Blog Collection

Christmas Hope and Your Suffering: Advent Devotional

Hope can feel hard to come by during the holidays, especially when you’re wracked with pain or weighed down with grief. Yes, it might be “the most wonderful time of the year” for some. But for others, it’s a season when wonderful times seem both far behind and far beyond them. Perhaps you fall into this latter category. If so, the incarnation may not seem like a relevant consolation. But consider this comforting truth as you weep and lament: Jesus wasn’t born to fail but to prove himself faithful.
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2 weeks ago

2025 Reformed & Renewed Women’s Conference

The 2025 Reformed & Renewed Conference will explore the theme of Biblical contentment. Together we will grieve the disappointments of this life and grapple with what it means to possess godly contentment in a world not yet made right. Our desire is that each attendee would be comforted by the promises of Scripture, convicted about the insufficiency of earthly treasures, and convinced of the sufficiency of Christ.
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2 weeks ago

11 Recommended New Books from 2024

This past year, I issued endorsements for eleven new books specific to biblical counseling and Christian living. Not only did I personally benefit from reading these resources, but I believe they each make a valuable contribution to the respective topic they each address. I'm thankful to have had the privilege of previewing these manuscripts and am glad to commend the finished products to you.
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2 weeks ago

2024 Black Friday Week Book Sales

It's that time of year! Black Friday sales are abounding in the Christian publishing world, and a few of them are applicable to resources of mine. Here you will find coupon codes from New Growth Press and Shepherd Press for use at their respective online stores. Now is a great time to stock up on these titles if you use them in your counseling or discipleship ministry. The Buy 1, Get 1 offer from New Growth Press expires on Black Friday (11/29 at 5pm ET), and the Shepherd Press discount expire on Monday, December 2nd. Be sure to place your order before time's up!
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3 weeks ago

Hope + Help for Depression with Ed Welch

In what way does Jesus welcome those who are experiencing depression? Why is it true that "faith can feel good, and faith can feel horrible"? And how does the gospel offer hope to those who fear that they'll stay stuck in the darkness? Ed Welch addresses these questions and more in this new episode of IBCD's Hope + Help Podcast!
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1 month ago

God’s Grace for Mom’s Unmerry Holiday

While the reasons for these seasonal struggles will vary from family to family, the need to depend on God’s sustaining grace remains the same. Thankfully, he doesn’t begrudge your neediness but welcomes it wholeheartedly! God knows that holidays can be hard days—that you can only endure them if he daily bears you up. Here are three specific ways that God ministers his grace to you during your unmerry holiday.
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1 month ago

Hope + Help for Unanswered Prayer with Ste Casey

What makes unanswered prayer a "strange double sorrow" for believers? Why is it important to "fight for sight" in seasons where God seems unresponsive to our prayers? And how does Paul's testimony in 2 Corinthians 12 help us to process the fact that God is still good even when "he gives pain to those he loves"? Author, pastor, and biblical counselor Ste Casey addresses these questions and more as we discuss his book, I Prayed and Nothing Changed: What God is Up to in the Silence.
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2 months ago

Gospel Rest for Downcast Moms: 2024 CCEF Conference Audio

Audio recordings from the 2024 CCEF National Conference are now available for purchase! Get access to my session, "Mercy in Darkness: Gospel Rest for Downcast Moms," and explore the care and compassion of Christ for mothers who are walking through depression.
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2 months ago

Postpartum Depression: The Soul Care Podcast

In this episode, we explore the challenges of postpartum motherhood, and the need for grace and understanding in the face of struggles. We also emphasize the significance of acknowledging both physical and spiritual aspects of mental health, the impact of societal expectations, and the necessity of lamenting and grieving.
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2 months ago

A Dios no le sorprende tu depresión posparto

Cuando te sientas invadida por el dolor de la maternidad, es bueno recordar que Dios te ve y te rodea. Hay recordatorios muy necesarios sobre esta realidad en el Salmo 139. Mientras el escritor se maravilla ante la omnisciencia y omnipresencia de Dios, podemos ver por lo menos tres aplicaciones relevantes a la experiencia de la depresión posparto.
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3 months ago

