That Sounds Fun with Annie F. Downs

Today on the show, Eddie and I get to catch up about ALL the things. We're talking about: Costco sheet cake Supermarket sweep  Home Goods Legos Rubik's cubes The World Cup Project Hail Mary And we DO have a question for you today. Tell us your answers over on instagram: If you have $200 and 1 hour, where are you Supermarket Sweeping? Find the show notes here . . . . . Want to watch this episode? Watch on your Spotify App, or head on over to our YouTube Channel and be sure to like and subscribe! . . . . . Thank you to our sponsors!  Capstone Wellness: Learn more at capstonewellness.com/thatsoundsfun. Shopify: Sign up for your one-dollar-per-month trial and start selling today at Shopify.com/soundsfun⁠. The Wonder Project: Subscriber support makes more great content like I Gotta Ask with Annie F. Downs possible. The Wonder Project subscription on Prime Video is available in the U.S. for $8.99/month or $89.99/year after a 7-day free trial. Visit IGottaAsk.com to learn more! NYTimes bestselling Christian author, speaker, and host of popular Christian podcast, That Sounds Fun Podcast, Annie F. Downs shares with you some of her favorite things: new books, faith conversations, entertainers not to miss, and interviews with friends. #thatsoundsfunpodcast Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

If you feel like you and your friends or you and your significant other are struggling with communication lately, keep listening. This episode is for you.  As we talk about the importance of community, one of the fastest things to trip us up is communication. Think about how often miscommunication or lack of communication is the root problem in a disagreement or riff with your people. Author and therapist Jason VanRuler is here to help us better understand our communication type. It gives us such a better look into why we may act certain ways in friendships, relationships, at work.  Jason has a new book out called Discovering Your Communication Type, so you're going to want to grab a copy of this. It's so good! We continue today's conversation with you over on spirituallystronger.com - so please join a whole community of us over there as we unpack this together. Find the show notes here . . . . Thank you to our sponsors: OurPlace: Visit fromourplace.com/TSF and use code TSF for 10% off sitewide. Good Ranchers: This July, Good Ranchers is celebrating all 50 states with $50 off your first order at GoodRanchers.com and use my code THATSOUNDSFUN at checkout. ELIC: Head to elic.org/thatsoundsfun to learn more.  This show is sponsored by BetterHelp: Sign up and get 10% off at BetterHelp.com/thatsoundsfun. Capstone Wellness: Learn more at capstonewellness.com/thatsoundsfun. Shopify: Sign up for your one-dollar-per-month trial and start selling today at Shopify.com/soundsfun⁠. The Wonder Project: Subscriber support makes more great content like I Gotta Ask with Annie F. Downs possible. The Wonder Project subscription on Prime Video is available in the U.S. for $8.99/month or $89.99/year after a 7-day free trial. Visit IGottaAsk.com to learn more! NYTimes bestselling Christian author, speaker, and host of popular Christian podcast, That Sounds Fun Podcast, Annie F. Downs shares with you some of her favorite things: new books, faith conversations, entertainers not to miss, and interviews with friends. Sign up to receive the AFD Week In Review email and ask questions to future guests! #thatsoundsfunpodcast Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

I'm so excited to introduce you to my sweet friend Leanna Crawford (or if you're already a fan like I am) to let you know about her incredible new album! One of my favorite things about Leanna is that she doesn't pretend to have everything figured out. She's thoughtful, she's funny, she's deeply grounded in her faith, and I think you're going to walk away encouraged after hearing her heart. Today we're talking songwriting, falling in love, dealing with comparison...ALL of it! Her brand new album “Thank God” is out today so you can start streaming it RIGHT NOW. Find the show notes here . . . . Thank you to our sponsors: Helix: Go to helixsleep.com/thatsoundsfun for  20% off sitewide, 25% Luxe Mattresses and 30% off Elite Mattresses! Shopify: Sign up for your one-dollar-per-month trial and start selling today at Shopify.com/soundsfun⁠. Boll and Branch: Get 15% off your first order plus free shipping at BollAndBranch.com/thatsoundsfun with code thatsoundsfun. Capstone Wellness: Learn more at capstonewellness.com/thatsoundsfun. NYTimes bestselling Christian author, speaker, and host of popular Christian podcast, That Sounds Fun Podcast, Annie F. Downs shares with you some of her favorite things: new books, faith conversations, entertainers not to miss, and interviews with friends. Sign up to receive the AFD Week In Review email and ask questions to future guests! #thatsoundsfunpodcast — Leanna Crawford: Website Instagram Spotify Facebook Thank God Album Conversation Links: ⁠Cody Zeller⁠ Washington State Fair Jacob Sooter Jimmy Robbins Taylor Swift Mean Jonathan Gamble Nick Schwarz KLOVE Fan Awards . . . . . Don't Miss the Next Episode! Subscribe using your favorite podcast app via: Apple Podcasts Spotify Amazon Music Stitcher Castbox Pocket Cast RadioPublic . . . . . Spread the Word. Leave a Rating and Review. It would mean the world to me if you would rate the podcast on Apple Podcasts and leave us a brief review! You can do the same on Spotify as well. Your ratings and reviews help us spread the word to new friends! And your feedback lets me know how I can better serve you. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

We have a fun new book announcement for you and ALL the details about what you'll get when you preorder Don't Let That Hold You Back! Visit dontletthatholdyouback.com Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

We're talking about community and commitment today… something we all can get a little bit better at, and one of my favorite couples is joining us for this conversation.  I've watched Shawn Johnson and Andrew East build such beautiful friendships here in Nashville, both in their season of life before kids and now with kids. As we get spiritually stronger, this is our reminder that we do not have to do that alone. We're going to spend the next few weeks really talking about what it looks like to commit to community, how to communicate well, and why it matters. Their new book, The Courage to Commit, recently hit the New York Times bestseller list, and we got to celebrate that at the start of the show because there's always a good reason to pull out the confetti poppers. Shawn and Andrew joined us back in 2019 for our couples series AND you can find them in episode 5 of my TV show, I Gotta Ask. They are just such kind and wise friends who are navigating both parenting, marriage, businesses, and casually winning reality shows like Special Forces. You know we had to talk about it. . . . .  Thank you to our sponsors: AG1: Visit DRINKAG1.com/SOUNDSFUN to get a free AG1 Travel Case with 7 free AG1 Travel Packs in your Welcome Kit with your first AG1 subscription order while supplies last. BetterHelp: Sign up and get 10% off at BetterHelp.com/thatsoundsfun. Thrive Causemetics: Go to thrivecausemetics.com/TSF for an exclusive offer of 20% off your first order. Shopify: Sign up for your one-dollar-per-month trial and start selling today at Shopify.com/soundsfun⁠. Capstone Wellness: Learn more at capstonewellness.com/thatsoundsfun. The Wonder Project: Subscriber support makes more great content like I Gotta Ask with Annie F. Downs possible. The Wonder Project subscription on Prime Video is available in the U.S. for $8.99/month or $89.99/year after a 7-day free trial. Visit IGottaAsk.com to learn more! NYTimes bestselling Christian author, speaker, and host of popular Christian podcast, That Sounds Fun Podcast, Annie F. Downs shares with you some of her favorite things: new books, faith conversations, entertainers not to miss, and interviews with friends. Sign up to receive the AFD Week In Review email and ask questions to future guests! #thatsoundsfunpodcast Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Every time you listen to a Spiritually Stronger episode this year, you're hearing Riley Clemmons' voice in the intro and outro music! Last year, I got to sit down with Riley and Dave Haywood and write this song to go along with our podcast series and I am SOOO thrilled that we get to finally release the whole song to you. So wherever you listen to music - Spotify, Apple Music, Amazon Music, wherever, you can now stream our song Spiritually Stronger that is beautifully recorded and performed by Riley Clemmons. . . . . Thank you to our sponsors: Shopify: Sign up for your one-dollar-per-month trial and start selling today at Shopify.com/soundsfun⁠. The Wonder Project: Subscriber support makes more great content like I Gotta Ask with Annie F. Downs possible. The Wonder Project subscription on Prime Video is available in the U.S. for $8.99/month or $89.99/year after a 7-day free trial. Visit IGottaAsk.com to learn more! Capstone Wellness: Learn more at capstonewellness.com/thatsoundsfun. NYTimes bestselling Christian author, speaker, and host of popular Christian podcast, That Sounds Fun Podcast, Annie F. Downs shares with you some of her favorite things: new books, faith conversations, entertainers not to miss, and interviews with friends. Sign up to receive the AFD Week In Review email and ask questions to future guests! #thatsoundsfunpodcast Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Today on the show, I get to talk with my friend, Hanna Seymour … on her birthday! Hanna is a wife, mom, author, and podcast host and when her book, Everyday Spiritual Habits came out earlier this year I knew we needed Hanna to come on and help us do a little check in on our rhythms - what I think you'll hear is not an opportunity to review your progress report but a reminder that it's not about performance but about a God who just wants to be with you. . . . . Thank you to our sponsors: Our Place: Visit fromourplace.com/TSF and use code TSF for 10% off sitewide. Creatone: Let me get you started with 20% off your first order. Visit TONETODAY.com… Promo Code TSF. Good Ranchers: Just visit GoodRanchers.com and use my code THATSOUNDSFUN at checkout to get $50 off anything on their site.  