That Sounds Fun with Annie F. Downs

Strahan Coleman is a teacher at Practicing the Way, founder of the ministry Commoners Communion, AND he’s an award-winning musician. He lives in New Zealand with his wife and three young boys and in his latest book, Thirsting, Strahan poetically explores how to rediscover and fulfill our deepest desire through communion with God. We talk about how his chronic illness and losing his ability to sing lead him into a deeper friendship and closeness with God, the depths of God being like the dark ocean, the time it takes for a tree to produce fruit, and more. I hope this conversation leaves you thirsting for more of God. 

. . . .

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 advent study at https://www.anniefdowns.com/advent

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

. . . . .

Thank you to our sponsors!

AG1: Every week of November, AG1 will be running a special Black Friday offer for a free gift with your first subscription, in addition to the Welcome Kit with Vitamin D3+K2. So make sure to check out DrinkAG1.com/soundsfun to see what gift you can get this week!

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

Shopify: Sign up for your one-dollar-per-month trial period at shopify.com/soundsfun.

Go Bible: The Go Bible is available wherever Bibles are sold online, as well as KidsGoBible.com or at your favorite local bookstore!

Glorify App: Download the #1 Christian devotional app for free at glorify-app.com/THATSOUNDSFUN.

Helix Sleep: Get 25% sitewide + 2 FREE dream pillows with any mattress purchase at helixsleep.com/ThatSoundsFun.

. . . . .

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

. . . . .

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

Lisa Bevere is one of those wise, mothering voices we all can learn from—strong and full of wisdom—and today we’re talking about being empowered women running after God. Her latest book The Fight for Female is out now so you’re going to hear all about it and hear why this was the book that was needed for our generation of women right now, in 2024. 

. . . .

Other topics include miscarriage and infant loss, Heaven, mothering voices, and fasting.

. . . .

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 advent study at https://www.anniefdowns.com/advent

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

. . . . .

Thank you to our sponsors!

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

Daily Look: Head to Dailylook.com to take your style quiz and use code THATSOUNDSFUN for 50% off your order. 

KiwiCo:  Get up to 50% off your first crate at kiwico.com, promo code THATSOUNDSFUN.

Our Place: Go to fromourplace.com and enter my code TSF at checkout to receive 10% off sitewide.

Glorify App: Download the #1 Christian devotional app for free at glorify-app.com/THATSOUNDSFUN.

Helix Sleep: Get 25% sitewide + 2 FREE dream pillows with any mattress purchase at helixsleep.com/ThatSoundsFun.

. . . . .

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

. . . . .

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

Y’all get ready, because today I get to talk with my friend, Ellen Skrmetti—one of my favorite follows on Instagram. I bet you love her too…she makes those “Hey Jesus, it’s me,” videos…and she’s just as funny in person as she is online.

Her southern humor is just spot on in the bless-your-heart kind of way and I laughed so much during this conversation. We did a real deep dive on how her comedy career got started, church potlucks, the speed of funerals, panty hose, a new sausage ball recipe… and we also got to talk about her brand new book, Hey Jesus, It’s Me. Y’all, hand to heaven, ask my coworkers, I laughed out loud multiple times reading this book. It is so funny and so good.

. . . .

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

Find the show notes here!

. . . . .

Join our advent study at https://www.anniefdowns.com/advent

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

. . . . .

Thank you to our sponsors!

WayFair: Head to Wayfair.com now to shop Wayfair’s Black Friday Deals.

Shopify: Sign up for your one-dollar-per-month trial period at Shopify.com/soundsfun.

Fatty15: You can get an additional 15% off their 90-day subscription Starter Kit by going to fatty15.com/TSF and using code TSF at checkout. 

LiquidIV: Get 20% off your first order of Liquid I.V. when you go to liqiudiv.com and use code THATSOUNDSFUN at checkout.

Glorify App: Download the #1 Christian devotional app for free at glorify-app.com/THATSOUNDSFUN.

Helix Sleep: Get 25% sitewide + 2 FREE dream pillows with any mattress purchase at helixsleep.com/ThatSoundsFun.

