My guest this week is one of my best friends in the world, Sharon Hodde Miller. Sharon is an author, co-pastor at Bright City Church in North Carolina, and she teaches about faith, culture, and the Bible. She is a wife, mom to three kids, and lover of all things Disney.

5:09 – Sharon 201

• This is Sharon’s second time on the show.
• She has spent the past two years pastoring her church during a pandemic and homeschooling her kids.

8:23 – The Cost of Control book

• Sharon’s latest book, The Cost of Control, is about why we crave control, the anxiety it gives us and the real power God promises.
• Sharon turned inward and realized she was having big control issues at home with her kids and shouldn't be homeschooling them. 

17:50 – Overwhelming information

• Every time we open our phones to check social media or the news, we are being overwhelmed with information.

24:05 – Constant access to media

• There’s constant negativity on social media, and that makes some people feel a level of control.
• We have lost the ability to disagree with each other, and it is costing us our mental health.

37:15 – Coping with loss of control

• When we lose control in one area of our life, we often exert control over other areas.
• Some people cope with stress by cleaning.
• God doesn’t give us control, but He does give us agency.

41:14 – Anxiety and red flags

• Anxiety is a big red flag, and your body can tell you a lot about how you’re feeling.
• Some people clench their jaw, for example.
• You need to name your problem accurately. Don't rush past it.
• You are feeling anxious because you are ingesting news all the time.

59:24 – Words of wisdom

• Control is something we all struggle with. We know we should surrender and trust God instead of ourselves.

1:02:08 – Get to know you

• Career change? Work at Disney World
• Guilty pleasure? Disney podcasts

FEATURED QUOTES

It costs us whenever we try to have control, and this isn’t an “if,” it’s a “when.”

God doesn’t give us control, but he does give us agency.

You are feeling anxious because you are ingesting news all the time.

Honor the limitations of your soul and have boundaries around that.

Control is something we all struggle with. We know we should surrender and trust God instead of ourselves.

CONNECT:

https://sheworships.com/

Thank you to our partners of the show!

Are you looking to clean up your household cleaning products this year? MamaSuds would like to help! The best way is to simply start with one product. Every time you run out of a specific cleaning product, replace it with a non-toxic one. Another tip, purchase a product that has multiple uses. The MamaSuds Collection has many multiple use products (castile soap or the toilet bombs are just a few!). Their blog has lots of great tips and a castile soap recipe that you can print and make a lot of your own effective cleaners! Give them a try at www.mamasuds.com and don't forget to use the coupon code MOLLY for 15% off your order!

I’d like to thank our other partner of the show and that’s Tradlands. Tradlands is an INCREDIBLE sustainable fashion brand that believes in clothing that you can live in NOW and love forever. Clothing that not only makes you feel like your best self, but also fits in a way that flatters. Their gorgeous dresses, pants, tops, and more are designed to move with you throughout your busy days. Their Nico dress is my dress in a love language —not only does it have sleeves, but also POCKETS and you know how I feel about dresses with pockets. I love how comfortable and stylish each piece - and they come in colors like classic neutrals or vibrant hues. One of the things I love most about Tradlands is their focus on sustainability and creating small batch clothing that lasts… they never over produce what they make and focus on only the highest quality materials. And you know how much I love supporting small businesses, too. Check them out at https://tradlands.com/businesswithpurpose and use the code MOLLY20 for 20% off!