Fruit Pursuit

A Production of the Ultimate Christian Podcast Network.

rsspodcast itunespodcast

Fruit Pursuit with Mary Aldrich

Most believers know that the fruit of the Spirit is something that we have access to and should be cultivating in our lives. But do you ever feel like growing more joy, gentleness or self control takes so much work, it isn’t worth it? After all, getting frustrated about how hard I have to work to feel joyful isn’t ever going to work! If this resonates with you, then I’m thrilled to have you join me as we discover ways to incorporate more of this fruit into our lives. You’ll come away with extremely practical tools and methods that flow with the choices we are longing to make in life. So what fruit exactly are we pursuing?

Galatians 5:22-23 says,
But the fruit of the spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness gentleness, and self control. Against such things there is no law.

I think all of us can agree that if we really lived these qualities out, life would feel abundant, rewarding, and wonderful regardless of our circumstances.

As Christians, we are called to be a witness to others of the power of Christ in our lives and the effectiveness of yielding to his ministry. All too often we go through life feeling discouraged, miserable, or just frustrated by unexpected or difficult circumstances. The tendency is to feel like if we could just get a break already, or if we could just finally have a little financial relief, or a short break, we could finally show that joy that we claim is inside.

But that moment just feels too hard…and then so is the next one…and, well…if I can just get through this busy season, then I’ll be able to relax and be happy and act like my Christianity has changed my life… And all of a sudden years have passed and as we reflect back, it’s easy to see that we’ve just been surviving for years, longing for something different, but never really feeling it.

Honey, we are about to change all that!

We’re about to align who you say you want to be with how you live every single day of your life!

Paul talked about his ability to be content in all situations and he references times when he was feeling great, but also times when he was stranded in the ocean, tortured, chased out of town, and in prison! And I don’t think he was just all talk to sound impressive. I think he actually genuinely meant it. That feels so foreign, doesn’t it? To truly, genuinely feel content in a difficult circumstance? Some of us would rather fuss and say we’ll go back to adulting tomorrow.

Today is too hard.

If you would like to continue to fuss about how hard life is, then this podcast is not for you.

However, if you are ready to ditch that attitude, find freedom and abundant life, and really be able to feel like your daily life aligns with the abundance that Jesus promises, this podcast is right up your alley, dear one!

Together, let’s commit to pursue this amazing, rewarding and bountiful fruit of the spirit! Let us graft it into our daily lives with the bigger vision of acting like a changed person. Finally, let’s show our children, our families, and the world that following Jesus is worth all the hype and isn’t only some religious talk. Instead, it’s a life changing, turn the world upside down, revolutionary way to live that is not only addictive but soul satisfying. Let’s show the world we have something they really want, by acting like it works. Because…it does work! It can work for you, for your children, and for generations! Let’s get busy on this fruit pursuit so we can more vibrantly love God, love others, and enjoy it!

About Mary Aldrich

Hi, I’m Mary Aldrich and I’m delighted to spend time with you each week pursuing the Fruit of the Spirit. My husband Brandon and I, and our 7 amazing children have a passion to live our daily life in alignment with what Jesus says is possible: abundance and joy! As we long to share that vision with others as well, it is my pleasure to bring you this weekly podcast.

Please feel free to follow me on social media- Facebook and Instagram. If you’d like to contact me about personal coaching or learn more about what coaching is, you can find information at www.maryaldrichcoaching.com

Fruit Pursuit Podcast Episodes

Hey friend! I have a secret message for you, so pay attention! These ARE the good old days!  Don’t miss them! Joshua 4:21-22 “And he said to the people of Israel, “When your children ask their fathers in times to come, ‘What do these stones mean?’ then you shall let your children know, ‘Israel passed […]

Does peace feel elusive? Do you sometimes feel so disjointed that it seems like it would take an entire day or even a week to get back to feeling calm and happy? I’ve got good news for you!  It doesn’t have to take that long! In this episode we’ll cover 3 things that bring us […]

Are you looking for life changing peace?  It just might be closer than you think. What if it’s all in your own mind? In this episode, I’m sharing how a simple change in perspective changes how I feel and how I respond to the situations and circumstances around me.  Give a listen and then consider, […]

Romans 15:14 – I myself am satisfied about you, my brothers, that you yourselves are full of goodness, filled with all knowledge and able to instruct one another. Most Christians are trying to do a good job. I would say I am, and I would be willing to bet that you are trying to do […]

Let’s dig in and discuss a perspective of the Fruit of the Holy Spirit, goodness, that is often misunderstood. Are you living the good life right now?

