Phones down, faith up | Slowing down towards contentment in God’s presence | with Hannah Brencher | Episode 408

Stephanie sits down with author Hannah Brencher to discuss the practical power of unplugging from technology to deepen our connection with God, others, and oneself. Drawing from her book, The Unplugged Hours, and her personal journey, Hannah shares practical insights and spiritual wisdom that offer a clear pathway for anyone feeling overwhelmed, distracted, or disconnected.

Listen here: https://www.podcastics.com/episode/376825/link/ 

Watch the conversation on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/gospelspice 

Unplugging is less about abandoning technology and more about reclaiming the present, deepening contentment, and embracing our true identity in Christ. Through practical disciplines, humble self-awareness, and a commitment to delighting in God right where we are, we find the spacious, unhurried lives that our souls crave.

1. Recognizing the Need to Unplug

Hannah recounts her realization that constant connection to her phone was leaving her exhausted, burnt out, and spiritually depleted. She felt a persistent need to always be “on,” a sensation many people can relate to in today’s always-online world. Symptoms that signal it might be time to unplug include:

• Feeling tired and perpetually “on”
• Burnout and lack of creativity
• Scattered attention and apathy towards loved ones
• False sense of control by consuming endless information
• Numbing and anxiety, worsened by exposure to social media algorithms designed to keep us engaged through fear or desire

Unplugging, for Hannah, didn’t mean abandoning her phone entirely, but initiating a conscious journey toward better habits and rhythms.

2. The Power of Contentment and Presence

Hannah acknowledges and embraces the struggle—and ultimately, the spiritual discipline—of contentment. Social media and the internet constantly convince us that fulfillment is elsewhere, which removes us from both the present moment (time) and from our current environment (space). Hannah draws from the Apostle Paul’s words about learning contentment, framing it as a dance that takes practice and humility.

For example, Hannah’s practice of “grounding” by jotting down details of the present moment (in a notebook, not a phone) helps her drop into her actual life, savoring little joys, and affirming that “this is enough.” Unlike capturing moments for others to see on social media, this form of slow documentation, she says, nurtures personal satisfaction and removes the compulsion for outside validation.

3. Rethinking Productivity and Success

Stephanie and Hannah highlight the toxicity of equating productivity with worth. Hannah shares how unplugging redefined her sense of value from accomplishment and approval to simply being present with God. True productivity, she discovered, isn’t about checking boxes, but about what God is cultivating within us through periods of stillness—patience, peace, faithfulness.

Success, then, transforms from external achievement to delighting in God and being aware of His presence. Hannah echoes Stephanie’s insight that “a successful life is a succession of days and moments where I’m delighting in God.”

4. Practicing Stillness and Receiving God’s Presence

Jesus’ example comes alive as the epitome of unhurried purpose—accomplishing all the Father’s will without rushing. Unplugging isn’t just for personal peace, but to become truly available to God, hearing His voice and responding with readiness and openness (“Here I am, Lord”).

Through intentionally slowing down and savoring “vegetable moments”—Hannah’s metaphor for embracing the slow, nourishing parts of life—we open ourselves to the real rewards: deeper relationship with God and others.

MORE ABOUT HANNAH BRENCHER

Hannah Brencher says,  “I love teaching individuals how to build intentional lives they love through the power of habit and meaningful routines. I am the founder of The World Needs More Love Letters, author of 4 books, a TED Speaker, and an online educator teaching others how to establish important disciplines within their lives. Words are my everything and nothing fires me up more than getting to teach people about the power of discipline. Establishing better discipline was an essential piece in dealing with depression and I love seeing the freedom it unlocks in others as they establish better habits and rhythms in their own life. I’m a proud New Englander living in city of Atlanta with my husband Lane and our little girl Novalee. You can find us trying out new restaurants across the city, getting dangerously cutthroat over playing Battleship, playing at the park, and cozying up to watch a thriller (or Moana if Novi gets to pick) with our rescue pup Tuesday.”

More at https://hannahbrenchercreative.com/

MORE ABOUT “THE UNPLUGGED HOURS”

Join the Challenge: One Thousand Unplugged Hours in One Year

Former social media addict, Hannah Brencher discovered first-hand that turning off her phone had a substantial impact on her mental health, relationships, time management, and outlook on the world.

Like so many of us, Hannah had been turning to her phone to cope with life in a time of isolation and uncertainty. But those coping mechanisms had become habits she didn't know how to break until she truly committed herself to one simple yet profound act: log 1,000 phone-free hours in a year.

Now, in The Unplugged Hours, she demonstrates how the act of powering down and reducing the habit of a constantly plugged-in lifestyle can change your entire life.

No matter what you do for a living, how much time your apps save you, or how much entertainment your phone brings, it is possible to unplug—and rediscover the richness of life on the other side.

A powerful weaving of memoir, cultural commentary, and spiritual insights, this life-changing book will help you:

Reclaim your ability to be present and engaged with the world around you.

Swap the hurried, constant pace of technology for a steadier, more rooted way of living.

Establish your own unplugged rituals and rhythms in daily life.

The Unplugged Hours gives you the practical ideas and spiritual inspiration you need to stop scrolling and start living. So join the challenge: put your phone down and live your life.