Mark Miller: We’re judged every day whether your song is good or not, whether you have a hit song or not. Well, I don’t have to worry about that when I think of who I am as a man, because I know who I am in the eyes of Jesus. So that helps you and makes you more confident in what you do. 

Leaning Into Our Divine Momentum: Mark Miller & Hope Reagan Harris – Episode #458

Narrator: Welcome to the Jesus Calling Podcast. This week we’ll hear from singer, songwriter, and producer Mark Miller. For over four decades, Mark has been a driving force in music as the lead singer of the legendary country band Sawyer Brown. Beyond the stage, he’s been the guiding hand behind Casting Crowns, producing their music for over twenty years. Now, as Sawyer Brown celebrates its fortieth anniversary with a brand new album and a documentary directed by his daughter, Mark reflects on how his life and career have prayerfully unfolded.

Later in the episode, we’ll hear from Hope Reagan Harris. Hope never set out to start a global movement. She was simply a wife, a mother, and a former corporate professional searching for her next steps. But when she leaned into where God was leading her, she discovered that purpose doesn’t pause—it multiplies. 

Let’s begin with Mark’s story.

Mark Miller: I’m Mark Miller. I’m the lead singer of a band called Sawyer Brown. We’ve been around for forty years. I produce the band Casting Crowns and have [produced them] their entire career for twenty years. So that’s my story, and I’m sticking to it. 

Get Me To The Stage On Time

My wife is great because she grew up in the industry. My wife’s brother is Christopher Knight, who was Peter Brady on The Brady Bunch. So she grew up in the business. I was doing Dick Clark’s American Bandstand, and she was the makeup artist. I thought she was really pretty. After we got through taping, we just went out to dinner, and that’s how we met.

When she met me, she really, really dove into her faith more, and she has become the spiritual family leader. I am, but she’s more vocal. And she’s really into Jesus Calling. I have the huge one on my table so I can read it without my glasses, but we have them placed all over the house. Lisa has been the ringleader in that. She makes sure that our kids have it and have access to it always.

There’s not an hour that goes by that I’m not praying in my mind. It’s just a part of everything that I do in my being. From the time I get up to the time I go to bed, I want the Holy Spirit to just cover me and carry me throughout every minute of my waking day.  

“There’s not an hour that goes by that I’m not praying in my mind. It’s just a part of everything that I do in my being. From the time I get up to the time I go to bed, I want the Holy Spirit to just cover me and carry me throughout every minute of my waking day.” – Mark Miller  

As I reflect on the forty-year career, I just know that I’ve been amazingly blessed that God has given me this timeframe, and I’ve always wanted to be a good steward of the blessings, the fans, the platform. You know, we continue to tour, and we just crossed our 6,000th concert. We’ve been really blessed to have an incredible career and still be able to do it.

“As I reflect on the forty-year career, I just know that I’ve been amazingly blessed that God has given me this timeframe, and I’ve always wanted to be a good steward of the blessings, the fans, the platform.” – Mark Miller 

Madison, my daughter, was not exposed to the band growing up. I never put any awards or platinum albums up in the house. I just felt uncomfortable with the kids, but Madison became a historian of the band. She wrote and directed the documentary, Get Me To The Stage On Time. She was able to tell the true story—the ups and the downs—and that’s what I think makes it so authentic. And I’m really, really proud of that. 

Mark Discovers the Music of Casting Crowns

I’m so proud to be a part of what God has done with Casting Crowns. In the beginning, a friend of mine, Terry Hemmings, who had become the president of Provident, Sony’s Christian music label, came to me and said, “Hey, I want to give you your own label.” And I said, “You don’t want to do that. I know nothing about the Christian music industry.” He said, “Yeah, but you know songs, and you have more Christian integrity than most people that I know. I just feel like this is something I should do.” 

I’m big into basketball and helping kids get placed in college. One of my kids and I were at Flagler College in Florida, and one of the basketball players on the Flagler team came up and  said, “Hey, my coach tells me you’re really famous, and you’re in a band.” He said, “Well, the best band in the world plays at my church.” And I said, joking with him, “Yes, I am really famous. If you’ve never heard of my band, you’re living under a rock.” So, we started laughing. And I said, “I thought I was the best band in the world. Let me hear what you think the best band is.” He gave me this demo of Casting Crowns, and it had “If We Are the Body” on it. I didn’t know anything about whether it was a hit, whether it wasn’t, whether this band was a hit, whether they weren’t. All I knew was how this song and this guy’s voice resonated with me. 

