Today Melanie Shankle is here to help us answer the question, “What do I do when spring still feels like winter?”

Melanie’s always making us laugh on The Big Boo Cast, telling us which jeans to wear on the internet, and writing brilliant books and her latest is just incredible. It’s called Here Be Dragons: Treading the Deep Waters of Motherhood, Mean Girls, and Generational Trauma and it’s Melanie’s honest and deeply personal story of trusting God to heal generational wounds so she can be a strong presence for her daughter. I know she’s not the only one with this kind of story and like many of us has found herself at times in a winter season when everyone else is in spring and we’re going to talk about how to navigate that. I think you’re really going to love this conversation.

If you’re following along in your TSF Seasons Guidebook, we're on page 42. If you don’t have a guidebook yet, head to anniefdowns.com/seasons to purchase yours so you can hop in with us for the spring. You’ll get emailed the winter and spring pages as soon as you buy.

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If you enjoyed this episode, go back and listen to: Women Embracing Their Roles As Leaders with Sophie Hudson- Episode 918

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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.

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Pastor Mike Kelsey is back to help set us up well as we step into spring…BLESS GOD.

As you may remember, Pastor Mike is here with us at the start of every season this year, so we can really be intentional about thinking through not only the physical changes of the season but the emotional and spiritual side too. Today on the show, we’re answering the question, “What is spring and how do I define it in my life?”

Y’all had LOTS OF THOUGHTS when he was here with us in the winter, so I can’t wait to hear what you think about this episode. Single Purpose League, we also recorded a bonus clip for you that’s available over on Patreon.

We finally get to turn THE ACTUAL PAGE in our TSF Seasons Guidebook today and jump into the spring pages, so we’re on page 40. And if you haven’t gotten a Guidebook, today’s the perfect day to purchase yours. When you do, you’ll immediately be able to download the winter and spring pages and get started with us…you can find everything you need 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! 

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Join our Patreon community Single Purpose League as we tackle the question: What is my single purpose and what is my purpose while single?

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Thank you to our sponsors!

BetterHelp: Visit BetterHelp.com/THATSOUNDSFUN today to get 10% off your first month.

“I Want to Trust You, But I Don’t”: The six-session Bible study is perfect for groups or individuals. Learn more and watch Session 1 for free at HarperChristianResources.com/trust.

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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.

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We are so glad you’re loving this rhythm of walking through the seasons together this year on That Sounds Fun, and WE KNOW YOU’RE READY FOR SPRING. My gosh, we are too.

We all feel it, right? The anticipation of a new thing. More light. More warmth. More color. The winter was both long AND full of purpose. It was both painful AND sacred, cold AND cozy.

But we are ready for spring! Starting Monday, March 24th we officially kick off the spring on the podcast with none other than our pastor for this year in the seasons, Pastor Mike Kelsey. Y’all loved his insight on the winter and he’s returning to help us usher in this new season. He’s going to help us figure out what spring means spiritually and how we define it in our lives. And as the spring continues we’re bringing on some incredible guests to help us answer questions like:

What do I do when spring still feels like winter?

How do I transition seasons well?

How do I identify when spring is here?

And how do I process change in busy seasons?

Spring is going to bring us opportunities to talk about resurrection and revival. It’s going to give us the chance to talk about resting in the midst of busy seasons and still feeling stuck in your own winter when everyone else is in the full bloom of spring. And we just might have another soundtrack for the season that we all get to listen to!

Plus, YOU KNOW Eddie and I are going to keep talking once a month BECAUSE DUH WE LOVE IT, and you just never know when an Always Annie episode will get dropped in too.

But here’s what I really love: we’ve had the chance to really journey together through the TSF Seasons Guidebook where we have pages for you to take notes, answer journal prompts, and process questions from each episode. So we have new spring pages for your Guidebook ready to go! If you already purchased the Guidebook in the winter, you should have received an email already with your spring pages.

But if you don't have a copy yet, head over to anniefdowns.com/seasons to purchase yours and you’ll get both winter AND spring and then you’ll be emailed summer and fall pages as each of those seasons begin.

