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
Earthly Woes, Eternal Realities (CaD Heb 10)
There is a spiritual reality and an earthly reality. Spiritually I am graciously and mercifully forgiven forever, eternally cleansed from sin’s stain…
- Wayfarer
Trust Amidst Troubles (CaD Heb 9)
Troubled times. Political corruption. Nationalism zealously on the rise. Assassinations increasingly common. Political resentments. Religious fervor. Arrogance…
- Wayfarer
New Things Come (CaD Heb 8)
If I miss this thread in the Great Story, it’s like me watching the original "Star Wars" movie and thinking Luke and Darth Vader are unrelated antagonists. A…
- Wayfarer
My Forever High Priest (CaD Heb 7)
As a shame-based person, I can tell you that shame will always doggedly remind me what a worthless wretch I am. A chapter-a-day podcast from Hebrews 7. The…
- Wayfarer
Attention and Maintenance (CaD Heb 6)
The rain of grace keeps falling; what I tend determines what grows. A chapter-a-day podcast from Hebrews 6. The text version may always be found and shared at…
- Wayfarer
Revelation (CaD Heb 5)
Along my journey, I’ve come to realize that there are certain spiritual truths that require effort, pursuit, experience, and even suffering in order for them…
- Wayfarer
Safe Harbor, Even Amidst the Storm (CaD Heb 4)
There is then a spiritual “rest” that Jesus offers “Today” as shelter amidst the violent daily storms that arise unexpectedly on this earthly journey. A…
- Wayfarer
Today (CaD Heb 3)
Today's chapter whispers a simple but fierce truth to me in the quiet this morning: Faithfulness is a daily choice. A chapter-a-day podcast from Hebrews 3. The…
- Wayfarer
Trailblazer (CaD Heb 2)
The God who spoke galaxies into being also whispers comfort beside our hospital beds and tax forms and broken dreams. He doesn’t rescue from afar; He wades…
- Wayfarer
Light and Life (CaD Heb 1)
The author of Hebrews has forever been steeped in mystery, but from the opening sentences there is no doubt what the book is about. A chapter-a-day podcast…
- Wayfarer
Spiritual Waxing & Waning (CaD Ne 13)
There is a spiritual waxing and waning that most people experience across their lives. The spiritual journey is not an event but an epic story. A chapter-a-day…
- Wayfarer
Home Joy (CaD Ne 12)
Being home. What a crazy thought. For most of my life, that desire barely existed inside me. A chapter-a-day podcast from Nehemiah 12. The text version may…
- Wayfarer
Phase Two (CaD Ne 11)
Sometimes, God needs people who simply have the faith and willingness to show up and do what needs to be done. A chapter-a-day podcast from Nehemiah 11. The…
- Wayfarer
Second Marriage (CaD Ne 10)
Nehemiah and the Hebrews’ story is really a love story between God and a people saying again: “We’re still yours.” A chapter-a-day podcast from Nehemiah 10…
- Wayfarer
The Tension (CaD Ne 9)
Truth is always found at the point of tension between the two extremes. Whether in QA or in Life, the covenant relationship between God and humanity is…
- Wayfarer
Refuge and Restoration (CaD Ne 8)
Nehemiah's restoration of the walls and gates of Jerusalem led to a very different type of restoration. A chapter-a-day podcast from Nehemiah 8. The text…
- Wayfarer
Holy Order (CaD Ne 7)
As I embark on a new work week, I’m quietly grateful for my Senior Director of All the Things. Order is a good thing. Order is holy. A chapter-a-day podcast…
- Wayfarer
Finishing Well (CaD Ne 6)
Faithfulness isn’t measured by enthusiasm at the beginning but by integrity at the end. A chapter-a-day podcast from Nehemiah 6. The text version may always be…
- Wayfarer
Kindom & Empire (CaD Ne 5)
Yesterday’s chapter was about external opposition from neighboring enemies. Today’s chapter is about the enemy within. A chapter-a-day podcast from Nehemiah 5…
- Wayfarer
Not Without Struggle (CaD Ne 4)
If I were standing in Nehemiah’s sandals, I would be descending into. a brooding puddle of pessimism. But Nehemiah was the right man for the job. A…
- Wayfarer
