Granger Smith announces new book on faith after leaving country music

Granger Smith is starting a new chapter.

The singer, who left country music in 2023 to focus on ministry at her local church outside Austin, Texas, told Fox News Digital exclusively that her new book is: “Poison in the Well” It will be released on September 8.

The 46-year-old artist’s previous book, “Like a River”, was published in 2023 before saying goodbye to the music industry. The film focuses on how he copes with the pain he feels after his 3-year-old son River died in a drowning accident in 2019.

GRANGER SMITH’S WIFE SAYS FAITH SAVED HER MARRIAGE AFTER LOSSING HER 3-YEAR-OLD SON IN A DROWNING ACCIDENT

“This is even more exciting to me because ‘Like a River’ very much encompassed my personal story of losing my son River, our journey of grief, loss, and healing, and then the birth of my son, Maverick,” she explained. “And that really covers that period. And God saved me during that time.”

“…God ​​saving me is what led to so much change in my life,” the father of four said. “…I left an entire music career behind. It changed the whole direction of my life and my family’s life. The new book dives right into that journey, so if someone says, ‘Your book ‘Like the River’ was inspiring,’ then I can give them ‘Poison in the Well’ and say, ‘These are the mechanics of why everything changed later.'”

Six months after losing her son, Smith admitted, she found herself asking a question she never thought about: What if her faith couldn’t sustain her?

“…A lot of the conversations we’re having right now in this book are all in hindsight,” he said. “I’m really digging into what happened to me. I think it was the first time I asked the question: ‘What if everything I believe about my faith is actually built on shifting sands?'”

“Poison in the Well: 11 Toxic Beliefs That Turn Me Away from the Living Water of Jesus” is available for pre-order. (Thomas Nelson)

“And I think that’s a question that a lot of people ask when you’re in deep, dark pain when you lose a loved one, your marriage, your job — or this may sound trivial, but it’s not — not even a pet,” he said. “When you lose everything you love and have created an identity around (including a career), you start to wonder: ‘Why do I feel so lost? Why do I feel like I have no hope?’

River Kelly Smith passed away in June 2019. He was 3 years old. (Courtesy of Granger Smith.)

“And people who believe in any religion will begin to question the validity of the religion they profess.”

“I thought, ‘I’m a Christian. Why do I feel hopeless? Doesn’t the Bible say we should have hope? I don’t think so either,'” he reflected. “If that’s the case, then what am I standing on? Because this looks like sand. This was a time of deep reflection.”

Since stepping away from country music, Smith has found healing by connecting with others who have faced loss like her. Now in a different phase, he uses his ministry to guide people through grief and spiritual doubt, re-examining what it means to hold on to faith during challenging seasons.

Granger Smith told Fox News Digital that behind the scenes, she’s busy writing a new book about her refreshing relationship with God. (Courtesy of Granger Smith)

“I was always a musician interested in meet-and-greets,” he explained. “I remember reading stories of some artists saying meet-and-greets were the worst part of their day because it brought them down. They hear everyone’s problems and then they had to go and perform. Sometimes musicians would even cancel meet-and-greets just so they could play music.”

Granger Smith announced that she will be leaving country music in 2023 to devote her life to Christian service. (Courtesy of Granger Smith)

“I was one of those weird people who really loved listening to people and learning about their struggles, their joys and their sorrows.”

“That’s all I’ve done since I left music and focused on ministry: focusing on people,” he said.

Granger Smith invites fans and curious readers to examine the foundations of their faith. (Courtesy of Granger Smith)

“I think I’ve become less interested in entertaining people and more interested in helping people. It’s brought me a lot of joy. I sleep much better at night knowing that today’s work is enough; it’s not about the next single, the next album, the next tour.”

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Granger Smith and his wife, Amber, are the proud parents of four children: London, Lincoln, the late River, and Maverick. (Courtesy of Granger Smith)

“It’s an incredibly liberating feeling,” he added.

But Smith didn’t rule out music completely. She hopes to use songwriting to help others experience the Bible in a more personal way; This idea was put forward by his children.

Granger Smith’s upcoming book exposes the “false beliefs” that she believes lead people away from a strong relationship with God. (Courtesy of Granger Smith)

“God has a new way of bringing music back into my life,” he said.

Granger Smith, who devotes her time to her family, told Fox News Digital that there are aspects of showbiz that she doesn’t miss. (Courtesy of Granger Smith)

“People often ask: ‘Are you done with music? Will there be more music coming from you?’ And the answer was always ‘I don’t know’. I don’t know what God will do, but God gives each of us some nuances that we are better at than other things. “I’ve always loved music and always enjoyed speaking through music.”

Smith said her family starts each day with a Bible story and prayer, then takes a few minutes to sing together.

Granger Smith is raising her family in Texas. (Courtesy of Granger Smith)

“I realized I could make up songs based on Scripture,” Smith said.

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In her new book, Granger Smith explores “misunderstandings, half-truths, and widely accepted norms that kept her from truly knowing Jesus.” (Courtesy of Granger Smith)

“We could sing fun little songs that were just Scripture, and we could add a melody to them that was easy to memorize. And so we started doing that a few years ago. And then I realized that maybe these could be helpful for others, not just kids, but other people as well, to be able to think through the Scriptures and memorize the Scriptures in a unique way by singing the Scriptures.”

“So maybe in the future I will release an album with songs from the Bible,” he teased.

Granger Smith previously wrote the New York Times bestseller “Like a River: Finding the Faith and Strength to Move Forward After Loss and Heartache.” (Courtesy of Granger Smith)

Smith pointed out that there are things in show business that he doesn’t miss.

Granger Smith’s son, Maverick Beckham Smith, was born on August 20, 2021. (Courtesy of Granger Smith)

“The problem with music for me has never been about writing songs or singing or releasing songs,” he explained. “Performing on tour became a problem for me for many reasons. It took me away from my family. It took me away from my local church. I missed all of that because I was always on tour on Saturday nights.”

“He became an idol for me,” Smith admitted.

Granger Smith and his wife, Amber, live north of Austin, Texas, with their children London, Lincoln, and Maverick. (Courtesy of Granger Smith)

“It was very difficult for me to stand on stage in front of a lot of people and promote myself and my music. To not put it into my head is almost an understatement because it’s almost impossible for someone to be worshiped that way.”

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Granger Smith teaches Bible songs to her children, including her son Maverick (pictured). (Courtesy of Granger Smith)

“And in music it’s often about trying to win the admiration of the crowd, needing applause. That means you’ve accomplished what you’re trying to do, which is dangerous. That’s dangerous for a human being.”

“Your heart breaks for these megastars,” Smith said. “The goal of all tours, all concerts, and all music releases is to become the ultimate star. And they are never satisfied with a certain level of fame. They always yearn for more. The result is a man or woman who has lost all sense of who they are. Men and women are not made to be worshiped. We are not made to be worshiped. And if we are, it actually hurts us. It becomes poison in our veins.”

Granger Smith fell in love with music at an early age before becoming an award-winning, platinum-selling country music singer/songwriter. (Courtesy of Granger Smith)

Today, Smith hopes his book will help others, like him, find a closer relationship with God during the most difficult times in their lives.

Granger Smith started the Granger Smith Podcast in 2017, where she discusses faith and family. (Courtesy of Granger Smith)

“I want people to see through my story that I lived a life thinking I was gaining something from God, rather than loving God for what He did,” she said. “Now I want to do things that will please Him in response.”

“…The book also lays out some of the toxins that we humans fall into. I look at them like check engine lights. If you’re doing this or engaging in this, it could be a check engine light that you don’t see…that’s the point.”