Psalm 34:8 – Oh, taste and see that the Lord is good! Blessed is the man who takes refuge in him! Do you have that favorite recipe you can always count on to be delicious?  Everytime you make it? I have one. It’s Raspberry Cream Pie. Nilla wafer crust, perfectly cooked vanilla custard layer, and […]

How important is patience, really? Well, today we are going to find out! When we choose to let fear control our actions instead of allowing patience to rule in our hearts, we tend to allow our Survival responses to kick in. We might choose fight, flight, or freeze. In today’s episode, we are going to […]

In our Mastermind this month, we are discussing creative ways to find support while we are waiting it out for various needs to be met. Have you ever played a game that required waiting for a series of turns before you can actually make the moves you really want to make?  There is strategy involved […]

The practice of waiting often makes me want to strangle a person!  Do you ever feel that way?  I’ll be honest, this is not my best fruit of the Holy Spirit. In fact, it’s one that I prefer to squirm out of at every possible opportunity. There are plenty of ways I avoid having to […]

Ever find yourself most annoyed at the people you are supposed to love the most?  Those closest to us often have the highest capability to drive us crazy the fastest. Relationships are like a long line of music, or a giant pyramid.  They aren’t easily built in a day and they don’t come apart or […]

1 John 4:18a – “There is no fear in love, but perfect love casts out fear.” This is a familiar verse to most of us, I’m sure, but what does it actually mean when it comes right down to it?  How do we actually apply perfect love to a fearful situation? In this podcast we […]

I’ve always been an all or nothing kind of gal. I’m like a steep roller coaster! Loving God has been quite the journey for me. I gave my heart to Christ when I was 5 or 6- I remember them explaining how Jesus died for my sins and that I could ask for forgiveness, and […]

I love my husband and I know he loves me, but sometimes in order for that whole lovey dovey deal to work out, sometimes I’ve got to get out of my own way. Today on the podcast, we’re talking about ways we sabotage meaningful relationships we say we want. To best help you understand this […]

“This is my commandment, that you love one another as I have loved you.” – John 15:12 This seems like it is a pretty clear commandment from Jesus, however our current society seems to have a very different definition of what is required to love others well. Here’s some statements that perhaps you’ve heard,even in […]

If you need the short version of this podcast, it’s this: If you want your children to be successful in public, you gotta practice it at home. Do it. Let’s talk about several different areas where we wish our children would behave- where it matters to us. 1. Public Locations: That’s all…just anywhere out THERE! […]

So, my second son, James, has been learning to drive.  He’s a good driver, but let me tell you…the urge to stomp on the passenger floor for the gas pedal is strong.  EVERY TIME I see the brake lights in front of us.  I’m continually telling James, it’s my problem, not yours.  You’re doing everything […]

1 Peter 5: 6-9 Humble yourselves, therefore, under the mighty hand of God so that at the proper time he may exalt you, casting all your anxieties on him, because he cares for you. Be sober-minded; be watchful. Your adversary the devil prowls around like a roaring lion, seeking someone to devour. Resist him, firm […]

Self Control: New Year Re-calibration:  Start the year off right: With Jesus. Do you know Him personally?   Read: Romans 10:9-10 “Because, if you confess with your mouth that Jesus is Lord and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved. For with the heart one believes and […]

What exactly is the joy of the Lord? Nehemiah 8:10 “Nehemiah said, ‘Go and enjoy choice food and sweet drinks, and send some to those who have nothing prepared. This day is holy to our Lord. Do not grieve, for the joy of the Lord is your strength.”   In this story, Ezra found the […]

Episode 22 – Happy Living Joy isn’t just a happy thought, it’s deeper than that. Haven’t we heard that? It’s not about being happy, it’s a set of soul. Yet, I want to challenge you that we can cultivate a lot more every day joy into our lives and it looks very similar to happiness […]

The #1 Joy Sapper – and How To Stop It:  Perhaps you long for joy but it still seems to elude you.  If you listened to my last podcast, A Secret to Easy Joy, and you’re taking action, then you’re already on a great start to making space for joy to flow in. Today, though, […]

Do you ever long to experience joy but feel like it takes too much work to make it happen? In today’s episode, I reveal one of the keys to clearing the space for joy to come in! Just like cleaning out a cabinet before we organize things inside it, it is necessary to clear out […]

Last week, we discussed how love is about listening.  This week, we’re covering the opposite side of the spectrum: speaking up. Today we’ll get really clear about three different areas where speaking up is crucial. This is by no means an exhaustive list, but these three are some of the most important times, in my […]