Every Hand Dirty (CaD Ne 3)
The Kingdom of God begins with every believer, no matter who they are, no matter what they’ve done, no matter how they are gifted, no matter what they do for a…
- Wayfarer
Prayer, Providence, & Planning (CaD Ne 2)
In the quiet this morning, I’m reminded that on this journey I never stop praying, never stop planning, and never stop paying attention. The hardest part is…
- Wayfarer
New Season, Big Challenge (CaD Neh 1)
Sometimes the best seasons begin with the greatest challenges. A chapter-a-day podcast from Nehemiah 1. The text version may always be found and shared at…
- Wayfarer
“Bring Mark” (CaD 2 Tim 4)
Paul’s desire to have Mark by his side at the end of his earthly journey is a reminder to never give up trying to make things right in relationship. A…
- Wayfarer
Of Learning and Truth (CaD 2 Tim 3)
It’s one thing to learn interesting facts but another thing to absorb and embrace the truth that’s sitting there in plain sight. A chapter-a-day podcast from 2…
- Wayfarer
Words’ Worth (CaD 2 Tim 2)
The further I progress on this earthly journey the more I find myself discerning what I really care about, what I find worthwhile, and those things that are…
- Wayfarer
Darkness & Chains (CaD 2 Tim 1)
Sometimes our prayers don’t yield the results we desire, even for Paul. A chapter-a-day podcast from 2 Timothy 1. The text version may always be found and…
- Wayfarer
Not So Trivial Pursuit (CaD 1 Tim 6)
What we actively pursue in life isn’t a trivial matter. A chapter-a-day podcast from 1 Timothy 6. The text version may always be found and shared at…
- Wayfarer
Putting “Religion Into Practice” (CaD 1 Tim 5)
No one who knew my Grandpa Spec would call him a particularly spiritual man. His faith, however, was genuine. It was proved genuine in the way he put his…
- Wayfarer
Body, Mind, & Spirit (CaD 1 Tim 4)
I’m reminded in the quiet this morning that God continually calls me to wholeness in body, mind, and spirit. A chapter-a-day podcast from 1 Timothy 4. The text…
- Wayfarer
No Excuse (CaD 1 Tim 3)
Shouldn’t my family and my closest friends get the best of me? Why would I ever conclude that I’m excused from rude, discourteous, disrespectful, and mean…
- Wayfarer
“An Appeal to Heaven” (CaD 1 Tim 2)
When there is no other appeal to be made on earth, there is still an appeal to heaven. A chapter-a-day podcast from 1 Timothy 2. The text version may always be…
- Wayfarer
The Goal (CaD 1 Tim 1)
The further I get in my spiritual journey, the more I’ve come to embrace the preeminence of love as the goal in all things. A chapter-a-day podcast from 1…
- Wayfarer
“Yeah, but…” (CaD Nu 36)
In the long arc of the Great Story I see the Kingdom of God perpetually pushing against the curse of sin and the patriarchal nature of humanity that flows from…
- Wayfarer
Cities of Refuge (CaD Nu 35)
This life journey contains moments where guilt—intentional or accidental—feels like a crushing weight. In today’s chapter God whispers: "There is a place to…
- Wayfarer
Boundary Stones (CaD Nu 34)
When you go through a divorce life can seem like boundaries are erased. Everything moves and shifts, what was once established is now contested and negotiated…
- Wayfarer
Just Another Day, or Not (CaD Nu 33)
In the quiet this morning I’m staring down a rather boring and mundane Monday. How about you? A chapter-a-day podcast from Numbers 33. The text version may…
- Wayfarer
A Sage Warning (CaD Nu 32)
One of the quirky things I love about this chapter-a-day trek is that I’m constantly reminded of the source of what has become commonly known sayings and…
- Wayfarer
Momento Mori (CaD Nu 31)
"Momento Mori" is Latin and it translates “Remember your death” or more aptly “Remember you’re going to die.” A chapter-a-day podcast from Numbers 31. The text…
- Wayfarer
Oaths and Pipe-Dreams (CaD Nu 30)
I commonly hear people use the phrase, “I swear to God.” It’s casually thrown out in our culture, but the concept of a divine oath is as old as humanity itself…
