New York Times, USA Today, Wall Street Journal, Publishers Weekly, ECPA Bestseller
'Country music artist Smith debuts with a sensitive and moving recollection of his path through grief. . .In stark, intimate prose, the author candidly renders the realities of suffering while articulating a moving message of renewal. Those seeking a faith-based path through grief will find this instructive and affecting.' -- Publishers Weekly
Like a River, a triumphant story of new life birthed out of tragedy, will teach readers how to face their failures, confront their pain, and connect with God—the true source of life.
On June 4th, 2019, country music singer Granger Smith was enjoying a final evening with his kids before heading to Nashville for the CMT Music Awards and his next tour. While helping his daughter London with her gymnastics, his youngest son fell into their pool. Granger did everything he could to get to him, but he was too late. River drowned, and Granger's world shattered.
The days, weeks, and months that followed River's death sent Granger on a dark and painful journey. Every time he closed his eyes, he replayed the horrific event in his mind, and every time he opened his computer, he was bombarded by the critique and criticism of people who blamed him for the accident.
Despite his best effort to get back on stage with a smile and song, it was all a façade. On the inside he was dying. Fortunately, that's not how his story ended. And now he is compelled to help people all around the world find strength, peace, and hope on the other side of tragedy.
- Like a River, life is full of twists and turns.
- Like a River, people pollute our world with their critique and criticism.
- Like a River, tragic events keep us dammed up.
- But like a river, we can find the courage to keep moving downstream.
Rivers don't run on their own strength; they flow from their source. When we try to keep going on our own, we won't make it, but when we connect to the greater source, we will find the strength and the faith to keep living after loss. This triumphant story of new life birthed out of death will inspire every reader to live Like a River.
Granger Smith is an award-winning, platinum-selling, American country music singer-songwriter who fell in love with music at an early age. Over the course of his groundbreaking career, Granger amassed a massive and rabid audience known as Yee Yee Nation, built through heavy touring and grassroots fan engagement. He has released ten studio albums, two live albums, and two EPs. He is a highly sought-after speaker, actor, author, and host of the nationally syndicated iHeartRadio show After Midnite with Granger Smith. In 2017 he started the Granger Smith Podcast, where he discusses matters of faith, family, music, and the outdoors, while spreading messages of integrity, honor, truth, and restoration grounded in a Christian worldview. He is also the author of the New York Times bestselling book Like a River: Finding the Faith and Strength to Move Forward after Loss and Heartache, as well as the children’s book Up Toward the Light. Granger’s social media following exceeds twelve million, with more than one billion online video views. Granger and his wife, Amber, live north of Austin, Texas, with their kids London, Lincoln, and Maverick.
