CaD 2 Sam 13)
Our greatest strengths have their corollary weaknesses. We cannot escape this reality, but we can escape being enslaved to it. A chapter-a-day podcast from 2…
- Wayfarer
The Spiritual Test (CaD 2 Sam 12)
I learned at an early age that your sins find you out. Having said that, let me readily admit that it didn't stop me from sinning. A chapter-a-day podcast from…
- Wayfarer
Tragic Retirement (CaD 2 Sam 11)
My grandfather was fond of saying that "the day I retire will be the day I die." A chapter-a-day podcast from 2 Samuel 11. The text version may be found and…
- Wayfarer
Miscommunication's Collateral Damage (CaD 2 Sam 10)
Miscommunication of both words and intent can carry a high price in collateral damage relationally, spiritually, and sometimes even physically. A chapter-a-day…
- Wayfarer
Grace for the Lame (CaD 2 Sam 9)
Today, I am thinking about the grace David showed Mephibosheth, the grace Jesus has shown me, and how I can pay it forward in a tangible way with those in my…
- Wayfarer
Prepped for Success (CaD 2 Sam 8)
Today I am reminded to place credit where credit is due in my own life and victories. A chapter-a-day podcast from 2 Samuel 8. The text version may be found…
- Wayfarer
My Intentions, God's Design (CaD 2 Sam 7)
As I look back on my life's journey I find that there are many things I intended to do that were clearly not part of God's plan for me. A chapter-a-day podcast…
- Wayfarer
Michal in Perspective (CaD 2 Sam 6)
I've always read this chapter and focused on David's "undignified" worship, but today I found myself focused on Michal's rebuke of her husband. There's a…
- Wayfarer
Some Things Take Time (CaD 2 Sam 5)
Along this life journey, I've observed that we are becoming increasingly impatient people. I have enjoyed the blessings of rapidly advancing and evolving…
- Wayfarer
A Different Set of Rules (CaD 2 Sam 4)
Am I willing to play by a different set of rules when God's desires run contrary to prevailing cultural mores? A chapter-a-day podcast from 2 Samuel 4. The…
- Wayfarer
A Lesson in Abner (CaD 2 Sam 3)
Abner served Saul and his family faithfully, but his ultimate service was always about himself. A chapter-a-day podcast from 2 Samuel 3. The text version may…
- Wayfarer
Game of Thrones (CaD 2 Sam 2)
Today I am again reminded of how messy life can get even in the politics and power struggles of my relatively small circles of life and influence. We all find…
- Wayfarer
Timing is Everything (CaD 2 Sam 1)
Along my life journey, I've been both amazed and incredibly frustrated by God's timing. A chapter-a-day podcast from 2 Samuel 1. The text version was…
- Wayfarer
Legacy (CaD 1 Sam 31)
In yesterday's post, I mentioned the reality that everything I possess gets left behind when this life journey is over. That's not the only thing I leave…
- Wayfarer
The Source and the Purpose (CaD 1 Sam 30)
Jesus is the Alpha point from which all good things flow and all the good things that have flowed into my life. A chapter-a-day podcast from 1 Samuel 30. The…
- Wayfarer
"What on Earth?" (CaD 1 Sam 29)
It seemed that God was doing just the opposite of what we were asking. It was enough to make us scratch our heads and ask "What on earth are you doing God?"…
- Wayfarer
Unmanageable (CaD 1 Sam 28)
I don't want to be a Saul. I want to be a David. The determining factor is what I choose to do with my own decisions, actions, and words today. A chapter-a-day…
- Wayfarer
Purpose in the Pain (CaD 1 Sam 27)
In today's chapter, David finally realizes that no matter what promise Saul makes, and no matter what oath he swears, Saul will never stop trying to kill him…
- Wayfarer
Who's the Villain (CaD 1 Sam 26)
Great stories need great villains. A chapter-a-day podcast from 1 Samuel 26. The text version may be found and shared at tomvanderwell.com.
- Wayfarer
Waypoint Lessons (CaD 1 Sam 25)
In the quiet this morning, I find myself whispering a prayer of gratitude for my own spiritual journey, for the people God has placed along the way to teach me…
- Wayfarer
The Prototype (CaD 1 Sam 23)
David wasn't concerned with what everyone in this world would think. David was concerned with what the God of heaven would think. David is revealing "a…
- Wayfarer
The Underdog & The Unprepared (CaD 1 Sam 22)
Some people are thrust into leadership unprepared, like Saul. Some people become leaders through experience and trial, like David. A chapter-a-day podcast from…
- Wayfarer
Rules and Principles (CaD 1 Sam 21)
One of the things I love about Jesus was the fact that He was constantly ignoring the religious thing to do in order to carry out the right thing to do. A…
- Wayfarer
Path and Purpose (CaD 1 Sam 20)
I've discovered that entrusting my children to God doesn't end with them choosing a college or a major. It's a life-long process. A chapter-a-day podcast from…
- Wayfarer
"Blessed" (CaD 1 Sam 19)
One of the observations I've made along my spiritual journey is that it's quite common for people, myself included, to assume that life should be easy. A…
- Wayfarer
The Tragedy of Saul (CaD 1 Sam 18)
In all of the Great Story, Saul may arguably be the most tragic figure. A chapter-a-day podcast from 1 Samuel 18. The text version may be found and shared at…
- Wayfarer
Challenge the Assumptions (CaD 1 Sam 17)
David reminds us that sometimes you have to challenge the widely held assumptions. A chapter-a-day podcast from 1 Samuel 17. The text version may be found and…
- Wayfarer
Good for the Soul (CaD 1 Sam 16)
Even the ancients knew that music was good for the soul. A chapter-a-day podcast from 1 Samuel 16. The text version may be found and shared at…
- Wayfarer
Plunder (CaD 1 Sam 15)
Am I living simply to plunder this world? A chapter-a-day podcast from 1 Samuel 15. The text version may be found and shared at tomvanderwell.com.
