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:
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 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"