Hope + Help for Children and Identity with Jonathan Holmes

How has the concept of personal identity evolved over the years? What are five different yet common areas where kids tend to struggle with their identity? And what positive role can parents or caregivers play in the formation of a child’s identity? Jonathan Holmes addresses these questions and more as we discuss his new book, Grounded in Grace: Helping Kids to Build Their Identity in Christ.
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3 months ago

God is Not Surprised by Your Postpartum Depression

When you feel overtaken by sorrow in motherhood, it’s good to remember that you are seen and surrounded by God. There are much-needed reminders about this reality in Psalm 139. As the writer marvels at God’s omniscience and omnipresence, at least three relevant applications to the experience of postpartum depression unfold.
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4 months ago

Now Available: Postpartum Depression Minibook

Many new mothers experience what some call postpartum "baby blues" a short period of feeling sad, irritable, anxious, and overwhelmed. But what happens when those feelings worsen as the newborn weeks go by? What help is there for you when sleepless nights, harassing thoughts, and unpredictable moods disrupt your life and drain your joy? Is there any hope to be had in such a hard season?
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4 months ago

Rethinking Nostalgic Postpartum Advice

Nostalgic postpartum advice is certainly permissible, though it’s not always beneficial or edifying (1 Cor. 10:23). But when we take care to know a mother’s world before speaking to it, we can help her feel seen and understood. We can better encourage and build her up in Christ—whether she’s enjoying the season or not (1 Thess. 5:11).
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4 months ago

Video: Grounded in Grace Virtual Parenting Summit

Recently, I had the opportunity to join Jonathan Holmes for his Grounded in Grace Virtual Parenting Summit. The GIG Virtual Summit featured 26 interviews with parents, pastors, counselors, and professors—all sharing some of the joys and struggles of parenting their kids. Each interview featured honest questions as well as practical counsel about how to help our kids and teens build their identity in Christ. I was grateful for the chance to share a bit of my own parenting challenges (and aspirations!) during our conversation together. Thanks to Jonathan's generosity, you can stream the entire 15-minute interview below.
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4 months ago

Hope + Help for Perfectionism with Jeremy Pierre

What is meant by the term "perfectionism?" How might it manifest in a person's life? What are some of the physical, relational, emotional, and spiritual impacts of perfectionism in our lives? And how does the gospel of Jesus Christ minister to those whose perfectionistic ideals have driven them to total exhaustion? Jeremy Pierre answers these questions and more in this episode of the Hope + Help Podcast!
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4 months ago

CCEF 2024 National Conference Session

Every fall CCEF hosts a conference where they slow down to consider how Scripture speaks into a specific area of life. This year’s topic is on rest: what does it look like, and how can we grow in it? I’m looking forward to speaking at the conference this year for the very first time!
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5 months ago

Hard to Hope: Monthly Encouragement Call for Email Subscribers

I'm pleased to announce that beginning August 28th, I'll be hosting free monthly Zoom calls for my email subscribers! These 1-hour webinar chats will focus on encouraging those who are navigating a dark or difficult season of life. I know it can be hard to hope when you're walking through sorrow and suffering. But I pray these calls will help you to take courage in Christ.
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5 months ago

11 Free Resources on Biblical Lament

Biblical lament is something I've taught, spoken, and written about a number of times, but only recently did I come to realize that I had enough lament-related resources to share in one post! On this page, you'll find a few interviews from the Hope + Help Podcast archives on the topic of lament, as well as a number of articles that will help you to think more deeply about the topic. In addition, this post features two printables—one of which is brand new.
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5 months ago

4 maneras de ayudar a una mamá deprimida

Con un estimado de 800,000 madres en los EE. UU. diagnosticadas con un trastorno de salud mental materna cada año, y con una gran mayoría de ellas sin posibilidades de obtener ayuda profesional, el cuerpo de Cristo no puede quedarse de brazos cruzados. Incluso como laico, puedes ofrecer a una madre deprimida el cuidado necesario e irremplazable en Cristo.
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5 months ago