So, I was on spring break with our good friend Steven Curtis Chapman, Terry Hemmings, and my brother, and I put in “If We Are the Body.” We played it on the way to play golf. Terry Hemmings looks at me, and he says, “That’s your first act. Sign them.” 

When we got back to the hotel, Steven said, “Hey, let me hear that.” He listened to the whole thing. The next day, he says, “Hey, you know that tape? You know, there’s something there.” And there certainly was. 

I remember the first album that we did—I asked Terry because I didn’t know—I said, “What’s your expectation?” He said, “Well, if you sell 40,000 albums, we’re going to want another album.” I think that first album is over two million right now. That has nothing to do with me—that’s a God thing. That’s God wanting to say, “Hey, I want this message out.” You know, God says, “I have my own sense of humor. I’m going to take a goofy front man for a band in country music, and I’m going to have him produce this new thing that I want out.” Mark Hall and I still laugh about it. 

The New Album “Desperado Troubadours”

The new album came as a result of our forty-year anniversary, because we had not done a studio album in like twenty years. Writing again was kind of like, Okay, you’ve got to get back on the bicycle and you’ve got to see if you still have it. And I was pretty pleased. You know, Mac McAnally wrote three, [Greg Hobie Hubbard] and I wrote two. I wrote, I think, three or four by myself. And then I connected with Tennessee Jet and Cody Jinks on the title track, “Desperado Troubadours” and “Under This Old Hat.” Blake [Shelton] produced it. We found out that Blake’s first concert was Sawyer Brown, and the first record he ever bought was “The Race Is On.” Blake is quite the historian of our band, so it made a lot of sense to bring him in alongside us. 

And we had a blast. We just camped out—we went old school and recorded the whole album in like four days. There’s a lot of content that’s about our journey. Some of the songs, especially the song “Desperado Troubadours,” it’s about everybody who struggles to do what they feel like God has put them here to do. 

You know, all of us out here—I don’t care if you’re pop, rock, country—what I wanted to encompass is to be inclusive of everybody who’s out here doing this. We all are a part of a brotherhood, and I really wanted to make sure that specifically in that song, that was heard and that was felt. 

I’ve always looked at what I do for a living as music. My job is to be the producer/writer for Sawyer Brown, and the lead singer for Sawyer Brown—the frontman. And that’s what I do for a living. But who I am is who I am in Christ. I’m a Christian man, and that’s who I am. It’s not what I do, that’s who I am to the core. Jesus Christ is my Lord and Savior. And I live my life every day—when I get up and when I go to bed—I sign His name at the start of the day, and I sign His name at the end of the day. To my life, my family, Sawyer Brown, and Casting Crowns—everything that I do with every fiber in my body, I want that to be all about Jesus. 

“My job is to be the producer/writer for Sawyer Brown, and the lead singer for Sawyer Brown—the frontman. And that’s what I do for a living. But who I am is who I am in Christ. I’m a Christian man, and that’s who I am…To my life, my family, Sawyer Brown, and Casting Crowns—everything that I do with every fiber in my body, I want that to be all about Jesus.” – Mark Miller 

Narrator: To learn more about Mark Miller, be sure to check out Sawyer Brown’s new album, Desperado Troubadors, wherever you get your music.

Stay tuned to Hope Reagan Harris’ story after a brief message.

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Jesus Calling for Moms & Graduates

Are you looking for inspiration and encouragement for the moms or graduates in your life—or maybe even for yourself? We’ve got the perfect gift to help you grow in faith and confidence during life’s big transitions.

Let’s start with Jesus Calling for Moms. This heartfelt devotional by Sarah Young includes 50 days of uplifting reflections designed to strengthen and comfort moms in every season of life. Whether you’re balancing a busy household, navigating challenges, or seeking peace, it is a reminder of God’s love and guidance just for you.

And for graduates as they step into life’s next big chapter, Jesus Calling for Graduates delivers wisdom and encouragement through 150 specially chosen devotions. Covering topics like trust, identity, and self-worth, it’s the perfect companion to help graduates build their faith and find clarity in uncertain times.

Both of these devotionals are more than books—they’re tools to strengthen your spiritual connection and provide lasting encouragement. Whether you’re gifting a loved one or treating yourself, these devotionals are perfect for celebrating the special seasons of life.

Visit FaithGateway.com today and look for Jesus Calling for Moms and an exclusive edition of Jesus Calling for Graduates.

