Annelise Hines is living with stage 4 breast cancer that has spread to her bones. She calls herself the luckiest girl in the world.

Between treatments, she's using the days she feels well to build care packages for other cancer patients. At the time of this conversation, she had delivered 100—and she wasn't ready to stop.

In this episode of Run to the Hard, Annelise joins Curtis Christopher to share her story: a childhood shaped by addiction and instability, finding family with her husband Connor, becoming a mom to Dawson, and receiving her first breast cancer diagnosis at 25.

When the cancer returned, Annelise faced the fear of leaving her son and the question of how to live with a future she couldn't control. She shares how her faith deepened, how a friendship formed through chemotherapy helped her feel less alone, and why ordinary days with her family became precious.

The conversation takes an emotional turn when Annelise asks Curtis about the spouses who are carrying the weight of a loved one's illness. Curtis shares the phone call from Connor that helped him find the courage to keep telling these stories.

For anyone facing illness, walking alongside someone who is, or wondering how to find purpose in a hard season, Annelise offers an honest picture of faith, fear, gratitude, and serving others while the struggle is still happening.

This episode includes personal accounts of childhood instability, advanced cancer, the possibility of leaving loved ones, and grief after the death of a spouse.

IN THIS EPISODE

• Growing up without a stable relationship with her parents

• Finding family, marriage, and faith

• A breast cancer diagnosis at 25

• The phone call that changed everything again

• Trusting God with a future she can't control

• A friendship formed through chemotherapy

• Learning to treasure the ordinary days

• Creating care packages for other cancer patients

• Remembering the spouses and caregivers

• Why she calls herself the luckiest girl in the world

CHAPTERS

00:00 The cancer had returned

00:36 Meet Annelise Hines

05:16 A childhood shaped by addiction and instability

09:56 Finding a home with a friend's family

12:16 Losing her grandmother and caring for her grandfather

17:16 Meeting Connor

19:36 Marriage, motherhood, and starting a business

24:01 Finding faith through her new family

27:21 Diagnosed with breast cancer at 25

31:21 The headaches and the call that changed everything

34:06 Facing the news and learning to trust God

40:06 Finding a friend who understood

43:46 Allison's message to Annelise

46:46 The family praying for her every night

49:21 Treasuring the ordinary Tuesdays

50:06 Care packages for other cancer patients

54:41 Who is caring for the spouse?

56:56 Connor's call and why Curtis kept going

1:00:36 How this journey changed her faith

1:02:16 Making her time count

1:05:56 "The luckiest girl in the world"

1:07:01 The message she wants to leave

1:09:51 A prayer for more days

1:11:41 Help Annelise's care-package mission

1:13:36 Supporting the Michal Foundation

SUPPORT THE WORK

HELP ANNELISE CREATE CARE PACKAGES:

Venmo: @annelise-hines

Add "care packages" in the payment note to help her provide care packages for cancer patients.

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Send this conversation to someone facing cancer, caring for a loved one, or looking for hope and purpose in a hard season.

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

#RunToTheHard #Faith #CancerJourney #breastcancer

Days before she died, Michal asked her husband, Curtis Christopher, to preach her funeral. Four years later, he watched the service for the first time.

In this special episode of Run to the Hard, Curtis shares the eulogy he delivered to honor his wife, the stories that reveal who she was, and the faith she wanted him to speak about.

You'll also hear Michal in her own words through a recorded testimony, followed by Wendell's message about the marriage promises they made and kept.

Curtis opens with an honest reflection on his own grief.

It took him three and a half years to clear out Michal's closet.

His message to anyone facing loss: there is no single timeline, and your life can hold purpose again even if it never looks the same.

This episode includes personal accounts of terminal illness, end-of-life care, and the death of a spouse and child.

IN THIS EPISODE

• Why Curtis is sharing Michal's funeral four years later

• Grieving at your own pace

• Saying yes to the difficult thing someone you love asks of you

• Michal's humor, kindness, motherhood, and faith

• The story behind "Run to the Hard"

• Michal's recorded testimony about Jesus

• Wendell's reflection on love and promises kept

CHAPTERS

00:00 Remembering Michal four years later

02:16 "An expert griever," not a grief expert

05:08 Watching her funeral for the first time

05:35 She asked me to preach her funeral

08:36 A different life after loss

09:42 The Michal Foundation and Coffee with Michal

10:59 Curtis's eulogy begins

12:47 The people who cared for our family

20:14 Remembering Michal's humor and friendships

24:53 The Loft and a story of restoration

28:06 Her laughter and her heart for others

29:35 The final days with our family

33:38 Her humor stayed with her

36:21 What Michal wanted me to tell you

37:51 Her daily life of faith

40:16 How God brought two broken lives together

43:49 Michal's hope of heaven

47:37 Introducing Michal's recorded testimony

48:49 Michal shares her faith

55:41 Wendell: The promises they kept

1:00:11 Are we keeping our promises?

