Today on the show, I get to talk with my long-time friend Lanier Ivester.

I’ve known her for 30 years and I don’t think I’ve talked publicly much about my grandmother’s book store, but Lanier worked there growing up, so this conversation was so sacred to me—to relive some of those memories, to get to talk about my grandmother AND THEN get to talk about the Advent & Christmastide season, which y’all know is sacred to me too.

Lanier’s very first book, Glad and Golden Hours: A Companion for Advent and Christmastide, is out now and it's so good. She has walked through great grief in infertility, losing her parents, and a house fire. I think you’re really going to love getting to know her story and her heart. 

We also recorded a little bonus for Single Purpose League too.

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

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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, December 1st, kicks off Advent, and you know how I feel about ADVENT! I have absolutely zero chill that we finally get to start our Advent series with a ton of you today. We truly have been talking about this one and planning for this one for a long time. 

Today is the only day we’re going to share our Advent series here on the That Sounds Fun feed, but if you listen along and decide you want to join us for this series, you can jump in anytime! You’ll find the links to purchase the digital bundle over at anniefdowns.com/advent. Once you download it, you get to choose if you want to listen to each day’s devotion, read them, or watch them on video.

Whether you’re starting your day, running errands, cooking a meal, or working out, I hope these 9 minutes offer you an invitation to not let this Advent season pass you by without acknowledging where your hope is and where you can find it.

Join us for the rest of the series here: anniefdowns.com/advent

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Advent Facebook Group

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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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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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Name a better way to spend Thanksgiving than listening to a conversation with our pal Eddie Kaufolz. We’ve been recapping each year of the past 10 years with Eddie and can you believe we’ve made it to recapping 2023? LAST year?! Except we barely mention it... we mainly just catch up, talk Thanksgiving traditions and food, invent the term "travel robes" LOL, and you don't want to miss where you can potentially see Eddie TODAY on TV.... and no its not the Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade (hint: woof woof). 

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

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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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Sadie Robertson Huff and I talk about what it looks like to figure out a next step forward when you feel stuck, Her lifestyle devotional called, The Next Step, released last week and y’all are going to love it!

This would be such a great gift for a girl in your life who’s trying to navigate a “next thing,” whether that be a new semester at school, figuring a job change, or taking steps towards something they’ve been dreaming about. Plus, you know Sadie’s like a little sister to me, so it’s always the best to just catch up about life. We talked about all the things happening with her podcast and Live Original (or LO, as you’ll hear us call it), family traditions around the holidays, and her balancing working and being a mom. I love just love her and work she’s doing for the kingdom.

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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! 

. . . . .

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?

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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 enjoyed this episode, I also think you’ll also love any of these previous episodes!

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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 is the official birthday of That Sounds Fun. Ten years ago today, the first episode released. Yes, of course we’ve been celebrating all year, but I couldn’t let the actual day of the start come and go without pausing and giving thanks, for you and with you. 

This podcast also opened the door for my first ever show at the Ryman Auditorium- truly a dream come true. Over 2,000 of you were in the room with us, but that’s just a fraction of the friends listening today. So I thought it would be fun to grab our old pal Eddie for a few minutes, who was an integral part of the night, and recap it for you here.

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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! 

. . . . .

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

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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?

. . . . .

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

#thatsoundsfunpodcast

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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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A Little Women’s Christmas is a contemporary retelling of the beloved classic novel, and it follows the lives and loves of the March sisters in a small Tennessee town at Christmas. It was filmed here in Franklin, TN and your girl AFD got a small cameo in it! I can’t for you to see. Today, we’re sitting down with 3 of the cast members: Laura Osnes who plays Beth March, Julia Reilly who plays Amy March, and Jesse Hutch who plays John.

The movie premieres this Saturday, November 23rd at 8pm ET/7pm CT on Great American Family and Pure Flix (pureflix.com), so you’re going to want to check your local listings to see if you get Great American Family or head to pureflix.com and start their free 7-day trial so you’re ready to watch on Saturday. Invite your friends, put on your comfy clothes and let’s watch this adorable movie together.

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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! 

. . . . .

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?

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

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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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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. 

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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 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?

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

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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!

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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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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. 

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

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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! 

. . . . .

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?

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

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Our Place: Go to fromourplace.com and enter my code TSF at checkout to receive 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!

. . . . .

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.

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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!

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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?

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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!

. . . . .

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! 

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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! 

. . . . .

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

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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