This is such a special episode.

Not only has Curtis' mother Ellen been through her own fair share of grief and pain, but she joins us today to talk about what it's been like to be the mother of a grieving son, and to be so close to all that has happened to Curtis, Michal, the kids, and now Crystal and her kids.

This episode is packed full of faithful wisdom from a life of pursuing God.

You can see why Grandma C is so popular with everyone who meets her!

Join us to hear even more nuance and insights about Curtis' life and the ups and downs of the past few years.

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CHAPTERS

0:00 Intro

5:56 Grandma's cancer

12:11 Grandpa's testimony

13:23 Ellen's testimony

15:13 Musical ministry opportunity

18:44 Uncle Dan

24:17 Curtis' father after Vietnam

28:39 Leaving a rough family situation

33:46 Never remarried

40:09 Life lessons from Mom

51:02 Being the mother of a son going through divorce

53:22 Meeting Michal

56:09 Michal gets sick

1:06:26 Mom started the adoption trend!

1:10:01 The joys of life

1:15:29 Prayer

Curtis reflects on year three of grief after the passing of his wife, Michal.

What began as crushing sorrow has slowly transformed into a season of quiet healing, memories, and even new beginnings.

Curtis opens up about how grief changes with time...how the pain softens but the love and lessons remain.

From walking through loss with his fiancée Crystal to finding hope amid darkness, his story is a raw and redemptive look at what it means to heal.

Whether you're in the early days of loss or years down the road, this episode will remind you that God's greatest work often begins in our deepest hurt.

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Share The Episode...Remember, "Running to the hard is better, when we run together".

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CHAPTERS

0:00 Intro

0:51 The difference at 3 years after loss

8:04 The many waves of grief

11:08 Acceptance

13:24 Having a relationship while grieving

14:59 Charlie Kirk's passing from a grief perspective

22:28 How the kids are grieving 3 years in

31:42 Darkness and breakthroughs

36:07 New traditions

39:49 Talking to the deceased while grieving?

46:55 Practice what you preach

Ever feel like grief has literally changed the way your brain works?

You're not alone.

It's like it rewires things in there.

Memory issues. Compartmentalization. Checking out. Difficulty connecting.

Curtis shares his raw and real experience with what he calls "grief brain" in an effort to help you know you're not alone, and hopefully to start down the path of healing.

But, we also talk about finding purpose and motivation in grief, what grieving does to relationships, and how Curtis is trying to take every thought captive with examples from his life.

Join us.

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Share The Episode...Remember, "Running to the hard is better, when we run together".

CHAPTERS

0:00 Grief Brain

8:18 Getting Stuck in "Boxes"

18:13 Motivation in Grief

22:52 Finding Purpose in Grief

28:17 Grief Makes It Hard To Connect

39:18 Seriously Taking Thoughts Captive

41:58 Not What I Envisioned Life To Look Like

47:17 God Uses The Hard Stuff To Prepare Us

52:12 Prayer

MENTIONED

PTSD Episode: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HoI0rDmSDcM

From the grief of being unable to have children, to the joys of adopting and building a picture-perfect life together...

Straight into the depths of losing her husband to brain cancer...

JoBeth Evan's story is a roller coaster, and she tells it - and lives it - with so much grace and peace.

Today's episode is extra impactful because not only does JoBeth have lived experience of deep grief, BUT, she's turned that experience into a way to serve others as a certified grief recovery specialist.

She helps others navigate deep grief in a way that keeps them moving forward and honoring the memory of those who are being grieved. Seeing things from the experiential AND the professional side of things allows JoBeth to offer an incredible testimony to the goodness of God, and how to walk through grief well.

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CHAPTERS

0:00 Intro

0:46 God's Plans

9:28 Adoption

14:30 Things Change Drastically

21:25 Brain Cancer

23:45 The Practical Reality of Losing Your Spouse

28:15 How Much To Share

34:42 "Selfish" Grieving?

