Anxiety and Depression with Christine Gordon and Hope Blanton
On today’s episode of the Journeywomen podcast, we’re talking about anxiety and depression. I asked my friends Hope Blanton and Christine Gordon to join me because Hope is a trained counselor and Christine (aka: Chris) has formal theological training. Together, they write At His Feet Bible studies, which I cannot recommend highly enough, and all that said, you might be surprised to learn that both of them actually have and still wrestle with either anxiety or depression. Today, Hope, Chris, and I talk about everything from where anxiety and depression originated, to what it looks like for them to live in light of redemption even though they continue to wrestle with anxiety and depression in their day-to-day lives. Whether or not you have personal experience with such struggles, I know this conversation is going to bless your socks off, because it did mine, and I pray it’s a helpful tool for you both personally and in your discipleship relationships.
So you’ll know them a little better, Hope A. Blanton is wife to Ray and mother of three. She earned her master's in clinical social work at Temple University. Currently she works as a counselor in San Antonio. She loves good food, making people laugh, and being outside. And Christine B. Gordon, MATS, is wife to Michael and mother of three. She earned her Master of Arts in Theological Studies at Covenant Seminary. She currently lives in St. Louis where she works as the intake coordinator for a counseling center. She loves to walk, make music with other people, and share bad puns with her family.
Can you tell me a little about yourselves?
Hope, what is your experience with anxiety? Chris, what is your experience with depression?
How do we distinguish between anxiety and depression?
Where did these hardships originate?
Are anxiety and depression a sin? Or a result of the fall?
How does the gospel impact your experience with anxiety and depression?
What does it look like to live in light of redemption as you continue to wrestle with anxiety and depression in your daily lives?
How does suffering in this capacity shape and equip us to lead others and to love them well?
On the flip side, what might it look like for the Body to love and care for its members who wrestle with anxiety and depression?
How can we lovingly engage those we're discipling, our friends, or our kiddos if/when they're struggling with anxiety or depression?
THREE QUESTIONS I ASK EVERY GUEST
What 3 resources would you recommend for someone who wants to grow in their understanding of redemption?
What are your 3 simple joys?
Who has had the greatest impact on your own journey with Jesus?
NOTEWORTHY QUOTES
“Often anxiety and depression can show up together. They are like two sides of the same coin. Anxiety causes us to enter a flight or fight state (racing thoughts, hyper alert, sometimes panic attacks). Depression causes us to feel sadness (low motivation, helplessness, fatigue, numbing out to the world). Both can lead to someone feeling like they are having a really hard time dealing with day to day stressors.”
“When Jesus deals with people he’s always talking about the body and the soul. He pushes back against the fall. He brings redemption to the whole person.”
“Jesus does not compartmentalize heart and body.”
“The gospel is God entering into the brokenness that’s happened to his creation. He sends his Son to do this work of redemption and to reverse the effects of the fall.”
“The gospel is the only thing that can turn something terrifying and panic-ridden to anything that’s remotely a sweet experience with the Lord.”
“We know what that pit of darkness feels like. We know what it feels like to be there. We will hope for you to feel his presence in this awful place.”
“This is a place that I have known intimacy with the Lord more than any other place. In that pace of brokenness, he meets me there.”
“Jesus is always moving toward the broken person.”
“The gospel tells us a story that is bigger than the now. We didn’t start in a place of pain of brokenness and we won’t end in a place of pain of brokenness. I know where I am going and some days that is all I have to hold onto. I will see God’s glory and it’s blindingly beautiful.”
“The gospel tells you, ‘this is not the end of the story.’”
“The gospel reminds us we are weak, we are broken, and we are needy.”
“A real leader shows their weakness and allows Jesus to lead.”
“Walking with a limp towards glory. You can lead and love others because you can relate to those hard places in their life. As a leader when I’m vulnerable, sharing in an appropriate way with appropriate boundaries, I’m amazed at the response.”
“Leading is showing weakness and not trying to hide it all the time.”
“Name the reality of where you are.”
“It takes discernment to know who can handle your suffering.”
“Be present with people and ask questions.”
“God uses broken cisterns.”
RESOURCES
Not the Way It's Supposed to Be by Cornelius Plantinga Jr.
Affliction by Edith Schaeffer
Book of Job
Running Scared: Fear, Worry, and the God of Rest by Ed Welch
SCRIPTURE REFERENCES
DISCUSSION QUESTIONS
What is the difference between anxiety and depression?
Have you experienced anxiety and/or depression in your life and what did that look like?
How have you seen the gospel impact the day to day hardships in your life?
What does it look like to be present in the lives of others?
How can you walk in surrender and open confession with your community?
What is the hope we have to look forward to?
What are you going to do or implement as a result of what you’ve learned this week?
SCRIPTURE MEMORY
“I waited patiently for the Lord; he inclined to me and heard my cry. He drew me up from the pit of destruction, out of the miry bog, and set my feet upon a rock, making my steps secure. He put a new song in my mouth, a song of praise to our God. Many will see and fear, and put their trust in the Lord.” Psalm 40:1-3
IMPORTANT NOTE
Journeywomen interviews are intended to serve as a springboard for continued study in the context of your local church. While we carefully select guests each week, interviews do not imply Journeywomen's endorsement of all writings and positions of the interviewee or any other resources mentioned.
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