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Our next guest is Hope Reagan Harris. Hope’s life took an unexpected turn when she discovered a purpose far beyond the boardroom. What began as a simple act of sending handwritten postcards of encouragement blossomed into a global movement called Purpose Doesn’t Pause. Now through her nonprofit, books, and podcast, Hope reminds us that no act of kindness is ever too small to make a big impact.

Hope Reagan Harris: I’m Hope Reagan Harris, and I guess I would just describe myself as a normal thirty-something-year-old girl. I’m a wife to my husband, Will, for almost eight years. We have a daughter named Remi, who is two, and we’re expecting a baby boy in August, which I’m super excited about. I spent the majority of my adult life working in corporate America, and since having kids, I now am focused on my family and a stay at home mom. 

I’m the founder of a nonprofit called Purpose Doesn’t Pause Inc., which I accidentally started. I’m an author of several books, and I also host a podcast where I just enjoy sharing stories of normal girls around the world and what God’s doing in their life now. 

The Power of a Postcard

While I was working for Walmart’s corporate office—I spent about six years there—at first, it was super exciting. I found a lot of purpose in my work. I found a lot of purpose just in climbing the corporate ladder and being promoted. I was traveling the world to India, China, Canada, and all these different places to roll out software for the company. Essentially, one day I just started wishing for retirement. I actually remember listening to a Christine Caine podcast, and she talked about how we should never as Christians really wish for retirement because there’s always a purpose. Maybe it’s not always found in your job, but God always has something. We shouldn’t just want to stop and rest for the rest of our lives. And that really kind of hit me.

I went through this journey where I had an offer to work for this Christian influencer. It seemed like a dream job, but the details just didn’t work out. I remember just questioning and wrestling with God, like, Why would you put this opportunity in front of me? It’s something that I truly wanna do. But it [did] not work out. And I just kind of felt like the Holy Spirit gave me this phrase “purpose doesn’t pause.”  

It started with me being on a Peloton one day. I was just sitting there watching the class kind of happen, and my husband Will walked in the room and he’s like, “Hey, you know, if you’re gonna work out, you have to move your legs.” I remember we both laughed because, you know, that’s kind of funny and duh, yeah. But, I remember when I leaned into what my instructor was telling me, even though I was turning the resistance up, for some reason, that posture of leaning in really changed things. That pivot of the positioning from the bike and the exercise—that visual of just leaning in to wherever God has you and leaning in even to the hard things—how when you lean into God, you know things get easier and you can somehow manage, because He gives you that strength.  

I felt prompted one day to post on Instagram asking who wanted Christian encouragement. I thought maybe forty people would be interested just because I had a pack of forty Dayspring cards. So one day, during my daughter’s nap, I was like, You know what, I’m just going to post and see if anyone wants me to write them a card. I just asked people to comment, and then I was direct messaging them, asking them if they would send me their address so I could get their information. And long story short, I got on there and there were thousands of comments and the reel was going viral. It quickly grew from me thinking forty people would be interested to over 27,000 women across 113 countries wanting Christian encouragement from me. 

So that is how I accidentally started I guess not just a nonprofit, but an entire global movement and something that I refer to as a postcard revival. I think these tangible notes, physically handing someone a card face to face or they’re getting this card in the mail—the one thing I’m hearing from these women is, “Man, this card was right on time.” And then I think as they realize, “Man, this encouragement was right on time,” or “Man, this message felt so specific to me,” they realize, “Man, God sees me right now. I’m not missing out. God has eyes on me, He’s seeing me, and He’s sending what I need right when I need it.”

“God sees me right now. I’m not missing out. God has eyes on me, He’s seeing me, and He’s sending what I need right when I need it.” – Hope Reagan Harris

I feel like a card is kind of like a smile that translates everywhere, that love transcends no matter if they can read the card or not. It’s just like, Man, someone loves me. Like, wow. And then when they read that it’s Christian encouragement, they’re like, “Man, God’s right on time.” 

I really believe that when you lean into something with God, you suddenly see it differently. You’re like, I can do this. He’s got me. If God is for me, what can stop me, what can be against me?

The Purpose Doesn’t Pause Movement

The craziest thing about the Purpose Doesn’t Pause movement is I remember sitting there looking at the Google form, and literally, there were thousands [of messages, and I thought] How am I gonna write these? I got through the first 1,000, and I really felt like after I did that the Lord was like, “Invite people into this, Hope. Invite people in, you’re never gonna be able to maintain this.” And I knew the Lord had big plans, and it was so much bigger than just me. So I hosted the first ever postcard party at Onyx Coffee Lab, and from there, I started having other people see some pictures and content on Instagram. Then they started reaching out saying, “Hey, Hope, if you send me cards, I’d love to host a postcard party where I live.” And so today, there have been over sixty postcard parties hosted across the world. I join these virtually—Taiwan, South Africa, Australia, New Zealand, Canada, all across the United States. It is truly mind-blowing.  

