When John Jung tells his story, he laughs at the idea of having a “plan.” His life, he’ll tell you, is a series of moments that make sense only in hindsight — a story stitched together by grace rather than strategy. “It wasn’t my plan,” he said with a smile. “But it was clearly God’s.”

Make Room for the King

Advent is not just a celebration of Christ’s coming; it’s a summons to go. The incarnation is the ultimate mission trip: Jesus, the Son of God, left the glory of heaven to bring light to a dark world. As his followers, we are sent to embody that same love, especially to the poor, the forgotten, and the brokenhearted. Christmas is a border-breaking movement of compassion.

Our journey begins with readiness. in Mark 1:1-8, John the Baptist calls us to prepare our hearts, crossing the inner borders of sin and apathy so we can receive the King.

Gratitude at the Banquet

God's Kingdom is one of invitation. There's a feast prepared and everyone is welcome to the party. That's how God designed it. God's kingdom is for everyone, and often we have the opportunity to invite someone to the table. Once we realize that we're welcome at God's table and we open the invitation to others around us, we'll discover our gratitude will never stop growing.

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Rachel has seen God most in seasons of having to wait upon God. “Those are the absolute hardest seasons. All of our senses are on high alert and we’re really raw. We’re really in tune. We’re really seeking and searching for that next part of the journey.”

Gratitude in the Fire

We all face challenges and difficulties each day. Often those feel so overwhelming that we want to give up. This week as we look at the writings of Paul, we'll be reminded that our struggles are only temporary. There is more for us in the future, especially as we keep our attention focused on Jesus. When we live with gratitude, it gives us the strength to keep singing, even in the fires of life.

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An Unlikely Offering

Everyone has something meaningful to contribute to the world. Whether it's something simple like sharing a smile, or a life saving surgery, everyone has something to share. One particular event in Jesus' story illustrates this so well. He was sharing a meal with friends and he received an unlikely gift, from an unlikely person. But instead of speaking harshly, he spoke with tenderness and gratitude. Each one of us has gifts we can offer the Lord. Those gifts will draw others closer to Jesus and will make us become even more like Jesus. Listen in as we welcome back Pastor Rachel Billups and dive into the life of Jesus and learn together what it's like to bring an unlikely offering.

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When you meet Tina Bradley, the first thing you notice is her laugh. It’s the kind that fills a room—warm, contagious, and utterly disarming. What you might not notice right away is that behind that laughter lies a lifetime of resilience, faith, and grace in the face of heartbreak.

Tina’s story is one of quiet faithfulness—of learning to find joy not because life is easy, but because God is good.

Group

Our world is fiercely independent. We're told we can do everything on our own and that we don't need anyone's help. But the Jesus way teaches us a different way, running in a different direction than our world and culture. We know that our lives are richer when we share them with other people. When we support, encourage, help, and walk alongside others, it's mutually beneficial. Yes, we can provide what someone else may need, but we in turn receive something even better. This is the greatest joy of living the Jesus life together with others.

ginghamsburg.org

Our world is fiercely independent. We're told we can do everything on our own and that we don't need anyone's help. But the Jesus way teaches us a different way, running in a different direction than our world and culture. We know that our lives are richer when we share them with other people. When we support, encourage, help, and walk alongside others, it's mutually beneficial. Yes, we can provide what someone else may need, but we in turn receive something even better. This is the greatest joy of living the Jesus life together with others.

ginghamsburg.org

In this podcast episode, Becky Gruber shares her life story, faith journey, and ministry experiences at Ginghamsburg Church. Raised as a preacher’s kid (PK), Becky developed a deep curiosity about people from diverse backgrounds due to her father’s work as a campus minister, which exposed her to a wide range of cultures and experiences from an early age.