Can You Just Sit With Me? with Natasha Smith

“If we follow Jesus, we will experience pain.” Paul writes. Paul Borthwick (DMin, Gordon-Conwell Theological Seminary) is senior consultant for Development Associates International and previously taught global Christianity at Gordon College for thirty years. Through his speaking, writing, and resource ministry, Borthwick works to mobilize others to participate in world missions. Borthwick is an ac...

May is Mental Health Awareness Month, so I wanted to chat about a hard yet an often-overlooked topic. In this episode, I sit with my friend Author Jennifer (Jen) Thompson to chat about navigating a loss by suicide. Jen says, “I feel very passionate about talking about suicide because there are some people that are suffering in silence and so many people who are struggling with their mental health....

Join me as we sit with Author Katie Faris. In this episode, we discuss the trials and sorrows of motherhood and how they are deemed grief worthy. Yet, God is Still Good. Katie shares encouragement and hope from her new book God is Still Good: Gospel Hope and Comfort for the Unexpected Sorrows of Motherhood. Get Katie’s new book, God is Still Good: https://amzn.to/3KUACbs Connect with Katie: Websit...

Join me as we sit with Author Allison Brost. In this episode, Allison shares her grief journey and we discuss some of the hard questions of grief and how to find hope. Get Allison’s new book, This Side of Perfect : https://amzn.to/3GPDuoF Connect with Allison: Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/AllisonsBrost/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/allisonsbrost/ Sitting with you, Natasha *Get my fre...

Join me as we sit with Author Jillian Benfield. In this episode, we chat about the story behind her new book The Gift of the Unexpected, and what it means to undergo versus overcome grief of the unexpected moments of life. Get The Gift of the Unexpected book: https://jillianbenfield.com/book/ Connect with Jillian: Website: https://jillianbenfield.com/ Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/jillianbenf...

In this special episode, listen to powerful moments from 2022. Join me and sit with friends as we share on all things grief and Hope. Connect with Natasha: Website: https://www.imnatashasmith.com Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/imnatashasmith Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/imnatashasmith Get my free mini devotional “You’re Not Losing It, Life is Hard” : http://eepurl.com/bCTWML Become a s...

Join me as I sit with my friend Sydnei Kaplan, author of the children’s book The Heaven Phone. In this episode, we chat about the story behind her book as well as navigating the holidays after a recent loss. Get The Heaven Phone book: https://amzn.to/3AeZkyD Connect with Sydnei: Website: https://www.mom-in-the-moment.com/ Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/mominthemoment1 Instagram: https://www.in...

Join me as I sit with my friend John Arthur Greene. He is a singer, songwriter, musician, and Broadway star who walks in his calling as a Storyteller, Minister, and Worship Pastor. In this episode, you’ll hear an honest conversation about grief, shame, and our resistance to healing amid grief. Yet, how Jesus shines through the darkness when we choose to hear Him through our pain. “God gives us the...

Join me as I sit with my friend, Paige Pippin. She is a Wife, Mama, Attorney, and Writer who shares laughter and encouragement as God leads her on her blog as well as other publications, such as The Gospel Coalition. In this episode, we chat about her loss story and how God is loud in our pain even in grief. Connect with Paige: Website: https://paigepippin.com/ Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/t...

In this episode, I sit with my friend, Melissa Heerebout. She pastors Burnette Church in British Columbia alongside her husband and she is the Founder of Dear Sisters Magazine, an online and print lifestyle publication for Christian women. We chat about grieving as a ministry leader, what it looks like, and where you can find hope as well as help amid grief. Connect with Melissa and get your copy...

In this episode, I sit with Author, Speaker, and Grief Guide Dorina Lazo Gilmore-Young. We chat about Dorina’s grief journey after the loss of her late husband, and how she found hope amid grief. Connect with Dorina: Website: https://dorinagilmore.com/ Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/DorinaLazoGilmore/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/dorinagilmore/ Twitter: https://twitter.com/DorinaGilmor...

In this episode, I sit with my writer friend, Author Liz Newman. We chat about the loss of her dad and how it inspired her latest book “I Look to the Mourning Sky”. We chat about grief, faith, hope, and navigating the in-between. Join our conversation, listen, and share. Get the book: https://www.amazon.com/Look-Mourning-Sky-Writing-Grieving-ebook/dp/B09NML7F57 Connect with Liz: Facebook - https:/...

In this solo episode, Natasha shares a bit about her grief story and discusses the topic: Do You Ever Get Used to Loss? Connect with Natasha: Website: https://lovelyyoublog.com/ Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/imnatashasmith Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/imnatashasmith Get Natasha's free monthly resource: http://eepurl.com/bCTWML Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.c...

