Blog Collection

Dear Pastor: Please Serve Me Jesus

Serve food for the sheep while growing the fold—these are not mutually exclusive tasks. The Good Shepherd wastes not an opportunity to carry one of His wanderers to safety. Let the church be a place where saints are built up in quality and converts are built up in quantity, for such is the work of kingdom people.
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4 years ago

Hope + Help for Post-Abortion Trauma with Camille Cates

In this episode of The Hope + Help Project, Christine Chappell interviews author/speaker/biblical counselor Camille Cates on the topic of post-abortion trauma, unpacking some of the difficult emotional and spiritual battles that manifest in abortion’s wake, and sharing how the gospel of Jesus Christ offers real hope and help for those who seek to heal. During our conversation, Camille shares her personal testimony of horrifying tragedy and loss, recounting the path that lead her to choose to abort her unborn baby. We talk about the lie of "self-forgiveness," why coping mechanisms ultimately fall short in alleviating the grief and guilt of post-abortion trauma, and the various impacts friends, family, and church community members can have in the healing process. Camille also addresses the frequently asked question, "Will I see my aborted baby in Heaven?" and suggests practical ways to lean into God's Word for meaningful healing and spiritual peace through forgiveness in Christ.
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4 years ago

Hope + Help for the Broken-Hearted with Mark Vroegop

In this episode of The Hope + Help Project, Christine Chappell interviews author/pastor Mark Vroegop on the topic of his new book, "Dark Clouds, Deep Mercy", learning how the God-given language of lament offers the broken-hearted hope and help for life’s sorrowful seasons. During the conversation, Pastor Mark shares his family's personal story of tragic loss, and how lament provided them—and ultimately, his church community—an outlet for their pains to be voiced while placing their trust in God. We talk about the key components of lament, heart-attitude cautions (what lament isn't), and why today's culture has such a hard time walking alongside broken-hearted people. Pastor Mark also offers practical steps for traveling by faith through grief and sorrow, as well as encouragements on how to cling to biblical hope, even when we've lost all sense of it.
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4 years ago

Hope + Help for Teen Girls with Lindsey Carlson

In this episode of The Hope + Help Project, Christine Chappell interviews author/writer Lindsey Carlson on the topic of growing in godliness as a teenage girl. Lindsey shares why she was compelled to write her new book, Growing in Godliness: A Teen Girl's Guide to Maturing in Christ and unpacks what the path of spiritual maturity looks like for a young Christian. She talks about the struggles today's teens have with finding purpose and identity, as well as the challenges that arise when it comes to managing moodiness, struggling with sin, and finding motivation for attending worship services. Lindsey also helps listeners understand why learning to trust God's plan for their lives is a difficult, but necessary part of growing up in Christ. This conversation is geared toward the teen girl, so if you know a Christian young woman in your life, invite her to take a listen!
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4 years ago

Examining the Dark: What to Do When Depression Lifts

Depression demands to be heard—to have a voice. Ed Welch writes, “There are times when depression is saying something and we must listen.” If we don’t take notice of the dirges despondency sings, we fail to capitalize on an important catalyst for spiritual growth.
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4 years ago

Hope + Help for the Depressed Ministry Leader with Terry Powell

In this episode of The Hope + Help Project, Christine Chappell interviews author/teacher Terry Powell on the subject of handling depression in ministry. Terry shares pieces of his life-long battle against depression with vulnerable humility, giving us a picture of God's sustaining grace for those involved in leadership positions. He offers thoughts about combatting negative self-talk, and answers the question, "Is depression a hinderance or a help to fruitful ministry?" The episode also explores the issue of suicide in pastoral ministry, and whether or not the concept of victorious Christian living can be reconciled with the believer's experience of depression.
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4 years ago

Hope + Help for Anxiety Recovery with Laura Fleetwood

In this episode of The Hope + Help Project, Christine Chappell interviews author/speaker Laura Fleetwood on the topic of panic and anxiety recovery. Laura shares details about her personal struggle with anxiety, what recovery has looked like for her, as well as the various ways God has ministered to her as she has battled on-and-off seasons of disruptive anxiety in her life. She also explains how panic and anxiety manifests itself in her physical body, and gives listeners a practical acronym designed to help us turn more quickly to Christ and his body when panic strikes.
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4 years ago

Afflicted Ones: The Church Needs You to Be Brave

Where are the afflicted ones who will take the risk and let their brothers and sisters know they are not alone in their struggles—that they too have walked a forlorn road? The church needs the afflicted to care for the afflicted so the comforts of God can be fully dispensed. When the afflicted are shamed or silenced or shunned, Christianity suffers and God’s name is profaned.
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4 years ago

