The 1000 Hours Outside Podcast

Episode: !KHO 698: Out of the Flower Chair | Bart and Shannon Millard, MercyMe
Date: February 2, 2026
Host: Ginny Yurich
Guests: Bart and Shannon Millard (MercyMe)
Theme: Navigating Family Trials, Faith, Chronic Illness, and Redemption Through Real Life—Not Screens

Episode Overview

This heartfelt episode brings Bart and Shannon Millard—frontman of MercyMe and his wife—for a deep, candid conversation about weathering “the hardest year of their lives,” chronic stress, and “the flower chair,” a metaphor for disengagement through grief and overwhelm. Their journey, marked by loss, a child’s diabetes diagnosis, and Bart’s struggle with depression, unfolds with remarkable honesty. The couple shares how faith, community, counseling, and enduring grace brought them out of darkness, as captured in their new book and upcoming film, Even If—the sequel to I Can Only Imagine. Listeners are offered hope, validation, and practical encouragement, especially for parents and those dealing with chronic challenges.

Key Topics & Discussion Points

1. The Beauty of Steady Faith

• Shannon’s Testimony & Encouragement to Young Listeners
  • Accepted Christ early, but questioned her “lack” of a dramatic testimony compared to others with rocky pasts.
  • “When I accepted Christ as a child, it was like putting on my dad’s T-shirt... it felt really good, but I didn’t quite understand everything. And then as I grew, it started to fit better.” (Shannon, 04:58)
  • Encourages kids to see their quiet, consistent faith as just as valuable.

2. 2004: The Year Everything Changed

• Described as a dividing line in the Millards’ lives: “pre-2004 and post-2004.”
• Back-to-back crises: Shannon’s younger brother’s sudden death, their toddler’s Type 1 diabetes diagnosis.
• Bart: “We were blindsided when everything— I mean everything—changed.” (Bart, 06:44)

3. Sharing Their Story: Book & Movie Sequels

• Why Another Book and Film?
  • Initial memoir (for I Can Only Imagine) helped explain “what really happened” behind the movie.
  • This time, Shannon’s voice and wisdom are central: “Shannon’s bringing some wisdom, dude... she doesn’t deserve just a page at the end of each chapter.” (Bart, 08:14)
  • Process was collaborative, often with Bart and their co-author on the road: “I found myself excited about what she was saying.” (Bart, 09:03)

4. Parenting Through Crisis: Community and Self-Care

• Shannon’s Survival Advice for Moms (Especially Those Facing Chronic Illness in Children)
  • Don’t isolate; intentionally seek and accept help—even if it’s uncomfortable.
  • “Take breaks away from the disease... you have to refuel.” (Shannon, 11:18)
  • Community was essential both in Texas, where support was abundant, and when starting over in Tennessee.

5. The “I Can Only Imagine” Backstory: An Act of Grace

• Amy Grant’s Pivotal Role
  • Song originally intended for Amy Grant’s comeback album; she held it but then “gave it back” to MercyMe after seeing its impact and momentum.
  • “She literally changed our lives forever.” (Bart, 20:44)
  • Song’s independent success led to quadruple-platinum sales and launched the Millards’ national prominence.

6. The Flower Chair: Disengagement and the Road Back

• A Metaphor of Depression & Quiet Suffering

  • Bart’s yearslong retreat into the flower chair at home—a symbol for withdrawal amid unmanaged grief and stress (00:04:50, 24:50).
  • “When I say in the flower chair... I probably didn’t get out of it until [my son] was 15 or 16. We’re talking years of just sitting there... not even noticing kids climbing over me.” (Bart, 24:50)
  • Led to marital strain, nearly losing the family.

• Breakthrough Through Counseling and Grace

  • “Eventually, we decided to go to grief counseling... isolation is the worst thing that happened to you when you feel like you’re the only one.” (Bart, 28:40)
  • Realization: It’s okay to get help, and the gospel’s grace is not performance-based: “He’s still pleased with you on your worst day, because it’s not about how you perform. That was like discovering fire for the first time...” (Bart, 28:30)

7. Parent Regret—and Redemption

• Favorite quote:

  “The tears were also because I love his voice that much. The voice of that diabetic kid I thought I had ruined.” (Bart, 31:16)

  • Universal parental regret, sense of “have I ruined my kid?” is met with unexpected redemption as Bart’s son Sam flourishes, even joining the band on tour.