. . . . .

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

. . . . .

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

Who else absolutely LOVED the book The Best Christmas Pageant Ever growing up? It was one of my favorites and tomorrow it’s coming to the big screen, and we get to talk all about it today with Dallas Jenkins, who directed the movie, and his wife, Amanda. Y’all know them and love them already because Dallas is the director of The Chosen, but I’m telling you, I’ve cried BOTH times I’ve seen this screening of this movie. You’re going to LOVE it. Do not miss Dallas's story at the end of how he got to produce this amazing movie! 

. . . .

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 advent study at https://www.anniefdowns.com/advent

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

. . . . .

Thank you to our sponsors!

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

Factor: Head to factormeals.com/tsf50 and use code tsf50 to get 50% off your first box and 20% off your next month.

Ritual: Go to ritual.com/THATSOUNDSFUN for 25% off.

Our Place: Go to fromourplace.com and enter my code TSF at checkout to receive 10% off sitewide.

Glorify App: Download the #1 Christian devotional app for free at glorify-app.com/THATSOUNDSFUN.

Helix Sleep: Get 25% sitewide + 2 FREE dream pillows with any mattress purchase at helixsleep.com/ThatSoundsFun.

. . . . .

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

. . . . .

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

You may remember Bethany Joy Lenz from One Tree Hill (she was Haley James Scott on the show), but today she is being generous with her story of faith and freedom and identity, as she talks about the journey of finding herself in a cult, the manipulation she experienced, and the empowerment she found to break way from it all. She shares even more of this story and the destruction narcissism can cause in her brand new memoir, Dinner for Vampires, which, y’all, I seriously couldn't put down.

. . . .

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 advent study at https://www.anniefdowns.com/advent

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

. . . . .

Thank you to our sponsors!

AG1: Every week of November, AG1 will be running a special Black Friday offer for a free gift with your first subscription, in addition to the Welcome Kit with Vitamin D3+K2. So make sure to check out DrinkAG1.com/soundsfun to see what gift you can get this week!

Great American Family: For all the Great American Family goodness, go to pureflix.com to start your free trial!

Glorify App: Download the #1 Christian devotional app for free at glorify-app.com/THATSOUNDSFUN.

Helix Sleep: Get 25% sitewide + 2 FREE dream pillows with any mattress purchase at helixsleep.com/ThatSoundsFun.

. . . . .

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

. . . . .

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

In case you haven’t been with us for a while, once a month we’re recapping each of the last 10 years in honor of the 10th anniversary of That Sounds Fun, so this month, we’re recapping 2022... but what we actually do is talk about anything else. Today we talk big about the World Series and (mainly Shohei Ohtani), Lin-Manuel Miranda, AI, and water because why not. 

Also, let us know on Instagram what you would with 41 million dollars!!!

. . . . .

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 us for our Advent series, Stay Tuned! 

. . . . .

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

#thatsoundsfunpodcast

. . . . .

Thank you to our sponsors!

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

KiwiCo: Get up to 50% off your first crate at kiwico.com, promo code THATSOUNDSFUN.

. . . . .

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

. . . . .

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

Learning how to be a person of faith in 2024 seems very challenging and the center of a lot of conversations these days. Today felt like the perfect time to talk to my friend Phil Manginelli about what's going on in the world, in the US, in our faith, and where those all meet. Phil equips churches and organizations teaching internationally on navigating the cultural landscape of a post-Christian world and following Jesus in a secular age, and serves as the Lead Pastor of The Square in Smyrna, GA. I think you all will love this conversation and his new book You Are Not Alone: A Guide To Following Jesus In A Secular Age. 

. . . . .

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! 

. . . . .

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

#thatsoundsfunpodcast

. . . . .

Thank you to our sponsors!

AG1: Try AG1 and get a FREE bottle of Vitamin D3K2 AND 5 free AG1 Travel Packs with your first purchase at drinkAG1.com/soundsfun.

