Wayfarer

Until the last few years, I never realized how self-centered my reaction to circumstances tended to be. When things don't go our way, when tragedy struck, or when we felt victimized I usually looked within for the resources I need, the answers to the situation, and the power to handle it. A chapter-a-day podcast from Psalm 43. Text version of every chapter-a-day podcast can be found at tomvanderwe...

"Am I holding the tension of choosing to praise, trust, seek even as I wrestle with my own versions of despair and my own questions of 'Why'?" A chapter-a-day podcast on Psalm 42. Text version of all chapter-a-day podcasts can be found at tomvanderwell.com .

Jesus wanted His followers to behave as though today is the day that He will return and settle accounts on a grand, eternal scale; Not being so foolish as to not plan for the future, but being wise enough to live each day with the understanding that tomorrow is never guaranteed. Text version of every chapter-a-day podcast can be found at tomvanderwell.com.

Along my own spiritual journey, I've observed that Jesus is often quoted saying, "You will know the truth and the truth will set you free." Never do I hear anyone quote the sentence Jesus said right before He said those words. Text version of every chapter-a-day podcast can be found at tomvanderwell.com .

Appetites are natural, but an unchecked lustful craving of that appetite which leads to indulgence will always end in corruption of some form. Text version of every chapter-a-day podcast can be found at tomvanderwell.com.

Personal betrayal is as old as Adam blaming Eve for talking him into eating the forbidden fruit, and Cane killing his brother Abel. Betrayal is a part of the human condition and is present in all of our great stories. The text version of every chapter-a-day podcast can be found at tomvanderwell.com .

Having eyes that see Spirit reality amidst physical circumstances. A chapter-a-day podcast on Psalm 40.

Sometimes I can so intoxicate my mind with endless distractions that I am not sober minded about significant matters of Life and Spirit. A chapter a day podcast on Psalm 39.

David is so sick that he’s left wondering what he did to bring on his ill-fortune. A chapter-a-day podcast on Psalm 38.

Sometimes things are simply right or wrong, other times it’s infinitely more complex. A chapter-a-day podcast on Psalm 37.

Some days, I just have to take my mind captive and allow it to be captivated by goodness of God.

What do artists do in response to powerful forces beyond their control? They create. They channel and express their emotions, even their most raw, painful, and socially unacceptable emotions, into their creative work. A chapter-a-day podcast on Psalm 35. Text version of every chapter-a-day podcast can be found at tomvanderwell.com

Knowing the story adds a layer of context to the song lyrics, which creates added meaning for me as I read or listen. A chapter-a-day podcast on Psalm 34. Text version of every chapter-a-day podcast can always be found at tomvanderwell.com

There is something unique about a corporate worship experience when those gathered are not just going through ritualistic motions but are truly pouring out from their spirits their gratitude, praise, pain, need, faith, and desire. A chapter-a-day podcast on Psalm 33. Text versions of every chapter-a-day podcast can be found at tomvanderwell.com .

In the quiet this morning I am reminded that the Great Story is quite clear about the individual spiritual journey having a pivot point. A chapter-a-day podcast on Psalm 32. Text version can always be found at tomvanderwell.com . 

I've observed that humans like to think that everything in life should be hunky-dory and if it's not then there's a problem. Jesus never taught that train of thought. A chapter-a-day podcast on Psalm 31. Text version can be found at tomvanderwell.com .

In the quiet this morning, I couldn't help but feel the joy of David's escape of death, but the unbridled praise is rooted in his absolute fear and hope-less despair at the prospect of dying. A chapter-a-day podcast on Psalm 30. Text version can always be found at tomvanderwell.com .

This Wayfarer Weekend podcast presents the Beginner's Guide to the Great Story which is intended to give anyone with little or no background or understanding of the Bible a basic summary and overview of the Bible and its various sections, along with suggestions for the best places to dive in for yourself. In Part 8, we explore the "Gospels" (literally "Good News") which contain the Jesus Story alo...

Growing up in Iowa, I learned very early in life that it's important to make sure you always have shelter from the storm. That lesson is layered with meaning that has nothing to do with the weather. Chapter-a-day podcast from Psalm 29. Text version can always be found at tomvanderwell.com .

Almost every pain-point I experience on life's journey can be traced back to unhealthy patterns. Growth, progress, and maturity necessitate the breaking of unhealthy patterns and the establishment of healthier ones, even those patterns that were once good for me but have actually become unhealthy. A chapter-a-day podcast on Psalm 28. The text version of every chapter-a-day podcast can always be fo...

I have come to understand that my mental diet is as important to my health and well-being as my physical diet. A chapter-a-day podcast on Psalm 27. The text version of every chapter-a-day post can always be found at tomvanderwell.com .

In the quiet this morning, I get why followers of Jesus went back to the old edifice complex. For 1700 years we rebuilt temples made with human hands and ignored one of the fundamental changes Jesus came to make on Earth. We shifted the dwelling place of God from ourselves back to church buildings, cathedrals, and basilicas. A chapter-a-day podcast on Psalm 26. Text versions of every chapter-a-day...

Along my spiritual journey, I've experienced that understanding the theme of order, disorder, reorder doesn't lessen the sting of life's disorder when it occurs. It has, however, helped me put the disorder into perspective. A chapter-a-day podcast on Psalm 25. The text version of every chapter-a-day podcast can always be found at tomvanderwell.com .

Part 7 of our Beginner's Guide to the Great Story explores the books of the prophets (Isaiah through Malachi) and provides some basic insights to help understand the Bible's prophetic texts. 

What really led to transformation for me was when I realized that all my human appetites were good and created within in me by God. Paul realized it too when he said "Nothing is unlawful for me. It's just that some things aren't beneficial." The text version of every chapter-a-day podcast can always be found at tomvanderwell.com .