That Sounds Fun With Annie F. Downs

I'm ALWAYS here for a good bonus conversation! You heard Micah and Shireen Eldridge yesterday as we talked all about who is praying for you? And you guys, if you haven’t listened, you’re definitely going to want to go back and listen HERE!! Micah and Shireen are trusted friends of mine that are so wise and pastor a lot of people in their community. So as we are thinking about finding the voices you need to live the life you want, what if the voice you need is a pastor? What do you do if you ask your pastor to be on your board, but they say no? Micah and Shireen are just so helpful as we dive in to one of YOUR most asked questions! For a full list of all the resources from our Build Your Board experts go to anniefdowns.com/buildyourboard. Be sure to grab your copy of our Build Your Board Guidebook for this series. There are pages to take notes for every episode and questions to walk through and process, so that by the end of the series, you will have a completed resource AND the answer to the question--who is

Y'all. Get ready for an amazing note-taking episode! Micah and Shireen Eldridge are two of my favorite pastors who are trusted, faithful friends of mine that I know are praying on my behalf. And as we talk about who might be missing on your board, it maybe a person (or people) who you know are consistently praying for you and want to know when there’s something going on in your life that they can be praying about. We’re going to talk today about what that looks like and why it all matters. Be sure to stick around here tomorrow on TSF for a special 10 minute bonus conversation with Micah and Shireen as they answer the question, "What if I want my pastor to be on my board?" It's going to be another good one! For a full list of all the resources from our Build Your Board experts go to anniefdowns.com/buildyourboard. Be sure to grab your copy of our Build Your Board Guidebook for this series. There are pages to take notes for every episode and questions to walk through and process, so that by the end of the serie

This is one of those conversations that will meet you right where you are no matter what you’re walking through and is an invitation to think truly and critically and kindly about your own story and your own faith. Today's conversation with Seth and Amber Haines fits right in as we're thinking about the voices in our lives, our spiritual growth, and our spiritual leaders. We talked about participating in hope even when you don't feel it, how to disciple kids in the midst of pain caused by the church, and why Catholicism was the next right thing for the Haines family. Seth and Amber's book The Deep Down Things is absolutely beautiful! It made me laugh and cry and ALL THE THINGS! I'm so thankful for the Haines and their honesty about their journey of faith.  . . . . Subscribe to Let's Read the Gospels with Annie F. Downs HERE. Go to https://anniefdowns.com/gospels to purchase your October Reading Plan or Let’s Read the Gospels Guidebook. . . . . . Find more fun things on this episode by going to anniefdowns.com

You guys. I'm officially in New York! I wanted to share a few thoughts and experiences I've had as I am learning and living.  If you missed the story of why I'm moving to New York for a couple months, be sure to listen to AFD in NYC Episode 1 and AFD in NYC Episode 2. I'd love for you to share your questions or thoughts for more episodes like this with me over on @thatsoundsfunpodcast. See you back here tomorrow on That Sounds Fun Podcast! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

In our last Build Your Board episode,  you got to hear from my mentor, Nancy, who disciples me, and today you get to hear from Becca, who I disciple and Harley who Becca disciples. It’s like this little family line of discipleship! Here’s why we wanted to do this… so many of you guys talk to me about wanting these kinds of relationships in your life, but aren’t sure where to start or what to do.  We thought it’d be fun to bring on both Becca and Harley, so we can talk about what discipleship practically looks like for all of us. As followers of Jesus, we all have a calling to go and make disciples, so we’re going to break down what that looks like for me and Becca and Harley. I feel so honored to be in this stack of women and am grateful for each of them! For a full list of all the resources from our Build Your Board experts go to anniefdowns.com/buildyourboard. Be sure to grab your copy of our Build Your Board Guidebook for this series. There are pages to take notes for every episode and questions to walk th

