Featured Home Page Posts

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

Hard to Hope: Monthly Encouragement Call with Christine

Did you know? I host free monthly Zoom calls for my email subscribers! These 1-hour webinar chats 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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9 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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10 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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11 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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12 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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1 year ago

Midnight Mercies: BCC Podcast Interview

I recently had the opportunity to join Curtis Solomon on the Biblical Counseling Coalition's 15:14 Podcast to talk about my book, Midnight Mercies: Walking with God through Depression in Motherhood.
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1 year ago

4 Ways to Help a Depressed Mom

Surely somewhere in your close proximity, there’s a mother suffering from depression. As she attempts to beat back the darkness, you wonder how you can care for her. As featured at The Gospel Coalition.
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2 years ago

Depression in Motherhood: Help & Hope Podcast Interview

In this conversation, Sharon Betters talks with Christine Chappell about the different emotional facets of the experience of depression, practical steps we can take in battling depression, and suggestions for how friends can come alongside a hurting friend.
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2 years ago

When the Clock Strikes Midnight: 3 Encouragements for Depressed Moms

If you’re feeling desperate for encouragement as you walk through the darkness of depression, I’d like to pass along a few statements which ministered to me. The Spirit used each of these fitly spoken words to give me strength and insight on my journey. By God’s mercy and grace, I pray they will serve you just the same. As featured at Risen Motherhood.
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2 years ago

Three Benefits of Audio-Based Homework

In this article, I suggest three benefits for utilizing audio-based assignments, particularly in situations where counselees are suffering from the kind of cognitive impairment that makes concentration and comprehension extremely difficult.
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2 years ago