- Wayfarer
The "Uh-Oh" Moment (CaD 1 Sam 14)
Have you ever been in a situation in which you suddenly realize that the person in charge has no business being the person in charge? I call it the "uh-oh"…
- Wayfarer
Faith Over Fear (CaD 1 Sam 13)
Tense situations in times of weakness or weariness often reveal a leader's true mettle. A chapter-a-day podcast from 1 Samuel 13. The text version may be found…
- Wayfarer
A New Org Chart (CaD 1 Sam 12)
One of the things I've learned in my career is that companies typically don't make dramatic changes in corporate culture unless the person at the top of the…
- Wayfarer
The Trials of Transition (CaD 1 Sam 11)
The trials and struggles of transition can either send us into the pit of paralysis and despair, or they can produce in us important character qualities of…
- Wayfarer
The Unexpected Role (CaD 1 Sam 10)
Sometimes I am cast in a role when I had my eyes and heart set on another character I wanted to play. Looking back, not once did I get to the close of the show…
- Wayfarer
What the Camera Sees (CaD 1 Sam 9)
With our posts, tweets, and photos we project ourselves to the world. Our followers see and hear only what we choose to show them. So what am I choosing for…
- Wayfarer
The "Human" Problem (CaD 1 Sam 8)
Along my life journey, I've come to the conclusion that the problem with any human government is the fact that humans are involved. A chapter-a-day podcast…
- Wayfarer
Change (CaD 1 Sam 7)
What is the most acute example of change that you have experienced along your earthly journey? That's the question that came to mind as I read this morning's…
- Wayfarer
What Indiana Jones Taught Me About Holiness (CaD 1 Sam 6)
There's a moment at the end of "Raiders of the Lost Ark" that is a brilliant piece of writing and filmmaking. It takes the audience on a roller coast ride of…
- Wayfarer
God In (and Out of) a Box (CaD 1 Sam 5)
In yesterday's post/podcast I spoke of treating God like a good luck charm. I like to think of our perception of church buildings as God's House as the notion…
- Wayfarer
My Good Luck Charm (CaD 1 Sam 4)
When I was a child I can remember praying for the silliest of things. A chapter-a-day podcast from 1 Samuel 4. The text version can be found and shared at…
- Wayfarer
Spiritual Sight and Hearing (CaD 1 Sam 3)
Along my spiritual journey, I have learned that spiritual hearing and spiritual sight require both God and me. There is a "revealing" that comes from God. But…
- Wayfarer
The Movement and the Institution (CaD 1 Sam 2)
In the forty years that I've been a disciple of Jesus, I've watched many of the mainline church institutions and denominations splinter and implode. I…
- Wayfarer
The Valley and the Mountain (CaD 1 Sam 1)
There is beauty and power in today's chapter that is easy to miss if you've never trekked through the Valley of Infertility. A chapter-a-day podcast from 1…
- Wayfarer
"Yet, I Will Rejoice" (CaD Hab 3)
In the quiet this morning, I confess that I identify with these ancient words. We are living in strange times. Things are changing at a rapid pace. Times are…
- Wayfarer
Sleeping With the Enemy (CaD Hab 2)
As I pondered God's answer to Habakkuk regarding the use of the Babylonians for His purposes, I couldn't help but think of that sports fan who has to endure…
- Wayfarer
Habakkuk's Cry (CaD Hab 1)
What could an ancient Hebrew prophet with a silly name have to say in 600 B.C. that is in any way relevant to my world today? A chapter-a-day podcast from…
WayfarerThe End is the Beginning (CaD Rev 22)
One of the periods "I felt most alive" is not deemed acceptable to some. It was a period of time after my divorce. A chapter-a-day podcast from Revelations 22…
- Wayfarer
Death-to-Life (CaD Rev 21)
Life and death. Resurrection. Death-to-Life. It is THE meta-theme of the Great Story. A chapter-a-day podcast from Revelations 21. The text version of today's…
- Wayfarer
The Books (CaD Rev 20)
I've always loved books. From junior high school through college I always worked or volunteered in the school library. I also worked for the same bookstore…
- Wayfarer
The Wedding (CaD Rev 19)
I mentioned yesterday that Wendy and I were at a wedding this past weekend. The dinner was amazing. At one point between savory bites, Wendy looked at me, her…
- Wayfarer
The Funeral (CaD Rev 18)
In John's day, those reading today's chapter understood "Babylon the Great" to be the Roman Empire. The Romans were known for their creatively tortuous…
- Wayfarer
Rogues Gallery (CaD Rev 17)
This morning, as I meditated on the chapter, I found myself once again finding the world of comic books an apt parallel. A chapter-a-day podcast from…
- Wayfarer
Love and Justice (CaD Rev 16)
I remember in college when some buddies of mine introduced me to an entirely different genre of comic books. They were not the bright cape-wearing superheroes…
- Wayfarer
The Bigger Picture (CaD Rev 15)
On a grand scale, the Great Story is about slavery. A chapter-a-day podcast from Revelation 15. The text version of today's podcast can be found and shared at…
- Wayfarer
Wisdom to Know the Difference (CaD Rev 14)
I'm so glad that we all have the opportunity to grow beyond the little twits we can be as children. A chapter-a-day podcast from Revelation 14. The text…