BetterHelp: Sign up and get 10% off at BetterHelp.com/thatsoundsfun. Shopify: Sign up for your one-dollar-per-month trial and start selling today at Shopify.com/soundsfun⁠. Capstone Wellness: Learn more at capstonewellness.com/thatsoundsfun. The Wonder Project: Subscriber support makes more great content like I Gotta Ask with Annie F. Downs possible. The Wonder Project subscription on Prime Video is available in the U.S. for $8.99/month or $89.99/year after a 7-day free trial. Visit IGottaAsk.com to learn more! NYTimes bestselling Christian author, speaker, and host of popular Christian podcast, That Sounds Fun Podcast, Annie F. Downs shares with you some of her favorite things: new books, faith conversations, entertainers not to miss, and interviews with friends. Sign up to receive the AFD Week In Review email and ask questions to future guests! #thatsoundsfunpodcast Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

I'm so happy to be here with you today to catch up with another artist friend who's putting out incredible music in the world! Jamie MacDonald is a singer-songwriter with a powerful story of faith, perseverance, and finding hope in unexpected places. Her music has connected with listeners who need honest reminders that God is present even in the middle of life's hardest moments.  We're talking about her journey of going from a back-up singer to selling out tours, what brought her back to Nashville, prison ministry, and what she's learned on the other side of fear.  Find the show notes here . . . . Thank you to our sponsors: This podcast is sponsored by BetterHelp: Sign up and get 10% off at BetterHelp.com/thatsoundsfun. WayFair: Head to Wayfair.com right now to shop all things home and get your space ready for less. AG1: Visit drinkag1.com/SOUNDSFUN to get a free AG1 Travel Case with 7 free AG1 Travel Packs in your Welcome Kit with your first AG1 subscription order while supplies last.  Helix: Go to helixsleep.com/thatsoundsfun for  20% off sitewide, 25% Luxe Mattresses and 30% off Elite Mattresses! The Wonder Project: Subscriber support makes more great content like I Gotta Ask with Annie F. Downs possible. The Wonder Project subscription on Prime Video is available in the U.S. for $8.99/month or $89.99/year after a 7-day free trial. Visit IGottaAsk.com to learn more! Shopify: Sign up for your one-dollar-per-month trial and start selling today at Shopify.com/soundsfun⁠. Boll and Branch: Get 15% off your first order plus free shipping at BollAndBranch.com/thatsoundsfun with code thatsoundsfun. Capstone Wellness: Learn more at capstonewellness.com/thatsoundsfun. NYTimes bestselling Christian author, speaker, and host of popular Christian podcast, That Sounds Fun Podcast, Annie F. Downs shares with you some of her favorite things: new books, faith conversations, entertainers not to miss, and interviews with friends. Sign up to receive the AFD Week In Review email and ask questions to future guests! #thatsoundsfunpodcast Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Don't miss today's episode. 7 + (25ish?) minutes of serious that felt really important and vulnerable. Eddie and I get to keep talking about hair washing days and health journeys - both complex in their own ways. But I'll let you guess which one of us has a lot of thoughts about hair washing days. We had a blast on the road this month with The Buddies Tour! Your fun t-shirts, your cute outfits, your excellent and hilarious questions during the show…we loved every single moment and as you'll hear in today's episode… hope we get to hit the road together again sometime. In fact, you'll have to tell us where else we should go.. . . . . Want to watch this episode? Watch on your Spotify App, or head on over to our YouTube Channel and be sure to like and subscribe! . . . . . Thank you to our sponsors! Good Ranchers: This July, Good Ranchers is celebrating all 50 states with $50 off your first order. Just visit GoodRanchers.com and use my code THATSOUNDSFUN at checkout to get $50 off anything on their site. StoryWorth: Order RIGHT NOW and save up to $20 at storyworth.com/thatsoundsfun. Helix: Go to helixsleep.com/thatsoundsfun for  20% off sitewide, 25% Luxe Mattresses and 30% off Elite Mattresses Capstone Wellness: Learn more at capstonewellness.com/thatsoundsfun. The Wonder Project: Subscriber support makes more great content like I Gotta Ask with Annie F. Downs possible. The Wonder Project subscription on Prime Video is available in the U.S. for $8.99/month or $89.99/year after a 7-day free trial. Visit IGottaAsk.com to learn more! Shopify: Sign up for your one-dollar-per-month trial and start selling today at Shopify.com/soundsfun⁠. Boll and Branch: Get 15% off your first order plus free shipping at BollAndBranch.com/thatsoundsfun with code thatsoundsfun.  NYTimes bestselling Christian author, speaker, and host of popular Christian podcast, That Sounds Fun Podcast, Annie F. Downs shares with you some of her favorite things: new books, faith conversations, entertainers not to miss, and interviews with friends. #thatsoundsfunpodcast Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

If you've often felt like you're a soldier for God instead of just resting in being a child of God, I'm telling you, this conversation is for you. I know so many of you are taking vacations this time of year and our team is getting ready to do the same thing. It's the perfect time to talk about why a yearly Sabbath really matters in the rhythm of our calendar. Yvette Henry is home schooling her kids full time, while also being an author and podcaster. We so often get questions about what rest and sabbath looks like for parents. How do you find the time? How do you bring your kids into moments of sabbath? And you're going to hear Yvette's helpful perspective about all of it. Her book Release, Rest, Remain is also the perfect thing to pick up on your Sabbath while you take some time to unplug from screens and rest your mind. Don't forget, we have a Sabbath Practice Guide available for you over on spirituallystronger.com. It's got a list of ideas and ways to practice Sabbath.  . . . . Thank you to our sponsors: OurPlace: Visit fromourplace.com/TSF and use code TSF for 10% off sitewide. With a 100-day trial, you can try it completely risk-free. BetterHelp: Sign up and get 10% off at BetterHelp.com/thatsoundsfun. Helix: Go to helixsleep.com/thatsoundsfun for  20% off sitewide, 25% Luxe Mattresses and 30% off Elite Mattresses! The Wonder Project: Subscriber support makes more great content like I Gotta Ask with Annie F. Downs possible. The Wonder Project subscription on Prime Video is available in the U.S. for $8.99/month or $89.99/year after a 7-day free trial. Visit IGottaAsk.com to learn more! StoryWorth: Order RIGHT NOW and save up to $20 at storyworth.com/thatsoundsfun. Shopify: Sign up for your one-dollar-per-month trial and start selling today at Shopify.com/soundsfun⁠. Boll and Branch: Get 15% off your first order plus free shipping at BollAndBranch.com/thatsoundsfun with code thatsoundsfun. Capstone Wellness: Learn more at capstonewellness.com/thatsoundsfun. NYTimes bestselling Christian author, speaker, and host of popular Christian podcast, That Sounds Fun Podcast, Annie F. Downs shares with you some of her favorite things: new books, faith conversations, entertainers not to miss, and interviews with friends. Sign up to receive the AFD Week In Review email and ask questions to future guests! #thatsoundsfunpodcast Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Pastor Tyler Staton from Bridgetown Church is here today to help us figure out how to make space for Sabbath in our week. I know it sounds like almost impossible to reserve a day for rest and delight, but I'm telling you, this rhythm specifically has changed me. Whether you're a busy mom or a busy college student, we're going to talk about why Sabbath matters in your week. I think you'll find that Tyler offers us all a really freeing invitation to practice Sabbath and how much joy there is for us to find in the middle of it! Tyler also has a book out you need to check out called After Amen: 50 Days of Poetry and Prayer.  . . . . All 6 episodes of my new TV show, I Gotta Ask, are streaming NOW on the Wonder Project. You can find them on your Prime Video app when you search “I Gotta Ask” and if you need help subscribing, and figuring out how to add The Wonder Project to your Prime Video app, we've got all of the instructions at IGottaAsk.com. There's a free 7-day trial too, so unlock that and go binge watch the whole season! . . . . Thank you to our sponsors: AG1: Visit drinkag1.com/soundsfun to get a free Morning Person Hat and free AG1 Flavor Sampler in your Welcome Kit with your first AG1 subscription (an $82 value!). CreaTone: Get started with 20% off your first order. Visit TONETODAY.com… Promo Code TSF. BetterHelp: Sign up and get 10% off at BetterHelp.com/thatsoundsfun. Good Ranchers: For a limited time, when you purchase any Father's Day Gift Box from Good Ranchers, they'll throw in FREE Wagyu Burgers for Dad to enjoy. Just head to GoodRanchers.com, pick out any Father's Day Gift Box, and the free Wagyu Burgers will be automatically applied at checkout. Helix: Go to helixsleep.com/thatsoundsfun for  20% off sitewide, 25% Luxe Mattresses and 30% off Elite Mattresses! The Wonder Project: Subscriber support makes more great content like I Gotta Ask with Annie F. Downs possible. The Wonder Project subscription on Prime Video is available in the U.S. for $8.99/month or $89.99/year after a 7-day free trial. Visit IGottaAsk.com to learn more! StoryWorth: Order RIGHT NOW and save up to $20 at storyworth.com/thatsoundsfun. Shopify: Sign up for your one-dollar-per-month trial and start selling today at Shopify.com/soundsfun⁠. Boll and Branch: Get 15% off your first order plus free shipping at BollAndBranch.com/thatsoundsfun with code thatsoundsfun. Capstone Wellness: Learn more at capstonewellness.com/thatsoundsfun. NYTimes bestselling Christian author, speaker, and host of popular Christian podcast, That Sounds Fun Podcast, Annie F. Downs shares with you some of her favorite things: new books, faith conversations, entertainers not to miss, and interviews with friends. Sign up to receive the AFD Week In Review email and ask questions to future guests! #thatsoundsfunpodcast Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Jennie Lusko is here to kick off talking about the practice of sabbath for the next three weeks. She's going to help us think through what it looks like to find moments of rest and pause in our day to day, which is perfect because her brand new book also just came out called: Fresh Mercies Everyday, and it's beautiful. If making space for a Sabbath is something you've been wanting to do, we've created a Sabbath Practice Guide for you that's available over on spirituallystronger.com. It's got a list of ideas for practicing sabbath daily, weekly, and yearly. Just some simple things to help you think through how to prepare. Find the show notes here . . . . The final episodes of season 1 of my brand new TV show, I Gotta Ask, drop THIS THURSDAY over on the Wonder Project channel on your Prime Video app. Don't forget there's a 7 day free trial for you, so you can binge all of them. We had the best time sitting down with experts and real life friends and just chopping it up over questions about faith and fear and business and finance and dating. For more details or a reminder on where and how to watch, visit igottaask.com! . . . . Eddie Kaufholz and I are currently on the road this month for The Buddies Tour and we want to see you there! We're heading to 6 different cities and it is a night of just pure fun. Get your tickets at thebuddiestour.com! . . . . Thank you to our sponsors: BetterHelp: Sign up and get 10% off at BetterHelp.com/thatsoundsfun. Brodo: Head to Brodo.com/THATSOUNDSFUN for 20% off your first subscription order and use code THATSOUNDSFUN for an additional $10 off. ELIC: Head to elic.org/thatsoundsfun to learn more. StoryWorth: Order RIGHT NOW and save up to $20 at storyworth.com/thatsoundsfun. Capstone Wellness: Learn more at capstonewellness.com/thatsoundsfun. Shopify: Sign up for your one-dollar-per-month trial and start selling today at Shopify.com/soundsfun⁠. Boll and Branch: Get 15% off your first order plus free shipping at BollAndBranch.com/thatsoundsfun with code thatsoundsfun. Helix: Go to helixsleep.com/thatsoundsfun for 20% off sitewide! The Wonder Project: Subscriber support makes more great content like I Gotta Ask with Annie F. Downs possible. The Wonder Project subscription on Prime Video is available in the U.S. for $8.99/month or $89.99/year after a 7-day free trial. Visit IGottaAsk.com to learn more! NYTimes bestselling Christian author, speaker, and host of popular Christian podcast, That Sounds Fun Podcast, Annie F. Downs shares with you some of her favorite things: new books, faith conversations, entertainers not to miss, and interviews with friends. Sign up to receive the AFD Week In Review email and ask questions to future guests! #thatsoundsfunpodcast Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

We wanted to give you a sneak peek of the brand new talk show I Gotta Ask with Annie F. Downs. This episode explores the question, "How does our faith inform our finances?" For more info on how you can watch the WHOLE season of I Gotta Ask, visit https://www.anniefdowns.com/i-gotta-ask/ If you want to watch this - check it out on your Spotify app, or YouTube! Can you trust God and still check your bank account five times a day? In this straight-talking, soul-meets-strategy conversation, Annie F. Downs is joined by BeautyBlender Founder and Owner Rea Ann Silva, financial expert Anthony O'Neal, and Annie's friend Kelley — who asks the questions we're all thinking but rarely say out loud. From tithing when you feel broke to navigating ambition vs. contentment, this episode dives into the real tension between faith and financial survival. And here's the twist: money conversations don't have to feel heavy, they can actually be freeing, and even fun. Packed with practical tools, hard truths, and hope you can actually use, this conversation will challenge how you think about money — and empower you to handle it with wisdom, freedom, faith, and a splash of humor. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Today on the show, I get to talk with my friend and mentor, Nancy Mattingly. Her life is testament of so much joy and gratitude despite having walked through suffering in some really significant ways. In fact, just 6 months ago, we weren't sure Nancy was going to be with us much longer because of her battle with cancer, and today it's an honor to hear her tell her story and share it with all of us. We have a Gratitude Practice Guide available for you over on spirituallystronger.com - if you've never documented what you're grateful for this is an easy step to take. You just download and print it out and you'll have a way to document your gratitude throughout this week! . . . . Have you gotten a chance to watch the first 2 episodes of I Gotta Ask yet?! YOU GUYS. I've loved reading your messages and emails and I'm so so thrilled this project is finally out and we can all watch it together! What a dream come true. To watch, you just visit your Prime Video app, add the Wonder Project channel and you're ready to go! There's even a 7 day free trial for you so definitely take advantage of that. The next 2 episodes air on Thursday, June 4 and the last 2 on Thursday, June 11 for a total of 6 episodes and I cannot wait to hear what you think about all of them! For more details or a reminder on where to watch, visit igottaask.com! . . . . Eddie Kaufholz and I are currently on the road in May and June for The Buddies Tour and we want to see you there! We're heading to 6 different cities and it is a night of just pure fun. Get your tickets at thebuddiestour.com! . . . . Thank you to our sponsors: Thrive Causemetics: Go to thrivecausemetics.com/TSF for an exclusive offer of 20% off your first order. WayFair: Head to Wayfair.com right now to get your outdoor space ready for way less. BetterHelp: Sign up and get 10% off at BetterHelp.com/thatsoundsfun. CreaTone: Get started with 20% off your first order. Visit TONETODAY.com… Promo Code TSF. The Wonder Project: Subscriber support makes more great content like I Gotta Ask with Annie F. Downs possible. The Wonder Project subscription on Prime Video is available in the U.S. for $8.99/month or $89.99/year after a 7-day free trial. Visit IGottaAsk.com to learn more! Capstone Wellness: Learn more at capstonewellness.com/thatsoundsfun. Shopify: Sign up for your one-dollar-per-month trial and start selling today at Shopify.com/soundsfun⁠. Boll and Branch: Get 15% off your first order plus free shipping at BollAndBranch.com/thatsoundsfun with code thatsoundsfun. StoryWorth: Order RIGHT NOW and save up to $20 at storyworth.com/thatsoundsfun. Helix: Go to helixsleep.com/thatsoundsfun for 20% off site wide! NYTimes bestselling