Finding Hope in Invisible Grief

by Rich Stratton, Assistant Director of Public Relations – May 29, 2026

Drew Hensley’s Invisible Grief shares his journey through infertility, ministry, adoption, and unseen sorrow, offering biblical encouragement that God sees hidden pain, meets people in grief, and restores hope.

Drew Hensley has a way of stepping into people’s troubles with the steady kindness of a pastor who knows Jesus meets us there. A 2007 graduate of Cedarville University, he now serves as a pastor in Charleston, South Carolina, with a heart for local church ministry and a deep compassion for people in pain.

A Pastor Shaped by the Compassion of Jesus

His compassion is rooted in the heart of Jesus, who sees people, welcomes them, and cares for them with steady mercy. Drew has tried to mirror that same kind of care in his own ministry, and that shepherding heart has shaped not only how he serves others but how he and his wife, Laura, have walked through their own struggles.

Drew and Laura followed the Lord’s calling with trust — even when that calling led them far from home to plant a church in Seattle. Adding to the bumpy road was the news that they could not have biological children. That loss cracked something open in them, and out of that ache came Invisible Grief.

In Invisible Grief, Drew writes for the quiet sorrow many people carry — the kind that hides beneath a smile when hopes, dreams, and good desires do not come to fruition.

Christian Encouragement for Unseen Grief and Silent Pain

He writes for those living with chronic illness, singleness, infertility, and other unseen wounds, offering the kind of encouragement that comes from both Scripture and experience. His voice is tender, honest, and full of hope, because he knows grief often does its deepest work in the hidden places.

Through seasons of grief and prayer, Drew and Laura discovered that God had not abandoned them in the dark. He met them there. He gave them grace to keep trusting, and in time, He showed them His goodness in surprising ways. The adoption of their son, Silas, worked out through circumstances that only the Lord could arrange. Along the way, Drew says their relationship with God grew even closer, more intimate, and more hopeful.

The Hope-Filled Message of Invisible Grief

That same hope fills the pages of Invisible Grief. Drew’s great encouragement is simple and sturdy: God sees, God knows, and God will restore all things.

On the Cedarville Stories podcast, Drew shared his journey with the same honesty and warmth that permeate his book, pointing listeners to an everlasting hope big enough to hold both joy and grief — one that never lets sorrow have the final word.

About Cedarville University

Cedarville University, an evangelical Christian institution in southwest Ohio, offers undergraduate and graduate residential and online programs across arts, sciences and professional fields. With 7,265 students, it is among Ohio’s largest private universities and is ranked among the nation’s top five evangelical universities in The Wall Street Journal’s 2026 Best Colleges in the U.S. Cedarville is also known for its vibrant Christian community, challenging academics and high graduation and retention rates. Learn more at cedarville.edu