Misericordia para madres en depresión

La semana que pasé en el hospital psiquiátrico no me pareció misericordia en ese momento, pero la bondad que Dios me dio allí llevó mi corazón a la paz y al arrepentimiento (Rom. 2:4). No tenía que estar libre de depresión antes de poder vivir para la gloria de Dios. La vida sin pecado y el sacrificio perfecto de Cristo me liberaron de la carga insoportable de ser perfecta en mí misma. Puesto que Jesús obedeció la voluntad de Dios hasta la muerte, yo podía morir a mi deseo de un alivio rápido y vivir para caminar por fe, un pequeño paso a la vez.
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6 months ago

Finding Hope in the Middle of Depression: Great Stories

"On today's episode of the Great Stories Podcast, David Wollen talks with Christine Chappell. She’s an author, a biblical counselor, and a podcaster, and a mother. On this episode, Christine shares her story and what she learned about how Jesus draws near to those who are struggling with depression."
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6 months ago

The Gift and Skill of Praise in Lament

If you don’t tend to associate groaning to God with giving Him thanks, you’re not the only one. I confess there have been times when praising the Lord was nowhere near the top of my mind in my sorrow. But over the years, the Spirit has helped me to better understand these two contrasting ways of addressing our Heavenly Father—to see that we needn’t sacrifice praise on the altar of lament (or vice versa). Even our most desperate cries can be “couched in praise,” just as “[in] the context of praise, lament and even protest can be an important function of faith.”
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6 months ago

Hope + Help for Waiting on God with Mark Vroegop

What are biblical four principals we can apply when we find ourselves in a situation that requires us to wait? How does the gospel offer encouragement to someone who feels like their waiting is a waste of time? In this episode of the Hope + Help Podcast, host Christine Chappell interviews Mark Vroegop on his latest book, Waiting Isn't a Waste: The Surprising Comfort of Trusting God in the Uncertainties of Life. 
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7 months ago

3 palabras de ánimo para madres deprimidas

Si le preguntara a una madre que lucha contra la depresión: "¿Cuánto tiempo más te sentirás tan mal?", su respuesta probablemente no sería “Sólo una o dos horas más. ¡Ya casi termino!” La depresión no funciona de esa manera. Los estados de ánimo melancólicos no suelen desaparecer. Las soluciones rápidas tienden a quedarse cortas cuando el dolor nos quita las fuerzas; los clichés bien intencionados generalmente tampoco dan en el blanco (Prov. 17:22; 25:20). Y cuando las supuestas palabras de ánimo empiezan a oírse más como regaños pasivos, puede parecer que nadie tiene nada útil que decir, como si tuviéramos que valernos por nosotros mismos en esta oscuridad.
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7 months ago

His Mercies Are More: Haven Today Broadcasts

Laundry. Meals. Crying children. Motherhood is busy. But if dark clouds of depression roll in, the weight can start to feel unbearable. Where do you turn? All week on Haven Today, David Wollen will be joined by author and mother, Christine Chappell, for a series called His Mercies are More.
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7 months ago

Hope + Help for Redeeming Sex in Marriage with Scott Mehl

In this episode, I chat with my friend and IBCD colleague, Scott Mehl, about his new book, Redeeming Sex in Marriage: How the Gospel Rescues Sex, Transforms Marriage, and Reveals the Glory of God. I love Scott's respectful and reverent approach in this book, particularly since the topic is often fraught with confusion and hurt.
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7 months ago

Spending a Week in a Psych Ward: Chats Under the Sun

The truth is I've sat on this interview since it came out in December 2023. By far, it's the most vulnerable conversation I've had with regards to the hospitalization I recount in Midnight Mercies as well as in my minibook, Help! I've Been Diagnosed with a Mental Disorder. I suppose I’ve gotten somewhat accustomed to sharing my story, but this interview probed the kinds of specifics I don’t typically rehearse—details which flung me back to a time and a place I prefer to keep out of.
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8 months ago

