As 2025 comes to a close, I asked the Presbyterian Outlook staff a simple question: What kept you going this year? Our answers range from novels and Netflix films to hymn lining and public-faith moments — reminders that hope often arrives through culture, community, and small, grace-filled joys. Here’s what carried us through the year.
Stories that stayed with us
Books
The Unlikely Pilgrimage of Harold Fry by Rachel Joyce
Real, relatable characters who find new paths to self-discovery. — Anne Walker
Everything is Tuberculosis by John Green
Part history, part biography, part personal reflection, this short read will make you view the world differently and collect a bunch of “fun” (mind-blowing) facts. — Rose Schrott Taylor
Flashlight by Susan Choi
It’s multiple stories in one — some mystery, others a peek into messy family systems, and yet another is a socio-political drama. — Amy Pagliarella
Our favorite Outlook articles from 2025
“Our Instagram is back — but we’re still leaving. Here’s why.” — Jesy Littlejohn
Lindy Vogado’s article on Dolly Parton — Teri McDowell Ott and Alfred Walker
The whole issue on joy — Anne Walker
It changes by day. Today it’s “Marketing Jesus: Prayer apps, TV ads, and faith in the digital age” by Patrice Gaines and “Practicing joy when the world is falling apart” by Tom Are Jr. — Rose Schrott Taylor
What we watched and listened to
Movies and shows
“Wake Up Dead Man: A Knives Out Mystery”
This is one of the most poignant reflections on the American church that I’ve encountered in mainstream media. It’s also funny and a classic “whodunit.” I’m recommending this to all the pastors and church leaders I know … or anyone looking for a family-friendly movie to watch over the holidays — Rose Schrott Taylor
“Friends”
Always good for a laugh. — Kacie Baxley
“Frankenstein”
Guillermo Del Toro was able to capture the same emotion and vulnerability that made me love Mary Shelley’s book. The acting and writing felt real and authentic. — Caroline Garcia
Podcasts and audio series
“Good Hang with Amy Poehler”
It’s an hour of joy in each episode, which is completely on brand for Amy. — Jesy Littlejohn
Listening to Amy Poehler’s podcast is like hanging out with your funny friend. But I also gain pastoral care tips from her curiosity and her practice of “speaking well about people behind their backs.” — Amy Pagliarella
“Long Shadow: Rise of the American Far Right”
This is a beautifully produced series of narrative journalism. It helped me understand the rise of the far right in America and trace its historical thread from the burning of the Branch Davidian compound in Waco, Texas, to January 6. — Teri McDowell Ott
Long Lead’s season on the rise of the internet also gave the Outlook a lot to think and talk about. — Rose Schrott Taylor
“Theology of Hip-Hop” with Chris Burton, produced by Presbyterian Outlook
I learned not to be afraid of the sound of hip-hop. I love being privy to Chris Burton’s mind, and I love how he can identify the faith walk of others, people I would never have imagined being on the road with me. — Alfred Walker
Full disclosure: Chris Burton is one of my favorite people on this earth. This podcast reminds us that God is in everything, particularly in Black households of people of a certain age. The artists that Chris discusses have questions, but they also have faith, and that faith propels them to produce what can only be called a fully human form of ministry. — Dartinia Hull
Digital creators we’ve discovered
Monte Mader
She is a former alt-right Christian nationalist who has deconstructed her faith and built it back up in the image and values of Christ and not a king. She knows theology and can speak about it with clarity. She has seen the dark side of the pews and still was able to find Christ’s light in the midst of her journey. — Jesy Littlejohn
Maria Popova’s The Marginalian
Popova’s newsletter is chock full of philosophy, history, poetry, classic book quotes, all tied together in a meaningful, beautiful essay. It’s a gold mine of rabbit trails for those who want to think deeply about life. — Teri McDowell Ott
Jenna’s Column
Jenna Mindel is a fun and relatable creator studying spiritual formation who discusses the overlap of pop culture and faith. Her Substack is also amazing. — Caroline Garcia
Practices that grounded us
Prayer through journaling
It helped me feel less desperate, more hopeful, and sometimes undergirded. — Alfred Walker
YouTube’s Hymn Choir Channel
I love a lined hymn. Many of these videos of hymn lining are from my family’s home churches. I’ve spotted cousins and people whose voices shaped my worship experiences. I grew up with people who were one generation removed from enslavement, and this music sustained them. It always lifts me and pulls me into a space that feels like communion with ancestors. I’ve come to understand my family’s faith more this year than ever, specifically because of this channel, and it was a lesson I didn’t know I needed. — Dartinia Hull
Reading the whole Bible this year
Getting a foundational knowledge of the Old Testament in chronological order helped me see how Jesus is present through the entire Bible. — Caroline Garcia
Public-faith moments we’re still holding on to
World Pride 2025, particularly among faith communities
In a time where the LGBTQIA+ community is being told to go back into hiding, faith leaders showed up at Pride festivals and parades across the country ready to declare boldly that we are all God’s children, beautifully and wonderfully made. — Jesy Littlejohn
Faith leaders organizing in Chicago, Charlotte, Portland and elsewhere against the federal immigration raids
We often feel powerless, but these faithful, nonviolent protestors reveal how powerful we can be when we work together. — Teri McDowell Ott
Small joys that mattered more than expected
Seeing fruit from a healing journey
There have been lots of valleys in 2025, and God has walked me through all of them! — Kacie Baxley
Watching my new grandbaby grow up
She takes me out of my negative thoughts and makes me appreciate life in a whole new way. — Anne Walker
House wrens on the porch
To my joy this year, a house wren couple laid eggs in a basket on our porch. It was also a joy to witness my grown daughters delight in these little eggs as well as our bumper crop of fireflies. — Dartinia Hull
People’s determination to show up and take risks gave me hope
I was challenged to ensure that, at every protest or decision I made, I was 100% focused on choosing the actions that would have the best result for the neighbors I was there to support. — Amy Pagliarella