Christian author, speaker, and host of popular Christian podcast, That Sounds Fun Podcast, Annie F. Downs shares with you some of her favorite things: new books, faith conversations, entertainers not to miss, and interviews with friends. #thatsoundsfunpodcast Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Dating. Money. Grief. Fear. Faith doesn't remove the hard. It meets you in it. Before the answers and the breakthrough, there were real questions… and Annie is asking!Introducing I Gotta Ask with Annie F. Downs! WATCH NOW on Wonder Project on Prime Video. Start your free trial today: https://amzn.to/4fm3U3v Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Today on the show, Eddie and I talk about: Eddie's strange twitches (you're not ready)  Some of the behind the scenes of The Buddies tour  A little bit of wedding planning talk And the multiple uses of the word buffalo That list of randomness is also exactly how The Buddies Tour is going. We've had an absolute blast so far on this tour and we have 4 more shows to go. Are you coming?!? We will be in: Orlando, Florida on Friday, June 5th! Charlotte, North Carolina on Sunday, June 7th! Trussville (Birmingham), Alabama on Friday, June 12th! And Nashville, TN on Saturday, June 13th! There's a VIP Meet & Greet before the show (except Nashville & Charlotte's VIP are both sold out) and there's After Party for Single Purpose League at every stop. We're having a ball and tickets start at just $45 (that's including the added fees). You can find the dates and details at thebuddiestour.com We cannot wait to see you there!  . . . . . My brand new TV show I Gotta Ask is NOW STREAMING on the Wonder project channel on your Prime Video app… TO-DAY. The first 2 episodes are out and the next 2 drop next week…This is such a dream come true, AND an opportunity to bring hope to a whole new group of friends. What if this weekend you invite a few friends over for a little watch party? I know our Single Purpose League gals are planning to! Just pull out some snacks, turn on I Gotta Ask and then chat about what you think after you watch. Episode 1 we're talking about dating and episode 2 about finances, so there is PLENTY for you to chop up and talk about with your friends. Head to igottaask.com or thewonderproject.com to find all the details on how to watch and start a free 7 day trial. . . . . . Want to watch this episode? Watch on your Spotify App, or head on over to our YouTube Channel and be sure to like and subscribe!  We have a Substack now! Find it at spirituallystronger.com. Sign up to receive the AFD Week In Review email and ask questions to future guests! . . . . . Thank you to our sponsors! Capstone Wellness: Learn more at capstonewellness.com/thatsoundsfun. Shopify: Sign up for your one-dollar-per-month trial and start selling today at Shopify.com/soundsfun⁠. Boll and Branch: Get 15% off your first order plus free shipping at BollAndBranch.com/thatsoundsfun with code thatsoundsfun. NYTimes bestselling Christian author, speaker, and host of popular Christian podcast, That Sounds Fun Podcast, Annie F. Downs shares with you some of her favorite things: new books, faith conversations, entertainers not to miss, and interviews with friends. #thatsoundsfunpodcast Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Pastor Matt Chandler is here today for the second part of our conversation about confession. Last week, we talked about what it looks like to confess to God and today we talk about what it looks like to confess to others. Matt reminds us the way confession and repentance is a gift—an invitation to deeper intimacy with God and others. If you missed it last week, we have a confession practice guide available for all of our paid substack subscribers over on spirituallystronger.com!We've been so moved by the emails and letters y'all have sent in with your confessions. Thank you for trusting us with that. If you need a place just to say the hard thing…to practice before you say it to your people…we're happy to be that place. Feel free to email us at tellmemore@anniefdowns.com Find the show notes here . . . . My brand new TV show premieres THIS WEEK on the Wonder Project channel on Prime Video. The first 2 episodes of season 1 of I Gotta Ask air this Thursday, May 28th. There's a 7 day free trial for you, so you can watch both episodes totally free. In every episode, I sit down with a group of friends, some experts in their fields, some thought leaders, and some just my real life people—you're going to get to hear from Shawn Johnson East & Andrew East, Melinda Doolittle, Jon Acuff, Trillia Newbell, celebrity matchmakers, and so many more. If you go to thewonderproject.com, it'll give you steps on signing up for the free trial through your Prime Video app. . . . . Eddie Kaufholz and I are currently on the road in May and June for The Buddies Tour and we want to see you there! We're heading to 6 different cities and it is a night of just pure fun. Get your tickets at thebuddiestour.com! . . . . Thank you to our sponsors: ELIC: Head to elic.org/thatsoundsfun to learn more. BetterHelp: Sign up and get 10% off at BetterHelp.com/thatsoundsfun. Good Ranchers: Get free meat with every order AND $100 off your first three orders when you start your subscription plan - this month only. Or if you just wanna try it out, you can get $40 off your first order with my code THATSOUNDSFUN instead! GoodRanchers.com. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Pastor Aaron Graham is the founder and lead pastor of a thriving, multicultural church in Washington, D.C. representing more than 80 nations, called The District Church, and he's spent years helping people navigate faith and culture. He's also the author of a brand new book called Unshakable Faith, where he talks about how to stand firm in what we believe, even when everything around us feels like it's shifting. Today we're unpacking a new spiritual rhythm-- confession. Aaron helps us rethink confession…not as something heavy or shame-filled, but as an invitation back into closeness with God. Join us over on spirituallystronger.com as well where we have a confession practice guide for you to use. This is just a simple download that will help you think through what may need to be brought into the light. And if you need a place to share what you've been struggling with and need someone to confess to, you can always send us an email at tellmemore@anniefdowns.com. We'd be honored to read them. Find the show notes here . . . . Have you heard the fun announcement?! Ya girl AFD has her own TV show!! I cannot believe I get to say that. Season 1 of my brand new talk show, I Gotta Ask, airs Thursday, May 28th on the Wonder Project which you can find through your Amazon Prime Video app. You may have heard of The Wonder Project because they're the ones who brought you The House of David, and I am SO honored and honestly have ZERO CHILL that I get to partner with them to make this dream come true. We'll of course make sure you know exactly how to find the show as soon as it's released, there's even a 7 day free trial for you, but for now, put a little reminder in your phone or put it your calendar, because the first 2 episodes of season 1 drop on Thursday, May 28th and I cannot wait to hear what you think. In every episode, I sit down with a group of friends, some experts in their fields, some thought leaders, and some just my real life people, and we talk about things like: Why is dating so hard in 2026? How do I build a business? What do I do with fear and anxiety? And so many more questions that I just had to ask. . . . . Eddie Kaufholz and I are hitting the road in May and June for The Buddies Tour and we want to see you there! We're heading to 6 different cities and y'all this is going to be a night of just pure fun. Get your tickets at thebuddiestour.com. . . . . Thank you to our sponsors: BetterHelp: Sign up and get 10% off at BetterHelp.com/thatsoundsfun. OurPlace: Visit fromourplace.com/TSF and use code TSF for 10% off sitewide. Brodo: Head to Brodo.com/THATSOUNDSFUN for 20% off your first subscription order and use code THATSOUNDSFUN for an additional $10 off. Ritual: Save 25% on your first month at Ritual.com/THATSOUNDSFUN. Capstone Wellness: Learn more at capstonewellness.com/thatsoundsfun. Boll and Branch: Get 15% off your first order plus free shipping at BollAndBranch.com/thatsoundsfun with code thatsoundsfun. Shopify: Sign up for your one-dollar-per-month trial and start selling today at Shopify.com/soundsfun⁠. NYTimes bestselling Christian author, speaker, and host of popular Christian podcast, That Sounds Fun Podcast, Annie F. Downs shares with you some of her favorite things: new books, faith conversations, entertainers not to miss, and interviews with friends. Sign up to receive the AFD Week In Review email and ask questions to future guests! #thatsoundsfunpodcast Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