Y'all KNOW we love a Friday show around here!! Having my dear friend, Micah E. Davis, here talking about being a part of a city you love, serving at your local church, and navigating wounds and scars when it comes to church and family, really means the world. Talking about the next generation and celebrating their bold faith is one of the things I love to do the most! I am so thankful for my friends like Micah who are living a life of obedience to what God has called them to do. Make sure you grab a copy of Micah's book Trailblazers (and get all those pre-order bonuses!!) - I think you're really going to love it.  If you're near the Indianapolis area, check out Micah's book launch event HERE. . . . . Subscribe to Let's Read the Gospels with Annie F. Downs HERE. Go to https://anniefdowns.com/gospels to purchase your October Reading Plan or Let’s Read the Gospels Guidebook. . . . . . Find more fun things on this episode by going to anniefdowns.com/thatsoundsfun. . . . . . Head to anniefdowns.com/books for more

Y'all have been asking me about my mentor, Nancy, for YEARS and I am beyond excited to get to share her voice with you all. As we continue our Build Your Board Series today with Nancy, we get to talk about what exactly mentorship looks like, what to look for in a mentor, and the difference between mentorship and discipleship. Nancy is the ACTUAL best and I can't wait for you all to get a glimpse of the wisdom I'm honored to receive from this spiritual mother of mine.  For a full list of all the resources from our Build Your Board experts go to anniefdowns.com/buildyourboard. Be sure to grab your copy of our Build Your Board Guidebook for this series. There are pages to take notes for every episode and questions to walk through and process, so that by the end of the series, you will have a completed resource AND the answer to the question--who is the NEXT voice I need to help me build the life that I want? . . . . Subscribe to Let's Read the Gospels with Annie F. Downs HERE. Go to https://anniefdowns.com/gospe

We're continuing our Build Your Board Series with today's episode all about counseling! I'm honored to have Melanie Rogers from Come Alive Counseling with us as we talk about how to know if we need a counselor, what a spiritual director is, and what to do if counseling doesn't fit within our budget. She is one of my favorite therapists and I'm so happy I got to sit down with her! I know some of you are ALL IN on counseling and others of you are unsure or uninterested, and I think this conversation will be like a “counseling 101” starting place to help all of us figure out the role therapy can play in our lives. Crisis Text Line provides free, 24/7 support via text message. Text HOME to 741741. For a full list of all the resources from our Build Your Board experts go to anniefdowns.com/buildyourboard. Be sure to grab your copy of our Build Your Board Guidebook for this series. There are pages to take notes for every episode and questions to walk through and process, so that by the end of the series, you will h

Y’all talk to me all the time about how hard it is to make new friends as adults, and I get it. So today, four of my best friends--Jami, Kelley, Ashley, and Jen--join me to talk about how our friendships started, what it looks like to maintain friendships as adults with really busy lives, and what we expect from each other. You’ve met them before on other episodes, but I’ve never had all of these friends here at once, so this was a GOOD TIME. For a full list of all the resources from our Build Your Board experts go to anniefdowns.com/buildyourboard. Be sure to grab your copy of our Build Your Board Guidebook for this series. There are pages to take notes for every episode and questions to walk through and process, so that by the end of the series, you will have a completed resource AND the answer to the question--who is the NEXT voice I need to help me build the life that I want? . . . . Subscribe to Let's Read the Gospels with Annie F. Downs HERE. Go to https://anniefdowns.com/gospels to purchase your Octobe

Today we kick off a special series called Build Your Board where we want to help you find the voices you need to live the life you want…because in a world of influencers, you get to decide who is influencing you. I am so honored to have Al Andrews with me today talking all about loneliness. We knew before we started talking about the voices you need in your life, we wanted to get to the root of it all…loneliness. I think you’re going to love him and the wisdom he brings. For a full list of all the resources from our Build Your Board experts go to anniefdowns.com/buildyourboard. Be sure to grab your copy of our Build Your Board Guidebook for this series. There are pages to take notes for every episode and questions to walk through and process, so that by the end of the series, you will have a completed resource AND the answer to the question- who is the NEXT voice I need to help me build the life that I want? . . . . Subscribe to Let's Read the Gospels with Annie F. Downs HERE. Go to https://anniefdowns.com/go