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.
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4 years ago

Hope + Help for Self-Harm with Dave Dunham

In this episode of The Hope + Help Project, Christine Chappell interviews Pastor/author Dave Dunham on the topic of self-harm. Dave shares how he got started working in addiction ministry, why helping an injurer requires attention to both the body and soul, reasons it's important to uncover the struggler's motivations for injuring, the necessity of having a robust theology of sin in order to treat strugglers with compassion and grace, the helpfulness of practicing repentance, and words of encouragement for the person who feels enslaved to their addictive habit.
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4 years ago

Hope + Help for Abusive Men with Chris Moles

In this episode of The Hope + Help Project, Christine Chappell and Reverend Chris Moles unpack the heart of domestic abuse. Chris shares why he believes there has been some push-back from the Christian community about pursuing violent men with the hope of the gospel, the problem with treating domestic abuse as an anger issue, reasons why focusing on abuse as spiritual rebellion is so important, realistic ways of measuring intervention "success," and words of admonishment (as well as hope) for the man who senses he is abusing his power and wonders what true change will require. He also shares a variety of reliable resources that the audience can explore to further educate themselves on the issue of domestic violence, or find guidance for next steps if they are in a abusive relationship.
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4 years ago

Mourning Dashed Hopes: Biblical Wisdom for Changing Seasons

Sometimes disappointment comes in the form of forced humility—the moment when we must admit we cannot fix our problems or ourselves in our own strength. Sometimes we compound our sorrows by not recognizing the season we are in, and the error only serves to make things worse.
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4 years ago

Being Needy is Not a Fault—It’s a Design

When someone is struggling or suffering, they can sometimes be hesitant to reach out for help. But what does the Bible have to say about our neediness? Is it a character flaw or sin? This article explores some of the ways we view neediness as annoying or inconvenient, and how God's design for his people and community go against the grain of trending cultural norms.
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4 years ago

Hope + Help for the Grieving Widow with Lisa Appelo

In this episode of The Hope + Help Project, Christine Chappell interviews author/writer Lisa Appelo on the topic of learning to live with grief as a widow. Lisa talks about the day her husband suddenly passed away, how she addressed the grieving process with her seven children, some of the unexpected emotional struggles she faced, and how the body of Christ rallied around her and her family as they learned how to live without the husband and father they loved. She also shares some practical spiritual and physical care suggestions for those walking through seasons of grief.
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4 years ago

Help! I’m a New Christian Living with a Psychiatric Diagnosis

"My fiancé and I are new Christians who have struggled with anxiety, depression, and bipolar disorder. These past four months have been very difficult, and we are having a hard time understanding how our new faith ties into these issues. How can we best support each other during these challenges? Are there biblical resources available to help us?"
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4 years ago

Hope + Help for Fighting Destructive Habits with Rush Witt

In this episode, Christine Chappell guides a powerful conversation with Pastor/author Rush Witt on the topic of fighting against diehard sins and destructive daily habits. Rush shares about his personal experience with biblical counseling, helps listeners unpack the undercurrents of our heart struggles, gives practical steps for attacking "acceptable" sins while avoiding the pitfall of destructive introspection, and ultimately offers courage and clarity for the Christian who is desperate for change but feels stuck in the struggle.
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4 years ago

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...
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4 years ago

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.
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4 years ago

Walking Our Children Through Depression: Four Ways We Imitate God

Mental health issues can be complex in nature, and parents can run the risk of overlooking particular facets of treatment because of prejudices about underlying causes. But when we look to the Scriptures and see God serving the sorrowing with individualized, calculated affection, we see a multifaceted approach to managing mental anguish — one that acknowledges the dichotomy of man (as body and soul) and the necessity of the body of Christ.
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4 years ago

5 Truths that Help Moms Overcome Anger by Grace

In this video produced by Thrive Moms, I share five biblical truths that help mothers overcome anger by grace. Post also includes helpful links to biblical resources and audios to equip mothers to examine their hearts on the subject.
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4 years ago

Encouragements for the Depressed Mom: Video

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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4 years ago

Promises of Renewal, Hope, & Change for Overwhelmed Moms: Live Audio Recording

Join Christine Chappell as she shares a collection of stories, convictions, encouragements, and Scriptures from her book, “Clean Home, Messy Heart: Promises of Renewal, Hope, and Change for Overwhelmed Moms.” This live audio recording was taped at Cornerstone Community Church’s Mom2Mom group in Wildomar, CA on October 6th, 2016.
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4 years ago

