Messages of hope

‘When I come home from work and I walk in the front door and get bombarded with questions or things that go on, it’s so easy to lose the plot. Especially after a hard day’s work and I’m tired, I just get angry.’

Listen to Celia and Richard as they share insights into the emotion of anger. Why do we get angry? Is anger a bad thing? And how do we deal with this anger?

Inclusive education classrooms are becoming an essential part of learning for children with high support needs. But what is it really like for teachers in such a highly unpredictable environment?

‘I think as a teacher you always want to do the best. You want to gohome every day knowing that you've done everything you can today to give them a good day. You certainly do go home sometimes and just think, could I have done more? Could I have done things differently? And then you have to stop and think, okay, we'll try again tomorrow.’

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Karl was a top bloke. He’d do anything for anyone. But nobody knew the dark secret that Karl was trying to hide away. Do you have a secret, something you don’t want anyone to know about? How do you live with it? Or not live with it? Richard Fox shares Karl’s story and how hefound freedom from his past.

One in Five Australians suffer chronic pain. It can be a debilitating condition, leading to personality changes and a heavy strain on relationships. How do you cope with pain that never goes away? Stephen and Therese share their journey of managing chronic pain and how it’s affected their relationships, lifestyle, and purpose in life.   

Most couples go through a stage where that original adrenaline rush of being in love gives way to little frustrations that can slowly build until suddenly you wonder where that first love went. It doesn't have to be the end though.Stella, a couples counsellor, shares about what it takes to keep a relationship strong, especially after the honeymoon period is over.

Farming is a tough job on a good year, but even harder when facing severe drought. So, what happens when your livelihood depends on rain that just doesn't come?

‘When it doesn't rain it's pretty challenging. So, in a year like this where we have, you know, about a third of our annual rainfall, you just can't grow enough feed or crop to sustain the bank.’

‘There's an inherent risk that's in farming that's not in other jobs. I mean, in some ways it's like any business where there's that inherent risk. But with agriculture it's l...

Have you ever wondered what it’slike for people who move to a new country?

‘You have to set up life, and you're doing it in a totally foreign place. You've got no concept of what you should do, what you shouldn't do, where to go for help, and you don't have the language to be able to actually do that.’  

Sarah and Liam share their story as missionaries in another country and how that shaped their view of being welcoming in Australia.

‘What I have learned through meeting different people from all over the world – they all want to be acknowledged as who they are, and they’re looking for the space where they belong.’

With a third of Australia’s population born overseas, we are seeing a country rich in diversity and culture. Rika shares the challenges of coming from Japan to Australia and how a loving community broke through the loneliness and isolation.

This episode explores the hidden loneliness of single parenting. Sarah and Andrew share their honest experiences of raising children on their own — the isolation, the pressure of making every decision alone, and the longing for connection.

They reflect on the stigma single parents often face and how faith, community, and compassion helped them find strength and hope when life felt overwhelming. If you’ve ever felt unseen or worn down by responsibility, this conversation is a gentle reminder that you’re not alone.

‘I had created a barrier so that people couldn't see the real me. And once you start doing that, you've got to maintain it then because there's this fear that if people see the real me, they might not like me.’

Linda Macqueen has built a reputation as a respected editor and communications professional. Yet when her pursuit of perfection began to fall apart, she discovered something far more powerful—being authentically herself, and the hope that shatters the myth of perfection.

'It is every parent's worst nightmare to receive that phone call. I miss her presence every minute of every day. I seriously wanted to go and knock on his door and say ‘do you realise what you've done to our family?’ I wanted him to know how much pain, you know, the serrated sharp, jagged edges of a mother's pain.'

It's a phone call every parent dreads, and a situation that no parent should have to go through. How do you navigate your way through the unthinkable? Annette shares her journey of the darkest time in her...

‘What do you love about holidays?’

For many people January is a great time for holidays. It’s good to break the routine and get away from some of the daily pressures of everyday life. Sometimes though, holidays don’t always work out how we imagine. So how do we find that rest and restoration when holidays become disasters or time and money just don’t allow us to get away?  Ali and Celia explore how to find rest and restoration as part of our normal routine during the holiday season.

As Christmas approaches, the world seems to glow just a little brighter. From fairy lights on houses to candles held at carols by candlelight, light has become a powerful symbol of the season. But beyond the sparkle and celebration, Christmas invites us to reflect more deeply on what light really means, especially in times of darkness.

Listen to Bishop Paul’s message about how the light of Christ shines in the darkness and brings hope to our lives this Christmas.

