What is Advent hope, and how do we hold onto it when life feels overwhelming?

In this first episode of a four-part Good Faith Advent series, Curtis Chang and author Sara Billups explore what true hope looks like for 21st-century Christians navigating consumer culture, climate anxiety, and widespread disillusionment with the church. Drawing on her experiences as a caregiver for her aging parents and as a Gen Xer shaped by the fundamentalism of the 1970s and 80s, Sara reflects on the Gospel story of Simeon, whose patient hope in the long-awaited birth of Jesus offers a timeless example for mid-lifers, millennials, and anyone yearning for hope in troubled times. With practical tips for sharing Advent’s meaning with children, this episode provides encouragement for the whole family.

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Referenced in This Episode:

• Kate Bowler Everything HAppens for A Reason and Other Lies

• Misgivings About Hal Lindsay’s “Planet Earth” by John Piper

• Engage with the Daily Office

• Use the Pray As You Go application

• Read The Morning Offering prayer

• Teaching Children The Examen Prayer

• Order a copy of Every Moment Holy

• Read The Benedictine Rules of Fidelity and Stability (PDF)

More From Sara Billups:

• Check out Sara Billups’ Bitter Scroll Substack

• Buy & read Orphaned Believers by Sara Billups

• Listen to the That's The Spirit podcast with Sara Billups and Morgan Page

A sister listens to her family even when disagreement over abortion makes it hard.

Good Faith's series of Campfire Stories, invites listeners to share how the podcast has inspired them to engage deeply with their families and communities. These personal narratives illuminate how individuals like you are grappling with complex issues and fostering meaning right where they live. Join us for Alyssa's Campfire Story.

Send your Campfire Stories to: info@redeemingbabel.org

Is it true that “you can’t believe” anything you read? Can we consume news with a mindset other than cynicism, outrage, or fear?

Host Curtis Chang welcomes journalist and author Jon Ward to discuss why Christians need to care about a well-functioning news culture. With an AP poll on mainstream media showing trust at an all-time low, they explore the reasons behind this crisis—political isolation, social media's influence, and potential media bias. Together, they offer a framework for healthy news consumption, focusing on the postures of spectator, student, and servant, while Jon shares his personal strategies for staying informed in a fractured media landscape.

Referenced in This Episode:

• Gallup: Media Trust Data

• AP Media Trust Polling

• Gallup: Ideology percentages in the U.S.

• Media Bias Chart (based on self-identified ideology)

• The Highest Paid Media Personalities

• Top News Anchor Pay Cuts

• Tucker Carlson’s 2009 Defense of The New York Times

Jon Ward’s Suggested Media Sources:

• The Associated Press

• The New York Times

• The National Review

• Politico

• The Dispatch

• Axios

• The Liberal Patriot

• Wake Up To Politics

Some Local News Options

• The Baltimore Banner

• The Texas Tribune

• Streetcar Suburbs Publishing

More From Jon Ward:

• Check out Jon Ward’s Border-Stalkers Substack

• Buy & read Jon ward’s book Testimony: Inside the Evangelical Movement That Failed a Generation

• Listen to Jon Ward’s podcast The Long Game

Send your Campfire Stories to: info@redeemingbabel.org

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Listen to Songs For the After Party, get sheet music, lyrics, and prayers for your church.