- Wayfarer
The Nations, and Me (CaD Nu 29)
In the quiet this morning, I’m reminded that God’s ultimate plan for humanity in the Great Story is rooted in the individual. A chapter-a-day podcast from…
- Wayfarer
Rhythms (CaD Nu 28)
Just this past week as Wendy and I enjoyed a little vacation we took time to talk about and review our rhythms. A chapter-a-day podcast from Numbers 28. The…
- Wayfarer
God’s Radical Decision for Women (CaD Nu 27)
On the edge of the fulfilled promise of a land to call one’s own, one of the most amazing stories in the entirety of the Great Story takes place. Most people…
- Wayfarer
The Next Generation (CaD Nu 26)
Chapters like today’s are easy to ignore or overlook. What spiritual lesson can an ancient census possibly have? Yet there are spiritual lessons lurking…
- Wayfarer
“We Must Be Cautious” (CaD Nu 25)
As I think about entering another day of the journey in this fallen world, the sage voice of Obi-wan Kenobi just flit into my mind. A chapter-a-day podcast…
- Wayfarer
Our Tent is Full (CaD Nu 24)
Our tent is full of abundance of the things that matter most in life: Shalom. A chapter-a-day podcast from Numbers 24. The text version may always be found and…
- Wayfarer
Ancient and Irrevocable (CaD Nu 23)
I want to be a part of God’s irrevocable blessing and promise that even Balaam acknowledged in his oracle "cannot be changed." A chapter-a-day podcast from…
- Wayfarer
I’d Rather Be the Ass (CaD Nu 22)
The world has always had spiritual gurus willing to take your money in exchange for blessing you with their presence and insight as they bask in the wealth and…
- Wayfarer
Snake on a Stick (CaD Nu 21)
Wendy and finally returned last night from what was supposed to have been a six-day trip that began with a client event and ended with a visit to see our kids…
- Wayfarer
Miriam (CaD Nu 20)
I have been raised and rooted among strong, soulful women, and so I have an appreciation for what Miriam brought. I feel it in my bones. I’ve heard her song in…
- Wayfarer
The Mystery of the Red Heifer (CaD Nu 19)
Today on my chapter-a-day journey I come upon one of the most paradoxical and profound mysteries in the entire Great Story: the mystery of the red heifer. A…
- Wayfarer
An Everlasting Covenant of Salt (CaD Nu 18)
Salt was a prescribed by God as part of every sacrifice and offering. It was used in the making of the incense used at part of the rituals in the traveling…
- Wayfarer
I Choose (CaD Nu 17)
When God began talking to the Hebrews about His dwelling among them, He boiled things down into very simple terms: life and death. A chapter-a-day podcast from…
- Wayfarer
Systemic Dysfunction (CaD Nu 16)
In the quiet this morning, I can’t help but think about the businesses, organizations, and churches in which I’ve encountered the very same dysfunctions…
- Wayfarer
God’s Response (CaD Nu 15)
There is something telling about the way individuals respond to their circumstances in light of the words, actions, and/or behavior of others. A chapter-a-day…
- Wayfarer
The Divergent Paths of Fear and Faith (CaD Nu 14)
In the quiet this morning, I find God’s Spirit reminding me of all the ways that Jesus called me to live by faith, not fear. A chapter-a-day podcast from…
- Wayfarer
The Adopted One (CaD Nu 13)
In The Godfather it was an Irish orphan named Tom Hagen. In Yellowstone, it’s an orphan named Rip who becomes the right-hand man that John Dutton can depend on…
- Wayfarer
The Goal, the Role, and the Lessons (CaD Nu 12)
At the heart of the story in today’s chapter is the fact that we human beings can be envious, jealous, catty, and downright mean to one another. A…
- Wayfarer
The Shift (CaD Nu 11)
Along my life journey, I’ve come to observe that adults have similar emotional meltdowns as toddlers, we’re just more sophisticated at it. A chapter-a-day…
- Wayfarer
Trumpet Sound (CaD Nu 10)
There’s just something about the sound of a trumpet. A chapter-a-day podcast from Numbers 10. The text version may always be found and shared at…