39:57 Do NOT Say This To Grieving People

41:56 Kids Grieving

49:14 Response To Dying

58:07 Grief Recovery Coaching

1:03:38 Run To The Hard - Buffalo Style

MENTIONED

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/jobeth.polley/

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/jobethevans/

NWA Grief Specialists: https://nwagriefspecialists.com/

You will NOT believe the compounded grief that's just been added to our story.

This episode was recorded right before another tragedy, so when we sat down to talk about the overwhelm of 2.5 years of grieving, trying to get your life back on track, guiding and raising 9 children from multiple families, and being weighed down by it all while learning to trust God in the process...we couldn't imagine it could get more complicated.

Listen in and be encouraged, because despite everything that's happening, we know God is good, and He is redeeming everything.

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Share The Episode...Remember, "Running to the hard is better, when we run together".

CHAPTERS

0:00 Intro

5:28 Overwhelm: 2.5 years of grief

11:12 Pressure

16:14 Does grief stunt growth?

22:01 How to lead without letting guilt make the decisions

26:21 Blending two grieving families

34:26 Raising boys

41:40 The 4 types of grievers

47:20 Encouragement from Megan, who lost both parents at 14

58:42 How God uses His people to accomplish His purposes

MENTIONED

Finding Motivation After Grief: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KzUyEpQEmBg

2 Years After Grief: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=84kfHysGE9k

Crystal Episode: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=r8JVCqZsW4Y

Lonnie Potts episode: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=56FDX1Pi6HI&t=1s

Lonnie Potts is my favorite preacher. He played an instrumental role in my life as a young father, husband, and professional.

I'm thrilled to have him on the podcast today, to honor him, number one, but also to give you hope that when all seems lost...God gives a way forward.

Lonnie shares what it's like to experience crushing failure as a Christian, and to turn to God for redemption and healing.

Within a very short time, Lonnie lost both parents, his marriage, and the ministry he'd worked so hard to build.

But God is good, and failure does NOT define you.

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Share The Episode...Remember, "Running to the hard is better, when we run together".

CHAPTERS

0:00 Intro

4:04 The Joy (and Challenges) of Church Growth

17:17 Tell Stones vs Tomb Stones

23:33 Starting a Church School

28:14 Lonnie Quotes

32:49 Divorce, Losing Both Parents Within Weeks of Each Other

47:28 Inspiring Stories of Failure and Faith in The Bible

100 surgeries.

Her body is breaking down, making things like work, driving, even turning her head to the side impossible.

Yet LeeAnnw is one of the most loving, caring, positive people I've ever met.

She's literally my hero because of how much she's gone through...with a smile on her face!

LeeAnne's story of grief is not about losing a person, but about losing a future she thought she'd have.

Losing mobility, independence...even losing a pain-free life, which most of us just take for granted.

Whether you just got bad health news, or you're a caregiver to someone who has, this is an episode where we hope you'll be inspired and come to lean ever more on the Lord.

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Share The Episode...Remember, "Running to the hard is better, when we run together".

MENTIONED

Podcast with LeeAnne's husband Josh Ep 28: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UApYSOFikXk

Josh's dad took his own life when he was only 6 years old. This leaves a mark on a young boy, and it showed in Josh's life as he pursued partying and drinking.

But God is faithful. Even before Josh was a Christian,

He put good men in Josh's life.

One of which eventually became his father in law!

Not to leave a story unfinished, Josh and his wife Leanne moved into a neighborhood FULL of Christians, where Josh went to church for the first time and eventually gave his life to the Lord!

This is a story of God's fatherly provision and God's redemption!

CHAPTERS

0:00 Intro

3:30 The Neighborhood Where Josh Found Jesus

8:00 Childhood Tragedy

13:35 The Miracle Job

16:03 Suicide

21:47 How Josh and Leanne Met

28:02 The Power of One Man Paying Attention

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