How Do I Talk to My Kids About Sorrow?
Forewarning our kids about the realities of sorrow can forearm them to face it by faith. Christ said these seasons would come, and that we would find comfort, hope, and peace by looking to him when they do.
Talking About Depression in Motherhood • Live Radio Interview
I recently had the pleasure of being interviewed on "The Ride Home with John & Kathy" radio show on the topic of depression in motherhood.
Hope + Help for Parents: Podcast Episodes You Don’t Want to Miss
Serving you episodes of the Hope + Help Podcast that focus specifically on parenting and family-related issues.
Live Radio Interview: How to Talk to Your Depressed Child
I had the pleasure of being interviewed on The Ride Home with John & Kathy radio show regarding my article at The Gospel Coalition, "How to Talk to Your Depressed Child." For fifteen minutes, we spoke about some of the challenges and necessities of caring for a child who is walking through depression. While I would have loved to have been able to expand on certain points (and of course, I neglected to say a few things I wish I would have), I hope the interview offers some helpful insights into the incredible difficulty of the situation, and stresses the need for compassion, grace, and God's truth in the midst of a disorienting season.
Hope + Help for Raising Young Children with Sam Crabtree
In this episode of The Hope + Help Project, Christine Chappell interviews author Sam Crabtree. They discuss his newest book, "Parenting with Loving Correction: Practical Help for Raising Young Children" to discover how the gospel of Jesus Christ helps parents pursue consistent, faithful discipline that mirrors the grace-giving, truth-speaking God of the Bible. Sam explains what corrective discipline looks like from a biblical perspective, outlines why establishing an atmosphere of affirmation and correction is important in a Christian home, and highlights the difference between destructive fear and healthy regard for parental authority. He also addresses the issue of corporal punishment, lays out three core imperatives for wise correction, and speaks powerful words of encouragement to parents who are struggling to implement consistent disciplinary standards for the children in their care.
Children, Come and See: Displaying Mom’s Faith in Christ
Our faithful pursuit of taking pleasure in Jesus is the best witness we can offer our family. By taking the time to share how God is working in our lives, we attract our children to the larger story of God’s redemption. If Jesus is the Gift that keeps on giving, what better way to share the treasure than by inviting our children to come and see for themselves?
Hope + Help for Anxious Teens with Jessica Thompson
In this episode of The Hope + Help Project, Christine Chappell interviews author/speaker Jessica Thompson on the topic of her new book, How to Help Your Anxious Teen. During the conversation, Jessica unpacks some of the commonly overlooked factors that can contribute to our teen's anxiety, the harmful ways parents sometimes approach helping their child, and how the gospel of Jesus Christ offers teens and parents alike the assurance and hope needed to walk through anxiety recovery. She also explains the dangerous effects of "helicopter parenting," why today's culture has a disdain for normalcy, and the importance of fostering an environment of grace and age-appropriate transparency in our homes.
Hope + Help for Anxious Moms with Sara Wallace
In this episode of The Hope + Help Project, Christine Chappell interviews author/writer Sara Wallace on the topic anxiety in motherhood and her new book, Created to Care: God's Truth for Anxious Moms. Sara discusses God’s good design for our “mother bear” instincts, the heart struggles that take place when fear dominates our parenting, how to approach concerns over our children’s salvation, and how the gospel of Jesus Christ offers anxious moms the necessary resources to learn how to trust God with their children’s lives. She also highlights some of the ways moms can fall into guilt-ridden performance traps and control idolatry, offering anxious mothers words of encouragement and comfort for the weary—but priceless—privilege of raising children.
Hope + Help for Facing Infertility with Glenna Marshall
In this episode of The Hope + Help Project, Christine Chappell interviews author/writer Glenna Marshall on the topic of infertility, suffering, and her new book, The Promise is His Presence: Why God is Always Enough. During the conversation, Glenna shares about her personal experiences with infertility, church hurt, and chronic illness, unpacking the devastating heartbreak of deferred hope and the dangers of basing our beliefs about God's goodness on whether or not he will give us "good" things. Glenna shares how her struggle with infertility negatively impacted church fellowship and personal friendships, gives suggestions on how to respond to seasons of spiritual dryness, and soothes sufferers with words of comfort for when the grief of barrenness feels all-consuming.
Hope + Help Bonus Episode: Heart Change in Motherhood with Christine Chappell
In this episode of The Hope + Help Project, Christine shares a bonus episode on the topic of heart change in motherhood based on stories from her book, Clean Home, Messy Heart: Promises of Renewal, Hope, and Change for Overwhelmed Moms. The episode is an edited version of a talk recorded in front of a live audience and unpacks the challenges of sacrificial love, comfort idolatry, repetitive sin habits, and self-reliance in motherhood, explaining how the gospel of Jesus Christ offers women hope and help for progressive, meaningful change.
