Grief is the subject today on STG. We're grateful for Charleen sharing about her calling to help others live through the messiness of grief without losing faith. Grief can be an opportunity to turn to God for help.

Charleen Burghardt has been through her own share of messy chapters—battling dyslexia and anxiety, navigating the pain of divorce, and learning to be a single mom to two incredible kids with special needs. She has faced chronic illness with her sons and supported loved ones through mental health struggles.

But here’s what she learned: God doesn’t wait for the mess to clear before he shows up. He meets us right in it. Sometimes quietly. Sometimes in ways we don’t expect. But always with grace.

You can find Charleen's new book, blog, and other information about her ministry at www.charleenburghardt.com. Whether you’re grieving, healing, or just trying to breathe through the chaos, there is God's grace for you.

Charleen's background includes a Master’s in Christian Education and a completed Clinical Pastoral Education (CPE) residency, equipping her to serve others with both theological depth and compassionate presence. She lives with her husband in San Antonio, Texas, and has three adult children. She loves hiking, exploring nature, reading, learning new things, coffee, and all things chocolate.

Study Guide for individual participants and groups:

https://docs.google.com/document/d/1CttvITHoAZv3h-nZ2Ii5rIAYaElUQUTx/edit?usp=sharing&ouid=104137624006892725169&rtpof=true&sd=true

Sandy Richter joins STG for an epic conversation! MidTex people won't want to miss Annual Awakening this year as Dr. Richter will be our special speaker for the conference. You will not want to miss her teaching nor the gem of an easter egg at the end of this episode.

Sandy Richter is the Robert H. Gundry Chair of Biblical Studies at Westmont College in Santa Barbara, California. She holds a Masters Degree from Gordon-Conwell Theological Seminary, and her PhD in Hebrew Bible from Harvard University’s Near Eastern Languages and Civilizations Department. She has taught at Asbury Theological Seminary, Wesley Biblical Seminary and Wheaton College, and is a veteran of many years of leading student groups in field archaeology and historical geography in Israel.

Her ambition? To make the real people and places of the Old Testament come alive for her students. She is recognized in the Church for her book, The Epic of Eden: A Christian Entry into the Old Testament (IVP Academic) and the Epic of Eden adult Bible Study series that has grown from that project. In the academy, she is known for her work in Deuteronomy and the Deuteronomistic History and the role of Mt. Ebal in the history of Israelite religion. She is also deeply invested in environmental theology (see Stewards of Eden), often addressing both lay and academic audiences on the topic. Her current research involves a forthcoming commentary on Deuteronomy with Eerdmans, a textbook for the introduction of the Old Testament with Zondervan, and a children’s book on environmental theology. She is married to Steven Tsoukalas and has two (perfect) college-aged daughters.

https://sandyrichter.org/