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.  Rev Adrian Kitson explores the question “what if God was really one of us?”.

‘Sometimes I think we can be infatuated by those big faith moments, yet actually it's more the gradual hearing and growing in that relationship with God is what he wants and then him sustaining us through.’

What is it really like to live a life of faith in the big and small moments of life?Hear Sarah, Richard and Jo share their experience of faith in the everyday moments of life. Find hope in knowing God walks with you and works through every situation of your life.  

‘They had already labelled her, never to do anything, never to be able to walk, talk or do anything. But I see the determination in her, I will not let the disability make her be disabled.’

 Chris's daughter, Rachel, was diagnosed at age three with a rare genetic disorder. After battling against doctors who didn't believe her and even accused her of mistreating her daughter, Chris developed a fierce determination to trust her own instinct when it came to knowing what was best for Rachel. Hear how Rachel’s parents continue to experience life and joy through Rachel’...

‘No one is immune to domestic and family violence’

Professor Sarah Wendt has dedicated her life to understanding the impacts of domestic violence and hearing the stories of victims and survivors in Australia. Hear her insights from personal stories about the causes and effects and where we may find hope in such a painful topic.

Listen to Deena's powerful story of finding hope in homelessness. 

Watch the interview with Deena on our YouTube Channel.

Read Deena's poem here - 'Mercy Mercy'

'You know you have that little voice in your head saying I should be able to manage I should be able to do this this and this all of it together. You know you feel like you should be able to do it all.'

Life can be crazy and chaotic at the best of times, even more so in recent times. Celia, Noel and Richard discuss how we can live each day when the future is so uncertain.

‘How much of what happens in the spiritual world do you think impacts on your day-to-day living?’

Judging by the number of horror movies out there, our society seems to have quite the fascination with the spiritual realm. While some find it fascinating, others find it scary, thinking that perhaps we shouldn't meddle with things outside of our understanding. Christians know that there is a spiritual element to our existence, but we don't always know what to do about it. So how do we work out what is really going on without getting caught up in the spec...

‘Lutheran Media – Celebrating 80 years of blessings’

Throughout the life of Lutheran Media ministries in Australia and New Zealand, we’ve seen advancements in technology, name changes, financial constraints and much more. Yet our vision has remained – sharing messages of hope in the world today.

Hear stories from the first radio broadcast in Australia, reflections from former directors and presenters, and discover how Lutheran Media has evolved over time.

‘I think science has helped us to see how much God loves us. Because you know, he has given us the ability now to see the galaxies and things like that, the extent of the universe. But he has also given us the ability to be able to see the microorganisms and under the microscopes.’

Father Peter Moore, an Anglican priest from the Gold Coast, shares his passion of creation care. Hear his reflections on what we can do as communities and how it is intrinsically linked with our loving Creator.

“We were in this little plane, caught in a thunderstorm and the pilot said – I’m sorry guys, we’re not going to make it, we’re gonna go down - and man, that makes you think about living and dying!”

Death is not a topic that we tend to talk about over a BBQ. Most of us don’t talk about death until it’s on our doorstep. Celia and Richard talk with Jonathan Krause about why we don’t need to be afraid to have those conversations.

'I was yelling at the kids.  I would just start raging, "You never do anything. It's always left to me, blah, blah." I’d just go on and on until I was exhausted. Then I felt absolutely awful because now I'm the worst mother in the world.'

Do you ever feel like your emotions are in charge of you rather than the other way around? Stella's anger was scaring her children, and she was stuck in a cycle of holding in the anger and then exploding. Stella shares her story of what anger looked like for her...

‘When driving in the Australian bush and you see a kangaroo on the road, all the old farmers used to tell me that it’s not the one you see that will get you, it’s the one you don’t see. So, is life just a random set of coincidences? I believe that life is more than just getting by.’

We don’t have to look too hard to discover disasters happening all around the world. But what about closer to home? Maybe you’ve been in a car accident, had an injury at work, or experienced th...

‘We were lying in bed one day and I’m just leaning on my elbows like this and she’s there looking up at me and talking and she just said - Who are you? It ripped me apart.’

It’s hard to imagine what it would feel like when the person you’ve loved for over 50 years doesn’t know who you are. Hear John’s inspiring story of loyalty and love, in the face of Dementia.

Foster caring is something many families in Australia might consider at some point, but ultimately choose not to for many reasons. It's challenging to care for children with traumatic backgrounds. There are lots of hoops to jump through.Plus, there's the risk of developing strong bonds with children who may leave your care at any point.

