When I joined the IBCD team back in January 2020, I didn’t know the organization was about to head into uncharted territory. None of us could have predicted the impact a global pandemic would have on our lives and communities. But thinking back to that difficult year and the wake of transition that followed, I’m all the more thankful for where IBCD is today by God’s grace. Continue Reading →
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I offer Midnight Mercies specifically to depressed mothers because there are so few biblical counseling resources that give voice to their experiences of despair. Suicide attempts among pregnant and postpartum women are rising steadily. That “mommy needs wine” to cope with stress and sorrow has become a highly marketable and socially acceptable message. As a mother whose story includes the experience of suicidal ideations and the use of alcohol in depression, I want to bear witness to Christ’s light in the dark night of the soul. I want to testify to God’s mercy in the midnight of motherhood. Continue Reading →
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Are you counseling a mother who feels depressed, discouraged, and desperate to feel better again? Those are common sentiments to hear from a woman who feels imprisoned by the darkness she’s in. Maybe she yearns to be strong and stable, but she can’t shake the sense that she’s failing at life. She’s not “rising to the occasion” as she hoped. She’s frustrated with herself for not “suffering well.”Among all the other mental, physical, relational, financial, and circumstantial loads she carries, she also feels crushed by a burden to perform—as if faithfulness means faking her way through her feelings. Continue Reading →
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How can we prevent counseling homework from becoming an undue burden for those whose mental endurance has dwindled? 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. Continue Reading →
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Originally founded in 1982 as CCEF West, the Institute for Biblical Counseling and Discipleship (IBCD) continues to strengthen churches in one-another care through its training curriculum, free audio resources, and live events. As IBCD enters its fifth decade of ministry, we’re grateful for God’s gracious provision and guidance. There are many ways we have seen His hand at work in our day-to-day labors, and this article invites you to rejoice with us as we reflect on some of those more visible fruits. Continue Reading →
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