The Sharon Decker Podcast

When Hurricane Helene hit, most people wondered if Chimney Rock Park would ever be the same. After nine months of closure, the answer is yes, and then some. I sit down with Emily Walker, General Manager at Chimney Rock State Park, to talk about what actually happened the day the storm hit, how her team pivoted to keep the mission alive, and what it looks like to fully reopen one of Western North C...

What do you do when your bank account hits zero, your car gets repossessed, and you find yourself curled up in bed wondering if this is what entrepreneurship — what life — is supposed to feel like? Dr. Will Lewis has been there. And what he learned on the other side of that storm became the foundation for his powerful new book, Perched in the Storm: Brutal Lessons in Resilience Every Leader Can Le...

Western North Carolina is stunning. But keeping it that way? That takes people who show up every single day to protect it — and Kieran Roe is one of those people. I sat down with Kieran Roe, Executive Director of Conserving Carolina, to talk about the work happening right now to preserve the land, restore the rivers, and build the trails that are going to define this region's future. In this c...

What if the most meaningful chapter of your life hadn't even started yet? Chuck Hutchison spent decades winning — as a collegiate and NFL football player, a coach, and a highly successful sales executive at Schreiber Foods, one of the nation's largest private label dairy companies. By every measure, he lived a full and accomplished life. And then he retired to Western North Carolina. And e...

If you've ever grabbed a bag of Poppy's Handcrafted Popcorn — first of all, good taste. Second, you're going to love this conversation. I sat down with Ginger Frank, the founder and co-CEO behind one of Asheville's most beloved brands, to talk about how Poppy's went from a tiny shop on Merriman Avenue to a brand now carried in stores across all 50 states. And y'all — the st...

Experience the powerful Easter Sunrise Service at Chimney Rock State Park with Sharon Decker, as faith, hope, and the beauty of Western North Carolina come together in a moving celebration of the resurrection. After a one-year hiatus, the community gathered once again at the top of Chimney Rock for this meaningful Easter tradition. Through scripture from Luke 24:1–12 and reflections on Isaiah, Sha...

There are over 10,000 children in North Carolina right now living in foster care. 480 more enter the system every single day across the United States. Many of them feel like no one sees them, no one is coming, and no one cares enough to even know their favorite color. Susanna Kavanaugh, founder of Least of These Carolinas, built a nonprofit to change that feeling — starting with one county in Gast...

I'll be honest — loading the dishwasher is one of my least favorite things to do. But a man who lived in the 1600s completely changed how I think about it. Brother Lawrence was a lay brother in a Carmelite monastery whose only job was to wash dishes. And yet he wrote that the noise and clutter of his kitchen felt no different from being on his knees at the altar. He called it Practicing the Pr...

When Hurricane Helene's floodwaters rose 24 feet in Swannanoa, they stopped right at the driveway of Valley Hope Church—as if, Susanna says, God drew a line and said, "You'll go no further." What happened next is one of the most remarkable stories of faith, strategy, and community in all of Western North Carolina's recovery. I sit down with Susanna, Head of Helene Recovery at...

Every parent knows that bittersweet feeling — the pride of watching your child grow up mixed with the grief of letting them go. After dropping my daughter Abby off for her spring semester at college in Charlottesville, I faced a six-hour drive home filled with tears, memories, and Tim McGraw's "Live Like You Were Dying" playing on the radio. But the night before that drive, something...

Recently, I had the honor of speaking at the Walk by Faith Luncheon in Charlotte, surrounded by dear friends and sisters in Christ who have walked alongside me through some of life's most challenging seasons. In this speech, I opened my heart about what I've witnessed in Western North Carolina following Hurricane Helene — not just the devastation, but the profound ways hope shows up when e...

When Hurricane Helene hit, most people saw the damage to homes and roads. But what many didn't realize was the devastating impact on the farms that feed our region—and the quiet, steady work happening now to rebuild them. I sit down with Kaleb Rathbone, Assistant Commissioner for Western North Carolina Agricultural Programs, to talk about something that doesn't always make headlines but to...

Friends and colleagues keep asking me the same question lately… "What do I do right now?" In this short encouragement, I'm reminding you of what God asks of us—especially in uncertain times. Scripture tells us in Micah 6:8, "What does the Lord require of you? To act justly and to love mercy and to walk humbly with your God." That's it. That's the answer. I also shar...

Winter gets a bad rap… but it has a purpose. In this short reflection, I’m sharing why winter matters—spiritually, emotionally, and even practically. From Genesis 8:22 (“seedtime and harvest… summer and winter… will never cease”) to a simple lesson my father-in-law pointed out while driving through the foothills of Western North Carolina, this episode is a reminder that seasons exist for a reason....

A year after Hurricane Helene, many of us are still processing trauma while navigating the pressures of the holiday season. If you're struggling with grief, burnout, or feeling like recovery is taking longer than expected, this conversation is for you. I sit down with licensed mental health counselor Jake Orr to explore moral injury, trauma recovery, and why healing doesn't follow a timeli...

I had the honor of speaking with Stephanie Johnson , a dedicated advocate for Rebuilding the Hollers of Western North Carolina. Stephanie shares her journey from distributing food to leading construction efforts, all in the wake of Hurricane Helene . Her story is a testament to the power of community and the impact of grassroots initiatives. From providing essential supplies to rebuilding homes, S...

In this conversation, I had the privilege of sitting down with my friend Richard Brunson, Executive Director of Baptist On Mission —one of the most extraordinary forces of hope and hands-on service in North Carolina. Richard shares the heart behind their 17 ministries, including the disaster relief teams so many of us in Western North Carolina have come to know well, especially since Hurricane Hel...

Overcoming Transitions and Embracing Community: Sharon Decker's Inspirational JourneyWelcome to a special episode where Sharon Decker introduces her new journey into podcasting, inspired by long-time friends Ramona Holloway and Stetson Patton. Sharon reflects on her 20-year dream and the community of Western North Carolina she loves. Joined by notable guests Pam Stone, Ramona Holloway, and fir...