Thrive Causemetics:  get an exclusive 20% off your first order at thrivecausemetics.com/TSF.

Orgain: Go to orgain.com/THATSOUNDSFUN for 20% off and make sure you use my promo code, THATSOUNDSFUN.

Shopify: Sign up for your one-dollar-per-month trial period at shopify.com/soundsfun. 

Fatty15: Get an additional 15% off their 90-day subscription Starter Kit by going to fatty15.com/TSF and using code TSF at checkout. 

. . . . .

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

. . . . .

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.

. . . . .

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.

. . . . .

If you liked THIS episode, you will LOVE this one:

The Spiritual and Cultural War on Men with Jon Tyson – Episode 887

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

We're going there today! My friend Ryan Wekenman and I talk about how to help our churches and pastors understand how to serve the single people in their church. Ryan’s a pastor at Red Rocks Austin and he’s also the author of Single Today, which came out earlier this year. We also talk about finding contentment and being present in your current season, finding community, and permission to change your mind in big life choices. No matter your season or relationship status, I think you'll find this conversation really helpful. 

If you’re single (or know someone who is), our open registration season for Single Purpose League is coming to a close next week (on Oct. 28th), and it won’t open again until the New Year, so make sure you come join us, especially because you’ll get to go through our Advent series, Stay Tuned, together. You can find all the details at singlepurposeleague.com.

There's a resource that I want to give you, too, at anniefdowns.com/pastoringsingles. It's a short PDF that offers some ideas to help your pastor connect with the people who aren’t married in their church. 

. . . . .

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! 

. . . . .

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

#thatsoundsfunpodcast

. . . . .

Thank you to our sponsors!

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

Lumen:  Go to lumen.me/TSF to get 15% off your Lumen.

. . . . .

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

. . . . .

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.

. . . . .

If you liked THIS episode, you will LOVE this one:

Singleness in the Church with David Platt- Episode 857

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

One of my BFFs, Danielle Walker, is back and this is her 5th time on That Sounds Fun, so you know what that means, right?! HALL OF FUN induction. 

Her new cookbook is called Make It Easy: A Healthy Meal Prep and Menu Planning Guide and I’m telling you.. If you’re already building your Christmas wish list, put this on it. Especially those of you who like a meal prep plan. She’s got you covered. Y’all know I don’t cook much, but when I do… Danielle’s my girl for all the recipes. We also answer some of your questions you asked her on our AFD Week In Review! 

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

other topics we cover: Infant Loss Awareness Day, insecurities, New York Times Bestsellers, favorite New York restaurants, and Disneyland

. . . . .

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 us for our Advent study this year at anniefdowns.com/advent!

. . . . .

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

. . . . .

#thatsoundsfunpodcast

. . . . .

Thank you to our sponsors!

AG1: Try AG1 and get a FREE bottle of Vitamin D3K2 AND 5 free AG1 Travel Packs with your first purchase at drinkAG1.com/soundsfun.

Shopify: Sign up for your one-dollar-per-month trial period at shopify.com/soundsfun. 

Daily Look: Head to Dailylook.com to take your style quiz and use code THATSOUNDSFUN for 50% off your order.

. . . . .

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

. . . . .

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

When the Advent season rolls around every year, the theme that always leads the way is waiting with anticipation. Waiting with excitement because the birth of Christ is near. But sometimes that’s hard because Advent is ANOTHER season of waiting for a lot of us. How do we level up excitement and joy around WAITING when it feels like waiting is our whole year?

That’s why we’ve created Stay Tuned: An Advent Series For Those Already Waiting—a series designed for anyone struggling with unanswered prayers and hope that feels a bit worn out. Whether you’re single or simply navigating a tough season, this Advent, we’ll face the challenges of waiting together and discover the beauty and purpose in the midst of it.

Join us for three weeks of devotionals (available in written form, audio, and video), prayers, and reflection questions on how to wrestle with the waiting, find hope in it all, and celebrate the faithfulness of God as we anticipate the arrival of our King.

For all the Advent details and to purchase this series: https://www.anniefdowns.com/advent

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