8. Validation for Families Facing Chronic & Invisible Struggles

• Even If (book and movie) resonates with parents of children with chronic illness, disabilities, or other relentless, non-curable challenges.
• Feedback from pre-screenings:
  • Parents finally feel "seen": “It’s not just diabetes. It’s anything chronic that doesn’t go away.” (Audience comment recounted by Bart, 33:10)
  • “I beat myself up when I have those moments of ‘God, I can’t take it’... every moment needs a break.” (Bart, 35:13)

9. The Power of Mentorship and Community: The Tim Timmons Story

• Musician and cancer survivor Tim Timmons became a lifeline to Sam (and the whole family) as a mentor and friend.
• Wrote “Even If” together after Bart broke down on a tough day, not realizing he was venting to “the guy with cancer.”
• “Sometimes we’re saying the same thing, but it needs to be heard by somebody else. Tim was that voice, and he poured into Sam and his music when maybe I couldn’t have at the time.” (Bart, 42:43)

10. The Origin of “MercyMe”

• Named after Bart’s grandmother’s exasperated phrase:

  “Well, mercy me, why don’t you get a real job?” (Bart, 44:40)

11. Cherished Outdoor Memories (Listener Question)

• Bart: Attempting to fly like Peter Pan off the roof—gravity wins.
• Shannon: Crafting mud pies and “just being free outside riding my bike.” (45:51)

Notable Quotes & Moments (by Timestamp)

• 04:58 — Shannon on childhood faith:

  “When I accepted Christ… it was like putting on my dad’s T-shirt… it started to fit better.”

• 06:44 — Bart on the “pre-2004/post-2004” divide.
• 09:43 — Bart on why Shannon is a full co-author:

  “Her name needs to be on the front of this book.”

• 11:18 — Shannon:

  “Take breaks away from the disease… you have to refuel.”

• 20:44 — Bart on Amy Grant:

  “She literally changed our lives forever.”

• 24:50 — Bart describes “the flower chair”:

  “Years of just sitting there and kids climbing all over me… me not even noticing.”

• 28:30 — Bart finds grace in counseling:

  “He’s still pleased with you on your worst day, because it’s not about how you perform.”

• 31:16 — Favorite book line:

  “The tears were also because I love his voice that much. The voice of that diabetic kid I thought I had ruined.”

• 32:12 — On audience response:

  “They kind of got me again and surprised me… ‘I feel seen or I feel heard.’”

• 35:13 — On invisible struggles and parent guilt:

  “I beat myself up when I have those moments of, ‘God, I can’t take it’… every moment needs a break.”

• 42:43 — On Tim Timmons’ impact:

  “Tim was that voice, and he poured into Sam and his music when maybe I couldn’t have at the time.”

• 44:40 — On the “MercyMe” band name.
• 45:51 — Favorite outdoor memories.

Major Takeaways & Applicability

• Permission for Real Struggle: It’s okay to hurt, to need help, to take breaks, to feel regret and still be “enough.”
• Value of Community: Don’t isolate—ask for, accept, and offer help.
• Faith’s Steadiness: Not every story is dramatic—quiet faithfulness is powerful.
• Mentorship Heals: Find supportive adults for your children (and yourself!), especially in rough seasons.
• Chronic Challenges are Valid: You’re not alone—with chronic illness, disability, or grief, your story deserves space.
• Redemption and Restoration are Possible: Even years “in the flower chair” can give way to reunion and new purpose.

Episode Flow at a Glance

• 00:34–03:07: Introductions, context on Bart and Shannon; foundation of faith
• 04:26–06:44: Shannon’s childhood faith, testimonies
• 06:44–10:32: The trauma of 2004, decision to tell their story
• 10:33–12:54: Early parenting, community and coping with chronic illness
• 12:54–21:19: “I Can Only Imagine” backstory, Amy Grant’s role
• 21:50–24:50: Fame’s double-edge; disconnection at home
• 24:50–29:48: Depression, the flower chair, and seeking help
• 29:48–31:57: Regret and redemption; Sam’s music journey
• 32:12–35:13: Listener stories, validation for chronic invisible struggles
• 39:17–43:39: Tim Timmons’ story, co-writing “Even If,” mentorship
• 44:21–45:42: MercyMe’s name origin
• 45:51–46:40: Childhood outdoor memories
• 46:51–end: Wrap-up, closing encouragement

Conclusion

This episode of The 1000 Hours Outside Podcast is a must-listen for any parent, caregiver, or person carrying heavy, quiet burdens. The Millards’ honesty is a balm to those who feel isolated by hardship and a testimony to the truth that healing rarely happens alone or quickly. Even years of disengagement can melt away through grace, honest connection, and reaching out. Their journey is a living example that “real life still matters,” and community—inside and out of the flower chair—can change everything.