In this episode, I sit with Katie Faris, my friend and author of He Will Be Enough: How God Takes You by the Hand through Your Hardest Days. We chat about some hard stories she has encountered and those she continues to live. Yet how God is faithful to meet us even if and even when life is unbearably hard. Get Katie’s new book: https://www.thegoodbook.com/he-will-be-enough Connect with Katie Faris...

In this 2nd season opener, I sit with Amy DiMarcangelo, Author of A Hunger for More: Finding Satisfaction in Jesus When the Good Life Doesn't Fill You. This episode will leave your spirit stirred and encouraged. Listen as we chat about being unsettled, longing for more, loss, injustice, and how it can all point us back to Christ. Get Amy’s latest book: A Hunger for More: https://www.crossway.org/b...

In this special episode, I chat with Nicole Pharr of Pharr Away. A wife, mother of 2, and a successful businesswoman, who also happens to be my niece. You don’t want to miss this. We chat about coping and celebrating Mother's Day without Mom here. Listen in, as we have a candid discussion about how to honor and celebrate Mother's Day amid grief. And how sitting with and making space for grief is h...

In this episode, Michaela Gasseling of Cowgirl Boots and Running Shoes, sits with me to share her miraculous experience of overcoming a brain tumor and the unexpected grief that followed. She says, “sometimes you can have all the best possible outcomes and still experience grief”. Amen to that! Listen and share. Connect with Michaela here: https://www.instagram.com/cowgirlbootsandrunningshoes/ htt...

In this episode, you will meet Whitney Harris. She shares her powerful story of the hope, redemption, and freedom she found only in Jesus. Her story is filled with God's amazing love and grace. And her story testifies that no matter where you find yourself, even if it is the darkest and deepest pit, there is still hope in Jesus. Revelation 12:11 NIV says, "They triumphed over him by the blood of t...

“I can’t believe Daddy’s gone”, is what I found myself thinking just the other day…it made me think of similar expressions in relation to the 5 Stages of Grief. In particular, the 1st stage of grief: Denial. So, this episode touches on when we say, “I can’t believe they’re gone”. Is it really denial? Listen and share. References for this episode: https://www.psychologytoday.com/us/basics/denial ht...

In this episode, I chat with my friend, Tabitha Yates, Writer and Mental Health Advocate about moving beyond the ashes. She says, “You don’t have to live your life in ruin…you don’t have to live in the ashes”. Listen as Tabitha shares her powerful testimony of redemption. Share with friends and family who need this encouragement. Connect with Tabitha Yates: Website: https://theredeemedmama.com/ Fa...

Today, I’m excited to have my friend, Stevie Swift sitting with me. She is an author, artist, speaker, podcaster, and just an overall beautiful human. In this episode, we chat about Losing Oneself in order to Gain More of Christ. Because grief goes far beyond the loss of a loved one. I love what Elisabeth Elliot says about suffering in her book “Suffering is Never for Nothing” which can be applied...

Pull up a chair and sit with Natasha as she discusses how to love the grieving well. You may or may not be surprised to find loving others well begins with what we say. James Petersen in his book “Why Don’t We Listen Better”, says his first rule of crisis is: “Listen First – Talk Second.” If you acknowledge people’s fears, pain, losses, hurts, confusion, anger, etc. first, then they may calm enoug...

In this episode I chat with Lauren Flake, artist, author, and Alzheimer’s daughter. Lauren shares her grief story and how it informs her writing on her blog at Love of Dixie. As well as how it inspired her book, Though I Walk through the Valley: 12 Days in Psalm 23 and her award-winning children’s books, Where Did My Sweet Grandma Go?: A Preschooler’s Guide to Losing A Loved One and Where Did My S...

In this episode I chat with Jenny Albers, Author of Courageously Expecting: 30 Days of Encouragement for Pregnancy After Loss about her grief story and her new book. “Healing really is possible…When dealing with grief, you feel like you’re always going to be in this dark space and that life is never going to get better again…Life may never be without triggers and you’re certainly going to always r...

Grief, it can be felt, seen, and heard all around our world. But what can we do about it? Listen to Mel Bjorgen of I’ll Bring the Bible with Mel and Monica and I, as we chat about, “Grieving our World” and responding with prayer. For more encouragement, connect with Natasha via her monthly newsletter at: http://eepurl.com/bCTWML Connect with Mel Bjorgen: Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/illbring...