God’s been working in big ways in the stillness of the winter, and I pray we see the fruit as we turn the page into spring. But in all of it, our hope is to help you get the most of every season. We don’t want to let it pass us by without acknowledging what God’s up to.

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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.

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Our friend Eddie Kaufholz and I keep talking and you know we’re getting into the hard hitting stuff like… the relationship between brain size and head size, talking animals, and opening day of baseball. 

But there’s 7 minutes of serious too, because we had to talk about shoes and financial security and being misunderstood. We’re going there today.

Don’t forget to download your spring pages for your TSF Guidebook to be ready for Monday! If you purchased it already, those have been emailed to you… and if not, head to anniefdowns.com/seasons to buy yours.

. . . . .

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! 

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Sign up to receive the AFD Week In Review email and ask questions to future guests!

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If you’d like to partner with Annie as a sponsor for the That Sounds Fun podcast, fill out our Advertise With Us form!

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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.

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 Today we’re answering the question, “How do I handle the changing of a season?”

We’re talking about the changing of the seasons today and I love what Ellie said about this book, because it’s exactly what we need right now as we step into spring. She said: “We all know what it’s like to be in the winter seasons and this book is a reminder that winter never gets the final word.”

Ellie’s new kids book and accompanying album is called Spring Sings and it’s an Easter book so this would be such a fun gift to put in Easter baskets! 

You’re going to love this conversation and if you’re following along in your TSF Seasons Guidebook, we’re on page 27. For those of you who have the guidebook, your spring pages are being emailed to you today! And it’s not too late to jump in and still get a guidebook. Head to anniefdowns.com/seasons to purchase yours and you’ll get our winter and spring pages, and then we’ll email you summer and fall when those seasons begin. 

. . . . .

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! 

. . . . .

Join our Patreon community Single Purpose League as we tackle the question: What is my single purpose and what is my purpose while single?

. . . . .

Sign up to receive the AFD Week In Review email and ask questions to future guests!

#thatsoundsfunpodcast

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Thank you to our sponsors!

Thrive Causemetics: Right now, you can get an exclusive 20% off your first order at thrivecausemetics.com/TSF. 

AG1: AG1 is offering new subscribers a FREE $76 gift when you sign up. You’ll get a Welcome Kit, a bottle of D3K2 AND 5 free travel packs in your first box at DrinkAG1.com/soundsfun.

BetterHelp: Visit BetterHelp.com/THATSOUNDSFUN today to get 10% off your first month.

Our Place: Visit fromourplace.com/TSF and use code TSF for 10% off sitewide.

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If you’d like to partner with Annie as a sponsor for the That Sounds Fun podcast, fill out our Advertise With Us form!

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If you liked this episode, listen to Episode 953 with Drew and Ellie from earlier this year! 

. . . . .

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.

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Once a month this year, we'll have an essay from me with some thoughts and ideas I am processing in real time. This started when I first moved to New York, and we called them AFD in NYC, as I was real time learning what it was like to live here. One of the episodes that mattered a lot to you all (and to me) was AFD in NYC Episode 6: An Essay About My Body and how NYC was changing my body... well, how it was changing my mind about my body. And a truth that remains today is that my body thrives in New York more than other cities... 

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TSF Seasons Guidebook is available for you over at anniefdowns.com/seasons that will lead you through this entire year as well. When you purchase it, you’ll get a download of all of the questions and prompts for the winter season, and then we’ll email the content for each new season as it begins. 

. . . . .

Want to watch this episode on YouTube? Head on over to our YouTube Channel and be sure to like and subscribe! 

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Sign up to receive the AFD Week In Review email and ask questions to future guests!

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If you liked this episode, here's last month's: Always Annie: Where Can I Grieve?- Episode 960

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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.

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Today on the show, we’re answering the question, “Why does the winter feel so long?” 

You may know Cubbie Fink as one of the founding members of Foster the People, but he’s also an incredible producer and creative force. And joining him is his wife Rebecca St. James—Grammy and Dove Award-winning Christian artist, worship leader, author, and just all-around wonderful human. 

I think we’re all feeling OVER THE WINTER at this point, so we’re going to talk about why it feels so long and how we handle it, AND we get to talk about Cubbie and Rebecca’s book about their life and marriage, called Lasting Ever. 

