Granger Smith spent years thinking he was a Christian. Then he lost his son, and everything he believed got tested.

In this conversation, Granger opens up about walking away from a country music career at the height of it, becoming a lay pastor in Central Texas, and what he now calls the "toxic beliefs" that kept him from real faith for nearly four decades.

We get into:
- Why he left touring, and what "exalting yourself" on stage was actually costing him
- The night on his tour bus in Boise that changed his life
- What a "pastor's heart" is, and how he carries the weight of other people's pain
- The practical guardrails he uses to stay humble as a public figure
- The difference between empathy and sympathy in ministry
- Why suffering became the hinge point of his story

Granger's second book, Poison in the Well: Toxic Beliefs That Kept Me from the Living Water of Jesus, releases September 8.

If you've ever wondered whether you're actually following Jesus or just comfortable near him, this one's worth your time.

Grab Granger's book wherever books are sold.

Timestamps:
00:39 Welcome & show intro
01:43 Becoming a lay pastor
04:04 Discovering a pastor's heart
08:00 Carrying the emotional weight
11:22 The pull of self-exaltation
14:34 Guarding against pride offstage
17:53 Running on the right fuel
21:49 Saved out of nominal Christianity
26:19 Warning signs and toxic beliefs
32:14 No Christian community after loss
34:38 The night on the tour bus
37:38 John 14 and true conversion
41:31 Closing prayer: save me today

Granger Smith spent years thinking he was a Christian. Then he lost his son, and everything he believed got tested.
In this conversation, Granger opens up about walking away from a country music career at the height of it, becoming a lay pastor in Central Texas, and what he now calls the "toxic beliefs" that kept him from real faith for nearly four decades.
We get into: - Why he left touring, and what "exalting yourself" on stage was actually costing him - The night on his tour bus in Boise that changed his life - What a "pastor's heart" is, and how he carries the weight of other people's pain - The practical guardrails he uses to stay humble as a public figure - The difference between empathy and sympathy in ministry - Why suffering became the hinge point of his story
Granger's second book, Poison in the Well: Toxic Beliefs That Kept Me from the Living Water of Jesus, releases September 8.
If you've ever wondered whether you're actually following Jesus or just comfortable near him, this one's worth your time.
Grab Granger's book wherever books are sold.
Timestamps: 00:39 Welcome &amp; show intro 01:43 Becoming a lay pastor 04:04 Discovering a pastor's heart 08:00 Carrying the emotional weight 11:22 The pull of self-exaltation 14:34 Guarding against pride offstage 17:53 Running on the right fuel 21:49 Saved out of nominal Christianity 26:19 Warning signs and toxic beliefs 32:14 No Christian community after loss 34:38 The night on the tour bus 37:38 John 14 and true conversion 41:31 Closing prayer: save me today

We’re all looking for something.

 

In If You Can Hear Me, Ben Higgins sits down with people from all walks of life—celebrities, thinkers, everyday folks—to talk about what drives us, what shapes us, and what gives us hope.

 

These are honest conversations about the big stuff: identity, loss, purpose, peace, faith, and everything in between. Some guests have answers. Most are still figuring it out.

 

If you’ve ever felt like there must be more to the story—this show is for you.

We&rsquo;re all looking for something.
&nbsp;
In If You Can Hear Me, Ben Higgins sits down with people from all walks of life&mdash;celebrities, thinkers, everyday folks&mdash;to talk about what drives us, what shapes us, and what gives us hope.
&nbsp;
These are honest conversations about the big stuff: identity, loss, purpose, peace, faith, and everything in between. Some guests have answers. Most are still figuring it out.
&nbsp;
If you&rsquo;ve ever felt like there must be more to the story&mdash;this show is for you.

If You Can Hear Me

One Foot in the Quicksand: Granger Smith on Carrying Other People's Grief

https://api.omny.fm/orgs/e73c998e-6e60-432f-8610-ae210140c5b1/clips/0f7d6cf4-50d5-4092-8dfd-b4c60153be7a/transcript

What if the monster under the bed is more afraid of you than you are of him?

That's the question Kristin and Montell Jordan asked their son one night — and it became the seed for their new children's book, *Shiloh and the Not-So-Scary Girl Above His Bed*.

