That Sounds Fun With Annie F. Downs

What do I do with my fears in this season? Today I to talk to my friend Caroline Shankle and her mom, who you know already and LOVE, Melanie Shankle! So many of our friends are battling seasons of fear or seasons of anxiety, especially Caroline’s generation and her first book, written with her mom, is called The Lion and the Bear and comes out tomorrow. If you have a teenager or college girl and grab a copy for them to start during fall break or save it for a Christmas gift. This 100-day devotional would be a great way for your girls to start the new year. Today, Caroline gives advice for college students and to parents with kids in college, talks about what God is up to at Texas A&M, and of course we talk about SEC Football. We had this convo in early August and gave some predictions of how these teams would be doing!  If you’re following along in your TSF Seasons Guidebook, we’re on page 112. The guidebook is available for you at anniefdowns.com/seasons! Find the show notes here . . . . . If you enjoye

Today we’re answering the question, “How do I worship in every season?”  Chris Tomlin's songs are part of worship services all over pretty much every Sunday - from How Great is Our God to Holy Forever. He’s someone whose music has been a meaningful part of my life since college.  He is a GRAMMY Award Winning CCM artist, and his new album, 'The King Is Still The King' just released and it is just so beautiful. You're going to love this album and this conversation. If you’re following along in your TSF Seasons Guidebook, get those note-taking pages ready. We’re on page 111. As always, the guidebook is available for you at anniefdowns.com/seasons . . . . . I'm on the road with CAIN for 40 shows this fall-- do you have your tickets?! Go to anniefdowns.com/events to find a list of all of the cities and dates! . . . . . 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!  . . . . . Sign up to receive th

You hear him every time you turn on the pod and listen to our theme song... and now Ben Rector is in the building again today! We talk about the golden days with young kids, what it's like for creatives being online and keeping up with algorithms, excellence in building a set list, and the way writing music marks milestones and seasons in our lives. His album The Richest Man in the World came out a few months ago and it is SO good. You'll definitely want to listen, as it's also our soundtrack for the Fall season.  We're on Page 109 in our TSF Seasons Guidebook if you're following along with us!  And if you enjoyed this episode, I think you’d also love episode 407 with Dave Barnes.  . . . . . I'm on the road with CAIN for 40 shows this fall-- do you have your tickets?! They’re currently just $25 and I promise this is a night you can bring your whole family to. Head to anniefdowns.com/events to find a list of all of the cities and dates! . . . . . Find the show notes here Want to watch this episode? Wat

Tonight is the first night of the CAIN Live And In Color tour, so clearly we had to have my honorary siblings, Logan, Madison, and Taylor, from the band CAIN, come join us on the show as we kick off this tour! You’re going to get to hear some of the behind the scenes of planning and preparing for the tour, and they open up about their new song "I Made It"- a song has been special to them after a hard year. We’re on the road for 40 shows-- do you have your tickets?! They’re currently just $25 and I promise this is a night you can bring your whole family to. You don’t want to miss it! Head to anniefdowns.com/events to find a list of all of the cities and dates and we’ll see you there! In your TSF Seasons Guidebook, we’re on page 108 today. Don’t have one? You can always purchase and download yours at: anniefdowns.com/seasons Also, we also could use your input as we think about the podcast next year! Would you fill out our survey and help us as we build and dream for next year? We’re going to choose one of yo

If you’re trying to sort out some hard things this fall, if you’re trying to figure out what you need to store up for the winter, if you’re wanting to hang out to the changing leaves as long as possible before they die…. Well, I really think you’re going to love this one. Today we'll answer the question, “What is the fall and how do I define it in my life?” Pastor Mike Kelsey's wise voice is helping us think about the beauty we can find in the fall even when things feel like they’re changing so much. We’re starting to look at what things to store up for the winter and ultimately asking God what it looks like to flourish in every single season, including the fall. We’re on page 107 in your TSF Seasons Guidebook (You can order and download your copy at anniefdowns.com/seasons).  ALSO, we could use your input as we think about the podcast next year! Would you fill that out this survey today and help us as we build and dream for next year? We’re going to choose one of you to send a $150 gift card of your choic