We recently recorded an episode of Single Purpose League about mothering, and as soon as we finished, I looked at the team and said, “Should we share this with the larger That Sounds Fun audience?” With Mother's Day this past Sunday, we recognize how complicated that day can be for so many of us. For some, you're mourning the loss of your mom or the mom you'd hope for. For others, you're mourning the fact that you can't biologically have children. And for others, you're carrying the tension of being a mom while also wrestling with the fact that it's harder than you ever could have imagined.  In this episode from Single Purpose League, you're going to hear a conversation between myself, Katy Boatman who co-leads Single Purpose League with me, and our friend, Christen who is a single mom of two adopted little boys.  Our hope is that whatever emotion this day holds, you'll be reminded that the story God writes is full of hope and purpose, even if it's harder than you would have imagined. If you're not married right now, and you want to hear more conversations like this, we'd love to get to know you in Single Purpose League! We drop a new episode once a month over on Patreon and then we get to chat it up and talk about it together on our monthly livestreams. It's a blast and we still have a lot of fun things planned for SPL this year. Check it out at singlepurposeleague.com. Find the show notes here . . . . Eddie Kaufholz and I are hitting the road in May and June for The Buddies Tour and we want to see you there! We're heading to 6 different cities and y'all this is going to be a night of just pure fun. Get your tickets at thebuddiestour.com. . . . . Thank you to our sponsors: Boll and Branch: Get 15% off your first order plus free shipping at BollAndBranch.com/thatsoundsfun with code thatsoundsfun. Shopify: Sign up for your one-dollar-per-month trial and start selling today at Shopify.com/soundsfun⁠. Capstone Wellness: Learn more at capstonewellness.com/thatsoundsfun. NYTimes bestselling Christian author, speaker, and host of popular Christian podcast, That Sounds Fun Podcast, Annie F. Downs shares with you some of her favorite things: new books, faith conversations, entertainers not to miss, and interviews with friends. Sign up to receive the AFD Week In Review email and ask questions to future guests! #thatsoundsfunpodcast Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Today we are unpacking generosity with my friend, Jon Acuff. Jon is always equal parts hilarious, honest, and incredibly helpful, and today's conversation is one I think you're going to love. As we talk about generosity…we're going to talk about what it practically looks like, how it changes us, and ways to be generous with more than just our money. Jon brings so much wisdom and practical perspective to this conversation. He also has a brand new book out called Procrastination Proof, so we get into that too—how to stop putting off the things that matter most, how to actually make progress, and why procrastination doesn't have to run the show. We also have a Generosity Practice Guide available for you over today on spirituallystronger.com We want to make sure we're not just talking about spiritual disciplines this year, but actually putting them into practice, so we've created this practice guide to give you some ideas. Typically our resources are available only to our Spiritually Stronger paid substack subscribers, but we wanted to give you a peek at what these guides are like because we have 3 more coming soon. So in the spirit of generosity, today it's free ;) Just head over to spirituallystronger.com to download it.  . . . . Eddie Kaufholz and I are hitting the road in May and June for The Buddies Tour and we want to see you there! We're heading to 6 different cities and y'all this is going to be a night of just pure fun. Get your tickets at thebuddiestour.com. . . . . Thank you to our sponsors: ELIC: You can learn more at elic.org/thatsoundsfun.  CreaTone: Get started with 20% off your first order. Visit TONETODAY.com,  promo code TSF. This show is sponsored by BetterHelp: Sign up and get 10% off at BetterHelp.com/thatsoundsfun. Capstone Wellness: Learn more at capstonewellness.com/thatsoundsfun. Boll and Branch: Get 15% off your first order plus free shipping at BollAndBranch.com/thatsoundsfun with code thatsoundsfun. Shopify: Sign up for your one-dollar-per-month trial and start selling today at Shopify.com/soundsfun⁠. NYTimes bestselling Christian author, speaker, and host of popular Christian podcast, That Sounds Fun Podcast, Annie F. Downs shares with you some of her favorite things: new books, faith conversations, entertainers not to miss, and interviews with friends. Sign up to receive the AFD Week In Review email and ask questions to future guests! #thatsoundsfunpodcast Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Welcome to the very first episode of what we're calling AFD's Friday Faves! I have a playlist on Spotify called AFD's Friday Faves where I'll update it from time to time with music I'm listening to or songs I think you'll love, and now we're bringing it to the podcast.  These shorter episodes won't happen every Friday, but we wanted to make space to tell you stories and introduce you to friends who are creating incredible music, so AFD's Friday Faves will pop up in your feed from time to time, and there is no better way to kick this off than with Amy Grant. Today her brand-new record, The Me That Remains releases. It is the kind of record that makes you want to sit on your porch and listen all the way through. Amy said, “I hope this album feels easy to be with,” and I thought… yes. That's exactly it. Because that's true of Amy too. She is easy to be with, but she always brings important things with her. So whether you're on your porch, in your car, on a walk, or just trying to make it through your day, I think you're going to love this conversation. . . . . Eddie Kaufholz and I are hitting the road in May and June for The Buddies Tour and we want to see you there! We're heading to 6 different cities and y'all this is going to be a night of just pure fun. Get your tickets at thebuddiestour.com. . . . . Thank you to our sponsors: Capstone Wellness: Learn more at capstonewellness.com/thatsoundsfun. Boll and Branch: Get 15% off your first order plus free shipping at BollAndBranch.com/thatsoundsfun with code thatsoundsfun. Shopify: Sign up for your one-dollar-per-month trial and start selling today at Shopify.com/soundsfun⁠. NYTimes bestselling Christian author, speaker, and host of popular Christian podcast, That Sounds Fun Podcast, Annie F. Downs shares with you some of her favorite things: new books, faith conversations, entertainers not to miss, and interviews with friends. Sign up to receive the AFD Week In Review email and ask questions to future guests! #thatsoundsfunpodcast Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Now that we've covered 2 different spiritual disciplines, prayer and fasting, we wanted to zoom out for a minute and talk about the practical side of our rhythms. Do we have to start our mornings with a quiet time? What if you're a busy parent or a single mom? What does time with God in the morning look like? We're talking about all of it today with Jennifer Dukes Lee! I really think you're going to love her new book, How to Love Your Morning. Honestly, if you're looking for a gift idea for a mom, this would be a great one.  Morning person or not, let's figure out how to start our day from a place of surrender with God. It doesn't have to be quiet and it doesn't have to be hours long. Join us on Substack at spirituallystronger.com! View the show notes here . . . . Eddie Kaufholz and I are hitting the road in May and June for The Buddies Tour and we want to see you there! We're heading to 6 different cities and y'all this is going to be a night of just pure fun. Get your tickets at thebuddiestour.com. . . . . Thank you to our sponsors: AG1: Visit drinkag1.com/SOUNDSFUN to get a FREE AG1 Flavor Sampler and a bottle of Vitamin D3+K2 in your AG1 Welcome Kit when you first subscribe, a $72 value. OurPlace: Stop cooking with toxic cookware, and upgrade to Our Place today. Visit fromourplace.com/TSF and use code TSF for 10% off sitewide.  WayFair: Head to Wayfair.com right now to shop all things home. This show is sponsored by BetterHelp: Sign up and get 10% off at BetterHelp.com/thatsoundsfun. Capstone Wellness: Learn more at capstonewellness.com/thatsoundsfun. Boll and Branch: Get 15% off your first order plus free shipping at BollAndBranch.com/thatsoundsfun with code thatsoundsfun. Shopify: Sign up for your one-dollar-per-month trial and start selling today at Shopify.com/soundsfun⁠. NYTimes bestselling Christian author, speaker, and host of popular Christian podcast, That Sounds Fun Podcast, Annie F. Downs shares with you some of her favorite things: new books, faith conversations, entertainers not to miss, and interviews with friends. Sign up to receive the AFD Week In Review email and ask questions to future guests! #thatsoundsfunpodcast Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Today on the show, Eddie and I get to keep talking about the new season of Serial, whether we got Olympics tickets or not, merch at the Masters, laundry services, SNL UK, and our fear of heights and claustrophobia... Y'all know we always have long lists to cover and it's going to be the same way on The Buddies Tour.! We hit the road for the Buddies Tour in 2 WEEKS, YOU GUYS! Have you gotten your tickets yet?! Eddie and I are coming to: Keller (Fort Worth), Texas on Friday, May 15th Colorado Springs, Colorado on Saturday, May 16th Orlando, Florida on Friday, June 5th Charlotte, North Carolina on Sunday, June 7th Trussville (Birmingham), Alabama on Friday, June 12th Nashville, TN on Saturday, June 13th You can find the dates and details at thebuddiestour.com. We cannot wait to see you there!  . . . . . Want to watch this episode? Watch on your Spotify App, or head on over to our YouTube Channel and be sure to like and subscribe!  We have a Substack now! Find it at spirituallystronger.com. Sign up to receive the AFD Week In Review email and ask questions to future guests! . . . . . Thank you to our sponsors! Boll and Branch: Get 15% off your first order plus free shipping at BollAndBranch.com/thatsoundsfun with code thatsoundsfun. Shopify: Sign up for your one-dollar-per-month trial and start selling today at Shopify.com/soundsfun⁠. Capstone Wellness: Learn more at capstonewellness.com/thatsoundsfun. NYTimes bestselling Christian author, speaker, and host of popular Christian podcast, That Sounds Fun Podcast, Annie F. Downs shares with you some of her favorite things: new books, faith conversations, entertainers not to miss, and interviews with friends. #thatsoundsfunpodcast Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Sissy Goff and David Thomas are here today from Raising Boys and Girls! Today we talk about the decline they've seen in the capability of kids throughout their work as counselors over the past 30 years, and what we, as adults who deeply care about this next generation, can do about it. Whether you're a parent, an aunt, a teacher, or a mentor, this is an important conversation full of hope and also full of straightforward honesty about raising up boys and girls who are fully capable of taking on the world.  David and Sissy's brand new book, Capable: How to Teach Your Kids the Strengths, Skills, and Strategies to Build Resilience, is a must read! Find the show notes here . . . . Eddie Kaufholz and I are hitting the road in May and June for The Buddies Tour and we want to see you there! We're heading to 6 different cities and y'all this is going to be a night of just pure fun. Get your tickets at thebuddiestour.com. . . . . Thank you to our sponsors: Thrive Causemetics: Go to thrivecausemetics.com/TSF for an exclusive offer of 20% off your first order. Brodo: Head to Brodo.com/THATSOUNDSFUN for 20% off your first subscription order and use code THATSOUNDSFUN for an additional $10 off. This show is sponsored by BetterHelp: Sign up and get 10% off at BetterHelp.com/thatsoundsfun. ELIC: You can learn more at elic.org/thatsoundsfun. Boll and Branch: Get 15% off your first order plus free shipping at BollAndBranch.com/thatsoundsfun with code thatsoundsfun. Shopify: Sign up for your one-dollar-per-month trial and start selling today at Shopify.com/soundsfun⁠. Capstone Wellness: Learn more at capstonewellness.com/thatsoundsfun. NYTimes bestselling Christian author, speaker, and host of popular Christian podcast, That Sounds Fun Podcast, Annie F. Downs shares with you some of her favorite things: new books, faith conversations, entertainers not to miss, and interviews with friends. Sign up to receive the AFD Week In Review email and ask questions to future guests! #thatsoundsfunpodcast Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Today I get to talk with my friends Pastor Kevin Queen and Pastor Dave Clayton. Both are extremely wise voices not only in my life but in the lives of so many here in middle Tennessee. When I knew I wanted us to talk about what it looks like to do an extended fast, these were the 2 first I thought of. We're talking about everything from why it can feel weird to talk about fasting, what it looks like to lead people through a corporate fast, and what it looks like to do an extended fast. Maybe it's 3 days or 7 days or 21 days or 40 days. That may not be for everyone, but it is for someone and I wanted these two to help discern what that looks like and how to walk through it with discipline and grace. After you listen, head over to spirituallystronger.com. I'm telling a story about the moment I felt Holy Spirit invite me into an extended fast. And as always, we have questions there for you to process and think through this week. View the show notes here . . . . Eddie Kaufholz and I are hitting the road in May and June for The Buddies Tour and we want to see you there! We're heading to 6 different cities and y'all this is going to be a night of just pure fun. Get your tickets at thebuddiestour.com. . . . . Thank you to our sponsors: Ritual: Save 25% on your first month at Ritual.com/THATSOUNDSFUN.  This show is sponsored by BetterHelp: Sign up and get 10% off at BetterHelp.com/thatsoundsfun. CreaTone: Get started with 20% off your first order at TONETODAY.com, promo code TSF. OurPlace: Visit fromourplace.com/TSF and use code TSF for 10% off sitewide. Shopify: Sign up for your one-dollar-per-month trial and start selling today at Shopify.com/soundsfun⁠. Capstone Wellness: Learn more at capstonewellness.com/thatsoundsfun. Boll and Branch: Get 15% off your first order plus free shipping at BollAndBranch.com/thatsoundsfun with code thatsoundsfun. NYTimes bestselling Christian author, speaker, and host of popular Christian podcast, That Sounds Fun Podcast, Annie F. Downs shares with you some of her favorite things: new books, faith conversations, entertainers not to miss, and interviews with friends. Sign up to receive the AFD Week In Review email and ask questions to future guests! #thatsoundsfunpodcast Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Ryan Wekenman is back today to help us continue to unpack and better understand the spiritual discipline of fasting. If it's something you've never tried and have always had questions or hesitations about, this conversation is going to be so helpful, especially as we get ready to practice fasting together tomorrow, April 14th! We have a guide for you to use to you have some things to read and pray through. That's available to all of our paid Substack subscribers over at spirituallystronger.com. If you're not yet subscribed, it's never too late to jump us!  Ryan also has a brand new book coming out tomorrow called Free Me from Me: Escaping the Maze of Self-Centeredness by Embracing a God-Centered Life and it is excellent. We get to talk about that too and I'm really excited for you to read this book. Find the show notes here . . . . Eddie Kaufholz and I are hitting the road in May and June for The Buddies Tour and we want to see you there! We're heading to 6 different cities and y'all this is going to be a night of just pure fun. Get your tickets at thebuddiestour.com. . . . . Thank you to our sponsors: This show is sponsored by BetterHelp: Sign up and get 10% off at BetterHelp.com/thatsoundsfun. ELIC: You can learn more at elic.org/thatsoundsfun. Boll and Branch: Get 15% off your first order plus free shipping at BollAndBranch.com/thatsoundsfun with code thatsoundsfun. Shopify: Sign up for your one-dollar-per-month trial and start selling today at Shopify.com/soundsfun⁠. Capstone Wellness: Learn more at capstonewellness.com/thatsoundsfun. NYTimes bestselling Christian author, speaker, and host of popular Christian podcast, That Sounds Fun Podcast, Annie F. Downs shares with you some of her favorite things: new books, faith conversations, entertainers not to miss, and interviews with friends. Sign up to receive the AFD Week In Review email and ask questions to future guests! #thatsoundsfunpodcast Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Today on the show, I get to talk to my new friend, Sophia Ruffin-Wilson. Sophia is an influencer, author, creator, and prophetic voice whose message of deliverance and transformation has resonated powerfully around the world. I started following her on instagram and fell in love with her wisdom and overall FUN vibes and knew we were meant to be friends.  