Hope + Help for Weary Moms with Christina Fox
In this episode of The Hope + Help Project, Christine Chappell interviews author Christina Fox on the topic of weariness in motherhood and her new book with P&R Publishing, Sufficient Hope: Gospel Meditations and Prayers for Moms. Christina shares about her reluctant struggle with postpartum depression, the importance of having proper expectations in motherhood, and how to turn from helplessness to hope in Christ. She also addresses common heart issues that moms of all ages wrestle with, such as control idolatry, discontentment, and general discouragement with the motherhood experience.
When Mom Falls Away from Grace
When mothers mourn their inability to "do better" and "be better," they can use it as an opportunity to press into God's grace or as an occasion to fall away from grace, believing they ought to be law-keepers instead of grace-receivers. What rebukes and encouragements does the Apostle Paul have to say on this matter? Continue reading...
Good News for the Discouraged Mom
Sometimes Mother's Day weekend looks like limps in our strides and lumps in our throats. When we feel we don't measure up to what it means to be a "good mom," we don't feel much like celebrating life, let alone motherhood. But there's good news to be found for discouraged mothers. Here are gospel truths to remember as your weary heart heads into Mother's Day.
Finding Freedom from Mom-Envy (Seeking the Still Video)
In this Facebook LIVE recording, I share a message on the topic of “mom-envy,” exploring what it is, what the Bible calls it, ways it manifests itself in our lives, and how we can work in tandem with the Word and the Spirit for lasting heart change. This video was hosted by Laura Fleetwood, author/podcast […]
Make This Your Battle Cry (Thrive Moms Feature)
This article originally appeared at Thrive Moms on February 23, 2017. Christine M. Chappell is a contributing writer for the Thrive Moms blog, the author of “Clean Home, Messy Heart: Promises of Renewal, Hope, and Change for Overwhelmed Moms”, and is currently pursuing her biblical counseling certification. He split his lip wide open. I couldn’t […]
For The Woman Stretched In All Directions | Guest Post by Amy Fritz
♥ Hey friends! My guest post series continues TODAY with writer/blogger Amy Fritz! I hope you enjoy! ♥ There were about a half dozen of us together that morning at our Bible study class- women’s ministry leaders, Bible study teachers, women new to their faith, and women who had been believers for decades. We […]
Memories and Remembering: How Advent Gets it Right | Guest Post by Glenna Marshall
♥ Hey friends! I’m taking the rest of the year off from writing original posts, but amazing things are still coming for you! My 2016 guest post series continues TODAY with writer/blogger Glenna Marshall! ♥ It was supposed to be a magical night, one made of sugary memories my kids will draw from when […]
For the Mom Who Feels Like the Fruit Will Never Come
♥ Hey friends! I’m taking the rest of the year off from writing original posts, but amazing things are still coming for you! My 2016 guest post series continues TODAY with author/blogger Courtney Steed! ♥ “I am the vine; you are the branches. If a man remains in me and I in him, he will bear […]
Encouragement for the Mom Who Regrets What She Said | Guest Post by Jennie Scott
♥ Hey friends! I’m taking the rest of the year off from writing original posts, but amazing things are still coming for you! My 2016 guest post series continues TODAY with writer/blogger Jennie Scott! ♥ When I learned my second pregnancy was with a little girl, I immediately had visions of tutus and hairbows. Parenting up to that […]
Hearts of Thanksgiving in Seasons of Grumbling
It was one of those days that took every ounce of gut-wrenching, teeth-clenching, tongue-biting endurance I could muster. You know the kind–when the kids start their day with grouchy complaints that never quite seem to taper off as the hours tick by. As the night sky fell upon bedtime, I sat on the floor and […]
Introducing Julianna | Real-Life Reader Reflections
*This post is a part of a series written by pre-publication readers of “Clean Home, Messy Heart: Promises of Renewal, Hope, and Change for Overwhelmed Moms” by Christine M. Chappell, available May 16th. We were privileged to have Julianna Morlet of Shoreline Church in Austin, TX compose the forward for Clean Home, Messy Heart. Here are […]
Introducing Shara | Real-Life Reader Reflections
*This post is part of a series written by pre-publication readers of “Clean Home, Messy Heart: Promises of Renewal, Hope, and Change for Overwhelmed Moms“. My name is Shara, and I’m a stay-at-home mom to two beautiful, determined, and strong-willed children—Noah and Hannah. On Mommy Heart Struggles… In becoming a mother, I feel like I have […]
Dear Year-Ago Me, It’s Worse, Yet So Much Better
Dear Year-Ago Me, I know you are dealing with a lot and things feel so chaotic right now. Dealing with these circumstances was not part of your plan, but it’s the hand you’ve been given to play. True, you’ve struggled with this hopelessness many times before, but I know this round is different altogether. It’s […]