When we get to this part of the year, I think we often look around and wonder how it came so fast. How is it that the leaves are about to change colors and we’re going to start talking about the holidays? Why did the winter feel eternal back in January and now we’re not sure how the year is almost over? But what I love about what we’ve been doing on That Sounds Fun this year is getting a chance to actually be present in each season and think about where we are today—to stop and define the realities of the shift in our own lives.  So what IS fall? What does it mean for our everyday lives? Our spiritual lives? Does it bring up stress for you because it’s marked with a lot of busyness? Does it spark idyllic dreams of lattes and pumpkin patches? Is there relief for you that you’re back in a routine after summer was more relaxed? Does it bring up fear because things are changing and moving so fast? On Monday, September 22nd, we’re starting our last season of 2025 together, here on That Sounds Fun as we step int

You never know what conversation Eddie and I are going to get into, and today is no different. If you want to hear the ideas we have about a Christmas episode, the instagram account I was so surprised Eddie was following, or the diabolical way Eddie transitions his wardrobe from summer to fall…well, just keep listening. As always, we have some note taking pages for you for this episode over in our TSF Seasons Guidebook, so you can find that on page 94, and if you need a copy of the guidebook, BECAUSE THE FALL SEASON STARTS ON MONDAY, then head over to anniefdowns.com/seasons! . . . . . 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!  . . . . . Sign up to receive the AFD Week In Review email and ask questions to future guests! #thatsoundsfunpodcast . . . . . Thank you to our sponsors! Shopify: Sign up for your one-dollar-per-month trial and start selling today at shopify.com/soundsfun.  B

Today on the show, we’re answering the question, “How do I prepare for the work of the fall?” I know the changing of a season can make us want to rush the transition, but this conversation today is going to help you think intentionally about not rushing your reset. If there’s anyone who knows how to set themselves up well for organization and a reset, it’s Emily Ley. Her Simplified Planner is my absolute favorite (she’s giving my friends 20% off in September when you use the code THATSOUNDSFUN).  We’re on page 93 in your TSF Seasons Guidebook! You can order and download your copy at anniefdowns.com/seasons. Find the show notes here . . . . . If you enjoyed this episode, I think you’d also love:  Discernment and Decisions with Emily P. Freeman – Episode 869 . . . . . 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!  . . . . . Sign up to receive the AFD Week In Review email and ask questions to future guests! #thats

So many of us have walked through unexpected seasons of grief and loss. When those seasons hit, it feels impossible to know how to put one foot in front of the other or we don’t know how to best support our friends through it. Today we answer, “What do I do when my season suddenly shifts?” Kate and I met a couple of months ago when I was on the road for a speaking event. She has walked through the tragic death of her adult son and has SO generously agreed to share with us what she wished someone had shared with her when that pain was fresh. Whether you’ve dealt with a similar situation or you’re close to someone who has, I encourage you to lean in to the perspective and encouragement Kate shares with us about what it looks like to honor and grieve and keep living and keep loving even when we don’t think we have it in us. If you’re following along in your TSF Seasons Guidebook, we’re on page 92 (*we moved this date*). The guidebook is available for you at anniefdowns.com/seasons. Similar episodes you may fi

Today on the show, we’re asking the question, “How can my kitchen reflect the seasons?” Kate Strickler, also known as Naptime Kitchen, is just a delight. Her book came out last week called: I Just Wish I Had a Bigger Kitchen. We’re going to talk about why we struggle with what we don’t have, how to learn to love what we do, finding friends as adults, AND you’re going to hear the best hack for cinnamon rolls. If you’re following along in your TSF Seasons Guidebook, we’re on page 90. Find the show notes here . . . . . If you enjoyed this episode, I think you’d also love episode 897 with Emily Morrow from Really Very Crunchy or episode 946 with Danielle Kartes from Rustic Joyful Food.  . . . . . 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!  . . . . . In September, join us in reading the Gospels together over on the Let’s Read the Gospels podcast! . . . . . Sign up to receive the AFD Week In Review email and ask question

