Filled With Messages
By Ruth Farrell
Life is filled with messages. At best, most of them are forgettable. Plenty of them are confusing and anxiety-inducing. Filled With Messages are the sermons of Ruth Farrell, the lead pastor of a church in Chicagoland. If you want to fill your life with encouraging, transforming messages, listen in.
Filled With MessagesSep 16, 2023
00:00
12:37
Walk in Love
In scripture, we are repeatedly encouraged to walk in God’s love. What are some practices that help us do so?
Apr 24, 202413:40
The Complexities of Forgiveness
Forgiveness is often hard and complex. At the same time, it’s something Christians think they should be able to do easily. How can we give ourselves grace when we are struggling to forgive?
Apr 17, 202414:57
Coming Alive Again
One of the things Christians celebrate at Easter is that God is all about resurrection. Not only did God bring Jesus back to life, but God brings us back to life, too. Listen in to hear how God does this.
Apr 03, 202416:50
Jesus Suffered
Just like us, Jesus had good days and bad days. The ways Jesus approached the hard days can help us better navigate them when they come our way.
Mar 27, 202414:38
Jesus Got Hangry
Just like many of us, at times Jesus struggled with self-care. In looking at his example we are reminded of the importance of taking care of ourselves.
Mar 20, 202412:57
Jesus Had Boundaries
Boundaries are important parts of healthy relationships, but they can be tricky to manage. Jesus modeled healthy boundaries. Following his example can help us navigate their complexities.
Mar 13, 202415:21
Jesus Got Thirsty
Most of us are thirsty for genuine and meaningful connection. How can Jesus’ interaction with the Samaritan Woman help us build useful skills for connecting well with others?
Mar 06, 202415:52
Jesus Took Naps. Be Like Jesus.
When life’s storms are upon us, it can be hard to let go and have faith. But Jesus modeled napping in the midst of life’s storms. He encouraged us to trust God to take care of us while we get some much needed rest.
Feb 28, 202410:53
Growing in Mind, Body, and Heart
Growing older isn’t always fun. There are stages and seasons of life when the aging process is a challenge. Following Jesus’ example can help us weather these storms, maturing gracefully in mind, body, and heart throughout our days
Feb 21, 202413:40
Finding Our Way to Life
Many days we feel like zombies wandering thoughtlessly and aimlessly through life. But God wants more and better for us. How can we follow Jesus to a full life, an abundant life?
Feb 14, 202408:20
Balance
We live in a multitasking, juggle it all world. But balance is essential to our wellbeing. Perhaps Jesus’ example can show us some steps can we take to make sure our priorities don’t get lost in all the demands we face.
Feb 07, 202413:42
A Time to Speak Harshly?
Most of us know the importance of using our words gently and kindly. But there are times in life when a stern word is necessary. How do we know when it’s appropriate to speak a stern word? Today’s scripture text offers us some insight.
Jan 31, 202412:31
Don’t Judge a Book by Its Cover
It’s easy to judge people by what we see on the surface. Jesus invites us to a different way, a way of seeing beyond the masks most of us wear. A way of witnessing the beauty and truth of ourselves and each other.
Jan 24, 202414:36
Follow the Drinking Gourd
God is always placing signs in our lives that lead us to grace, peace, healing, love. How do we tune into those signs so that we can be closer to God every day?
Jan 17, 202412:42
Singing Hope
There’s so much that wants to rob us of hope, but God is always bringing light into our darkness. So when we do have hope, it’s important for us to sing it loud and clear for all to hear.
Dec 28, 202312:41
Bad Moms
Many of us are stressed, anxious, overwhelmed, wearied by all life throws at us. God calls us to lay aside the pressures of life for awhile by finding joy and peace when we connect with others.
Dec 13, 202315:37
Weariness
Weariness is such a familiar feeling to many of us that when God tries to gift us with hope and joy we completely miss it. How can we acknowledge our weariness while at the same time open ourselves to God’s goodness to us?
Dec 06, 202314:48
Don’t Forget to Say Thank You
We all know that being thankful is important. Yet it’s easy to forget to give thanks. Why? What gets in our way of being grateful, especially to God? Listen in to hear more.
Nov 20, 202314:15
Making Peace
Some days the violence and destruction in our world can feel overwhelming and hopeless. How does God invite us to bring peace to this broken world of ours?
Nov 15, 202312:37
Old Habits Die Hard
Most of us have habits, behaviors, patterns we would like to change so that we can experience and share more of God’s freedom, joy, peace. But doing so can be very hard. How can we work together with God to free ourselves of no longer helpful habits?
Nov 07, 202313:59
You Feel Like Home
Having safe homes (both physical and relational) is so important to our wellbeing. Scripture teaches God is one of our safe homes. But what does that mean? Listen in to learn more.
Nov 02, 202312:30
Reaching for Forgiveness
Forgiveness is essential to our wellbeing. It’s also a cornerstone of our faith. But it can be so hard. How can following God’s example help us learn to forgive?
Oct 25, 202311:51
My Yoke Is Scopions
Life is so often filled with pain and burdens. How can we follow Jesus’ lead and lighten the loads others bear.
