Depression in Motherhood
Christine Chappell
After trying everything she could to stop her slide into a dark depression, young mother Christine Chappell tearfully told her husband she needed help and admitted herself to a facility. In her book, Midnight Mercies, Walking with God through Depression in Motherhood, Christine describes this heartbreaking season but does not leave us in the dark. In this conversation with Sharon Betters, Christine transparently tells how depression strangled her and drove her to a point of hopelessness – and yet, the Lord did not abandon her. Christine and Sharon talk about the emotions of depression and how one leads to the next, how God responded differently to each person in scripture who experienced depression, some of the causes of depression in motherhood, and how our culture encourages us to declare, “I got this!” vs. “Help, Lord!” Christine offers practical steps we can take in battling depression and how friends can come alongside a hurting friend. Whether your depression is mild or severe, this conversation will act as a first responder, helping you take a deep breath and whisper as Christine says in Chapter 2 of Midnight Mercies, “When I feel weary of the hardships in my life, and nothing I do seems to make a difference, I will rest in the fact that God has not called me to accomplish an outcome but to take my next feeble step of faith in obedience to him.”
You can download our Help & Hope App to listen to more stories to encourage you in your walk of faith.
Christine Chappell is a wife, mother of three, and the author of Midnight Mercies: Walking with God through Depression in Motherhood, Help! My Teen is Depressed, Help! I've Been Diagnosed with a Mental Disorder, and Clean Home, Messy Heart: Promises of Renewal, Hope, and Change for Overwhelmed Moms. Her writing has been featured at websites such as Desiring God, The Gospel Coalition, Risen Motherhood, and other Christian platforms.
In addition to her writing ministry, she works for the Institute of Biblical Counseling & Discipleship as the organization's Outreach Director and Podcast Host. Christine has completed certificates in Biblical Counseling through IBCD and is certified by the Association of Certified Biblical Counselors (ACBC). She is passionate about advocating for biblical one-another care and discipleship in the local church. She also is a member of the Association of Biblical Counselors, the Biblical Counseling Alliance, and a partner with the Biblical Counseling Coalition.
Christine's heart for ministry stems from being previously treated for bipolar disorder II, depression, panic attacks, disordered eating, suicidal ideations, and self-injurious behaviors. By God's sovereign design, these experiences fuel the compassion and sympathy that motivates her ministry work.
Christine and her husband, Brett, were married in 2003 and currently reside in South Carolina with their three children. They are active members of Covenant Presbyterian Church in Easley.