Can I just be Annie on a Sunday every now and then? This feels like friend talk anyways. I can't believe I'm leaving for New York City in just four short days. I've been thinking a lot lately about leaving home and how loud FOMO can get. So what do you do when you don't want to do the thing you want to do? If you missed the story of why I'm moving to New York for a couple months, be sure to listen to Episode 1 of AFD in NYC. I'd love for you to share your questions or thoughts for more episodes like this with me over on @thatsoundsfunpodcast. See you back here tomorrow for a really fun Monday episode on That Sounds Fun as we start the Build Your Board Series! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Subscribe to Let's Read the Gospels with Annie F. Downs HERE. . . . .  Go to https://anniefdowns.com/gospels to purchase your October Reading Plan or Let’s Read the Gospels Guidebook. . . . . Follow Let's Read the Gospels on YouTube, Instagram, and Facebook Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

This is a fun one, y'all! Yours and my favorite Food Network Star, Aarti Sequeira is back to talk all about how her faith impacts her professional life, aging publicly, and staying true to who she is. I am SO excited that Aarti is back on the pod! Her new devotional cookbook, Unwind, is out now. Y'all. This book. It's amazing! I just love this whole idea. My soul felt so full after talking to Aarti and I know yours will too. . . . . Subscribe to Let's Read the Gospels with Annie F. Downs HERE. Go to https://anniefdowns.com/gospels to purchase your October Reading Plan or Let’s Read the Gospels Guidebook. . . . . . Find more fun things on this episode by going to anniefdowns.com/thatsoundsfun. . . . . . Head to anniefdowns.com/books for more information and to sign up for the AFD Book of the Month. . . . . . Sign up to receive the AFD Week In Review email and ask questions to future guests! #thatsoundsfunpodcast . . . . . Thank you to our partners! Beekeepers Natural: Go to beekeepersnaturals.com/THATSOUNDSFUN

Have you considered having a “Board of Directors” for your life? The community you surround yourself with helps you grow as a person and grow in your relationship with God. And we want to help you figure out who you need right now and how to find them. For the month of October, we’re hosting Build Your Board, a That Sounds Fun podcast series to help you find the voices you need for the life you want. We’re going to talk about finding friends as an adult, why counselors matter so much, how to find a mentor, why discipleship doesn’t have to be intimidating, and So. Much. More. Go download your Build Your Board Guidebook at anniefdowns.com/buildyourboard and subscribe to That Sounds Fun if you haven’t already. Let’s Build Your Board. Because in a world of influencers, it is important that YOU decide who is influencing you. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Today, I have the honor of getting to talk with Dr. Scot McKnight. I know talking about the church falling apart does NOT sound fun...but it's such a needed conversation right now. So many of us have been or are currently in a complicated spot with a church. Dr. McKnight teaches us about hope, pain, and leadership. Y'all know I also LOVE a good Gospel conversation and this does not disappoint! I think you're really going to love learning from him. His latest book—co-written with Laura Barringer—called Pivot, which is such an important read if you’re a pastor or church leader or a business leader. It is a helpful, hard, beautiful book. We begin the conversation talking a good bit about church hurt and if this is a part of your story, this episode may be tender to you. I wanted you to know beforehand so you can take care of your heart. . . . . Subscribe to Let's Read the Gospels with Annie F. Downs HERE. Go to https://anniefdowns.com/gospels to purchase your October Reading Plan or Let’s Read the Gospels Guideb

We LOVE a Friday bonus episode and this one is extra special! I get to talk to my friend, Dr. Carolyn Weber, who is the author of Surprised by Oxford. Y’all, when I tell you I fell in love with this book the first time I read it...I cannot wait for you to hear Carolyn talk about writing it and now seeing it come to life on the big screen. It is a FASCINATING conversation! This film is playing nationwide for a limited time — so regardless, don’t miss your chance to see my favorite book turned into a film in theaters on September 27th (you know, and maybe catch my cameo). You can go to surprisedbyoxford.movie to find when and where it’s playing near you. Win 2 free tickets to see Surprised by Oxford in theaters September 27 by following @surprisedbyoxford on Instagram, then click LIKE and SHARE on this post HERE!  . . . . Subscribe to Let's Read the Gospels with Annie F. Downs HERE. Go to https://anniefdowns.com/gospels to purchase your September Reading Plan or Let’s Read the Gospels Guidebook. . . . . . Find