In this episode, Ben sits down with the Jordans to talk about:
• Why fear left unattended in childhood often becomes trauma in adulthood
• How 32 years of marriage, ministry, and music shaped their approach to raising brave kids
• Montell's journey as a two-time prostate cancer survivor — and what early detection made possible
• Kristin's role as caregiver, and how vulnerability protects intimacy
• Why humility is the doorway to inviting God into your hardest seasons
• The difference between spending time with your kids and investing in them

September is Prostate Cancer Awareness Month. If you're a man over 40 — or you love one — this conversation matters.

Grab the book, share this with a friend who needs it, and subscribe for more honest conversations on faith, family, and doing hard things together.

Timestamps
00:57 Meet Montell and Kristin Jordan
01:33 The story behind Shiloh
04:57 Flipping fear into empathy
09:14 Why fear was the first lesson
13:02 Montell's cancer journey
15:46 Doing hard things together
17:34 Inviting God into the scariest moments
21:49 Faith woven into a good story
28:08 From heathen to marriage ministry
34:27 Investing time with the next generation
36:50 Prostate cancer: early detection saves lives
42:29 Final cries to God

What if the monster under the bed is more afraid of you than you are of him?
That's the question Kristin and Montell Jordan asked their son one night &mdash; and it became the seed for their new children's book, *Shiloh and the Not-So-Scary Girl Above His Bed*.
In this episode, Ben sits down with the Jordans to talk about: &bull; Why fear left unattended in childhood often becomes trauma in adulthood &bull; How 32 years of marriage, ministry, and music shaped their approach to raising brave kids &bull; Montell's journey as a two-time prostate cancer survivor &mdash; and what early detection made possible &bull; Kristin's role as caregiver, and how vulnerability protects intimacy &bull; Why humility is the doorway to inviting God into your hardest seasons &bull; The difference between spending time with your kids and investing in them
September is Prostate Cancer Awareness Month. If you're a man over 40 &mdash; or you love one &mdash; this conversation matters.
Grab the book, share this with a friend who needs it, and subscribe for more honest conversations on faith, family, and doing hard things together.
Timestamps 00:57 Meet Montell and Kristin Jordan 01:33 The story behind Shiloh 04:57 Flipping fear into empathy 09:14 Why fear was the first lesson 13:02 Montell's cancer journey 15:46 Doing hard things together 17:34 Inviting God into the scariest moments 21:49 Faith woven into a good story 28:08 From heathen to marriage ministry 34:27 Investing time with the next generation 36:50 Prostate cancer: early detection saves lives 42:29 Final cries to God

Why Montell and Kristin Jordan Traded Platinum Records for Prayer and Picture Books

https://api.omny.fm/orgs/e73c998e-6e60-432f-8610-ae210140c5b1/clips/f8b828a5-9ed1-484b-b127-b4bf010f75bc/transcript

Jay Pharoah — SNL alum, impressionist, and star of Fox's Quiz With Balls — sits down with Ben Higgins to talk about the moment he stopped running.

In 2023, surrounded by everything he thought he wanted, Jay heard a voice tell him to leave the room. What happened next changed his life.

In this conversation:
- Why fame and access left him emptier, not fuller
- The night he heard "meet me halfway, and I'll carry you the rest"
- The addictions he walked away from — and how his father unknowingly echoed the same message
- The blue Bible story: a prayer he never spoke out loud, answered by a stranger in Ohio
- Why he's cutting language from his stand-up and what he's building toward next
- Near-death experiences, the prodigal son, and the freedom of surrender

Jay is honest about the version of himself he used to be — and clear-eyed about who God is shaping him into now. If you've ever wondered whether transformation is real, this one's worth your time.

Subscribe for more conversations like this.

