As we continue the second week of Advent, we turn to a moment in the Christmas story that reminds us just how wide God’s love reaches. The angel announces, “Fear not, for behold I bring you good news of great joy for all people,” and the first to hear it weren’t kings or influencers, they were shepherds at the bottom of society’s ladder. Today’s episode invites you to “take a look” at the radical inclusivity of Christmas and remember that Jesus came for everyone, everywhere, including you. No matter your background, story, or status, the good news is for you and for someone in your life who needs to hear it.

Pursuing God with Gene Appel is designed to help you pursue God, build community, and unleash compassion. Grounded in Scripture and shaped by Eastside’s conviction that God’s grace is for everyone, each episode invites you to discover God’s presence and activity in your life.

Advent reminds us that long before we pursued God, He was already pursuing us. Today, we explore why surrender, the very choice Mary and Joseph made in their most overwhelming moments, is the antidote to fear. From bad timing and impossible circumstances to a wave analogy that hits close to home, this episode shows how moving toward what scares us, rather than running from it, opens our lives to God’s peace and strength. Fruit grows in soil cultivated by surrender, and this season invites us to trust His timing, His presence, and His leading.

Pursuing God with Gene Appel is designed to help you pursue God, build community, and unleash compassion. Grounded in Scripture and shaped by Eastside’s conviction that God’s grace is for everyone, each episode invites you to discover God’s presence and activity in your life.

Step into the second week of Advent with the angel’s invitation: Fear not. Today, we look at Mary and Joseph’s story and how God met them in the middle of confusion, fear, and an uncertain future. As we light the “Fear Not” candle, take a moment to slow down, reflect on God’s presence in your own circumstances, and remember that Immanuel, God with us, makes courage possible.

Pursuing God with Gene Appel is designed to help you pursue God, build community, and unleash compassion. Grounded in Scripture and shaped by Eastside’s conviction that God’s grace is for everyone, each episode invites you to discover God’s presence and activity in your life.

Today’s reflection is realizing the heart of Christmas is God letting go of His Son because of His love for us. Discover how learning to “let go” in your own life can open the door to reaching the one person who needs Jesus most. This episode invites you to trust, release control, and follow the example of a God who let go to rescue you.

Pursuing God with Gene Appel is designed to help you pursue God, build community, and unleash compassion. Grounded in Scripture and shaped by Eastside’s conviction that God’s grace is for everyone, each episode invites you to discover God’s presence and activity in your life.

Why would Jesus let go of heaven to come to earth as a baby? Today, we explore John 1 and the stunning truth that the Word became flesh, fully God and fully human, so we could be forgiven, restored, and set free. If guilt or regret has been weighing you down, this episode offers hope, clarity, and the reminder that everything we need is found in Jesus.

Pursuing God with Gene Appel is designed to help you pursue God, build community, and unleash compassion. Grounded in Scripture and shaped by Eastside’s conviction that God’s grace is for everyone, each episode invites you to discover God’s presence and activity in your life.

You're invited to pause and really behold what Christmas means. Isaiah 7:14 tells us that a virgin would conceive and give birth to a son called Immanuel, which means God with us. Today, we look at the birth of Jesus through the eyes of Joseph and Mary and the closed doors they faced in Bethlehem. Their story reminds us that God often arrives in the most unexpected places and invites us to open the door of our own hearts in return. Whether you are opening that door for the first time or opening it wider than before, this reflection will help you notice the God who knocks and who longs to be with you in every part of your life.

Pursuing God with Gene Appel is designed to help you pursue God, build community, and unleash compassion. Grounded in Scripture and shaped by Eastside’s conviction that God’s grace is for everyone, each episode invites you to discover God’s presence and activity in your life.

Advent reminds us that before we ever pursued God, He was already pursuing us. In this episode we reflect on Isaiah 7:14, the miracle of the virgin birth, and the wonder of Immanuel God with us. Discover the beauty of a God who steps into our world, draws near in our darkest moments, and shows us what His presence really means. A powerful reminder of hope, closeness, and the heart of Christmas.

Pursuing God with Gene Appel is designed to help you pursue God, build community, and unleash compassion. Grounded in Scripture and shaped by Eastside’s conviction that God’s grace is for everyone, each episode invites you to discover God’s presence and activity in your life.

Step into the first week of Advent with a simple but powerful reminder: God is with us. Today we look at the meaning of “Behold” and the incredible impact of Jesus’ coming, from a manger in Bethlehem to the shaping of history itself. As we begin this season together, take a moment to slow down, reflect on Immanuel, and thank God for coming near.

Pursuing God with Gene Appel is designed to help you pursue God, build community, and unleash compassion. Grounded in Scripture and shaped by Eastside’s conviction that God’s grace is for everyone, each episode invites you to discover God’s presence and activity in your life.

Discover how to give thanks even when life does not go the way you hoped. This Thanksgiving message explores Habakkuk’s declaration of nevertheless gratitude, the discipline of disappointment, and the daily gifts God places right in front of us. A heartfelt reminder to wake up tomorrow and say thank you, not because life is perfect but because God is faithful.

Pursuing God with Gene Appel is designed to help you pursue God, build community, and unleash compassion. Grounded in Scripture and shaped by Eastside’s conviction that God’s grace is for everyone, each episode invites you to discover God’s presence and activity in your life.

Discover how gratitude grows when you stop waiting for perfect circumstances and start giving thanks right now. This Thanksgiving message shares the powerful story of Corrie ten Boom, why “I’ll be grateful when…” never works, and how Psalm 118:24 calls us to rejoice in this day God has made.

Pursuing God with Gene Appel is designed to help you pursue God, build community, and unleash compassion. Grounded in Scripture and shaped by Eastside’s conviction that God’s grace is for everyone, each episode invites you to discover God’s presence and activity in your life.