Wes Young Writer

Satan's earliest tactic (and one of his favorites to this day): "Did God really say you must not eat from any tree in the garden?" Translation, "Stop focusing on God and start analyzing the lines God has drawn." Folks, knowing right and wrong is a wonderful thing, but there are two ways to go about it. 1) Studying "the lines" in order to know just how much you can get away with. 2) Studying the li...

C. S. Lewis once wrote, "You find out the strength of a wind by trying to walk against it, not by lying down." Today's episode explores two similar phenomena: One, that you can only praise God in a slump if you are, in fact, in a slump. And two, you can only love an enemy if you, in fact, have an enemy. We also should remember G. K. Chesterton's line, "The Bible tells us to love our neighbors, and...

After submitting some writings to a Christian devotional publication, and being rejected by the same, I've decided to share my three sample devotions here on East and Wes . Hey, it's better than letting them go to waste, and I hope they can be a blessing to someone, somewhere. 

This episode is an audiobook performance of the final chapter of Undine, by Friedrich de la Motte Fouqué. Chapter Ten beautifully concludes this classic fairy tale, gently lowering readers to a sense of closure after the harsh climax of Chapter Nine. In this episode, which is the finale of Season Four, I share a bit of my opinion on what Undine means and how it speaks to readers as a Christian all...

This episode is an audiobook performance of the ninth chapter of Undine, by Friedrich de la Motte Fouqué. (If you are joining us for the first time, I strongly advise starting Season 4 at the beginning, with S4-E1.) Chapter Nine holds the climactic scene of this little novella, and I dare not risk a spoiler—just listen and enjoy for yourself. I will add a special thanks to the students in my first...

This episode is an audiobook performance of the eighth chapter of Undine , by Friedrich de la Motte Fouqué. (If you are joining us for the first time, I strongly advise starting Season 4 at the beginning, with S4-E1.) In Chapter Eight, Huldbrand, Undine, and Bertalda take a boating trip to explore the Danube. Things start off brilliantly, then steadily and rapidly dissolve into serious trouble. Un...

No Undine today, but check out this quick update on my latest writings.

This episode is an audiobook performance of the seventh chapter of Undine , by Friedrich de la Motte Fouqué. (If you are joining us for the first time, I strongly advise starting Season 4 at the beginning, with S4-E1.) In Chapter Seven, Huldbrand’s heart continues to turn away from his wife and toward this other woman, Bertalda. This chapter includes a clash between the two women, a despairing fli...

This episode is an audiobook performance of the sixth chapter of Undine , by Friedrich de la Motte Fouqué. (If you are joining us for the first time, I strongly advise starting Season 4 at the beginning, with S4-E1.) In Chapter Six, Undine reveals a great secret, learned from the mysterious spirit of the fountain, concerning Bertalda. Undine expects the secret to thrill Bertalda, but instead it en...

This episode is an audiobook performance of the fifth chapter of Undine , by Friedrich de la Motte Fouqué. (If you are joining us for the first time, I strongly advise starting Season 4 at the beginning, with S4-E1.) In Chapter Five, Huldbrand, his new wife (Undine), and the priest who married them journey off the fisherman’s peninsula, through the haunted forest, and to the Imperial City. The Kni...

This episode is an audiobook performance of the fourth chapter of Undine , by Friedrich de la Motte Fouqué. (If you are joining us for the first time, I strongly advise starting Season 4 at the beginning, with S4-E1.) In Chapter Four, readers learn much that lies behind the mystery of this strange Undine. After her marriage to Huldbrand, she explains who she is and what she is. Chapter Four also d...

This episode is an audiobook performance of the third chapter of Undine , by Friedrich de la Motte Fouqué. (If you are joining us for the first time, I strongly advise starting Season 4 at the beginning, with S4-E1.) In Chapter Three, the floodwaters continue to isolate the people in the cottage, separating them from mainland civilization. Also, a tempest washes ashore a priestly character who pro...

This episode is an audiobook performance of the second chapter of Undine , by Friedrich de la Motte Fouqué. (If you are joining us for the first time, I strongly advise starting Season 4 at the beginning, with S4-E1.) In Chapter Two we learn more of Huldbrand’s backstory and how he came to be in the haunted forest in the first place. Also, the mystery of the young Undine grows, as does the girl’s...

This episode is an audiobook performance of the first chapter of Undine , by Friedrich de la Motte Fouqué. (If you are joining us for the first time, I strongly advise starting Season 4 at the beginning, with S4-E1.) In Chapter One we meet our central characters: an old fisherman and his wife, their adopted daughter (the title character, Undine, a strange girl from the first), and a knight named H...

What’s the latest? What’s new? What’s hot off the press? These are, of course, interesting questions when trying to pick a new book to read or movie to watch, but they do imply that anything old is of less value. I disagree. The old stories, though sometimes gone and forgotten, are often the most powerful. In Season 4 of East and Wes , I blow the dust off one of my favorite old texts by reading/pe...

I never dreamed this day would come, but it's here, and I couldn't be happier! I am now, officially, a novelist. This just further proof that God can use anybody. He is so good! Give this short episode a listen to find out more.

“Close your eyes, fall back, we will catch you, we will catch you, we will catch you.” A time-honored game of trust. And trust, it turns out, is near the center of all things. In what do you trust? Today’s season finale looks through the lens of Isaiah at the shaky ground that deserves no trust and the solid rock that deserves it all. [*Fact correction: Shakespeare was 16th-17th century.]

Just because something "is" does not mean it always "will be." Perhaps it will change (become new). Perhaps it will invert (become opposite). Perhaps it will expand (become more). All this will be discussed in Episode Six, especially concerning our present life and our afterlife. Textual focus from the book of Isaiah. 

Should we live in the now or focus on the future? One answer: In this present moment, we are to hope for the future promise. And remember, if you have something, you no longer hope for it. If we had Paradise now, great, but we would no longer hope for it. However, since we (quite clearly) are not in Paradise now, then we are left with hope. Turns out, living in hope is something intensely special.

“But that’s not fair!” said any given kid on any given playground anywhere in the world. We humans, from a very young age, are well tuned to justice, fairness, equality. Turns out, so is God! (Not surprising, really. We’re made in His image.) This episode of East and Wes gives an in-depth look at justice, American inequalities, universities, race, and…well, just listen for yourself. [*Note: The fo...

"Do this, do that, /  a rule for this, a rule for that; / a little here, a little there" (Isaiah 28:10). If the Christian walk has ever appeared to you as just a whole bunch of buzz-killing rules and regulations, then this is an episode for you. Turns out, it is indeed for freedom that God set us free. He'll take a feast and a festival, a joyful heart and a grateful smile, over a despondent l...

What is that old definition of insanity? Doing the same thing over and over expecting different results. You know, in that short little sentence we find a good description of human history. "I can make this work on my own, without turning to God. I know I can, I know I can, I know I can." This second episode of Season 3 gives a look at Isaiah's take on humanity's stubbornness. [*NOTE: This episode...

East and Wes has gone on the road, recording along the supply-preaching trail. All seven episodes in Season 3 are from the book of Isaiah, today's specifically looking at God as our Father. [*Note: Seasons 1 & 2 have been archived. If you are interested in hearing old episodes, simply contact me through my website, wesyoungwriter.com .]