We are in a Next Gen era on the pod and I am LOVING it! Riley Clemmons and I have been friends for a long time and I think you're going to love her! Today we are talking about social media boundaries, touring, and her new album, Church Pew. This album is absolutely beautiful and I can't wait for you all to hear it! . . . . Subscribe to Let's Read the Gospels with Annie F. Downs HERE. Go to https://anniefdowns.com/gospels to purchase your September Reading Plan or Let’s Read the Gospels Guidebook. . . . . . Find more fun things on this episode by going to anniefdowns.com/thatsoundsfun. . . . . . Head to anniefdowns.com/books for more information and to sign up for the AFD Book of the Month. . . . . . Sign up to receive the AFD Week In Review email and ask questions to future guests! #thatsoundsfunpodcast . . . . . Thank you to our partners! Just Different Podcast: Listen & subscribe to SHOW - https://tinyurl.com/TheJustDifferentPodcast Hatch: Go to hatch.co/thatsoundsfun to get $20 off and free shipping! Ritua

Today on the show, we are celebrating the release of my brand new kids book So Happy to Know You! which is officially out TODAY. It means so much to me that you all have this book in your hands and in your lives and classrooms...GAH...I know a ton of you always want to hear more about the writing process and the behind the scenes of writing and launching a book, so today the illustrator of So Happy to Know You! (andWhat Sounds Fun to You?) Jennie Poh joins me ALL the way from the UK and for the first half of the show we’re going to talk all about how she takes my words and creates these beautiful illustrations and characters. She’s so talented, y’all! Then, during the second half, you’ll get to hear my conversation with Taylor Ann (who’s in charge of our miniBFFs) and Katy (who’s our Content Manager) as we talk about the process of releasing a book. I’m telling you, it takes a village, y’all!  Be sure to check out Katy's new book You Can Trust as well! . . . . Subscribe to Let's Read the Gospels with Annie F.

Y'all are in for a TREAT! This is a special and vulnerable conversation with Dr. Anita Phillips. She is so wise and honest and I loved our conversation about how emotions reveal what we need, the importance of loving our bodies, and what to do with heart pain. I know, I know...I probably should thank you for participating in my counseling session...Dr. Anita's book The Garden Within is extraordinary. Truly. Her book goes so much deeper than what we had time for in this episode and I'm telling you...this is the book you need in your life. If you want more of Dr. Anita's voice in your life (I know I do!) be sure to check out her podcast In the Light with Dr. Anita Phillips. . . . . Subscribe to Let's Read the Gospels with Annie F. Downs HERE. Go to https://anniefdowns.com/gospels to purchase your September Reading Plan or Let’s Read the Gospels Guidebook. . . . . . Find more fun things on this episode by going to anniefdowns.com/thatsoundsfun. . . . . . Head to anniefdowns.com/books for more information and to

Y’all. This one. Such a special conversation with my friend Matt Redman. I definitely cried at the end while I thanked him for years of music that have so deeply impacted me. We talk all about how to stir up mystery and reverence during our worship, the difference of Christianity between Western and Eastern cultures, and OF COURSE we talked about Matt’s latest album, Lamb of God, (which is just extraordinary). If you haven’t heard this album yet, you’re going to love it. And gosh, I wish we could have chatted for 3 more hours! I’m so grateful for Matt and the impact he has had in my life and in the world. For more info on the Worship and Theology Conference Matt mentioned, go to Worthworship.com. . . . . Subscribe to Let's Read the Gospels with Annie F. Downs HERE. Go to https://anniefdowns.com/gospels to purchase your September Reading Plan or Let’s Read the Gospels Guidebook. . . . . . Find more fun things on this episode by going to anniefdowns.com/thatsoundsfun. . . . . . Head to anniefdowns.com/books for