How else would we mark the 1000th episode than with the person we’ve talked to the most: our pal Eddie Kaufholz! And I just want to tell you now, so you can make the switch if you need to…this is an episode I think you’ll want to watch on your Spotify App or YouTube, and also watch the whole thing. Just trust me, this is a fun one.  Things we also talk about include BUT NOT LIMITED TO The Gilded Age, Marcus Mumford, Billy Joel, Perkins, and colonoscopies. We have some note taking pages for you for this episode over in our TSF Seasons Guidebook on page 88. If you need a copy of the guidebook, head over to anniefdowns.com/seasons! . . . . . 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!  . . . . . Sign up to receive the AFD Week In Review email and ask questions to future guests! #thatsoundsfunpodcast . . . . . Thank you to our sponsors! Boll and Branch: Go to bollandbranch.com/thatsoundsfun

If you’ve been feeling stuck lately or every conversation or thing around you just feels hard, we’re going to talk about it today. Ann Voskamp going to help us figure out how to find some gifts in the middle of suffering as we answer the question, “What are the gifts of summer I should take into the fall?” Go grab a copy of her 40-Day devotional Loved to Life and join me on Sept 10th (or sooner!). And also if you have never read One Thousand Gifts, I highly recommend getting a copy of that too! If you're following along in your TSF Seasons Guidebook, we switched the date of this episode around, and we’re skipping ahead to page 91. As always, the guidebook is available for you at anniefdowns.com/seasons. Find the show notes here . . . . . In September, we’re reading the Gospels together over on the Let’s Read the Gospels podcast and we’re using the Chronological Bible. So if hearing Ann talking about going through John chronologically sparked interest in you, we’d love for you to join us! We’ll start read

My COO Ashley Warren is joining me and we’re going through all of the questions you’ve sent in over the past few months about our work here at AFD Inc or the That Sounds Fun Network… or general questions about running a business or leading a team. Ashley and I have done a few of these Q&A episodes over the years and love getting to do them, (plus, you’re getting to hear Ashley’s wisdom and brilliance that I get to work with everyday) so I can’t wait to hear what you think or what additional questions this episode may spark. If you enjoyed this episode, I think you’ll also love these: Leading by Learning with David Novak – Episode 891 Is it Time For a Business Coach? (With Kelli Haywood and Chris Weinberg) – Build Your Board Series . . . . . 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!  . . . . . Sign up to receive the AFD Week In Review email and ask questions to future guests! . . . . .

If you’ve been wondering how to maneuver the season you are in, if you’ve got questions about the next right thing to do in your marriage, or if you are single and wondering what you can be doing right now to be the person you want to be in marriage, I am really excited to introduce you to our guests as we talk through all of this and answer the question, “How does the summer prepare us for the next season?”  George and Tondra Gregory are NFL chaplains, marriage coaches, and authors of the bestselling book, The Marriage Game Plan, and their ministry has had a massive impact on a lot of marriages across the country. And my single friends who are dating or want to be married, this is for you too. I’m telling you, there are so many helpful things in their book and in this conversation that we can put into practice now…not later.  You can also find more resources from them at journeyforlifenow.org. If you’re following along in your TSF Seasons Guidebook, we’re on page 85. The guidebook is available for you at 

If you’ve been wondering WHAT is going on with the next generation, if you’ve been hearing some of the same rumblings of God doing new things around the world, if you’re confused about teenagers (me too) and want some help understanding them… this is the episode for you. Dan Blythe lives in the UK and is the Global Youth Director for Alpha, and as we get closer to fall and think about what God’s up to around the world, he’s helping us understand how to prepare for the harvest. How do we pray for the next generation? How do we recognize the harvest?  If you’re following along in your TSF Seasons Guidebook, we’re on page 84. As always, the guidebook is available for you at anniefdowns.com/seasons! . . . . . Show notes 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!  . . . . . Sign up to receive the AFD Week In Review email and ask questions to future guests! #thatsoundsfunpodcast . . . . . Thank you to our sponsors!

