In this episode of the Hope + Help Podcast, host Christine Chappell interviews Eric Schumacher about his book, Ours: Biblical Comfort for Men Grieving Miscarriage.
"God’s Word provides powerful comfort in grief. Because scripture is alive and active, time in the Word settles our heart and anchors our emotions in loss. I’ve asked several friends who’ve walked through grief from various kinds of loss to share their favorite Bible verses to comfort in grief. These writers and ministry leaders each share a favorite scripture and how that verse impacted their grief." -Lisa Appelo
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.
As the podcast completes its transition from The Hope + Help Project to IBCD's Hope + Help Podcast, this episode features a discussion between IBCD Director of Communications Ann Maree Goudzwaard and podcast founder Christine Chappell, exploring the various ways biblical counseling has personally impacted Christine's life and ministry.
The card references 8 common lies we may find ourselves listening to as we walk through seasons of sorrows, and pits them against eternal biblical truths. By providing a wealth of key Scripture references, Dr. Newheiser reminds the sorrowing to look to their identity in Christ and God's unchanging character as a means of sustaining grace.
There have been a number of guest on the show whose books (or interview topics) have revolved around offering gospel hope and help in depression/grief contexts. If you are someone walking through a season of grief/depression, or have been called to care for someone who is, these podcast episodes are sure to offer helpful biblical insights, gospel-centered comforts, and practical applications for taking next steps by faith.
It's possible to grow so accustomed to living in melancholia that it becomes a default countenance—a cave to retreat to when the pains of life feel too heavy to bear. While this reflex doesn't necessarily encumber all experiences of despondency, the solemn truth is that those who suffer from chronic sorrow run the risk of turning shadows into a refuge.
While Revelation 21 specifically lists death, mourning, crying, and pain as fundamental grievances believers will face, there's a shocking lack of corporate preparation to meet with such sorrows. Removing the stigma of deeply painful sadness requires the local church’s unhurried commitment to making room for it on Sunday mornings and a desire to equip leaders in one-another care.
Psalm 126 is a song of hope for those held captive by present sorrows and dire affliction. It encourages those who walk with weighted steps to wait expectantly for their God. There is a special promise for those who shed tears in desperate places—the sorrow will not endure forever. God will restore us once more, and our joy will be made all the greater for having endured the tribulation by faith. When rock bottom feels like the end of us, we can trust that Christ will hold us fast—for “with him is plentiful redemption” (Psalm 130:7).
Drinking to drown our sorrows, contrary to the chart-topping songs, is a dangerous—potentially deadly—way to respond to seasons of excessive sadness. Alcohol won’t lay its life down for us, but it can demand we lay down our life for it.
In this episode of The Hope + Help Project, Christine Chappell interviews Pastor Erick Cobb about the Christian's experience of seemingly causeless depression. Erick shares about his personal encounters with despondency, describing some of its mysterious components, and how the Scriptures normalize our seasons of dread and darkness. He also talks about the redemptive benefits that can result from walking through depression, highlights the importance of biblical metaphor in comforting the despondent Christian, and suggests practical physical and spiritual sustaining graces for enduring the dark.
It’s true, the experience of depression is exhausting—both physically and spiritually. We find ourselves desperately feeling around for a light switch that we may finally land our fingers on a toggle. But alas, there are no quick remedies for instantly illuminating our gloom—no switch to flip, no immediate assuage of our pain. Yet, while depression is a season where our capabilities may be diminished, there are small sustaining graces to partake of which can carry us along while we wait.
Grief can often feel like a bully. It’s not uncommon for those who have suffered the loss of a loved one to be overtaken by waves of sorrow when they least expect it. Sometimes it’s a simple sight or smell that brings us to our knees; we’ll find ourselves head-in-hand, weeping as if the loss […]
Walking through depression can be a dark, deep, lonely season of life–especially for mothers. It’s a topic I’ve written about in a number of ways, and a battle I continue to fight against by faith with every ounce of strength I am afforded by the Spirit. In this most recent video feature at Thrive Moms, […]
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