Timestamps
00:47 Why fame doesn't fulfill
02:44 Meeting Jay Pharoah
04:41 Growing up in church, road with Charlie Murphy
06:27 SNL and losing his way
08:00 The voice in the room: meet me halfway
11:30 Getting rid of the room, the Quiz with Balls offer
14:37 Why God forgives murderers and thieves
17:57 Using the platform as an example
22:09 What you have to give up
25:00 Cutting the swearing from his set
28:21 Freedom, not prison
29:23 The blue Bible story
37:58 The old version isn't wasted
39:12 Becoming a rebel for Christ
43:28 Stay in the fight

Jay Pharoah &mdash; SNL alum, impressionist, and star of Fox's Quiz With Balls &mdash; sits down with Ben Higgins to talk about the moment he stopped running.
In 2023, surrounded by everything he thought he wanted, Jay heard a voice tell him to leave the room. What happened next changed his life.
In this conversation: - Why fame and access left him emptier, not fuller - The night he heard "meet me halfway, and I'll carry you the rest" - The addictions he walked away from &mdash; and how his father unknowingly echoed the same message - The blue Bible story: a prayer he never spoke out loud, answered by a stranger in Ohio - Why he's cutting language from his stand-up and what he's building toward next - Near-death experiences, the prodigal son, and the freedom of surrender
Jay is honest about the version of himself he used to be &mdash; and clear-eyed about who God is shaping him into now. If you've ever wondered whether transformation is real, this one's worth your time.
Subscribe for more conversations like this.
Timestamps 00:47 Why fame doesn't fulfill 02:44 Meeting Jay Pharoah 04:41 Growing up in church, road with Charlie Murphy 06:27 SNL and losing his way 08:00 The voice in the room: meet me halfway 11:30 Getting rid of the room, the Quiz with Balls offer 14:37 Why God forgives murderers and thieves 17:57 Using the platform as an example 22:09 What you have to give up 25:00 Cutting the swearing from his set 28:21 Freedom, not prison 29:23 The blue Bible story 37:58 The old version isn't wasted 39:12 Becoming a rebel for Christ 43:28 Stay in the fight

Jay Pharoah: SNL, Addiction, and the Prodigal Son

https://api.omny.fm/orgs/e73c998e-6e60-432f-8610-ae210140c5b1/clips/ebbf8b71-6333-41ca-afe7-b4b80136fdc2/transcript

Grammy-winning artist DOE joins Ben Higgins to talk about what it means to stop performing your faith and start living it.

In this conversation, DOE opens up about being raised at the intersection of music and faith, the weight of feeling like "an employee" of God rather than a daughter, and how she learned to separate the anointing from her identity. She shares stories from her upbringing in a family band (Forever Jones), her father's militant commitment to morning prayer, and the wrestle that eventually shaped her solo career.

We also dig into her new album Shiloh (out August 28), named after her son and built on Psalm 22:30. DOE talks about posterity, what she hopes her children inherit from her music, and why insisting "God is good" matters more now than ever.

Timestamps:
00:41 Welcome & intro to DOE
02:33 Faith and music inseparable growing up
04:12 Not a slave to the anointing
08:35 Wrestling from employee to daughter
14:44 Going solo after Forever Jones
18:33 Winning the Grammy & new album Shiloh
20:23 Why Dad made prayer non-negotiable
25:35 What she hopes Shiloh takes away
29:42 What "God is good" really means
32:21 Reaching back and forward through worship
35:06 Picturing a listener encountering God

Grammy-winning artist DOE joins Ben Higgins to talk about what it means to stop performing your faith and start living it.
In this conversation, DOE opens up about being raised at the intersection of music and faith, the weight of feeling like "an employee" of God rather than a daughter, and how she learned to separate the anointing from her identity. She shares stories from her upbringing in a family band (Forever Jones), her father's militant commitment to morning prayer, and the wrestle that eventually shaped her solo career.
We also dig into her new album Shiloh (out August 28), named after her son and built on Psalm 22:30. DOE talks about posterity, what she hopes her children inherit from her music, and why insisting "God is good" matters more now than ever.
Timestamps: 00:41 Welcome &amp; intro to DOE 02:33 Faith and music inseparable growing up 04:12 Not a slave to the anointing 08:35 Wrestling from employee to daughter 14:44 Going solo after Forever Jones 18:33 Winning the Grammy &amp; new album Shiloh 20:23 Why Dad made prayer non-negotiable 25:35 What she hopes Shiloh takes away 29:42 What "God is good" really means 32:21 Reaching back and forward through worship 35:06 Picturing a listener encountering God

DOE: I Want to Be God's Daughter, Not His Employee

https://api.omny.fm/orgs/e73c998e-6e60-432f-8610-ae210140c5b1/clips/f70880ea-ec51-4c56-adfa-b4b1010e7b4b/transcript

One Foot in the Quicksand: Granger Smith on Carrying Other People's Grief

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