It’s no accident that Luke’s version of Jesus’ story begins with a baby laid in a feeding trough and ends with bread broken at a table. From the beginning, God was inviting us not to a spectacle, but to a meal. A chapter-a-day podcast from Luke 2. The text version may always be found and shared at tomvanderwell.com.

Luke begins his version of Jesus’ story by telling us that God’s glory no longer lives in a golden box inside a temple. God has moved out of the temple and into the neighborhood. A chapter-a-day podcast from Luke 1. The text version may always be found and shared at tomvanderwell.com.

God’s hand is often most present not in spectacle but in faithful people who quietly use whatever influence they have for the good of others. A chapter-a-day podcast from Esther 10. The text version may always be found and shared at tomvanderwell.com.

Esther isn’t just a story of survival. It’s a story of reversal. A chapter-a-day podcast from Esther 9. The text version may always be found and shared at tomvanderwell.com.

Both Mordecai and Esther have no control over the culture of the foreign Persian Empire in which they live. In this game of thrones, they found themselves having to shift, adapt, and learn to live under very different cultures and realities. A chapter-a-day podcast from Esther 8. The text version may always be found and shared at tomvanderwell.com.

Evil eventually implodes—and when it does, it often finds its own unforeseen justice. A chapter-a-day podcast from Esther 7. The text version may always be found and shared at tomvanderwell.com.

The machinery of heaven is astonishingly quiet. A chapter-a-day podcast from Esther 6. The text version may always be found and shared at tomvanderwell.com.

Esther reminds me that when it comes to dealing with enemies and those who wish me ill will, I don’t need to force the outcome. A chapter-a-day podcast from Esther 5. The text version may always be found and shared at tomvanderwell.com.

One of the lessons I've have learned along this life journey is that it’s best to choose to get real about what’s real. A chapter-a-day podcast from Esther 4. The text version may always be found and shared at tomvanderwell.com.

What would it take to make me bow? A chapter-a-day podcast from Esther 3. The text version may always be found and shared at tomvanderwell.com.