Granger Smith Delivers Moving Speech at Texas FFA Convention

Granger Smith is well known across Texas radio with his many hits through the years. Songs such as "Backroad Song", "If The Boot Fits", and "Silverado Bench Seat". Smith is also a notable author, and he showed his captivating abilities as a keynote speaker recently when he addressed thousands of Texas FFA members during the first general session of the 96th annual convention in Houston, Texas.

According to a release from the Texas FFA, Smith started by recalling a moment in his childhood when his grandmother told him a bedtime story about a stone smith wanting to be more. With this, he ropes in the audience by asking the question, "Who are you? What is your purpose?"

"Who am I, and what is my purpose? It could be answered like this," Smith said, "You are an image bearer of God for the purpose of his glory and resulting in your joy."

Smith’s message could resonate with student attendees as they begin their career and life journeys. As the nation’s top school-based youth leadership development organization, FFA helps young people meet new agricultural challenges by encouraging members to develop their unique talents and explore their interests in a broad range of
career pathways.

Smith wrote the well-known book Like a River, which is about moving on after loss and in faith. The memoir was written about the loss of his son, which impacted his life in many ways, from his now smaller family to his decision to stop touring and instead pursue a career in ministry.

"At the end of myself completely knocked to the ground like metal being heated in a super hot fire. I was finally able to let the maker's hand shape me like a blacksmith shapes metal into something new and usable."

Smith noted to an audience full of blue corduroy jackets that 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.