Author: Christine M. Chappell

Why I Wrote Midnight Mercies: Walking with God through Depression in Motherhood

Why I Wrote Midnight Mercies: Walking with God through Depression in Motherhood

Posted by | Sep 12, 2023 | |

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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Connecting Depressed Moms to Biblical Lament

Connecting Depressed Moms to Biblical Lament

Posted by | Aug 30, 2023 | |

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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Three Benefits of Audio-Based Homework

Three Benefits of Audio-Based Homework

Posted by | Apr 21, 2023 | |

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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2022 Ministry Update: Institute for Biblical Counseling & Discipleship

2022 Ministry Update: Institute for Biblical Counseling & Discipleship

Posted by | Dec 14, 2022 | |

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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Book Review of Help! I Get Panic Attacks by Lucy Ann Moll

Book Review of Help! I Get Panic Attacks by Lucy Ann Moll

Posted by | Jun 28, 2022 | |

If you’ve never had a panic attack, it can be challenging to understand the experience. Maybe that’s because to the casual observer, they appear entirely unreasonable and unnecessary—why “freak out” when there seems to be no real or present danger? Yet, to those suffering from terrifying bouts of paralyzing fear, the experience feels more like a curse than a choice, more like a heavily-fortified prison to escape than a simple equation to solve. Continue Reading →

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