That Sounds Fun with Annie F. Downs

The team here at That Sounds Fun is getting ready to take a couple weeks off work to rest and recharge. As we were thinking through the right person to help lead us into our Summer Sabbath, I knew Allen Arnold was the exact right person for this episode. As a part of the Wild at Heart team, Allen helps create content that leads us toward God’s heart for rest, creativity, and reset. Allen's newest...

I think you're going to find today's conversation SO HELPFUL! I know I did. Jackie Dorman is a real-life dating coach and someone I knew would be the perfect expert to end our Summer Lovin' series. We’re diving into ALL the things: dating apps, green, yellow, and red flags, the importance of physical attraction, dating long distance, and more. You’re going to love her, you guys. Consider this your...

Ok...so breakups aren't exactly what sounds fun to most of us. Which is why I am SO glad our Summer Lovin' expert, Janice Gaines is here to help us navigate the conversation today all about the topic of breakups. Joining us are my friends Ryan and Katy as we talk about some breakup stories, the emotions that come alongside a breakup, and the desire to still hold onto hope after a relationship ends...

Today on the show we are talking all about Attachment Theory. I came across my new friend, Jason VanRuler on Instagram and his resources have been so helpful for me! We're joined by my friends Shayna and Sam as we talk about each of the different attachment styles, how they impact our relationships, and what moving toward secure attachment looks like. This was such a helpful conversation and I'm s...

Today on the show we have Summer Lovin’ expert, Craig Allen Cooper. Joining him are my friends Mike and Lillian (also known as the Chief Annie Officer)... and together, the four of us talk about why and how the Love Languages are helpful when it comes to dating and if there are certain languages that are better combos than others. It’s fascinating, you guys! This is one of those conversations that...

Today is such a special show as we look towards Father's Day weekend. I get to sit down and talk to my friends Charles and Cassie Kelley. You all know Charles from the AMAZING country trio, Lady A. Charles has recently been on a journey to sobriety and he and Cassie were kind enough to share their story. I so appreciate Charles' honesty and transparency and Cassie's strength and generosity in this...

Today on the show is a thoughtful conversation around sex and dating with Kait and JJ Tomlin, hosts of The Heart of Dating Podcast. Navigating sexual desire and healthy boundaries when you are a single person of faith can be really challenging. It's also a really important part of being a human. We tackle some of your most asked questions like, how far is too far, is sex still just for marriage in...

It's one of our most requested topics in general, but especially when it comes to dating. My dear friend, Jess Connolly is here to talk all things friendship! Listen in our our conversation with my friends, Lani, and John David, as we talk about how to be friends with the opposite sex in a healthy way even if they're married, what our married friends need to know about being friends with single pe...

Y'all KNOW how much I loved this conversation! Jackie Brewster is a certified Enneagram coach and our expert for this Summer Lovin' episode. We're joined by my pals, Tobi and Kelley as we talk about being compatible (or not compatible?) with different numbers, having curiosity around your own self-awareness and longings, and what we can learn about other numbers that can help us love them better....

First of all, this is SUCH a good conversation you guys!! Secondly, I am so excited to finally have on the show,  Debra Fileta, a Licensed Professional Counselor who specializes in dating, marriage, and relationship issues. She was the exact right person to join us for this episode along with my friends, Bekah and Lucas! As we continue on through our Summer Lovin' series, today's conversation is a...

Y'all...I am BESIDE MYSELF with excitement. We are literally DAYS away from leaving on a tour bus headed to our first stop on the Here For You Tour (brought to you by our friends at Africa New Life!) with my pal, Carlos Whittaker. Since I've actually never been a guest on Carlos' Human Hope Podcast, we thought it was FOR SURE about time to remedy that! Since this conversation is about tour and all...

TODAY we kick off Summer Lovin', a That Sounds Fun podcast series in which we want to restore hope in dating and bridge y’all to helpful conversations, practical resources, and amazing experts, so that you see changes in your dating life—starting with you. I could not be more excited to talk to my friend, Pastor Ben Stuart, about some of the most asked questions about dating. “Where are all the si...

