Here’s a sneak-peak at Suprised by Grief, a new podcast from Christianity Today. Co-hosts Daniel Harrell (CT’s Editor in Chief) and Clarissa Moll share their own stories of loss and heartache as they explore the various ways they experienced God’s kindness and care through ordinary means of grace. No one can fully prepare for grief, but we can open our hearts to the experiences that come with it, and in our openness find comfort in the presence of God.
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1:47
Surprised by Loss
When the phone rings in the night, when the chaplain arrives at your doorstep, how do you respond? Sudden loss inflicts unique pain on those who endure it, forcing them to encounter the darkness of grief without warning. Quite literally, in catastrophic loss, grief takes us by surprise.On this episode of Surprised by Grief, Christianity Today’s editor-in-chief Daniel Harrell and author Clarissa Moll discuss the sudden loss of Clarissa’s husband, former CT editor Rob Moll. They discuss boundaries in grief, the trauma that often follows sudden loss, and the relentless pull of new life after death. Tune in for an honest look at how grief shapes us and how acknowledging its companionship offers a path to flourishing. Special guest Erik Reed, pastor of The Journey Church, Nashville, TN, shares his story of losing his young son to medical complications.Rob Moll’s book, The Art of Dying, will be released this spring as an expanded edition with Clarissa’s new afterword. Her book on grief is forthcoming from Tyndale in 2022.Surprised by Grief is a production of Christianity Today.
Produced by Mike Cosper
Written by Daniel Harrell and Clarissa Moll
Edited and mixed by Mark Owens
Music by The Porters Gate
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50:06
Great Pain, Great Love
In 2021, 1.8 million people will be diagnosed with cancer, and 600,000 will die of the disease in the United States alone. But what does it look like when cancer comes to live in your home, when you’re told that your life will become one of those statistics?
On this episode of Surprised by Grief, Christianity Today’s editor-in-chief Daniel Harrell and author Clarissa Moll talk about Daniel’s experience as caregiver for his wife Dawn as she walked her own short path with pancreatic cancer. They discuss how dying can instruct a community, what open conversation can do to support grieving people, and how the honor of caregiving becomes a last act of great love. Tune in for an poignant look at how grief loves before and after death. Our special guest, professor and author Deanna Thompson, shares her experience living with chronic cancer and her wisdom on how faith and despair can coexist in the life of a believer.
Deanna Thompson is the author of Glimpsing Resurrection: Cancer, Trauma and Ministry.
Surprised by Grief is a production of Christianity Today.
Produced by Mike Cosper
Written by Daniel Harrell and Clarissa Moll
Edited and mixed by Mark Owens
Music by The Porters Gate
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47:31
Reinventing You
The death of a loved one indelibly marks our lives. Whether you’ve lost a spouse or child or friend, grief transforms you into a different person. How do you tell others about your loss? How do you process shifting relationships after loss? How do you meet and welcome this new you as you seek flourishing in the face of death?On this episode of Surprised by Grief, Christianity Today’s editor-in-chief Daniel Harrell and author Clarissa Moll discuss the many ways grief affects our identities and relationships. They talk about navigating social situations after loss, releasing old expectations of the self, and pursuing new identities marked by both love and grief. Tune in for an honest look at how grief wrecks and remakes us. Our special guest, soul care provider Kyle J. Howard, shares his story of racial trauma and the theology of redemptive suffering.
Surprised by Grief is a production of Christianity Today.
Produced by Mike Cosper
Written by Daniel Harrell and Clarissa Moll
Edited and mixed by Mark Owens
Music by The Porters Gate
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47:45
Suffer the Little Children
Chances are, a child in your care at Sunday school, on the baseball diamond, or in the classroom has lost someone they loved. Research estimates that 1.5 million children in the U.S. will lose one or both parents by the age of 15. Almost 8 percent of children will lose a sibling during their childhood. Children suffer the loss of loved ones—parents, grandparents, siblings, classmates—just like adults do, but their experiences differ significantly from the adults around them.Between their two families, Christianity Today’s editor-in-chief Daniel Harrell and author Clarissa Moll parent five children. In this episode of Surprised by Grief, they parse out the differences between childhood and adult grief. With honesty and vulnerability, Daniel and Clarissa talk about parenting children through loss and what our children can teach us about resiliency in the face of tragedy. Whether you’re a coach, teacher, or relative, this conversation highlights an often overlooked subject, offering encouragement and practical help. Our special guest, Abbie Abbott shares her story of losing her mother to lung cancer, a journey that prompted her to reflect on her mother’s own childhood grief experience.
Surprised by Grief is a production of Christianity Today.
Produced by Mike Cosper
Written by Daniel Harrell and Clarissa Moll
Edited and mixed by Mark Owens
Music by The Porters Gate
Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
Stories of loss and heartache, exploring the various ways of experiencing God’s kindness and care through ordinary means of grace. No one can fully prepare for grief, but we can open our hearts to the experiences that come with it, and in our openness find comfort in the presence of God.