“Grief is normal,” writes Natasha Smith.

She goes on to describe her personal experience how difficult grief can be, however: “I walked around in a fog, hoping, praying, and wishing for the grief to go away. Pushing it down, pushing it away, and choosing to block uncomfortable memories. But I realized to pretend grief doesn’t exist won’t heal or fix it. So I learned to let it out in safe places, to safe people.”

In this episode of the Influence Podcast, I talk with Smith about how Christians can grieve in better, healthier ways, whether they’re the people who’ve experienced a loss or they’re ministering to others who have.

I’m George P. Wood, executive editor of Influence magazine and your host.

Natasha Smith is a wife, mother, and writer from North Carolina, whose work has appeared at outlets such as Her View from Home, Focus on the Family, and TODAY Parents. She is author of Can You Just Sit With Me?, published recently by InterVarsity Press.

P.S. This podcast is cross-posted from InfluenceMagazine.com by permission.