That Sounds Fun with Annie F. Downs

For 30 days in 2019, over 400 churches in the greater Nashville area prayed and fasted together for revival in our city.  Pastor Dave Clayton from Ethos Church and Cross Point Pastor Kevin Queen (pastor of the pod, duh) came into my office to chat about Awaken Nashville- answer questions about why/how it got started, tell stories about what we've seen so far, and talk about what the first steps ar...

I only know how to play three songs on the guitar, and Julie Roberts's song "Break Down Here" is one of them. I've never met her before but WOW am I glad to have met her. This conversation- about growing up, country music, marriage, and an MS diagnosis- runs the full gamut. Her new book Beauty in the Breakdown is an amazing and inspiring read. You're gonna love this woman and this book!  . . . . ....

It's a special day here on the podcast as we welcome Jonathan Pitts- pastor, author, and husband to my friend, the late Wynter Pitts.  The very day she passed away, Jonathan and Wynter turned in a book on marriage called Emptied. I thought talking about this book, and Wynter, and Jonathan's transition to Nashville, would be great at the end of TSF Couples 2019. Hope you'll enjoy this very moving a...

To finish out our couples month on the podcast, I got two of my favorites around the microphones... Pastor Kevin Queen and his wife Rea! It's right to end the month with a seasoned couple (married 19 years!) who can walk us through some of the hard seasons of marriage. So many of my questions are answered in this one. I'm so grateful. This one is for you, husbands. (Kevin gives the best piece of a...

Andrew East is an NFL long snapper. Shawn Johnson East is an Olympic gold medalist gymnast. POWER ATHLETE COUPLE FOR REAL. Together they are one of my very favorite couples (in real life and on instagram). I have loved watching their marriage grow and change via the internet, and this conversation is a special one - about how to meet the right person, how to persevere in your dreams, and how to ma...

The stars of Flip or Flop Atlanta, Ken and Anita Corsini have an incredible story of God opening doors for them, how He ordered their steps, and how He sustained them when their son had cancer. This is far more than a story of HGTV celebs (though they are that too!)- it's deep and beautiful. We've been friends since college- over 20 years- and this is one of my favorite conversations with them eve...

I'm a little without description on this one, I'm just so happy about it. Mack and Meredith Brock are two strong leaders who have found home in each other. The depth of their communication and relationship is so dang inspiring to me (and wait until you hear how they talk about fasting and praying!). Mack Brock's most recent album Greater Things is an ABSOLUTE FAVORITE. Make sure you grab it! Grate...

It wouldn't be TSF Couples month here in Nashville without a country music super-couple! So here we are with Russell Dickerson and his amazing wife Kailey. I only cry once in this one... it's just so special, y'all. Make sure you check out Russell's music- truly one of my favorite voices in the country space right now. Even if you aren't totally a country fan (yet!), he might be the one to win you...

I know this is one of your favorite "couples" that come on our show- MINE TOO! This episode is perfect combination of a friendship we want to get to know AND the start of Lent season leading towards Easter! The SheReadsTruth girls and I talk all about healthy friendship with women, but we also talk about the next reading plans- four weeks of Job and four weeks of the Easter story (then Revelation...

TSF Couples Month continues with Jeff and Alyssa Bethke. These are two of my favorite friends to follow on socials and keep up with as their marriage and family grows and changes and strengthens. And they live in Maui so who wouldn't want to see that life on the regular? :) This episode brings up some important practices and disciplines to survive those young toddler years (three under five? THESE...

TSF Couples Month REALLY kicks off today with these two adorable and amazing humans- newlyweds Jessica Mack and Dre Plackis. Jess and I have known each other for a while here in Nashville, she's a gifted singer/songwriter and one of the cast members of CMT's Music City, a reality show based here in town. Dre and Jess met between the two seasons of Music City (you're gonna hear the whole story and...

No better way to kick off our month of couples than with these two (who are actually, in fact, not a romantic couple). Knox McCoy and Jamie Golden are the hosts of The Popcast and Bible Binge, as well as some very very fun side shows they offer their Patron community. You can find everything you want to know about them over at KnoxandJamie.com!  We fling from here to there in this convo and I woul...

