When Losses Become Legacies features nine memoirs—creatively told—about grief, God, and glory. In these true stories, modern-day saints meet suffering, their Savior, and—sometimes—the supernatural.Sooner or later, we all lose someone we love. Maybe the person closest to us. Maybe early in our lives, or theirs. Loss and grief have immeasurable power to draw us into darkness or deliver us into a higher purpose.For those who follow Christ, loss will, ideally, point us back to the Cross and its redemptive edge. If we're willing to tread on that edge, it's where we often meet our legacy.In When Losses Become Legacies, Christy Brunke and Kristina Cowan share profound stories of personal loss. The path through tragedy differs for each mourner. Yet the Christ-follower encounters a universal truth: Our Redeemer doesn't unravel the mystery of suffering. Instead, he lights our way through it.It might feel like a dimly lit, confounding stretch of time. As we persevere, we scratch the surface of God's love for us, and tap into his endless reservoir of hope. Our character grows. Sharpened by scars and rooted in faith, we just might find our enduring legacy.

Freelance writer, reporter and editor, covering myriad issues, with a special focus on education and careers.

When Postpartum Packs a Punch offers solace to mothers who have faced traumatic birth and perinatal mood disorders, as well as a chorus of different voices—parents, experts, and researchers. All are singing the same song: while the U.S. has made strides in caring for new mothers, we still have far to go. Stigma silences women, and blinds those on the sidelines. Stories of others’ struggles are an antidote for stigma, because they let mothers know that they’re not alone.Kristina Cowan describes her own experience with traumatic birth and postpartum depression, and weaves it together with stories from other parents. Representing diverse backgrounds and perspectives and underscoring the prevalence of mood disorders after childbirth, these stories serve as a balm. They help heal and stir hope. And they show how an overcoming spirit can fight terrors of the mind—and win.

Covered mental-health issues, including postpartum depression, general depression and anxiety, suicide, and grief. See my work at https://www.huffpost.com/author/kristina-cowan-580

Reported and wrote magazine stories on higher-education issues.

Built a writing-critique group from the ground up. Led monthly critique meetings, managed communication with Word Weavers national leadership, and shepherded new writers seeking to sharpen their writing and editing skills.

Covered breaking news and events on business and management issues.

Covered salary and compensation news, issues and trends, often generating story ideas.

Covered K-12 education issues and trends for the Harvard Education Letter, a national bimonthly newsletter published by the Harvard University Graduate School of Education.

My PayScale stories regularly appeared on the career pages of both sites, and on the home pages several times.

Senior writer for Web site dedicated to salary and career issues. Covered careers, workforce and higher education in monthly news and feature stories and a weekly blog, The Salary Reporter. Many of my PayScale stories were published by AOL and Yahoo!, and several appeared on the home page of both sites.

Wrote guest blog-posts on careers and the workforce.

Writer and editorial consultant for Breaking Through, a demonstration initiative seeking to help low-skilled adults succeed in community colleges and the workforce.

Project writer for Jobs to Careers, a program helping frontline healthcare workers upgrade their job skills and education and advance their careers.

Deputy editor of CQ Green Sheets, an online publication on energy and environmental policy issues.• As publication’s first deputy editor, defined goals, tasks and strategy of position• Co-managed editorial decisions, including beat assignments, long-term coverage and the development of new Web site features• Developed daily and weekly news budgets, managed reporters, shepherded copy flow, assigned, edited and copy-edited stories

Senior editor of a higher-education trade newspaper, Dec. 2003-May 2005.• Redefined paper’s tone, sharpening focus on state and federal education policies and their impact on colleges• Secured op-eds from top-level policy-makers and educators and broadened source base• Managed three full-time editors and writers and 15 freelance reporters• Increased student perspective in news and features Associate editor, March 2001-Nov. 2003.• Deepened publication’s coverage of higher-education policy through investigative stories about state and federal policies • Wrote extensively about international education, student-visa reform and immigration, student aid, Hispanic issues, workforce training and vocational education • Developed a series of stories on a New York college damaged on 9/11

Wrote and reported for the Imperial Valley Press, a Southern California newspaper and Medill News Service client. Covered the U.S. Congress, Hispanic issues, immigration, agriculture and the 2000 presidential election.

Assisted business reporter with reporting, researching and editing stories.

Covered race relations and safety issues at Evanston Township High School, Evanston, Ill.

Freelanced for College Press Exchange, a wire service for universities and colleges, and Trib News, the Chicago Tribune’s employee publication.

Researched and wrote about investigations into government corruption, first as an intern, and later as a freelancer.