Exempla: Recent Episodes
Nathaniel Brown
It doesn’t surprise us that a volcanic eruption could shape history, but what about a postage stamp? Sometimes small things make a big splash. Listen to this story about the origin of the Panama Canal and learn a lesson about the influences that decide the course of history.
Learn more about The Christian Storyteller: christianstorytellerbook.com
Pictures, sources, and transcript for this episode: exemplapodcast.com/2024/08/10/master-plan-replay/
It’s funny what matters to a little kid. When my son was two years old he loved nothing more than a fire truck, or tow truck, or police cruiser with flashing lights. But take those lights away? In this replay of an episode from season 1, I share a story from when my son was two and his tears taught me something about God’s perspective on my life.
Think you know the story of the Frog Prince? Think again. The story was actually originally called “Iron Henry”. In this replay of an episode from season 1, I’ll introduce you to Henry. Henry’s is an odd tale with a surprisingly challenging lesson to teach us.
Transcript/source: exemplapodcast.com
Wheeler Lipes didn’t join the navy so he could perform emergency surgery while onboard a submarine, but sometimes life brings us challenges we didn’t expect. Lipes wasn’t qualified to save the day, but the situation left him no choice. Listen to the Lipes’s story and learn the lesson he teaches us about doing what needs to be done even when you’re not the right man for the job.
What does Exempla mean? And what does an ancient Jewish feast have to do with the importance of storytelling? This replay of the very first episode of Exempla explains why I started this podcast and where its unusual name came from.
Transcript and sources: https://exemplapodcast.com/2024/06/15/my-exempla-replay/
When he was just twenty-five years old, Julius Caesar got captured by pirates. But it was the pirates, not Caesar, who got more than they bargained for. Listen to the unbelievable story and learn a valuable lesson about the power of words.
When I was a kid, there was a place that was, hands down, my favorite place on earth. It was a little yellow house in the mountains of western Massachusetts. Recently, I went back to that magical place. I want to tell you about that visit and what it taught me.
In the fall of 1941, a spy came to the United States to warn us about the attack on Pearl Harbor, but records suggest that his warning was largely ignored. Learn why as I tell his story in this episode. We’ll also consider what we can learn from this apparent missed opportunity.
When the animals and birds went to war, the bats had a choice to make. Would they side with their fellow furry animals or with their winged companions the birds? Find out in this adaptation of one of Aesop’s fables that teaches us a valuable lesson about loyalty and convictions.
It's easy to make peanut butter. Just grind up a bunch of peanuts and... Voila! But if you try to market and sell your peanut butter in the United States, you'll discover surprisingly strict regulations. In this episode, I'll tell you the story behind some of those rules and the woman who helped make them a reality.
In the fall of 2020, my wife and I found ourselves needing to buy a house. The housing market was crazy and it felt like an impossible task, but through our process of house-hunting, I learned a valuable lesson about how we tell the stories of our lives.
In 1828, veteran missionary Adoniram Judson moved into a makeshift bamboo hut in the jungle and separated himself from the society of others. What drove a faithful servant of God into the depths of despair? Listen to the heart-breaking story and learn a lesson about the challenges of overcoming the paralyzing power of grief.
Does God care about how we worship Him? Which is more important to God: doing things the right way or doing things for the right reason? In 2 Chronicles 30, King Hezekiah faced a dilemma when he hosted the Passover feast in Jerusalem. Listen to his story and learn an important lesson about our worship.
What would it have been like to witness the Boston Tea Party? Was it a chaotic free-for-all with tea flying in all directions? Not quite. Instead, the rebellious Bostonians who tossed British tea into the harbor shocked onlookers with their calm self-control. Listen to the story and consider a lesson in how we conduct ourselves. (Picture credit: Jesse Costa/WBUR)
I went skiing for the first time as a ten-year-old kid. The experience taught me some lessons. For one, it taught me that I will never be an olympic skier, but it also taught me an important lesson about music and one role that good Christian songs can play in my life.
Sir Arthur Conan Doyle—the man who created Sherlock Holmes—wrote a book in 1922 in support of the claim that fairies had been seen and photographed in the British countryside. But how did two photographs taken by a couple of girls in their backyard become the subject of a nation-wide debate and how did Doyle get involved? As we explore this “fairy tale”, we’ll learn some important lessons about why we believe what we believe and how to guard against falling for lies.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
Many drivers don’t pay much attention to what’s under the hood until something goes wrong. This episode, I tell a story about my struggle with an inoperative vehicle and an unexpected lesson about something else that is often overlooked.
Church relationships aren’t always easy. Sometimes, members find it hard to connect with others and certain people in the church can seem like they just don’t fit. We have a vital principle to consider in this story about a woman who thinks one man in her church might be more trouble than he’s worth.
We love a good underdog story. We love it when the little guy stands up to the big guy, even though the odds look impossible. But is audacious heroism always a good thing? Listen to the story of one man who tried to be a hero and what resulted from his defiance.
In 1968, three men went to the moon for Christmas. Frank Borman, Jim Lovell, and Bill Anders were the crew of Apollo 8, and on Christmas Eve 1968 they shared a momentous message with the world, a message that still holds the power to lend us some much-needed Christmas perspective.
Did a lowly postage stamp alter the course of history? Join me for the fascinating story of how the Panama Canal almost never became a reality (it involves volcanoes) and for an important reminder of the influences that shape the course of history.
How many words do you hear every day? What does it take for those words to really stick? Listen to this personal story about a simple comment that had a profound and lasting impact.
Funny, isn’t it, how good we are at finding mistakes? There may only be one imperfection in an otherwise flawless pattern or project, but our eyes immediately fix on that one fault. Bowen learned the hard way how destructive that tendency can be. Join me as we hear his story and learn a valuable lesson about criticism.
Where did we get the phrase “Read the Riot Act”? The Riot Act, put in effect by British Parliament in 1715, was designed to combat angry protestors. But did it work? Travel with me to August 16, 1819 to witness an attempt to silence a crowd of 60,000 people and learn a lesson about dealing with disagreement.
We have all been exasperated by the rules and regulations we are sometimes asked to follow. Does God have anything to say about that? Join me this episode for a story about a Jewish man, a coin, and a principle for how we ought to respond to inconvenient or unfair rules.
Have you ever laughed at what little kids think is important? This story about a two-year-old and some flashing lights shows us that it all has to do with perspective, and maybe we all need our point of view adjusted.
We know the fairy tale as “The Frog Prince“, but when they wrote it, the Grimm brothers also gave it an alternate title: “Iron Henry”. Join me this episode as we meet Henry, find out what he has in common with John the Baptist, and learn the lesson they both have to teach us.
Maybe you have never thought to ask… What did the Old Testament tabernacle smell like? Join me for a visit to the ancient Jewish camp as we answer that question and consider an important principle for our own lives.
In September of 1942, Wheeler Lipes, a sailor aboard the USS Seadragon, faced one of the most unusual challenges of his life. Listen to this episode to hear about the seemingly impossible task he faced and the lesson we can learn from his difficult assignment.
Welcome to Exempla. My name is Nathaniel Brown. Listen as I explain my passion for good storytelling with an eternal purpose. We all love stories and they have a way of capturing our imagination and making us think.
Listen to understand what an "exempla" is and why I think God wants us to use stories to bring each other face-to-face with the truth in thought-provoking and compelling ways.