I am just so excited to have my longtime friend Lisa Leonard on the podcast. I have been wearing her jewelry for almost a decade, and reading her words on her blog, but her book is a whole new thing. (It's amazing.) Lisa is so creative and wise and honest. Her new book Brave Love is just beautiful. You're gonna love it. We had some tech difficulties so we didn't get to talk as long as I wanted to,...

I love love love having pastors on the show- they just always have some nuggets for us that will lead to good growth and change. Scott Sauls is one of those pastors to me- he is an expert on faith and culture and where those meet, as well as just a kind, generous, and thoughtful human. I'm grateful for where this conversation went as we talked all about struggles and faith life and changes and HOP...

My girl Hollyn is on the show today and y'all just aren't even going to believe this story. What I thought was a simple, "update me on life" question led to a whole episode of how God writes stories that are unlike anything we could do for ourselves. To finish up the Next Gen series, another expert from inside the Next Gen camp, reminding us that God is at work in all of our lives, no matter your...

Y'all. This one surprised me. I called a couple of my favorite gals- Camden (13), Raleigh (15), and Katie Marie (19)- to see if we could talk all about being a teenager. Because all of our experts this month have been experts BUT who knows teens better than teens.  And these young women BLEW MY MIND. Buckle up for an incredibly beautiful and profound conversation. (Also dear adults, here's a spoil...

Pretty often, JP Pokluda's name crosses in front of me, so I've known of him for a long time. But this was our first time getting to be friends. But I knew when I was gathering up experts on the next generation, he was one of the dudes I wanted to speak into this series. So far our experts have been talking to us about middle and high schoolers (mostly), but JP is here to talk college (mostly). :)...

Fifteen years ago, Drew Hill and I served in the same student ministry. He and his wife Natalie moved to Athens, Georgia and became the leaders of the student ministry where I was volunteering. I learned so so much from him the year we served together. Impacted me forever. Drew has been committed to investing in the next generation for twenty years and he's finally (literally FINALLY) written a bo...

We are taking a few episodes to talk about the next generation- what it looks like to invest in them, how to care for them, and how to love them well. When I think about who speaks teenage the best and can teach us a whole lot, it is Amy Byrd. She is the director of girls ministry at Hunter Street Baptist Church and also an absolutely brilliant writer, gifted speaker, and excellent friend. I think...

HAPPY NEW YEAR, friends! So glad to be kicking off another season with you. We have some fun plans in the next few weeks, and I wanted to start the year by having a conversation with Carey Nieuwhof. Pastor, teacher, author, podcast host, leadership expert, Carey has a lot of right answers for the questions we are asking right now about how to start 2019 in a way that leads us to the healthiest yea...

There was no other way to end the year than having our old pal Eddie Kaufholz back on the show. We talk about 2018 like it can't hear us- the things we loved and hated, the ways it surprised us, Eddie's big changes this year (and he parents his daughters a few times), and we dive deep into plans for 2019. This is a thinker and an LOLer. Of course it is. Thanks for an amazingly fun year, you guys....

I've never gotten to do a Christmas Eve show until this year, AND I AM SO THRILLED ABOUT IT. I imagine this being the episode you listen to as you drive home, or cook for your people, or out on a walk with your pup to get a little break from family time, or driving to and from the golf course. Or maybe y'all turn on the tree and gather around, old school style, and listen together. Loads of people...

My friend Nicolle Galyon throws incredible parties. Never stressful, never stuffy, always welcoming and incredibly fun. So when we planned our Hallmark Movie watching party for Saturday night (remember we're all watching Jingle Around The Clock on 12/22 at 8pm/7pmCT), I knew I wanted Nicolle to come and teach me how to throw a party like she does! Also. I should mention. She is a Grammy-nominated,...

We've had some huge stars on the podcast this year, but today exceeds them all. Santa Claus is here. Parents- I *think* it's okay for your kids to hear this one, we didn't say anything that would lead to heartbreak, except for Santa's dislike for mall Santas. But just heads up that I know some of my pals who listen are under the age of 12 and I wouldn't want you to proceed without a tiny warning t...

I cannot keep up with my lists and calendars and THINGS TO DO before 2019. I don't want to miss the beauty of this season because of the crazy I feel in my schedule. So Jessica Turner was just the woman to call upon to help us all find a little mores space and balance. Jess juggles a million things- family, full time job, author life, speaking, blogger, THE LIST KEEPS GOING. And somehow she still...