Today we are going to discuss some situations where listening might seem like the last thing you’d want to do, and yet, it’s a great opportunity to show love to others. However, we’ve discussed listening skills before.  If you want some practical tips, check out Episode 10: Kindness & Listening Skills When I think of […]

I’ve always been an all or nothing kind of gal. I’m like a steep roller coaster! Loving God has been quite the journey for me. I gave my heart to Christ when I was 5 or 6- I remember them explaining how Jesus died for my sins and that I could ask for forgiveness, and […]

We’ve all been there: the family gathering that everyone expects you to be at, but most don’t love and everyone spends feeling awkward. How do we handle them? To say we’ll never go again seems harsh and unloving.  To insist on our own way seems selfish. And what about the kids- they are so bored […]

How do we actually break free from a cycle of discouragement? Why do we let it go on so long? Today we’ll discuss three keys about discouragement and 4 ways to make it go away! Be aware that when one thing isn’t working, we tend to gather all the things together that aren’t working like […]

Today we’ll discuss great reasons to volunteer and perhaps some red flags to be aware of. Let’s go into our potential commitments with both eyes open. When we choose to volunteer it’s important to maintain Integrity Humility Generosity Consistency   Luke 6:38 (ESV) Give, and it will be given to you. Good measure, pressed down, […]

How can we encourage those around us? What if we can’t find anything at all they are doing well? Is there a way to increase their consistency without fussing or nagging them to do things? In today’s episode we’ll discuss ways to do all three. We’ll talk about husbands, children, and friends/ coworkers. Plus, I’ll […]

This is your chance to notice the faithfulness of God, and also your own consistency. Philippians 4:8 (ESV) – Finally brothers, whatever is true, whatever is honorable, whatever is just, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is commendable, if there is any excellence, if there is anything worthy of praise, think about these things. […]

God’s Faithfulness and Feeling it! Are you believing the truth about God’s Faithfulness? Are you setting up yourself for success to actually feel his faithfulness? Today we are going to cover 2 aspects of faithfulness: -The truth of God’s faithfulness to us – Feeling his faithfulness to others. The truth of God’s faithfulness: Deuteronomy 7:9 […]

Everyone should be quick to hear, slow to speak, and slow to anger. James 1:19   “Most people do not listen with the intent to understand; they listen with the intent to respond.” -Stephen Covey, 7 Habits of Highly Effective People   “You are short on ears and long on mouth.” -John Wayne   Are […]

Kindness vs. Pesky Sisters with Fruit Pursuit Podcast

Be kind to one another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, as God in Christ forgave you. Ephesians 4:32 ESV   Sometimes we really get on each others nerves, don’t we?   Recently my daughters were having a conflict over the expected standards of cleanliness and organization in their room. Both are little neat freaks, but they […]

Let’s take a look at kindness as it takes place between people we love so much, as well as the ones we don’t always love so much. We’ll talk about: – two cranky kids, – a difficult, exhausting child, – and an annoying spouse to round out our discussion.   Sounds fun right?   Well, […]

Today we are covering two ways we scare ourselves to death and why it’s so unnecessary. Do you ever wonder why you find yourself wanting something different, longing for something new, and yet when it boils down to the moment- you freeze? When I was a child I was so afraid of the dark, that […]

How confident and easy does it feel to you to make decisions? Does it feel like a gentle process in your life?   Today: 3 ways to experience gentleness in decision making.   Also stories about our huge school decisions, late night campfires, and a little about that insane hour that is just before dinner. […]

Gentleness and Ditching the Cloth Diapers Don’t miss the key point! Staying focused on the “shoulds” distracts us from following the actual path we are called to walk.   How many of you have times in your life that you look back on and think, “Man, I was an uptight mess!” and yet you know […]

Recently I had the opportunity to interact with a group of women all committed to discussing the vision of building more authentic relationships. How many of you feel like sometimes having real friends can be difficult? Maybe we think… We don’t do enough with them. They didn’t ask how we were. I never see them. […]

Once upon a time, in a land not so far away lived a dragon who ruled over her kingdom. One day the dragon decided to survey her kingdom and determine if all was in order. As she looked over the kingdom, she discovered that it was NOT in order! “Clean up this mess!” she roared! […]

Gentleness and Late Night Picnics You’ve worked hard!  You’ve done your best all day.  You’ve given it everything you’ve got.  And now it’s time for those munchkins to go to bed!  Time to relax and rest…or so you think. Join me as I share one of my favorite stories of the late night antics from […]

Who are you listening to?  Meet Mary Aldrich In this episode, discover a little about who I am, some about my family and our life.  Find out the purpose of this podcast and what this fruit is all about. Galatians 5:22-23 Tells us the fruit of the spirit includes love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, […]

More Episodes