If you’re following along in your TSF Seasons Guidebook, we’re on page 25. And as always, if you still want to get a Guidebook (especially because spring pages are coming soon, we’re emailing them out on March 17th!), you can find it 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! 

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Thank you to our sponsors! 

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If you’d like to partner with Annie as a sponsor for the That Sounds Fun podcast, fill out our Advertise With Us form!

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If you enjoyed this episode, you can go back and listen to these:

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Catch our special miniseries over on Annie’s miniBFF podcast. It’s about Who We Are. Why We Are Here, and Where We Are Going. Be sure to subscribe for the miniBFFs in your life.

. . . . .

Sign up to receive the AFD Week In Review email and ask questions to future guests!

#thatsoundsfunpodcast

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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.

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

What better way to start the Lent season than with the guy who plays Jesus on The Chosen, right?!

Jonathan Roumie and I talk about what this season holds and some really cool things the Hallow App has to offer during Lent. And I want to hear from you, what is your plan for Lent? How are you observing it this year? Hop over to @thatsoundsfunpodcast on instagram and tell us there.

I’ve decided to watch one episode of The Chosen every weekday leading up to Easter (except for my Saturday Sabbaths), so if you want to join me in that you can download the Chosen App and find seasons 1-4 there or you can find them on Amazon Prime. We also have a PDF of the watch schedule you can download that’s available in the linked here!

AND Part one of Season 5 hits theaters on March 28th, so mark your calendars, followed by Parts 2 and 3 releasing in theaters in April, so GET READY. 

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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! 

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Join our Patreon community Single Purpose League as we tackle the question: What is my single purpose and what is my purpose while single?

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#thatsoundsfunpodcast

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If you liked this episode you may also like these:

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.

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Today on the show, we’re answering the question, “How do I pray in the winter?”John Eldredge is back and officially becomes a member of the Hall of Fun! His spiritual leadership and wisdom is so helpful and you’re going to want to take notes from this one for sure. He also has a new book releasing tomorrow called Experiencing Jesus. Really.

If you’re following along in your TSF Seasons Guidebook, we’re on page 23. And as always, if you still want to get a Guidebook, you can find it 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! 

. . . . .

Join our Patreon community Single Purpose League as we tackle the question: What is my single purpose and what is my purpose while single?

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Sign up to receive the AFD Week In Review email and ask questions to future guests!

#thatsoundsfunpodcast

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Thank you to our sponsors!

Our Place: Visit fromourplace.com/TSF and use code TSF for 10% off sitewide.

Better Help: Visit BetterHelp.com/THATSOUNDSFUN today to get 10% off your first month.

Lumen: Go to lumen.me/TSF to get 20% off your Lumen.

AG1: AG1 is offering new subscribers a FREE $76 gift when you sign up. You’ll get a Welcome Kit, a bottle of D3K2 AND 5 free travel packs in your first box. So make sure to check out DrinkAG1.com/soundsfun to get this offer!

"I Want to Trust You, But I Don't" Bible study: Learn more and watch Session 1 for free at HarperChristianResources.com/trust. 

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If you’d like to partner with Annie as a sponsor for the That Sounds Fun podcast, fill out our Advertise With Us form!

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If you liked this episode you may also like these:

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.

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Savannah Guthrie is back! You know and love Savannah from the TODAY show. Last year, I got to talk with her about her New York Times bestselling book, Mostly What God Does. You can go back and listen to that one, it’s episode 863, and now she has a brand new kids’ book out this week called, Mostly What God Does is Love You.

If you’re following along in the TSF Seasons Guidebook, there’s no notes pages for this one, because it’s a bonus episode! You’re welcome. 

. . . . .

Want to watch this episode on YouTube? Head on over to our YouTube Channel and be sure to like and subscribe! 

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Catch our special miniseries over on Annie’s miniBFF podcast for these weeks leading up to the release of Where Did TJ Go? It’s about Who We Are. Why We Are Here, and Where We Are Going. Be sure to subscribe for the miniBFFs in your life.

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If you liked this conversation, you may also like these:

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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.

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices