Author, pastor, and speaker Sharon Hodde Miller explains why insecurity often comes from self-preoccupation rather than low self-esteem. She also talks about how God cares for leaders who are burned out and how today's culture trains us to want control. She draws on her books Free of Me, Gazing at God, and The Cost of Control.

Highlights:
3:34 – An empty arena and hitchhiking to the airport
11:28 – Her PhD research on women in seminary
23:14 – The story behind Free of Me
28:09 – Self-preoccupation vs. low self-esteem
36:12 – The Cost of Control
38:49 – What's next for Sharon

Connect with Sharon: Instagram: @SharonHMiller
Website: sheworships.com
Booking: goaspeakers.com
Podcast Production: www.itsyourshow.co

Ten years ago, one laughing mom in a Chewbacca mask nearly hit 100 million views in 48 hours. Today Candace Payne is a speaker and author who helps women find their fun again. On this episode of the GOA Speakers Podcast, hosts Abigail Garrett and Greg Oliver talk with Candace Payne have a funny, honest conversation full of hope.

Timed highlights:
00:08 – Welcome and introducing Candace Payne, "Chewbacca Mom"
01:02 – Nearly 100 million views in 48 hours on Facebook Live
02:02 – From Good Morning America to James Corden in a single weekend
04:10 – How her kids and her introverted husband handled the fame
06:28 – Going from viral video to speaker and author
09:04 – Why women's events need experiential joy, not just teaching about joy
12:21 – What "defiant joy" means and why it isn't toxic positivity
16:20 – Her late ADHD diagnosis and why it felt like liberation
20:11 – Losing "a million pounds" of mental weight before the physical weight
22:03 – A type 2 diabetes diagnosis and losing 133 pounds since February 2024
23:13 – How Scripture sustained her (Philippians 1:6)
26:37 – Inside a fully neurodiverse household
31:17 – The "Porsche engine in an El Camino" picture of the ADHD brain
33:45 – Bestie Weekend Ever, her first in-person event in Dallas–Fort Worth
34:45 – Her new podcast, What the Fun?
36:07 – Where to find Candace

Links:
Guest - candacepayne.fun
GOA Speakers - https://goaspeakers.com
Podcast Production - www.itsyourshow.co

Faith Eury Cho joins the GOA Speakers Podcast to share the winding story of her faith—from growing up in a non-churchgoing family and searching for Jesus as a child to finding a deeper commitment to God at a youth camp in Mexico. She reflects on how pain can lead beyond religious clichés toward a more honest experience of God’s presence.

Faith also talks about meeting her husband in college, serving in youth ministry, planting a church in northern New Jersey, and raising four children. She shares the story behind her books, including Experiencing Friendship with God, Never Alone, and her forthcoming book Unlikely Unanointed, about recognizing and walking in the Holy Spirit’s power.

Timed highlights:
00:00 — Introducing Faith Eury Cho and her early search for God
05:10 — A youth camp in Mexico and a turning point in her faith
08:40 — Pain, honesty, and seeking God’s presence beyond clichés
12:05 — College, her call to ministry, and meeting her husband
16:25 — Planting a church in northern New Jersey
19:55 — Raising four kids and finding joy in family life
21:35 — Faith’s journey to publishing and the stories behind her books
26:45 — Speaking engagements, the upcoming book launch, and where to find Faith

Links:
https://www.faitheurycho.com/

https://goaspeakers.com/

https://www.itsyourshow.co/