Today we’re answering the question, “How does nature teach us about the seasons?" I get to talk with my new friend, Rachel G. Jordan. She is a marine biologist and spiritual guide and using the ocean as a lens, she points us to the way God is revealed in biology AND IT IS SO COOL. We’re talking about the coral reef, all that we don’t know about the ocean, the intelligence of sea creatures, and you’re not even ready for the insight she has about Moses crossing the Red Sea. I’m telling you, mind blowing. Rachel has a new book out called If The Ocean Has a Soul, so when this came across my desk you know I was all in. *I also want to note that we had some tech issues in the middle of recording this, so we picked back up on another day because we HAD to finish this conversation* So if you’re following along in your TSF Seasons Guidebook, we’re on page 83. As always, the guidebook is available for you at anniefdowns.com/seasons.. . . . . If you like this episode, we think you’ll love these: Episode 178 with

Welcome Back miniBFFs! Guess what? For the first time ever on Annie’s miniBFF Podcast, we have a guest reader. Actually we have a whole band guest reading for us! The band, CAIN will be joining us to share about their kids book, I’m So Blessed, and a story from… THE BIBLE!  Don’t worry. I will be there too. But I am so excited to share my friends, Taylor, Logan and Madison with you guys. Along with meeting them you will also get to meet their character from ⁠I’m So Blessed⁠: Tay Tay Tangerine, Maddie Melon, and Logo Lemon. Did I mention they are all fruit in the book? Because they are and I am obsessed!  I explain all you need to know in the trailer but here are the links you will need to make this series the best one yet.   ⁠I’m So Blessed by CAIN⁠  ⁠So Happy to Know You by Annie F. Downs ⁠ - Autographed Copy ⁠HERE⁠ ⁠Live And In Color Tour⁠ - Grab you tickets ⁠HERE⁠! (MINIBFF APPROVED SHOW)  Follow along with ⁠@miniBFFclub⁠, ⁠@Anniefdowns⁠ and ⁠@CAIN⁠ Learn more about miniBFF Club - ⁠HERE⁠ PS: Get r

Today our pal Eddie Kaufholz and I keep talking about our summer, Eddie’s new tattoo, and what it’s like to go on a cruise. We also need to know the perfect time of a day for soft serve ice cream. I would love to know your answer. . . . . . Show notes Want to watch this episode on YouTube? Head on over to our YouTube Channel and be sure to like and subscribe!  . . . . . Sign up to receive the AFD Week In Review email and ask questions to future guests! #thatsoundsfunpodcast . . . . . Thank you to our sponsors! Shopify: Sign up for your one-dollar-per-month trial and start selling today at shopify.com/soundsfun.  Helix Sleep: Go to helixsleep.com/thatsoundsfun for 20% off sitewide. Make sure you enter our show name after checkout so they know we sent you! NIV Application Bible: Save an additional 10% on any NIV Application Bible and NIV Application Commentary Resources by visiting faithgateway.com/NIVAB and use promo code THATSOUNDSFUN. Thrive Market: Head over to ThriveMarket.com/THAT

We knew we had to have a conversation about rest this summer. Y’all know how much Sabbath and rest is priority for me and I know y’all love talking about it too, so of course, we called John Mark Comer. His work on this topic has had a massive impact on a ton of us. If you’ve never read Garden City or The Ruthless Elimination of Hurry, I highly recommend adding those to your summer reading list.  And if you’re following along in your TSF Seasons Guidebook, we’re on page 80. It’s never too late to join us-you can find it at anniefdowns.com/seasons! . . . . . Find show notes here Want to watch this episode on YouTube? Head on over to our YouTube Channel and be sure to like and subscribe!  . . . . . If you liked this episode, you may like Resting Well This Summer with John Eldredge – Episode 898. Sign up to receive the AFD Week In Review email and ask questions to future guests! #thatsoundsfunpodcast . . . . . Thank you to our sponsors! BetterHelp: Our friends get 10% off their first month at Bett

My friends Gabe and Rebekah Lyons are here to help us answer the question, “How do I identify seasons of my marriage?” This spring they released their first book they’ve written together called The Fight For Us. We’re going to talk about how to define summer in your marriage (their answer was surprising), how to prepare for marriage, how to approach conflict, emotional and physical intimacy, and what it means to have a wholehearted marriage. Parents, you will want to listen to this one on your own instead of with my miniBFFs as we get into some “adult” conversation. If you’re following along in your TSF Seasons Guidebook, we’re on page 79. The guidebook is available for you at anniefdowns.com/seasons. . . . . . Find the show notes here Want to watch this episode on YouTube? Head on over to our YouTube Channel and be sure to like and subscribe!  . . . . . If you liked this episode, you may like these from our past couples series! TSF Couples 2021: Nathan + Christy Nockels TSF Couples 2020: Ka