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

YOU GUYS! What a way to celebrate this Memorial Day with the MOST fun dude, Drew Holcomb! I'm so grateful for him and his music! Drew's full length studio album Strangers No More releases June 7 and I truly think it's the perfect summer soundtrack.  Here's the link to @ksrhoads Instagram account that both Drew and I love! . . . .  Go to hereforyoutour.com to get your tickets to our upcoming tour t...

I've been wanting to sit down and chat with Pastor Kyle Idleman for a while now and I'm so glad we finally got the chance! Today, we talk about how to know when to persevere versus when to say this isn't working anymore, defining the stages of anger, and how connection and confession are tied together. This conversation was so helpful for me! I really appreciate Pastor Kyle and his new book When Y...

Coming THIS June...a That Sounds Fun podcast series in which we want to restore hope in dating and bridge y’all to helpful conversations, practical resources, and amazing experts, so that you see changes in your dating life—starting with you. Make sure you are subscribed to That Sounds Fun wherever you usually listen to podcasts and share with your friends! If you're single or you have single frie...

I love this conversation so much! Next Gen pastor and my friend, Eli Bonilla Jr is here to talk about supporting the next generation with proximity and presence, and how to start listening to our third culture community friends. I adore Eli. And I've never read a book like Eli's new book Mixed. I think it will really matter to you and I was honored to get to read it.  . . . . For 100 days this sum...

Buckle up. Y'all are in for a TREAT! Kim Gravel and I go WAY back and I just love her! She's hilarious and her new book Collecting Confidence is so good! We talk all about not letting the enemy steal your confidence and how a calling is not what you do, it's who you are. Y'all are going to LOVE her and this conversation! . . . . Are you single? Are you dating? Are you wanting to date? Submit your...

Oh friends, today's show is a good one. Shane Claiborne is a champion for grace and I am PUMPED to get to chat with him on what it looks like to be driven by love and concerned about life, what love requires of us when it comes to violence and hot-button political topics, and what it looks like to be a champion for life without exceptions. Shane's newest book Rethinking Life is incredibly moving a...

A SUNDAY drop in episode?! OK MA'AM! First of all, happy Mother's Day to all the moms and mothering voices out there who mean so much to us and our miniBFFs! I'm incredibly grateful for the women around me who are mothering in SO many ways. We recently got to talk to our friend, Dr. Nijay Gupta back on Episode 464 (be sure to go back and listen if you haven't heard it yet!). And since we talked ab...

This is such a special conversation that I'm so excited I get to share with y'all. I truly will remember it forever. My friend, Christine Caine, is back on the podcast talking about her brand new book, Don't Hold Back. This book BLEW MY MIND! I am deeply humbled by this conversation with Chris and the kindness of the Lord in this chance to tell her some special news in person... . . . . . Go to he...

I am so honored to cohost the Live in Love Podcast with my friend Lauren Akins and I am OVER THE MOON that we are back for SEASON 3!! The first episode releases TODAY and is available right now- just head over and subscribe to Live in Love with Lauren Akins HERE! (This is a great show to share with your friends! Invite your people to listen along with you!) Learn more about your ad choices. Visit...

Pastor J.D. Greear and I came in HOT talking all about Paul, why it's important to teach on the book of Romans, and how drawing near to Jesus refines our belief system. This is such a helpful conversation and I think you're going to like this one. J.D.'s book Essential Christianity is so good! I'm so thankful for J.D. and his leadership. . . . .  Go to hereforyoutour.com to get your tickets to our...

My girl, Rebekah Lyons, is here today to talk about ALL the themes we've been chatting about lately - resiliency, confession, AND aging! Let's goooo! We also got to talk about walking through weathering seasons of our lives, asking God for the truth instead of believe our own lies, and finding beauty even in the hard days. I'm so thankful for the way Rebekah teaches and leads us through the honest...

Y'all. I am BESIDE myself with excitement over this episode! I'm so honored to have the one and only CeCe Winans on the podcast! We get to chat about how the Lord called CeCe and her husband to be pastors, the preciousness of the Holy Spirit, and how to honor the generations before us. CeCe has been such a faithful voice pointing us to God for many years and I am so grateful for her. Be sure to gr...