Just in the last four months, we started an ambassador program where these girls are hosting quarterly postcard parties, because the numbers grow daily for people that are interested in these cards. And we have twenty-seven ambassadors across eleven states and twelve countries. And I just sit here in awe and amazement like, Wow, God. I mean, I look at my life and I feel like it’s God just reminding me that there’s nothing He can’t do. When it’s His timing and His plan, there’s nothing that can stop it, because I’m at a place in my life where I actually have the least amount of time. I’m a stay at home mom, I have the least amount of resources, and I don’t make money.  

“I look at my life and I feel like it’s God just reminding me that there’s nothing He can’t do. When it’s His timing and His plan, there’s nothing that can stop it.” – Hope Reagan Harris

I look back, and I’m like, Wow, God, You did not waste a single thing for this to happen. I may not have enough money to fund this on my own or enough time, but You’re bringing Your people, You’re bringing the resources, You’re bringing love, You’re bringing the financial funding. I mean, it is truly, truly mind-blowing. 

“I’m like, Wow, God, You did not waste a single thing for this to happen. I may not have enough money to fund this on my own or enough time, but You’re bringing Your people, You’re bringing the resources, You’re bringing love, You’re bringing the financial funding.” – Hope Reagan Harris

Life-Changing Prayers

I would say prayer is the single thing that has really changed my life. I love Jesus Calling. I actually first got connected with Jesus Calling right before I went to Pepperdine University, and I remember someone had gifted me a Jesus Calling. It was like a little pink book and they embroidered my name on it. I remember taking that to college with me and that was actually one of the ways that I feel like I’ve kind of started taking my faith on my own. Jesus Calling always feels like it is right on time, and it always feels like God just sees you and knows you. 

God is a God who hears, God is a God who sees. Whether you can see it or not, you’ve just got to believe and trust that He is with you now, He is working on your behalf right now, and He is for you. He hasn’t left you, and man, your whole life has been planned and there’s no misstepping you can take. He will guide you, and He will lead you, and you can’t miss out on what He’s got. 

“God is a God who hears, God is a God who sees. Whether you can see it or not, you’ve just got to believe and trust that He is with you now, He is working on your behalf right now, and He is for you.” – Hope Reagan Harris 

As I look back on my life, I was finding contentment mainly from the things that I was chasing. And then, obviously, when you chase that next thing and you reach it, you’re no longer content.  

It’s been a journey—a transformation journey of surrender and also just allowing and trusting the Lord with laying down the things that I really wanted or believed. If the Lord is making some of the things that you once loved, or sold out for, disenchanting and not as sparkly or shiny as they once were, maybe He is leading you somewhere else. Even when it seems like you’re at a dead end, it’s either God’s redirection or He’s just making a way behind the scenes that you don’t even see yet. 

“If the Lord is making some of the things that you once loved, or sold out for, disenchanting and not as sparkly or shiny as they once were, maybe He is leading you somewhere else.” – Hope Reagan Harris

I’ll be reading a passage from Jesus Listens, December 13th: 

Ever-present Jesus,

Quietness is the classroom where You are teaching me to hear Your voice. 

I need a quiet place in order to calm my mind. I seem to be a slow learner, so please help me advance in this delightful discipline. Eventually, I hope to be able to carry the calmness with me wherever I go. Though I’m still a novice, sometimes I can hear those melodious bells when I step back into the bustle of life: “I am with you. I am with you. I am with you.”

In Your delightful, calming Name, 

Amen

Narrator: To learn more about Hope Reagan Harris, please visit www.purposedoesntpause.org where you can sign up to receive a free postcard. And be sure to check out her book, Now Over Next: Conquering the Fear of Missing Out, available at your favorite retailer. 

If you’d like to hear more stories about finding your purpose, check out our blog post by Ciara Laine Myers, available on the Jesus Calling website and the Jesus Calling app. 

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Next Week: Richard Rohr

Next time on the Jesus Calling Podcast, we’ll hear from celebrated priest and writer Richard Rohr as he shares his thoughts on how to embody a compassionate way of living in a hurting world.

Richard Rohr: An experience of infinite, unconditional love—that’s the only thing that changes us. Not threats of hell, not promises of reward after we die, but an experience in this world, of the touch of unconditional love.