Into the Fire: Fear & Doubt in Mental Health Recovery

Mental health recovery can be a season plagued by fear and doubt. Our fears become particularly burdensome when we meditate upon the question, “Will I ever get better?” If you find yourself asking this question, I'd like to share some hard-learned encouragements from my own journey through recovery.
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4 years ago

Encouragements for the Woman Who Feels Sidelined

There was a season a few years back when the Lord made it extremely clear through a series of circumstances and struggles that it was my turn to sit on the sidelines. I remember the depression that sunk me low because my grasp on activities and service was forced loose. It was as if divine […]
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4 years ago

What Can I Do While I’m Waiting on God? Guest Post by Terry Powell

Puzzling. Frustrating. Get-wrenching. When we’re waiting on God to act, those words often describe our attitude toward the delay.  We may be waiting for provision of a new job; for God to woo a grown child back to faith; for Him to open the womb for a baby desperately wanted, to bless us with a […]
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5 years ago

Walking Through the Dark Part III: Exposing the Lies & Mystery of Depression

In Part III of this Facebook/Instagram LIVE video series, I discuss the need to leave room for mystery in the battle against some cases of depression, the importance of caregivers who are willing to go “down in the well” with the sufferer, and some of the underlying emotions and unbelief at the heart of our most desperate seasons of sorrow.
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5 years ago

Wretched Extremes: The ‘Always’ and ‘Never’ of Suicide

Extremes of wretchedness. Charles Spurgeon once said, “I am the subject of depressions of spirit so fearful that I hope none of you ever get to such extremes of wretchedness as I go to.” Suicidal ideations often begin in the crosshairs of extremes, where always and never intersect. The wretched “always be this way” and […]
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5 years ago

New Biblical Resource Guide For Depression Available for Download

Walking Through the Darkness is a digital download that seeks to bring biblical clarity to the issue, for sufferers and caregivers alike. The guide is a collection of resources curated by author Christine M. Chappell, who personally lives by faith with a Bipolar II diagnosis, and has battled mental health extremes for almost two decades. With helpful checklists, author commentaries, video/audio links, Scripture indexes, and a wealth of recommended books/resources, Walking Through the Darkness will equip both the afflicted and the ones walking alongside them to find biblical hope and help.
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5 years ago

Walking Through the Dark Part II: Real Christians Can Experience Real Depression

Have you ever been guilty of jumping to conclusions about the cause of someone's depression? Do you feel a sense that your companionship during that time requires your ability to know how to fix the other person? If you haven't experienced the darkness of depression yourself, is it possible to soften your heart to the experience of the sufferer? In this recorded Facebook Live video, I outline 3 helps for people to consider when caring for someone suffering from depression. Also included in this video are reading recommendations for those who wish to equip themselves for compassionate, biblical care.
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5 years ago

Walking Through the Dark Part I: Approaching the Wounded with Compassion

Have you ever been guilty of jumping to conclusions about the cause of someone's depression? Do you feel a sense that your companionship during that time requires your ability to know how to fix the other person? If you haven't experienced the darkness of depression yourself, is it possible to soften your heart to the experience of the sufferer? In this recorded Facebook Live video, I outline 3 helps for people to consider when caring for someone suffering from depression. Also included in this video are reading recommendations for those who wish to equip themselves for compassionate, biblical care.
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5 years ago

Brief Biblical Counseling Overview & Resource Audio

In this audio, I give a brief overview of biblical counseling to a group of Care Coaches at JC Cares (jccares.us) in Easley, South Carolina. The talk aims at encouraging the Care Coaches to desire to grow in their ability to administer Christ-centered, biblically founded one-another care to the economically disadvantaged in their community. Websites I […]
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5 years ago
Finding Freedom from Mom-Envy | Christine M Chappell

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 […]
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5 years ago

4 Life-Changing Truths About God that Move Us from Chaos to Courage

If you find yourself in a season of chaos, let me first tell you that I understand completely. I have found myself in such a season, and it is not for the faint of heart. Yet even in these challenging times, we have an unique opportunity to put our faith into action. There is something about […]
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6 years ago

Knowing When to Walk Away (Thrive Moms Feature)

This article originally appeared at Thrive Moms on March 21, 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.   I couldn’t remember the last time I had bent down to feel velvety […]
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6 years ago