For love to have any value, it must be expressed. This could be the most pivotal year of your life if you make loving others your legacy builder and you start expressing it as a lifestyle. Nothing will make you more like Jesus than that.

If you haven’t invested much in exploring the faith dimension of your life, why not start today and make it a regular part of 2025? Ask questions, open the Bible, and seek God. If you don’t know why you have hope beyond the grave, become an expert on the answer to that question. As you get to know Him, you experience His love.

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.

What do you want to be known for? What do you want your legacy to be? The Bible offers a clear answer about what is most important: faith, hope, and love. While faith and hope are essential in this life, love is eternal. 

With a blank canvas in front of you called 2025, what investment of love could you make? How could your commitment to love make a difference in a person’s 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.

When God sent His Son into the world, it didn’t look like much on the surface. A baby, born to peasant parents, in a barn during turbulent times. But inside that box was the Savior of the world. He came to save us from sin, deliver us from death, and offer eternal life. And because of this, you are never alone.

God so loved the world that He gave His only Son. The Bible says nothing can separate you from God’s love, not fear, doubt, insecurities, or brokenness.

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.

When Jesus was born, the gift in the manger was not what people expected. It didn’t look like much, yet the Bible makes an extraordinary claim: This baby changed past, present, and future. 

God with us through every trial, joy, and moment. This truth defines Christmas and gives us hope no matter what we face. 

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.

God chose the people who celebrated the first Christmas because they responded with contemplation on His word, cooperation with His will, celebration of His presence, and dedication of their best to Him. 

How will you celebrate Christmas this year?

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.

Our attitude as we approach Christmas and the new year needs to be a willingness to cooperate with God's will.

What can you pinpoint in your life that you know is God's will for you but you've been unwilling to cooperate with? No matter what you face in 2025, God is with you. Depend on His presence daily.

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.

The magi gave up years of their lives just to come and see Jesus and give gifts; they responded to Christmas with dedication.

Today we challenge you to celebrate Christmas the way Mary, Joseph, the shepherds, the magi, and the wise men did.

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.

Joseph responded with cooperation. When Joseph woke up after his dream, he did what the angel of the Lord had commanded him. Then, the shepherds responded with celebration.

Is there something God is calling you to cooperate with or celebrate? 

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.

Very few people were in on the very first Christmas. Why did God choose Mary, and Joseph, and the Shepherds, and the Magi?

On Christmas, Mary contemplated all the things God was doing in her life. I would call you to do the same. Take some time to celebrate the good things and to accept the challenging things like Mary did. 

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.

Maybe life hasn't turned out the way you planned, but because of the living hope we have in Jesus Christ, you can get a new identity. Put your hope in the right box: the empty tomb of Jesus Christ. 

Do you know someone who needs hope and peace today?

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.