“I try not to think of my son as schizophrenia, but by his name. And schizophrenia is part of it but he is also my son, child of God, uncle, worker, just like all of us.” Listen as Celia Fielke talks with Sue whose son has schizophrenia. Find out what’s kept Sue going as she has supported her son over the last 20 years.
Program
Spirit of Hope
Have you ever been embarrassed in public for a mistake you’ve made? What did it feel like? It can be hard to get over the ridicule from others, so I hope you can join us this week to hear some encouragement for the times we feel put down.
I’m not ready for my parents to be old!
We hear about the fact that we’re living in an ageing society but what about when it becomes personal and it’s your parents that are getting older? Listen as Celia and Richard explore the challenges adult children face as their parents get old.
Finding Hope in South Sudan
Our lives have never been so uncertain. It’s been quite a shock for us. We can’t rely on travel plans or on seeing family when we want to. For some parts of the world that level of uncertainty isn’t new. Listen to Jonathan Krause from the charity, Australian Lutheran World Service. What can we learn from people who live with constant challenges, and often with no end in sight?
Fathers
“My father seemed to know everything when I was little. As a teenager it’s amazing how much he’d forgotten! But then as an adult I realized he wasn’t bullet proof or out of touch. He was real. He had fears, failings and strengths just like me. I’m glad he was my dad.” What was your father like when you grew up? Is being a parent what you thought it would be like? Do you sometimes wonder whether you’re doing a good enough job? Listen to Rob Schubert this week as he reflects on his experience of fatherhood, and on God, who reveals himself to us as a loving dad.
Grace For All
On Messages Of Hope this week we’re talking with two mums who raised children with severe intellectual disabilities. How did they cope with the challenges and does God have any meaning for a person who is intellectually disabled?
Surviving Lockdown
With all the mental health issues that are coming up for people at this time and that sort of low level depression that everyone I think is experiencing. There's such a sense of helplessness and frustration. We tried this last time, it doesn't seem to have worked. Is this going to work this time? Are you feeling a bit anxious or frustrated at the ongoing situation we find ourselves in? You’re not alone. Listen as we talk with Sue, who manages the spiritual care team for a hospital in Melbourne. Where do we find hope when there is so much uncertainty and separation from our loved ones?
What to buy?
Do you struggle with buying gifts? At Christmas, sometimes it’s hard to find the perfect gift for the special people in our lives. Listen as Richard shares more about trying to find the perfect gift.
What if God was one of us?
Many people think of God as some mysterious force floating around the galaxy and entering into our lives via coincidence or miracles. The important message of Christmas is that God actually entered our world, physically, as the baby Jesus. Listen as Adrian Kitson explores the question “what if God was really one of us?”
Is God Real?
Is God Real? Do you ever wonder if God is real? And if God is real what kind of God do you believe in? On Messages Of Hope this week, Noel Due will share the stories of four people. They had every reason not to believe in God, and yet somehow, God still brought them […]