9 Podcasts (and a Free Printable) for Mental Disorders

Do you know what it is for a psychiatric diagnosis to throw you into a tailspin? I do. But I also know a God who offers stabilizing truths for the post-diagnosis journey—a God who makes his people fruitful in the land of their affliction (Gen. 41:52). In this post, you will find a collection of resources that seek to apply the gospel of Jesus Christ to the lived experience of issues labeled as mental disorders, as well as a new counseling card entitled "5 Gospel Realities to Remember When You've Been Diagnosed with a Mental Disorder."
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8 months ago

Hope + Help for Church Hurt with Megan Hill

What are some reasons that church may feel like a sad or difficult place to be? What are some of the unhelpful ways to respond to a person’s story of hurt in the church? In what ways might our trust in God be shaken as a result of our church-related pain? And how do the Scriptures help us to interpret and process our church-related hurts? In this episode of the Hope + Help Podcast, host Christine Chappell interviews Megan Hill about her newest book, Sighing on Sunday: 40 Meditations for When Church Hurts.
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8 months ago

5th Anniversary Episode of the Hope + Help Podcast

In this episode, host Christine Chappell reflects on five years of Hope + Help Podcast conversations and shares clips from past interviews with guests who are also speaking at this year’s Summer Institute & Pre-Conference in La Mesa, CA on June 20th-22nd.
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8 months ago

Depression and Motherhood: Parenting with Ginger Hubbard

"Are you a mom struggling with feelings of hopelessness and anxiety? Would you like biblical guidance and practical help for battling depression from someone who’s been there and understands? Join Ginger Hubbard and Katy Morgan, along with special guest Christine Chappell, as they discuss how we can abide in Christ and lean on him to sustain us through seasons of darkness."
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9 months ago

Voices of Encouragement • Video Compilation

In this video recording from the 2023 Midnight Mercies Virtual Summit, we hear closing remarks from Christine as well as encouraging words from a variety of respected authors, bible teachers, pastors, and experienced biblical counselors such as Brad Bigney, Cameron Cole, John Crotts, Iain Duguid, David & Krista Dunham, Zack Eswine, Gloria Furman, Alasdair Groves, Nancy Guthrie, Brad Hambrick, Marty Machowski, Esther Smith, Curtis Solomon, Paul Tautges, Steve Viars, Mark Vroegop, Ed Welch, Lauren Whitman, and Rush Witt.
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10 months ago

When All You Want is “Better”

Do you know what it’s like to be depressed and want nothing more than to feel better again? Normal? Happy? Alive, even? Join Christine as she explores the painful reality of our present circumstances and the deferred hope that stems from changes we sorely want but don't yet have.
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11 months ago

Parent Loss with Lucy Ann Moll

In this video recording from the 2023 Midnight Mercies Virtual Summit, Lucy reflects on the sudden death of her mother and shares how God mercifully met her in the midst of her grief.
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11 months ago

You Lamented—Now What?

“There’s a lot of talk about how to lament these days, but what do we do after—what comes next?” My friend’s question was intriguing. He was right to identify the need for extended reflection. After all, the moments following lament are just as important as the pain-pressed prayers themselves. We must choose to do something next, so what will it be? Withdraw in self-pity? Lash out at loved ones? Self-medicate with creature comforts? Give ourselves over to the futility of restlessness or the fruitlessness of resignation? We need wisdom, lest the choices we make do more harm than good. Because all of life is lived before God, how we move forward from lament truly matters. So what wisdom does he offer to us in these fragile and frustrated moments?
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11 months ago

Domestic Abuse with Joy Forrest

Joy recalls the depths of despair and hopelessness she felt while navigating an abusive marriage and shares how God mercifully met her in the midst of a traumatic event.
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11 months ago

Prodigal Children with Camille Cates

In this video recording from the 2023 Midnight Mercies Virtual Summit, Camille reflects on the heartbreak of grieving over a wayward child and how God has mercifully met her in the midst of her sorrow.
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11 months ago