If you have experienced the sudden and tragic loss of a spouse, this episode is for you.

In this powerful conversation, Cortney Kendrick shares her heartbreaking yet hope-filled journey after losing her husband Don to sudden violence. We dive into the raw emotions of grief, questioning God, and the battle against the enemy’s lies. Cortney opens up about life before the tragedy, navigating sorrow, how God has redeemed her story and what it truly means to Run to the Hard when life feels unbearable.

CHAPTERS

0:00 Intro

2:53 Life Leading Up To Tragedy

11:32 Questioning God?

18:09 How Should You Comfort A Griever?

21:54 Suffering Loss

28:39 Savior Complex

32:18 Fighting The Enemy's Lies During Grief

36:40 Life After Loss

45:44 What Does Run To The Hard Mean to Cortney?

DONATE TO THE MICHAL FOUNDATION to Help Families Stuck in Grief. https://www.runtothehard.com/give

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Remember, "Running to the hard is better, when we run together"

Cortney's Facebook Profile: https://www.facebook.com/cortney.scyoc

You've heard Curtis and Michal's story on this podcast many times. It's a story of love, grief, perseverance, faith, and God's loving kindness.

But today, we are blessed to hear the story from a very special source.

Michal's daughter Ellah joins us on the podcast today to talk about her experience of losing her mother at only 18 years old, and how she's grieved while running to the hard over the past 2 years since her mother's death.

DONATE TO THE MICHAL FOUNDATION: https://www.runtothehard.com/give

Rate The Podcast: https://ratethispodcast.com/rtth

Become a Sponsor: https://www.runtothehard.com/sponsors

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

CHAPTERS

0:00 Intro

2:27 Why People Isolate In Grief

4:44 What It's Like To Learn Your Mom Has 1 Week To Live

13:15 Being The Eldest Sibling After Mom Passes Away

16:02 The Dumbest Things People Say To Grievers

20:54 Anger Against God?

32:15 Self-Help...or Jesus?

35:39 The Truth About Curtis Christopher

43:57 A Caveat To All Of This...

45:37 Healing Through Writing

49:26 One Last Piece of Encouragement

In This episode, Curtis is joined by his long-time friends Steph and Dale Schaeffer.

They discuss the challenges of caring for aging parents, the importance of having difficult conversations about health and care, and the emotional toll of being part of the sandwich generation. Steph and Dale reflect on the impact of COVID-19 on caregiving, the necessity of community support, and the moments of joy found amidst the hardship Steph losing both of her parents weeks apart.

DONATE TO THE MICHAL FOUNDATION- https://www.runtothehard.com/give

1. Rate The Podcast https://ratethispodcast.com/rtth
2. Become a Sponsor-https://www.runtothehard.com/sponsors
3. Share The Episode- Remember, "Running to the hard is better, when we run together"

CHAPTERS

1:45 Sick Parents and Grieving Their Loss

6:10 Having Hard Conversations About Caring For Aging Parents

11:45 When Mom goes to a Nursing Home and Dad is in Hospital

15:03 Dealing With Home Life When Your Spouse is Away Helping Ailing Parents

23:44 Strain on the Marriage

28:46 How To Help When It's Hard

31:50 Ministry Before Tragedy Versus Ministry After

36:15 A New Boldness

39:12 Unpacking Matthew 8