1:02:05 God's promises and grace

1:05:36 Closing prayer

Run to the Hard shares stories of grief, healing, faith, and meaningful action through life's hardest experiences. Hosted by Curtis Christopher, the podcast honors the loving memory of Michal Christopher and her call to "run to the hard, run to the hurt."

Follow the show for more honest conversations about facing hard things and moving forward in faith.

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:
   Send this conversation to someone carrying hidden hurt—or someone learning how to support a hurting friend.

Learn more:
https://www.runtothehard.com

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

Who are you when the thing that defined you is gone?

When Dave Corey lost his job, he felt like he was failing his family. His career had become his identity, and losing it led to a mental health crisis.

In this conversation with Curtis Christopher, Dave shares how professional help, faith, and people who kept reaching out helped him begin rebuilding his life. He also opens up about forgiving his father, choosing to stop drinking, and learning that strength includes accepting help.

Curtis shares how friends showed up after his wife, Michal, died, sometimes simply sitting with him when there was nothing to say. Together, they explore what it means to face pain, make room for change, and help someone else feel less alone.

If loss has left you asking, "Who am I now?" this conversation is for you.

Content note: This episode includes discussion of suicidal thoughts, a suicide plan involving firearms, childhood abuse, and alcohol use.

IN THIS EPISODE

• Losing a job without losing your worth.
• Accepting therapy and support instead of facing pain alone.
• Forgiving a parent without dismissing what happened.
• Knowing when to keep going and when to walk away.
• Dave's decision to stop drinking and change what he modeled for his children.
• How friends can show up for someone who is grieving.
• Why "I'm good" can be the beginning of a deeper conversation.
• Finding purpose through service and community.

CHAPTERS

00:00 "Where is God?"
00:21 Meet Dave Corey
02:16 Remembering 9/11 and the families left behind
07:51 The wake-up call that changed Dave's health
12:36 Job loss, identity, and a mental health crisis
17:41 Accepting therapy and a friend's invitation
19:16 Growing up in a military family
24:06 Forgiving his father and letting go of resentment
28:21 Curtis's own story of forgiveness
31:21 Fatherhood, friendship, and a new direction
36:51 Quitting versus knowing when to walk away
39:26 Why Dave stopped drinking
49:01 Making room for what comes next
53:11 Curtis on grief, Michal's words, and friends who showed up
56:36 Looking beyond "I'm good"
58:36 A trip to Belize and an unexpected friendship
68:51 Supporting the Michal Foundation
71:01 Helping men become better
74:16 Closing encouragement and prayer

BOOK MENTIONED

Discipline Determines Destiny: Because the Life You Want Won't Wait by Dave Corey.

DONATE TO THE MICHAL FOUNDATION:
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2. Become a Sponsor:
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3. Share The Episode:
   Send this conversation to someone facing loss, questioning their worth, or learning how to show up for a hurting friend.

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

A college assignment asked R.D. Saunders to write about his family. What surfaced was years of childhood pain—and a decision: "I will not be a bad father."

Growing up with an abusive father who struggled with alcoholism, R.D. carried hurt he hadn't fully faced. In this conversation with Curtis Christopher, he shares how God began a work of healing in a college dorm room—and how he eventually returned to lead that same school, Ohio Christian University.

Together, they explore the pain we bury, the people who help us heal, and how those experiences can shape a life of service. Curtis also shares how his late wife Michal's example helped him begin reaching toward others through his own grief.

IN THIS EPISODE:

• The grandfather who became the father figure R.D. needed.
• The writing assignment that brought hidden hurt to the surface.
• The emotional "junk drawer" where we store unresolved pain.
• Why R.D. initially turned down the university presidency.
• How Isaiah 61 shaped his vision for helping students heal and grow.
• Why supporting someone through grief begins with listening, humility, and knowing when to seek help.

Run to the Hard shares stories of grief, healing, faith, and meaningful action through life's hardest experiences. Hosted by Curtis Christopher, the podcast honors the loving memory of Michal Christopher and her call to "run to the hard, run to the hurt."

Follow the show for more honest conversations about facing hard things and moving forward in faith.

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:
   Send this conversation to someone carrying hidden hurt—or someone learning how to support a hurting friend.

Learn more:
https://www.runtothehard.com

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

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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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

5:56 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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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".

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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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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 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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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/