While few families take on the responsibility of foster care, they say it takes a village to raise a child. Hear Ben and Corinne share their story of foster care and why being the village for families in foster care is...

Every child has the right to belong, to be loved, and to have a safe place to call home. Unfortunately, we live in a world where that isn't always the case, but there are some whofeel a specific calling to step into the world of caring for children not their own in order to bring hope, where hope is often in short supply.

Hear from Natalie from Lutheran Care who works in foster care family engagement as she shares her story of bringing hope back into the lives of children in foster care. Esther and Casey share...

‘Over 80% of Australians crowd together in cities and large towns yet so many feel alone. Have you ever faced such a lonely time? Do you feel there is very little to hold on to, to keep you going in life? There is a way forward, a step we can take to become connected once again.’

Do you sometimes look at the people around you and think ‘I wish I could be like them’? While social media is a great way to connect, it can also give the illusion everyone else’s lives are more exciting than our ow...

‘So, I had lunch with mum and dad yesterday and I just realised how much they’ve aged, and I don’t think I’m ready, I’m not ready for the change!’

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.  

Have you ever heard or used the saying, ‘I remember when...’? Remembering who we are is important to us. Listen to Richard as he shares stories of his grandfather and his journey of memories. When diagnosed with Alzheimer’s, the memories fade, but there is hope in remembering whose we are and the comfort it brings.     

‘I think if we really take to heart that we’re actually God’s creation ourselves and he wants to work with us, then we can make a huge difference in the way we manage the land that we’ve been granted. We’re only custodians for a short time, but we can make a difference.’

Hear David as he shares his experience of regenerative farming and ensuring a sustainable future for generations to come.

‘Every little element that I see, and I touch, and I hear, and I feel, is all part of God's creation. In what I do in my yard, in what I do on my verge on my side street, I care for God's creation. We can see it groaning at times and we need to respond.  

Hear Cathryn, a passionate environmental advocate, share her knowledge and experience in sustainable practices. Discover how her faith and caring for the environment go hand in hand. 

Or watch the conversation with Cathryn on YouTube: https://youtu...

‘You’re fired!’ These are not the words you want to hear – ever!

Are you struggling with an uncertain future due to job insecurity? This uncertainty can cause an incredible amount of stress in your life and in the lives of others around you. Richard Fox looks at the effects of job insecurity and some things that can help you get through the uncertainty.

‘I said, that's it. Isn't it. You always get your way. And I walked out. I was really great. Wasn't it? Here am In supposed to be teaching reconciliation and you know, this is, this is humanity at its best. Isn't it? So, uh, well maybe it's at it's worst.’

Paul, as someone who has worked in reconciliation, shares his own stories of conflict and what he has learned along the way. Discover insights that can help you in your relationships.

'A doctor’s job is to cure sometimes, to relieve often and to comfort always.'

Do you like visiting the doctor?For some people the only way you’ll get them to go to the doctor is in the back of an ambulance!

Listen as Richard talks about the impact doctors have on our lives and how Jesus is like the best doctor we could ever have.

‘You just feel so helpless. You feel that there is no way out, you feel like I am so totally stuck in this place.’

How many men face mental health challenges due to work or life stressors but feel unable to talk about it? Statistics show it is a lot more than we may even realise.

Jo’s interview with Chris opens up a raw and honest conversation about the mental health challenges many men today face. From working in ministry to wrestling with his own mental health, Chris shares the importance of talking and connec...

‘The term anxiety covers a lot of fearful conditions. Things like phobias and obsessive-compulsive disorders. A certain amount of nervous energy and fear is actually healthy and quite normal. But when those feelings take over and rule our life, we’ve got a problem’ 

Anxiety can make you feel like every minute is an eternity. You often wonder how you can keep going. And, if you believe in God, you ask the question ‘If God is there, and he's promised peace of heart and mind, then why can't I have it?’.

Listen to Jenny and Steve, who...

Financial Distress can happen to anyone. It can be caused by losing your job, prolonged sickness, a mental health issue or a relationship breakdown. When Kerry’s marriage broke down, she went from living in a comfortable house and lifestyle, to being a single mum with two young children and only 3 dollars in the bank. Kerry shares how she got through this difficult period of her life, and discovered the hope she needed to get through tough times.

We hear a lot more about mental health these days and that it’s an issue for many people. But how do you know when things like sadness or tiredness or lack of motivation has deepened into something like depression? Hear Rosemary share her story of living with depression and the hope she has found.