Oct 18, 202313:11
All Creatures Great and Small
Scripture tells us that animals have things to teach us. More specifically, they have wisdom to share with us about the ways God cares for them and us. Listen in to hear more.
Oct 10, 202310:59
Wholly Loving God
Scripture calls us to love God with our whole beings. But how do we do that? What might it look like in practical terms? Listen in to hear more.
Oct 04, 202311:02
Go and Be a Blessing
God often calls us to go, to move, to shift our locations, our attitudes, our beliefs so that more people can experience God’s blessings. But going and changing is hard for many of us and we will face difficulties along the way. Listen in to hear a scripture story that will build our faith that God is always with us along the way.
Sep 20, 202314:12
New Beginnings
All of us face new beginnings from time to time. How does God approach new beginnings and how might following God’s lead help us when we are in these situations?
Sep 16, 202312:37
Yellowstone
How do we keep trusting God, believing in God’s faithfulness even when life is full of pain and suffering?
Aug 16, 202313:21
Joshua Tree
God asked Joshua to be strong and courageous as he led the Israelites through a season of exponential change. Listen in to hear more about how we can be strong and courageous when we are experiencing change.
Aug 09, 202312:21
Assateague
Our words have incredible power to do both harm and good. How can we learn to harness them to bring Christ’s light and healing into the world?
Jul 19, 202313:52
Yosemite
Sometimes life seems like one long downward spiral to death. But along the way, God invites us to find joy in the good stuff of life.
Jul 05, 202313:54
Sleeping Bear Dunes
Scripture employs metaphors to help us understand God better. In today’s text, the author speaks of God being like a Mama Bear defending and protecting her cubs. Listen in to learn more.
Jun 29, 202312:38
Travel Surprises
Along our life’s journeys, we encounter surprises. Some are good, others less so. Learning to lean into the surprises helps us be more agile, more gracious, more open to the movement of the Holy Spirit.
May 31, 202312:07
Strangers into Friends
It’s easier than ever to isolate ourselves from new people, but God’s call is to open ourselves to others so that everyone can receive God’s grace and love and hope.
May 24, 202314:31
Leaving Home
At times we have to leave the people, places, and things that feel like home. Learning to trust God always goes with us helps us make it through the anxiety and fear when we have to do so.
May 17, 202312:13
Don’t Stop Believing
Some days it’s really hard to believe Jesus was raised from the dead or that his resurrection matters today. On those days, how do we keep trusting God?
Apr 19, 202311:47
Towers of Hope
We often expect God to show up with trumpet fanfare, in miracles, in the equivalent of Easter Sunday mornings. But more often God shows up disguised as our everyday lives.
Apr 12, 202314:41
An Anxious Week
All of us struggle with worries and anxiety at times. Jesus did, too. Listen in to hear more about the healthy coping mechanisms Jesus employed in the most anxious week of his life.
Apr 03, 202314:38
Can These Bones Live?
Some days it’s easy to have hope and trust God’s presence in our lives. Other days, it’s a struggle just to get out of bed. No matter what we’re experiencing, God had good news for each and all of us.
Mar 29, 202315:34
Why Did You Ask That?
So often our questions are ladened with assumptions about others. Jesus invites us to consider why we ask the questions we ask and to have compassion and empathy for others.
Mar 22, 202313:06
What Are You Thirsty For?
Our emotions are gifts from God which help us understand our deepest needs, but sometimes we struggle to listen to what they’re really saying. God invites us to look plumb the depths of our emotions and share what we find with others and with God.
Mar 15, 202313:08
How Do We Begin Again?
Change is part of life, yet we often fight it. How can we learn to listen and lean into change when it comes? How can we learn to trust God is with us and will bless us through the change?
Mar 08, 202314:32
Who Will You Listen To?
There are so many people, places, and things clamoring for our attention. How do we discern to whom we should listen?
Mar 01, 202318:27
Tween in the Temple
Sometimes God asks us to obey and at other times we are called to disobey. Learning to discern the Holy Spirit’s leading can help us know which way to go.
Feb 22, 202312:04
Changing Our Ancestors Ways
Sometimes God shows us that the ways of our ancestors were wrong and invites us to new ways. Making the change is hard work, but God will be with us every step of the way.
Feb 19, 202315:13
The Faith of a Child
God sometimes sends us hope and healing in very surprising ways. Can we open ourselves to receive God’s love and care from wherever it comes?
Feb 15, 202316:06
Encouraging Talents
God has given us each so many talents. Will we follow a child’s lead and use them to bless others, especially children?
Feb 08, 202314:52
The Courage to Speak Up
We tend to think of courageous people as those on the frontlines or those who run into burning buildings. Certainly they are. But God calls all of us - even little children - to live with courage every day.
Feb 02, 202314:60
Choose A Better Way
When Joseph decided to divorce Mary, he was making an acceptable choice. But God had a better way and invited Joseph to choose it instead.
Dec 20, 202215:25
Let It Be
Sometimes fear is overwhelming and anxiety weighs so heavily. In those time, God invites us to let our fear be what it is and also to rest in his presence with us.
Dec 15, 202216:20