This is the epic conclusion to our 3 part series with Curtis and Crystal, walking through the absolute "shipwreck" of their lives right now.

They're grieving their spouses deaths...

Curtis' step-children's dad passes away...

Their wedding was canceled...

Old grief is being brought to the surface as they navigate death, grief, the legal system...

Their ways of managing the overwhelm have them feeling disconnected...

There's no way you could make up something like this. It's just too much.

And yet...

By God's grace, they are here and they keep going.

Join me in this final instalment, and please...pray for them.

---

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

1:40 New grandbaby!

5:51 A whole new level of grief

16:18 Grieving your husband when your fiancé is weighed down by grief

28:58 Temptations while navigating such immense grief and intensity

37:50 Everything burns down

43:14 Doing vs resting in the waiting

48:37 The children are our joy

52:15 Where is the rest and recovery?

1:00:50 How to make sure rest doesn't become destructive

1:02:38 What grieving kids need

1:12:58 The future vision

1:16:07 Crystal's vision

MENTIONED

Part 1: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rpWP4QmfDDE

Part 2: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qYxLFaLySjs

Welcome to part 2 of this unbelievable saga.

The life of Curtis Christopher, Michal's kids, and Crystal and her kids continues to plunge further into the chaos of unexpected death, compounding grief, triggers, postponed marriage, court dates, and just life with so many moving parts.

Today they dive into the difficulty of deciding to postpone a wedding, just days after their court date, blending such a unique family, sacrificial love, obedience to the Lord, and inter-family dynamics.

This is a story that would be hard to make up, because it sounds so unbelievable.

But by God's grace, Curtis and Crystal continue along the path to build a safe, stable, loving home for these kids while they continue to wait on God's timing and trust Jesus to bring everything to fruition, in His time.

---

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

0:42 Sudden death, grief triggers, and about to get married

8:36 When grief shuts you down emotionally

19:41 The rollercoaster of postponing our wedding

32:32 Blending families in a very unique situation

37:09 Sacrificial love

43:03 Another layer of grief impacting relationships

50:30 Obedience and the wilderness

57:42 The enemy is trying to split us up

If you've heard our story and think things have been crazy lately, you haven't heard anything yet.

In this episode we walk you through the absolute whirlwind of grief and tragedy we've been walking through the last couple of months, to make things all the more complicated after the last couple of years of grief.

From sudden death, to planning a funeral, to postponing our wedding, to lawyers and court dates, to deathversaries making it all the worse.

Not much of this story makes sense from our limited human perspective, but God is faithful and we hope sharing this both encourages and strengthens your own walk.

---

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

0:37 The insanity of the last couple of months with grief upon grief

6:58 What's going to happen to the kids?

9:46 Sudden death...AND a death anniversary...at the same time

26:04 The kids’ relationship with their passed dad

35:54 The funeral

42:20 Chaos of normal life with so much grief

48:44 Kids going back to school

55:50 A 10 year old did WHAT?

1:00:20 How could you do this without Jesus?

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.

---

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

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.

---

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

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.

---

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

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

Feeling abandoned, betrayed, or forgotten?

I know the feeling.

And so did Joseph in the Bible.

But the story of Joseph, my story, and yes, your story, too, is NOT over no matter how bad things are.

God RESTORES. He USES the hard parts of your life.

Joseph kept going through all of it and ended up saving not only all of Egypt, but his own family. His household.

Keep going, because God hasn't finished your story, yet.

(This is a talk Curtis Christopher gave to the students of Ohio Christian University in April 2025.)

---

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

5:11 Curtis's Unexpected Ministry

5:50 Joseph Runs Into The Hard

8:09 Abandoned

12:07 Betrayal

15:14 Forgotten

16:08 Heartbreaking Diagnosis and Grief

21:10 She Said THIS On Her Deathbed...

23:59 The Birth of a Podcast

28:00 From Podcast Listener To Wife

31:52 God's Not Done Writing Your Story

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.

---

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".

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

--- 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". 

Curtis and Crystal both traumatically lost their spouses roughly 2 years ago.

Their lives were turned upside down.

They experienced grief like they didn't know existed.

Suddenly everything needed to be rebuilt.

 Along his grieving journey, Curtis started this podcast to support other grievers.

 Crystal was one of those early listeners, and felt like Curtis truly saw her in her grief.

She reached out.

They got talking and developed a friendship.

Now? They're getting married! 

Join Curtis, Crystal, and Chris for this incredibly deep and vulnerable episode, and learn how Curtis and Crystal are planning to rebuild - together, now - as they each continue their personal grieving journeys.

DONATE TO THE MICHAL FOUNDATION to Help Families Stuck in Grief. 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"

Watch The Video Where Curtis Proposes! https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hNUUEa9jHms

Watch Crystal's Full Story: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-8q2eZ7md6o

Watch Curtis' Full Story: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=S5nvmuqbRwM