The Brave Penny Story
Brave Penny was founded in 2013 as a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization to support those who grieve. The name Brave Penny was chosen to honor those “Brave” enough to confront their grief over a significant loss and to make the commitment to doing the work required to recover and find contentment in their life, and “Penny” to honor the sister of founder Sharon Fox who was brutally murdered in 1996.
Sharon and her family were shocked by the violent death of her sister. Sharon and her other sisters participated in grief counseling and attended a grief recovery program to cope with their loss.
Sharon concluded that a new grief support program would be more effective if it incorporated faith, and God’s role in recovery. He enabled her to see his Biblical model of the journey through grief to restoration and hope as revealed in His Gospel of Matthew (Matthew 27:45-54).
This event prompted the creation of the ministry for Brave Penny, with a mission to Embrace Those Who Grieve and the development of the Shadowlands grief recovery program. The name Shadowlands came from Psalm 23 “Even though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil for you are with me”. The Shadowlands program has been delivered to many hundreds of participants over the past 25+ years.
Brave Penny exists to serve those who have had losses not only from the death of a parent, spouse, sibling, adult child or infant, but also other forms of grief. Those losses can include the grief experienced by Birthmothers who have chosen adoption for their child, abortion, SIDS, Suicide, a broken relationship, death of a pet, or any shattering traumatic event.
The decision to seek a Christian pathway to contentment is difficult. But, when those who grieve take steps to heal their broken heart, there can be a genuine sense of restored joy. Those who grieve should not be defined by a grief event. To live abundantly they should feel their value is because they are God’s child. To live abundantly, even when we have experienced suffering from a loss, is God’s plan.
The Shadowlands program is the foundational aspect of all programs offered by Brave Penny. Shadowlands is primarily focused on the loss of a loved one but has been expanded to address grief-specific situations such as loss of a child, suicide and medically assisted death.
Visit the Shadowlands and Topic-Specific Programs tabs to learn more about each offering, event dates and attendance information, and registration processes.
Thank you for visiting the Brave Penny website. May the materials inspire, heal and raise you to praise God for his love and compassion for all who grieve.