Today you're going to get to hear some of her story, what God's teaching her right now, how Holy Spirit is speaking to her, and why she named her book It Will Be God. There's no new post today over on Substack since this is a bonus episode, but remember we're going to practice fasting together as a community on Tuesday, April 14th and we have a free prayer guide for you to use that day, so head over to spirituallystronger.com to subscribe and you can find it there. View the show notes here . . . . Eddie Kaufholz and I are hitting the road in May and June for The Buddies Tour and we want to see you there! We're heading to 6 different cities and y'all this is going to be a night of just pure fun. Get your tickets at thebuddiestour.com. . . . . Thank you to our sponsors: Boll and Branch: Get 15% off your first order plus free shipping at BollAndBranch.com/thatsoundsfun with code thatsoundsfun. Shopify: Sign up for your one-dollar-per-month trial and start selling today at Shopify.com/soundsfun⁠. Capstone Wellness: Learn more at capstonewellness.com/thatsoundsfun. NYTimes bestselling Christian author, speaker, and host of popular Christian podcast, That Sounds Fun Podcast, Annie F. Downs shares with you some of her favorite things: new books, faith conversations, entertainers not to miss, and interviews with friends. Sign up to receive the AFD Week In Review email and ask questions to future guests! #thatsoundsfunpodcast Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Alex Seeley is a Bible teacher, author, and co-founder of the Belonging Co. here in Nashville, and this is her 3rd time on the show. As we continue talking about the spiritual discipline of fasting, she is such a wise voice to help us understand why this practice really makes a difference in our relationship with the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit and she's also helping us better understand specifically our relationship with Holy Spirit. Her next book, which comes out tomorrow, is called  The Divine Counselor and is about just that— understanding we have direct access to the greatest helper, teacher, advocate, and counselor. After you listen, head over to spirituallystronger.com where we can continue to unpack this conversation together AND we want to invite you to put this spiritual discipline into practice with us on Tuesday, April 14th. We're going to have a That Sounds Fun: Spiritually Stronger Day of Fasting, so together as a community, we can spend the day fasting and praying. It's important to us that we not just talk about how powerful these rhythms are, but actually give you a chance to practice them. View the show notes here . . . . Thank you to our sponsors: This show is sponsored by BetterHelp: Sign up and get 10% off at BetterHelp.com/thatsoundsfun.  Thrive Causemetics: Go to thrivecausemetics.com/TSF for an exclusive offer of 20% off your first order. Our Place: Save up to 40% on your site wide now through April 12th at fromourplace.com/TSF. Wayfair: Way Day is THE sale to shop the best deals in home – we're talking up to 80% OFF with fast and FREE shipping on everything! Head to Wayfair.com April 25th through the 27th to shop Way Day.  Boll and Branch: Get 15% off your first order plus free shipping at BollAndBranch.com/thatsoundsfun with code thatsoundsfun. Shopify: Sign up for your one-dollar-per-month trial and start selling today at Shopify.com/soundsfun⁠. Capstone Wellness: Learn more at capstonewellness.com/thatsoundsfun. NYTimes bestselling Christian author, speaker, and host of popular Christian podcast, That Sounds Fun Podcast, Annie F. Downs shares with you some of her favorite things: new books, faith conversations, entertainers not to miss, and interviews with friends. Sign up to receive the AFD Week In Review email and ask questions to future guests! #thatsoundsfunpodcast Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Holy Week Bible Reading: Easter Sunday Matthew 28:1-10 Mark 16:1-13 Luke 24:1-35 John 20:1-25 (Read from my Bible in the New International Version 1984 and a portion of the Jesus Storybook Bible by Sally Lloyd-Jones) #TSFHolyWeek #thatsoundsfunpodcast Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Holy Week Bible Reading: Good Friday Matthew 26:47-27:66 Mark 14:43-15:47 Luke 22:47-23:56 John 18:2-19:42 (Read in The Message Version) . . . . . There will be no reading tomorrow. Nothing is recorded in Scripture of this Saturday. But Sunday is coming... #TSFHolyWeek #thatsoundsfunpodcast Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Holy Week Bible Reading: Thursday Matthew 26:17-46 Mark 14:12-42 Luke 22:7-46 John 13-17:26 (Read from the Christian Standard Bible Version) . . . . . #TSFHolyWeek #thatsoundsfunpodcast Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Holy Week Bible Reading: Wednesday Matthew 26:14-16 Mark 14:10-11 Luke 22:3-6 (Read from the New English Translation) . . . . . #TSFHolyWeek #thatsoundsfunpodcast Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Holy Week Bible Reading: Tuesday Matthew 21:23-23:39, 26:6-13 Mark 11:27-12:44 Luke 20-21:4 John 12:2-11 (Read in the New Living Translation) . . . . . #TSFHolyWeek #thatsoundsfunpodcast Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Holy Week Bible Reading: Monday Matthew 21:12-22 Mark 11:12-18 Luke 19:45-48 (Read in the English Standard Version) . . . . . #TSFHolyWeek #thatsoundsfunpodcast Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Holy Week Bible Reading: Palm Sunday Matthew 21:1-11 Mark 11:1-11 Luke 19:29-44 John 12:12-19 (Read from my Bible in the New International Version 1984) . . . . . #TSFHolyWeek #thatsoundsfunpodcast Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Today on the show, I get to talk with my friend, Rabbi Jason Sobel. You may remember him from episode 1022 when we had him here during Advent to talk about the connections between the Old Testament and the New Testament when it comes to Jesus' birth. Immediately when we finished recording that episode, I told him he had to come back and talk to us during Lent to help us also talk through Jesus' resurrection. He has served as a spiritual advisor for The Chosen since it started and y'all went nuts for his latest book, Transformed By the Messiah. ME TOO. Rabbi Jason is a Jewish man who believes Jesus is the Messiah, and the way he connects the dots between the Old Testament and the new is like watching the story of Jesus go from regular definition to full-on high definition. Next week, we won't be airing any new Spiritually Stronger episodes, but we are going to air a daily Scripture reading for Holy Week. I'll read through the stories from the Gospels that correlate with each day's events during Holy Week. We've made a reading plan for you too that you can check off whether you prefer to read or listen along. You can find that at spirituallystronger.com! Find the show notes here . . . . Thank you to our sponsors! Boll and Branch: Get 15% off your first order plus free shipping at BollAndBranch.com/thatsoundsfun with code thatsoundsfun. Shopify: Sign up for your one-dollar-per-month trial and start selling today at Shopify.com/soundsfun⁠. Capstone Wellness: Learn more at capstonewellness.com/thatsoundsfun. NYTimes bestselling Christian author, speaker, and host of popular Christian podcast, That Sounds Fun Podcast, Annie F. Downs shares with you some of her favorite things: new books, faith conversations, entertainers not to miss, and interviews with friends. Sign up to receive the AFD Week In Review email and ask questions to future guests! #thatsoundsfunpodcast Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

We're going to keep talking about fasting today with my friend, Dr. Derwin Gray. He is the co-founding and Lead Pastor of Transformation Church, just outside of Charlotte, NC.  We also talking about memorizing Scripture and what grace really looks like as we prepare for Holy Week. Head over to spirituallystronger.com after you listen because he also mentions “virtue ethics” today and I want us to talk about this some more and how it relates to spiritual disciplines. I'm really curious what you think. . . . . Thank you to our sponsors! This show is sponsored by BetterHelp: Sign up and my friends get 10% off at BetterHelp.com/thatsoundsfun. Ritual: Save 25% on your first month at Ritual.com/THATSOUNDSFUN. CreaTone: Get started with 20% off your first order. at TONETODAY.com, promo code TSF. Brodo: Head to Brodo.com/THATSOUNDSFUN for 20% off your first subscription order and use code THATSOUNDSFUN for an additional $10 off. Boll and Branch: Get 15% off your first order plus free shipping at BollAndBranch.com/thatsoundsfun with code thatsoundsfun. Shopify: Sign up for your one-dollar-per-month trial and start selling today at Shopify.com/soundsfun⁠. Capstone Wellness: Learn more at capstonewellness.com/thatsoundsfun. NYTimes bestselling Christian author, speaker, and host of popular Christian podcast, That Sounds Fun Podcast, Annie F. Downs shares with you some of her favorite things: new books, faith conversations, entertainers not to miss, and interviews with friends. Sign up to receive the AFD Week In Review email and ask questions to future guests! #thatsoundsfunpodcast Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Today on the show, Eddie and I get to keep talking about the Winter Olympics (mountaineering is wild!), the latest wild west movie I've watched, snow skiing stories, the difference in weighing things vs measuring them, and what makes a good biscuit... and of course we're just adding to the list of what we want The Buddies Tour to look like!  Plus, you're not ready to hear Eddie's new way of saying, “I have to use the restroom.” Things get a bit unhinged today.  Have you gotten your tickets to The Buddies tour yet?! Eddie and I are coming to: Keller (Fort Worth), Texas on Friday, May 15th Colorado Springs, Colorado on Saturday, May 16th Orlando, Florida on Friday, June 5th Charlotte, North Carolina on Sunday, June 7th Trussville (Birmingham), Alabama on Friday, June 12th Nashville, TN on Saturday, June 13th Y'all, this is going to be an actual blast. I hope these nights are just pure fun. Tickets are selling QUICKLY! Go to thebuddiestour.com We cannot wait to see you there! IF YOU MAKE SOAP, please come tell us over on instagram at @thatsoundsfunpodcast or shoot us an email at tellmemore@anniefdowns.com. . . . . . ⁠Find the show notes here⁠ Want to watch this episode? Watch on your Spotify App, or head on over to our YouTube Channel and be sure to like and subscribe!  We have a Substack now! Find it at spirituallystronger.com. Sign up to receive the AFD Week In Review email and ask questions to future guests! . . . . . Thank you to our sponsors! Shopify: Sign up for your one-dollar-per-month trial and start selling today at Shopify.com/soundsfun⁠. Capstone Wellness: Learn more at capstonewellness.com/thatsoundsfun. Boll and Branch: Get 15% off your first order plus free shipping at BollAndBranch.com/thatsoundsfun with code thatsoundsfun. NYTimes bestselling Christian author, speaker, and host of popular Christian podcast, That Sounds Fun Podcast, Annie F. Downs shares with you some of her favorite things: new books, faith conversations, entertainers not to miss, and interviews with friends. #thatsoundsfunpodcast Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

