Merry Christmas from Resident Strangers! This is our final episode of 2025, but don’t worry, Steve, Rich, and Sarah are already working on and planning great conversations for January and the start of 2026.

The crew kicks things off with Christmas excitement (and, of course, a little friendly teasing of Rich, longtime listeners know why! 🎄). In the middle of the laughter, Steve offers some timely pastoral wisdom: don’t miss the season you’re in. It’s easy to get lost in nostalgia or jump ahead to future holidays and completely overlook what God is doing right now.

Rich reflects on what it must have been like for God’s people waiting for the Messiah. expecting political upheaval yet receiving a baby in a manger. It’s a reminder that God still works in surprising ways, often in places we least expect. It’s an encouraging conversation to close out the year!

Resident Strangers will be on break until January 6, 2026. In the meantime, catch up on any episodes you missed and don’t forget you can watch on YouTube! Have a Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year!

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If you’ve enjoyed today’s episode, we’d be so grateful if you’d subscribe and leave a review as it really helps us reach more people with this message. We’d also love it if you’d share the podcast with your friends, on social media, or anywhere you connect with others. Join us again on January 6th as we continue the discussion on how to think like a Christian in this foreign world.