What can we learn from the life of a little fir tree? With a little imagination and some help from a fairy tale by Hans Christian Andersen, quite a lot! Join me for this tale about impatience, regret, and the power of a contented heart.

Transcript and source: https://exemplapodcast.com/2023/12/16/the-grumpy-little-fir-tree/

What is a pineapple worth to you? For aristocrats in 17th and 18th century England and France, money was no object when it came to having and displaying pineapples. Why did Europe lose its mind over this singular tropical fruit? Hear the story in this episode and consider a lesson about how we view God’s good gifts.

Transcript and sources: https://exemplapodcast.com/2023/11/25/the-pineapple-craze/

None of us enjoy having hard conversations, but when I told my son a frightening story and witnessed his unexpected reaction, I learned a valuable lesson about telling others things they don’t want to hear. Sometimes a simple story can be far more than just a story.

Transcript and pictures: https://exemplapodcast.com/2023/11/11/a-hard-story-to-hear/

You might know the moving tale behind the writing of “It is Well With My Soul”, but have you heard what happened to the author, Horatio Spafford, after he wrote his beloved hymn? His is a tragic story, but one that can teach us some valuable lessons.

Transcript, pictures, and sources: https://exemplapodcast.com/2023/10/28/is-it-still-well-with-my-soul/

The fear of missing out can be paralyzing. But when Jesus was presented with an exciting opportunity, how did He respond? Listen to the story and learn a lesson about missed opportunities from Jesus' example.

Transcript: https://exemplapodcast.com/2023/10/14/jesus-missed-out/

I grew up playing with LEGOs, my kids play with LEGOs, and when nobody's watching, I still like to play with them every now and then. But I was surprised to hear the story about how LEGOs came to be what they are today. This episode, I share some of that story with you along with a practical lesson it holds about fault-finding and blame.

Transcript, pictures, and source: https://exemplapodcast.com/2023/09/30/the-man-who-hated-legos/

Lots of people have first date stories, but have you ever ended up on a first date accidentally? I have, and the experience taught me a valuable lesson about the unsearchable ways of God.

Transcript: https://exemplapodcast.com/2023/09/16/accidental-first-date/

In 1738, John was living an exemplary religious life, maintaining a high standard of devotion and piety. But he knew the bitter truth. Listen to the story of how John Wesley came face-to-face with the reality about his own heart and join me in reflecting on an important truth about religion and grace.

Transcript and sources: https://exemplapodcast.com/2023/05/27/summer-religion/