It's time to talk about fasting. Lisa Bevere is a spiritual mom to a lot of us and was the exact right person to help us kick off this conversation. What I love about this conversation is how Lisa reframes fasting not as punishment or performance — but as invitation. As a way of intentionally making space for God to move in us and through us. We talk about what fasting actually is — and what it isn't. We talk about motives, about hunger (the physical and the spiritual kind), and about how fasting, when paired with prayer, can sharpen our awareness of God's presence in everyday life. It's practical and deeply spiritual at the same time. If fasting is something you've been curious about but never tried, we talk about some simple ways to start. Head over to spirituallystronger.com after you listen as we process this together and give some questions to think through this week. Remember, this year we're saying give us one hour a week listening to this episode and 10 minutes a day going through the Substack questions. We have loved this rhythm and love reading your comments each week! . . . . Thank you to our sponsors! This show is sponsored by BetterHelp: Sign up and my friends get 10% off at BetterHelp.com/thatsoundsfun. ELIC: To learn more, visit elic.org/thatsoundsfun. Wayfair: Head to Wayfair.com right now to shop all things home. Our Place: Visit fromourplace.com/TSF and use code TSF for 10% off sitewide. Shopify: Sign up for your one-dollar-per-month trial and start selling today at Shopify.com/soundsfun⁠. Capstone Wellness: Learn more at capstonewellness.com/thatsoundsfun. Boll and Branch: Get 15% off your first order plus free shipping at BollAndBranch.com/thatsoundsfun with code thatsoundsfun. NYTimes bestselling Christian author, speaker, and host of popular Christian podcast, That Sounds Fun Podcast, Annie F. Downs shares with you some of her favorite things: new books, faith conversations, entertainers not to miss, and interviews with friends. Sign up to receive the AFD Week In Review email and ask questions to future guests! #thatsoundsfunpodcast Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

My friend Jen Lilley is joining us today. She's an actress, producer, storyteller, and just a total delight of a human. You may know her from Days of Our Lives, General Hospital, or Hallmark and Great American Family movies. But here's what I really love about her: behind the film sets is a woman with a deep, vibrant, anchored faith. So, while we thought we were taking a break from our theme this week, what you'll hear is a friend who is indeed Spiritually Strong. Jen has written a 365-day devotional called Wake Up Your Faith that you absolutely want a copy of and in this conversation we get to beautifully usher in next week's introduction to our next spiritual discipline: fasting. Find us on Substack at spirituallystronger.com!  . . . .  Thank you to our sponsors! AG1: Go to drinkag1.com/SOUNDSFUN to get an AG1 Flavor Sampler and a bottle of Vitamin D3+K2 for FREE in your AG1 Welcome Kit with your first AG1subscription order! This show is sponsored by BetterHelp: Sign up and my friends get 10% off at BetterHelp.com/thatsoundsfun. CreaTone: Let me get you started with 20% off your first order. Visit TONETODAY.com, promo code TSF. ELIC: To learn more, visit elic.org/thatsoundsfun.  Shopify: Sign up for your one-dollar-per-month trial and start selling today at Shopify.com/soundsfun⁠. Capstone Wellness: Learn more at capstonewellness.com/thatsoundsfun. Boll and Branch: Get 15% off your first order plus free shipping at BollAndBranch.com/thatsoundsfun with code thatsoundsfun. NYTimes bestselling Christian author, speaker, and host of popular Christian podcast, That Sounds Fun Podcast, Annie F. Downs shares with you some of her favorite things: new books, faith conversations, entertainers not to miss, and interviews with friends. Sign up to receive the AFD Week In Review email and ask questions to future guests! #thatsoundsfunpodcast Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Matt Smallbone is the pastor of Church of the City's downtown campus here in Nashville, and we're continuing with a bit of a theme today as we talk again this week about The Lord's Prayer. Every time we talk about it during this prayer series though, I feel like there's something new to see and something deeper to understand. It's wild how a prayer so familiar, so memorized, so repeated, can still surprise us. Matt has written a brand new book called The Prayer Experiment that comes out in April and you're going to love. We're unpacking all of this over on spirituallystronger.com too, so please come join us as we process together over there! . . . .   Thank you to our sponsors! This show is sponsored by BetterHelp: Sign up and my friends get 10% off at BetterHelp.com/thatsoundsfun. Our Place:  Visit fromourplace.com/TSF and use code TSF for 10% off sitewide. With a hundred-day risk-free trial, free shipping and returns, you can experience this game-changing cookware with zero risk. Brodo: Head to Brodo.com/THATSOUNDSFUN for 20% off your first subscription order and use code THATSOUNDSFUN for an additional $10 off Thrive Causemetics: Go to thrivecausemetics.com/TSF for an exclusive offer of 20% off your first order. Shopify: Sign up for your one-dollar-per-month trial and start selling today at Shopify.com/soundsfun⁠. Capstone Wellness: Learn more at capstonewellness.com/thatsoundsfun. Ritual: Save 25% on your first month at Ritual.com/THATSOUNDSFUN. NYTimes bestselling Christian author, speaker, and host of popular Christian podcast, That Sounds Fun Podcast, Annie F. Downs shares with you some of her favorite things: new books, faith conversations, entertainers not to miss, and interviews with friends. Sign up to receive the AFD Week In Review email and ask questions to future guests! #thatsoundsfunpodcast Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Today Eddie and I get to keep talking about how much is going on in the world right now and just how hard it is for all of us to wrestle with it. We also talk about my ceiling falling in during the ice storm in Nashville! Our "7 minutes of serious" turned into closer to 47! But don't worry, we of course had to wrap things up by chatting for a bit about Oscar nominations, Zootopia 2, and the first movie we ever remember seeing. Also... THE BUDDIES TOUR DATES AND CITIES HAVE NOW BEEN ANNOUNCED! We're coming to: Keller (Fort Worth), Texas on Friday, May 15th Colorado Springs, Colorado on Saturday, May 16th Charlotte, North Carolina on Friday, June 5th Trussville (Birmingham), Alabama on Friday, June 12th And maybe more…stay tuned! You can find the dates and details at thebuddiestour.com and because you're a podcast listener you get pre-sale access to tickets TODAY!!! Just use the code BUDDIES and get your tickets at thebuddiestour.com. We cannot wait to see you there! . . . . . Want to watch this episode? Watch on your Spotify App, or head on over to our YouTube Channel and be sure to like and subscribe!  We have a Substack now! Find it at spirituallystronger.com. Sign up to receive the AFD Week In Review email and ask questions to future guests! . . . . . Thank you to our sponsors! Our Place:  Visit fromourplace.com/TSF and use code TSF for 10% off sitewide. With a hundred-day risk-free trial, free shipping and returns, you can experience this game-changing cookware with zero risk. Shopify: Sign up for your one-dollar-per-month trial and start selling today at Shopify.com/soundsfun⁠. Capstone Wellness: Learn more at capstonewellness.com/thatsoundsfun. Ritual: Save 25% on your first month at Ritual.com/THATSOUNDSFUN. NYTimes bestselling Christian author, speaker, and host of popular Christian podcast, That Sounds Fun Podcast, Annie F. Downs shares with you some of her favorite things: new books, faith conversations, entertainers not to miss, and interviews with friends. #thatsoundsfunpodcast Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices